The leaves rustled and entwined on the undulating mountain road at the western foot of Feilai Peak, and the sound of horse hooves came from down the mountain.
A group of more than a dozen tall horses, carrying more than a dozen knights in black, moved forward slowly.
The leader was wearing a black robe with gold threads. He had a handsome face and solemn eyes. He placed one hand on the eight-sided Han sword at his waist. With a familiar posture, this person was clearly Li Xuan.
Li Xuan turned around and could faintly see the smooth mirror-like West Lake at the foot of the mountain in the distance, lying flat on the earth like a beautiful woman.
West Lake is beautiful in plain light, and so are its beauties.
This was already Li Xuan's second day in Hangzhou. Without any hesitation, Li Xuan immediately left and headed straight to Xishan.
Amidst the gentle sound of horse hooves, the group's speed was not slow. After a while, everyone had arrived in front of an ancient temple.
The plaque on the temple gate is engraved with three characters: Lingyin Temple!
A monk in gray clothes stood by the side of the cold spring. He joined his hands and saluted Li Xuan as he dismounted from his horse, and said, "Young monk Dingshan, I have met the prince of Nanchang."
"I've met Master Dingshan." Li Xuan returned the greeting with clasped hands.
"Your Majesty, please. As ordered by Your Majesty, Master Daozhen is already waiting in the guest room." Dingshan led the way, followed by Li Xuan, and the Qianniu Guards fell half a step behind.
Entering Lingyin Temple, there is the Tianwang Hall on the left and the Bell Tower on the right. The whole temple is quiet and quiet.
Go right as you lead the way to Dingshan. Opposite the bell tower is Shifang Garden, where the monk Daozhen is.
Dingshan stood at the entrance of Shifangyuan, then cupped his hands towards Li Xuan and said, "Your Majesty, please."
Li Xuan folded his hands and returned the gift: "Thank you, Master. We are in a hurry this time. When we arrive at Lingyin Temple next time, I will definitely ask Abbot Huiqing for his help."
"Your Majesty, you're welcome. I haven't thanked the prince for what happened last time at Wanxiang Pavilion." Dingshan looked at the two Qianniu Guards who were already standing at the door, clasped his hands together again, then turned and left.
Li Xuan looked at Dingshan's leaving figure with a hint of smile in his expression.
Although several months had passed since the Wang Chao incident in Wanxiang Pavilion, the monks in Lingyin Temple did not seem to have forgotten it.
Li Xuan didn't do it himself at first, but with just a piece of news, Buddhist temples of various sizes in nearby mountains were cleaned at the same time and overnight. Although no corpses were seen later, people who were interested calculated that there were at least a dozen monks in several nearby temples. , completely disappeared overnight.
Lingyin Temple is the largest temple in the area. If many people die, it is still necessary to join Lingyin Temple.
Although Li Xuan did not set foot in Lingyin Temple, did not raise any butcher knife, and did not kill anyone, Lingyin Temple still regarded Li Xuan as the culprit of that incident.
But the smile on Li Xuan's face disappeared without a trace in an instant.
In the final analysis, the person who really took action in the first place was Lingyin Temple itself.
When it comes to killing people, Buddhists are more ruthless than ordinary people.
Today's Buddhist reverence is just a matter of fear after having destroyed the Buddha several times.
After all, from the very beginning, Buddhism was a religion of alienation and did not respect the emperor, especially during the Five Hus and Sixteen Kingdoms period.
If you really regard Buddhism as a submissive sheep, you really don't know how to die, especially if Empress Wu worships Buddhism in the future.
Li Xuan took a deep breath. After arriving in Hangzhou this time, he immediately ordered Lingyin Temple to help find Monk Daozhen.
Lingyin Temple was a little reluctant at first, but fortunately, Monk Daozhen returned from the mountain at this time, and the problem was solved.
After looking left and right, Li Xuan said calmly: "Guard here. No one is allowed in or out before I come out. No matter who is inside or outside trying to break through the door, they will be captured. Anyone with a bright weapon will be killed!"
"Here!" Several Qianniu Guards agreed at the same time, then stood solemnly at the door, while Li Xuan slowly entered Shifangyuan.
The courtyard is quiet and quiet. A three-meter-high stone tower stands silently in the middle. The surrounding Zen rooms are already empty.
After bypassing the stone tower, Li Xuan walked into the Zen room on the westernmost side of the backyard.
A handsome young monk wearing white monk robes sat on the soft couch.
Li Xuan
After entering the door, the monk opened his eyes, clasped his palms together, bowed and said, "Zen Taoist, I have met the prince of Nanchang."
"I have met Master Daozhen." Li Xuan clasped his hands in return, and then said with a little nostalgia: "It has been several months since I last met the master, and the master's demeanor remains the same. Li Xuan deeply admires him."
Monk Daozhen raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I remembered wrongly. When Your Majesty returned to Yangzhou last time, he never met the poor monk."
"Oh, did I remember it wrong?" Li Xuan smiled calmly and nonchalantly, walked to sit on the futon on the side of the bed, looked up at Daozhen, and said softly: "Qindu said, that day , the master is in the Silla embassy."
"Your Majesty remembered it wrong. The person who appeared outside the embassy that time was a general from the Qianniu Guard, not your Majesty."
"I never said that I met Mr. outside the door that day." Li Xuan said lightly, and Monk Daozhen's brows suddenly frowned. What did this mean?
Li Xuan picked up the teapot on the table and poured herself a cup of tea. Then she looked at Daozhen and said with a half-smile, "Before I came to Hangzhou, I met Master Wu Yi at Daming Temple in Yangzhou."
Hearing Li Xuan mention Wu Yi, Daozhen's calm eyes suddenly flashed with confusion. He lowered his eyes and said softly: "The king should be recruiting soldiers and renovating warships in Hangzhou at the moment. Why are you here?" See a poor monk?"
Li Xuan put down the teacup, looked into the teacup, and said softly: "This time the army is assisting Anton, a big battle is inevitable. The imperial navy is dispatched, preparing to go around to the south of Dongdao, launch an attack from the rear of Silla, and then attack in one fell swoop Under the Golden City."
Daozhen's expression remained calm. Although he was not speaking, he seemed to be asking what the war between Tang Dynasty and Silla had to do with our Japanese country.
"The Tang Dynasty Navy is heading eastward. Most of its familiarity with Silla is in the homeland of Baekje. But now, I am heading towards the Navy to prepare a surprise attack on Silla's back from the east coast of Silla."
Li Xuan paused for a moment, looked at Daozhen and said, "Your country has been entangled with Silla for many years. I wonder if there is a sea map of the east side of Silla. If your country can help, the Tang Dynasty will be very lucky, and your country will be very lucky."
Daozhen's brows furrowed tightly. Li Xuan's words just now seemed to be untrue, but they seemed to be pointing to something.
Lowering his head slightly, Daozhen spoke slowly again: "The country has indeed had contacts with Silla for many years, and is familiar with its east coastline. However, the sea map is actually a secret. It is mostly hidden in the palace. If it is the prince's time, If there is enough, the poor monk can write a letter back to his country and have the sea chart delivered to the king."
Li Xuan glanced contemptuously, and then said coldly: "What I want is not the fake map used to fool fishermen, but the sea map of Dongdao that your country has carefully drawn and carved using various means over the years."
"Your Majesty, are you saying that I am interested in Silla?" Daozhen narrowed his eyes slightly, then chuckled, and said calmly: "In the battle at Baijiangkou, my navy was severely damaged, how could I still be interested in Silla? "
Regarding Daozhen's words, a trace of disdain flashed deep in Li Xuan's eyes.
If he had not been specifically familiar with the war disputes between Japan and Silla for many years, he might not have known that before the Battle of Baijiangkou, Japan, Silla, and Baekje had already fought with each other dozens of times.
Although the Japanese state suffered more defeats and fewer victories, it never gave up its coveting of Silla and Baekje.
At that time, Baekje was under attack from the Tang Dynasty and Silla. It was left and right, and it finally contacted the Japanese country to go north. If Liu Rengui hadn't presided over the battle of Baijiangkou, then I am afraid that the Japanese and Baekje coalition forces would have destroyed Xinjiang together if the battle failed. Luo.
Li Xuan picked up the teacup, poured herself a cup, and then said calmly: "As far as I know, in the past ten years, King Tianwu of your country has been working hard to govern, renovating the armaments, and trying to renovate the military. I entered the East Island, but unfortunately I never had the right opportunity. I wonder if this is possible?"
Daozhen's face couldn't help but change slightly. As far as he knew, the Tang Dynasty had never had much interest in the Japanese country.
After all, the battle at Baijiangkou ended with Datang's victory.
Over the years, the Japanese state surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and repeatedly sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty to study in the Tang Dynasty. The country also actively carried out reforms based on the Tang Dynasty's national system, and its national power recovered rapidly.
Especially now, Datang and Silla have been at war for several years, and both have suffered losses. Now Datang has been actively preparing to withdraw its troops because of Tubo.
Even though the Tang Emperor was angry now and tried to destroy Silla because of King Donghae, Daozhen judged that it would be inevitable to withdraw his troops in the end.
Glancing at Daozhen, Li Xuan said calmly: "Master, are you thinking that while the Tang Dynasty withdrew its troops, Silla held on tight, waiting until the Tang Dynasty's influence was completely eliminated in the East Island, and then taking advantage of Silla's weakness, Your country will send its troops northward and directly capture the entire East Island?"
The beads in Daozhen's hand couldn't help but pause slightly.
Li Xuan smiled softly and then said: "Then your country should prepare quickly. If my guess is correct, once the war between Tang Dynasty and Silla is over, the people of Silla will immediately turn around and set their sights on your country."
"Huh?" Daozhen finally couldn't help but look up at Li Xuan and said with a stunned expression: "After Tubo, shouldn't Silla set its sights on the Tang Dynasty?"
"Master is joking." Li Xuan raised the tea cup lightly and said softly: "From the Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms, the Jin Dynasty, the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sixteenth Dynasty, when has the country of the East Island invaded the Central Plains... Even when Yang Guang defeated Goguryeo three times, after that, the domestic melee , Goguryeo has never done anything like this, let alone Silla, which is now weak."
"Then Silla should recuperate after the war. Why bother provoking our country?" Although Daozhen knew that a country had a strong desire to invade, he still spoke harshly.
Li Xuan took out an imperial edict from his sleeve, laid it flat on the table, and then said calmly: "Because just a few days ago, I had let Cui Zhongshi of Silla know that the generals of the Tang Dynasty and The Japanese joined forces to attack Silla from the north and the south, preparing to destroy the country."
"What?" Daozhen finally couldn't help but stood up.
Li Xuan's lies will definitely make the Silla people prepare to launch troops against the Japanese country after the war. With the hatred between the Silla and Japanese people, they will definitely fall into the Tang Dynasty's plan to alienate them.
Looking at Li Xuan with calm eyes, Daozhen slowly sat down and asked in a deep voice: "I wonder what the saint's intention is?"
Things are already like this, after all, there is no room for maneuver.
Based on the suspicion of the people in Silla, they will definitely take action against Japan after the war. In this case, Japan must prepare in advance. However, how Japan prepares depends on how prepared Tang Dynasty is.
"Everything is based on this secret decree. The Tang Dynasty and the Japanese country join forces to destroy Silla. But it is not now, but in the future. The Tang Dynasty will eventually attack Silla, maybe next year, maybe the year after tomorrow, and The Tang Dynasty should keep Silla's hatred in mind, and when the time comes, Japan can respond."
Daozhen turned around, stared at Li Xuan, and said, "What if after the Tang Dynasty destroyed Silla, it turned around and targeted the Japanese country."
"No." Li Xuan shook his head with direct understanding and said: "Over the years, the Central Plains and the East Island have been conquered countless times, but they have never been able to completely surrender. What the Tang Dynasty needs is just a Silla who is willing to surrender. If the Japanese country is strong, , you might as well get a share of the pie in East Island.”
Li Xuan gently pushed the imperial edict forward and said softly: "This is the imperial edict. Master, you may wish to read it carefully."
