Chapter 258: Even the Buddha Descending into the World Must Live Under His Rule

Liu Chengyou had originally wanted to go even further — to cut off the heads of Li Shouzhen's family and subordinates and hang them from the city walls as a warning to all under heaven. But upon deeper reflection, he abandoned the idea. Going too far was as bad as not going far enough; the man was already dead, and there was no need to make further sport of his corpse.

This campaign to suppress the rebellion had destroyed the entrenched villain in a matter of months, breached his city, and extinguished his household — the effect was already sufficient. Presumably, from this point onward, the military governors across the realm would show markedly improved attitudes toward the imperial court.

"Your Majesty, among the rebel faction there remains that demon monk Zonglun. After the city fell, he and his monks hid in the Buddhist hall and were seized by the soldiers. Considering that he is a man of the Buddhist faith, how to deal with him awaits Your Majesty's decision." The hall fell quiet for a moment, then Zhao Hui stepped forward and requested guidance.

"Oh?" A glint of interest flickered in Liu Chengyou's pupils. After only a brief moment of thought, he gave the order: "Bring him to see me. I have long heard of this famous Master Zonglun."

Everyone present could feel the cold mockery in Liu Chengyou's tone. They all understood that, given the Son of Heaven's temperament, that renegade monk was unlikely to meet a good end.

Entering the hall and taking his seat, Liu Chengyou directly issued orders for the aftermath, saying to Li Hongjian and Bai Wenke: "There's no need for so many troops in the city. Leave three thousand men of the Inner Palace Guard to temporarily hold the city; all other soldiers are to move outside the walls and return to their respective units. Order the commanders of each army to restrain their men and soothe the troops. Compile the meritorious deeds of all officers and soldiers in this battle into a register, along with casualty and loss reports, and submit them together..."

"Yes!" Whether it was his imagination or not, Liu Chengyou felt that this time when he issued orders, their responses came with unusual smoothness.

"Minister Feng, I appoint you to administer the affairs of Hezhong Prefecture. Post notices throughout the city and issue proclamations to all counties that the chief rebel has been executed and the rebellion has ceased, so as to reassure the people. Additionally, distribute wine, meat, money, and grain from the government stores to generously reward the three armies!" Liu Chengyou turned his head and instructed Feng Dao.

Upon hearing the order, Feng Dao immediately rose eagerly to acknowledge it, his attitude even more deferential than before.

After a simple inventory, the Hezhong Prefecture granaries still held over eighty thousand dan of grain and flour, with ample wine and meat as well. Gold, silver, jade vessels, coin, and silk were valued at over a hundred million, and there was no small amount of military equipment. Li Shouzhen had amassed such vast wealth in Hezhong, and it all ended up benefiting Liu Chengyou. Even after rewarding the three armies, there was still surplus — a considerable offset to the court's expenditures on this campaign...

Therefore, in light of these gains, Liu Chengyou's esteem for Liu Ci, who had led men to swiftly extinguish the flames of war, grew greatly, and in his heart he confirmed the man's great merit. At the same time, his loathing for Li Shouzhen, who had ordered the arson, deepened further.

"Fan Zhi."

"Your servant is here."

Liu Chengyou's eyes were like lightning as he said to him: "Draft an edict. Send swift riders to summon all the military governors west of the pass to Hezhong. These governors have defended our borders and pacified the western frontier with outstanding merit — I wish to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with them!"

The Son of Heaven's command left Fan Zhi and the others momentarily speechless, but they quickly understood — clearly this was an attempt to use the prestige of suppressing the rebellion to overawe the governors into submission. Although Guanzhong had long declined and was not a core governing region of the court, it still served as a protective shield for the Central Plains court. Its stability bore directly on the security of the state and national strategic interests.

Of the four territories — Hedong, Hebei, the Central Plains, and Guanzhong — the court's influence was weakest in Guanzhong.

With the sovereign's command issued, the subsequent handling of the rebellion continued to unfold. Civil and military officials carried out their duties, executing the aftermath measures, reassuring the people, and rewarding the troops. Order prevailed both within and without.

While the great army outside the city rejoiced at the Son of Heaven's reward orders, Liu Chengyou in the city finally met the monk Zonglun.

Under escort of the guards, the monk Zonglun shuffled timidly toward the hall, utterly bedraggled — his gilded kasaya had been stripped off as a war trophy. His face was full of fear and anxiety, his gaze wandering and uncertain. He had heard that Li Shouzhen's family and partisans had all been executed. What fate, then, awaited him, the honored guest of a rebel? He could well imagine. Yet since the Han Son of Heaven wanted to see him, it gave him a faint glimmer of hope...

Announced and brought into the hall, he immediately caught sight of the Son of Heaven seated upright in the center, perusing a register. Truly young, with a grave and imposing bearing — commanding respect without anger. Rare indeed to see such presence at this age.

Liu Chengyou looked up and sized up the man. To be honest, this monk Zonglun had a very proper appearance — a fine facade. Well, of course — if a charlatan had an ugly, wretched face, deceiving others would be twice the work for half the result.

Before Liu Chengyou could speak, Zonglun suddenly let out a "cry of anguish," thudded to his knees, two paces away. Startled by this, the guards in the hall immediately pressed their hands to their swords and blocked him defensively. But Zonglun had already prostrated himself fully, kowtowing deeply to Liu Chengyou with a look of utmost piety, crying out "Long live Your Majesty!" without cease.

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou was somewhat surprised, but he made no sound — he simply watched the performance calmly. Throughout his movements, the monk kept watching Liu Chengyou's reaction. Seeing his expression utterly flat, Zonglun grew embarrassed, muttering inwardly: why isn't this Son of Heaven reacting according to convention? If he won't play along with this gambit, how can I continue?

A hint of awkwardness permeated the hall. After a moment, as if understanding something, while cold sweat beaded on the monk Zonglun's forehead, Liu Chengyou finally asked in a seemingly casual tone: "What is the meaning of this?"

Upon hearing this, Zonglun first took a moment to compose himself, then gave a start, prostrated himself deeply again, and said excitedly: "When this humble monk entered the hall, I suddenly saw a burst of divine light erupt, its radiance blazing, nearly blinding..."

"What divine light?" Hearing his words and observing his actions, Liu Chengyou was somewhat enlightened. A hint of amusement curled at the corner of his mouth, yet his face showed an expression of interest as he pressed further.

Sensing an opening, Zonglun quickly explained: "This humble monk looked closely and discovered that the divine light emanated from Your Majesty's hall of light and purple mansion, shooting straight to the roof beams, with dragon qi coiling about, and faintly one could hear Buddhist chanting. In this humble monk's observation, Your Majesty must be a reincarnation of the Buddha, come to save the world. This humble monk felt its awesome power and could not contain himself."

This monk spoke as if it were all true.

Liu Chengyou pointed at the attendants in the hall: "If there is divine light, why do these people appear normal?"

"They are but common mortals — how could they recognize the true countenance of gods and Buddhas? This humble monk, being a man outside the mundane world who has cultivated a small fruit, can perceive Your Majesty's heavenly might. Even so, I can barely withstand its pressure." Zonglun said.

"I imagine you said similar words to Li Shouzhen back then as well." Liu Chengyou's cold remark made Zonglun's expression freeze. Stealing a glance, he saw that the Son of Heaven's gaze was clear and sharp, with not a trace of being moved — utterly unaffected by his words. A nameless panic rose in his heart.

His gaze resting on the ordination scars atop the monk's head, Liu Chengyou demanded: "Since you are a man outside the mundane world, why are you not in your temple eating vegetarian meals, chanting sutras, studying scriptures, and guiding believers toward good? Why did you leave the monastic life to incite rebellion, turn against the court, ignite the flames of war, and bring ruin to living beings?"

Liu Chengyou's gaze was intensely oppressive. Hearing the interrogation, Zonglun began to understand — this Son of Heaven, though young, was not so easily fooled. And it made sense; if he lacked real substance, how could he have dared to strike so fiercely and swiftly pacify Li Shouzhen?

He hesitated, unsure whether he should speak his next words. But facing Liu Chengyou's scrutinizing gaze, he still bowed his head and said in an earnest tone: "Your Majesty, please see clearly. This humble monk is but a bhikshu of the Buddhist faith, dwelling in a temple. However, Li Shouzhen was a murderous fiend of the mortal world who threatened me with arms. To protect the lives of several hundred monks in the temple, I had no choice but to comply and spread false prophecies for him."

Speaking, Zonglun hastily added: "But this humble monk knew from the start that Li Shouzhen was shallow in virtue and burdened by karma — he was bound to bring about his own destruction. And the purple sun rising to its zenith in the east corresponds to Your Majesty; sooner or later you would destroy this villain. Now that Your Majesty has come to Hezhong in person and taken it within a month, this humble monk's heart is finally at peace."

"Furthermore, Li Shouzhen had long harbored rebellious intent. When the Western Shu invaded earlier this year, he was already planning to rise in revolt. To relieve the court's distress, this humble monk strenuously dissuaded him, thereby averting that calamity..."

As he spoke, Zonglun nearly described himself as a loyal and virtuous eminent monk trapped in a bandit's nest, his will unshaken, his heart unchanged, still scheming for the Son of Heaven and the court. Truly, unsullied despite emerging from the mud.

"So by that account, I should thank you for secretly working for the state and reward you for your merits?" Only after he finished his explanation did Liu Chengyou's ordinary expression turn cold and severe.

"This humble monk would not dare."

Seeing this, Zonglun's eyelids twitched. Liu Chengyou's "iron-hearted" demeanor filled him with a sense of helplessness.

"Do you take me for a fool like Li Shouzhen, easily deceived?" Liu Chengyou's voice was like a blade demanding his life, stabbing straight into his heart: "Monsters like you, who bewitch the people, throw the state into chaos, and harm the populace — if you are not punished, how can the realm find peace?"

"Guards! Take the demon monk Zonglun and his followers to the marketplace, proclaim their crimes, and execute them according to law!" Liu Chengyou ordered with stern countenance and weighty words.

"Yes!" The guards in the hall stepped forward without hesitation, seized Zonglun, and dragged him out.

The monk was utterly panicked now. No longer invoking gods and Buddhas, he struggled and shouted plainly: "Your Majesty, spare my life!"

His cry was wretched and desperate — but unfortunately, Liu Chengyou was completely unmoved.

"Your Majesty is the sovereign of men. If you dare to slaughter monks wantonly, you will surely be abandoned by the Buddha, and in days to come you will not die a good death—"

Upon hearing these words, Liu Chengyou raised his hand to halt the guards. He rose, slowly approached, and under Zonglun's terrified, frantic gaze, said coldly: "I have no interest whatsoever in being some reincarnation of the Buddha. This realm is my realm. What lies beyond the mundane world, I do not concern myself with — but in this mortal world, even your Buddha must obey my edicts. Break the law, and you will be punished just the same!"

Having said this, he ordered the charlatan's mouth to be gagged and had him dragged to the marketplace for execution.

Standing in the hall with his hands clasped behind his back for a while, lost in thought, Liu Chengyou sneered: "These wicked monks truly have silver tongues. In the name of the Buddha, they bewitch the people, enslave the subjects under my rule, and amass wealth without restraint. Now they rise in rebellion, and still dare to utter threats against me — they truly don't know what it means to live or die..."