Confucian and Taoist scholar

While the servants of the Prince's Mansion were still reporting the situation to Yuan Zhong, Hu Qing had already vanished without a trace.

Outside the Prince's Mansion, Lu Zheng and his entourage stood under the eaves waiting.

Upon seeing the group, Hu Qing's usually tense face broke into a smile, and she felt much more at ease.

She felt that life in Pingcheng was not as good as in the Northern Region; the work here was really difficult.

To this day, hardly anyone has come forward to support Mahayana Buddhism.

If she were in the Northern Region, she would definitely follow Lu Zheng's approach: if reasoning fails, then persuasion will prevail.

However, Pingcheng, as the former capital of Wei, still harbored many highly skilled old men, so she dared not act recklessly. She felt very stifled and not as free as she was in the Northern Region.

Hu Qing said quietly, "Why did you all come here? I thought you would stay there and keep watch..."

Lu Zhengdao said, "It's freezing cold in the Northern Region, so construction plans in various places are difficult to carry out and have been temporarily suspended. I don't have anything important to do these days, so I came here to see what's going on."

At this moment, Yuan Zhong arrived from the inner courtyard with a group of attendants.

Yuan Zhong was unaware that the true scripture was written by Lu Zheng, but he was well aware of Lu Zheng's other recent activities. He had heard that some prominent figures had been summoned by Lu Zheng to the Northern Region to establish some kind of peaceful and tranquil land, causing quite a stir.

He was initially curious and wanted to go to the Northern Region to see for himself.

However, winter arrived in the blink of an eye, and now I'm too busy with Buddhist affairs to go to the Northern Regions.

Upon seeing the people outside the door, especially Gongyang Ming, Yuan Zhong's eyes lit up and he smiled broadly.

"Oh dear, isn't this the great Confucian scholar Gongyang! It's been several years since I last saw you. The great scholar's appearance remains unchanged, while I, on the other hand, have aged considerably..."

Previously, someone had told Yuan Zhong that Master Gongyang of the Jixia Academy had also been summoned to the Northern Region, but he thought they were talking nonsense.

Upon seeing these people today, Yuan Zhong was secretly alarmed.

He had never met Lu Zhengzhen, but he had already memorized the man's appearance.

Now look at the four people standing in a row, one old and three young, including a child. Their positions are quite intriguing.

After all, not everyone can stand alongside a great Confucian scholar like this.

Yuan Zhong's eyes flickered, feeling that Gongyang Ming seemed to have changed somewhat, appearing more approachable.

"Greetings, Prince Huaiyang."

Lu Zheng and the others bowed and greeted him in unison.

Yuan Zhong smiled, his eyes crinkling, and raised his hand, saying, "The wind and snow are fierce outside, please come in quickly. You must be Lu Zheng, indeed a handsome man. I heard you've done quite a bit of work in the Northern Region..."

"Ah, if my good-for-nothing children were as capable as you, I wouldn't have to worry about them all the time..."

"Who are these two young ladies?"

After a conversation, Yuan Zhong also learned the general situation.

Once inside the warm living room, Yuan Zhong smiled and asked Gongyang Ming.

"The great Confucian scholar Gongyang has come to our great Wei, presumably invited to observe the Buddhist Unobstructed Assembly? I wonder what kind of study the great Confucian scholar has been researching recently?"

Gongyang Ming smiled slightly and said, "I've been busy with some things in the Northern Region lately."

Yuan Zhong's expression shifted. Even Gongyang Ming himself said so, so it must not be just a rumor.

Yuan Zhong couldn't help but ask, "I've heard that things have changed a lot in the Northern Region?"

Gongyang Ming smiled and said, "It's just a small area. When I went there, I was quite impressed."

Gongyang Ming paused for a moment, then sighed, "What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand! I have learned a lot of lessons during my time in the Northern Regions."

"If I hadn't met young friend Lu, I'm afraid all the knowledge and skills I've acquired in this old man's life would have gone to waste, and I would have ended up with a life of mediocrity..."

Yuan Zhong felt strange upon hearing this, thinking that Gongyang Ming's statement was too exaggerated. Was the Northern Region really that good? Why were the opinions he received mixed?

I heard that in the areas occupied by Lu Zheng and his group, all the rich and powerful people have been wiped out, and even the great demon royal family members with divine beast bloodlines have to become commoners.

If a prince like him were over there, he would probably have all his assets stripped away.

Fortunately, he had the Great Wei Dynasty behind him, so such a thing wouldn't happen to him.

Yuan Zhong blinked and couldn't help but say, "The great Confucian scholar Gongyang is indeed a disciple of the Confucian sages, with a heart full of righteousness."

"Speaking of which, I have been observing a vegetarian diet, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and doing good deeds lately. This year, when there was a heavy snowfall in Sizhou, I distributed all the grain in my house to help the people. Alas, the world is hard, and life is not easy for the people."

To prevent anyone from coming to him seeking justice, Yuan Zhong declared that he was on the same path...

Gongyang Ming smiled and said, "Your Highness is very kind!"

The saying goes that a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Although the Prince of Huaiyang did this in order to seek more benefits, he did indeed spend a lot of money to help the people.

Yuan Zhong chuckled and said, "It's just a small matter; consider it an act of kindness for the younger generation."

Suddenly, Lu Zheng spoke up: "Is Your Highness facing a food shortage?"

Yuan Zhong paused for a moment, then turned to look at Lu Zheng and said leisurely, "Don't laugh at me, but my granaries are empty. I was thinking of buying some grain, but it's expensive and hard to find these days..."

Upon hearing this, Qingwan said, "Why not call on the powerful clans and temples in Pingcheng to contribute money and provisions?"

Yuan Chong sighed, "Those people? When I ask them to donate some money, they act as if I'm taking their lives."

"Especially those large temples, in the autumn of each year, devout believers would carry loads of grain to the temples. I saw it with my own eyes when I went to offer incense. Now they're crying poverty to me, saying they don't have much money or grain..."

"They have land but don't pay taxes, and people even donate offerings! So much grain, and they still have some left over? Did they use it to feed gluttons? They're just trying to fool the devil..."

In previous years, some people might have come out to provide disaster relief, showing their benevolence, and also taking the opportunity to take some refugees as their servants.

But this winter, I'm afraid everyone wants to see Prince Huaiyang make a fool of himself.

After all, Yuanzhong had previously vowed to convert to Mahayana Buddhism, to do good deeds, and to relieve suffering and distress.

These words and actions put him in opposition to many forces.

The complex reasons behind this were not something Yuan Zhong could easily explain to outsiders.

But in fact, Lu Zheng and the others had some expectations and guesses.

Lu Zheng and his group had long been involved in the establishment of Mahayana Buddhism, offering advice and suggestions.

Even having Yuan Tao win over the Prince of Huaiyang and test the reactions of the major forces in Pingcheng was a decision made after discussion among everyone.

On the contrary, Yuan Zhong was kept in the dark about some things.

Yuan Zhong was unaware that his dear nephew had already revealed many of his secrets to outsiders...

Hearing Yuan Zhong complaining, Lu Zheng couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, whatever grain or other supplies you lack, I can sell them to you at a fair price."

Giving something away for free is impossible; otherwise, people won't appreciate it. Besides, this prince isn't short of money. Yuan Zhong's eyes flashed. "You have grain?"

Lu Zheng smiled slightly and said, "Food is the most important thing for people. I have traveled to various places and seen that many people have difficulty getting enough to eat. In their spare time, they grow grain to prepare for unforeseen circumstances."

Yuan Zhong stroked his chin and said, "Plant it in the Northern Region? It's freezing cold there, and the grain is hard to transport..."

Lu Zheng said, "I have some grain with me, which should be able to help Your Highness in your time of need."

Yuan Zhong blinked, realizing that these people in front of him were no ordinary cultivators, and that they were not without means to carry a large amount of supplies.

Yuan Zhong couldn't help but say, "As long as the price is reasonable, I'll take as many as you bring!"

Lu Zheng laughed and said, "Want them all? I'm afraid Your Highness's entire mansion will be flooded. Perhaps Your Highness could find a suitable place to store the grain?"

Yuan Zhong's eyes widened immediately. His palace was quite large; could the grain Lu Zheng brought really flood this place?
Yuan Zhong swallowed hard, then asked in surprise, "How much food did you bring?"

Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Piled up like a mountain."

This is not an adjective, but a descriptive word.

In Lu Zheng's little world, grain was indeed piled up like a mountain.

Most of the grain in this area originally came from the produce of this small-scale production.

Harvesting this grain has really exhausted Lu Zheng, Qing Wan, and Qing Yi.

Even Lu Zheng couldn't accurately estimate how much grain there was.

They simply didn't have the time or energy to count the harvest, and once it piled up, it became even harder to estimate its value.

Because Lu Zheng could control the environment of the small world, storing food was simpler than storing it outside, so the food remained untouched, prepared for emergency use.

When Yuan Zhong heard Lu Zheng casually utter such a word, a scene immediately flashed into his mind.

He couldn't help but stand up and said excitedly, "I have a few empty storerooms in my mansion. Take some out first... Come on, come on, I'll take you there."

Yuan Chong was worried about not having enough grain to distribute to the people and was helping Yuan Tao spread Mahayana Buddhism. Now, his savior has truly arrived.

A short while later, Yuan Zhong and the others arrived at an empty warehouse.

Lu Zheng simply had a thought, and grain appeared out of thin air, filling the warehouse to the brim in just a few blinks of an eye.

Yuan Zhong's eyes lit up. He grabbed a few grains of rice in front of him, rubbed them together, and then chewed them carefully. He smiled broadly and said, "Oh, this is this year's new rice. The taste is not bad at all! Good, good, good!"

He was certain that what he was seeing was not a trick, but real grain.

Yuan Zhong was overjoyed and couldn't help but say, "Young friend Lu, consider this a favor I owe you. Men, take him to my granary..."

Yuan Zhong summoned the steward of the mansion and had someone take Lu Zheng to store the grain, with the price of the grain set at half the usual price.

Although the price of grain outside is higher now, Yuan Zhong felt that the amount was not small, considering his personal connections.

Moreover, Lu Zheng is willing to contribute grain and is engaged in such a business in the Northern Region, so he probably doesn't care about money. We should save as much as we can here, since there will be many other expenses in the future!

Yuan Zhong was making plans in his mind, and then invited Gongyang Ming and the other two to go back to the house to continue drinking tea.

On his way back to the living room, Yuan Zhong walked with light steps, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

He was also thinking that he would make those stingy people in Pingcheng pay back double later.

Lu Zheng acted swiftly, quickly placing a sufficient amount of grain and other winter supplies at the residence of Prince Huaiyang.

The steward of the Prince's mansion followed Lu Zheng and pondered for a while before taking the account books to consult Yuan Zhong.

Yuan Zhong felt a pang of heartache upon seeing the amount of money, but he still generously sent someone to collect it.

Everyone can delay paying their debts, but this young man is different.

Yuan Zhong had heard about Lu Zheng's deeds before and knew that Lu Zheng was a ruthless person. Even if he didn't try to befriend him, he couldn't afford to offend him.

They can kill even the righteous god of Chu without blinking an eye. If any conflict were to arise, it wouldn't be surprising if this prince were to be struck by a sword.

He accepted bribes from certain people back then, but he didn't openly or secretly target Lu Zheng. He was shrewd and knew that some people were not worth making enemies with.

You can accept some benefits, but you may not necessarily do anything in return.

Sure enough, some of the people were gone, while others were doing very well and even helped him a lot at this time.

Yuan Zhong held the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, thinking to himself that it was truly the Buddha and Bodhisattvas who were protecting him, and that this was the result of karma.

Yuan Zhong sighed softly, "Alas, if those powerful clans and eminent monks of Pingcheng were as generous and benevolent as young friend Lu, wouldn't our Great Wei be prosperous? But alas, one by one..."

Thinking of this, Yuan Zhong's heart sank. The people of Anguo were willing to sell him so much grain at a low price to help the disaster-stricken people.

The powerful and wealthy families and eminent Buddhist monks of Pingcheng remained unmoved, watching helplessly as the snow fell heavily and the people suffered from hunger and cold...

The difference in quality is immediately apparent.

Yuan Zhong sighed inwardly that there were still too few Confucian and Taoist scholars in Wei, and that Buddhism also needed to be regulated.

After staying at the Prince's residence for a while and chatting with Yuan Zhong, Lu Zheng and the others took their leave.

Yuan Zhong tried to persuade them to stay, but seeing that he couldn't, he could only say that he would meet with them again at the Wuzhe Grand Assembly later.

There's something going on in Pingcheng lately, so Yuan Zhong will have to go to the Wuzhe Assembly later to attend the ceremony. He can also give Yuan Tao some encouragement then.

He had already received some information that the Wei Emperor would not attend this grand gathering, but would instead send Yuan Tao as the representative of the Wei royal family.

Of course, Yuan Zhong understood very well that this was probably not just a simple matter of making an appearance.

A power struggle between the Great Wei court and Buddhism has already begun.

The events that occurred in Sizhou were merely minor skirmishes at the beginning.

Yuan Zhong's eyes sparkled as he took a sip of the hot tea.

He was the first to take the lead, even before Luoyang had any reaction. He was the first to stand up for the cause and spent money to promote Mahayana Buddhism. He deserves a great deal of credit and will surely receive more benefits in the future.

Suddenly, Yuan Zhong sensed something was wrong. Lu Zheng and the others came and went in a hurry, as if they hadn't come specifically to visit him, but rather to deliver grain.

At first glance, Yuan Zhong felt there was nothing strange about it. It was normal for someone to help people and save lives while passing by.

Yuan Zhong murmured, "Sigh, after winter, I'll send some of my descendants to the Northern Region to train under Lu Zheng and the others. What's the point of them only knowing how to enjoy themselves all day long..."

Yuan Zhong still hopes that some of his descendants will be successful. After all, his family business is large and needs capable people to inherit it. He can't let someone squander the entire family fortune.

He finally understood that following those monks to chant scriptures wouldn't yield any real skills.

Furthermore, there may be future conflicts with certain Buddhist factions, making it even more necessary to protect one's own people. (End of Chapter)