482 Wuzong destroys the Buddha
Since Li Chun established Yuan and Zhongxing, he has experienced Li Heng and Li Zhan's excessive pleasures and Li Ang's helplessness. When Li Yan arrived, the Tang Dynasty finally welcomed another wise ruler, who was expected to be revived.
Li Yan worked hard to govern, but at this time the Tang Dynasty was in the situation, with separatist vassal states and nuisances of foreign races such as Uighurs outside, which can be said to be internal and external troubles.
Even if Li Yan is wise and capable, he will have many difficulties for a while. The simplest thing now is that the court is short of money.
"Your Majesty, a sheep in the circle has been fattened, why not kill and eat it!"
Just when Li Yan was at a loss, Qiu Shiliang, also known as the ugly slave, suddenly appeared with a smile.
"Fat Sheep? Uncle Chou said..."
"Gaga, who else can there be besides Buddhism?"
"Buddhism……"
Li Yan was slightly stunned, then frowned and pondered.
During Li Ang's reign, he vigorously supported Buddhism and gave it many privileges. Although Li Ang was later under house arrest and had little power, for some reason, the court's support for Buddhism did not decrease.
After Li Ang's reign for fifteen years, Buddhism has developed for fifteen years. According to the words of the Chou Nu, this sheep has already been feeding her.
If fat sheep are slaughtered, the court will definitely increase its income. Moreover, Buddhism is powerful and brings a series of disadvantages. If it can be removed, it will be of great benefit to the Tang Dynasty.
But the problem is that the Buddhist power is too large, and many of them are Buddhist believers, from ordinary people to princes and nobles. If Buddhism is to be eradicated, there will definitely be many obstacles. If tough measures are adopted, it is likely to cause chaos.
What Buddhism did greatly affected the interests of the court, and Li Yan had long been disgusted with it. He also wanted to slaughter the fat sheep, but when he thought of the subsequent problems, he couldn't help but feel worried and dared not act rashly.
"Your Majesty, if Buddhism is not eliminated, there will be endless troubles!"
Just as Li Yan was hesitating, Li Deyu entered the palace to make a comment.
Li Deyu was the leader of the Li Party during the Niu Li Party struggle. He served as a proofreader, supervisory censor, Hanlin scholar, Zhenhai Jiedushi, and Huainan Jiedushi. However, due to the party struggle, he was expelled from Beijing many times.
It was not until Li Yan ascended the throne that he valued Li Deyu and appointed him as prime minister. Li Deyu was extremely talented and later generations called him the six major politicians in China, along with Guan Zhong, Shang Yang, Zhuge Liang, Wang Anshi, and Zhang Juzheng!
As the saying goes, there is no doubt about employing people, Li Yan also trusts Li Deyu very much. In the history known to Mi Xiaoxia, the two were rumored to be a good story.
"What if someone in the court obstructs it?"
"Kill! Use heavy rules in troubled times. Anyone who obstructs the great cause of destroying Buddhism will be killed without mercy!"
"What if this causes a rebellion?"
"Didn't Your Majesty have a good relationship with Jiangnan Road? If someone rebels, he can lead the troops of Jiangnan Road to destroy them, and it will be just right to eliminate these people who have ill-belief!"
"...You are really my loyal minister!"
After listening to Li Deyu's advice, Li Yan was full of excitement and couldn't help but give Lao Li a hug.
Immediately afterwards, Li Yan found the Chou Nu again and asked about the borrowing of troops on Jiangnan Road.
"Gaga, if it is to destroy the Buddha, your Majesty will be on call whenever you need it."
"Thank you, Uncle Chou!"
The Chou Nu answered happily, and Li Yan thanked him happily. Then he summoned Li Deyu again to discuss the destruction of Buddhism.
At the same time, the Chou Nu spread the news to Jiangnan Road. Destroying Buddha was a major event, and Chunniang immediately secretly sent an order, and 200,000 soldiers from Jiangnan Road were waiting for battle. Anyone who hindered the destruction of Buddha would send troops to trample them!
After that, there was preparations before destroying the Buddha. After all, Buddhism was very involved, and even with the support of the Jiangnan Road troops, it was impossible to deal with it with the tough situation.
So next, Li Yan and Li Deyu cooperated to first eliminate those who were close friends in the court. Those who held soldiers or held important positions would be given priority.
As the saying goes, there is no refusal to inflict crimes, not to mention that the man is the emperor and the prime minister. These people were dismissed for various reasons, or sent to air conditioners.
"It seems like a coincidence that our people have been investigated one after another in recent months?"
The three great masters were still in Chang'an and continued to make plans and prepare to fight for the emperor after Li Yan. At this time, the three of them gathered together, and Guanyin Bodhisattva couldn't help but frown.
They tried hard to win over some important officials in the court, and in recent months, they have been dealt with by various reasons one after another. Guanyin Bodhisattva couldn't help but worry that this was targeted.
"We have to prepare in advance."
Manjushri Bodhisattva was known as great wisdom and keenly realized that this was an action against Buddhism. He couldn't help but sigh. Sure enough, it was Mi Xiaoxia's turn to take over and do something.
I was really uneasy in my heart. The three great masters also made calculations, but they were all hidden secrets and there was no sign at all.
Next, although the three great masters tried their best to minimize the losses of Buddhism, the results were not very effective. By a year later, most of the Buddhist power in the court had been eliminated.
And that morning, an imperial edict was issued suddenly.
"All monks and nuns in the world have practiced the fireworks, curses, banned their energy, backed the army, sticks and birds, miscellaneous writings, and those who have committed adultery and raised their wives, and those who do not practice precepts will be forced to return to the secular world. If monks and nuns have money, food, grain, field, manor, and officials. If they cherish money and petition to return to the secular world, they will also be allowed to return to the secular world and be filled with two taxes and corvee service."
After a year of preparation, the time finally came to a ripe place, and Li Yan began to destroy Buddhism!
The first step is to limit the number of monks and nuns, and require monks and nuns who have different practices and break the precepts to return to secular secular life. At the same time, Li Yan ordered that the number of monks and nuns should be restricted, and that slaves should not be allowed to cut their hair and shave their hair.
"Oops!"
After the imperial edict was issued, local governments conducted thorough investigations and strict handling, and a large number of monks and nuns were forced to return to secular life. After receiving the news, the three great masters in Chang'an all changed their faces. This was really taking action against Buddhism...
The Human Emperor was deified by the gods with one word, and destroyed by one word! At this time, he knew that Li Yan wanted to destroy the Buddha, but he could not intervene with his magic power, and the three great masters were powerless.
Two months later, there were more than 3,400 monks and nuns in the capital alone. As for other parts of the Tang Dynasty, the number was tens of thousands!
When monks and nuns return to secular life, Buddhist believers have decreased a lot, and their fortunes have also declined.
And this is just the beginning.
On June 11, 2018, Huichang, Li Yan ordered the burning of Buddhist scriptures and was not allowed to be published and circulated.
In September of the third year of Huichang, Zhaoyizhen rebelled and the Jiangnan Road army slapped him within one day. Then, on the grounds that the rebel general was ordained and hid the Buddhist temple, he slaughtered the surrounding Buddhist temple!
In March of the fourth year of Huichang, it was ordered that Buddhist relics be consecrated. Buddhist holy places such as Mount Wutai, Puguangwang Temple in Sizhou, Wutai, Zhongnan Mountain, and Famen Temple in Fengxiang Mansion were prohibited from offering sacrifices because of the collection of relics. This caused a miserable situation where people were distant from the spiritual world and no one was sending sacrifices.
In June of the fourth year of Huichang, temples were prohibited from ringing bells and monks and nuns were prohibited from leaving the temple in the afternoon, thereby interfering with the daily activities of the temple and blocking the movement and contact of Buddhist personnel.
...
The campaign to destroy Buddhism continued until August of the fifth year of Huichang. More than 4,600 temples were demolished in the world, and 26500 monks and nuns were returned to the country. The demolition was made, more than 40,000 Lan Ruo, tens of millions of hectares of fertile land, and fifty thousand slaves!
Li Yan destroyed Buddhism, and with the success of brilliant achievements, Buddhist fortunes declined again and again. By this time, they had already shown signs of sluggishness.
"Haha! Mi Xiaoxia did not lie to me, and his Buddhist luck was suppressed! Now, it's time for me to take revenge!"
In the Netherworld Blood Sea, looking at the declining Buddhist fortune, the ancestor of the Styx burst into laughter, and held out his hands with two sharp weapons to kill Yuantu Abi, his eyes were full of evil light, and he immediately rushed to the Western Lingshan Mountain! 19
Chapter completed!