You rascal, stop right there!

Chapter 286: Old Friends Reunited, Mixed Feelings of Sadness and Joy

As soon as the Qing Dynasty's anti-Buddhist and anti-Taoist movement began, it immediately caused an uproar.

There were quite a number of Taoist temples in the previous dynasty, with at least 600 in Chijiang County alone.

Not to mention at least hundreds of thousands of monks, nuns and Taoists. The Buddhist temple supplies alone were affected, and the Dharma Association Company was hit hard.

The disturbance started in the capital and spread outward.

Emperor Qingwu wanted to fight against Xuanli, and monks and Taoists were a large source of population and soldiers.

On that autumn day, the streets of the entire Qing Dynasty capital were filled with common people whispering to each other and monks and Taoists who were worried and frightened.

The demolition started with the temples in the capital. Even if there were believers who resisted, they had to compromise because they were unarmed.

Temple properties were confiscated by the imperial court, Buddha statues and deities were dismantled and destroyed, and monks and Taoists were forced to return to secular life.

At this time, Qingliang Temple seemed calm and peaceful.

As it is far away from the capital and the provincial capital, it has not been demolished yet and there has not even been any news of it being demolished.

Bai Wan went down the mountain that day and went to the city with other monks to buy things. Everything seemed to be the same as usual.

He was confused when he saw that the incense shop was out of stock.

"Shopkeeper, are there no incense sticks today?"

he asked curiously.

The old man selling sandalwood in the shop had an awkward smile.

"Well..." The old man shook his head slightly, "Recently, incense sticks, incense coils and other items are out of stock. They are temporarily out of stock."

I went to several stores, but incense was basically out of stock.

Bai Wan lowered his head secretly, hesitating and observing for a long time.

He was confused and noticed that this small shop no longer had any Buddhist or Taoist items, such as Buddhist beads, agarwood, incense sticks, etc.

The other two monks who were traveling with him had disappeared.

His years of gangster life told him that this situation was very wrong...

Turning his head, he caught a glimpse of a monk in tattered robes on the city wall who seemed to be looking at him. Although his face was dirty, his eyes were bright.

This look seems familiar...

“Aa ...

The monk was none other than Cheng Su, an official of the Daying Painting Academy who was originally sent to Xuanli.

At that time, so many craftsmen and painters were sent to Xuanli, but only a few were saved by Bai Wan with the "Volume of Shocking Changes".

In the previous chaos and war, most people would not have survived, let alone the scholar Cheng Su who had his right hand chopped off and his tongue cut off.

Although he was rescued that day, he had nowhere to go due to his disability, so he became a monk in a temple and barely survived.

It was a pity that the order to destroy Buddhism had been issued, and the temple where he was located had been destroyed. He could only become a wandering monk on the streets and eventually came here.

Compared to when he was a big winner in the government, his life now is simply cruel.

He also wanted to go to Dingzhou to seek refuge with Ling Shumo and Bai Wan, but upon arriving he learned that the two were no longer alive or dead, and their whereabouts were unknown after they resigned from their official positions.

Now, it is like a reunion with old friends, with mixed feelings of sadness and joy.

"Cheng, Boss Cheng..." Bai Wan rubbed his eyes slightly, full of horror, "You?"

Cheng Su nodded suddenly. She had scars all over her body and it was obvious that she had suffered a lot.

Now, with nothing to say, I had to take out a pen and paper to write.

Because his right hand was chopped off just like Luo Wenqi's because he was unwilling to surrender to Xuan Li.

It's so difficult to use only your left hand.

Such silence is so desolate.

Bai Wan carefully examined the words written on the rough straw paper and was shocked all over.

"You said that you were separated from your wife and children and had to become a monk. But the capital city has issued an order to destroy Buddhism, forcing monks to return to secular life and demolishing temples, leaving you with nowhere to go. How did you end up here?"

Cheng Su nodded.

……

Suddenly, Bai Wan understood why the business was unable to buy Buddhist items.

The imperial court wants to destroy Buddhism and Taoism and respect Confucianism. Countless temples will be demolished. Now it is only a matter of time before Qingliang Temple is demolished.

Although Bai Wan couldn't stand the fact that monks did not work and had countless fields, after all, Master Kongming had saved and taken him and Zichen in.

We are in such a chaotic situation that we cannot just stand by and watch.

"Is Emperor Qing really so resolute and swift?"

"All temples will be destroyed." Cheng Su wrote, sighing softly.

This is the trend of the world, just follow it.

"Boss Cheng, although this is the trend, this temple has done me a favor. Perhaps there are other ways to keep this shelter."

Is this possible?!

Perhaps most of the people in the temple will be sent back to secular life, and the land will fall into the hands of the emperor.

However, there are actually many Buddha statues in the temple, and they contain countless humanistic teachings from past dynasties to the present. They should not be destroyed all at once.

The imperial decree started from the capital, and perhaps it would reach Qingliang Temple within a few months, it was just a matter of time...

By then, all the temples and Taoist temples in the world will be burned down and demolished.

Considering Song Yuanshan's swift and decisive character as he was a military general, no one would be spared.

Bai Wan frowned: "Brother Cheng, do you want to go back to Qingliang Temple with me temporarily?"

The other party nodded and stood still, as if worried about the safety of the temple.

He added, "You have wounds all over your body and need to rest. Zichen and I barely have a thatched hut to live in at the foot of the mountain."

Cheng Su was still a little hesitant.

Although he and Bai Wan have a brotherly relationship, he is now in some trouble and has implicated others, so he is very clear about his situation.

He cannot speak and his right hand cannot write.

"Master Mingxin, something bad has happened!"

At this time, a little monk who was accompanying him staggered over.

"Masters Faxiang and Fakong suddenly disappeared somewhere! They didn't go shopping!"