Chapter 263: Blood Pools Behind the Buddha

Zhao Jin nodded and asked again, "I remember Ru Hui saying that quite a few in the Lower Courtyard were close to him. Is that still the situation now?"

Zhen Zhi shook his head, his expression dim. He said quietly, "Only the Dangshan Lower Courtyard is still presided over by my junior disciple brother. But over these three years he has also been sidelined by Ru Nan. The other three locations are all Yuan Xin's people now."

"Ru Nan is loyal indeed. He has over a thousand monk-soldiers under him, yet he obediently listens to Abbot Yuan Xin," Zhao Jin continued.

"Young master may not know, but the headmen among the monk-soldiers are all the abbot's disciples. Not to mention a full third of the monk-soldiers are men recruited by Xue Xiaozong, and their pay and provisions are supplied by the Yunshan Trading House." Zhen Zhi knew the details very thoroughly.

"Next, Ru Hui will want to select his own people to replace these men, won't he?" Zhao Jin suddenly shifted the topic. Zhen Zhi nodded; there was nothing to hide here — it was obvious.

"Go and call all those people over. It would be best for them to see what happens next," Zhao Jin said with a smile. Zhen Zhi hesitated a moment, then nodded in agreement, turned, and arranged for monks to go and summon them.

Zhao Jin smiled and nodded, turned and called over two household retainers and gave them a few instructions. The two retainers strode quickly out the gate. Zhao Jin called out again, and a dozen or so squad leaders also walked over. After a brief exchange, these squad leaders returned to their own units. Before long, except for the veteran company's first squad which remained on standby, the recruit companies all cast aside their long spears and marched forward.

Watching these men advance, the bound monks all grew tense, wanting to struggle and retreat. But aside from their mouths, there was very little on their bodies that could move.

Soon their mouths could not move either, because the men approaching did only one thing: tear off a piece of their clothing, then stuff it into their mouths and tie it tight, leaving them with mouths agape but unable to make a single sound.

Not long after, another dozen or so household retainers walked in. When they entered, the monks in the courtyard let out a burst of startled cries, while the group kneeling over there had their eyes bulge wide, expressions of terror appearing on their faces.

Ru Nan's corpse was dragged over and dumped directly onto the open ground. Abbot Yuan Xin, his whole body covered in wounds and looking utterly wretched, was trussed up tightly, his mouth also gagged, squirming there like a dead pig.

Along with the retainers came two young girls. Why had young women suddenly appeared? Some monks looked utterly astonished; others looked toward Yuan Xin and Ru Hui.

After another while, fifty-some more monks walked in. At most, the core members on Ru Hui's side who appeared before Zhao Jin numbered no more than seventy-odd in total. A dozen or so were already quite old. Whether Zhen Zhi had held anyone back was unclear, but Zhao Jin could not be bothered to quibble over it. He merely made a hand gesture behind him.

The two girls saw Zhao Jin's gesture. One of them hesitated a moment, gritted her teeth, took a few steps forward, and raised her voice: "I remember I'm from Pi Province. I can't remember much else clearly…"

The girl's voice was not low. As she spoke, her face showed shame and embarrassment, but as she went on, it turned to resentment and agitation. She remembered arriving at the mountain when she was around ten years old. After entering that courtyard, she never came out again. She remembered that one time it felt as if her entire body had been cut open by a knife, so much blood flowing, yet in the end she recovered. Though every time was agonizing, she still survived.

"…I wished I had died sooner, but I still wanted to see my own parents…" The girl's voice grew more and more shrill and wretched.

As the girl spoke, the courtyard became very quiet. Only a few monks were softly chanting the Buddha's name, and some others struggling made strange sounds.

The girl had seen many young girls sent over. Some died the very first time. Some could not endure a few times and also died. Others, because they were too disobedient or cried and cursed too loudly, were killed outright. Some tried to flee, but were caught by those few stout, strong women and taken back to be put to death. Some had merely run out of the courtyard before being seized by the monk-soldiers standing guard outside — the same result. The girl had endured it all.

Zhao Jin listened with an indifferent expression, occasionally sweeping his gaze around. He could notice the household retainers' breathing growing heavier; such heinous, heaven-defying deeds were too infuriating. Zhao Jin was also furious, but he also knew this girl was not innocent. To have survived in that place, her hands could not be clean. Aside from those young girls, everyone in those two compounds was a murderer or an accomplice. But there was no need to quibble now.

Heinous and heaven-defying, intolerable to heaven itself — everyone thought this. By the end, the girl was crying as she spoke. All the monks on Zhen Zhi's side had their palms pressed together, murmuring sutras, while the faces of those bound monks also bore expressions of shock.

After the girl finished, she covered her face, crouched down, and wept bitterly. Zhao Jin strode over to where Yuan Xin was. Yuan Xin's face was covered in bloody scratches from being seized, smeared with much filth, but now he could not care about any of that. He struggled desperately, but his hands and feet were bound fast; he could only squirm there, emitting meaningless tones from his nose.

The moment Zhao Jin moved, the forward squad of the recruit company ran out of formation and dragged twenty-five men from among the bound monks — one man to each.

The courtyard fell eerily silent again. Zhao Jin crouched down, reached out and hauled Abbot Yuan Xin up, leaned in close, and said quietly: "Xue Chongxun, I am Zhao Jin."

Abbot Yuan Xin's eyes suddenly bulged wide. He finally understood why. His face instantly turned ashen gray, and his body actually began to convulse. A stench of foul odor wafted out — Yuan Xin had lost control of his bowels.

Zhao Jin stood up, reversed his long spear, and stabbed down with force. The spearhead was sharp and met no resistance whatsoever, piercing straight through Abbot Yuan Xin.

With a muffled thud, Yuan Xin's body convulsed violently once, then stiffened and went still. The long spear was drawn out, and a jet of blood sprayed forth.

Low cries of alarm rose in the courtyard, followed immediately by muffled "thump thump thump" sounds — it was the bound monks bending their bodies to kowtow, their faces full of pleading expressions.

Zhao Jin turned around, raised his left hand, then chopped it downward. The twenty-five men of the recruit company also stabbed down with their long spears!

Someone could no longer hold back and screamed aloud. The muffled thuds of foreheads striking the ground grew much louder, sounding like drumbeats. Many of the captives struggling to kowtow were already bleeding from their heads.

There were now over twenty corpses in the field. Fresh blood had already soaked the earth around them a purplish black. The smell of blood began to permeate the air. Although quite a few in Cloud Mountain Temple did not strictly observe the monastic rules, they did, after all, eat vegetarian regularly. Such a thick, pungent odor made them very uncomfortable; among the watching monks, some had already vomited.

Zhao Jin waved his hand again. The recruit company switched to another squad. They did the same as the squad before them, dragging out the bound monks. Those bound monks already knew what their fate was. Despairing and collapsing, weeping and losing control of their bowels, they struggled with all their might. But their hands and feet were all tied fast and firm — how could they possibly break free?

The left hand raised and chopped down. Only this time, the twenty-five long spears did not stab down in uniform unison. Some stabbed cleanly and decisively; some hesitated a moment before stabbing; some never moved at all.

Before experiencing the battle at He Family Manor, most of the Zhao Battalion's household retainers had never killed anyone. After the battle, at most a third had killed. The rest could only be said to have seen blood and gained combat experience.

Moreover, on the battlefield there is no time for you to think. Blades and spears show no mercy; you kill and it is done. But in a situation like this, with so many terrified, so many despairing, living, breathing lives right before their eyes — these men of the recruit companies could not bring themselves to do it.

Yet the hesitation of those who could not bring themselves to strike lasted only a moment. Their own master was right there before them watching. Though they could not make out his expression, those eyes were cold and grim, making their hearts quail. And their comrades who had finished the execution were also urging them with their eyes. Not to mention, in the eyes of those squadmates standing behind Zhao Jin, there seemed to be contempt.

Many of these feelings were actually illusions, but they forced them to act. Long spears stabbed down, blood sprayed from wounds, lives faded away. These green recruits suddenly discovered that killing was not so difficult. And at the moment of killing, they would often recall the night battle at the He Family great courtyard — that, too, had not seemed difficult. Arrayed in orderly formation, advancing under their master's command, stabbing without cease, neither panicking nor breaking ranks, and in the end, they had won.

Seeing blood and killing, hearts growing hard — only by reaching this step were they truly usable. Zhao Jin watched the green recruits go from hesitation to decisiveness and knew they had changed.

One squad withdrew, another replaced it, another twenty-five men. A very foul odor now permeated the courtyard. More and more people were losing control and breaking down.

"…That… that… hold a moment." Just then, Zhen Zhi's voice rang out. Since he was masked, naturally he had to conceal his identity, yet in his haste the form of address nearly gave him away.

Zhao Jin did not raise his left hand; he merely turned his head to look. He saw Zhen Zhi and six monks running over quickly. On these men's faces were expressions of reluctance and pity.

"Those who have left the household are compassionate. Even if these men have faults, their crimes do not warrant death. We beg the benefactor to show mercy and spare their lives," Zhen Zhi said with palms pressed together. The other monks also nodded repeatedly. These seven shared a common trait — they were all rather advanced in age. Perhaps people of this age were all soft-hearted.

Zhao Jin shook his head. The monks were all taken aback, though this reaction was within their expectations. Someone whispered a few words in Zhen Zhi's ear. Zhen Zhi coughed and spoke again: "Benefactor, among these men, a dozen or so were wrongly seized. It shames me to say, but just now several martial nephews were moved by anger. These men are not of Yuan Xin and Ru Nan's faction. Could it be…"

"I told you, you have only this one chance. Watch carefully, and do not forget the scene today," Zhao Jin said flatly. He raised his left hand and chopped it down again.

The muffled "thud thud" of long spears stabbing rang out in succession. The faces of Zhen Zhi and those few men were all deathly pale. The six monks who had come with him subconsciously began chanting the Buddha's name.

The rotation of green recruits carrying out the execution began again. The smell in the field grew even fouler. Surprisingly, quite a few crows had gathered on the rooftops and wall tops. But the cries of alarm and vomiting were gone; only the murmured sound of Buddhist sutra chanting remained.

Zhao Jin's thinking was very clear. This bloody execution, on one hand, let his own green recruits see blood and be tempered. On the other hand, it was punishment. That group from Cloud Mountain Temple had attacked the He Family great courtyard; his own casualties were nearly a hundred, and He Family Village had suffered several dozen dead and wounded. Such evil deeds naturally demanded a price. There was also a third layer of meaning: intimidation. Yuan Xin, Ru Nan, and those men were gone, replaced by Ru Hui's people. But Cloud Mountain Temple still stood. To make them hold fear and awe, to rid them of any further delusions, using slaughter to intimidate was very necessary.

Look at them now — impoverished and frustrated, speaking everywhere of Buddhist compassion. Once they gained power and wealth, their state of mind would inevitably differ from now.

Wave after wave of twenty-five men rotated through, and soon all those captured were killed. After the last squad returned, the scene fell silent once more.

After several rounds of killing, even those who could not bear to watch now raised their heads and looked. The sound of sutra chanting and Buddha's name recitation had also ceased. The two girls who had been brought in were trembling all over, covering their eyes and crouching there.

"Enemy of Buddha! Heretic! Evil ghost!" Someone suddenly shouted aloud. Zhao Jin's brow furrowed. Who had such nerve as to dare curse the Zhao Battalion?

Turning to look, he saw it was a robust monk in his twenties, his face full of righteous fury, bellowing. Everyone in the courtyard looked over — whether of the Zhao Battalion or Cloud Mountain Temple.

Zhen Zhi and the others standing beside Zhao Jin had not left. Hearing this loud shout, they too looked over. When they saw which monk it was, the face of one old monk immediately changed. He sternly shouted: "Dao Nan, you wretched, degenerate disciple! Shut your mouth this instant for your master!"

That monk Dao Nan wore a look of astonishment and said loudly: "Master, is it not so?"

The old monk could pay him no more heed. He turned around, bowed with palms pressed together, and said in a trembling voice: "Benefactor… Master… this unworthy disciple of this poor monk does not know the gravity of things. I beg the master not to blame him. He… he…"

Two hundred lives, the thick, cloying smell of blood, and today's thunderbolt-like actions — all of this put tremendous pressure on the old monk. Now frantic and terrified, he could not even speak smoothly, his body swaying as if about to collapse.

"That… benefactor… this humble one's junior disciple brother has always been in poor health. It has always been his disciple Dao Nan who cares for him with all his heart. This Dao Nan is simple and honest by nature; he bears no ill intent," Zhen Zhi also hurriedly explained.

But Dao Nan walked out from the crowd and continued loudly: "How am I wrong? That bunch — Yuan Xin and Ru Nan — every day they hypocritically chant Buddha's name and eat vegetarian meals, yet in secret they commit such heinous, heaven-defying deeds. Every time this disciple goes out, he hears people talk of how Cloud Mountain Temple buys and sells people, how it exploits its tenant farmers. Of the refugees coming from Shandong and Henan, how many young women were bought by this temple? And were they not used for those immoral, scandalous evil acts…"

At this, everyone was stunned. This did not seem to be directed at Zhao Jin's side. But Dao Nan's voice was loud and resonant, and what he spoke of were all the scandals of Cloud Mountain Temple. Even the monks on Zhen Zhi's side felt embarrassed, and the looks they directed at Dao Nan were very strange.

"…So many innocent children's lives! They are not abbot and overseer — they are enemies of Buddha, evil ghosts! The retribution they face today is karmic cause and effect; it is the Buddha assuming the wrathful Vajra form!" Dao Nan's voice grew louder and more resounding as he spoke.

After those words, the courtyard fell utterly silent — but the quiet did not last long. The monks all pressed their palms together and began chanting Buddha's name and sutras, the anxiety and terror on their faces gone, replaced by devotion and calm.

"That's no wicked disciple — that's a brilliant one!" Zhao Jin remarked.

Whatever the monk Daonan's purpose, his speech had just now deftly reframed Zhao Jin's thunderous methods as karmic cause and effect in Buddhist terms, steadying everyone's hearts in an instant, and utterly repudiating the doctrinal lineage of Yuanxin and Runan. Once those words were spoken, Yuanxin and Runan's line would never be able to rise again.

Monk Daonan had close-cropped hair less than an inch long, a dark, swarthy face, bright, spirited eyes, and large, rough hands and feet — he looked like a man who had endured much hardship. But for his monk's robe, he would have seemed more like a blacksmith from the Shi family forge.

Noticing Zhao Jin's gaze, this monk Daonan did not show the fear and unease of the other monks. Instead, he naturally pressed his palms together in salute and said solemnly, "Though the benefactor has committed killing, he has punished evil and exalted good — this is a deed of great good fruit. Good recompense will surely follow in days to come, and you shall enter the Western Paradise."

"You really are something!" Zhao Jin said in a deep voice.

From his tone, one could tell Zhao Jin was not angry. Zhenzhi and the old monk felt as though they had been granted a great pardon. The old monk hurried back and dragged Daonan out of the courtyard.

Zhao Jin spoke directly to Zhenzhi: "I am leaving now. The monk-soldiers I scattered will likely regroup within the next few days, but I don't know at which lower temple. You must find this out as quickly as possible. Understood?"

His tone was still that of giving orders. Zhenzhi raised no objection and hastily agreed.

"Some monk-soldiers will also return here. Just tell them the mountain is inconvenient and send them to the lower temple to take shelter for now, and make a note of where they go." Zhao Jin continued to add.

Zhenzhi quickly nodded. The old monk at his side hesitated a moment, then spoke: "Benefactor sir, those monk-soldiers are all vicious criminals of dubious origin. If they truly return, the people of this temple cannot stop them. Even if we could muster the able-bodied monks, I fear we would be no match for them."

Zhao Jin gave a cold laugh and pointed at the corpses littering the ground. He spoke again: "Today, just before the city gates close, go to the prefectural government office and report the crime. Say that the monk-soldiers colluded with bandits to create chaos, plundering wealth and killing monks. These corpses are the monks they murdered. The day after tomorrow, the authorities will naturally send people here."

Hearing this arrangement, the monks around Zhenzhi all breathed a sigh of relief. How to deal with those vicious, wolf-like martial monks, how to handle these corpses, and all the other troublesome loose ends — these monks had no idea. Compared to the men of Yuanxin's faction, they were more purely monks, with little experience in worldly affairs and practical matters, and even less idea how to manage them.

Zhenzhi, however, had been doing business outside for years and understood a fair bit about the ways of the world. Hearing Zhao Jin's plan, he knew there was nothing left for his side to worry about.

"A piece of advice: quickly rally the monks who are close to you. Don't let others seize the opportunity. I think that Daonan can handle it very well." Zhao Jin said this with a smile, then turned and ordered the household guards to assemble the teams from every quarter. He led the main force out.

Zhenzhi and the several old monks looked at each other in bewilderment. This gentleman truly came as swiftly as he left. Cloud Mountain Temple's main temple was such an enormous foundation, with so much wealth and goods — and he had simply walked away, crisp and clean.

Only when Zhao Jin's party had walked out the main gate did Zhenzhi slap his own forehead and sprint to catch up. Hearing himself called, Zhao Jin halted his steps up ahead. Zhenzhi drew near and came straight to the point: "Young Master Zhao, the temple has no shortage of carts and horses. The gold and silver in those two courtyards, and the valuables in the storehouses — take them all with you this time!"