Chapter 9 Section VIII

Chen Hongzhi was right, Guo Wei came here for the Buddha bones. According to Jing Zhaoyin, since the emperor decided to welcome the Buddha bone at the end of last year, the heavy responsibility of protecting the Buddha bone has fallen on the shoulders of Jing Zhaofu.Guo Wei applied to the emperor to mobilize an additional 3,000 forbidden troops to be in charge of the ceremonial guards and guards of the Buddha bones, which can be said to be fully prepared.On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, the Buddha bone was re-entered from Fengxiang to Chang'an, and the whole process went smoothly.After the three-day worship in Daming Palace, on the 16th day of the first lunar month, the Buddha bones came out of Da Nei. Unexpectedly, something happened at the first stop, Da'an Guo Temple.

At that time, as soon as the guard of Buddha bones arrived in front of the gate of Da'an Guo Temple, it was blocked by a group of monks from Khotan who came to offer incense. "There is deceit in the incense!" Guo Wei said heartbrokenly, "As soon as it was lit, the fire and smoke burst out, and everyone around was thrown to the ground. Several people were killed and injured. The scene was quite tragic!" Pei Xuanjing was shocked when she heard that, and hurriedly asked, "Where's the Buddha bone?" "Fortunately, the Buddha's bone was unharmed. Someone threw down the golden jade carrying the Buddha's bone in time, and no harm was done."

"Oh." Suspicion arose in Pei Xuanjing's heart—why did she find herself in this case? Back then, "Lanting Preface" was chosen by Wu Yuanheng, and "Xuan Ji Tu" was because the case happened in the Persimmon Forest Court. The emperor had no intention of revealing the secrets of the palace, so he followed suit and forced Pei Xuanjing to take over.As for it, it is the result of the emperor and Princess Hanyang having their own ghosts, so what about the Buddha bone case?What made the emperor think of himself again, and even broke the coldness that had been maintained for two full years?

She thought for a while and asked: "This matter shouldn't be an accident, the Jingzhao Mansion must have investigated it?" "Someone did it on purpose." Guo Kui replied with a bitter face, "The Khotan monks were... fake Persians." "Why is it a Persian?" "One of their leaders mingled with the Jinwu guards in front of Da'an Guo Temple, and was killed on the spot." After a pause, Guo Kui said, "That man is Li Jingdu, a Persian who lives in Ren Sabao's residence." "Li Jingdu?" Pei Xuanjing asked, "He planned the whole thing?"

Guo Wei said angrily: "Li Jingdu was killed at that time! According to the confession of his Persians, Li Jingdu summoned them to pretend to be Khotan monks and carried the copper tripod incense burner prepared in advance to the Da'an Guo Temple. Li Jingdu himself pretended to be Jin Wu The appearance of General Wei was mixed with the guards of honor. The scene was very chaotic, and the Jinwu guards were all focused on protecting the Buddha bones, so he was wearing armor and helmets, and no one doubted his identity. Li Jingdu's original plan was: When the Buddha bone Jinyu arrives, The abbot of Da'an Guo Temple ignited the medicinal material in the bronze tripod with incense to destroy the Buddha bone."

Pei Xuanjing gasped: "He actually wants to destroy the Buddha bone? This is too bold and reckless." "Who says it's not! And his plan is very vicious. The copper tripod will explode and kill all the surrounding Persians. But he himself hides away and plans to retreat after the event is completed. If someone did not force him Stop him, and his trick will almost come true." At this point, Guo Jue took a look at Pei Xuanjing and said, "There are two people who destroyed Li Jingdu's plan and protected the Buddha bone: one is Duan Hanlin's son Duan Chengshi , and the other is Han Xiang, grandnephew of Master Han."

Pei Xuanjing was so astonished beyond words, but at the same time, she also vaguely realized how she was drawn into this case.She hurriedly asked, "Are both of them okay?" "It's okay, it's okay. Mr. Duan was close to the copper tripod and suffered some flesh injuries. Fortunately, his life was not in danger. Han Lang threw his body on the Buddha bone pagoda. He should have been severely injured, but he was not injured at all. Presumably there must be something wrong." Lord Buddha bless you." Guo Wei explained, "It was the two of them who insisted on asking Master Pei Lian to preside over the case. That's why I specially asked the Holy Majesty for permission."

Sure enough. Pei Xuanjing thought about it and asked: "So, isn't the case already solved? The culprit is his own fault. What else do I need to do?" "The refiner doesn't know that the Buddha bone case is related to a recent flying robber case in the capital, and the case is extremely complicated." So Guo Wei recounted the theft case in the capital again, and finally said: "It was from the beginning of the Chang'an theft that Duan Chengshi and Han Xiang speculated about the impending accident in front of the Da'an Guosi. It's a pity that Li Jingdu died and lost the most important thing." clues."

"So you think that Li Jingdu colluded with the so-called Flying Thief, with the purpose of stealing the ingredients that could cause the incense to detonate, thereby destroying the Buddha bone?" Pei Xuanjing asked, "But now Li Jingdu is dead, but the Flying Thief is still on the run, so The Jingzhao government is still unable to close the case?" "Yes. After the incident in front of Da'an Guo Temple, we thoroughly searched the Zoroastrian Temple in charge of Li Jingdu. After interrogation, the Persians in the Zoroastrian Temple really knew nothing about the theft. Li Jingdu only asked them to prepare the medicine in the copper tripod. Then they dressed up as people from Khotan and moved the bronze tripod to Da'anguo Temple. They didn't know that the incense would explode after being ignited, so most of them died inexplicably before they could dodge. Based on this, the official concluded that The whole thing was planned by Li Jingdu alone. As for the Flying Thief, he secretly found an accomplice, and it is precisely this that worries me the most."

"why?" Guo Wei said with a sad face: "Judging from the number of stolen items, only a small part of them were in front of the gate of Da'an Guo Temple this time, and the rest are missing. And the Buddha bone will be found in various places in Chang'an City." The temple will continue to worship, and it will be sent back to Fengxiang in ten months, so..." Pei Xuanjing understood: "That's why Mr. Guo is worried that the destruction of Buddha bones will happen again." Guo Kui sighed: "I have stepped up my guard again and sent more Jinwu guards to protect the Buddha's bone. But I'm afraid that a hundred secrets will be neglected."

Pei Xuanjing thought to himself that the purpose of placing Buddha bones in various temples in Chang'an City in turn is to allow the common people to worship and worship, so it is impossible for the Jingzhao Mansion to completely isolate the people.When worshiping, candles and cigarettes are necessary, and it is really difficult to prevent them completely. She thought again, thanks to Han Xiang and Duan Chengshi, who thought of the dangers in incense from the secrets of the alchemy scriptures, and protected the Buddha bones desperately, otherwise, the Buddha bones that symbolize eternity would have been wiped out in front of Da'an Guo Temple.In that case, it would be a big blow to the emperor who wholeheartedly catered to the Buddha bone. She somewhat understood why the emperor would condescend to herself this time. While Pei Xuanjing was contemplating, Guo Wei and Chen Hongzhi stared at her eagerly, and finally she said to herself, "—but why did the Persians destroy the Buddha bone?" Guo Wei said: "The Persians believe in Zoroastrianism, so they are dissatisfied with the prosperity of Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty?" "No. In this dynasty, only Buddhism and Taoism have always competed. The Fire Worship Sect is just a small religion in the Western Regions. It is a great honor to be able to gain a foothold in the Tang Dynasty." Pei Xuanjing shook his head, "It is not the turn of the Fire Worship Sect to be the enemy of the Buddha." Guo Wei said angrily: "Although that is the case, that Li Jingdu has always been rebellious. He is a guy who is arrogant and presumptuous, and he is afraid of chaos in the world! He will do such things as destroying Buddha bones. I don't think so at all. strangeness!" In the case of snakes in the capital in the 11th year of Yuanhe, Cui Miao, a Jianghu doctor, colluded with Li Jingdu and turned Chang'an City upside down.Guo Wei has had a grudge against Li Jingdu for a long time, and he did not pursue it because of the face of Li Jingdu's father, Sitiantai Supervisor Li Su.This time he was blown to pieces in front of the gate of Da'an Guo Temple, and half of his head was cut off, Guo Wei still felt puzzled. Pei Xuanjing thought for a while and asked, "What do Han Lang and Duan Xiaolang think about this?" Guo Wei replied: "Mr. Duan was injured and rested at home. Han Xiang, apart from insisting that Master Pei Lian handle the case, he didn't say anything else." Pei Xuanjing said: "If I want to investigate this case, I must first meet Mr. Han and Mr. Duan to learn more about the situation." "This……" Guo Wei was still hesitating, but Chen Hongzhi, who was standing by the side, interrupted: "No, His Majesty will never agree." Pei Xuanjing asked: "What will you not agree to?" "I will not agree to the alchemist leaving Daming Palace." "Let the two of them come into the palace?" "This is also impossible." Chen Hongzhi said, "They are not relatives of the emperor, and they have no official positions. Foreign men are not allowed to enter the forbidden house as a rule." Pei Xuanjing said coldly: "Then forgive me for being helpless." There was a long silence.Finally, Guo Wei let out a heavy "cough", stood up and said, "Forget it, I will venture to ask the Holy One again!" Master Jing Zhaoyin left in a hurry. Chen Hongzhi sighed again and again: "Why do you have to do this as a master?" Pei Xuanjing knew that from Chen Hongzhi's point of view, he was undoubtedly going against the dragon again.That's right, the emperor has a bottom line, and Pei Xuanjing just wants to try to find out where his bottom line is. Besides, since Han Xiang and Duan Chengshi insisted on intervening in the case, they probably had other ideas.Of course Pei Xuanjing understands the principle of cooperation between the inside and the outside.It would be best if the emperor promised himself to meet with them.If the emperor was furious because of this, he would even punish her.For Pei Xuanjing, the situation will not become worse than it is now. Big deal, the emperor wants to kill her.She is not afraid at all. Pei Xuanjing gently stroked the brocade box.From that thunderstorm night at the end of May in the tenth year of Yuanhe, he has never been absent in her adventures.This time, he really appeared again.