My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 155 The First Battle with Daoyan

"Your Majesty, who exactly is this monk Daoyan? Our Jinyiwei has been holding him for almost a year. Your Majesty, you don't even want us to give him a trial, either, or you want us to chop off his head."

Inside the imperial prison, Mao Xiang respectfully led Zhu Yuanzhang around and asked curiously.

Ever since the Japanese pirates were eliminated, His Majesty has been in a good mood, so Mao Xiang had the courage to inquire about Daoyan's affairs during the chat.

At the beginning, His Majesty only said to arrest the man and put him in prison, and did not say anything else, as long as Daoyan was kept alive.

This was the first time in history that the imperial prison was a place specifically for detaining serious criminals. Those who came in were either corrupt officials or traitors who were plotting treason. Often, His Majesty would order severe punishment, and even if they didn't die, they would be severely punished.

But this monk Daoyan could not be moved or interrogated. In this imperial prison that others were terrified of, he was able to eat and drink, as if he had just moved to a different place to continue his vegetarian diet and chanting Buddhist scriptures.

Therefore, Mao Xiang was extremely curious. He also checked Daoyan's background. He was from Suzhou and his family had been practicing medicine for generations. He was a typical good family man and there was nothing special about him.

If we have to say something special, it is that when he was fourteen years old, he ignored his family's dissuasion and resolutely shaved his head to become a monk. Then he became a disciple of a Taoist named Xi Yingzhen and learned the art of yin and yang.

He was well versed in Buddhism, skilled in the art of yin and yang, and even had considerable attainments in Confucianism. However, Mao Xiang could not see how such a monk could be qualified to be arrested and thrown into the imperial prison by His Majesty's personal order.

Who exactly is this monk Daoyan?

Zhu Yuanzhang was in a good mood at the moment, but he couldn't tell Mao Xiang who Daoyan was, so he just smiled mysteriously.

"I have great use for this monk Daoyan!"

Mao Xiang was really confused. He was just a monk, what use could he be? Could it be that he had profound Buddhist knowledge and was particularly good at chanting sutras?
Or maybe Your Majesty has become fascinated by the art of yin and yang?
After a while, Mao Xiang brought Zhu Yuanzhang to the cell where Daoyan was imprisoned.

Daoyan was held solitary in a cell. The two men looked around and saw that there were only some thatched beds in the cell, with a simple torn quilt stacked on top.

Looking at the monk Daoyan again, perhaps because he had been imprisoned for many days without seeing the sun, his face was somewhat sickly pale, his eyes were triangular, and his figure was like a sick tiger. It was obvious at first glance that he was not an ordinary monk.

At this time, Daoyan was sitting cross-legged on the thatch, muttering something. Zhu Yuanzhang was familiar with Buddhism, but he could not hear what sutra he was chanting.

Seeing someone coming, Daoyan raised his eyes slightly, glanced at the two of them, and then continued to mutter to himself.

Mao Xiang immediately scolded: "That monk, why don't you come and see His Majesty!"

Daoyan stopped reciting the sutra, but this time he didn't even raise his eyes, but said, "I've seen it."

"You rude monk!"

Mao Xiang was so angry that his nose almost got crooked. How could this damn bald donkey dare to be so disrespectful in front of His Majesty? Where could he put his face?

Just as he was about to continue scolding, Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand to stop him. He had already seen that when it came to talking, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was no match for Monk Daoyan.

However, he also admired Daoyan's character. After being locked up in the imperial prison for so many days, he still did not look depressed. It can be imagined that the monk's cultivation and concentration were far beyond that of ordinary people.

He is worthy of being the madman who dared to give Zhu Di a white hat when meeting him for the first time!

"Master Daoyan, do you know why I have put you in prison?"

Mao Xiang was a little surprised. Why did His Majesty even call him "Master"?
Daoyan then raised his head and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang carefully, but his expression remained calm. "Yuan Gong read my fortune and said that I have a murderous nature, just like Liu Bingzhong!"

When Mao Xiang heard this, he could not help but look at Daoyan in shock. This monk dared to speak such arrogant words in front of His Majesty. Did he really want to die?
Not only is he willing to sacrifice his own life, he is also willing to sacrifice his own people!
Who is Yuan Gong? He is the Minister of Taichang Temple of Ming Dynasty and also a famous fortune teller!
At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Southern Court official Puhua Timur traveled from Fujian by sea to visit Yuan Gong. Yuan Gong said to him:

"Sir, you look serious and your behavior is vigorous and resolute, which is a sign of great wealth and honor. However, there is a red aura on your forehead, and you will be stripped of your official position after 114 days. But if you can stick to your integrity and be loyal to the court, you will surely be remembered by future generations. I hope you will work hard."

When Puhua Timur was an official in Zhejiang, he was indeed "forced to take the seal" by the rebel leader Zhang Shicheng, and died without giving in.

From this we can see what level Yuan Gong's physiognomy has reached!
And Liu Bingzhong, a demon monk in the late Song Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty, betrayed the Song Dynasty and assisted Kublai Khan in conquering the world!
Yuan Gong said that Daoyan was Liu Bingzhong's destiny, which meant that Daoyan was destined to rebel!
He actually dared to say such outrageous words in front of His Majesty. He really didn't care about the lives of the three clans.

Although this was not the first time that Mao Xiang had dealt with Daoyan, it was only at this time that he had a concrete understanding of him.

This monk is inhumane!

Zhu Yuanzhang was also a little surprised, not because of what Daoyan said, but because Daoyan had actually seen that he knew he would rebel.

No wonder Lao Li said that this monk was born to be rebellious, but he was also a natural genius!
But Daoyan probably couldn’t have imagined that there was another strange person who knew him very well, right?

"A strange man said that you are born to be a rebel, but you are also a genius. He advised me not to kill you, but to keep you for good use."

Zhu Yuanzhang paused, then said: "Master Daoyan, do you think I should kill you or keep you?"

A hint of surprise finally showed on Daoyan's unchanging face. Mao Xiang felt secretly happy when he saw this. He finally saw this dead bald donkey change his face. Your Majesty was still one step ahead!
Soon Daoyan regained his calm demeanor and chanted the Buddha's name:

"To kill or not to kill is up to your Majesty. If you want to kill me, then kill me. If you don't want to kill me, I will still follow my obsession and wish. If my obsession is not broken and my wish is not fulfilled, I will not be able to attain enlightenment and become a Buddha!"

"What is your obsession?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked knowingly, but he still wanted to know why Daoyan was so obsessed with rebellion.

"Didn't Your Majesty just say that?" Daoyan asked back.

"Why?"

"We will change the world and bring peace to the world!" Daoyan's expression remained calm.

"If we change the world, won't it cause great suffering to all people? The idea of ​​world peace is even more illusory!"

"When Your Majesty started the rebellion, did you ever think that there would be so much suffering and death everywhere?"

Daoyan suddenly put his hands together and said with a very pious expression: "In the burned forest, new saplings will always grow, and the burned flowers, plants and trees will become nutrients for the saplings. I think Your Majesty will understand this principle."

The more Mao Xiang listened, the more frightened he became. He wanted to cover his ears. My goodness, he could actually hear this conversation?
It seems that Daoyan is determined to die.

Zhu Yuanzhang was not angry. He had been mentally prepared through Li Han, and he was even more impressed when he saw him today.

A person who will do anything for the obsession in his heart is an extremely pure person!
A natural born rebel, such a genius would be wasted if he was not sent to Japan.

Then what I have to do is to make him wholeheartedly become the Ming Dynasty's envoy to Japan!

(End of this chapter)