A few more days passed after that day.
Inside the imperial study.
The current prime minister looked at Li Shimin, who was growing thinner by the day, wearing an expression as though life had already lost all flavor.
As sorrow welled up in his heart.
He opened his mouth.
Wanting to say something.
Yet he did not know how to say it.
In the end, after hesitating for a long while.
And looking around furtively.
He still decided to speak:
"Your Majesty, this cannot go on..."
Perhaps out of fear, or perhaps because of some other emotion.
His voice was somewhat low as he spoke. Even Li Shimin, standing right beside him, took a while to react.
Faced with his words.
Li Shimin's eyes lit up briefly, only to dim again in the next instant.
Once disappointment had become commonplace.
It was difficult for him to summon any confidence again.
However, because he had not completely given up hope.
He still slowly asked, "Let me hear it..."
Seeing this.
After swallowing, the prime minister said quietly, "That demon... Holy Monk... perhaps because of the environment he grew up in, is said to be truly interested in Buddhist scriptures."
"While Buddhism in our Great Tang of the East is fairly decent, compared with the Buddhist land of India—the Origin of Buddhism, far away at the other corner of the world—there remains a vast gap... Why not have the Holy Monk seek out more profound Buddhist teachings?"
"Perhaps, with nothing better to do, the Holy Monk might actually be interested?"
After hearing Fang Xuanling's words, Li Shimin's dead fish eyes shifted slightly.
After pondering it in secret.
He felt that the other man's words did seem to make some sense.
After all, if coercion would not work, then tempt him with benefits.