Yuan Shouren told Wei Zheng about the matter, and Wei Zheng was greatly pleased after hearing it.
Wei Zheng brought this good news into the palace and reported it to Li Shimin.
"Excellent! This Water-Land Assembly has been handled very well. Chancellor Wei Zheng, which monks did you choose, and from which temple? I must reward them handsomely." Li Shimin asked with a smile.
"Your Majesty, this Water-Land Assembly was not presided over by a single monk, but by more than a thousand monks," Wei Zheng said with a smile.
Xuanzang had gathered over a thousand monks for the rites of deliverance this time. After all, too few people would have made it difficult to accomplish.
Li Shimin was surprised to hear this. "So many monks? Wasn't it said that only a few monks would be enough?"
Wei Zheng smiled and explained, "That is why so many monks had to be found. After all, performing rites of deliverance here is no easy matter."
Li Shimin immediately understood. So that was how it was.
"Who came up with this method?"
"The one who devised this method is also the lead monk of this Water-Land Assembly. He is a young monk named Xuanzang, the abbot of Gold Mountain Temple near Chang'an," Wei Zheng said with a smile.
Li Shimin froze when he heard the name, then delight appeared on his face. "Xuanzang of Gold Mountain Temple?"
"It is indeed Master Xuanzang."
Li Shimin rose to his feet and laughed heartily. He truly had not expected the lead monk presiding over the Water-Land Assembly to be his good brother, Xuanzang.
"If I had known Xuanzang could accomplish this, why would I have gone through so much trouble gathering all these monks? I could simply have entrusted the matter to Xuanzang," Li Shimin said