"Your Majesty, the Grand Astrologer and the Duke of Lu have all secretly gone to the Buddhist temples outside the capital, and there are still some..."
Inside the imperial palace in the capital, the emperor listened patiently to his subordinates' reports, memorizing every name, before waving them away.
After the man stepped down, a child slowly emerged from behind the dragon throne; it was Zhang Zhengyuan, who had been detained there by the emperor.
"It seems that's indeed the case." The emperor actually sat down on the steps, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.
The Duke of Lu was not powerful, and his lineage was far inferior to that of the Yuchi Household family, but he was loyal enough to the Xiao Household. This Duke of Lu of Lu and he had grown up together since childhood, both being sons of concubines and neglected by their families, yet both eventually became the heads of their families.
In terms of affection, Duke of Lu was even more devoted than Duke Yuchi and the Hong Household, who were loyal to him. Yet, even such a trusted confidant went to that Buddhist temple.
"Your Majesty seems somewhat sad?" Zhang Zhengyuan asked, a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he looked at the emperor's forlorn expression.
He had only met this emperor a few times and didn't really know him, but he could tell from his aura that this was an iron-fisted emperor. How could such a person have such emotions?
It seems that the NPCs in this world are indeed very anthropomorphic, far more so than those in the Jade Dynasty World, almost indistinguishable from real people.
"Someone I've known since childhood, someone I spend every day with, someone I trust implicitly, suddenly becomes a stranger, supposedly due to memories from a past life. Hah, what am I supposed to think?"
The emperor looked at the other person. "If it were a brother you grew up with, or a wife you've lived with day and night, and one day she awakened some memories from a past life and betrayed you, how would you feel?"
Zhang Zhengyuan opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. Such a thing would never happen in Data City, but putting himself in that situation, it was indeed chilling.
What could be more terrifying than someone you're incredibly close to suddenly turning into a completely different person?
"No wonder they say mortals can hardly resist the ancient times; it's really true." For the first time, the emperor's tone carried a hint of dejection. "The army and ministers I've painstakingly trained might one day no longer be my own people."
This time, even King Xiang, who was in the Yin Realm, fell silent.
The Buddha Kingdom's mechanism is far too thorny, because you have absolutely no way of knowing who they've actually employed. It's manageable for those in the capital, but what about those outside?
At this time, the Ghost King is all in the Jiangnan region, Jiangnan there are Buddhist temples. If those people secretly go to the temples to worship, who will know?
And these people are hidden within the army—which one could you possibly trust?
After all, anyone could stab you in the back at a crucial moment!
He had previously mocked the King of Qin, saying that his ideals could not succeed, and the betrayal by the aristocratic families later proved to be an example, because no one would agree with his idea of the coexistence of humans and demons.
And now?
What makes me different?
He had always upheld the supremacy of humanity, but one day he discovered that many among the human race were reincarnations of demons, and his feelings were extremely complicated.
What about myself?
Was he perhaps a demon who loved flesh and blood many lifetimes ago?
Can those beings who have awakened their memories, those who wear human skin but are demons at heart, still be considered human?
But if they don't count, how should we clean it up?
For the first time, he suddenly felt his faith wavering.
"Does Your Majesty intend to concede defeat?" Zhang Zhengyuan suddenly asked.
The emperor was taken aback, then frowned and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"That's the feeling Your Majesty gives me right now," Zhang Zhengyuan said with a smile. "What Your Majesty said is indeed somewhat alarming, but it's only due to the influence of the Buddha Kingdom. If the Buddha Kingdom disappears, such things won't happen again, will they?"
"That's not true?" The emperor sneered. "Are you deceiving yourself? Forgetting about past and present lives?"
"They should have forgotten it anyway." Zhang Zhengyuan looked at the other person with suspicion. "Your Majesty has never been to Jiangnan, has he? They have long implemented public Samsara there. Many soldiers died in battle, and their memories must be erased before they can Samsara. All the people know about reincarnation, but that doesn't prevent them from still having the feelings of being parents to their newborn children, because the past life is the past life, and this life is this life!"
The emperor looked at the other person coldly upon hearing this. "And what about you? If someone Samsara as your child, would you treat him the same as before?"
"If I didn't know, of course I would treat him the same as before." Zhang Zhengyuan laughed. "That's just how things are in this world. If you understand too much, no one will live a good life. The child has no memory of his past life, and he treats me as his parents. Why can't I treat him as my own child? In this life, he is my child. What he did in his past life has nothing to do with me?"
"What Your Majesty should worry about is the protection of the Samsara system, ensuring that those who are Samsara do not awaken to their past lives. That is the key. The Buddha Kingdom is a product of chaotic times, and such forces should be eradicated!"
The emperor then carefully examined the other person, and after a long while, finally laughed, "Your temperament is quite similar to mine."
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."
"You're right!" The emperor's spirits lifted considerably, and he stood up. "If we could control Samsara, then all things in the world could Samsara our human race, and the sins of past lives could be eliminated. Those born in this life would then be unrelated to their past lives. The current chaos is all caused by that Buddha Kingdom; once it is eradicated, such things will never happen again!"
"The question is how to extinct them?" a cold female voice came from outside.
"Royal sister?" The emperor stood up, looked at the woman who had come traveling and looked travel-worn, and immediately laughed, "Why are you only just returning?"
"It's fortunate you came back at this time, otherwise I wouldn't have seen your pathetic and dejected appearance!" the woman sneered.
A rare hint of embarrassment appeared on the emperor's face.
"Speak," the woman said, looking at Zhang Zhengyuan. "From the beginning, you've been inciting His Majesty to oppose the Buddha Kingdom. What's your strategy?"
The emperor then looked at Zhang Zhengyuan. He had been influenced by Zhang Zhengyuan and had pulled himself out of his despondency, but he had overlooked one point: he didn't necessarily have to be an enemy of the Buddha Kingdom; they could even cooperate, right?
Although he had schemed against those ancient beings, such things were not a big deal in the eyes of those powerful forces, as long as there was still value in cooperation.
"His Majesty could never conspire with the Buddha Kingdom; this is a matter of ideology."
"Ideology?"
"Ahem, I mean, principles." Zhang Zhengyuan coughed lightly. "Moreover, His Majesty betrayed the Divine Martial Guild before, and the Divine Martial Guild is backed by the Buddha Kingdom. Relatively speaking, cooperating with the Buddha Kingdom is the most unwise thing to do."
"So you mean... cooperating with that thing in the sky?" The woman pointed to the sky, at the dazzling golden staircase, which looked like it could rival the Buddha Kingdom.
"That side can't cooperate." Zhang Zhengyuan shook his head with a wry smile, "Among the major powers, which one needs mortal forces the least?"
"Then who else?"
" Daoist School!"
" Daoist School?"
"The three schools of Buddhism, Daoism, and Demonism are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining," Zhang Zhengyuan said quietly. "But Daoist School and Buddhist School have the most conflicting ideologies; Buddhist School cultivates the afterlife, while Daoist School cultivates this life!"