Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 2027 - 1481: Exorcising Evil and Upholding the Dharma—

The resonant sound of Buddhist chants echoed over the Sea of Ezo, raising devout cries to the clouds above the sea. Master Juehui listened to the cheers of the Monk Soldiers, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He understood well that these fanatically courageous armed monk groups were the foundation of the sect’s existence.Regardless of whether the sect traded through the secretly controlled rice house every year to gain wealth, or collected land rents from the fertile lands occupied by temples and shrines in Kansai, a significant portion of it needed to be invested in raising, arming, and training Monk Soldiers. This made the large temple sects of Japan fundamentally different from those in the Han Land. They must first have a knife in hand before they can sit down in front of greedy Martial Families to discuss "Buddhist Law." Certainly, at times, the greed of Japan’s large temple sects was no less than that of the Martial Family...

"Hong Cheng Vajrasattva Master, receiving the pure perfect body..."

"The Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Buddha is before us, Dharma is in our hearts, but only the Sangha exist in the worldly dust of greed, anger, delusion. And among the Sangha, the Monk Soldiers are the sect’s naginata in this world, the vajra before the Buddha, the more the better!"

"Om Ban Jasa-ttva Hum! In this Age of Dharma Decline, without the knife and bow of Monk Soldiers, what talk is there of Buddhist Law? I’m afraid even our Tiantai Sect might not continue..."

Master Juehui surveyed the bows and blades on the boat, chanting a few more lines of "Vajrasattva," before lowering his eyelids, silently contemplating in a state between wake and sleep.

With ten warships and five hundred Monk Soldiers dispatched this time, it was nearly the maximal force that Tiantai Sect’s Nan Rui Mountain could project into the distant Ezo land, spanning thousands of miles! The task of these Monk Soldiers was simple, they just needed to fight and sacrifice for Buddha, to disregard life and death for the sect’s interest. Yet as the commanding Monk Master, his considerations were much more numerous...

"Namo Amitabha Buddha! This time the Monk Soldiers I brought are elite inheritors of the sect’s tradition, more formidable than ordinary Clan Warriors, and must not be excessively lost... I must have a clear mind, acting in accordance with the teachings of ’Buddhist Law,’ and not like the Martial Families, recklessly pursuing ’martial fame’..."

Thinking of this, Master Juehui squinted at the warships under the Monk Soldiers’ feet. These ten ships, all of a customs ship design, had high decks with shields reinforced against arrows on both sides. If these Monk Soldiers were to battle on land, they could surpass ordinary warriors. Then the power of these ten ships at sea could surpass most Martial Families! And with Monk Soldiers combined with warships, the adhered "Invincible Dharma" naturally would be...

"Namo Bodhisattva Manjusri! Om A Ra Ba Zha Na Di..."

After pondering for a moment, Master Juehui chanted the wisdom name of "Bodhisattva Manjusri," then calmly asked the bowing Mori no Kiyoshi beside him.

"Mori, the Tsugaru Strait is already behind us, Japanese Land is right ahead. Under what pretext has our sect come this time?"

"The pretext for coming this time..."

Upon hearing this inquiry, Mori no Kiyoshi pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke.

"’Northern Ezo invaded by Shandan, Kaozaki Mitsuhiro reverently worships our sect, requests our protection, and establishes Lotus Subtemple. Kaozaki Mitsuhiro generously bribed Nan Rui Mountain’s Nobles with Jurchen Stallions and Northern sable fur. The Nobles were pleased, accepted Mitsuhiro’s son, Yoshihiro, as an adopted son into our sect’... Thus, our sect dispatched fleets to aid Ezo land, to guard our Buddha Territory..."

"Very well! Mori, is there anything inappropriate with this pretext?"

"None. It is a clever scheme devised by my elder brother and several Monk Masters. It covers the beginning and end, conceals the news of gold, and even brings the Kaozaki Clan into the sect..."

At this, Mori no Kiyoshi’s voice became somewhat unrefined. The profit from the previous golden trade with the Shandan Tribe was indeed beyond imagination. Although he was sufficiently "confident" of handling this "deep water" steadily, trading slowly with the Shandan Tribe. Yet evidently, the higher-ups of the Tiantai Sect did not think so.

As a rice house merchant, he relied on the Tiantai Sect’s Miao Fa Courtyard for his military force and background. He did not know, nor dared to know, who around him were the sect’s ears to report such events above... Consequently, this astonishing profit, equivalent to the entire sect’s income, not only alarmed his faction’s Monk Master Host, but even startled the Seat Master of Tiantai, the Miao Fa Sect Leader, and Prince Jueyin...

As a result of the Great Monks’ discussions, they decided politically to subdue the Kaozaki Clan, economically to bring transaction "goods," and militarily prepared to seize as much of this great profit of Shandan Gold as possible!

"Elder Brother! The power behind the Shandan Golden Tribe is hard to fathom, like a bottomless lake. Those armored cavalry Shandan Warriors are extremely mighty, unmatched by ordinary Clan Warriors!... Since we can obtain this nobly-born clan’s gold through trade, why take the risk to find some ’Hidden Gold Land of the Yuan Invasion’?"

"Hmm... Mori, whether strong or weak, trade or war, neither you nor I can decide. I need to see with my own eyes, Monk Soldiers need to see, before reporting to many Monk Masters to determine together!"

"So, this time I brought Monk Soldiers ready for exorcism, protecting the true Dharma as a necessity!... This is akin to the host’s kasaya within the temple, not only for oneself to see but also to show others. For the sect’s interest, heading north for this ’Buddha fate’s great profit,’ one must have the determination to ’pluck chestnuts from fire,’ ’risk life for gains!’"

Master Juehui spoke calmly, still in such a straightforward manner, penetrating to the core. Mori no Kiyoshi opened his mouth to argue something, but ultimately responded with a "Yes."

"Yes! Brother, I dare not oppose the sect’s decision... I’m just saying... perhaps you are unfamiliar with the situation in the Ezo land, and you might need my counsel..."

"Hmm. Mori, what you say is correct. Trade with the Shandan people should still be prepared by you, try to exchange for as much gold as possible, secure it in the bag. As for whether to take action after the trade and pursue a great Buddhist fortune... that depends on the situation of the Shandan people, and on the weaknesses of Shandan which I have foreseen, whether it is achievable!..."

Master Juehui smiled faintly, like a composed fisherman, gazing at the Sea of Ezo for the first time. And his fishing boat, with its great size and sophisticated equipment, is clearly prepared for the "real big fish." Though his words were simple and light, they were as unyielding as the mountains.

"Witnessed by Buddha! The next successor of the Kaozaki Family, fifteen-year-old Kaozaki Yoshihiro, since he has entered our sect’s walls... then ’resisting Shandan’ becomes the duty of our sect! Resisting Shandan can be ’lasting’ or be limited to ’one breath.’ If Shandan is strong, then it is ’lasting.’ If Shandan is weak, then it is ’one breath.’

"Of course, if Shandan is strong, it cannot be easily taken. To have a lasting ’resistance of Shandan,’ we must support the Kaozaki Family, grasp this sole connection. Therefore, a Lotus Branch Temple needs to be built in Japanese Land, as our Tiantai sect’s domain, with monk officials stationed..."

"Mori, this is my ’Buddhist Law.’ Do you have anything you need counsel on?"

Upon hearing this, Mori no Kiyoshi’s face froze momentarily, feeling that the seemingly gentle master before him resembled a black bear wrapped in kasaya. He silently paused for two breaths and had to say.

"Yes, Brother! Our Buddha has a compassionate heart and also eyes of Vajra wrath... it should be so."

"Very good! Resisting Shandan... if feasible, then proceed!"

Master Juehui’s expression was profound, looking down at the Sea of Ezo, lowering his eyes once more, chanting scripture. The recitation fell into Mori no Kiyoshi’s ears, making this Kansai great merchant feel uncomfortable, unwittingly stepping back two steps.

"Vajra Hand, whose radiant light is resplendent, crushes all evil, all obstacles are subdued!..."

"..."

Mori no Kiyoshi listened to the scripture, standing at the bow, feeling the sky over the Ezo land for the first time becoming dazzling, as if the Buddha’s light was approaching head-on.

After Tiantai Sect took action, the Kaozaki Family’s share of benefits naturally had to decrease again. Even Mori no Kiyoshi himself lost the unilateral trading decision-making power. But the Miao Fa Courtyard is not a Martial Family, their advantage is not in martial power, nor can they muster such an army. They have better ways to handle things and will offer a political repayment.

However, viewing it this way, the "Buddhist Law" of his rice house is ultimately different from the "Buddhist Law" of Nan Rui Mountain, and the future paths may not align!...

"Whish!"

The strong wind blew, and the five-colored Esoteric Sect scripture flags fluttered on the ten sailing warships, like five-colored clouds in front of Buddha, falling in front of Ezo Fuji.

Two days later, the Tiantai Sect’s fleet of five-colored scripture flags finally arrived in Japanese Land, without stopping at various stations along the way, but directly anchoring at the Kaozaki Family’s Victory Mountain Manor. Matsumae Guardian Ando Sadaki, Lower Country Guardian Anton Jiazhen, and Upper Country Guardian Kaozaki Mitsunaga all heard the news and came to greet them.

Subsequently, Matsumae Guardian Ando Sadaki, at the arrival port of the Buddhist ship at Victory Mountain Manor, was seized on the spot by Kaozaki Family’s samurai! Kaozaki Mitsunaga personally read out Ando Sadaki’s crime, "colluding with Shandan"! Thus, the last nail for the Kaozaki Family’s unification of Japanese Land was abruptly pulled out, and the new Family Head Kaozaki Mitsuhiro established his reputation.

"Homage to Great Wisdom Bodhisattva Manjusri!..."

As for the Tiantai Sect’s fleet, it was of course clean and did nothing. Master Juehui was calm, chanting the name of the Buddha, merely anchoring at Victory Mountain Manor, with scripture flags fluttering, observing quietly~~