"Excessive taxation and levies have led to the abandonment of the law."
An old farmer was pushing his cart into the city when the soldiers, who had been listless just moments before, suddenly perked up, stopped the farmer's cart, ignored his pleas, and forcibly took away the goods from the three layers of the cart.
"Deceiving superiors and flattering inferiors leads to a corrupt world."
A finely dressed young man, with a golden knife at his waist and a fine horse on his back, arrived at the city gate. The soldiers guarding the city bowed and scraped as they came forward to greet him.
Li Boyang nodded and said:
Is there anything else?
Liu Bowen thought for a moment and understood what his teacher wanted to ask:
"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The Yuan Dynasty has lost the hearts of the people, and the struggle for supremacy in the world is becoming increasingly obvious."
"When observing something, ordinary people only look at the surface. You are different. You need to be able to see beyond the surface and perceive the essence within."
Li Boyang shook his head and said:
"You only saw the surface, but you didn't see through it to the essence."
"The reason why the people look pale is twofold: firstly, the Yuan Dynasty was corrupt, with corrupt officials levying exorbitant taxes; secondly, the weather was unfavorable, with the country suffering from famine, drought, and locust plagues."
"When the two are combined, the people are in dire straits and cannot make a living. When the people can no longer survive, they will naturally rise up in rebellion."
"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. In a year of plenty, it is not a big deal if officials are a little greedy, since water that is too clear has no fish. But in a year of disaster, if officials do not restrain themselves, they must be dealt with by strict laws to stabilize the people's hearts."
Liu Bowen nodded, as if he had just understood.
Li Boyang continued his probing, saying, "The fall of the Yuan Dynasty was only a matter of time. Now, with various warlords rebelling against the Yuan, who do you think will be able to seize the throne?"
Regarding the general situation of the world, he and his teacher had discussed it quite a bit. Liu Bowen pondered for a moment and then slowly said:
"After the uprising, Han Shantong and Liu Futong of the Red Turban Army did not try to win over the gentry or care for the people. Instead, they indulged in debauchery and only brought about their own demise."
"Zhang Shicheng of Zhejiang was short-sighted, lacked strategy and wisdom, and declared himself king too early, which aroused the jealousy of other warlords. His days were numbered."
"Chen Youliang of Jiangxi was nothing but a traitor who murdered his lord. The people feared him for his power, but this did not last long."
"The rest, like Guo Zixing and Fang Guozhen, are content with small gains and are nothing more than dogs guarding the status quo, not to mention them."
"Although many heroes are vying for power in the world today, it seems that the true master of destiny has not yet appeared."
Liu Bowen launched into a tirade, listing every single one of the powerful figures in the land at that time, and finally concluded that he looked down on them all, as they were not cut out to be emperors.
"You've got quite the nerve. Let's go into town."
Li Boyang chuckled. This guy certainly had big ambitions. But bringing Liu Bowen along this time was a good opportunity to meet the future chosen one.
The two stayed in Luoyang for a day, and then continued their journey the next day.
Twenty days later, a temple appeared before the two of them.
"Teacher, Huangjue Temple is just ahead. It's getting late. Shall we go in and rest for the night?"
Liu Bowen looked extremely tired, as if he had been traveling for nearly a month. He was just a scholar, and his body was really not up to the task.
Looking back at Li Boyang, who had also been without rest for over twenty days, his breathing was still even, he hadn't even broken a sweat, and his face showed no signs of fatigue; he was still as energetic as ever.
Liu Bowen suddenly realized that his understanding of his teacher was probably not comprehensive enough. He had previously felt that his teacher's knowledge was as vast as the sea, without any limits.
Looking back now, I realize that my teacher is more than just a scholar; I fear that this study tour will allow me to see another side of him.
“I told you about practicing innovation a while ago, and now I’d like to add one more thing: health is the foundation for practicing innovation.”
Li Boyang glanced at Liu Bowen and said calmly, "The explanation of the Five Classics mentions the six arts of a gentleman: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. This is not without reason. A scholar should also have a good physique."
Liu Bowen's face twitched. He looked at himself and realized that his physique was actually quite good, and he hadn't neglected archery or horsemanship in his daily practice.
However, it depends on who you compare it to. Compared to other scholars, he naturally has the upper hand, but compared to a Qi Refining Realm expert like Li Boyang, it's like tofu hitting a rock.
"Alright, let's go inside. We'll spend the night here."
Li Boyang looked at the Huangjue Temple in front of him and suddenly smiled.
If I remember correctly, Zhu Yuanzhang, the Mandate of Heaven, was a monk at Huangjue Temple at that time.
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Chapter 78 The Lord of Destiny
Huangjue Temple is no ordinary temple.
After Zhu Yuanzhang unified the country, he extensively expanded Huangjue Temple. A saying circulated among the people: "Monks and children ride horses to close the mountain gate."
This means that the distance from the entrance to the end of the temple was very far, and the monks responsible for closing the temple each day had to ride horses.
At this time, Huangjue Temple was not yet the grand temple known as the "Temple of the Rise of the Dragon," but it still occupied a considerable area, covering three to four hundred acres.
At this moment, in the solemn and majestic Mahavira Hall of Huangjue Temple, a monk was wildly hitting a Bodhisattva statue with a broom, as if venting his anger.
The main hall contains more than a dozen Buddha statues. In the center is the Tathagata, the ancestor of all Buddhas. In addition to the Buddha statues, which also hold a high position in Buddhism, there are also some Bodhisattva statues.
The bronze statue of the Bodhisattva Garan was being wildly criticized and pulled by the monks with brooms.
The monk was about six feet five inches tall, with a broad forehead, a high nose, and a slightly more prominent Adam's apple than normal. The most peculiar thing about him was his eyes, which always gave people the feeling of a hawk eyeing a wolf.
Although the monk was of average appearance, he was very strong, with a textured bronze skin. The dust kicked up when he swung his broom, showing that he was a trained martial artist.