Chapter 258: Emperor, Dao Master, Tathagata

"Many people don't understand, 'Why reform? Why revolutionize? Weren't things perfectly fine before? Everyone lived well, in peace and harmony. Now you've reformed, you've revolutionized—isn't it just for your imperial ambition? You've offended renowned clans and various sects. Isn't it just to expand the territory of Yankang? Now, natural disasters and man-made calamities plague us year after year, and it's all your fault, all because of your reforms.' This is nonsense!"

In Bazhou Prefecture, Emperor Yen Fengdi and a retinue of civil and military officials walked down the street. Seeing people lining up at government-sponsored relief porridge stalls to receive food, Emperor Yen Fengdi approached one of the stalls. The official distributing the porridge was about to kneel, but Emperor Yen Fengdi waved his hand and said, "It's freezing cold. There's no need for so much ceremony. How much does one person receive?"

"Your Majesty, an adult receives one bowl of rice porridge, two steamed buns, and a spoonful of dried vegetables."

Emperor Yen Fengdi nodded, dismissed the official, and took the ladle himself to distribute food to the disaster victims. Behind him stood a crowd of civil and military officials from the court. As he ladled out food, Emperor Yen Fengdi continued, "The ones who lived well before were never the common people! Minister of Agriculture, tell them how many people a single plot of fertile land could sustain before the Grand Tutor's reforms."

The Minister of Agriculture quickly replied, "Before the reforms, a plot of fertile land yielded three hundred and thirty catties of coarse grain annually. However, at that time, all the land was concentrated in the hands of aristocratic families, temples, and Taoist monasteries. Farmers had no land of their own. A farming family of seven or eight people cultivated eighty mu of land, growing grain, fruit, vegetables, and medicinal herbs. After a year of arduous labor, planting two seasons, they had no surplus grain. They could barely fill their stomachs, and might eat meat only once or twice a month. If they encountered a natural or man-made disaster, they would starve to death. In those years, many elderly people, facing famine, would voluntarily throw themselves into rivers or go up into the mountains to avoid burdening their families. Meanwhile, aristocratic families, temples, and Taoist monasteries hoarded immense amounts of grain and money."

Emperor Yen Fengdi said, "Eighty mu of land, supporting a family of seven or eight, after a year of hard work growing grain—where did all that grain go? Now, tell them again, after the reforms, how many people can one mu of land sustain?"

The Minister of Agriculture continued, "Your Majesty commanded the Grand Tutor to implement reforms, nationalizing all land. Aristocratic families, temples, and Taoist monasteries were forbidden from owning land. A 'dingnan' (able-bodied man) received eighty mu of land, twenty of which were fertile. In recent years, the population has multiplied several times, and the territory has expanded considerably, so the rules have changed: a 'dingnan' now receives forty mu of land, ten of which are fertile. The Grand Tutor had warriors and cultivators work on agricultural tasks, ensuring stable yields regardless of drought or flood; they could bring rain during dry spells and drain water during floods. As a result, there has been no famine for one hundred and sixty years. Currently, the yield per mu is eight hundred and twenty catties, and the land tax is two piculs. Farm families no longer find it expensive to eat meat."

"Three hundred and thirty catties. Eight hundred and twenty catties."

Emperor Yen Fengdi placed two steamed buns into a hungry person's bowl, added a spoonful of dried vegetables, and remarked with emotion, "What is a Buddha? This is Buddha—a living Buddha, a true Buddha, the Buddha of all common people! It's not about bearing the title of 'Tathagata' or 'Dao Master,' or speaking soothing words like 'chicken soup for the soul,' that makes one a Buddha or a Dao Master! Minister of Agriculture, let me ask you again: if the Grand Tutor's reforms are so good, and there's more grain, why is there still famine when a natural disaster strikes?"

The Minister of Agriculture looked troubled and hesitated, saying, "Well..."

"Speak!"

"Yes. Besides the population multiplying several times, there are also reasons like meat consumption and warfare. Feeding livestock requires grain, and feeding exotic beasts in the army, training troops, and waging war all demand provisions. Most importantly, it's the transfer of agricultural land. Some farmland has been bought back by powerful aristocratic clans and sectarian temples, making them landlords once more."

The Minister of Agriculture continued, "The grain has fallen back into their hands. The last time the sects rebelled, it was precisely because they had money and grain, which made them so audacious. And this current famine shouldn't have become so severe. Isn't it because the national treasury is empty after the wars, and these powerful aristocratic clans, sects, and temples are unwilling to release their grain? The impact of the last sectarian rebellion was too great..."

Emperor Yen Fengdi turned, glancing at his assembled officials, and said, "The powerful aristocratic clans, sects, temples, and Taoist monasteries used to sit high above, enjoying delicacies from mountains and seas every day, discussing poetry and romance, talking about Daoist magic and divine powers, and debating immortal longevity. With farmers supporting them, who among them would lend a hand to these farmers? If farmers disobeyed, they would directly unleash calamities and disasters upon them! Is this snow disaster strange? No, it's not. When sects ruled the country, such snow disasters were common! However, it wasn't gods inflicting calamities or heaven bringing hardships; rather, it was the sects unleashing disasters and difficulties to force the common people into submission and prevent them from rebelling!

"The Grand Tutor's reforms made the sects work for farmers and merchants, and they were displeased; they didn't want to do it. The Grand Tutor further reformed by establishing elementary schools, universities, and the Imperial Academy, transmitting the sects' skills to the world, allowing ordinary people to learn them. This made them even more unhappy. They wanted to rebel, to kill! Little did they know that if you trace their ancestry back eight generations, they were all farmers; not a single one was special!

"You all need to see this clearly, and hear this clearly. This time I'm beheading them, and next time, if you act like them, I'll behead you too! The officials I want are not these lofty sects, these 'great masters' or 'Buddhas.' The officials I want are those who can do things diligently and practically! Among the scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, the scholars must be able to work for and serve the farmers, artisans, and merchants! And there are still some scholar-officials in court who think they're superior. Damn it—Historian, forgive me for saying a vulgar word.—Damn it, they prattle on every day, thinking themselves pure and lofty! I wish I could lop off their heads!"

The civil and military officials bowed their heads, not daring to speak.

The two historians exchanged glances, both showing discomfort. One elder historian whispered, "Your Majesty, the Son of Heaven should be careful with his words."

Emperor Yen Fengdi said, "I don't often use coarse language. Wouldn't anyone curse when truly enraged? Historians, bear with me."

Just then, a large monk reached the front of the line for food. Holding a golden alms bowl, he smiled and said, "Your Majesty speaks very well, but when natural disasters strike, the true path is to stop them and prevent the people from suffering."

Emperor Yen Fengdi glanced at the monk, served him a bowl of rice, two steamed buns, and a spoonful of vegetables, saying, "I not only speak well, I act better. Great monk, eat slowly, and please don't disturb the common folk."

The monk assented, took his golden alms bowl, and departed.

"Tathagata!" The people behind Emperor Yen Fengdi felt a slight tremor in their hearts upon seeing the monk.

After the monk left, an old Taoist priest, disheveled and with somewhat messy hair, came forward, holding a bowl. He smiled and said, "Has Your Majesty eaten?"

Emperor Yen Fengdi's expression was grave. He served the Taoist priest, shaking his head and saying, "Not yet."

"Your Majesty should eat something. Only when you're full will you be ready for the journey."

Emperor Yen Fengdi nodded, took two steamed buns and a bowl of porridge, and said to his civil and military officials, "You should all eat something too. We've encountered something."

The civil and military officials looked at the monk and Taoist priest as if facing a great enemy. They saw the two men, one with a golden alms bowl and the other with a simple bowl, squatting by the street corner, relishing their porridge, steamed buns, and dried vegetables.

The officials stepped forward, each received a portion of food, and squatted at the street corner. Emperor Yen Fengdi also squatted there, eating in silence.

After finishing their meal, Emperor Yen Fengdi went to the hand pump to draw water and wash his bowl, with the officials queuing behind him. Tathagata and the Dao Master also stepped forward to wash their bowls and chopsticks, saying, "It has been a long time since we tasted human food; it has a unique flavor."

"These ministers and I, however, have been eating this for several months."

Emperor Yen Fengdi said earnestly, "You two Daoist brothers should eat this more often. Don't live too high up or too far away."

"Living high and far is to avoid worldly attachments."

The old Dao Master smiled and said, "You are an emperor of the human world, governing mortals. But cultivating the Dao and cultivating Buddha requires distancing oneself from worldly disturbances; once entangled, it's hard to break free."

Emperor Yen Fengdi asked with a smile, "Dao Master, can you become a true god?"

The Dao Master shook his head.

Emperor Yen Fengdi then asked Tathagata, "Tathagata, can you become a true Buddha?"

Tathagata shook his head, "The Divine Bridge is broken. Who can become a true god or Buddha?"

"Then what nonsense are you talking about? 'Distancing yourselves from the mortal world,' acting as if you're so mighty...—Historians, I've used crude language again. Don't record it; I know. You may leave. You are not needed here."

Having said that, Emperor Yen Fengdi walked out of the city, followed by his civil and military officials. Emperor Yen Fengdi stopped, turned back, and smiled, "Although we're operating by imperial rules, not martial arts rules, we don't need so many people. Those at the Divine Bridge realm may stay; the rest are dismissed."

Many civil and military officials halted. Seven people remained by Emperor Yen Fengdi's side: Grand Commandant Yuankong the Monk, Minister of Education Xiule Qing, Minister of Works Wei Pingbo, Grand General of Heavenly Strategies Qin Baoyue, King of Mount Tai Lingxu Hua, General of Valiant Cavalry Quan Dingwu, and Grand Mentor Su Yunzhi. Including the Emperor, there were eight individuals.

Tathagata and the Dao Master paid no heed and continued walking forward.

Emperor Yen Fengdi led his group to follow. They continued walking even after leaving the city, until they reached the fields outside. Emperor Yen Fengdi stopped to look at the crop seedlings and asked an old farmer, "Will there be a good harvest?"

"Yes!" the old farmer replied loudly.

Emperor Yen Fengdi smiled and turned back to his few ministers, saying, "A good harvest is possible!"

The Dao Master said, "Your Majesty, it might be possible this year, but not necessarily next year. This old Daoist has brought a scroll, which records the stories of the Great Ruins. It's called the Kaihuang Calamity Sutra. Your Majesty can read it slowly as we walk. If, after reading it, Your Majesty still insists on reforms, then this sun and moon will usher in a new heaven."

Tathagata sighed, "The Dao Master is compassionate."

The Dao Master shook his head, "He doesn't know the dangers here. If he did, he would be like us." With that, he handed the Kaihuang Calamity Sutra to Emperor Yen Fengdi.

"Your Majesty, be wary of a trick!" Grand Mentor Su Yunzhi warned.

Emperor Yen Fengdi smiled and said, "It's fine."

He took the Kaihuang Calamity Sutra from the Dao Master's hand, opened it, and began to read it carefully.

They continued walking unhurriedly. Emperor Yen Fengdi turned page after page, reading the Kaihuang Calamity Sutra from beginning to end. The Dao Master and Tathagata did not urge him, but walked silently forward.

After walking a hundred li or so, Emperor Yen Fengdi finished reading the Kaihuang Calamity Sutra. He composed himself, looked up at the sky, and remained silent.

The old Dao Master said, "Your Majesty, with the common people in your thoughts, you should know what to do now, shouldn't you?"

Emperor Yen Fengdi stared blankly, then suddenly said, "When I was young, the Yankang Nation didn't have such vast territory, and the Emperor wasn't so revered. At that time, various sects and aristocratic families still wielded immense power. Once, I accompanied an envoy abroad to a place called Yuanqi Nation, which is now Yuanzhou. There, a lightning disaster was raging. Dark clouds covered Yuanqi Nation, and thunderbolts cracked continuously, killing countless livestock and countless common people."

"The Emperor of Yuanqi Nation, along with his civil and military officials, knelt amidst the lightning disaster, begging for forgiveness, and the people of the nation also knelt, imploring Heaven's wrath to subside. In that lightning disaster, the Emperor was struck dead. Later, I learned that the 'Heaven' they spoke of was not a celestial god, but the Lei Yin Sect, a monastic order. Presumably, the harvest was poor, and the tribute to the Lei Yin Sect was meager, so the Lei Yin Sect brought down the calamity. The cause of the lightning calamity was the Lei Yin Sect's sacred artifact, the Nine Heavens Thunder-Inducing Canopy, which guarded their sect. The Emperor took the blame upon himself, so the Lei Yin Sect struck him dead and replaced him with another emperor. At that time, I began to think..."

He looked at the Dao Master and Tathagata, saying each word distinctly, "I will overthrow you! Now, I have achieved it. However, what I and the Grand Tutor have done is not enough, which is why this snow disaster is happening. Are they not just gods? I will overthrow the gods then!"

The Dao Master could not help but say, "Does Your Majesty not consider the common people? Do you wish to turn Yankang into another Great Ruins? You and the Grand Tutor carried out reforms, you and the Grand Tutor subdued those sects, unifying such a vast territory—this old Daoist never stopped you, did I? But if you reform further, it will provoke Heaven's wrath and endanger all living beings!"

The old Tathagata said, "Your Majesty, please reconsider."

Emperor Yen Fengdi said, "You have your beliefs, and I have mine."

The old Tathagata sighed and said to the Dao Master, "Old Daoist friend, let's replace the Emperor."

The Dao Master took out his Daoist sword and nodded, "Very well. All good words have been spoken, but since His Majesty remains deluded, we have no choice but to replace the Emperor."

Emperor Yen Fengdi looked around and saw old Taoist priests, old monks, impoverished scholars, and others approaching from all directions, surrounding them. Their numbers were far greater than the eight individuals in the Emperor's group.

Grand General of Heavenly Strategies and the others' expressions changed drastically.

Emperor Yen Fengdi was astonished and burst into laughter, "Tathagata, Dao Master, I thought you would follow the rules of the martial world. I didn't expect you to resort to imperial court rules."

Tathagata shook his head and said, "We have no choice, Your Majesty, please forgive us. Dao Master, fellow Daoists, let us send His Majesty on his way."