Are they still there?
If so, is it in another space or universe, or in this space?
Shaking his head, putting aside these somewhat far-fetched thoughts, Xu Zhengyang picked up his teacup, took a sip, leaned back against Li Bingjie's chest, feeling her tenderness, and said with a smile, "In a few days, we'll take a boat abroad and travel around... It won't cost any money, we have our own ship."
"Hehe." Li Bingjie couldn't help but laugh. Of course, she knew that when Xu Zhengyang mentioned his ships, he was referring to the cargo ships belonging to Zhengyang International Logistics Group. Even now, Xu Zhengyang would occasionally reveal a bit of pettiness, which always made Li Bingjie smile wryly.
"I want to go too..."
As the childish voice rang out, Xu Xiaotian skipped and hopped in from outside the door.
The little guy has been listening at the door for a while now.
Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie both wore happy smiles. The child was becoming more and more sensible as he grew older, though he still occasionally showed some mischievousness and playfulness. For example, eavesdropping on adults' conversations… Although Li Bingjie and Xu Zhengyang couldn't hide such things from each other, they still indulged his childlike innocence, letting him feel happy and have fun, as long as it wasn't something so private as to be shameful.
The family of three was enjoying a happy time, chatting and laughing, when Wang Yonggan's report echoed in Xu Zhengyang's mind:
"Sir, a monk has come to see you."
"Oh?" Xu Zhengyang laughed, "Don't stop me."
"Yes," Wang Yonggan replied.
Xu Zhengyang stood up, took his son's little hand, and walked out, saying to his wife, "We have guests. Let's meet them. Speaking of which, I've been thinking of traveling all over the country to visit famous scenic spots, seek out reclusive masters, and learn about some religious ideas..."
"Who's here?" Li Bingjie asked curiously.
"A high-ranking monk."
...
The family of three had just gone downstairs to the living room when Qingling came in from outside and said that an old monk had come to visit Xu Zhengyang. He claimed to be named Jueyuan.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and instructed, "Please invite Master Jueyuan in."
Qingling nodded and walked out.
A moment later, an elderly monk with white hair and beard and a ruddy complexion entered. He greeted Xu Zhengyang with his hands clasped together and introduced himself. Master Jueyuan had a serene expression, and his eyes were deep and clear, like still water. He was a highly respected monk in the national religious association, but in recent years he had rarely made public appearances.
When Xu Zhengyang was studying some books on religious thought a while ago, he occasionally looked up some information online and learned about the name of Master Jueyuan.
The couple politely returned the greeting and invited Master Jueyuan upstairs.
Xu Zhengyang agrees with many aspects of the doctrines and moral principles advocated by true religious beliefs. Of course, given his divine status, there are naturally aspects he disagrees with. However, he still holds a deep respect for those who possess unparalleled wisdom and a transcendent state of mind.
After inviting Master Jueyuan into the study, Li Bingjie took the child and left so as not to disturb their conversation. She then asked the nanny, Xiao Zhou, to brew a pot of hot tea and bring it to the study.
Xu Zhengyang prefers a simple and elegant style, so his study is decorated in a quiet and secluded manner, with two potted bamboo bonsai, a few hanging orchids, and antique-style furniture in natural wood color. The room also exudes a faint fragrance.
Master Jueyuan's expression remained gentle and peaceful, with a smile on his face. After thanking him and sitting down, he said, "Amitabha, I apologize for the uninvited visit."
"You're too kind, Master." Xu Zhengyang smiled as he poured tea. "I've long heard of your great reputation and was just thinking of paying you a visit. What a coincidence..."
"Everything originates from the Dharma, and things will naturally come to pass when the conditions are right."
Master Jueyuan spoke with a smile on his face, yet he gave people an extremely calm feeling.
"Master Jueyuan is a highly accomplished monk. I hope you will give me your guidance, haha." Xu Zhengyang really wanted to use some polite phrases like "your presence is an honor to grace my humble abode," but it felt awkward and a bit pretentious, so he didn't bother with formalities.
Master Jueyuan looked calmly at Xu Zhengyang, his deep eyes shining with a clear light that seemed to penetrate the heart. He spoke softly and calmly, "May I ask, Benefactor Xu... how should this monk address you?"
"Let's call him Zhengyang," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"I dare not," Master Jueyuan shook his head. "You are a deity, and in this world you are the only one worthy of respect..."
Xu Zhengyang smiled, shook his head, and remained silent.
"I dare to address you by your name, benefactor," Master Jueyuan sighed softly. "Now that Zhengyang is a deity, why is he meddling in worldly affairs?"
"Shouldn't it be?" Xu Zhengyang asked with a smile.
"Above and below heaven, I alone am supreme." Master Jueyuan said calmly, "The so-called 'solely' means that everyone in the world can live for themselves and does not need to control their own destiny. I suppose that what Zhengyang has said and done is pursuing such a fair world, is that right?"
Xu Zhengyang nodded; he knew what that meant.
The founder of Buddhism once said, "Above and below heaven, I alone am the honored one." The "I" in this statement refers to every single person.
Moreover, people should take control of their own destiny, without needing arrangements from anyone or any deity beyond human control, and without needing to obey others.
"Zhengyang has great ambitions and aspirations, but isn't his behavior contradictory?"
"How so?" Xu Zhengyang asked, squinting.
Master Jueyuan shook his head and said, "I have heard that Zhengyang's actions over the years have been unpredictable and extraordinary. He has used his divine power to deter people from evil, to demonstrate justice, and to promote goodness... But in the end, he will probably only arouse people's fear or even hatred. Violence against violence and evil against evil cannot last long."
"All beings are equal?" Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, "To be self-centered is selfishness, and selfishness is an inherent nature, which is not wrong... So, of course I can also be 'self-centered', what do you think, Master?"
Master Jueyuan laughed and said, "Is this the kind of 'self-centeredness' that Zhengyang wants?"
Xu Zhengyang said, "Master, aren't you also being 'self-centered'?"
Master Jueyuan smiled and nodded, saying, "Zhengyang has a very high level of understanding and is destined to be with Buddhism..."
If Xu Zhengyang hadn't genuinely improved his state of mind, he would have cursed Master Jueyuan's words inwardly, thinking, "Bullshit, what a simple truth!" But now, after this conversation with Jueyuan, Xu Zhengyang realized that a very simple question could easily become entangled in so many complicated details.
"I wouldn't call it exceptional insight; I just felt I should do what I was supposed to do," Xu Zhengyang said modestly, waving his hand.
“Zhengyang, in this mundane world, there is naturally a way of life for ordinary people. The world is vast and full of turmoil… Why forcibly restrict people’s lifestyles? This is not a great virtue, but a great evil,” Master Jueyuan advised.
Xu Zhengyang nodded, not denying it, but then smiled and said, "Master, in your opinion, if people continue to live like this... how long can religions survive?"
“Endless,” Master Jueyuan said calmly, full of confidence.
“No,” Xu Zhengyang shook his head and said, “It is undeniable that religious beliefs have existed for thousands of years, sometimes flourishing and sometimes declining, but never ceasing… That is also due to the inherent goodness of the human heart. But looking at the current situation, with the development and corruption of society, I think that in the future, the meaning of religion will exist in name only.”
Master Jueyuan was slightly taken aback, shook his head in disagreement, and said, "That is incorrect."
"Perhaps so. My vision is too narrow, and I haven't seen far enough," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile. He was unwilling to argue with this master.
"May I ask, what path should Zhengyang take from here on out?"
“Master Jueyuan, you can rest assured. I sincerely admire and approve of the Truth and Goodness religion,” Xu Zhengyang said earnestly.
Master Jueyuan shook his head and said, "Zhengyang has misunderstood. The monk has never thought of this, nor is he worried that the Buddha will perish under any attack or circumstance. The Buddha is limitless."
“They asked you to persuade me, but there’s really no need for that.” Xu Zhengyang took a sip of tea and then said, “Buddhism believes that a person’s fortune, misfortune, success, failure, honor, and disgrace are determined by the goodness or evil of their own actions and their efforts. No one can elevate ‘me’ to heaven, nor can anyone push ‘me’ into hell. Praise and eulogy cannot bring relief from suffering and happiness. Only by cultivating one’s mind and character in a down-to-earth manner can one purify and elevate one’s personality and enjoy a peaceful and contented happiness.”
Master Jueyuan nodded and looked calmly at Xu Zhengyang.
“But…” Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, “There’s a saying going around now: good people don’t live long, bad people live for a thousand years. Who decides good fortune and misfortune? That’s not fair, is it?”
"Good fortune and misfortune are intertwined; only each person truly understands their own joy and suffering," Master Jueyuan said.
"But no one can truly understand whether another is happy or suffering. Seeing the wicked living a comfortable life naturally breeds resentment and discontent, lamenting the injustice of fate... Fairness is like a miracle; if you don't clearly demonstrate it, who will believe it? People are 'self-centered,' believing only in what's right in front of them."
Master Jueyuan shook his head.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, "Master, how many people in the world possess such a transcendent state of mind as you?"
...
In reality, regardless of who wins or loses on the surface, the final result of such a debate is the same: no one can change anyone else's mind.
One is a deity, and the other is an enlightened monk.
To put it bluntly, we all have two shoulders and a brilliant mind, so who's going to concede to whom?
Moreover, they at least have major commonalities.
However, this was of great help to Xu Zhengyang, who hoped that he could have more discussions with true masters of various religions in the future.
Volume Seven, Emperor Chapter 369: Private Matters Are Also Important Matters
Because of the streamlining of the religious institutions, the work within the state god's office has become increasingly busy.
It seems that, apart from Xu Zhengyang, every god and ghost messenger is extremely busy.
Even Ouyang Ying was assigned to the Heavenly Court to help Li Haidong collect reports from various places, categorize and summarize them, and then submit them to Li Haidong for review, approval, and implementation.
Chen Chaojiang, holding the title of Deputy General Manager of Jinghui Logistics Company, traveled all over the country, naturally responsible for overseeing major and minor affairs in various regions. According to the new Heavenly Court regulations, many criminal cases investigated by ghost messengers and deities need to be submitted to government departments for execution.
Entrusting this matter to Chen Chaojiang is naturally the most suitable option.
To facilitate Chen Chaojiang's work, Xu Zhengyang and Li Ruiqing discussed the matter and decided that a special task force would be jointly established by the government security department and the public security department. Their purpose was to receive case reports from Xu Zhengyang, then contact the relevant departments in the areas where the crimes occurred, issue documents urging them to solve the cases swiftly.
Especially... cases involving some government officials.
It's important to understand that without transcendent beings like celestial officials and deities, even if you wield absolute power and act with impunity in a local area, leaving no evidence to hold you accountable, you will still face legal consequences. This is because celestial officials and deities can not only uncover any evidence but also delve into people's hearts to understand their secrets.
Moreover, Xu Zhengyang had specifically instructed that if any criminals were to destroy all evidence and leave the world's laws helpless, it would be simple—just use the power of the gods or ghost messengers to take them down!
Therefore, in the past few months, public security departments in many parts of the country have been very busy and have been facing many headaches...
Many cases that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, or cases they vaguely knew about but no one reported or they lacked sufficient evidence, or even criminals they deliberately wanted to protect, seemed to be known to the higher-ups. Then a phone call would come in, a document would be issued, and they would be ordered to investigate immediately. If anything went wrong, an investigation team from above would quickly arrive.
Let's see if you can handle it.
In addition, officials in various places were in a state of panic. Every now and then, officials from various departments would accidentally slip up and be investigated immediately. Soon, even the most deeply hidden evidence was dug up.
A number of officials have fallen from grace under strong pressure.
A nationwide backlash against corruption seems to have swept across the country.
Moreover, this storm came without any prior notice or documentation; it was completely sudden. And it seems that each case was handled without warning; they just suddenly decided to take action against someone, and immediately did so. There wasn't even a chance to react, to prepare a response, or even to flee.
The powerful, rapid, and unexpected attack sent shockwaves through the entire country.
The top leadership was shaken...
The leader slammed his fist on the table during a small meeting:
"What's wrong with our officials? Do we need a complete overhaul? If things continue like this, with this crackdown, how can the government hold its head high in front of the people?"
“I think Ruiqing should discuss this with Xu Zhengyang. We can’t keep going on like this… These things can’t be rushed; we have to deal with them gradually.”
After a moment's thought, one of the leaders waved his hand and said, "No need. We must intensify our efforts to rectify this situation. No matter who it is, no matter who pleads for leniency, we must resolutely act in accordance with policies and laws! In the past, we were too far removed to reach them, and our investigations were insufficient, which fueled this unhealthy trend! Now, with Xu Zhengyang's support and assistance, we should carry out the rectification without hesitation! If we don't rectify this and take strong measures, this will continue in the long run..."
The leader couldn't continue speaking; this was indeed a situation he had never imagined.
As the saying goes, in officialdom, a large tree has deep roots, and the intricate network of relationships means that a single move can have far-reaching consequences.
The foundation has always been a concern for the top leadership. In the past, many times, in order to maintain stability, they had no choice but to compromise and let things slide, turning a blind eye to certain things and issuing warnings, whether overt or covert.
But things are different now!
No matter what kind of powerful backer you have, how extensive your network of connections is, or which important figure you might implicate at the last minute... we will never tolerate it.
As for the so-called shaking of the foundation, those who truly possess the absolute power to shake it now know that there is a transcendent being behind the scenes named Xu Zhengyang.