After bathing and purifying themselves, fasting and observing the precepts, and reciting the Buddha's name with a pure heart, the Buddhist sects of Anxi and Hexi were shocked by Zhang Zhao. Although they were covetous of Zhang Zhao's treasures and feared Zhang Zhao's power, they did not want to admit Zhang Zhao so readily.

The title of Yinlun Dharma King.

Just kidding, this is the Dharma King! If you really admit it, from now on, no matter which temple you are the abbot or the leader of, when you meet Zhang Zhao, you will all address him as Dharma King.

In particular, several senior monks from Kaiyuan Temple in Shazhou and other Jialan monks were even more uneasy. In the future, Zhang Erlangjun regained the power of the Guiyi Army. With both divine and royal power in his hands, how could they maintain their transcendent status?

However, Buddhism has a very big weakness, that is, it is easy to compromise. This is a temperament brought by the teachings and cannot be solved.

Zhang Zhao lured them with treasures on the one hand, and deployed heavy troops outside. Although they knew that Zhang Zhao did not dare to use swords and axes on them, they could trap them and grind them down.

In the end, after weighing the pros and cons, the two sides reached a condition that Zhang Zhao would distribute all the holy objects in his hands and the Buddha relics obtained from Kaiyuan Temple in Shule, and distribute half of them to various places to worship Buddha. The masters finally agreed.

Zhang Zhao’s identity.

However, they had a condition, which was that Zhang Zhao could fast and observe the precepts for seven days in the Buddhist hall of Samaro Temple.

This is not an easy condition. The fasting meal during the fast is just three meals a day of gruel and a little bread. The bread is baked without any oil, and pickles are not provided.

If you observe the precepts, you must not make any sound except when chanting sutras throughout the day, and no one is allowed to approach you.

It is equivalent to locking a normal person in a small Buddhist hall that has been set up, facing the wall for seven days, with no food or salt coming in. It is like being in solitary confinement.

There is also a circle of famous temples outside. The host chants sutras around this temple and holds grand Dharma meetings.

Zhang Zhao gritted his teeth and persisted, because he knew that this was the last stubbornness of Anxi and Hexi Buddhists, and it was also their downhill step. After passing this test, they must recognize Zhang Zhao's identity.

Of course, this is what Zhang Zhao wants. If he doesn't want to, there are ways to make these bald heads compromise.

The reason why Zhang Zhao chose to fast and observe the precepts was because although he would have to suffer for seven days, this suffering would give his title of Yinlun Dharma King a more solid seal and prevent anyone from using this as an excuse in the future.

Seven days later, the grand ceremony ended. Zhang Zhao was not only recognized by most Jialan temples in Anxi and Hexi, but also in the eyes of 70,000 to 80,000 Khotan people, his identity as Yinlun Dharma King was completely confirmed.

During the seven days that Zhang Zhao observed the fast, even the Tibetan people on Qiangtang heard about it and came down from the ice and snow, risking their lives, to worship.

Not to mention the believers in other towns in Khotan, the Royal City of Khotan, which had only 50,000 people, quickly swelled to more than 80,000 people in these seven days.

This made this Dharma Assembly not only a fasting Dharma assembly for Buddhists in Anxi and Hexi to recognize Zhang Zhao’s identity, but also became a famous grand Dharma assembly throughout Anxi.

Li Shengtian also helped Zhang Zhao at this time. Zhang Zhao didn't know what was going on outside in the Buddhist hall, so Li Shengtian made a decision and used money from his private treasury to entertain all the people who came to attend the Dharma gathering.

The fact that Zhang Zhao was protecting the Dharma in Tianzhu was spread with embarrassment and jealousy.

Since then, the identity of His Holiness Zhang Zhaoyinlun has not only become known in Khotan, but has even spread throughout the snow-covered plateau and north of the Tianshan Mountains. This is an unexpected surprise.

Outside the Samaroo Temple, as soon as Zhang Zhao left the temple, he saw several people in cotton-padded clothes kneeling outside the door.

Judging from the thickness of the snow on his body, he must have been kneeling for a long time, otherwise his eyebrows and beard would have been frozen, like a snowman.

Zhang Zhao looked carefully. Isn't the leader his cousin Song Zhongyi? Why are you kneeling here like this?

"Your Majesty, Song Dutou has been kneeling here all day. No matter how much his servants persuade him, he won't get up. He must wait until you come out!" Guo Tiance came closer and whispered.

"You are so stubborn? What are you doing? Kneel down like this, what should I do if you kneel down?

Quickly go to the nearby food shop, light a fire, boil some ginger syrup, and ask Wan'er to send you some fur coats quickly!"

"Your Majesty! You are more kind to the general than the mountain, but the general is sorry for you!

At the end of the year, I am getting older and my legs are injured, which makes it difficult for me to walk. I may not be able to follow the king back east, woo woo woo woo!”

Zhang Zhao was about to help Song Zhongyi up, but Song Zhongyi burst into tears.

"Get up! What should I do if my body is frozen? Man, why are you crying? You have something to say!"

Zhang Zhao's heart sank. Song Zhongyi and the few people behind him should have made a decision and would not return eastward with him.

"Your Majesty, I am really sorry for you. In the past in Dunhuang, a certain Song Zhongyi was just a soldier in the Yajun army. His monthly salary was only enough for himself. It was the king who favored and promoted him. A certain talented person is now living among the five and six

.”

Although Song Zhongyi got up, he was still crying towards Zhang Zhao with tears in his eyes.

"But this year, a certain general is already thirty-three, and he still only has more than ten years of good life. He has wasted so much time and has no descendants. Now his leg is injured again, and it is even more difficult to travel.

After the First World War outside the city of Kesei, thanks to the kindness of the king, he settled in Xijiangwanbao in the Ningyuan Governor-General's District. He was given a thousand acres of fertile land, a compound, and thirty-five Tianzhu tenant farmers. He also married two Ningyuan Hujis.

I really can’t bear to travel far away!”

Zhang Zhao took a long breath. Song Zhongyi was stabbed in the thigh during a battle with the Persians at Sanshui Bay south of Kesai City, so Zhang Zhao arranged for him on the spot and did not let him follow him to Tianzhu.

However, he did not want to leave Song Zhongyi in Ningyuan. This person had some biological relationship with him, as he was the son of his biological mother's cousin.

He was very brave in combat and was famous as a fierce general in the capital of Hanshan, only ranked lower than Barbarian Bear, Dunzhu, Wang Tongtong and others.

In Zhang Zhao's plan, such a warrior would definitely follow him back east.

However, when he glanced at Song Zhongyi and several others, the common feature of these people was that they were relatively old, basically around thirty years old, and they had suffered some injuries in previous battles.

Once I settled down in Ningyuan, I naturally didn’t want to leave.

Zhang Zhao stepped in and realized that if he were Song Zhongyi, he would definitely not want to leave.

They have a thousand acres of fertile land in Ningyuan, and they have thirty or forty tenant farmers and servants, as well as two wives and concubines. They also serve as magistrates of the surrounding towns, and they can earn more than ten thousand dollars a month.

In Ningyuan, they were the great masters of the Celestial Dynasty who came from Khotan. They were born in Shandu, and they were cousins ​​of King Zhang. No matter who they were, they had to give him three respects.

Here, you don't have to work and have someone to take care of you, and you can sleep with your lovely wife and concubine in your arms every night, and you won't want to leave until you feel stupid.

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhao's discomfort just now suddenly subsided a lot.

It is not easy for someone to fight with him for several years. It is understandable that he wants to live a stable and good life when he is older.

"You guys all want to settle down in Ningyuan, right?" Zhang Zhao asked the people behind Song Zhongyi.

Several people knelt down again with a pop, their eyes full of apologies, but this could not stop their desire to live a good life.

"We all thought so, please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

"You have followed me and fought with almost death, what crime have you committed?" Zhang Zhao shook his head and motioned for them to get up.

"You are all my loyal ministers and warriors, Zhang Zhao! Heaven's policy, each of you will be given another 500 acres of fertile land.

You and Wu Yuan'er and Zhu Qingquan will make a statistics and find out that there are indeed people who are old and injured who are willing to settle down in Ningyuan and draw up a list!"

With that said, Zhang Zhao patted Song Zhongyi on the shoulder and got on the carriage. He was going to Taihe Palace to meet Li Shengtian!

"Your Majesty is kind and virtuous. I have nothing to repay in this life. I wish to be your Majesty's minion again in the next life, life and death!" On both sides of the carriage, Song Zhongyi once again prostrated himself on the roadside.

In the heavy snow, Zhang Zhao on the carriage stretched out a hand and waved. This was considered farewell. They chose to settle down in Ningyuan. Unless something unexpected happens in this life, they will never see each other again.

.....

"Have you encountered a problem?" In the Taihe Palace, Li Shengtian was personally making tea for Zhang Zhao, and Song Zhongyi knelt outside the Samaroo Temple for a whole day. Of course he knew.

"It is indeed difficult! The desire to live a good life is everyone's deepest desire, and they are indeed entitled to enjoy it.

My nephew has decided that everyone over the age of twenty-eight can settle down in Ningyuan as long as they really want to."

Zhang Zhao nodded. Song Zhongyi and the others were not only soldiers under his command, they were also members of Zhang Zhao's team in the beginning.

At that time, 107 people from Shandu followed Zhang Zhaoxi. Thirty-three people died in the four years of fighting. Eleven people were too disabled to continue fighting. Two people died of illness. Now there are 61 people who are still healthy. Song Zhongyi

After they left, there were only fifty-five people left.

Li Shengtian didn't expect Zhang Zhao to be so open-minded, so he glanced at Zhang Zhao in surprise.

"If this is the case, of the two thousand one hundred and twenty people in the Fengtian Army, I estimate that the number you can bring back will not exceed fifteen hundred.

A mere 1,500 people, even if they are all in armor, is still not enough to support you in taking back the rebel army, at least it won't be that easy, and as for the Ganzhou Uighurs, it will probably be even more difficult to deal with."

"Why is there only the Fengtian Army?" Zhang Zhao pretended to be surprised and looked at Li Shengtian.

"Persia can take away at least two thousand people from the surrendered troops. If we recruit the tribes from Suiye and Shule, it shouldn't be difficult to get 1,500 people. In this way, there will be 5,000 people. There is a lot to do when we return to Hexi!"

"Still pretending!" Li Shengtian sneered at Zhang Zhao's pretense.

"Uncle, I don't know you yet? You have never thought about bringing many Persians and Suiye tribes back to Hexi.

Returning the nine bends of the Yellow River to the Han Dynasty, returning to the Central Plains as the Gu Zhong of the Tang Dynasty, and winning people's hearts with great righteousness is what you want to do, so there will definitely not be too many barbarians in your team, Zhang Erlang!"

Zhang Zhao had no idea that Li Shengtian knew him so well, so he could only take off his usual disguise and nodded his head in frustration.

"It's really troublesome! I can't take them away forcibly. Not only is it unethical, but even if they are taken back, it's useless to go back if they don't have the same heart with me!"

"come in!"

Li Shengtian suddenly shouted incoherently. Monk Zhang Zhaozhang was confused. What is coming in? Who is coming in?

‘Squeak!’ There were footsteps outside the door. Zhang Zhao looked towards the door in shock.

Liu Zaisheng, who was wearing a green robe, and three men who also wore round-neck robes and looked like generals walked in. They all had Han faces, and one of them looked familiar.

"My minister Li Ruoyu, the last general Liu Zaisheng, Zhao Cunyi, and Er Zhujing went to see the Great Sage and the Emperor, and paid homage to King Zhang!"

It turned out that this very familiar face was the cheap uncle whom Zhang Zhao had only met once, that is, Li Ruoyu, the eldest brother of Li Ruotai and Queen Zhongyun's aunt Li Ruoliu.

The remaining short and stocky one is called Ma Cunyi, and the square-faced one is called Er Zhujing. As for Liu Zaisheng, he is very familiar.

"A certain person summoned Tang'er from the Governor-General's District of Wangcheng and Shule in the Kingdom of Khotan and found 3,340 strong men. Among them, there were eight out of 2,000 who were strong enough to use them.

Among them, if the father and son are both present, if the father goes away, the son will stay. If the father goes away, the son will stay. If the brothers go away, the younger brother will stay. There are 1,780 warriors from Xionghu. Liu Zaisheng has been ordered to train day and night for more than five months.

I will allocate more than 900 people from the palace guards. My brother Ruoyu is also willing to follow you back eastward and get 300 of his elite troops, totaling 3,000, to follow you back eastward!"
To be continued...