Jinchangfang, Daci'en Temple, Chang'an.
There was a faint smell of sandalwood from the incense burner on the table next to the window. The moonlight poured in from the window and reflected on the carefully polished blue brick floor, like white jade.
Monk Dinghui sighed. This house was just like its owner. He was well-mannered, considerate, and flexible, but he did not change his core domineering nature. He once heard him comment like this when he had a banquet with Fuyu Fengzhang in his homeland. Tang Dynasty: The iron fist in the bearskin gloves is really appropriate in retrospect.
As the eldest son of Nakatomi Kamazu, Teiki became a monk at the age of six. This was very common among the Japanese nobles at that time. The monks from the mainland not only brought Buddhism, but also brought various exquisite knowledge. . (At that time, the culture of the Yamato nation was still in its infancy. The "Man'yoshu", which was hailed as the "Book of Songs" of the Japanese nation by later generations, would not be completed for nearly a hundred years. Neither the royal family nor the nobility had become public officials or literati. The image is closer to those Eastern warriors from the Heian period of later generations.)
The temple became the cultural and academic center of Japan. Both the royal family and the nobility send their children to monasteries to learn knowledge from monks. When they are older, they can become religious leaders to manage monasteries, they can also directly participate in political activities as scholarly monks and diplomatic monks, or they can also return to secular life.
Dinghui came to Luoyang as a member of the Japanese mission and was received by the emperor. The first meeting is always wonderful. After the emperor politely asked about the emperor's well-being and the situation of Japan, he also asked the accompanying Ezo guards to perform archery skills in the court. The superb archery skills of the Ezo guards won the emperor's favor. He appreciated it and ordered him to live in Guanyi.
The following days were the happiest. Dinghui visited everywhere as a monk and a member of the mission, eagerly absorbing all kinds of knowledge. What amazed Dinghui the most was not the various wonderful knowledge, but the The magnificence of Luoyang City - people in the Tang Dynasty called it the divine capital. According to the Tang Dynasty, Luoyang City was located exactly in the middle of the world, corresponding to Taiwei Yuan in the sky, and Taiwei Yuan was where the Emperor of Heaven lived. Therefore, Luoyang The city should also be the residence of human emperors.
Happiness is always short-lived. The anti-Baekje alliance established by Tang and Silla quickly changed the diplomatic relations between Japan and Tang. The emperor of the Tang Dynasty arrogantly believed that he was the undisputed master of the world. Is there anything in the world that is not the kingdom? The people who lead the land are all royal ministers, even overseas countries like Japan are no exception. In order to prevent the Japanese mission from leaking information about the expedition to Baekje, all members of the Japanese mission were arrested the day after the expedition plan was finalized, and then sent to Chang'an and placed under house arrest.
Fear is a contagious disease that becomes twice as potent each time it is spread to another person. During the months of confinement, the members of the mission speculated about their future within the high walls. Many people believed that the Tang Dynasty would execute them soon. Even if they were not executed, they would be detained for life or exiled to distant wilderness. He could never return to his hometown and see his parents, wife and children.
Therefore, they often get together to talk about the past events of their hometown, and weep bitterly as they talk. As time goes by, they all look haggard and look completely different from when they came.
And Sadae is one of the very few immune. The reason is very simple. Before he left, his father Nakatomi Kamazu once told him: "The moment you step on the deck, you must forget who you are and where you come from. Be loyal and wise! A wise man can adapt to the situation no matter what the situation is, and never forget the original intention of his pursuit."
While in detention, he did not cry in distress like others. Instead, he kept asking the guards for various books and studied hard. When his companion was surprised and asked him how he still had time to read, Dinghui replied: "Confucius said: If you listen to the Tao in the morning, you can die in the evening! I came across the sea to study. Even if I die tomorrow, I have to study hard today. , not to mention that he may not die tomorrow?" When the official responsible for guarding him heard his answer, he sighed and ordered not to refuse any books Dinghui asked for.
A few months later, Dinghui was suddenly summoned again. They were taken to the Imperial City of Luoyang and were drowned in a sea of envoys from the Tang vassal states. It turned out that the Tang army had captured the capital of Baekje, and the Tang generals sent the King of Baekje to the throne. , princes and ministers escorted him back to Luoyang to present him to the emperor. The emperor pardoned him in front of countless subjects and granted him an official title to show off his might and kindness.
After the ceremony, the members of the mission had mixed expressions, including fear of the Tang Dynasty's military power and more of hope for the future. It was completely unexpected for the Tang army to destroy Baekje so quickly, but it was not necessarily a bad thing for them. Now that Baekje had been destroyed, the stumbling block between the Japanese and Tang countries no longer existed. , they might be able to go home. Donghui was no exception. He began to pack his bags and make a list of books to bring back to Japan.
But the situation changed again. Just when Dinghui and the others were preparing to return to China with great ambition, they were taken back to Chang'an again and imprisoned. It turns out that not long after the Tang Dynasty destroyed Baekje, the Restoration Movement broke out in Baekje. The Tang army that stayed behind fell into a bitter battle. To make matters worse, this time the Japanese also joined in, still siding with the Baekje people. This time the Tang army Japan and Japan have truly become enemies.
Fortunately, the changes in the relationship between the two countries did not reduce the treatment of the mission. Although Dinghui's personal freedom was restricted, his material treatment was very good.
He still lived like a scholar, but the news of the war still reached his ears involuntarily: the mother country had sent Buyeo Fengzhang back to Baekje and was enthroned as king, and the prince of the middle brother had come to Chikushi, where he was Build a huge fleet, organize the food and soldiers collected from various territorial countries into an army, then cross the sea and send it to the peninsula on the other side of the sea.
Dinghui is not optimistic about the prospects of this war. He has confirmed with his own eyes the power of the Tang Dynasty. The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is indeed domineering, but his ambition does not exceed his own strength. On the other hand, the eldest brother, the prince, is indeed unparalleled. talented people, but the Japanese country was too weak. War is like a gambling game. The status of a gambler with millions of dollars is very different from that of another gambler with only a few hundred dollars.
"Zen Master, it turns out you haven't slept yet!"
The sound outside the door interrupted Dinghui's thoughts, and he saw one person standing outside the window. It was Yijirenbode, a colleague of the mission. Like him, this person came to study in Tang State, and he interacted with Dinghui on weekdays. Okay, we also live in the same courtyard.
Lewen
