UCTOOT CH15

Shi Shu: “Where are we going?”

Xie Wuchi: “To the best viewing spot for Xiangnan Temple’s night transformation.”

Shi Shu looked down at the wrist he was holding and pulled it out, “You can talk, but don’t touch.”

“I’m not very comfortable with it, and your hand is too hot. I’m afraid of the heat.”

The candlelight was imprinted on his fair skin. His collarbones were delicate under his neck, and he exuded a youthful vigor.

“Sorry, my body temperature has always been high,” Xie Wuchi said calmly. “You’ll have to get used to it in the future.”

“…”

Shi Shu: “What do you mean? Can’t we reduce physical contact?”

Xie Wuchi: “Living together for a long time, it’s inevitable to bump into each other.”

Shi Shu: “Then let’s bump into each other less!”

Xie Wuchi walked slowly in the night, his steps as steady as if it were broad daylight. After leaving the courtyard and walking for a while, a quiet, dense forest appeared before them.

The moonlight rustled and shone in the forest, giving off a faint blue smoke. The leaves reflected the faint silver moonlight.

Xie Wuchi went up a small slope and reached out to him, “Come, we’re going to bump into each other again.”

“…”

Shi Shu didn’t move, “Xie Wuchi, it’s the middle of the night. Are you taking me into the woods?”

“Don’t worry. If I really wanted to do something, I wouldn’t need to go to the woods.”

Shi Shu was instantly reminded of that day when Xie Wuchi was drunk and had pinned him against the wall. His face flushed, “Damn, how can you talk like that!”

Unable to get through to him, Shi Shu reached out and let Xie Wuchi pull him up the slope. His hand was indeed scorching hot, but his bones were strong. Shi Shu’s foot stepped on the withered leaves, making a crunching sound.

Xie Wuchi looked down at their separated hands, “Your hands are quite cool. I like the cold.”

Shi Shu: “?”

“Bro, you’re at it again?!”

One sentence made Shi Shu turn to the moonlight and look at himself. Shi Shu was naturally fair, having inherited his mother’s genes. He was originally a long-distance runner in sports, but he just couldn’t get a tan.

This pair of hands had even, distinct knuckles, and were especially fair, which often led people to say, “Why are you so fair? Don’t you use an umbrella when you go out?” Shi Shu was also troubled by this.

Xie Wuchi: “Have you ever held hands with anyone?”

Shi Shu: “Why are you suddenly asking this?”

Xie Wuchi: “Just curious. Have you ever been in a relationship?”

Shi Shu: “My mom was my high school homeroom teacher. Understood? Applause.”

“…”

Xie Wuchi walked towards the depths of the forest, “They’re very strict about puppy love in this country.”

Shi Shu: “You were abroad?”

“Yes, I grew up abroad and came back after I became an adult.”

They spoke on and off. Through the dark, dense forest, Shi Shu saw clusters of candlelight, like dots of starlight, “What’s that shining so brightly ahead? Have those monks walked over here?”

He went forward. It turned out that the two of them were walking on a barren mountain, and from this angle, they could overlook the scene in the Zen monastery.

The Buddhist pagoda stood tall, its eaves flying upwards.

In the courtyard surrounded by four buildings, the crowd was divided into several rows. The crown prince and his guards and yamen runners were on the left, while the confronting monks were on the right. It looked like a fierce battle was about to break out.

Xie Wuchi: “We’re here. Be careful not to be seen.”

“The monks really surrounded the crown prince and are demanding an explanation?”

Shi Shu shielded his eyes and looked down. The torches and candlelight illuminated the courtyard as bright as day.

The monks in front of them surrounded the Zen hall. An old monk stood next to the multi-eaved pagoda. The night wind and the airflow from the dark fire lifted the hem of his clothes.

At this moment, the Prince of Liang, Chu Wei, was pale with anger and couldn’t contain his rage.

“Alright, what audacity! Swords, long spears, staffs, you bunch of monks dare to surround me, the crown prince, with weapons? I think you want to rebel!”

The abbot fell to his knees in panic, even more terrified than the crown prince, and questioned the monks, “Who told you to come!”

“The imperial guards have surrounded Xiangnan Temple and want to confiscate all our ordination certificates and send us home. If we go back, what will we do in the future?”

“Others made mistakes, they can’t just punish all of us, can they?”

“With one word, they’re smashing our rice bowls. On what grounds!”

The abbot looked as if the sky were about to fall, “Who told you these rumors! Absurd!”

Shi Shu: “Why is the abbot so scared?”

Xie Wuchi found a rock and sat down, “Because of the prevalence of erotic books and the monks’ improper conduct, it can be a big deal or a small deal. As long as they offer benefits to the crown prince, this matter will be settled. But now that the monks are rioting and have even taken up weapons to demand an explanation from the crown prince, the matter has become serious.”

“Elaborate… why?”

Xie Wuchi brushed the dust off his monk’s robe, “People in power can accept your moral flaws, but they cannot tolerate you challenging their authority.”

“This incident was originally just an internal rectification issue for Xiangnan Temple. Now that they have taken up arms and are clamoring at the crown prince, the matter has escalated into a rebellion, and even treason.”

“Treason?” Shi Shu occasionally watched costume dramas and knew that this was the most serious crime. “Is it that serious?”

“If it’s not serious enough, it’s not enough to make a move. Now that the crown prince’s trap is set, he’s just waiting for the fish to swim in.”

The smell of blood on Xie Wuchi became more and more noticeable. It was unknown where it came from, what he had done before returning to the room. He smiled, “To make a move, you need an unforgivable reason. The monks daring to take up staffs and swords in front of the royal family, the knife has been handed over.”

Shi Shu: “Did Xiangnan Temple do something wrong?”

“…”

Xie Wuchi was silent for a moment. Under the moonlight, his eyes were deep, “You’ve been here for so long, and you still think there are many good people?”

“The monks of the Great Jing do not have to pay taxes or perform corvée labor. The common people work hard in the fields, cultivate, and wait for the harvest. These monks only need a piece of paper, an ordination certificate, to be exempted from a lifetime of farm work. They chant sutras in the temple and live on the offerings of the people. The imperial court, in order to seek the blessings of the gods and Buddhas, will also grant the monasteries a large amount of land and rewards. Xiangnan Temple possesses tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, a thousand houses in the Eastern Capital, and even operates brothels and entertainment venues, engages in usury, and collects high rents. They are extremely wealthy and extravagant.”

Xie Wuchi pointed to the two monks kneeling in the courtyard, “Do you think these two are perfect victims? They had an illicit affair in the wild, one was a rabbit, the other a patron. They killed someone out of jealousy and then bought an ordination certificate to seek refuge in Xiangnan Temple. With an ordination certificate, they could even escape the death penalty for murder.”

“They actually killed someone?” A chill ran down Shi Shu’s back.

“Yes. However, Xiangnan Temple has a group of high monks who are truly devoted to Buddhism. Their ordination certificates were bought by the wealthy families mentioned above. These monks couldn’t get ordination certificates, so they couldn’t become officially protected monks. They could only perform labor in Xiangnan Temple for decades before they might be able to be ordained.”

Xie Wuchi: “Do you still think that Xiangnan Temple is suffering an undeserved disaster?”

Shi Shu was at a loss for words. He had never thought that what he was seeing was not the surface of the matter.

Xie Wuchi moved aside, “Are you going to sit or not?”

Shi Shu: “I’m not sitting with you. I can see.”

On the other side, Shi Shu’s attention was drawn. The abbot clearly knew the stakes. Lust, theft, and murder could all be minimized, but besieging the crown prince was a matter that absolutely could not be taken lightly, “Who told you that the imperial court was going to confiscate your ordination certificates and expel you from the temple? And who incited you to rush up here!”

That group of people seemed to be scared. They looked around, “We just heard someone say it, so we came.”

“I heard it from Ci’en.”

“I heard it from Liu Jie…”

“I saw everyone getting angry, so I just followed along!”

It was a complete mess. No one could figure out who had initially released the signal for conflict, leading to a huge mistake. Now, everyone was stunned, not knowing what to do.

“Your Highness, it is this poor monk who has failed to properly teach the congregation. I am willing to accept punishment, but please reconsider the matter of the ordination certificates. Xiangnan Temple has always offered incense with utmost piety. If all the monks are expelled, there will be no one to spread the Buddhist teachings, and the sin will be great.”

The abbot stomped his foot in anxiety and knelt down before the crown prince, “I implore Your Highness, if not for the monks’ sake, then for the Buddha’s. Last time, when the princess was suffering from a fever and wouldn’t wake, it was this poor monk who, before the Buddha—”

“Say no more. This prince has his own judgment on this matter.”

Chu Wei was unusually decisive, not listening to any explanations, “You dare to besiege me, the crown prince, and plot against a member of the royal family. This is one of the ten unforgivable crimes! There is no room for negotiation. Men, confiscate all these monks’ ordination certificates and throw them in jail!”

The group of monks was stunned for a moment, then immediately became even more agitated, “Our ordination certificates were all bought with money! You say you’ll take them back, just like that? What will we do for the rest of our lives!?”

“I waited for ten years just to get a spot for an ordination certificate, and you’re taking it back just like that?”

“On what grounds?”

“Alright, it’s all your fault, you two lecherous monks. Let’s beat them to death first!”

Among the monks, there were some with extreme personalities who actually rushed out. A staff nearly swung at the crown prince’s face. In an instant, the entire courtyard was in chaos. The crown prince jumped up from his seat like a startled chicken.

“Rebellion, rebellion! Seal off Xiangnan Temple, confiscate all these刁民 (unruly people)’s ordination certificates! No one is allowed in or out! A strict investigation!”

Instantly, the long-waiting yamen runners quickly moved out. Among them, the mobilized imperial guards also pierced the darkness, their armor clanking, their ranks imposing.

They entered the scene in a strict and orderly manner, loudly shouting “Everyone drop your weapons,” “Line up one by one,” “Everyone get back,” and in the chaos, they pushed the group of monks into the Zen monastery of Xiangnan Temple, chaining and tying them up, and detaining them on the spot.

“Who else? Who else dares to offend the crown prince!”

In less than a moment, this group of monks was all brought under control.

The flames flickered. The Bodhisattva lowered his eyes. The Buddha smiled.

Colors shifted in Shi Shu’s eyes. He watched intently. In the flickering shadows were the sounds of the officials’ staffs beating down on the group of monks, and people coming and going, with狰狞 (ferocious) faces.

The abbot threw his prayer beads with both hands and almost fainted, “Quick, go tell the Inner Minister, go quickly!”

Shi Shu turned to look at Xie Wuchi, “Who is the Inner Minister?”

Xie Wuchi: “The powerful eunuch who deposited his wealth in Xiangnan Temple, that is, the most favored eunuch by His Majesty the current emperor, known in the Eastern Capital as the ‘Inner Minister,’ Feng Lu.”

Xie Wuchi gestured for Shi Shu to retreat, “Let’s leave first. If we’re found at the scene, we might be treated as accomplices in the rebellion and arrested together. Let’s go back to the courtyard first.”

Shi Shu followed behind him. The turmoil was like a mountain storm about to come, “Are we not sleeping tonight?”

“No sleep. The crown prince must confiscate all the ordination certificates of Xiangnan Temple tonight. Otherwise, if someone reports to Feng Lu and he whispers in His Majesty’s ear, there will be changes if there is a delay.”

Shi Shu followed him through the woods and asked, “What exactly does the crown prince want to do by confiscating the ordination certificates?”

Xie Wuchi stood under the moonlight, wearing a simple monk’s robe, his hair gently blowing in the wind. For a moment, he looked extremely like an otherworldly, enlightened Buddhist son.

He turned his head and smiled slightly at Shi Shu, “Army provisions. An ordination certificate sells for one hundred taels. Now, by making a move on Xiangnan Temple, and even on all the monasteries in the Great Jing, the price of an ordination certificate can be raised to five hundred taels, or even a thousand taels. There will always be people who value their lives and are unwilling to perform military service or pay taxes who will buy them. This way, the army provisions the crown prince needs will be gathered.”

“…”

The night wind blew, and the monk’s robe seemed a little thin. A chill lingered at his fingertips.

Shi Shu’s heart trembled, but seeing Xie Wuchi’s nonchalant expression, he couldn’t help but ask, “How much money is that?”

Xie Wuchi: “Converted to RMB, it’s several billion.”

“Several billion in just one day?” Shi Shu was shocked. “This is the biggest deal I’ve ever seen.”

Xie Wuchi: “Is that so?”

Shi Shu: “You’ve seen it before?”

“Yes,” Xie Wuchi’s voice relaxed.

“…”

In that instant, Shi Shu looked at the person in front of him. In his eyes, which were filled with great interest, it seemed that his true instincts were revealed.

Manipulation, madness, and greed.