Chapter 88

Long Peace City, after that bloody turmoil, finally regained peace.

The eunuchs began to keep a low profile; when a noble in the palace coughed twice, they would each slap themselves twice in the face to apologize to the noble.

Among the officials at court, discerning scholars also gradually increased under the efforts of several who launched the coup.

And Wang Zong (Wang Xiu)'s life also underwent a great change.

He, appointed Left Divine Strategy Army General, was mighty in all directions; with the merit of rescuing the emperor, his prestige was unmatched.

His daily work was to go to the camp to drill, participate in many major military decisions; after his duty, he went out to socialize with several close ministers.

Wang Xiu (Wang Xiu) was not too happy to accept this result.

He originally had no intention of contending for power and profit, but now, holding a high position, he cannot help but do so.

In fact, to survive that deadly killing game and preserve himself and his family was already the outcome he wanted.

Gradually, he began to delegate authority to his subordinates, just like his reclusive ancestors, and lived a semi-reclusive life.

Compared to those officials who, in the coup, have become utterly servile, this man of greatest merit is about to be forgotten for his achievements.

Wang Xiu now fell into confusion; he came to this era, having controlled the lives of several generations, and thought he could change something.

But in the end, he discovered he could change nothing.

Under the efforts of these ministers, the Tang Dynasty indeed saw some recovery, but now those ministers also have factions and their own confidants; the Tang Dynasty continues to slide irreversibly into the abyss.

I am not a god; we cannot change the course of the world. The Tang Dynasty's fate has its own destiny; this is not something we can control.

"What I can do is merely, on this ship about to sink, to find a lifeboat for our Wang family."

This is what he said when he comforted himself.

The rise and fall of dynasties follow their own laws.

And the responsibility of aristocratic families is to sow the seeds of new civilization on the ruins of each dynasty; the Wang Family's goal is merely to become a millennium-old clan.

……

Days passed just like that, day by day.

Emperor Wenzong of Tang, Li Ang, reigned only five years before dying young in endless depression and alcoholic stupor.

After his death, his younger brother Li Yan, supported by the court officials, ascended the throne, becoming Emperor Wuzong of Tang.

After Emperor Wuzong ascended the throne, with the assistance of Chancellor Li Deyu, he carried out a series of reforms, fracturing factions, suppressing regional warlords, finally giving the Tang Dynasty's national strength a glimmer of revival.

History calls it the "Huichang Revival".

Wang Zong (Wang Xiu) watched all this, his heart filled with peace.

He no longer thought about how to change history.

He only wanted to protect this family through the upcoming darkest years of late Tang.

Waiting for a new era to arrive.

He knew that no matter how reforms were made, this was merely the last glow before sunset.

The Tang Dynasty is a broken ship; its foundation is already rotten, not fixable by just one or two wise monarchs or capable chancellors.

That day, Emperor Wuzong, in the court, suddenly raised a topic that no one anticipated.

Suppress Buddhism.

"All you beloved officials," Emperor Wuzong's voice was icy and firm, "Now our Tang Dynasty, Buddhist temples are everywhere, monks and nuns number in the millions. They engage in no production, pay no taxes or labor services, they have seized vast amounts of land and population, squandering countless gold, silver, copper, and Iron Control to cast Buddha images and build temples. This is a great pest to the state, a great scourge to the people! If this continues, the state will cease to be a state!"

"My decision is final; I wish to abolish Buddhism throughout the world! Destroy temples, order monks and nuns to return to secular life, confiscate all their land and property for the state! I do not know, beloved officials, what do you think?"

Upon these words, the whole court erupted in an uproar.

Buddhism entered Zhongyuan since the Han dynasty, after centuries of development it has long been deeply integrated into Chinese culture.

From the imperial relatives and nobles down to the common folk, the number of Buddhists is countless.

Especially those great aristocratic clans, which have countless ties with Buddhist temples.

They entrusted large amounts of land under the names of temples to evade the Court's taxes.

Temples are their greatest "tax havens".

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"

Immediately, a large number of officials stepped forward to oppose.

"The Buddhist teaching encourages goodness; it is a fine way to educate the masses—how could it be easily abolished!"

"Buddhist temples across the land were mostly built by previous emperors; if they were all destroyed, it would harm Your Majesty's reputation for benevolence!"

The voices of opposition rose one wave higher than another.

Emperor Wuzong's face grew increasingly grim.

He did not expect that the resistance to suppressing Buddhism would be greater than he imagined.

At that moment, Chancellor Li Deyu stepped forward.

He opposed the majority opinion and firmly stood on the emperor's side.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the move to suppress Buddhism is a great beneficial policy for the state and the people! Buddhism is a barbarian teaching, not in line with the sage's way of our China. Moreover, the current ills of the temples have already shaken the foundations of the state. Abolishing Buddhism would fill the treasury, provide sufficient troops, and restore the people's strength. This is a threefold benefit—why not do it?"

With the chancellor's support, Emperor Wuzong's confidence grew considerably.

He looked down at the officials still arguing and said coldly, "There is no need to discuss this further! My decision is final!"

Thus the grand "Huichang Buddhist Persecution" was launched.

……

Wang Family residence.

Wang Zong (Wang Xiu) may no longer concern himself with military affairs, but he has always kept an eye on court affairs.

Suppress Buddhism.

From the perspective of a later-generation person, Wang Xiu knew this was absolutely a good thing.

Objectively, it struck at the power of the great aristocratic clans, increased the Court's fiscal revenue, and released a large amount of labor and land for society.

However, from the perspective of the Wang Family's own interests, this matter is somewhat thorny.

Because the Wang Family is also one of the largest 'landlords' under heaven.

They likewise, in many temples in the South of the River, donated large amounts of land to avoid taxes.

Although they did so far more covertly than other families.

But if the Emperor truly intends to investigate the landed property of Buddhist temples under heaven, the Wang Family will also inevitably be affected.

Once discovered, that would be the crime of deceiving the sovereign.

Fortunately, he had long anticipated that such a day would come sooner or later.

So, he had already made preparations in advance.

The next day, Wang Zong voluntarily submitted a memorial, expressing firm support for the Emperor's initiative to eradicate Buddhism.

He even voluntarily handed over all the Wang Family's land holdings related to temples, transferring them entirely to the state.

Emperor Tang Wuzong and Li Deyu were both very pleased upon hearing of this.

They immediately set up Wang You as a model of 'deeply understanding righteousness, loyal to the sovereign and patriotic', and lavishly praised him in the imperial court.

The prestige of the Wang Family once again reached its peak.