Chapter 15 Chu materials are used all over the world——"Rule the country with Confucianism, and rule the mind with Buddhism"

AD 1236, aged in Bingshen, March. Mongolia's invincible iron cavalry was violently attacking Xiangyang in the Southern Song Dynasty. You Xian, the guard of the Song Dynasty, couldn't hold it anymore and surrendered after a while.Once in Xiangyang, the world of flowers and flowers in the Southern Song Dynasty opened up, and everyone knew what it meant.When the battle report spread to the palace near Quxue Wuer Lake in Mobei, the Great Khan Wo Kuotai was very happy, and sent an order for a big banquet in the Great Khan's golden tent, and all his subordinates and officials attended.

The banquet was in full swing, and it happened that a group of envoys arrived at the same time.Those small countries in the Western Regions and Koryo were fine, there were always a constant stream of tributes and festivals; what is rare is that the Southern Song Dynasty also sent people to it-I think it was really scary.On the carpet in the middle of the big tent, there was a large booth of tributes, all of which were big beads, crystals, jade, silk, ceramics, ginseng, dazzling. Wo Kuotai was already half drunk, and threw the mink fur warm hat aside, holding a big cup full of kumiss in one hand, watching the envoys humbly one by one, oh, it should be It was with some trepidation that he read the congratulatory message with a jerky and weird accent.

It didn't take long for Wo Kuotai to discover that the eyes of those envoys were always looking at one person intentionally or unintentionally, even the reserved and staid Chinese envoy was no exception.He followed their eyes and smiled suddenly.After taking a big sip of wine, he stretched out his hand, pointed at the man, squinted and asked slowly, "Are there such people in your country?" The envoys were stunned for a moment, and at almost the same time, the same voice came out from every mouth: "No! No!" One with a high nose and concave eyes added: "He should be a god-man in the sky."

Wo Kuotai laughed loudly. He remembered what his father, the great Genghis Khan, said to him: "This man was bestowed on my family by the God of Longevity. From now on, all important affairs of the country can be entrusted to him—he will definitely be able to do something for us in Mongolia." What a big deal!" Wo Kuotai drank the wine in the cup in one go, wiped his mouth, and said slowly: "You guys are used to bragging and lying, but this is the only thing you say—I don't think you should." The Mongolian princes and ministers laughed wildly, and the cheerful motouqin sounded. Among the piles of roasted whole lamb, grilled hump, and smoked roe deer, the gorgeous and unrestrained dancers turned around lightly and enthusiastically...

The man called "God Man" sat beside Wo Kuotai and didn't say a word from the beginning to the end. You don't need to look at his piercing eyes, and you don't need to feel the dignified and elegant temperament, just the long and elegant beard on his chest can be recognized by everyone. This is the famous Mongolian Zhongshu Ling—— Yelu Chucai. It is no wonder that many people regard Yelu Chucai as a first-class figure of the gods. This person is simply an unfathomable all-rounder like the sea: not to mention the collection of classics and history, poems and songs-no matter which well-read famous person everyone is in front of him. In addition, astronomy, geography, laws and calendars, spells, Buddhist scriptures, medicine and divination, going to heaven and earth, and knowing everything in the first five hundred years and the next thousand years.Counting the lunar eclipse, even alchemists in the Western Regions for many years are willing to bow down; hearing a few thunders, you can know that the returning king has returned to the west; looking at the stars for a while, you can say that the golden kingdom will change hands; a monster comes, gather everyone to see more Even the well-informed old hunter couldn't name it, he recognized it at a glance as an auspicious beast named "Jiao Duan"...

Such a character is almost inferior to Zhuge Liang, the resourceful and resourceful Zhuge Liang of the Han family. Isn't he still a god? —— Back then, even the supreme Genghis Khan had to ask Chu Cai to divination and choose the day every time he set off for an expedition. Who wouldn't want to see such a character with his own eyes? ——He is sitting not far in front of him now. Chu Cai sat silently, with a calm expression, even a little lonely.It seems that what the envoy peeked at, praised, and praised by the sweat was another person.I just drank the wine slowly, as if I didn't even eat a piece of meat-the silver knife that cut the meat was not stained with oil.

It seems that he is not in this glorious and greasy noisy tent with golden walls, not on this dry desert, but in the depths of misty mountains, sitting in a hut surrounded by pine forests, drinking leisurely in front of a lonely lamp . The world regards Chu Cai as a miraculous figure, but he is very clear that he is just an ordinary person with some talent, and all his knowledge is just the result of years of hard study and deep thinking from childhood to adulthood.Sometimes he had to say some nonsense—like that monster, who knows what it is called, and he was just playing tricks to persuade Genghis Khan to kill less people.

He doesn't feel that he is great at all. On the contrary, he often feels a kind of unspeakable weakness, and always feels powerless.Even though he was sweating profusely not long ago and stroked his back after drinking, he said to himself gratefully: "If there is no Aiqing, then the Central Plains would never be where it is today-so I can sleep peacefully every night without any worries. Lai Aiqing!" He didn't feel too excited or proud, he really knew that today's situation was not easy: for him, for the Great Khan, for Mongolia, and for the people of the world. Mongolia, this fierce nation, this group of violent wild horses from the prairie, it is too difficult to put a bridle on it and lose its wildness.

They seem to never want to get off their horses, never to satisfy their desire to conquer—everything that appears in front of them, everything under the sun, is stamped with the same blood-red stamp: "prey". It's like a gazelle on the grassland, a wild wolf, or a big eagle hovering in the air. All their efforts and their biggest dream is to flatten all the land under the sun, whether it is mountains, rivers, deserts, glaciers, or even oceans, and turn them into grasslands where they can run freely.Just like when the Central Plains was seized from the Jin people, the rough and bold minister Bie Die suggested to Wo Kuotai: "It is useless for us to have such a Han land. It is better to drive away all the Han people, and the vegetation will be lush in a few years." It's a big piece of pasture land!" Feelings, they still want to kill all the Han people, tear down all the houses and palaces, and just flatten a big pasture without boundaries in the rich hinterland of China? — But such an absurd suggestion, didn't Khan almost nod his head?

Since the whole world is regarded as the prey, after each siege, if the hunter wishes, everyone will divide them according to the merits: you have a head, I have a leg, and he has a tenderloin.According to the Mongolian practice, this group of strong men fought all the way to share the spoils of food and women.Seeing that the circle of conquests is getting bigger and bigger, they can no longer hold back, and they are clamoring, demanding that the Khan divide the land they have acquired for them.Khan, who also regards the world as his prey, is of course refreshing, sure.Never worry about the consequences after the division - although in this newly conquered land, generations of wise men have repeatedly discussed the danger of "breaking the land and dividing the people" that will be out of control It's clear.

The hunters will never be soft on the captured prey, and saving one's life is already a great blessing-haven't you seen rivers of blood and mountains of corpses in the captured castles?Still not grateful to pay homage?How to express your thanks?Whistling whips are flying over the desolate and dilapidated ruins: contribution!Contribute honestly!Digging in the soil, stripping the body, digging in the mouth, gouging out the meat, and pumping out the bone marrow!The knights with their furry chests yelled and grinned grinningly. Offer your beauties, offer your treasures, and even find a way to make the Heshuo Central Plains give birth to a mare as strong as on the prairie—present! The never-ending iron hoof raised the smelly dust and filled the whole land of China; the blood-dripping edge of the machete cut down the ancient civilization to only the slender tendons like spider silk fluttering in the cold wind; messy like rain silk The dense lasso, like a poisonous snake, tightly strangled the throats of all living beings struggling in a pool of blood. Vigorous sons of heaven, you fight for the sake of the world—but now that the world is in your hands, do you just want to trample and trample it as much as you want, like treating a shivering, helpless antelope that has fallen into a trap? Did God create you just to punish and conquer?Is it the descendants of Yanhuang who are becoming more and more unworthy, and the vulgarity, hypocrisy and cowardice that are becoming more and more unbearable, offending the ruthless God? —— Could it be that the benevolent Haotian God gave way to the violent Changshengtian? When bright butcher's knives are sharpened harshly on the saddle, roaring in the throat of sweat, and floods start in the big golden tent - when lightning bolts rise from the grassland, hovering after the catastrophe Yelu Chucai puffed up his chest when Yu Sheng was still in shock, like a huge rock in a huge wave, blocking the powerful force coming from all directions. In front of the Great Khan again and again, for the Great Khan, for Mongolia, and for the people of the world, Chu Cai tirelessly, impassionedly, and earnestly analyzed, explained, compared, persuaded, and even frightened these ignorant and fearless people with destiny warriors. He tried his best to make the Great Khan and other Mongolian dignitaries understand that conquering the world and governing the world are two completely different things.Chang Bajin, who was from Xixia and was favored by Genghis Khan with his bow-making skills, always patted his chest before and after others and boasted: "Nowadays, the country is an envoy using force, and it is people like us who should be used—like Yelu. Scholars, what’s the use of being sour?” One time he even blew in front of the profuse sweat, and Chu Cai was not polite, and immediately asked: “Even to make a bow, you need a bowsmith like you——Zhi The world, can we not use craftsmen to rule the world?" Is it just to respond to the surname Chang?I really want Khan to listen to it: ruling the world is not about fighting and killing with your mouth shut. After all, Khan is smart, and Chu Cai finally understood this truth after repeated admonitions.In fact, he should have thought that if he killed all the sheep on the grassland at one time, what would he eat when he was hungry again?Also, if you don't let the flocks eat tender grass, what's the use of being skinny and not gaining weight?As for you forcing the sheep to grow horns for you, isn't that a joke? ——Which shepherd always abuses and kills his flock? After all, Wo Kuotai listened to Chu Cai's words and withdrew those ridiculous and terrible orders. Chu Cai smiled slightly—in the face of toasts and greetings from envoys one by one, he always drank the wine in the glass with them with a smile. He knew very well what role he was in the eyes of ordinary people, especially the foreign envoy from afar—the distance exaggerated his mystery even more. Warlock, oh, yes, in the eyes of many people, Chu Cai is a brilliant warlock.For a long time, even Genghis Khan thought so: when he went to the west with the army, besides doing some paperwork, his main job was astrology and divination.Even Wo Kuotai felt a little unbelievable when Chu Cai was with him every day, but he was able to expropriate the warehouse, rice, grain, gold, silver and cloth in full - this bearded man is really a little supernatural. Although he often used this kind of mystery to persuade others, Chu Cai knew that everything he did was actually a set of honest state-ruling skills passed down by the Han family from the sage Confucius: Confucianism. From the earliest taxation system that restricted the unrestrained exploitation of Mongolia to Su Minli, and the resistance division that prevented ignorant officials from turning back the wheel of history, to the later planning of nurturing talents, giving salaries, cutting power, farming and mulberry, setting land tribute, equalizing divisions, and controlling water transportation ... Everything is for the purpose of enabling this rapidly growing grassland nation to adapt to the civilization of the Central Plains as soon as possible, and truly become a kind and wise lord of the world—— It can end this era of turmoil and suffering for the people of the world as soon as possible, and open up an unprecedented and boundless peaceful and prosperous age that integrates the Yangtze River, Yellow River, grassland and desert. "Lady Zhanran—" The envoy from the Southern Song Dynasty came over respectfully holding a cup. Oh, layman Zhanran, Chu Cai smiled again.Yes, everyone knows that he is actually a Buddhist.He couldn't help remembering the most unbearable years in his life.At that time, he was still working as a left and right secretary in the Kingdom of Jin, and he was ordered to stay in Zhongdu.But which city in the world can withstand the iron hoof of Mongolia?After sticking to it for sixty days, it still fell. Faced with the frenzied slaughter and unprecedented destruction by the Mongolian cavalry, the young Yelu Chucai was so desperate that he abandoned everything and converted to the Buddha.Joined the disciple of Wan Song Xingxiu, the master of Cao Dongzong, and practiced Zen with all his heart.Three years later, I finally got the confirmation of this master and got the title of "Zhanran". However, the result is not that Zen has gained an eminent monk, but that Mongolia has gained a Zhongshu Order—the world has gained a Yelu Chucai. Thank you Master Xingxiu, he saw at a glance the significance of this silent young man to the people in suffering.He gave Chu Cai eight words: "Rule the country with Confucianism, and rule the heart with Buddhism." Rule the country! ——This is definitely not the time to meditate!Facing this land burning with raging flames of war, all living beings on the land groaning and hanging by a thread, even Sakyamuni could not sit on the lotus platform. What is even more thankful to Xingxiu is that he cut off the heavy shackles on Chu Cai's body with a slash: there are many ways to help the world, and they are not limited to Buddhist scriptures and scriptures. You can use the subordinating pestle or willow nectar.You, Chu Cai, are also a well-educated scholar. Take a look at this world, which technique can save all people from suffering?Confucianism!Only the years of experience of Confucianism can lead this group of wild horses to the right path!You, Chucai, have spent many years in the Confucian classics, didn't you make a vow to help the common people? —— If you don't go to hell, who will go to hell? It seemed that a thunderbolt shattered the dark clouds above his head. After sweating all over his body, Chu Cai felt relaxed.Since this ferocious torrent from Mongolia is flooding the world, and it is a fact that all the Daluo Jinxians can't get back together, then, when Genghis Khan recruited him for his name—— Chu Cai got up from the futon, stretched his arms in the face of the red sun, breathed out to his heart's content, and embarked on the journey. Master Xingxiu has countless disciples, but he always claims that the layman Yelu Chucai is his best disciple. There was even more noise in the big tent: the magician brought by the envoys from the Western Regions was performing for the sweat.Swallowing knives, spitting fire, blinding eyes.Chu Cai looked at it absent-mindedly, maybe the mysterious trick reminded him of Taoism, and he remembered the gray-haired Qiu Chuji.Thinking of the time when Qiu Chuji and his Quanzhen Taoist priests took advantage of Genghis Khan's advocacy to demolish the temple and renovate it and expand it so aggressively, Chu Cai frowned unconsciously. In fact, he wasn't out of balance because of the rivalry between Buddhism and Taoism, it was just a pity that even an expert like Qiu Chuji couldn't see through the thin fog in front of him. Sakyamuni couldn't sit on the lotus platform, isn't your old man also unable to ride the green bull?Could it be that Master Kong was sacrificed by De'an?In such a world, which sage didn't think the same thing? save people! The same is to save all the people from the raging fire, why is it necessary to divide the sects so clearly?People's lives are at stake, what position and territory are you fighting for with empty hands? ——Isn’t the avenues of the world interlinked? According to the method of sect and region, can't I only use Chu Cai?Oh, it should be used for the ancestor Khitan—at most, for the state of Dajin, the state of growth, not for Mongolia! Foresighted father, merciful father, you are right, the name you gave me told me, Chucai, it couldn’t be just for Chuyong!But it's not just that Chu Cai is being used—Chu Cai must be used for the world! But does a mere Chucai really have that much effect on the world? Seeing the Mongolian ruler and ministers in the big tent open their clothes, shouting and laughing wantonly, Chu Cai stroked his gray beard and smiled wryly. Maybe you can be relieved that at least you saved a lot of people—like that time in Bianliang, you persuaded the Great Khan to spare the lives of 1.47 million people.But what is this little human life compared to the lives of the common people in the entire catastrophe? Da Khan is still reasonable, and can basically listen to his own opinions, but he often makes troubles, and sometimes it is simply shameless.Like that time when he asked to reduce some so-called "contributions" that were actually robbery, he just couldn't bear it, so he salivated and said with a smile: "Everything that Aiqing plays, I have no objection——Can't Aiqing take from me once?" ?” There are also those treacherous and hateful businessmen in the Western Regions who are always tempted to buy, that is, to use cash to buy the right to collect tribute from the Khan, and then go back and collect it from the people several times and dozens of times.This is simply messing up the tax policy that I have been struggling for many years and finally took shape!Can you have the heart to sprinkle salt on the unhealed wounds of the people?But Da Khan was fascinated by the white money, no matter how much he argued, he would not listen. Once he was so excited that he burst into tears, and his tone was a little heavier, so Da Khan said coldly: "You Is this going to fight?" He ordered someone to hold him up and help him back—pretending not to see his tears. Can you really lead this herd of wild horses onto the path you've designed for them?How many people can understand that this road is the smoothest, wisest, most peaceful and long-term choice for Mongolia and the whole world? The stubborn princes hated Chu Cai for forcing everyone to take this strange road. Chu Cai didn't bother to think about it anymore, he only knew to do his best, and his heart was very peaceful. On the basis of Xingxiu's words, Chu Cai summed up his life once again: "I govern the world with the way of my master, cultivate my character with the way of Laoshi, and cultivate my mind with the way of Shishi." After the banquet, Chu Cai returned to his tent.Although it was late at night, the energetic Mongolian soldiers still surrounded the bonfires, barbecued, drank, played and sang.Sound waves leaked through the leather curtains of the tent from time to time. Chu Cai didn't feel sleepy either, so he lit a stick of sandalwood and asked people to take out the guqin that had been with him for many years - "Chunlei", a famous Tang Dynasty piano that was once a favorite of Song Huizong. He adjusted his clothes, sat upright, put the piano flat on his knees, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.After a while, he pressed lightly with his left hand and pushed with his right hand. With a sound of "Zheng--", the tent seemed to shake, and the flame of the big butter candle jumped. It seems that a light smoke rises from the strings, and it engulfs the entire tent in a short time. The sound of the piano continued to hum and clank.The scenery in front of Chu Cai's eyes was changing, the sound of water was bubbling, and the birds were singing peacefully, as if he had come to the south of the Yangtze River.Someone from the shore came with his head held high, with a high crown and long sword, and big sleeves flying... He played the ancient song "Li Sao".If there is nothing at the end of the nose, there is a ray of Du Heng's fragrance.Chu Cai closed his eyes tightly and shook his head slightly following the rhythm. Suddenly, there were a few clangs, and the tune changed. The standing boy felt a forceful pressure coming towards him, and his breath almost stopped.There seemed to be a gust of wind blowing from the string, and the candle went out with a puff.The sound of the piano became harsh and heavy, and Chu Cai almost had to use all his strength to make every sound—his long beard danced wildly.Chucai saw the turbid waves of the Miluo River, and the dragons and turtles danced wildly in the water. I don't know how many people fell into the water. A flat boat sails against the waves in the waves!On the boat, there were people with fluttering white beards, with their trousers rolled up high, holding the poles hard, driving dragons and snakes around, with angry eyes, searching, shouting, and saving people who fell into the water one by one. Was he, the fisherman Qu Yuan had seen singing "Song of the Canglang"? In front of Chu Cai, a holy white lotus slowly bloomed in the flames. The commotion everywhere stopped at some point. A cold and sharp waning moon cuts the boundless desert into a rolling sea of ​​silver with its threatening cold light.The numerous yurts are like a small corner of a chess game.In the yurt, the bonfire was flickering by the night wind. Everyone held their breath and listened quietly, listening to the sound of the piano coming from Zhongshuling's tent——