Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 702 Jinshan Yinshan

Golden Dumplings...

When Yuan Tao heard Qing Wan address the golden statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in that way, a hint of unease flashed in his eyes.

Only these few people in front of me are bold enough to speak and act.

Yuan Tao couldn't help but say, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

Qingwan smiled and said, "Things are easy to discuss. Leave everything to us. However, we are only responsible for the Garan Temple. The reconstruction of other temples in Wei will have to be handled by you."

Yuan Tao hesitated and said, "This... even if this is Buddha's will, they probably wouldn't dare to touch the Buddha statue."

Lu Zheng said, "Send your people to do it. They can also supervise the temples to prevent them from hoarding the melted gold and silver. You can tell those high-ranking Buddhist monks that Buddha will bestow more true scriptures in the future. Whether they are qualified to see the true scriptures depends on their performance."

Upon hearing this, Qingwan, who was standing nearby, readily took out a radiant Buddhist scripture.

“This sutra is different from the previous Heart Sutra. That Heart Sutra talks about the essence of Mahayana Buddhism, while this sutra focuses on the specific methods of Buddhist practice, which can help people attain enlightenment.”

Upon closer inspection, Yuan Tao immediately sensed the extraordinary nature of the scripture; it was indeed a true scripture imbued with the spirit of Buddhism.

Soon, Qingwan withdrew her hand and put the scripture away.

Yuan Tao was astonished; it seemed that Qingwan had truly become a figurehead in Buddhism…

"This is a good thing!"

Yuan Tao's face lit up with joy. Another true scripture had appeared in the world. How should those eminent Buddhist monks choose? As long as they weren't stupid, they would surely seek out the true scripture.

Yuan Tao whispered, "Besides that, is there anything else?"

Lu Zhengdao said, "It is acceptable to have it or not. No matter how good the scriptures are, if the people who recite them are not righteous, it is better not to have them, so as to avoid causing chaos in the world."

Yuan Tao nodded and said, "Mr. Lu is right. Then I will tell them there is another scripture. As for the Garan Temple..."

The two sides talked for a while and finalized the details of the renovation of the temple.

Without delay, Yuan Tao went back and sent his subordinates to evacuate the people from the Garan Temple and seal it off with a large array in preparation for reconstruction.

Qingwan then went and called Gongyang Ming and Yun Xiao to come and help.

When Yun Xiao learned what Lu Zheng and the others were planning to do, he was immediately startled.

"What's going on? You're going to demolish the Garan Temple?"

Qingwan shook her head and said, "It's a renovation! It's not like they're leveling the temple."

Yun Xiao muttered, "But it still has to be demolished before it can be built. Why did you call me into this? Even if it really is Buddha's will, I'm just an outsider..."

Qingwan couldn't help but say, "Why are you so afraid of this and that, Daoist? Could it be that you were frightened by the manifestation of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? If you don't dare to take action, you can at least help with the feng shui layout or something! This kind of thing is good for accumulating merit. People would beg for it if they wanted to, and we'll remember it for you."

Yun Xiao quickly waved his hand and said, "I can help, but don't hold it against me! Otherwise, I don't know what those Taoist and Buddhist people will think of me..."

Yun Xiao muttered to himself, "This is such a good thing that you can't ask for anything else. Why doesn't Wei do it themselves?"

Qingwan said excitedly, "Let's go then, let's go now, and get it done as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Yun Xiao said, "Why not choose an auspicious day?"

Qingwan raised an eyebrow and said, "Isn't today an auspicious day? All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have shown themselves, how could it be an inauspicious day?"

Yun Xiao counted on his fingers and couldn't help but say, "But this isn't an auspicious time..."

Qingwan couldn't help but say, "With Buddha's blessing, why be so particular? Just look at the fixed feng shui and formations to gather incense offerings... Why worry about when? Do you expect us to time it perfectly, working for a while and then stopping when the inauspicious time arrives?"

Yun Xiao opened his mouth, but had no choice but to say, "Fine, what you said goes."

So, the five-person demolition and reconstruction team entered the Garanji Temple.

Yun Xiao looked at the once bustling and crowded Garan Temple and found it somewhat empty and quiet, and felt a little uneasy.

He looked up and around, then asked, "With such a large temple, where do you plan to begin?"

Qingwan said, "Let's start with the Buddhist temple. Melt down those gold nuggets first, then replace them with stone and ceramic ones..."

Inside the temple, Yuan Tao still left some soldiers to cooperate with him.

Then, some of the people followed Lu Zheng and the others into the main hall.

Qingyi skillfully opened her mouth and exhaled a puff of hot air.

The heat swept through the entire Buddhist temple, melting the tall golden Buddha statues and the magnificent altar.

Gold and silver transformed into flowing water, and various strange treasures detached from the Buddha statues or other buildings, fluttering out of the temple and settling quietly in the open space outside.

Although the soldiers already knew their mission arrangements, witnessing this scene firsthand made their scalps tingle, and they prayed incessantly, fearing the wrath of the Buddhas.

After a short while, the once luxurious Buddhist temple became almost an empty hall.

Apart from the main palace structure which remained intact, all other valuable items were removed.

Outside the palace, piles of gold and silver treasures were stacked up like small mountains, each one glittering with brilliance.

"Tsk tsk tsk, and it's just a Buddhist temple, yet it can produce so much wealth. If that money were used to distribute to the poor, for infrastructure development and production, I wonder how many people it could benefit..."

Qingwan shook her head, feeling a wave of emotion.

Lu Zheng said softly, "Even if only a portion of the gold and silver treasures in the temples of the world can be used to benefit the people, instead of being displayed for the sages and worthies to see... I think the sages and worthies would be happy to do so."

Qingwan nodded and said, "Yes. Buddha is compassionate and loves all living beings. Using these things to make golden Buddha statues is an insult to him!"

The Taoist masters, Confucian scholars, and the Wei soldiers standing nearby remained silent upon hearing this, their expressions and emotions somewhat complicated.

Qingwan led Qingyi to other Buddhist temples in a flurry of activity.

Lu Zheng, Yun Xiao, and Gongyang Ming were designing a new layout for the main hall.

"For large Buddha statues, use stone carving; for smaller ones, use porcelain. Use materials and pigments that will last a long time... Keep the layout simple and unpretentious..."

Lu Zheng was making suggestions, and Gongyang Ming took out a pen and paper to sketch images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Yun Xiao made hand seals and walked back and forth in the Buddhist hall, selecting the positions of the Buddha statue and the altar.

One group of soldiers went to prepare the necessary supplies.

The two little girls, Qingwan and Qingyi, were busy dismantling things everywhere in the Garan Temple, piling up all sorts of valuables.

In the Garan Temple, some of the golden statues in the side halls actually contain the thoughts of incense offerings, just like the divided spirits in the statues of the main gods of the Chu Kingdom.

However, these are incense offerings for Bodhisattvas and Arhats, and are basically newly worshipped by the Wei Kingdom.

Having witnessed the manifestation of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the past, I have been secretly keeping an eye on the situation at the temple, hoping that if a Buddha were to descend and visit, I could go and pay my respects.

The commotion caused by the dispersal of people at the Garan Temple and the commotion in the main hall has drawn the attention of many in the temple.

Now that they saw the two little ones coming to demolish and rebuild, they didn't dare to say anything in protest.

There were also thoughts that spontaneously appeared, indicating a willingness to cooperate with the work, only asking that they could still be enshrined in the temple, accompanying the ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and not be removed.

Qingwan has the mark of Buddha and possesses the power of the origin of Buddhism and Taoism, so she can sense the thoughts within these golden statues.

She did not immediately agree to the gestures of goodwill from the bodhisattvas and arhats, but said she would record them and then investigate their backgrounds.

If he wasn't a good person, not only would he be kicked out of the Garan Temple, but he would also be barred from receiving Buddhist offerings throughout the entire Wei Kingdom. The thoughts within the golden statue couldn't help but surface upon hearing Qing Wan's words.

“We are worshipped by the Great Wei, while you are merely ordered to demolish and rebuild the Garan Temple. What right do you have to remove our offerings from the Wei Kingdom…”

These people only thought that Lu Zheng and the others were called by Yuan Tao to help, and that only non-Buddhists would dare to dismantle the Buddha statues. They were unaware of the true situation of these people.

Upon hearing this, Qingwan raised an eyebrow and lifted her right hand.

A burst of golden light appeared, and a golden Buddha seal materialized, instantly filling the entire Buddhist temple with a terrifying aura.

The aura instantly struck that thought, completely obliterating it.

For a moment, the entire Buddhist temple was completely silent.

Qingwan withdrew her hand, put her hands on her hips, and glared at the statues of Bodhisattvas and Arhats, her expression dignified and imposing.

"I will demolish the temples that Buddhist temples dare not demolish, and destroy the statues that Buddhist temples dare not destroy! Buddha has given me special permission to act first and report later!"

Qing Wan glanced around and said coldly, "Anyone else objecting? Step forward!"

They remained silent, for they had clearly sensed that aura just now.

You should have said so earlier if you were sent by Buddha! I can't afford to offend you...

They also want the incense to last a little longer. Without the incense offerings, they will eventually return to Buddhism and Taoism, without retaining any thoughts.

Even if one is not a living person, one still wants to live a little longer.

They're not so foolish as to offend someone protected by Buddha.

Why aren't you saying anything?

Qingwan glared at a statue of an Arhat, "Don't think I can't see you!"

Qingwan took out her notebook and pen and started writing quickly.

“I’ve noted that down! And you all, come out and introduce yourselves. We’ll melt your statues down in a bit, so find a rock to wait on for now…”

Inside the Buddhist temple, thoughts quickly surfaced, becoming docile and obedient, showing no trace of majesty or arrogance.

Little did they know that the original figures behind these thoughts were once extraordinary beings, renowned Buddhist masters who were famous throughout the world.

Qingwan recorded the thoughts and information within the Buddhist temple, while Qingyi was there, exhaling hot air and carrying out demolition work.

Soon after, the Buddhist temple became empty.

In the empty hall, some hazy, misty figures could be vaguely seen, drifting and appearing and disappearing.

Those phantoms quickly disappeared, each hiding in the Buddhist temple, or in candlesticks and incense burners, or within wood and stone carvings.

The two-person group excitedly went to the next Buddhist temple, where the thoughts existing within were perfectly in sync, revealing themselves early on with smiling faces.

A lesson from the past, a teacher of the future.

The demolition team worked very smoothly and quickly demolished the entire Garan Temple.

Countless gold, silver, and copper were melted down into blocks, along with various rare and precious treasures imbued with spiritual energy, and other kinds of valuable items...

These treasures were all piled up in the largest square in the temple, forming a small mountain of immeasurable value.

The Wei soldiers were dazzled by the magnificent treasure mountain, but they were also so shocked that they couldn't look away.

Such a treasure mountain would be hard for even a highly accomplished cultivator to resist, let alone an ordinary person.

Yuan Tao and Yuan Zhong took some time to come and see for themselves, and were so surprised that they were speechless for a moment.

Yuan Zhong rubbed his sore neck from looking up and muttered, "The wealth I've accumulated over the years probably doesn't even amount to a tenth of this..."

Those around them turned their heads upon hearing this, each thinking to themselves that he truly lived up to his reputation as the Prince of Huaiyang, possessing great abilities. The wealth he had accumulated over the years was actually close to one-tenth of this treasure mountain.

Yuan Zhong noticed the gazes of those around him and quickly realized what was happening.

He quickly coughed, "Hey, what kind of looks are you giving me? I meant it's far from even one-tenth of that..."

Everyone just smiled and remained noncommittal.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Yuan Zhong's face, then he stroked his chin and said, "It's not easy to move so much wealth. Who does the Crown Prince plan to give it to, and how will he use it?"

Qingwan, who was not far away, said, "Let's leave the things here for now; they'll still be useful later!"

Without hesitation, Yuan Tao said, "Let's listen to Miss Qingwan and leave it here for now. No one can take it away anyway."

Yuan Tao was not worried at all that anyone could steal this treasure mountain.

With so much wealth, he still needs to spend time figuring out how to handle it.

Thinking about what he had seen and heard in the Northern Region, Yuan Tao felt that he still needed to consult Lu Zheng and the others.

However, everyone is busy renovating the temple right now, so there's no rush.

The group then went to the main hall to check on the situation.

At this point, the main hall had completely changed.

Lu Zheng and his two companions directly replicated the scenes of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifesting their power in proportion to the original.

The stone statues were placed in their respective positions.

The stone is made of a special material, and with meticulous carving and the use of various pigments, the resulting stone statues are lifelike, almost indistinguishable from real people.

Compared to the previous tall, golden Buddha statues, these are less opulent and appear simple and unadorned, giving people a sense of approachability.

Yuan Zhong couldn't help but bow devoutly, whispering, "It really feels different. Simplicity reveals the true nature of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Speaking of which, the faces of the Buddha and Bodhisattva statues before were all wrong..."

When the temple was built, no one had ever seen the ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The golden statues were based on the paintings that had been passed down, so they differed from the original appearance of the ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to some extent.

Yuan Zhong then looked at Lu Zheng and asked curiously, "When will we invite Buddha again?"

"This is simple."

Lu Zheng walked straight to the Buddha statue and slightly raised his hand.

A ray of colorful light appeared out of thin air and disappeared directly into the Buddha statue.

Instantly, everyone felt a special fluctuation of energy, the aura of the Buddha's true meaning.

Everyone was stunned. Wait, it's that simple? Isn't it too simple?

They were also thinking of choosing an auspicious day to hold a grand ceremony and then invite the Buddha to reside in the temple.

Because it was so fast, they didn't even realize what Lu Zheng had done. It was as if Lu Zheng had communicated with Buddha beforehand and summoned them at will.

In the shadows of the Garan Temple, all the hidden worshippers felt a sense of terror.

They thought that the girl was extraordinary, someone protected by the Buddha's mark.

There's another expert here! This one seems especially formidable. (End of Chapter)