Established a millennium family since King Wu defeated Zhou

Chapter 926 King Su’s spirit is in the sky and bestows the king with a crown of thorns!

Datang defeated Gaochang, completely turned Gaochang into a puppet state, established prefectures and counties in Gaochang, and began to set up the Western Region Army. After all, it caused an uproar in the Western Regions.

Although the kings of the Western Regions didn't say much on the surface, they all secretly felt like they had a ray of light on their backs.

If we use a metaphor, the previous Tang Dynasty was like a tiger roaring on another mountain. Although it was scary, it was still far away after all. But now the tiger of Datang has reached the top of a mountain like the Western Region. A country in the Western Region will be torn into pieces at any time.

Almost most countries had other ideas in their hearts, but they did not dare to rebel against the Tang Dynasty. At this time, a good tool man appeared.

Western Turks!
Before the power of the Tang Dynasty appeared in the Western Regions, it was the undisputed lord of the Western Regions. Especially during the rule of the first two Khans, it had a territory of thousands of miles.

Congling, the Buzhou Mountain in myths and legends, is also the Pamir Plateau among people from the Western Regions. Congling is thousands of miles east and west, and is the territory of the Western Turks.

Later, the Western Turkic Khan Ashinaser was assassinated, and he fell into constant internal fighting. The entire Western Turkic Empire suddenly collapsed, and various countries became independent one after another.

Now the territory of the Western Turks is roughly at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. It is still the most powerful country in the Western Region, but it is no longer comparable to its peak.

Two years ago, a hero emerged from the Western Turks named Ashina Sein. He killed his brother Ashina Severu and unified the Western Turks.

Now that the Tang Dynasty is so powerful and the great Turks are so weak, they will definitely attack the Western Regions. The reason why they are not taking action now is because Tubo and Liaodong Kingdom pose a greater threat to the Tang Dynasty.

After it develops in Gaochang and then crosses four thousand miles to compete with our Turkic Khanate, what's so strange about it?

The woman in black robe was a little surprised by Luo Xuanzang's decisiveness, but immediately bowed her head and said, "I follow your orders, great high priest."

"Eh? Temple?"

We Turks are the only country that can pose a threat to the Tang Dynasty, and they will definitely attack us.

Deep in the temple, Luo Xuanzang was dressed in white, with gold embroidery on the edges, a wreath on his head, and a staff in his hand. He was leading a group of young temple disciples to study with a solemn expression.

Ashina Sain is really sober, all thanks to the fact that he was once a member of the Suwang Temple.

Because all the cardinal priests present knew that the Western Turkic Khan Ashina Sain asked for an audience. He was once a cardinal priest, and there were quite a few of his friends among the people present.

But the atmosphere today is quite different.

The Western Turks were able to regain a certain strength so quickly because they relied on this naturally chosen land in the Western Region.

In the temple.

There can only be one king in the world, and with the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions, it would be difficult to highlight the Western Turks.

In other words, the Tang Dynasty believed that we Turks were not qualified to be Tang Dynasty's opponents, so they allowed us to develop in the Western Regions.

Ashina Sain was the one who reacted the most to the demise of the Tang Dynasty and Gaochang. He had a fear as if a sharp sword was pressed against his chin.

A figure in black robes walked in and walked to Luo Xuanzang. She was a very beautiful woman and respectfully whispered: "High Priest, Western Turk Khan Ashina Sain, please see me."

Luo Xuanzang defeated all the wise men in the Western Regions by himself. He entered the temple with supreme prestige. He also unified all the sects in the Western Regions and established Xuanmen. With Suwang Temple as the core, he built eight major temples, which were extremely prestigious.

Later, he left the temple because he wanted to come back to fight for the throne, so his view of the world's situation far exceeded those of these people.

"High Priest, Ashina Sain is a Turkic Khan. He has outstanding prestige and powerful strength in the Western Regions. He is also a devout believer of King Su. He was once the powerful heir to the Eight Thrones. Do you want to meet him?"

……

All the countries in the Western Regions, especially those at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, have surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, and the Western Turks have gradually fallen into encirclement.

Luo Xuanzang has finished the class. After everyone disperses, there is a regular morning meeting in the temple. It is similar to the court meeting of the imperial court. It is the time for the high priest and cardinal priests to deal with academic affairs.

The place is prosperous and prosperous all day long, and there are traces of temples everywhere.

Do not!
The emperor of the Tang Dynasty would definitely do this. Ever since the Central Plains first learned about the Western Regions hundreds of years ago, they would never give up their attempt on the Western Regions as long as there was a chance.

The so-called "Eight Seats" refer to the eight people with the highest status in the temple, namely "High Priest", "Chief Cardinal", "Second Cardinal", "Commander of the Temple Army", "Chief of the Temple Guards", "Saint", "Chief Ascetic", and "Chief Canon".

Although he is a little humble now, this is because he has requests from the temple. If he really gets aggressive, he can fight to the death with the temple. The battle between divine power and royal power is complicated.

Luo Xuanzang replied calmly: "No, let him go back."

Ashina Sain suddenly thought of something, and he immediately said with high spirits: "Prepare horses for Ben Khan. Ben Khan is going to Shenlin City."

Yes, he was once one of the priests of the Temple of King Su, and because of his noble birth, he was also a member of the sixty-four cardinal priests, and was the real high-level leader of the temple.

The books he has read, whether they are scriptures or scriptures, far exceed those of these Turkic nobles.

The essence of Xuanmen Temple is a group with power, not just an ideological sect, so there are quite a lot of affairs.

In the royal court, he held a golden scimitar in his hand and stared at the nobles in the camp with dazzling eyes. "Khan, I really don't understand what is worthy of fear in the Tang Dynasty. The royal court is ten thousand miles away from Chang'an."

If I hear such arrogant words again in the future, I will personally chop off his head with the golden knife in my hand. "

"Shut up!"

Ashina Sain immediately roared: "Those who said such things are already dead. You people only play with women every day, eat meat and drink wine, and shake your head when I ask you to study. Then the Tang Dynasty conquered Gaochang across seven thousand miles." country.

Ashina Sain looked at the scenery he had seen countless times with some nostalgia. Shenlin City, the vast green grassland, where countless cattle, sheep and horses thrived, and the towering snow-capped mountains provided sufficient food for the Western Regions. Water flow, the Yili Valley irrigated by the gurgling Yili River, south of the Yangtze River outside the Great Wall, is a pearl among thousands of miles of yellow sand.

Shenlin City, the central city of the entire Western Region, is the first of the three holy cities in the hearts of millions of people in the Western Region. The other two holy cities are Chang'an and Luoyang.

What to do?
The Royal Court of the Western Turks is located under the Tianshan Mountains. Above the Tianshan Mountains, the sky is covered with snow and the birds are extinct. Under the Tianshan Mountains, cattle and sheep are everywhere, but Ashina Sain is full of sorrow.

Then he received a response from Luo Xuanzang, who turned extremely pale almost instantly, "With my status, how could the high priest disappear? Could it be that the high priest already knew my intention and was rejecting me?

If Ashnathan had not left the temple, he would very likely have become the commander of the temple army. Of course, now that he has become the Khan of the Western Turks, he is naturally better than the commander of the temple army.

The temple is on the mountain northwest of Shenlin City. The entire mountain is the territory of the temple. People who come here have to climb 999 steps to see the white jade door of the temple.

The high priest's wisdom is as profound as the sea and as vast as the emperor's sky. He must have known it. "

It is precisely for this reason that these priests in the temple do not want to offend Ashina Sain. It is really unnecessary to make enemies of the temple for nothing, especially since the Western Turkic Royal Court is not even three hundred miles away from Shenlin City. Neighbors should get along more harmoniously.

Luo Xuanzang looked around for a week, and then said slowly: "Why did Ashina Saien come to the temple? It was because the Tang Dynasty conquered Gaochang and increased its control over the Western Regions. He felt the danger, so he came Go to the temple, hoping to get help from the temple to fight against the Tang Dynasty."

As soon as Luo Xuanzang spoke, the expressions of everyone in the palace immediately changed. That powerful empire left almost everyone with lingering fears, but they could not ignore it.

After a long time, a cardinal priest said angrily: "Are we going to allow the Tang Dynasty to enter the Western Regions?
This is the Western Region for us Westerners. Isn’t the superficial surrender enough? Are they really going to extend their claws into the Western Region?

What qualifications does a dynasty full of heretics have to rule the Western Regions! "

As soon as these words came out, the crowd immediately responded, shouting heresy, but from the corner of their eyes, everyone quietly looked at Luo Xuanzang who was sitting at the top, waiting for his attitude.

They absolutely did not believe that the high priest would let Datang enter the Western Regions so easily.

Who doesn't know that the Emperor of Central Plains has divinity in him. The Emperor of Central Plains is not only the political leader of the Tang Empire, but also a religious leader.

Look at the words at the beginning of his title, "The Grace of the King Monsu".

If the Emperor of the Central Plains really entered the Western Regions completely, who would be the highest religious person between the Emperor and the High Priest?
The struggle for power is war. If the Tang Dynasty is allowed to enter the Western Regions in this way, then do the images hanging in the temples also need to be replaced?
Behind Luo Xuanzang, there is a portrait hanging, which fully expresses the history of the temple in the Western Regions.

In the portrait, the high priest holding the staff is obviously taller than the emperor next to him. This means that in this land of the Western Regions, the temple has the final say, and the emperor can only stand back.

If the emperor's military power is really projected, that will not be the case.

Who will give up power?

nobody!
Luo Xuanzang narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew one thing very well. In a system like the temple, even if he wanted to surrender, he would be deposed as the high priest in the next moment. He was different from those kings, and his interests were subordinate. for the benefit of the temple.

Besides!

Why surrender?

Did he ascend to the position of high priest of the temple to submit to the Tang Dynasty?

Even if there is a day when it really has to surrender, Datang will still be here to leave enough interests that make people excited and make enough concessions.

As for not seeing the Western Turkic Khan, it was purely because he wanted to use the Western Turkic Khan to establish his authority.

Moreover, the temple cannot become the vanguard against the expansion of the Tang Dynasty.

After all, if the Western Region cannot withstand the attack of the Tang Dynasty in the future, the temple will take advantage of the situation and reconcile with the Tang Dynasty.

If Ashnasion wanted the temple to give him more support, he would have to pay more, such as the legitimacy of his throne.

Luo Xuanzang slowly closed his eyes, "When the Western Turks assassinated Ashina Sai, those who did not obey the temple occupied high positions, which led to the current situation in the Western Regions.

When Ashina Sain ascended the throne of Khan, he did not come to the temple to accept the canonization.

Now that we are under threat, is it so easy to get the temple to help the Western Turks again?
Let the supreme and holy King Su see how pious Ashina Sain is. "

A group of cardinal priests looked at each other and knew that this was the answer of the high priest. They all said in unison: "Your Majesty, I will obey your decision, great high priest!"

When Ashenasein learned about the decision in the temple, people around him were very confused, "Showing piety? How to show this? Is it to offer treasures and gold to the temple?"

After a short period of thinking, Ashinathan rejected this idea, "The high priest cannot be just like that. The temple has a vast land and countless believers. The most indispensable thing is gold and jade, and even It is more than all the treasures of the royal court combined.

If it were the Great Turkic Khanate at its peak, it would naturally be richer than the temple, but the now declining Khanate is no longer qualified.

The high priest wanted to see the sincerity of Ben Khan's request for an audience. Servant.

Take off Ben Khan's crown, take off Ben Khan's robes, take off Ben Khan's sword, take off his boots, take off all symbols of nobility, then take the ascetic clothes and weave them for Ben Khan The garland of thorns, I, the humble one, want to express my deep surrender to the supreme and holy King Su. "

what?
Ashinathan's words shocked all the nobles. They took off all their noble things, even personal accessories. Isn't this the greatest humiliation for a king? Only a defeated king would do this. To survive.

Faced with everyone's dissuasion, Ashina Sain remained unmoved and insisted on doing so. Everyone could only agree to him with tears. His attendant cried bitterly: "Great Khan, please allow me to go with you. Seek an audience with the high priest."

Ashina Sain stopped him and said, "This is Khan's own practice. You should not participate."

Everyone could only give up, and then watched Ashina Sain take off his clothes, then put on the clothes of an ascetic monk, with a wreath of thorns on his head and no shoes on his feet, and then walked out of the Turkic camp.

He walked up the steps to the White Jade Gate step by step with bare feet. The steps that were not so difficult in the past were now quite awkward, and the small stones tortured him.

He walked to the white jade door, looked at the magnificent pillars, and said loudly: "Ashenasein of the Turks, please see the great high priest."

In front of the Baiyu Gate, some people looked at this scene and sighed.

"I wonder if the high priest will see him."

"The wisdom of the high priest is not something we can predict. Please follow the will of King Suzunshen."

"No, it's raining. Let's go quickly."

"What should I do about Ashinathan?"

"do not know."

Everyone left here and went to the house. This is how it is in Shenlin City. The rain comes as soon as it comes. When the heavy rain fell on Ashina Sain's face, he was a little dumbfounded, but it was only for a moment. , he just knelt on the ground and let the rain pour down.

"Khan, please return to the camp quickly and wait until the rain stops before asking to see the high priest."

Facing the anxious ministers, Ashina Sain shook his head and said resolutely: "If I can't bear even a mere rain, how can I show my devotion to King Su?

Although Ben Khan was not the one who killed Ashinaser Khan, this was the sin of the Western Turks. Let this pouring rain wash away the sins of the Western Turks. "

Everyone had no choice but to leave again. Ashina Sain knelt in the rain. The pouring rain made him miserable. He didn't know if anyone could hear him, but he kept saying over and over again, "Western Turks." Ashinathan has understood all the sins and asked the high priest to forgive him. Ashinathan is willing to pay for everything.

Please, great high priest, put on a crown for the Western Turks!

Please, great high priest, give blessings to Western Turks!

Please great high priest, dominate my life and everything! "

Many people in the temple were moved by Ashina Sain, and they all advised Luo Xuanzang, "High Priest, Ashina Sain is really pious. Please meet him."

"Yes, how humble a noble khan is in praying. Even if King Su sees it, he will shed tears of emotion. Please ask the high priest to see him."

"The great high priest, Ashinathan will become a more pious person than Ashinathan. The temple needs such a king to maintain our influence on the world."

Almost all the cardinal priests were interceding for Ashinathan. Seeing Ashinathan's humble prayer, they thought it was completely enough.

After all, he was a powerful Khan!
Luo Xuanzang was still reading the book quietly. After everyone had finished speaking, he said calmly: "Go and give Ashina Sain an umbrella and let him take medicine so that he will not be injured due to a rain. And what kind of disease comes from it?

Then he was cleaned, asked to put on white clothes without any decoration, crossed the sacred Tianchi, and then kissed the lotus throne in front of the statue of King Su.

I will meet him there, in the presence of all the cardinals, and there you will appear, just as you did at the Uncensored Conference. "

"boom!"

Almost everyone immediately stood in awe, "I obey you, great high priest!"

Even if they could guess that Luo Xuanzang would definitely meet Ashina Sain, after all the high priest wanted Ashina Sain's complete surrender, such a formal meeting was still something that no one had guessed.

Crossing the Tianchi Lake and kissing the lotus throne are all actions only performed when receiving gifts.

These cardinal priests have all gone through these two steps when they are promoted. If the high priest puts on the wreath of thorns himself, it will become an eight-seat throne.

Someone hurriedly walked out of the temple holding an oil-paper umbrella, and came to Ashina Sain, who was still shouting, and even his voice was a little hoarse. Facing Ashina Sain who had been kneeling in the rain for an hour, he couldn't help but feel excited. With a hint of admiration, Ashina Sain's face turned pale, and now he was completely relying on his will, "Great Ashnas Nasain Khan, your piety has moved the supreme and holy King Su to you. The priest has decided to meet you under the lotus throne."

Ashina Sain's face immediately became rosy, and his eyes lit up. His strong willpower made him shake his body, but he still stood up on his sore legs, "Thank you to the great high priest, Ashina Nasain will always be King Su’s most devout believer and will always be loyal to the temple.”

Ashina Sain came to the temple step by step. He was very familiar with this place. When he heard Luo Xuanzang's requirements for his dress and process, he was surprised and happy. This was a quite formal ceremony. He had already started Speculating, “What is the high priest going to do?”

he does not know.

But he knew that he could not refuse. The Western Turks could not resist the Tang Dynasty. He did not want the good head on his neck to become the urinal of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, or to become a bereaved dog, dying of illness in a foreign country, or to go to Chang'an is like Jieli Khan. He is an eagle on the Tianshan Mountains and can only spread its wings here.

He drank boiled ginger water to ward off the cold, then took medicine to ward off the cold, dried his body, put on pure white clothes, put on his clothes, removed the wreath of thorns from his head, and braided his hair He was draped down, his beard shaved off, and when that was done, he walked out of the house.

Follow the monks in the temple to the main hall of the temple. Tianchi is here. It is an artificially dug pond. Using the superb skills of craftsmen, it is a pond of living water. There are goldfish such as koi and goldfish in it. It is covered with agates, jewels and precious stones. There is a row of stone piers in the pond. This row of stone piers is about ten centimeters underwater.

Crossing the Tianchi refers to walking barefoot on this row of stone piers. Ashina Sain took a deep breath. The stone piers were not big, and there were constant impacts from the water. If you didn't walk carefully, it was possible. Will fall into the water.

In the history of the temple, there was a person who was disqualified as a cardinal priest because he fell into the water. That was an unexpected surprise that would make people collapse.

Ashina Sain paused one step at a time and walked slowly and seriously through the Tianchi. Everyone around him looked at him, and the place was very silent.

He breathed a sigh of relief, then put on the clothes given to him and walked into the temple.

As soon as he entered the palace, he couldn't help but pause.

Rows of cardinal priests sat on both sides of the temple, three rows in total, one row behind the other, arranged like statues of gods in the temple. They were all looking at him at this moment.

In the main hall, the most eye-catching thing is the statue of King Su, which has the characteristics of almost all gods. It is extremely majestic and sacred. The most important thing is that Ashina Sain always feels that this statue in Shenlin City is different from other temples. Likewise, it seems as if there is a real divinity surrounding it, making people feel a sense of surrender.

The statue was extremely tall, standing with a lotus throne at its feet. On the lotus throne, sitting cross-legged at the feet of the statue, was the high priest Luo Xuanzang.

His whole body was smeared with gold powder, but it still couldn't block the shining holy mark between his eyebrows, which was full of the solemn feeling of treasure.

Ashnasen did not dare to look any further. He knelt directly in front of the temple and said, "Your Majesty, King Su, great high priest, Ashnasen, I beg you to forgive the Turks' sins."

Luo Xuanzang said in a deep voice: "In front of King Su, tell me the sins of the Turks."

Ashnasei fell to the ground and burst into tears instantly, "Killed Ashnasei Khan who was devoted to King Su, put on the crown without the blessing of King Su, and neglected to respect the temple of King Su. , this is all the fault of the Turks.

How could the Turks achieve anything with so many sins?

This is the root cause of the Turks' failure. "

Luo Xuanzang shouted loudly, like thunder, "Those who obey King Su will be blessed, and those who disobey King Su will be destroyed. This is the principle of the Western Regions.

Those who rely on force will fail when their force weakens, but those who have the heart of the people will always remain invincible. This is why Ashnasei can unify the Western Regions, but now the Turks can only huddle in the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains! "

Ashina Sain kowtowed heavily again, leaving red blood on his forehead. Only then did Luo Xuanzang say: "Come forward and kiss the lotus throne."

The so-called kissing the lotus throne is actually kowtow to surrender to Luo Xuanzang, because Luo Xuanzang is sitting on the lotus throne, but Ashina Sain has no dissatisfaction.

If it were the Great Khan who dominated the Western Regions, he would certainly not do such humble things, but now he is just a king.

Ashina Sain lowered his head and kissed the lotus throne. His head lowered, and Luo Xuanzang stood up on the lotus throne.

This scene was deeply engraved in everyone's eyes.

When Ashina Sain raised his head, what he saw was Luo Xuanzang, who was as tall as a god, with golden solemnity and red holy marks that shone with light.

"Kiss the lotus seat today, and King Su will give you a crown!"

Luo Xuanzang spoke loudly on the lotus seat. His voice did not sound like he was speaking, but rather like he was singing, as if he were reading scriptures. All the cardinals and priests in the temple sang in unison: "Kiss the lotus seat today, Su will be happy." The king gives you a crown!”

Ashina Sain took two steps back, knelt down again, and said loudly: "The most high and holy, the most noble, the crown of the Turks is given by King Su."

"When a king is disrespectful, he will be deposed from his crown, and his subjects will drive him out of the kingdom."

Everyone was startled and sang in unison again. Ashina Sain was startled, but after a moment's thought he said again: "As great as you are, the king will obey you."

“Give me the crown, give me the crown!

Guest service from the Western Regions, guest service from the Western Regions! "

All the cardinals and priests laughed together and said: "Grant me the crown, the guests of the Western Region!"

A king who is given a crown by the temple will become the undisputed king of the Western Region. As for the Tang Dynasty, if you want to get the right to rule, let's fight.

Luo Xuanzang stepped down from the lotus throne and stood in front of Ashina Sain. The saint presented him with a crown studded with gems. After Luo Xuanzang took a look, he said: "Change a thorn." Here comes the garland.”

After a while, a garland of thorns was delivered. Luo Xuanzang looked at the garland and said, "There are countless crowns in the temple, but I have always thought that this garland of thorns is the best. If you don't experience thorns, how can you see the divine?" Woolen cloth?

This wreath of thorns is given to you today, it will be your best crown. "

After saying that, he put the wreath of thorns on Ashnasain's head.

"The spirit of King Su is in heaven and gives the king a crown of thorns!"

The hymn resounds!
(End of this chapter)