Green Mountain
Chapter 196 - 151, Debating Scripture

Chapter 196: 151, Debating Scripture

Winter of the 31st year of Jianing, Lu Hun Manor.

Snowflakes filled the sky, transforming the landscape into a vast silver tapestry.

At dawn, the manor still glowed with lights, its tall gray walls and tiles stacking upon one another like a massive ship sailing quietly through the sea of white snow.

From afar, passersby might hear the sound of ice cracking as though it were slowly breaking through the permafrost of the farthest poles.

The solemn tolling of a bell echoed.

Two young monks at the gates of Lu Hun Manor huddled in their sleeves against the cold, one of them looking back towards the depth of the compound upon hearing the bell, and whispered, "Another from the Dao Court has been defeated. How many does that make now?"

"Eight. One more loss, and they’ll have no one left."

"The Dao Court is arrogant, but we came prepared."

One young monk, clutching his sleeves, gazed out at the blizzard with a sense of reflection: "A day and night of debating scripture is finally coming to an end."

At that moment, the sound of horse hooves could be heard through the snowstorm.

The young monk stood under the manor’s signboard, shielding his eyes with his hand, squinting into the snowstorm, and after a long look, he made out several gray shadows gradually becoming clearer.

A young man was hunched over, leading three horses by their bridles into the wind, struggling through the snow. The gusting wind blew his robes back as the figures on horseback behind him hunched down against the cold.

The young monk called out warily, "Who goes there?"

The newcomer quickened his pace: "Seeking shelter."

"Seeking shelter?" The young monk frowned, and as he saw the other approaching more rapidly, he suddenly shouted, "This is sacred Buddhist ground! Halt where you are!"

"Buddhist ground?"

The newcomer lifted his head, revealing a young man’s face: "Isn’t this the postal relay at the base of Laojun Mountain Dao Court? When did it become Buddhist ground?"

The young monks exchanged glances and hurriedly explained, "The Head Disciple of Laojun Mountain Dao Court, Ma Yiming, lost to our elder brother in scripture debate, so the Dao Court has lost Lu Hun Manor to Yuanjue Temple."

The youth was taken aback, "That’s going for broke, isn’t it?"

He looked up at the entrance beam of Lu Hun Manor. The estate covered hundreds of acres of land, stretching endlessly, and the construction cost must have amounted to tens of thousands in silver.

An estate lost just like that?

The young monk said, "This was originally property of our Zen Sect, won from us by the Dao Court in the 12th year of Rende. Now, it has merely returned to its rightful owner. Today, there’s an even greater stake, if the Dao Court loses all nine contests, then all nineteen Taoists participating in the Literary Meeting’s scripture debate must shave their heads and become monks, striking the bell in our temple for a lifetime."

The youth was wide-eyed and speechless, "Which round are they on now?"

The young monk replied, "The eighth round has just concluded, and they might take a break for an hour. If you’re just passing through seeking lodging, please leave; Lu Hun Manor is only accommodating guests of the Literary Meeting today."

The youth looked back and saw a young lady already unconscious atop her horse, and when he turned back, he politely addressed the young monk, "Among us are Prince Jing’s Princely Heir and Commandery Princess, as well as Second Miss Zhang from the Luocheng City Prefect’s household. We had an encounter with bandits on the way and lost our invitations."

The young monk was startled, "The Princely Heir and Commandery Princess? You are...?"

The youth said, "I’m merely a junior apprentice from Prince Jing Mansion’s Imperial Medical Hall, Chen Ji."

The young monk inquired, "Do you have a token from the Prince Mansion?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "No, but there will definitely be people who recognize the Princely Heir and Commandery Princess at this Literary Meeting."

"Just wait here," said the young monk as he lifted the hem of his gray monk’s robe and scurried into the manor to report.

Chen Ji turned back to the horse and said softly to the Commandery Princess, "Do not worry, Commandery Princess, with Dao Court and the Buddhist Sect present, there will surely be medicine to treat colds."

The Commandery Princess, her head wrapped in a garment, lay on the horse and hummed lowly, unable to sit upright, and it was unclear if she even heard Chen Ji.

Chen Ji felt her forehead with his hand; it was burning hot.

Moments later, the young monk hurried back, "My apologies to all of you, the heavy snow has blocked the roads, and we’re unable to verify your identities. Please be on your way."

Chen Ji slightly furrowed his brow: "Did you announce who is out here?"

The young monk patiently replied, "Yes, but our elder brother said since you have neither a token nor an invitation, please leave."

Chen Ji suddenly realized the Buddhist Sect was making excuses!

For this Literary Meeting at Lu Hun Manor, even an ordinary Scholar could receive an invitation just by expressing a wish to participate. Why, then, was the threshold so difficult for them?

The other party must have known what occurred at Dragon King Village, and not wanting to get involved in the affairs between the Liu Family and Prince Jing Mansion, they were unwilling to let them in.

What a way to avoid karma.

Zhang Xia, riding atop Zaozao, inquired, "What do we do now?"

Chen Ji reached out and grasped the Whale Blade next to the Commandery Princess’s saddle, but she weakly placed her hand over his, "Don’t do anything foolish."

He smiled, "Don’t worry, I was just checking if the blade was still here. I’m not so foolish as to seek death at the hands of grand officials from Dao Court and the Buddhist Sect."

Chen Ji turned his head to look at the couplets under Lu Hun Manor’s signboard. The first line read "Human effort is the decisive factor, do not say that all is but fate"; the second line read "Circumstances are created by the mind, one step back brings boundless space."

But.

This was one step he could not take back.

Chen Ji tightened the garment wrapped around Bai Li’s head to prevent the chill from seeping into her collar.

He turned and approached the entrance of Lu Hun Manor again: "Is this not the Literary Meeting?"

The young monk replied, "It is."

"Is the debate still on?"

"Yes."

Chen Ji asked, "What’s the topic of this round’s debate between the Dao Court and the Buddhist Sect?"

The young monk sneered, "Why should I tell you?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "I too wish to enter and join the debate."

The young monk laughed, giving him a once-over, "And which scripture will you debate?"

As the words fell, Zhang Xia dismounted and, braving the wind and snow, led Zaozao to the entrance, "Is Yuanjue Temple afraid we’ll defeat your monks and that’s why you won’t let us enter Lu Hun Manor?"

The young monk leaned against the gray brick wall beneath the plaque and rolled his eyes, "Provocation won’t work!"

Zhang Xia said firmly, "I am Zhang Xia, niece of Xu Shu, the Deputy Director of the Observatory. If you don’t report our arrival, I’ll return to the Imperial Capital and tell everyone that the monks of Yuanjue Temple were too scared of being defeated in debate to let us into Lu Hun Manor! Go and inform them now, you can’t bear the consequences!"

The young monk shrank his neck and turned to go inside the manor to report.

Moments later, with snow piling on his shoulders, he ran back, "If you want to debate, you must first answer the question we’ve put forth to the Dao Court!"

Chen Ji gave him a look, "Speak."

The young monk asked, "The Daoist says that the Dao gives birth to all things—is this Dao sentient or not?"

Chen Ji was about to speak when Zhang Xia gently tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Debating isn’t that simple. The respondent must cite the sources for every answer. A true scripture has a source; one without is false..."

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "Maybe you should debate them?"

Zhang Xia’s expression darkened, "No, they won’t debate with a woman. You answer their question, and I’ll tell you how."

"Okay."

The wind and snow streamed between them, with small eddies swirling around.

After a few breaths, Chen Ji turned around and stepped forward, "The ’Tao Te Ching’ says, ’Man follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows what is natural.’ The Dao sets the law for heaven and earth, setting an example for all things, so naturally, it is sentient."

The young monk took the answer and scurried back to report.

Shortly after, he returned with a new question, "My eldest senior brother asks, if the Dao is sentient, it should only create good people, so why would it create evil ones? If the Dao does not discern good from evil, it must be non-sentient; and if it’s non-sentient, how can it give birth to all things and be the role model for the universe?"

Zhang Xia’s lips moved silently, whispering a few words behind him.

Chen Ji looked at the young monk and replied, "The ’Mahaparinirvana Sutra’ says, ’The self is the Treasury of the Tathagata, for all sentient beings possess the Buddha-nature and all possess the nature of the self.’ When the Buddha himself declared that everyone is born with Buddha-nature, how can you decide who is born good or evil?"

The young monk was stunned, "How do you understand our Buddhist scriptures so well?"

Chen Ji replied irritably, "Lives hang in the balance, go report back!"

The young monk rushed into the manor once again.

This time, the young monk did not return quickly, as if the Yuanjue Temple monk posing the questions had fallen into a lengthy contemplation.

After a while, a resonant bell tolled from within the manor.

Zhang Xia’s eyes brightened, "The bell tolls, the other side postpones this question—it’s equivalent to admitting defeat, Chen Ji... Chen Ji?"

She turned around and saw Chen Ji bowing his head, deep in thought.

At that moment, Chen Ji realized that the fire within him had pulsed for an instant when the bell rang, and then the pale red flame grew a degree brighter.

Strange, was it because Zhang Xia had won the debate on his behalf?

He had thought that transformation of the flame required good deeds, winning the hearts of the people, but now it seemed that the cause of the flame’s change might be even more profound and extensive.

Chen Ji looked at Zhang Xia.

Zhang Xia touched her cheek, "Why are you looking at me?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "Nothing, Second Miss Zhang has extensive knowledge and great memory—I admire that. No wonder you look down on the uneducated."

Zhang Xia blushed slightly, "I just have a good memory, that’s all."

Amidst the conversation, the young monk rushed back, "You won this round, but..."

"But what?"

The young monk hesitated, "Not to deceive you two, but our Buddhist Sect seeks peace and detachment, with no desire to entangle in worldly karma. Both of you have worldly affairs and unresolved karma, which makes you unsuitable for entering Lu Hun Manor. Please leave."

Chen Ji looked at him calmly, "All I’m asking for is a single elixir; surely that’s possible?"

The young monk shook his head, "Impossible. Please do not make things difficult for me; I am just a young monk."

Chen Ji immediately tried to push his way in but was held back by Zhang Xia who silently shook her head, "You can’t force your way in."

"You can’t force your way in, but you have to try!"

However, just then, a faint singing voice came through the wind and snow.

Chen Ji and Zhang Xia turned their heads and saw a man sitting backward on a green ox, flipping through a book and humming, "With a mind skewed towards deceit, your incense burning brings no benefit. Stand firm in uprightness—to see that I don’t bow is no detriment..."

The rustic singing mingled with the wind and snow, carried far by the snowflakes.

Once the green ox reached the door, the young Taoist on its back gently hopped off.

He passed Chen Ji and Zhang Xia with a smile, reaching out to caress the young monk’s bald head, "Zhang Li from Huangshan Dao Court, representing my master ’Apostle’, has come for the debate. Little monk, you’d better scurry off, or be warned that the Taoist might slap you."