bayedsolid Chapter 268 World of Famous Works 57
Chapter 268 World of Famous Works 57
The traveler beside him smiled and said to Tang Sanzang, "Elder, you've come all the way from the west, and you still don't know? The territory of the Great Tang has expanded rapidly in recent years. It is said that our Great Tang army is now stationed on the border with the Lion Camel Kingdom. Who knows when, the Lion Camel Kingdom and that Bhikkhu India will all belong to our Great Tang territory."
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang's pupils dilated in shock. He had heard yesterday that some countries in the west now belonged to the Tang Dynasty, but he never expected that they had already reached the border of the Lion Camel Kingdom.
If you go south of Lion Camel Kingdom, isn't that Bhikkhu Kingdom, which destroyed France and India?
Tang Sanzang felt conflicted. The prosperity of the Tang Dynasty was a good thing, but wouldn't war only increase bloodshed?
"Absolutely not! The people of those western countries would love to be citizens of the Tang Dynasty, and some have even come to join us. The Tang Dynasty is still short of manpower, so how could we possibly harm ordinary people? They are all settled in well, and their lives are a hundred times better than before."
Tang Sanzang was stunned for a moment, not expecting that he had actually spoken his true feelings.
"The imperial court sent people to build karez wells, so there will never be a water shortage in the west again. There are also high-quality seeds provided by the court, and the crops in the fields are more than we can eat. There are also cotton, fruit trees... As long as people are diligent, they won't starve to death, and they might even have some left over to sell for money. Who would want to live a miserable life when they have a good life?"
After hearing the explanation from those around him, Tang Sanzang kept chanting: Amitabha, Amitabha, Buddha is merciful.
The traveler next to him laughed. What does this have to do with Buddha? Isn't it all achieved through people's own hard work?
We should also thank the imperial court and the officials and craftsmen who worked hard to build in the west.
However, knowing that the person in front of him was a monk, he ultimately did not reveal his true feelings.
Suddenly, Tang Sanzang seemed to remember something and asked the person next to him, "Is the Western Liang Women's Kingdom now also under the jurisdiction of our Great Tang?"
"of course."
Tang Sanzang asked anxiously, "Is Her Majesty the Queen alright?"
Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie beside him exchanged knowing glances. Look, their master is still thinking about that queen.
Realizing he had somewhat lost his composure, Tang Sanzang coughed lightly and explained, "Many years ago, I passed through the Women's Kingdom of Xiliang. Her Majesty the Queen took great care of my master and me. Time has passed, and I was merely inquiring about the well-being of an old friend."
The traveler thought for a moment, then hissed and said, "Speaking of this Queen of Xiliang, she was quite a tough nut to crack back then. They were unwilling to surrender, and there was a large river surrounding the city, making it difficult for our country's army to cross. Later... tsk tsk."
His tone suddenly carried a hint of melancholy.
Tang Sanzang's heart sank. Could it be that the Queen was unwilling to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, fought to the death, and then perished?
"Later, someone came up with an idea, saying that the queen liked to hear fair-skinned and handsome monks chanting scriptures. So the army actually brought over a group of unarmed monks, who sat at the city gate with their scriptures and chanted. Hey, guess what? In less than three days, the queen actually opened the country's gates and agreed to discuss surrender with the Tang Dynasty."
Tang Sanzang felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this, "Is Her Majesty the Queen still alive?"
The traveler glared at him and said, "Isn't that obvious? Of course she's still alive and well. As long as they truly submit to our Great Tang, our Great Tang army won't kill indiscriminately. The royal families of those small western countries have mostly been granted titles by the Emperor. The Queen of Western Liang has been granted the title of Prince of Western Liang and has her own residence in Chang'an. By the way, it seems she's currently in Chang'an and doesn't return to Western Liang very often."
Knowing that the Queen was still alive, Tang Sanzang was relieved. For some reason, he asked, "Does the Queen still enjoy listening to people chant scriptures?"
The traveler waved his hand: "I stopped listening a long time ago. Chang'an is so prosperous, at least a hundred times more prosperous than that remote place, Xiliang County. Now, all the good things from all over the country come from Chang'an. Especially after the curfew was lifted, it's a city that never sleeps, lit up every night until dawn. The Emperor himself praised it as the Tang Dynasty's 'City That Never Sleeps.' The East Market and West Market are the commercial centers of Chang'an, with taverns, theaters, and a collection of rare treasures from all over the country. What can't you do there? Moreover, the Emperor knows that the customs of their hometown are different from those of the Tang Dynasty. He not only granted the Prince of Xiliang County permission to continue living according to his hometown customs, but also bestowed upon her more than a dozen male servants to serve her. I heard that they are all as handsome as Pan An. The Queen is busy all day long, how could she have time to listen to monks chanting scriptures?"
These words struck Tang Sanzang like a heavy hammer, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
A traveler standing nearby remarked, "Chang'an is truly dazzling with wealth and splendor now."
Tang Sanzang remained silent.
After remaining silent the entire way, Tang Seng finally realized what it meant to be blinded by wealth and power when the train arrived in Chang'an and he exited the station.
Everywhere you look, there are three- or four-story buildings with colorful plaques hanging on them.
The road on the ground was not the cement road I had seen in Chechi County before, but a black asphalt road that was said to be paved with asphalt.
It was flat and smooth, with white lines drawn on it, and wide enough for several carriages to ride side by side.
However, there were no horse-drawn carriages on the road, only small cars with four wheels. It is said that this is because horses defecate everywhere, so they can only travel on special carriage lanes.
Of course, the most common vehicles are two-wheeled bicycles or cargo tricycles.
"Ding ding ding ding ding—" A crisp bell rang out, and a carriage that looked just like a train slowly approached from a distance along a track embedded in the ground.
Suddenly, someone next to me shouted, "Quick, the tram is here! Get ready to board!"
Tang Sanzang and his companions stared blankly as the people around them jumped onto the tram and drove away.
Pigsy scratched his head and asked Tang Sanzang, "Master, where are we going next?"
Tang Sanzang opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Where did you bring this to him?
Is this still Chang'an?
He now sees everything in Chang'an as completely unfamiliar, so how could he possibly know where to go next?
"Brother Monkey!" a clear voice rang out.
Sun Wukong looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lin Xiaoqian and four others walking towards them.
Sun Wukong exclaimed joyfully, "Little Qian!"
Lin Xiaoqian nodded with a smile: "Master said you would arrive in Chang'an today and asked me to come here to pick you up. Brother Monkey, you took the train to Chang'an without even telling me."
Sun Wukong scratched his face. "Hehe, I forgot."
Lin Xiaoqian turned to look at the only person wearing a kasaya beside him and asked, "This must be Elder Xuanzang. I've long admired your name. You must have had a hard journey to obtain the scriptures."