Chapter 364: Praying for the EmperorChapter 1358 Sending Them a Few Copper Coins

The official road was still fifty miles from Yongcheng.

The convoy kicked up a cloud of dust.

As you enter the region of Gansu and Shaanxi, the surrounding scenery changes from lush green mountains and waters to endless stretches of yellow sand.

The further northwest you go, the closer you get to the border, and the stronger the sandstorms become.

Inside the carriage, Wan Jiaojiao covered every crack in the windows and then carefully brushed the dust off the official documents. After organizing them meticulously, she grumbled: "This weather is just awful! Everywhere else it's either raining or snowing, occasionally even hail would be a surprise, but here It's nothing but sandstorms."

"The borderland is harsh and cold, but things are relatively okay now. It's just a bit dusty. If you're unlucky enough to encounter a sandstorm, the sand feels like knives and whips against your skin, making it impossible to open your eyes. Not even humans, let alone camels, can survive a sandstorm easily. That's real bad luck."

Hearing Li Chen's words, Wan Jiaojiao shuddered and stuck out her tongue, saying, "Your Highness is blessed with good fortune. You definitely won't encounter that sandstorm."

Li Chen was about to speak, but suddenly felt the carriage stop.

Before Li Chen could ask, Xiaoguan's voice came from outside.

"Your Highness, several monks are begging for alms on the official road ahead."

Li Chen frowned upon hearing this.

It's perfectly normal for monks to beg for alms, but which monk in their right mind would come to this desolate and frigid region in the northwest to do so

The people here are just barely able to feed themselves, there's no extra grain to support monks.

“I’ve been sitting on the bus for a while and I'm tired, might as well get off and take a look.”

Li Chen got off the carriage and saw that on the official road ahead, several monks were indeed blocking the way to beg for alms.

This group of five monks, their robes and cassocks were surprisingly clean and tidy, much better than most commoners Li Chen had seen on the road.

A middle-aged monk, with a big belly and round head and ears. He looked more like a cook than a monk.

He was at this moment holding a begging bowl and speaking with the guards in fine clothes ahead of the convoy.

Li Chen walked over, and Xu Wei immediately led the Jinyiwei aside, respectfully saying, "Young master."

Li Chen had instructed that he was not to reveal his true identity while traveling. So, addressing him as "young master" was entirely appropriate.

Li Chen looked at the middle-aged monk at the head, and the latter also smiled at him. Li Chen said: "Master, are you begging"

"Greetings from me, Juehui."

The middle-aged monk first bowed to Li Chen before introducing himself. Then he replied: “The Buddha bestows blessings, for the benefit of all beings. This poor monk borrows this land to beg for alms, but in fact, it is also an opportunity for the benefactor to give alms, to establish a good relationship with Buddhism, and to be a cause, a marriage, and even more importantly, to add blessings to the benefactor.”

Li Chen said faintly, "In this world, you Buddhists are the best at talking. You clearly want people to give alms, but you forcibly say it's an opportunity to add blessings to others. So, if I gave you food, clothing, and money, wouldn't I have to be grateful and indebted to you"

Facing Li Chen's unceremonious words, Jue Hui did not get angry. A smile still lingered on his face like that of the Buddha Maitreya. He said: "The lay person doesn't yet understand the Buddhist principles of cause and effect. It's no wonder there is such a misunderstanding. What is called 'receiving alms' is actually the cause and effect of enlightening others. One flower, one world; one leaf, one bodhi. All sentient beings are like this..."

Before Juehui could finish her words, Li Chen had already turned and looked away.

"Give them a few copper coins and send them away. Hearing these people chant just gives me a headache."i Jing had said.This is not just about political stance, but also about life and death.They stood there, already having only one path left: to walk down the road of no return. Even regret would only l...