The fifth day of the first month of the tenth year of Bao University.

Just after the New Year's Festival, the state capitals of the Southern Tang Dynasty posted announcements everywhere, which had nothing to do with the celebration of the festival, and the people everywhere were helpless, just because the emperor Li Jing ordered all localities to urgently raise military rations. Since the first year of Baoda, almost eight of the ten years have been wars, and the heavy burden of taxes, money and food finally fell on the common people.

It's not that Li Jing has won many battles and is quite prestigious, just because he has a good father. At the beginning, the national policy of recuperation after the founding of the Tang Dynasty Liezu Li Yu accumulated an incomparably solid family foundation for the Southern Tang Dynasty, the population was extremely prosperous, the Jianghuai industry and commerce were developed, and compared with the chaotic Central Plains region, there were very few wars in the local area, so the life of the people of the Southern Tang Dynasty was stable.

It's just that after Li Jing ascended the throne, he went around on a campaign, although he had the ambition of reviving the Tang Dynasty, the results of the war were far away, and the hearts of the people had a lot of fluctuations over the years.

The situation in Jinling, the national capital, is very different from other state capitals. Li Yuan was ordered to be on duty at the south gate of the palace today, since leaving the house, just after drinking Hongqiao, he heard hundreds of students and businessmen gathered on the street, as if the crowd was excited, and ordered his own soldiers to come forward to inquire, it turned out that this large group of people was gathering people to petition, all kinds of generous and enthusiastic words condensed into one sentence, please Your Majesty send troops to pacify Chudi as soon as possible......

The power of public opinion in these years should not be underestimated! Li Yuan couldn't help but sigh. And then, when he raised his eyes and saw the entrance of the Zhushi Ya on Yufang Street not far away, the guards who were usually aggressive were unusually unusual, and did not come out to stop such a large-scale uproar. Li Yuan shook his head, smiled knowingly and went straight to the palace gate.

Just after the early dynasty, Li Yuan was resting in the south gate class room at this time, at this time Liu Shaojian hurried over, acquaintances were inevitably polite when they met, and then passed on the emperor's dictation, today's birthday of the ancestor, the queen Zhong wanted to go to the Qingliang Temple to pray for the Buddha, and ordered the palace to be directly Yu Marquis Li Yuan, leading four teams of foot riders to act as a guard of honor, carefully escorting.

Li Yuan immediately received the order, sent his own soldiers to quickly order four teams of foot cavalry, inspected the appearance of the sergeants, and went to the west gate of the palace to wait in front of the small Hongqiao according to Liu Shaojian's instructions.

Buddhism flourished in the Southern Tang Dynasty, and there were dozens of temples of all sizes in this Jinling city alone. And today's Qingliang Temple, where Queen Zhong is going, can be said to be the most representative of them.

Qingliang Temple, located on Qingliang Mountain in the west of Jinling City, is the famous stone mountain across the city wall. The original name Xingjiao Temple, was built in Yang Wu Wuyi three years (921 years), it is said that when Tang Liezu Li Yu went to Qingliang Mountain to take refuge in the summer, he found that this place was really comfortable, under the great joy of Longyan, he changed a long name to this Qingliang Temple: Stone Qingliang Avenue Field. Since then, Qingliang Temple has become a unique existence in the Southern Tang Buddhist Temple, and while the incense is vigorous, it is also the summer palace of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

After Li Jing ascended the throne, he liked to devote himself to worshipping the Buddha here, and also invited the famous monk Wenyi Zen Master to come to the hall to receive the public. Whenever there are natural disasters and man-made disasters in the country, and great ceremonies and wars, Li Jing and Empress Zhong will come here to ask the Buddha and pray for blessings. The emperor took the lead, the ministers and the people were even more, to the end the believers of Jinling accounted for six or seven out of ten, it was really many, so the small Jiuhua Temple and Shanqing Temple on both sides of the left and right also prospered along the way, the incense of these three temples was described by later generations as one of the forty-eight views of Jinling, "cool and ask the Buddha".

But today's "Cool Ask the Buddha", Li Yuan is a little uncomfortable. After receiving Queen Fengyan from Xiaohongqiao, he was shocked by the huge battle that was dispatched. So he had to disperse the four teams of foot cavalry, and personally led half of the cavalry and personal soldiers to open the way in the front, and the infantry were all assigned to guard on both sides of the team, hundreds of eunuchs and palace maids followed, and the queen and a cadre of imperial relatives, large and small officials were firmly guarded in the center, and finally the remaining half of the cavalry was left for the pressure formation.

With such a huge procession, the queen's chariot had to be kept steady, and the speed of progress was naturally slow. Li Yuan, as the leading escort general, had to firmly grasp the reins, deliberately control the speed, and vigilantly observe the large number of people around him from time to time. Fortunately, Li Yuan's equestrian skills are now proficient under the strong training of the ebony special service, and he can easily clamp the horse's belly, but he can't gallop on a war horse, and he is not happy.

Walking from the west gate of the palace to Qingliang Temple, it was less than half an hour's journey on weekdays, but in accordance with the will of the queen and the people, the large team of people and horses entered and exited in various streets, and walked for nearly two hours.

Finally arrived at the gate of Qingliang Temple, the abbot of the temple and a group of monks have been waiting outside the door, and after everyone greeted the queen into the temple, Li Yuan scattered his foot and rode around the temple to guard, and he took his own soldiers into the guard.

Witnessing the scenery in this temple, Li Yuan called it a feast for his eyes. In addition to the temple Buddha statues, furnace and incense cases, only the cultivation of exotic flowers and plants, as well as ingenious pavilions, I am afraid that this place can be comparable to the palace.

"How much money does it cost! ......" Li Yuan couldn't help but look at the delicate and dazzling gilt carvings at the palace gate, and let out an exclamation.

I saw Liu Shaojian come over and said with a smile: "Li Yuhou is escorting you properly today, and the queen is praising you!" When the mother returns to the palace, there will definitely be a reward. ”

Li Yuan hurriedly walked in the direction of the hall and respectfully bowed his hand and said: "This is a matter within the reach of the last general, thank you to the queen mother!" "Although I am not sure if the queen can hear the thick chanting in her voice, there are some rituals that must be done.

Young Eunuch Liu nodded with satisfaction, then pointed to a pavilion outside and said: "Li Yuhou, today is the birthday of the ancestor of the Lie, and it is estimated that it will take a lot of time for the Niangniang to listen to the Dharma and pray for blessings. As a rule, you don't have to stay here all the time, just leave the sergeant on patrol, but don't go too far. ”

Li Yuan nodded hurriedly in agreement. After nearly a quarter of an hour, Li Yuan felt a little dizzy. It's not that I've been influenced by Buddhism to have some understanding, but this large series of circular obscure tones, like stereos, constantly shuttles in the ears, plus guarding the temple door is just the brunt of it, those smoke quickly make people cry The incense keeps coming towards him, Li Yuan secretly complains in his heart, Wukong Cheng does not deceive me!

Finally stayed up until the door of the palace was closed, and after Li Yuan repeatedly instructed the sergeants, he raised his eyes and found a seemingly quiet pavilion not far away, and he was ready to go over to ask for a moment of peace.

Just walked a few steps, a young man with extraordinary bearing walked in front of him, Li Yuan looked at it slightly, this person was wearing a purple silk Luo disembowelment, with a gold-inlaid jade belt hook around his waist, and the crown on his head was decorated with gold cicadas, and the most conspicuous thing was the seven colorful jade beads on it.

This is a real prince! Li Yuan hurriedly bowed and saluted, and just as he was about to speak, he really didn't know the name of this person, so he had to shout in a hurry: "The last general will meet the king!" ”

I saw that this man was friendly, and said with a faint smile: "You are Li Yuan, the Marquis of Yu, the palace capital?" ”

"Back to the king, it is the last general!"

The man's eyes were full of appreciation: "This king has already heard of Li Yuhou's prestige, well, it is really extraordinary when I see it today!" No need to be polite! I wonder if Li Yuhou can go with this king? ”

Li Yuan didn't dare to agree immediately, it's not that this prince has never met, but there are many people in this temple today, and he has the responsibility of escorting him as a general of the forbidden army, so he rashly followed him, if he went too far, if he caused any incident later, wouldn't he be unclear? But after all, the position is here, and it is not easy to offend himself, so he hesitated for a moment and said: "This general is ordered to guard here, I'm afraid it won't be easy to leave——"

The man snorted lightly, then laughed heartily, "What's the matter? The door of the temple is closed, and the queen mother prays inside, and she will not be disturbed. As usual, you don't have to wait here, just leave the sergeant to patrol, and besides, the king has also set up guards, which is enough to ensure that the queen mother is safe! ”

Then he showed a sly gaze and said jokingly: "Moreover, isn't this king about to leave when he sees Li Yuhou?" Don't worry, this king won't let you go too far, just go to the gazebo in front of you. ”

In a word, Li Yuan had to laugh awkwardly: "The last general obeys the order!" ”

The man nodded with a smile, and then said, "By the way, Li Yuhou is afraid that he has never seen this king before. This king was ordered by his father to guard Runzhou, and it was rare to return to Jinling once. ”

Runzhou? Li Yuan thought about it quickly, called the queen "Queen Mother", and guarded Runzhou, eighteen or nineteen years old, what dare you do?

This time, Li Yuan saluted without thinking: "The last general will meet His Royal Highness King Yan!" ”