Chapter 762 Where are the gods?
Screams continued to be heard from Datong City. The footsteps were hurried and panicky. After a while of running, there was the sound of horse hooves.
A man squatted behind the crack of his front door with a kitchen knife in his hand, looking out through the crack and muttering, "More than 30 people, all... Li Laosan, didn't this bastard say he was willing to die for the Holy Church? How come he ran so fast?"
The wife was standing behind him, looking out through the crack in the door above, "The cavalry is coming. Li Laosan...he actually knelt down."
"Damn it! Didn't we agree to go to paradise together?" The man was stunned, and then exclaimed, "Oh my!"
The cavalryman rode past Li Laosan's side, and with the flash of his long sword, the head fell down, rolling and rolling outside the door of this family's house.
Those familiar eyes, and the remaining fear and pleading...
"Ah!" The man exclaimed, sat down on the ground, and crawled backwards using his hands and feet.
The woman stared at the head blankly, muttering, "Dead, gone to paradise... But, isn't paradise not afraid of pain? He... why is he afraid?"
The woman turned around and said, "I know, there is no paradise."
The man leaned against the only lame table in the house, panting, "Yes, yes!" He pounded the ground almost frantically, "It must be there."
"If there was, why did Li Laosan feel so much pain?" The woman was angry. "He was still smiling before, why is he so scared after his head was cut off?"
"It's scary if you're human."
"But what about the gods? We agreed that the gods would come to take us away."
"Gods..." The man was stunned. "Too many people died today. The gods are probably too busy to handle it!"
"Don't gods have great powers? How can they be so busy?"
"How would I know."
"The leader and his men are outside the city!"
"So what?"
"Master, why do you stay in the human world when you have paradise?"
"The leader... they said that the leader is here to help those of us who are suffering and to persuade us to go to the paradise."
"Then why did he go to the grassland?"
"If you don't go, you'll be killed."
"Why is he afraid of death? Why?" The woman squatted in front of her husband, with confusion in her eyes, "Why is he afraid of death?"
"Yes...why would the leader be afraid of death?"
At this time, the son who was huddled beside him muttered, "Dad, Mom, there are no gods in the world!"
"Nonsense." The man shouted. "Who told you that?"
The child was about eight or nine years old. He huddled beside the table and said, "I heard an old monk say that last time."
"What did the old monk say?"
The child sniffed, "The old monk said that even Buddha said that he couldn't save the world, and the world can only save themselves."
"Bullshit!" the man said disdainfully.
The woman looked at him in astonishment, "You said that what Buddha said was bullshit?"
The man was stunned, "How could Buddha say this?"
"Yes!" the child said, "The old monk also said that Buddha only enlightens the world, and he himself is an enlightened person! There are no gods in the world."
The man sat there blankly. "No gods?"
"The old monk said that the Dharma is like a bamboo raft, used to cross the river. Once you have crossed the river, the raft is useless and you can just throw it away. What else can you say? Whoever clings to the Dharma is just an attachment..."
"Ego." The woman was a devout Christian and often went to attend classes.
"Yes, it's ego." The child has a good memory, with a pair of dark eyes that are very spiritual. "The old monk said that Buddha, gods, and so on... are all ego. Once you understand, you will know.
Those ordinary people suffer in the world, sinking in the sea of suffering. Buddha, gods, and the Dharma are just straws floating on the sea of suffering. They grab them and won’t let go... but they don’t know that they are just tools for them to realize that all impermanence is illusory. They regard the tools as life-saving straws. They are wrong, very wrong. "
The woman sat down blankly, and suddenly her eyes lit up, "My son has such a good memory."
The man was desperate, but upon hearing this he slowly looked at his child, "What do you remember?"
"I still remember the old monk saying that all phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. They are like dew and lightning, and should be viewed in this way. He said that everything that changes is impermanent and illusory... Whoever can see through this is his own Buddha."
The man looked at his wife and said, "My son is so smart. If he goes to school..."
"I'm sure he can be an official."
"But the money in the family... it's all your fault. Last time the believers came to collect donations, you gave away most of the family's money. Now my son wants to go to school and I can't even afford the gift of worship."
The child said, "Dad, Mom, please stop arguing."
"Go aside!"
"Dad, the old monk said that what belongs to you is yours, and what doesn't belong to you is useless no matter how much you try. Since the money has been given away, it shouldn't belong to us..."
The couple looked at each other.
“This kid is so smart.”
“It shows that our ancestors have spirits.”
"Be good, your parents will find a way to get you to study. At least you can get a good education. By the way, this matter needs the blessing of our ancestors... Hurry and find some incense."
"You have used all the incense to offer to the gods."
"Gods are useless. Hurry up and find some and worship our ancestors."
In the city, the remaining White Lotus followers were surrounded in an open space in the south of the city.
"Homeland of the Vacuum, Mother of No Birth. For the sake of the Holy Religion, kill!"
"If you die for the Holy Religion, you will ascend to the paradise. Kill!"
After a while, all those crazy believers turned into corpses.
The cavalrymen then left.
After an unknown amount of time, a man emerged from the pile of corpses. He looked at the followers and choked up, "Brother, where are you?"
The man looked up at the sky, "Where are the gods? Why don't they come?"
Above the sky, the color is blue.
Zhang Da was standing outside the general's mansion when a group of cavalrymen came galloping towards him.
"General, kill all the White Lotus sect demons in the city."
Zhang Da nodded, "Patrol everywhere and arrest anyone who is suspicious."
"Take orders."
The captain of the Imperial Guard came down with his men, looking quite tired.
"Thanks to you this time." Zhang Da was prepared for a rebellion by wealthy merchants, but he didn't expect it to be an uprising by the White Lotus Sect.
The captain also knew that he had made a great contribution this time. "This matter was arranged by Lord Changwei. I should thank him." "I don't know how the war is going." Zhang Da looked at the top of the city wall, "Oh, by the way, those wealthy merchants..."
"We're at a party."
"Not taking action?"
"Isn't this subordinate waiting for General Zhang's instructions?"
"Just kidding."
"I'm not joking." The captain said, "Your contribution is too great, and I'm afraid something might happen."
Zhang Da looked at the captain and said, "I heard that Commander Lu is quite tolerant towards his subordinates."
Lu Bing wouldn't be suspicious of his subordinates.
"Who doesn't have a few enemies?" The captain smiled bitterly.
……
More than a dozen wealthy businessmen were gathered in a mansion.
"The fighting outside the city is in full swing. According to the agreement, we should take action."
"But before we could make any move, the demon from the White Lotus Cult made its move."
"How about waiting?"
"Go and ask. If the evil people from the White Lotus Sect succeed, we will stop our actions."
More than a dozen wealthy merchants raised their glasses, and the leading merchant said with a smile: "Then we will make some noise and claim the credit afterwards... Who dares to say that the chaos in the city is not our credit?"
Someone asked, "What about the White Lotus demon?"
The leading merchant laughed sinisterly and said, "Once the city is breached, Altan's cavalry will swarm in, and those evildoers will be doomed."
Everyone smiled and drank it all in one gulp.
The leading merchant sat down, and a maid poured wine. He pointed at the dishes. They had eaten everything on weekdays, and at this moment their minds were full of excitement about doing something big, so they just wanted to taste the food for the sake of their own intention.
The leading merchant ate a piece of beef and said, "Afterwards, they insisted that we were the first to attack, and the evil people of the White Lotus Sect took advantage of the situation to start the rebellion."
"Lao Zhang, now I'm worried that Altan will go back on his word." said a wealthy businessman.
"What is there for him to regret?" said the leading wealthy businessman.
The merchant said, "An Da said there would be a big reward after the mission was accomplished, but he was vague about what the big reward was..."
Lao Zhang sighed, "After this is done, we will be the only ones allowed to do business between the grassland and the Central Plains. This alone is better than countless others. Don't be too greedy."
There was something strange in the merchant's eyes: "If Altan Khan can destroy the Ming Dynasty, he will definitely ascend the throne and become emperor. Old Zhang, everyone..."
Haoshang looked at everyone and said, "We have made contributions in starting the uprising and leading the way. Will there be any rewards?"
"Of course there is!"
"Altan Khan is not a stingy Khan. He has given generous rewards to those who have made contributions in the past."
At this time, the sound of a horn was heard in the distance.
The continuous sound of horns sounded like muffled thunder.
The merchant tilted his head and said, "Listen, this is Altan... No, this is the Khan urging his men. It shows that the battle situation is favorable."
Everyone was listening, with fascinated looks on their faces.
The merchant said, "If the Khan becomes emperor, what will he reward us with?"
"money!"
"Money is definitely necessary."
"But what about money?"
"Yes! Can our children become officials?"
"We are businessmen, and businessmen...have a bad reputation."
"I have a way to improve our reputation."
"What method?" Everyone looked at Lao Zhang.
Lao Zhang played with the wine glass and said, "If we add a word in front of the word Shang, it will have a different taste."
"What word?"
"Old Zhang, please tell me now! Why are you keeping me in suspense?"
"This is a matter of great importance to the wealth and prosperity of our descendants."
"We have enough money. It would be better for us to take charge of the country instead of watching those idiots behave ugly in the government."
Lao Zhang raised his hand, and when everyone calmed down, he whispered, "Emperor!"
"Emperor?"
"What emperor?"
"You wait and connect Huang and Shang."
"Royal Merchant!"
"Yes, the Royal Merchant!"
The wealthy merchants' eyes lit up.
"Yes, those scholars and officials are in collusion with each other, and they have made their own businesses flourish, but they regard merchants as menial servants. If we become imperial merchants... who would dare to look down on us?"
"Wonderful!"
"Royal Merchant! Wonderful!"
"I can't wait to take action. Everyone, let's start the rebellion!" said a wealthy businessman.
"Yes, let's do it!"
"With the help of both inside and outside forces, we surrendered the city of Datong."
"Then lead the way for the Khan and destroy Zhu Ming!"
"Okay!" Lao Zhang threw the wine glass.
Bah!
Everyone followed suit!
blah blah blah!
Bang!
The door was suddenly pushed open from outside.
Everyone looked at him angrily.
A general stood outside the door, looking coldly at these wealthy merchants.
"kill!"
(End of this chapter)
