Chapter 503: The Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven?

"I'll go first."

Heavenly Dragon Zhang Jie took the lead, recounting his experiences during this period to the other Zhang Jies.

After Heavenly Dragon Zhang Jie exposed the sordid inner workings beneath Shaolin's glamorous exterior using the scandal between Xuan Ci and Ye Erniang,

and broke their relied-upon 108 Arhat Array with Conqueror's Haki,

he directly forced Shaolin to seal its gates for a hundred years, no longer interfering in the affairs of the Jianghu.

Since then, he had become the undisputed Martial Arts Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Dragon Great Song Jianghu.

It was fortunate he didn't have the hobbies of Dongfang Bubai; otherwise, the Beggar Sect and

Xiaoyao Sect disciples under his command would have long since shouted shameful slogans like, "Sunrise in the East, only I am undefeated.

For a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations, I alone unify the Jianghu."

Having settled the Great Song Jianghu, Heavenly Dragon Zhang Jie's demonic claws reached north into Great Liao, south into Dali,

and west toward Tubo. It was only because of the karmic connection of the Xiaoyao Sect between Mount Tian Shan Tong Lao,

Li Qiushui, and Zhang Jie that the Lingjiu Palace in the Western Regions and the Yipin Hall of Western Xia maintained a certain degree of independence.

By now, the Jianghu forces were no less than the imperial court, and some even shouted the slogan, "Of the world's fortune,

the Jianghu and the imperial court each occupy half; the Martial Arts Supreme and the Great Song Emperor are honored equally."

"The Great Song Emperor and his Prime Minister actually wanted to marry an Imperial Princess to you, to conclude a so-called 'eternal friendship'."

Hearing the whimsical ideas of the Great Song Emperor and the various high officials in the Heavenly Dragon world, Pirate Zhang Jie couldn't help but laugh.

"That's just how the Great Song is."

At this moment, Water Margin Zhang Jie, who had arrived at some point, spoke up with a helpless expression.

Regarding the conclusion of this Great Song expert, the other Zhang Jies expressed their conviction.

Although this Great Song expert didn't serve in the Great Song court and was the "culprit" behind the fall of the Great Song in the Water Margin world,

it is said that the one who knows you best is not your friend, but your enemy.

As a great enemy of the Great Song, Water Margin Zhang Jie's title as a Great Song expert was well-deserved.

"Water Margin, what have you been up to?"

Zhuan Yi Tian Zhang Jie asked Water Margin Zhang Jie with some curiosity.

In the past, Water Margin Zhang Jie was the most active "lurker" among them.

"Eh, what's with this outfit?"

Coming back to his senses, he realized that Water Margin Zhang Jie was actually wearing clothing that looked like a monk's robe, yet not quite,

and was draped in a brocade cassock inlaid with the seven treasures of Buddhism mentioned in the *Prajna Sutra*: gold, silver, lapis lazuli,

giant clam, agate, amber, and coral.

The whole person was dripping with jewels, not looking like a person, but rather like one of the Buddha statues worshipped in those temples.

Heavenly Dragon Zhang Jie was also a bit surprised: "Water Margin, you wouldn't be thinking of giving up,

and going off to be some 'Bodhisattva Emperor' or 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven', would you?"

"How could I possibly go off to be some 'Bodhisattva Emperor' or 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven'."

Mentioning 'Bodhisattva Emperor' and 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven', Water Margin Zhang Jie showed disdain.

'Bodhisattva Emperor' and 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven' were somewhat like Song Huizong Zhao Ji's 'Daoist Sect Leader Emperor',

both being imperial titles obtained due to devotion to a certain religion.

Zhao Ji's 'Daoist Sect Leader Emperor' was because he promoted Daoism,

and 'Bodhisattva Emperor' and 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven' were naturally because an emperor was devoted to Buddhism.

This 'Bodhisattva Emperor' and 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven' was the title of Emperor Wu of Southern Liang, Xiao Yan, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

He was called the Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven because he was well-versed in Buddhist principles and often ascended the altar himself to lecture on sutras,

even designating Buddhism as the "State Religion," leading Buddhist monks and believers to believe he possessed a 'Buddha Heart'.

At the same time, he was the ancestor of vegetarianism in Chinese Buddhism; the tradition of Chinese Buddhist monks eating vegetarian food was established by him.

He wrote the *Treatise on Abstaining from Alcohol and Meat*, using administrative orders to mandate that monks and nuns must abstain from alcohol and meat, and led by example.

What was most unbearable was that he not only believed in Buddhism but also "surrendered his body" to Tongtai Temple multiple times,

taking off his dragon robe and putting on monk's robes, wanting to become a monk.

Each time, the imperial court officials had to spend huge sums of money (like hundreds of millions of coins) to "redeem" him back.

It could be said that compared to those emperors who treated religion as a tool to strengthen their rule,

Xiao Yan was truly devoted to Buddhism, devoted to the bone.

He vigorously promoted Buddhism and built countless temples; the famous "Four hundred and eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties,

how many towers are in the misty rain," was formed under his hands.

Unfortunately, this untimely piety did not bring him good luck.

In his later years, because he was overly obsessed with Buddhist affairs and neglected state affairs, it eventually led to the famous Great General of the Universe,

Hou Jing, launching the "Hou Jing Rebellion," trapping him in Tai City, with a miserable end (starving to death).

It could be said that this was a typical learning example for an emperor, or ruler, regarding religion—the negative kind.

"Then why are you dressed like this?"

Pirate Zhang Jie was even more confused.

Since he didn't intend to be the 'Buddha-Heart Son of Heaven', why the monk's outfit? Playing Cosplay?

"Amitabha."

Water Margin Zhang Jie chanted a Buddhist name: "Since you see the Manjushri Bodhisattva Great Emperor, why do you not bow?"

At this moment, he was glowing, his appearance solemn and dignified—quite the bluffing look.

If those foolish men and women saw him, they would likely kneel down immediately and shout, "The Bodhisattva has descended!" or "The Buddha has come to the world!"

Unfortunately, who were the Zhang Jies? They were either founding emperors holding great power,

or martial arts overlords sharing the power of the world with the Son of Heaven. The others, even if not yet invincible, were standing at the very top of the seas

and the Earth. Even if a real Buddha descended, they would have to debate the truth,

so naturally, they wouldn't be bluffed by Water Margin Zhang Jie's appearance.

"Manjushri Bodhisattva Great Emperor, why does that sound so familiar?"

Zhuan Yi Tian Zhang Jie felt more and more like he had heard it somewhere before.

"Ah, I remember!"

Before he could speak, Pirate Zhang Jie slapped the table, causing the Eight Immortals table collectively manifested by the Zhang Jies' spirits to shake.

Then, Pirate Zhang Jie excitedly stated his discovery:

"Isn't this a title of our Great Qing Emperor Qianlong!"

After his reminder, all the Zhang Jies remembered the records they had seen in history books:

Qianlong was a devout believer in Tibetan Buddhism and had studied Tibetan Esotericism under the Third Changkya Khutukhtu.

Throughout his life, he copied over a thousand Buddhist sutras, such as the *Diamond Sutra* and the *Lotus Sutra*;

he converted his residence before ascending the throne, the Yonghe Temple, into a Gelug school monastery of Tibetan Buddhism.

Through a series of operations, he was revered as the incarnation of Manjushri Bodhisattva in the Mongolian and Tibetan regions within the Tibetan Buddhist system.

Court painters created multiple *Thangkas of Emperor Qianlong in Buddhist Attire*.

In these Thangkas, Qianlong wore a Pandita hat, dressed in monk's robes,

held a mudra, and sat on a lotus throne in the image of a Bodhisattva,

intuitively displaying his side as a religious leader.

By becoming the "Manjushri Bodhisattva" and "Chakravartin" (the ideal Buddhist monarch) in the hearts of Tibetan Buddhist believers,

Qianlong effectively consolidated the central government's rule over border regions like Mongolia and Tibet.

"So that's the idea you had."

Heavenly Dragon Zhang Jie suddenly realized. He said that with their Zhang Jie nature of not doing anything without profit,

but also definitely not doing meaningless things,

how could Water Margin Zhang Jie have put on a cassock for no reason. ===== CHAPTER 504 =====