Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 285 Fang Xuanling: Is it too extreme to deal with the barbarians in this way?
"To the west of the Western Regions is the Pamir Plateau, and after crossing the Pamir Mountains and turning south, you will reach India.

"Tianzhu was called 'Shendu' (India) during the Han Dynasty. It was composed of several vassal states that attacked each other and had no unified court.

"But the nobles of all countries are white, and the common people are black. The nobles are extremely extravagant and lustful, and they arbitrarily drive the common people around. If they are not satisfied, they will burn or bury them. However, the common people are content and live in peace..."

Xuanzang talked incessantly about his experience of traveling west, briefly mentioning the journey to obtain Buddhist scriptures and debating on them, and focusing on introducing the topography, geography, customs and people of the Indian countries.

In particular, Master Xuanzang explained the unique hierarchical system of Indian society at length.

This system has been in place for thousands of years throughout the entire Indian subcontinent, dividing citizens into four major classes and hundreds of minor classes based on their bloodline.

The classes are fixed and cannot be crossed. People of lower classes can only do menial jobs and pay taxes and tributes to people of higher classes. People of higher and lower classes cannot intermarry.

Li Ming was listening on the side.

What Master Xuanzang talked about were the three famous - or infamous - "caste systems".

He only knew that there was such a system before. Only after listening to the personal accounts of those who had experienced it did he have an intuitive understanding of the knowledge in the books.

Such a society is as rigid as a grave, suffocating. Compared with this, the Tang Dynasty's system of scholars, farmers, merchants, and slaves is considered equal for all.

However, Li Ming is already an adult and has no intention of making moral judgments on the choices of other ethnic groups. He respects, understands and blesses them.

What interested him more was how India's system was so stable.

If I remember correctly, until the 21st century, India's grassroots social governance was still based on the ancient caste system, right?

Well, being able to maintain a crappy system for thousands of years is a skill.

In a sense, "rigidity" is also a kind of "stability".

Li Ming’s biggest headache at the moment is the “instability” of the barbarians on the border.

Ok?
His eyes gradually narrowed into slits.

Perhaps, Master Sanzang really obtained the true scriptures in India...

"Master, you said that the Indian nobles exploited the people and beat and killed them at will, but the people were willing to accept it. Why is that?"

Li Ming straightened his back and asked respectfully:

"In China, at the beginning of the Qin Dynasty, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang started an uprising, and the whole country was in flames. Even the former Qin territory responded. Why didn't the people of the Indian countries resist?

"Is it because they are submissive by nature?"

Xuanzang did not answer, but clasped his hands together, bowed his head and silently chanted the Buddha's name.

Li Ming did not urge and waited quietly.

The two of them sat facing each other for a long time, like sculptures.

Xuanzang then spoke again, his throat a little stiff:

"This is why I did not bring the Buddhist scriptures from India back to the Tang Dynasty."

"Master, you didn't get the true scriptures?" Li Ming was surprised and blurted out:

"Did you not give some 'gifts' to Tathagata's messenger when you arrived at Lingshan? Or were you dragged into Tongtian River by the old turtle and lost the scriptures?"

Xuanzang: “???”

"Ahem." Li Ming coughed awkwardly:
"I was just kidding, Master, please continue."

Xuanzang sighed:
"The Indians are content with their fate because they are bound by the sutra.

"They believe that people have reincarnation, and the noble and the lowly are balanced. The more suffering you endure in this life, the more happiness you will have in the next life. The lower you are in this life, the higher you will be in the next life.

"Therefore, the Indians are all... content with poverty and keeping to the path of morality, with no desire or motivation to change."

So that's how it is. The reason why believers accept the unreasonable social order peacefully is because of the unfalsifiable concept of "double repayment in the next life".

Interestingly, the nobles of India are masters at hyping up expectations and making big promises.

"The Power of Faith".

What if we can make the surrounding barbarians accept this theoretical system?
What if they were allowed to accept the bitter cold living environment peacefully like the Indians, and place their hopes in the illusory afterlife, instead of coveting worldly wealth, such as the prosperous land of China?

Li Ming seemed to be thinking about something.

"All the countries in India, big or small, are barbaric and backward, with deserted farms and abandoned cities and ruined cities.

"It goes without saying that the common people live in a quagmire. Even the nobles are extremely poor and narrow-minded. The ruler of a country is not as wealthy as the landlords in the Central Plains."

Xuanzang's voice trembled a little:
"The countries of India are like those that have experienced a catastrophe, with evil spirits everywhere.

"Compared to this, the Tang Dynasty is peaceful and the people are happy. This is the real paradise. And the land under your rule is even more like a fairyland.

“Isn’t it absurd to obtain scriptures from the land of evil and teach the land of heaven?

"Therefore, contrary to what people think, I did go to India, and India does have Buddhist scriptures, but I have no intention of bringing back those confusing texts."

Li Ming listened carefully to the confession of the eminent monk in front of him.

Xuanzang returned empty-handed, which was tantamount to declaring that his journey of tens of thousands of miles had been in vain.

It would have been fine if it was futile, but the mage's lifelong faith was shaken.

It is remarkable to have the courage to revolutionize oneself.

Master Xuanzang is indeed a master who can leave his name among the people.

However, the sentence is still the same.

Li Ming did not come to listen to stories or express his thoughts about historical figures.

He came here to learn and solve practical problems.

The biggest problem at present is the barbarians on the border.

What kind of inspiration can Xuanzang's experiences in India provide in dealing with the problem of satisfaction?

Li Ming's brain was working at high speed.

Emperor Wu of Han attacked the north, Emperor Taizong held the people in check, and Emperor Daiming plundered the court and swept the caves...

The gains and losses of governance throughout the dynasties emerged in my mind one by one.

The two words became clearer and clearer.

He felt that he had learned the true secret of how to deal with the barbarians.

That is, religion!

This was not something he came up with on the spur of the moment; there was a dynasty in history that did just that.

Coincidentally, that dynasty was inextricably linked to Li Ming's base in the Northeast.

That dynasty was the Qing Dynasty.

Dai Qing respected Lamaism on the surface and controlled Tibet by drawing lots from a golden urn. He then promoted the spread of Lamaism in Mongolia, causing a large number of Mongolian men to become monks.

With a gentle blow, the two tracts of land that were not suitable for farming remained peaceful until the advent of the industrial age.

This is just a Lamaism.

What if we go a step further and promote among the barbarians the Indian religion that encourages people to lie down and give up, and uses the strict caste hierarchy to fetter their progress?

An idea gradually took shape in Li Ming's mind.

"Your Highness, you are so busy, yet you still take the time to listen to the nonsense of a bald donkey like me who has accomplished nothing."

Xuanzang humbly put his hands together and said:
"Although I have traveled to many countries, they are all far away in the Western Regions. I am afraid that I cannot help Your Highness with his immediate worries. I feel deeply ashamed."

"No, the place you went to is just right! The monk got the true scriptures!"

Li Ming was delighted. "What exactly is the Indian religion about, and how is it closely tied to the caste system? Can you elaborate on it, Master?"

Xuanzang looked at the naughty kid with glowing eyes warily:

"What is your intention, Your Highness?"

As a ruler, you are not trying to use this method of fooling the people to consolidate your rule, right?
"Ahem, maybe the monk has misunderstood something."

Li Ming lowered his voice:

"I don't intend to use this on my own people."

He emphasized the three words "our own people".

Xuanzang raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and narrowed his eyes to look at him:

"Your Highness means..."

"I have a preliminary idea." Li Ming slapped his thigh and stood up:
"That is to use the religious doctrines and caste system of India as a template to create a new system of teachings suitable for the nomadic and fishing and hunting tribes in the north.

"Let the surrounding barbarians fall into the eternal cycle of poverty and contentment like the Indians."

"Eternal reincarnation" is not an exaggeration. According to Li Ming's experience in later lives, this system bound by religion and social status is simply too stable.

As long as the barbarians swallow this poison pill, they can at least stay quiet until the Tang Dynasty encounters the law of historical cycle.

It’s a one-time solution!
Xuanzang's mouth twitched:
"Your Highness, do you want to turn what I have seen and heard in India into a poison pill to harm others?"

"How can this be considered harming others? Killing is to protect life. If the surrounding barbarians do not decline, you and my fellow Chinese will face a catastrophe!"

Li Ming looked directly at the compassionate monk sincerely.

“Besides, compared to attacking with swords, using religious teachings as a weapon to make the barbarians decline on their own, wouldn’t it save many lives on both sides?
"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Master, you have accumulated great virtue!"

Facing the monk Xuanzang who was famous for his eloquence, Li Ming, who was good at making excuses, was not at all inferior and spoke eloquently.

"Or."

Li Ming took a step forward and stared at the other person with a sly smile:

"Compared to the motherland of China, you are more willing to help the barbarians? Compared to the bloodless method of conquering the heart, you prefer bloody war?
"You are willing to shed blood and drift to hide your secrets, and are unwilling to dedicate the true scriptures you obtained from India to the world?"

Which monk can withstand being shot at crazily by a naughty kid standing on the moral high ground?

Xuanzang did not dare to respond to the young prince's gaze. He closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and silently chanted the Buddha's name. Many beads of sweat had already appeared on his bald head.

Li Ming dealt him the final blow:
"When the new sect is established, you, the monk, will be the founder of the sect, and all the tribes outside the Great Wall will worship you as a saint.

“Not only that, under your protection, the world is at peace, and the Chinese people will be grateful for your kindness for generations to come.

"This is a rare great merit. You should think carefully before giving it up."

Amitabha Amitabha... In front of the little prince, Xuanzang, who had traveled thousands of miles, seemed more like a child, extremely conflicted and at a loss.

His simple values ​​told him that this act of bringing India's shit to the grassland and blowing it up was extremely immoral.

It is no exaggeration to say that although this system of religious jurisprudence will not kill people directly, it is more terrifying than killing people!
It can quietly dissolve the backbone of the people, causing a clan or a country to frantically pursue the afterlife, thus causing the present life to fall into eternal stagnation!

However, under Li Ming's eloquent attack, Xuanzang felt that he was about to be persuaded.

Yes, teaching is like a knife, there is no such thing as good or evil.

The key is who holds the knife and how to use it.

Killing to protect life...

"I will assign two capable assistants for you. The monk only needs to tell you what you have seen and heard orally."

Without waiting for Xuanzang's answer, Li Ming gave the order decisively and returned to his study with brisk steps.

Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji were writing furiously. Perhaps because they were working together to find a wife for a certain prince, the atmosphere between them seemed to be less tense.

Li Ming was naturally unreserved about his beloved left and right arms, and immediately told them the good news that they would have to work overtime:
"Go and help Master Xuanzang to create a religion for me.

"There's no rush. Think about it carefully and leave it to me in three days."

Three days, rub your hands together to form a religion?
Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji sat in their seats in a daze, and the smiles on their faces shifted to Li Ming's face.

"Your Highness, why are you doing this? What did that monk say to you?" Changsun Wuji was worried that the young prince had been brainwashed by the bald monk and would follow in the footsteps of Emperor Wu of Liang and engage in feudal superstition, so he tried to persuade him.

It’s definitely not because of resisting overtime.

"It was not Xuanzang's idea, but my own. And I am not talking about spreading Buddhism. What I am talking about is to create a completely new set of teachings."

Li Ming explained:
"A set of teachings that can convince the surrounding barbarians is absolutely forbidden within our Ming Dynasty."

Special supply for the barbarians, it sounds full of conspiracy.

"Your Highness hopes to use religion to win over the barbarian tribes?" Fang Xuanling speculated based on his understanding of Li Ming.

"Winning over is one of them, but I have a bolder plan."

Li Ming said:

"It's hard to win them over temporarily. I want to use this new teaching to wear down the barbarians and weaken them permanently."

"Oh?"

The two old ministers became interested immediately.

Then, he listened to Li Ming retelling what Xuanzang saw in India, with emphasis on the caste system based on religion.

Immediately shocked.

"The barbarians are imprisoned in different classes using ranks, and their teachings are used to brainwash them so that they are content with the status quo, thus making them, from top to bottom, unwilling to make progress and have no intention of moving south..." Changsun Wuji savored the huge amount of information carefully.

Fang Xuanling was so excited that he couldn't control his voice:

"Your Highness, this plan is extremely vicious!"

The Chinese are materialistic and believe that "God rewards hard work". Without progress, there is no future.

Using religion as a tool, an entire nation loses its enterprising spirit and gives up its future in a life of idleness and waiting for death.

Your Highness is so vicious!
What's even more poisonous is that religion is a "voluntary" belief of people. Once it gets into the brain, it can't be pulled back!
Let the barbarians willingly go to their own destruction!

Compared with this vicious plot, Jia Xu looks like a saint.

"Just tell me whether you want to use this method or not."

Li Ming waved his hand impatiently:

"Since ancient times, barbarians have frequently harassed China, neither fearing its might nor cherishing its virtue. Wildfires cannot extinguish them, but spring breezes will bring them back to life.

"After the Xiongnu were destroyed, the Jie came. After the Jie were destroyed, the Xianbei came. After the Xianbei were assimilated, the Turks became a serious threat. After the Sui and Tang dynasties successively destroyed the Turkic Khanate and the Eastern Turkic Khanate, a new Turkic Khanate has now emerged.

"Not to mention the Tiele, Khitan, Mohe, and Shiwei ethnic groups, which one of them is not ready to take a bite when China declines?
"Instead of using this vicious plan, do you have any better ideas, Father?"

"Use it! Why not?" Fang Xuanling didn't hesitate at all.

He just thought it was a vicious plan, but he didn't say it wasn't a good plan.

The barbarians could be silenced without firing a single shot. How could such a good thing happen in the world? !

"Very good. I knew that the Prime Minister was a loyal minister who could help the Emperor."

Li Ming patted his father-in-law and his uncle-in-law with satisfaction.

"Under the instigation of Shiwei Moheduo, the Mohe people invaded the south more and more frequently, causing great suffering to the residents of the border areas, and nine out of ten settlements were empty.

"Time waits for no one. I want a complete plan in three days."

(End of this chapter)