From beginning to end, the monk Liaokong and the Four Guardian Vajras witnessed the complete destruction of the Pure Thought Zen Sect. The sight caused the five of them to vomit blood. Centuries of effort had been wiped out in an instant, and Liaokong couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret in his heart. He closed his eyes and silently recited Buddhist mantras.
As for the Four Guardian Vajras, any semblance of Buddhist decorum was gone. They cursed and raged, even directing their wrath at Daniel Davis. However, their voices were soon silenced as the soldiers guarding them sealed their mouths shut.
"Ziling, now is not the time for hesitation. You know what their intentions are, don't you?"
While Daniel Davis dealt with the Pure Thought Zen Sect, the battle in Luoyang was raging fiercely. Kou Zhong, gripping his Moon in the Well blade, glanced at Xu Ziling, who held a sword but seemed hesitant. After cutting down an enemy, Kou Zhong spoke coldly.
"I understand."
Reminded by Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling exhaled softly, his eyes hardening with resolve. While Xu Ziling was naturally more indecisive compared to Kou Zhong, when the time came for action, he could be just as decisive. The fact that he was now wielding a sword was proof of this. Under normal circumstances, Xu Ziling rarely used a sword.
On the battlefield, having a weapon was far more effective than fighting bare-handed. This wasn't a martial arts competition; even figures like Zhu Yuyan or Shi Zhixuan would arm themselves when stepping onto the battlefield.
Xu Ziling had already made up his mind. His earlier hesitation stemmed from the fact that his opponents were monks protecting their temple. But now, with his resolve firm, he showed no mercy.
"Madam You, have you gone mad? Do you realize what you're doing?"
A disheveled middle-aged man shouted furiously at Madam You, who was attacking without restraint. As fellow members of the aristocratic families, they had naturally reached out to the influential families in Luoyang after infiltrating the city, hoping to incite rebellion. The Dugu Clan, one of the four great families, was their first target.
They believed that the Dugu Clan's submission to Daniel Davis must have been coerced, as Davis's policies severely weakened the power and interests of the aristocratic families. While smaller families might tolerate this, the major families would never willingly relinquish their power and privileges.
The Dugu Clan, being one of the four great families, would surely not accept the loss of their influence. However, these plotters had miscalculated one thing: the Dugu Clan lacked the courage to betray Daniel Davis. Submitting to Davis meant a reduction in their privileges, but they could still maintain their status and luxurious lifestyle. Betrayal, on the other hand, would mean the annihilation of the Dugu Clan. The choice was obvious.
Madam You played along, pretending to cooperate with them, only to betray them to Daniel Davis later.
As for the Song Clan's submission to Davis, the plotters paid little attention. The Song Clan had always been different from the other families, and their decision to side with Davis was clearly a calculated move.
"I know exactly what I'm doing. It's you who don't understand who you're dealing with. Prepare to meet your end."
Madam You's attacks were relentless. Her jade staff struck one man's chest, and with a burst of internal energy, the sound of shattering bones echoed. The man's chest caved in, nearly bursting open from the force.
"A wise bird chooses its perch. It's time for you to go, Third Brother Cui."
After recovering from her old ailments, Madam You's martial prowess had greatly improved. Even Zhu Yuyan wouldn't dare claim an easy victory over her now. For Madam You, the current situation was ideal. The mere existence of Dugu Feng ensured the Dugu Clan's future standing.
In the future, the Dugu Clan would no longer be at the bottom of the four great families. Even if they couldn't surpass the Song Clan to become the top family, they would at least overtake the Yuwen and Li Clans to claim second place.
To ensure victory in Luoyang, Daniel Davis had left no experts behind when attacking the Pure Thought Zen Sect. All his top fighters were sent to deal with the infiltrators in Luoyang.
"Now, tell me your decision, Master Fahai. My patience is limited. The fate of Buddhism rests in your hands today."
In the abbot's chamber of the White Horse Temple, Daniel Davis stared at the white-bearded old monk, demanding a final answer. The monk's unique dharma name had caught Davis's attention, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was the legendary Fahai of Jinshan Temple. If only he had a golden alms bowl, the resemblance would be complete.
Inside the White Horse Temple stood a pagoda.
"Amitabha. This old monk agrees." After a long silence, Fahai, who had been counting his prayer beads, finally opened his eyes. With a deep sigh, he nodded in acceptance of Davis's terms.
"Master Fahai, you are indeed a wise monk. I leave the rest to you."
With Fahai's agreement, Daniel Davis turned and left with his men. While it was difficult to completely eradicate Buddhism, it could be divided. Just as Taoism had different sects, and figures like Ning Daoqi had effectively betrayed Taoism, Buddhism also had its factions.
The two largest factions were the Southern and Northern schools. The rivalry between North and South was severe in this era, affecting not only Buddhism but also the aristocratic families and Taoism.
The Song Clan's inability to get along with the other great families stemmed from this divide. Among the four great families, only the Song Clan was based in the South, while the others were primarily in the North.
There were many reasons for this, but two stood out. First, the chaos during the Five Barbarians' invasion had caused significant casualties among the Han people in the North. Most Northerners now were of mixed heritage, including the Li Clan, which had Hu blood.
Second, the development of the South had shifted the center of power. Once, Chang'an was the strategic heart of the empire; controlling it meant controlling the world. However, with the development of the South and the construction of the Grand Canal, Luoyang's importance had risen to rival Chang'an's.
Now, the Central Plains could be divided into the North, centered around Chang'an, and the South, centered around Luoyang. Only by controlling these two regions could one hope to contend for the empire. Other regions were merely supporting players.
However, the South, being newly developed, was still weaker than the North. Apart from the Song Clan, which was an established family, most Southern families were newly risen, as were the Buddhist sects.
"Wow, these numbers are truly staggering."
Three days later, the chaos in Luoyang had largely subsided. Thanks to Daniel Davis's meticulous planning, the damage to Luoyang was relatively minor, limited to the destruction of a few streets. However, the gains were immense.
Previously, Davis had been running low on resources, particularly food and other essential supplies. He had even considered dipping into his personal reserves. But the spoils from this operation had resolved the crisis.
"Wang Shichong was truly pitiful. If he had dared to take such drastic action, even being besieged by Li Shimin wouldn't have mattered."
Perhaps due to the war, temples and aristocratic families had hoarded vast amounts of supplies. The spoils from this operation were enough to sustain Davis's forces for a year. Within that time, the high-yield crops he had introduced would be ready for harvest.
The sheer volume of resources made Davis pity Wang Shichong even more. It also gave him a deeper understanding of Buddhism, realizing that he had been too lenient.
This was just the essential supplies. If one added the wealth seized, the gains were even more staggering. The treasures looted from the Pure Thought Zen Sect alone could cover half a year's military expenses for Davis's current forces, not Wang Shichong's former army.
Including the rest, he had enough to cover several years of military expenses.
"Publish it."
In Luoyang and its outskirts, many had been deeply dissatisfied with the destruction of the Pure Thought Zen Sect and other temples. The fall of the aristocratic families, however, seemed to go unnoticed.
But when the Tang Daily published the wealth, supplies, and land holdings of the Pure Thought Zen Sect, along with Davis's calculations of how much a single monk spent daily and the value of their robes and prayer beads, the discontent vanished.
Even the most stubborn skeptics, who refused to believe the Tang Daily's reports, fell silent when they saw the mountain of treasures piled on the ruins of the Pure Thought Zen Sect. Seeing was believing.
Moreover, Davis distributed the land formerly owned by the Pure Thought Zen Sect to refugees who had fled to Luoyang. His reputation soared overnight.
"I had planned to build a small town, but that seems wasteful now. Let's build a school instead."
The location of the Pure Thought Zen Sect was exceptionally beautiful, with picturesque surroundings. After surveying the area, Davis decided to abandon the town plan and instead establish the Tang Empire's first academy there.
"Now it's time to deal with them. Starting with Bu Nuo."
The establishment of the academy required little effort from Davis. A single command was enough. Next, he turned his attention to Liaokong and the Four Guardian Vajras. He had kept them alive for this very purpose: a public trial.
Liaokong, Fan Qinghui, and Ning Daoqi were the three individuals Davis had chosen for public trials. He wanted the world to know that even grandmasters who colluded with external enemies would face death.
"I wonder if anyone will try to rescue them."
In an era where becoming a monk could absolve one of any crime, including murder and arson, publicly trying a Buddhist monk was unprecedented. As the Tang Daily published the details of the trial, the entire Central Plains buzzed with discussion. This was a direct affront to Buddhism.
To many, Daniel Davis, the King of Tang, was a madman. Especially among the aristocratic families, who couldn't understand why he would go to such lengths for the common people, even at the cost of alienating the powerful families.
The once-excellent Nine-Rank System had been completely abandoned.
"Damn it!"
In the Ci Hang Jing Zhai on the Summit of Emperors, Fan Qinghui slammed her hand on the stone table in the pavilion, shattering it. She was furious.
Her carefully laid plans had been disrupted by the appearance of a disciple from the Taoist Heavenly Sect. The plan to select the emperor in Luoyang had ended before it even began, and the Buddhist forces in Luoyang had suffered heavy losses. Nearly half of the temples, including the Pure Thought Zen Sect, had been destroyed, and some within Buddhism were beginning to question her leadership.
The incident at Duzun Fort, where Song Que personally killed three Buddhist masters in Lingnan, further complicated matters. While the loss of these masters wasn't significant in itself, Song Que's stance was.
Ning Daoqi's defeat and injury at the hands of Song Que, Shi Feixuan's return to Ci Hang Jing Zhai with a shaved head, questioning the origins of Ci Hang Jing Zhai and Fan Qinghui's decisions, and the death of Bi Xiuxin, which led to Shi Qingxuan breaking free from her control, had left Fan Qinghui overwhelmed.
"It seems we must abandon the South and accelerate the unification of the North. If necessary, we'll have to divide and rule."
After taking a few deep breaths, Fan Qinghui forced herself to calm down and began to assess the situation. With the destruction of the Pure Thought Zen Sect and Ning Daoqi's decline in power due to his damaged Taoist heart, no one in the South could stand against Song Que.
With the Song Clan's support, the Tang forces led by Daniel Davis were unstoppable in the South. Du Fuwei, Li Zitong, and Shen Faxing were no match for the Song Clan's army.
As for Li Mi's planned attack on Luoyang, after the Tang forces swiftly defeated Zhu Can's army, Fan Qinghui held little hope for Li Mi's success. This was also Li Shimin's view.
If the infiltrators had succeeded in assassinating or severely injuring Daniel Davis, there might have been a chance. But with Luoyang's high walls and deep moats, as long as the city gates remained closed, Li Mi would be forced to retreat empty-handed.
Daniel Davis's rise had increased communication between Li Shimin and Fan Qinghui. While Li Shimin had considered attacking Luoyang while Li Mi besieged it, Li Yuan had vetoed the plan.
It wasn't that Li Yuan failed to see the threat posed by the Tang forces, but attacking Luoyang would leave Chang'an vulnerable to Liu Wuzhou and others in the North. Liu Wuzhou had previously attempted to seize Taiyuan while the Li Clan was attacking Chang'an, and only quick action had prevented his success.
Liang Shidu also had his eyes on the Li Clan's territory.
"It seems we'll have to send that person. But before that, I must meet with Li Shimin."
After assessing the situation, Fan Qinghui's gaze turned toward a specific direction, and she murmured to herself. Sitting in Ci Hang Jing Zhai, watching the world's events unfold, had once been a position of great prestige. But the current situation no longer allowed for such luxury.
"Ah, divide and rule?"
In the Qin Palace in Chang'an, Li Shimin sighed as he looked at the map of the Central Plains. Despite his talent, his position within the Li Clan limited his authority. While the Li Clan was preparing to attack Liu Wuzhou, they couldn't afford to divert forces to attack Luoyang.
In contrast, Daniel Davis had the freedom to act as he pleased, with the full support of the powerful Song Clan. Once Li Mi was defeated, other forces would likely consider surrender.
(End of Chapter)
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