Chapter 130: The White Horse Preaches the Dharma, Borrowing Men from the Yang Estate

"Hong'er, you must not speak nonsense," Li Zhi chided.

Wu Zetian tugged at Li Zhi's sleeve and whispered, "Let us hear what he has to say."

Li Wei felt a secret joy. He had not intended to intervene, but a sudden thought struck him: his parents were fond of Buddhist teachings, so perhaps a well-placed comment would please them.

Shenxiu said, "I ask for your Highness's guidance."

Li Wei spoke slowly, "Master Lu's verse is indeed good, but once the truth is realized, it should be spoken from the heart; there is no need to ask another to transcribe it onto a wall. If I may be so bold, the circumstances suggest that when the Master wrote his, it was out of self-attainment. When Master Lu wrote his, perhaps it was unintentional, yet it may have harbored a hidden desire for competition—both of which deviate from the true essence of Buddhism."

This was a unique interpretation, and the crowd fell silent, unable to respond.

Li Wei continued, "Furthermore, the imperial court has repeatedly issued decrees for your Master to come to the capital, yet he refuses. If this is a time to propagate the Dharma and save all sentient beings, then his refusal contradicts the very principle of Buddhist salvation. He claims to fear the defilements of the mundane world, yet he refuses the decree. If Master Lu’s 'there is no thing, so where could dust collect' is the gateway to truth, why can he not overcome this attachment? This reminds me of a story I heard in the Western Capital. A high monk encountered another monk meditating on the road and asked, 'What are you seeking through meditation?' The monk replied, 'I am seeking to become a Buddha.' The high monk then said, 'Follow me.' They went to a hermitage, where the high monk took a brick and began rubbing it against a stone. The monk, confused, asked, 'Master, what are you doing?' The high monk replied, 'I am polishing a mirror.' The monk asked, 'How can a brick become a mirror?' The high monk replied, 'And how can sitting in meditation make one a Buddha?'"

The crowd looked at one another in bewilderment. The Crown Prince's logic was profound, but if a monk does not meditate, does he simply live a life of indulgence?

Li Wei added, "What was the intent of Bodhidharma coming from the West? If there is 'intent'—if there is a thought in the mind—one cannot even save oneself, let alone others."

No one could answer.

Shenxiu said, "I ask for the Crown Prince's instruction," his tone now profoundly humble.

"Bodhidharma came from the Western lands simply to find someone who would not be deceived by others. Amitabha." Having finished, Li Wei pressed his palms together. A light breeze stirred, and as he stood beneath a pomegranate tree, the last of the petals drifted down.

Unlike the original Crown Prince, who was known for his benevolence—perhaps even to a fault—this prince possessed a gentleness that was tempered by a brighter, sunnier disposition. Through training, his complexion had improved; in the morning light, he appeared refined and radiant. As the petals fell upon him, his gesture held a solemn, majestic grace.

When he spoke these deep, paradoxical truths, those present bowed their heads and echoed, "Amitabha."

Li Wei continued, "In truth, enlightenment is everywhere; why distinguish between the worldly and the transcendental? If the heart holds Buddha, then Buddha dwells within. Whether in the mundane world, at a Dharma assembly, in the imperial palace, in the marketplace, or in the mountains—if Buddha is present, then rouge and powder are but skeletons; if Buddha is absent, then rouge and powder are but poison. Your Master is caught in the trap of appearances."

"Enough of this nonsense," Wu Zetian said, pulling Li Wei toward her, though her face beamed with delight.

The previous two times she had summoned Hongren, he had refused. She had even personally written the invitation with humble words, acting not as an Empress but as a devout believer, asking him to come to the White Horse Temple in Luoyang. Yet, Hongren still did not come. Given Wu Zetian’s temperament, she had been deeply displeased. Her son’s discourse on Buddhist philosophy brought her immense satisfaction.

Shenxiu sighed, "Your Highness, you have a deep affinity with the Buddha. I shall carry your words back to Dongshan Temple."

This dialogue proved incredibly beneficial to the gathered monks, who bowed their heads in deep contemplation. It was, of course, a story that would be long remembered, and the Dharma assembly began under the most auspicious of omens.

In Chang'an, the gardenias were in full bloom. They were beautiful flowers, elegant and fragrant, but they were so common that they were rarely valued.

***

Yang Sijian had finished his shift.

He was in a foul mood—and who wouldn't be? First, his daughter had been slandered by the commoners of the capital, then rumors spread of the Crown Prince divorcing her, followed by accusations of witchcraft. Fortunately, the Crown Prince had intervened and put a stop to the witchcraft investigations. Otherwise, even knowing his family was innocent, Yang Sijian shuddered at the thought of the consequences.

Yet, the situation remained dire.

As the carriage wheels turned, he pondered the shifting tides. It was clear that his daughter, the Crown Princess, could likely not be saved. The imperial family had to maintain its dignity.

Lost in thought, he was startled when someone blocked his carriage. A man lifted the curtain and said, "I am a man of the Crown Prince. I have a confidential matter to discuss."

"Please, come inside," Yang Sijian said, his demeanor instantly turning respectful. He pulled the man into the carriage. The Crown Prince was a good man; although the message had arrived late, the intent was sincere. Moreover, the Crown Prince's methods were sophisticated; he was no mere bookworm.

Once inside, Yang Sijian asked respectfully, "What instructions does the Crown Prince have for me?"

The man replied truthfully, "Actually, no. I am not sent by the Crown Prince, but by Assistant Minister Di Renjie to investigate a case in the Western Capital. It is highly confidential, and I feared that if I did not use the Crown Prince's name, you would not let me into your carriage. I had to offer that pretense to avoid explaining too much and risking a leak."

"Di Renjie?"

"Precisely."

"And who might you be?"

"I am a prison warden of the Supreme Court, named He Guangzhen. Four of my colleagues are with me, acting in secret. Only Assistant Minister Di is aware of this."

"You came to..." Yang Sijian did not look down on the man despite his lower rank, knowing he was a close confidant of the Crown Prince. He suspected this man had played a role in sparing the Yang family from disaster. He hesitated, unsure if he should ask more.

"I can reveal some things, but you must not let even a whisper of this reach anyone else."

"I can manage that."

"Although it was disrespectful to use the Prince’s name, this matter concerns both him and your honorable house."

"Please, speak."

"The one who memorialized the court to divorce your daughter is the Senior Tutor, Xu Jingzong. Furthermore, the assassination attempt at Mount Zhongnan was also orchestrated by him."

"This... how could he be so bold!" Yang Sijian was stunned, then consumed by a burning rage. He wished he could tear Xu Jingzong apart, yet the memory of the man's ruthless methods made him tremble.

He Guangzhen quickly covered his mouth and whispered, "Minister Yang, if you lose your composure now, all is lost."

"Forgive me, I lost my head." While he lacked the brilliance of Di Renjie or Xu Jingzong, he was capable of basic reasoning. It would not be easy to move against Xu Jingzong. He quickly grasped the crux of the matter and whispered, "Did Di Renjie send you to investigate this case?"

"Exactly. Assistant Minister Di analyzed the case. The kidnapping of your daughter was instigated by Helan Minzhi. The dozen assassins who attacked the Crown Prince, along with the informants Liu Hansan and Zhong Dachui, were all managed by Xu Jingzong. Even Liu Lu had defected to Xu, allowing him to learn of Helan Minzhi's plot and capitalize on the chaos."

Yang Sijian was shocked, but he quickly regained his composure. "But the court issued a warrant, and to this day, none of them have been caught."

To uncover the truth, every single witness must be found; missing even one would not suffice. Once found and coerced into a confession, it would be impossible for Xu Jingzong to escape. Despite the favor he enjoyed from the Emperor and Empress, attempting to assassinate the Crown Prince was a capital offense, even for someone as powerful as Zhangsun Wuji. Furthermore, the Emperor would be even more furious at the attempt to frame Helan Minzhi. If Xu Jingzong fell, other officials would have no excuse to target his daughter. Whether she remained Crown Princess or a concubine, the Yang family would be safe. He added, "If the truth is revealed, it would be a great blessing. But these dozen men are not easy to find."

"Indeed," He Guangzhen said, his eyes flashing with excitement.

These five wardens were the most trusted subordinates of Di Renjie. Before they left, Di Renjie had gathered them at his home, offering them a chance at great wealth but warning of the danger. They had all agreed. Di Renjie had explained the plan, giving them one last chance to back out, but they remained resolute. Di Renjie then used the pretense of investigating cases elsewhere to quietly transfer them to Chang'an. He also had Wei Yuanzhong notify the Chang'an candy workshop to provide two thousand strings of cash for their expenses. In truth, even Di Renjie had found it amusing—while merchants were frowned upon, one truly could not get things done without money.

"It seems that way. Everyone assumes they are Helan Minzhi’s men and that they fled the region after he fell. The border checkpoints are strict, but in fact, they are still in Chang'an!"

"Why?"

"Chang'an seems tight, but Xu Jingzong has many estates and properties where they can hide. Who would dare search them? It is safer there. Besides, with the situation so tense, if they tried to flee elsewhere and were caught, they would be finished. They must wait for the wind to die down. Furthermore, keeping them in the capital allows Xu Jingzong to control them easily. If necessary, he can have them silenced."

"I fear he will silence them now."

"Not necessarily. There are a dozen of them, all skilled fighters. He cannot silence them openly. If he tries, he would have to involve even more people. Xu Jingzong has men, but he may not have that many truly loyal death-squad members. If he kills the very men who served him, what would his other loyalists think? He will not act yet."

"But why come to me? I am powerless."

"On the contrary. The Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and your daughters are all in the Eastern Capital. The few guards who survived the attack have been reassigned. The sketches issued for the suspects are not accurate—Assistant Minister Di questioned the Crown Prince, and he said they did not resemble the attackers."

Without real names or backgrounds, current artistic techniques were insufficient to produce an accurate likeness based on mere descriptions. Unless the guards at the gates were extraordinarily vigilant, an ordinary person holding those sketches would never recognize the suspects even if they stood face-to-face.

"They have been in hiding for a long time, and they will soon need to come out for air. Once the Crown Prince returns to the capital, they will have to go back into deep hiding. Therefore, Assistant Minister Di has asked us to borrow someone from you."

"You mean my daughter’s maid, Shu'er?"

"Exactly. Of all the people involved in that assassination attempt in the Western Capital, only Shu'er remained there. Assistant Minister Di has asked us to borrow her."

Finding these dozen men in the entire capital was difficult, but Xu Jingzong’s estates and farms were well-known. If Shu'er were properly disguised, no one would notice her. Even if the sketches were inaccurate, Shu'er would surely recognize them if she saw them face-to-face.