The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 0827 Drastic Measures

After a long silence, Han Jianming asked Qiu Shi, "Mom, is worshipping Buddha the most important thing to you? Do your children's lives and futures no longer matter to you? Is that it?"

Qiu Shi's expression turned decidedly ugly as she demanded, "What kind of thing is that for you to say? What do you mean, worshipping Buddha is more important than your life and future? Are you trying to dig out my heart?" Han Jianming's words had been extremely harsh.

Han Jianming responded, "If you truly consider my future important, why did you still persuade Yuxi to let that child live? Don't you realise that once this child is born, my entire life will be ruined?" With his reputation in ruins, what prospects could he possibly have?

Qiu Shi replied, "The Buddha said, 'Saving one life surpasses building a seven-storey pagoda'." Besides, this child was her own flesh-and-blood grandchild. How could she possibly bring herself to be so cruel?

Han Jianming's expression became extremely unpleasant as he pointed out, "So, in Mom's heart, your son's future is worth even less than that lump of flesh in Ye Shi's womb? Mom, don't you know how much effort your son has put in over the years to restore the Han family's fortunes? And merely because of this ridiculous reason, you've placed me in such a predicament?"

Qiu Shi would not tolerate those words. "Ming-er, you mustn't behave so disrespectfully. Offending the Bodhisattva will bring disaster upon you."

Han Jianming was so furious that his eyes turned red. "Mom, have you fallen into a demonic delusion? Have you?" Ignoring Qiu Shi's changing expression, Han Jianming continued, "Leaving aside what happened today, let's talk about Ye Shi. Mom, if you truly cared about your son, you would have made her terminate the pregnancy as soon as you found out she was pregnant. Yet not only did you fail to do so, you even protected her. Mom, you would never have behaved this way in the past." Since Qiu Shi would not allow Ye Shi to terminate her pregnancy, he had no choice but to do it himself. Even a vicious tiger will not devour its own cubs, yet he had to kill his own child. As a result, he would bear the reputation of a man with a cruel heart and ruthless hands. If he did not kill the child, however, future troubles would be endless. Whichever path he chose, he would find himself in a difficult position.

Qiu Shi had always cherished Han Jianming and Han Jianye as dearly as her own eyes. In the past, how could she possibly have allowed her son to find himself unable either to advance or retreat? She would certainly have resolved the matter at the earliest opportunity. It was precisely because the change in her behaviour was so drastic that Han Jianming felt so distressed.

Qiu Shi replied coldly, "So, you're blaming me now?" She simply did not want to commit the karmic sin of taking a life. Why was everyone acting as though she had committed a mistake as great as the heavens?

Han Jianming didn't respond to Qiu Shi's question. Instead, he said, "You said just now that more than 200,000 people were killed or wounded when Yun Qing attacked Haocheng. But what you don't know is that, for years, tens of thousands of people have died in the Northwest every year. Some died in battle, while others starved to death or perished from abuse and oppression. Over the course of more than ten years, far more than 200,000 people have died in the Northwest. Yet today, the Northwest enjoys favourable winds and timely rains, and the common people live in peace and work in contentment. Mom, do you still believe Yun Qing is burdened with deep and heavy sins?" Without Yun Qing, the Northwest would not have had peace and stability. Of course, most of the credit for the region's remarkable development actually belongs to Yuxi.

Qiu Shi was momentarily stunned before saying, "Even so, it would still be wrong to create more karmic sin through killing." The prospect of tens of thousands of people, sometimes even a hundred thousand, dying so readily was distressing for Qiu Shi to contemplate.

Han Jianming felt that Qiu Shi had truly fallen into a fog of delusion. "Mom, it isn't that Yun Qing wants to create karmic sin through killing. The entire realm has already descended into chaos. Even without Yun Qing, the killing would continue. The difference is that those other people kill solely for power, status, gold, and silver, whereas Yun Qing and Yuxi can give common people a life of peace and contentment. Mom, what you're accumulating is small goodness, while Yun Qing and Yuxi are accumulating great virtue."

Qiu Shi was furious. "Leave! I'm tired and want to rest." She didn't want to quarrel with Han Jianming, much less debate it with him. Therefore, she decided that if she didn't see it, she could consider it clean.

Han Jianming was no fool. How could he not realise that his mother was deliberately avoiding him? He wanted to say more, but Qiu Shi had already risen and was heading toward the inner room. Seeing this, Han Jianming could only say helplessly, "Mom, in that case, have an early rest. I'll come and see you again tomorrow."

The following day, Han Jianming told Yuxi about Qiu Shi's condition. After explaining everything, he added with a bitter smile, "Had I known that worshipping Buddha could also cause someone to fall into a fog of delusion, I would never have allowed Mom to take up Buddhist worship in the first place." Unfortunately, it was too late to regret it.

Yuxi asked, "Was Mom like this when she was still in the capital?" She had previously corresponded regularly with Qiu Shi, and apart from her growing compassion and desire to help others, Yuxi had noticed nothing amiss. Now, however, something was clearly wrong with Qiu Shi.

Han Jianming shook his head. "No. When she was in the capital, Mom always conducted herself with proper decorum. She even personally managed Dad's funeral arrangements, and nothing went wrong."

After hearing this, Yuxi said, "Dage, someone must have bewitched Mom and clouded her mind. That's why she's behaving so strangely." Yuxi could find no other explanation.

Hearing this, Han Jianming thought carefully for a moment, but still shook his head. "That's impossible. I know everything about everyone Mom has been in contact with. Those who harbour sinister intentions have absolutely no chance of getting close to her."

Yuxi laughed coldly. "What if Mom was bewitched by those so-called eminent monks who have attained the Way?" Because of what Monk Liaotong had said before, Yuxi had developed a deep dislike for famous Buddhist masters who always seemed eager to thrust themselves into the spotlight. Of course, Yuxi still greatly respected truly eminent monks like Master Huineng, who were highly virtuous and highly esteemed and had compassion in their hearts. Unfortunately, far too many people in this world craved fame and praise, while people like Master Huineng were exceedingly rare.

Han Jianming's pupils contracted sharply. "That genuinely hadn't occurred to me. If your suspicions are correct, then these people really stop at nothing." Those culprits had even begun using monks. Whoever had conceived such an idea was certainly resourceful. However, anyone who could persuade these eminent monks, who had attained the Way, to agree to such a scheme must have formidable methods, especially the person behind the curtain.

Yuxi proposed, "From now on, don't let Mom go to temples to worship Buddha. She should stay at home instead! If Mom wishes to hear an eminent monk explain the Buddhist scriptures, we can invite a trustworthy one to the residence to teach her." As far as Yuxi was concerned, this was a relatively minor matter.

Han Jianming hesitated somewhat before asking, "But if we do that, won't we lose the chance to catch the mastermind?" He would not feel at ease as long as the person secretly orchestrating everything remained free.

Yuxi stated, "Right now, Mom is our most important concern. We can let the instigator roam freely for a few more days. One day, I'll catch him." With that vow, she sighed again. "The person behind the curtain was coming after me. Mom has suffered this undeserved misfortune because of me! Fortunately, however, I was that person's target. Otherwise, there's no telling what might have happened to Mom." They had originally thought years of Buddhist worship had given Qiu Shi the heart of a Bodhisattva. They had never imagined that someone with ulterior motives had deliberately manipulated her into becoming like this.

Han Jianming thought for a moment before saying, "In that case, we should also arrest the monk who has been teaching Mom the scriptures. Perhaps we can obtain some clues."

Yuxi nodded. "You can arrest that monk, but don't cause a commotion." As an eminent monk who had supposedly attained enlightenment, he must have many followers. Everything about Qiu Shi was just conjecture, and they had no evidence. If those followers learnt about the matter, it would cause considerable trouble.

Han Jianming nodded. "I'll proceed carefully and leave no trace."

After returning home, Han Jianming questioned Mama Li. She told him everything she knew, down to every five and ten, without concealing the slightest thing.

The thought that someone had schemed against his own mother right beneath his very eyelids left Han Jianming seething. He had arrested the two monks who had privately lectured Qiu Shi on the Buddhist scriptures.

Two days later, Han Jianming informed Yuxi of the results. "It was that monk called Ci'en who bewitched Mom." Monk Ci'en enjoyed considerable prestige throughout the Northwest.

Han Jianming was so frightened by the incident that he broke out in a cold sweat all over his body. Fortunately, they had discovered the matter early, before the influence on Qiu Shi became too profound. Had they discovered it another six months or a year later, the consequences would have been too dreadful even to imagine.

After a moment's thought, Yuxi asked, "Did he reveal who the hidden instigator was?" In truth, Yuxi suspected that the monk wouldn't reveal the person's identity.

Han Jianming shook his head. "No, he merely claimed that he had been encouraging Mom to devote herself wholeheartedly to virtuous conduct. I even had him tortured, but he still refused to admit anything."

Yuxi told him expressionlessly, "Tell Mom that the mastermind behind the scenes is Yan Wushuang, and that he intended to use her against me. Also tell Mom that the person who used Er Ge back then, nearly resulting in one death and two lives lost, was also Yan Wushuang." He had used the same scheme twice, and each time he had nearly succeeded. By this point, even Yuxi couldn't help but admire the man's ingenuity.

Han Jianming asked, "But what if it isn't Yan Wushuang?" After all, Monk Ci'en still hadn't revealed a single word about the mastermind.

Because of what had happened back then, a barrier had risen between her and Er Ge, and that barrier might never be broken, even over a lifetime. Now, that person had resorted to his old trick again, and had almost succeeded once more. At that moment, Yuxi's entire body radiated with intense anger and aggression. "There can be no one else but him. He enjoys using these despicable, underhanded methods more than anything." After a brief pause, Yuxi continued, "Torture is useless against people like Ci'en. Go and tell that old bald donkey that if he refuses to reveal the hidden mastermind, I'll have every monk at Huaye Temple arrested and then make them die one by one right before his eyes."

Recalling Yuxi's earlier warning about causing too much commotion for fear that it would lead to serious trouble, Han Jianming hesitated before asking, "Shouldn't we discuss this with Meifu first?" This was no small matter.

Yuxi shook her head. "There's no need. Someone's already gone so far as to plot against you, and yet here you are, worrying about this and that, too afraid to make a move. Isn't that just pathetic?"

Seeing this, Han Jianming nodded and agreed.

There was a saying: one does not shed tears until one sees the coffin. At first, Monk Ci'en thought Han Jianming was merely trying to frighten him. Only when he saw the prison filled with monks from Huaye Temple did he realise Han Jianming was serious.

Han Jianming placed a blade against the neck of Jiexin, Monk Ci'en's favourite disciple, and threatened, "If you don't talk, he'll be the one to die." After saying this, Han Jianming turned to Jiexin and continued, "Every grievance has its source, and every debt has its rightful owner. That old bald donkey, Ci'en, harmed my Mom but refuses to reveal the mastermind behind it. That's why I'm turning my blade on all of you. When you reach Yama's Hall, tell King Yama that it was Ci'en, that old bald donkey, who caused your death."

Jiexin was not afraid of death. Even with a blade pressed against his neck, he would not retreat even half a step. However, after hearing Han Jianming's words, he shouted, "Don't you dare slander them! My master is devoted to helping others, and he has saved more lives than anyone could count. He has never hurt a single person!"

Han Jianming stared sinisterly at Monk Ci'en. Seeing Monk Ci'en close his eyes, Han Jianming let out a sinister cackle. "Your own disciple is about to die before your eyes, yet you remain completely unmoved at heart? So this is the Great Master Ci'en, who supposedly keeps compassion in his heart?"