I was a charlatan in India

"Reporting to the Great Deity, it is now the thirtieth year of His Majesty the Great Ashoka's reign over Magadha and the four directions."

Mina, clutching her large pregnant belly, knelt on the ground and answered respectfully.

"However... His Majesty is now vigorously promoting Bodhidharma and spreading Buddhism."

"Of course... Your benevolence nourishes all things like the Ganges, and these changes must also be within your control."

She hesitated for a moment, then added.

"Father wasn't... these days rituals and sacrifices aren't as valued as they used to be, he... he was just confused for a moment..."

In Mina's view, her father's attitude was undoubtedly blasphemy against the gods.

"Mina, there's no need to panic."

Shenhe said gently, trying to soothe her.

Everything has its reason, and everything is the best arrangement.

He's becoming more and more like a charlatan.

Blasphemy my foot.

If we're talking about blasphemy, then I, the imposter, am the biggest blasphemer.

Speaking of which, where is the real Shiva?

What if it suddenly appears one day and stabs me to death with a fork?

However, at this particular moment, Shenhe was truly given a cold sweat.

Thirty years of Ashoka's reign...

That is, in 238 BC, the famous "Mauryan Dynasty".

This era was a time when the Dhammapada reshaped the religious system and Buddhism was being promoted throughout India.

In other words, Brahmanism, to which Shiva belongs, is no longer the sole dominant religion at the official level.

To proclaim Shiva's miracles here is tantamount to going against Ashoka's will, and is undoubtedly a blatant act of defiance!

Not only would orthodox Brahmins consider this a provocation or overstepping of authority, but local officials and Buddhist monastic communities would also be watching them closely.

My previous calculations were far more dangerous than I had imagined.

No wonder Vasudiv reacted so strongly; it turns out that his daughter's words could, if not handled carefully, bring utter disaster upon the family.

Even if it does work, it needs careful refinement...

and many more.

Thinking of this, Shenhe suddenly paused.

It's possible that Vasudiv is unaware of the terrifying risks inherent in this rhetoric.

Otherwise, given his personality, it would definitely not be as simple as just a slap.

At the very least, Mina should be imprisoned and severely disciplined to prevent her from talking nonsense and bringing utter disaster upon the family.

This patriarch, though perhaps adept at managing his family fortune, was surprisingly oblivious to the real changes in the state religion of this era.

Regarding this viewpoint, Shenhe really felt a bit sorry for Vasudiv.

He was able to examine this matter from God's perspective because he had read this history.

Most people in that era, and even King Ashoka himself who promoted Buddhism, probably had no idea what the outcome would be.

but……

Shenhe clearly doesn't have a deep understanding of this history, at least lacking many details; otherwise, he would have discovered a lot of inconsistencies by now.

Moreover, if Vasudiv were to manage this rumor, his advisors would refine the plan for him, and naturally, people sensitive to this matter would offer suggestions.

Given this family head's character, he is unlikely to make a serious mistake.

But if he were to switch to Shenhe, he would have to take control of everything himself.

The slightest mistake could lead to utter ruin.

Saying directly that Shiva's biological father was reincarnated is definitely not an option; that would immediately lead to a barrage of attacks.

Whether it was the orthodox Brahmans purging their own families, the newly established state religion of monks suppressing them, or Ashoka directly sending a magistrate to quell the rebellion, all of these methods could quickly destroy this declining family.

Mina might be executed, resulting in the deaths of two unborn children... no, three unborn children.

The plan must be changed, and the entry point must be adjusted.

The title of Shiva's father is too hot to be used directly.

He needs a more ambiguous, safer, and even... a package that can take advantage of the prevailing trend.

Perhaps, downplaying identity and strengthening connection and purpose?

Got it!

It is said that a close follower of the Shiva school was reincarnated and came to understand the Dharma!

In the current environment, everyone should be able to accept this nonsense!

For the remnants of the Brahmin tradition, this provided a comforting excuse.

Look! Our great wisdom is profound; we have already laid out our plans!

He didn't passively accept it; he actively participated and elevated this era!

For the kingdom and Buddhism, this also provides a rare opportunity.

Listen to this! Even your Shiva acknowledges the Dharma. This is a victory for the universality of the Dharma!

Tsk tsk.

If you give believers a reasonable explanation, they will readily accept it!

Isn't that how it is in business? Customers don't want the truth; they want a reason that can convince them!

Shenhe is very much looking forward to the results of his design.

But vaguely, I felt that something was not right.

But the thought was fleeting and was quickly overshadowed by the excitement of the "perfect solution" before him.

These religious people are all mentally unstable. I refuse to believe I can't control you!

That's right, let's do it!

Shenhe and Vasudiv surprisingly shared a similar attitude towards believers.

Of course, they each made their own foolish mistakes in this matter.

Shenhe's logic is purely based on market thinking, which is to expand its audience as much as possible.

Religion is a complex thing, a mixture of interests, ideologies, and power, and even has a touch of the awkwardness of intellectuals.

The more diverse the audience, the more creative ideas are possible.

They will indeed follow the line based on what they can accept, but the explanations they come up with may not be the results Shenhe wants.

However, Shenhe is clearly not capable of fully taking care of these details at present.

Both Vasudiv, who was calculating his own interests, and Shenhe, who valued his audience, had huge flaws and could not withstand scrutiny.

As mentioned earlier, Vasudiv has a think tank to back it up, while Shenhe does not.

At this moment, he was immersed in his plan, carefully crafting his words, intending to bestow a divine decree upon Mina.

Ok……

That's what I'll say!

"Mina."

After a little preparation, Shenhe couldn't wait to speak.

Mina immediately knelt down respectfully.

She tried to straighten her body, but the weight of her lower abdomen made her bend over quickly.

"The life within you is extraordinary. Its identity is difficult for some people to accept, so it can only be called someone close to me."

Stop calling yourself the father of the Great God, otherwise it's hard to say how many fanatics will want to kill you.

"Now is the age of Bodhidharma's glory. The person in your womb has been born into the world to experience life in a mortal body."

"He will refine his understanding and return to the Dharma, becoming a bridge connecting to the true Dharma."

"Your mission is to protect him until he finds the right path, understand?"

Mina nodded excitedly, then quickly added.

"I understand, God!"

Immediately afterwards, Shenhe tried to manipulate the incense ash, which meandered upwards along Mina's body.

They painstakingly come together and take shape...

Finally, a slightly blurry Dharma wheel appeared behind Mina.

However, this discourse lasted only for the duration of three heartbeats before quietly dissipating.

His original intention was to reveal himself to Mina, but this attempt led to an unexpected discovery.

Maintaining this symbol is far more difficult than forming writing.

It seems that in this world, symbols themselves contain power, and displaying such symbols at will may come at an unexpected price.

If you want to use this trick to fool believers, you must pay attention to the timing, or make some simplifications and changes.

For example... making the legal argument incomplete and slowly rotating?

Shenhe pondered the direction of optimization, but Mina was already too excited to contain herself.

The heavens have revealed their divine power!

For devout Shiva devotees, witnessing a miracle is an immense blessing!

Moreover, she also carries a mission arranged by Heaven, which is the greatest honor!

Mina had already made up her mind.

No matter what, she had to protect the child.

This is her mission, a destiny bestowed upon her by Heaven!

Just then, two footsteps approached from afar.

They stopped outside the door but did not knock immediately.

A distinctly lowered male voice came from outside the door, vaguely sounding like someone was raising the price.

A few breaths later, Vasudiv replied in a voice colder and harder than usual.

"make a deal."

Then he raised his voice.

"Mina, tidy up the house, the doctor is here!"