Great Pine had been destroyed; it was no longer the legitimate dynasty.
Naturally, the south changed its reign title. It was personally decided by the chancellor: the first year of Opening Peace!
Xu Prefecture.
A temple.
"Greetings, Void Faith Master!"
The great scholar Zhang Haoran pressed his palms together and exchanged greetings with an elderly monk.
Beside them stood a Daoist, brewing tea beneath a plum blossom tree, thoroughly content in his own little world.
"Amitabha... This humble monk prayed and recited scriptures day and night for your blessings while you traveled south to persuade them. Fortunately, Brahman God watched over you, and you returned safely!"
A compassionate radiance seemed to shine from Void Faith Master's face, his expression full of pity for the world. Suddenly, two streams of tears ran down his cheeks.
"Monk, why are you crying?"
The Daoist beside him suddenly laughed.
"Plum Blossom Hermit, this humble monk does not weep for one family or one surname, but for all under heaven... King of Liang and Void Spirit Master insist on having their own way. Why must the common people suffer? The great chaos will surely last for years, leaving lives in ruin... Amitabha..."
Plum Blossom Hermit's expression also grew solemn. "Great Liang has replaced the imperial examinations with civil service exams and no longer requires the study of the Four Books and Five Classics. This is digging up the very roots of moral teaching... And now they levy commercial taxes. Heh heh, we both know it—what capital do ordinary folk have to conduct business? Are merchants not mostly landlords? And finally, religious taxes—more incomprehensible still. Throughout history, rulers have only ever made donations to our Buddhist and Daoist faiths. When has there ever been taxation in reverse? They will not even grant monks and Daoists tax