Chapter 640: A Nation Within a Nation

As Chen Yan finished speaking, the officials backing the anti‑Buddhist stance instantly and steadfastly echoed him; civil officials and military generals together accounted for one‑third of the civil‑military officials.

However, compared with the opposition, there were far too many heavyweight figures on Chen Yan's side.

Several chancellors, Chen Yan the Minister of Revenue, and a few other Ministers of the Six Ministries, along with numerous generals—except the neutral ones—almost all supported Chen Yan.

This gave the opposition a huge pressure, and many of them already felt a desire to retreat.

Astute observers could already see that Li Shimin was probably also inclined to oppose Buddhism; Chen Yan's side was too steadfast, and if they failed to gain the advantage, the anti‑Buddhist movement would become the prevailing trend.

Those who go against the tide will certainly meet a bad end.

However, there were also some hard‑headed people who firmly opposed it; the perennial leader Xiao Yu needed no further words.

Above, Li Shimin, seeing both sides quarrelling incessantly, could no longer bear it and shouted, "Enough!"

The rebuke, tinged with anger, instantly quieted the dispute in the Court.

Li Shimin rose, walked down slowly, approached Chen Yan, and stopped.

"To set the heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish destiny for the people, to inherit the lost teachings of past sages, to open peace for all ages."

He recited it once, sighed, and said, "In this regard, you always manage to impress me."

Chen Yan lowered his head: "His Majesty's praise is mistaken; I merely spoke from feeling."

"What a heartfelt utterance," Li Shimin nodded, "What a opening of peace for all ages."

He turned, looked at the officials kneeling on the ground, and asked, "Did you all hear?"

No one dared to speak.

"I ask you, did you hear?"

"We...... heard."

"Good, you heard." Li Shimin, hands behind his back, walked slowly back to his throne, "Xiao Yu."

Xiao Yu trembled all over: "I am here."

"Your sister's matter I don't care about; that's your family affair. If you won't plead for her, I am too lazy to conveniently do you a favor." Li Shimin sat down, his gaze blazing, "But you brandish the Buddhist Establishment's doctrines to block officials trying to do real work in my Court; I cannot ignore that."

Xiao Yu's face turned ashen: "His Majesty…"

"Hold on, I haven't finished," Li Shimin waved his hand, "You say the Buddhist Establishment benefits the common folk, fine. Then tell me, in the third year of the Zhenguan era's great drought, how much grain did the Buddhist Establishment donate?"

Xiao Yu opened his mouth slightly.

"In the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, floods broke out along the Yellow River and Yangtze banks; how many people did the Buddhist Establishment rescue?"

Sweat beaded on Xiao Yu's forehead.

"In the second year of the Zhenguan era, locusts swarmed, devouring crops and leaving the people grainless; how many porridge stalls did the Buddhist Establishment set up?"

Xiao Yu knelt there, unable to utter a single word.

"You don't know," Li Shimin said for him, "I don't know either, because the Buddhist Establishment did nothing."

"But I know that in the third year of the Zhenguan era's great drought, the Ministry of Revenue allocated three hundred thousand shi of grain for relief; in the fourth year flood, the Ministry of Works, and Chai Shao went to repair drainage canals and settle the people. After the locust disaster of the second year, a great epidemic broke out; it was the Imperial Medical Institute's people, risking infection, who went to the epidemic zone to rescue people."

"Those who did these things were not the Buddhist Establishment, but my Court, my officials, the people of the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Shimin's voice grew louder: "They pay grain and taxes, sustaining this country, sustaining you who stand and speak without a sore back!"

"And you? You take the taxes they paid, eat the grain they grew, then turn around and speak for those Buddhist Establishments that do nothing?!"

"Your Majesty, calm your anger!"

All civil and military officials in the Court knelt together.

Li Shimin took a deep breath, calmed, and looked at Xiao Yu: "Xiao Yu, the reason I am saying so much to you now is not because you oppose the eradication of Buddhism, but because in your eyes there is only your Buddha and no people of the Tang Dynasty."

"I have already given you many chances… including your sister's matter; as long as you speak up, I can let you bring her home at any time."

"But you never did."

Xiao Yu collapsed on the ground, trembling all over.

"Chen Yan."

"I am here."

"As for eradicating Buddhism, what do you plan to do?"

The moment those words left his mouth, many people's faces turned pale instantly.

Because Li Shimin's attitude had already become very clear.

Replying, "Your Majesty, I do not intend to kill people, nor do I intend to demolish temples."

"Oh?" Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, "Then how do you intend to eradicate?"

"Before answering that, we must first understand," Chen Yan said calmly, "The reason the Buddhist Establishment is so prosperous in our Tang Dynasty—are they truly moved by its teachings?"

"No. The main reason for the Buddhist Establishment's prosperity is that they enjoy privileges!"

"They are tax‑exempt, hold extremely high status, and can use this to evade taxes, avoid conscription, and even dodge military service!"

Li Shimin's gaze hardened, and many present changed expression.

Avoiding military service—this was something Chen Yan had never mentioned before.

Wei Zheng reacted immediately, solemnly saying, "Your Majesty, Minister Chen's words are reasonable; I had not considered this point before."

"The Buddhist Establishment has begun to affect the foundations of our Tang Dynasty; they not only evade taxes and conscription, exempt from military service, but more troublesome is that temples have their own monastic orders and their own rules."

"In a sense, the temples have become a nation within a nation!"

When the last sentence was spoken, the entire Court erupted in uproar.

Xiao Yu's face turned ashen; he knew he had lost, with no chance of a comeback.

"Nation within a nation…" Li Shimin chewed over the three words, chuckled, "Chen Yan, continue, what do you propose?"

Chen Yan nodded: "Very simple, Your Majesty, we need not trouble ourselves killing anyone or destroying any sutras."

"We only need to abolish all privileges of temples and monks, turning monks into ordinary citizens; they will naturally collapse from within."

"In that way, every problem is avoided."

"Lord Xiao truly spoke like a master… it has no effect on them, and we needn't trouble ourselves arranging any monks."

"If they can live, let them live; if they can't, let them die—it's that simple!"

Listening to Chen Yan's words, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Then, people kept stepping forward to echo him.

Many inferred a hint of something else from Chen Yan's words.

Wang Gui furrowed his brows, about to speak but held back, yet seeing Li Shimin's casual glance, Chen Yan's steadfast look, and the many supporting officials.

In the end he only let out a slight sigh, shook his head, and said nothing.

"Would this… be too harsh?" Yu Zhi‑ning hesitated and said.

He was immediately retorted by Li Chengqian: "What's wrong with it?"

"Aren't those monks adults? On what grounds can they shave their heads and enjoy the people's offerings?"

"To put it plainly, Minister Chen's words are not wrong at all: cancel their privileges, from now on they must rely on themselves; if they can live, let them live; if not, let them die."

"......."