Chapter 2055: Chapter 1501: Amitabha, Please, Benefactor Shandan, Release Me and Grant Me One Thousand Jin of Gold! (Part 2)
"Ah! Master Juehui! I beg you to save me, save me!"
"...Alas! Mizhu, you have followed me for so many years... How could I not save you? Even if it means defying the Buddhist Law of the Sect and trading with the Shandan People, all the sins will be borne by me alone..."
"Ah! Master!..."
Hearing Mizhu’s terrified plea for help, Master Juehui finally let out a heavy sigh, showing compassion on his face. Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong was a wise man; after so much back and forth, he finally offered a stepping stone. He could use this stepping stone to commence real negotiations with the other party.
"Masumi! You hail from Kyushu, you know well the rarity and expense of gunpowder. In Kansai, one hundred jins of gunpowder, with saltpetre transported from the sea, would require over two hundred taels of silver. Once purchased in large quantities, the price will inevitably surge, rising above three hundred taels. And for five thousand jins of gunpowder, that is at least fifteen thousand taels of silver, the price of over a hundred jins of gold!..."
"And this time coming to Ezo land, seeking Fate with gold. I lost ten customs ships of the Sect, five hundred Monk Soldiers trained over the years, and the battle-seasoned Shiba Official. Such a huge loss, even if the ’Superior’ covers for me, still counts as a loss of five hundred jins of gold!..."
Master Juehui’s eyes flashed with a bitter expression. These calculations have always been clear in his mind. Matters within the Sect require more than just people; it takes offering true gold and silver to settle... Thinking of this, he looked at Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong, speaking sincerely.
"Masumi, you have stayed in the Tiantai Sect and know the situations between temples and Monk Masters! If it is known that I caused such a disaster, created such a mess, and gained no gold... even the Superior couldn’t save me, wouldn’t want to cover for me! He’d rather abandon me and select another descendant for training at the temple..."
"As for my fellow brothers, they wouldn’t even consider the effort to gather, offering five thousand jins of gunpowder, at least a hundred jins of gold to ransom... If they manage not to push all empty accounts of the temples and shrines onto me as a scapegoat and vie for my vacant Monk Master position, that would already be immense compassion!..."
"In the end! If I do not return to the Sect, all those connections behind me would mean nothing! If Mr. Shanda wants to receive the ransom from my Sect, to obtain large amounts of gunpowder... first let me return to the Sect, contact the Superior and various Monk Masters, stabilize my position as the Monk Master of the Omi Grand Temple, and first patch over this grand disaster!"
"Amitabha Buddha! If I do not return... then this grand disaster goes uncovered. Omi temples won’t hold, neither will Miao Courtyard and eventually it will reach the tiantai general sect, the Yanli Temple on Hiei Mountain..."
"By then, even if I die, it wouldn’t matter; but as for your Shandan Golden Clan and Mori no Kiyoshi’s secretive gold trade, Miao Courtyard won’t manage either! Perhaps at that moment, not only everyone on Hiei Mountain knows, but even the whole Shogunate knows! Every powerful Daimyo from the Martial Family will glare at the golden light of Ezo land like hungry ghosts..."
"?! Juehui, you bald-headed fool! You are already a captive of my Golden Clan, a fish spread on the chopping board, yet dare to speak nonsense here?!"
Detecting the threat in Juehui’s words, Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong glared sharply and immediately drew his dagger. The sharp blade was swiftly placed against Master Juehui’s neck, even leaving a faint trace of blood. The profoundly versed Buddhist Master Juehui instantly froze, not daring to move, his mouth filled with "Buddhist Law" unable to speak further. After a while, only when Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong snorted lightly and withdrew the blade, did Juehui sag from his knees to his spine and eventually his mouth.
"An ascetic does not speak lies! Masumi... no, Jia Hong! You know... what I said is true!..."
"Amitabha Buddha! With boundless evil deeds, Dipavamsa is doomed to fall into Hell, there is no one to save him!..."
"And if someone should save, they must first save themselves... I must maintain my position and identity as Monk Master to actually produce ransom for Mr. Shanda!..."
Speaking thus, Master Juehui paused, his eyes flashed with a peculiar expression. He could become a Monk Master, having refined his "Buddhist Law" to the extent that Sect monks all show admiration; naturally wouldn’t face death without struggle. In fact, during this half month of imprisonment, he has essentially guessed the needs and wants of the Shandan People, envisioning a condition the other party might accept!
"Supreme Marvelous Miao Fa Lotus! Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong, I have an excellent proposal, you may relay it to the Great Chief of the Shandan Golden Clan, see if he might agree!"
"Hmm? Chief Divine, witness! What proposal?"
"Amitabha Buddha! My proposal is... ask Shandan Benefactor to release me, then gift me one thousand jins of gold to return to the Omi Sect! With this sum of gold, I can smooth things over and cover this grand disaster, even replace Mori no Kiyoshi heading to the Ming Dynasty next year and continue trading with you!..."
"Ah! Master?! What you say... don’t seek to die!..."
Mizhu Monk looked shocked, reaching to touch Master Juehui’s forehead. Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong uncredulous, stared at the Great Monk for some time, suspecting if the other had panicked, gone mad.
"Chief Divine! What do you speak? Release you, then gift you one thousand jins of gold?!"
"Indeed! As it is! Namo Marvelous Miao Fa Lotus!"
Master Juehui appeared as an experienced old sage, chanting Buddha names, seeming confident. Until *clang*, Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong once more drew his blade...
"Buddha! Jia Hong, you!... why draw your blade so quickly?"
"Hiss! Blade, blade!... I shall not speak riddles! I shall speak, I shall speak!..."
Master Juehui trembled all over, cautiously shifting his neck, inching away from the cold blade. Then, two young noble figures, a man and a woman flashed in his mind, he smiled deeply.
"Amitabha Buddha! I know what the Shandan Golden Clan desires. And what I can provide, is something Mori no Kiyoshi, that merchant could never think nor offer..."
"Don’t waste words! Speak!"
"Cough cough!... Jia Hong! Keep the blade away! In case you hear and your hand trembles, you would slash me..."
Master Juehui swallowed saliva, seeing the blade slightly moved aside, he inched his left hand forward, sketching a "two sword drawing of Ashikaga" family crest in the air. Then, all amiable and wise as he smiled "compassionately."
"Three Lords’ head, Qinghe Minamoto Clan Wubei family, the bloodline and family name of the Echizen Shiba Clan, arranging an Ezo Guardian official position...how about that? Worth one thousand jins of gold?..."
"What!!"
Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong suddenly widened his eyes, shivering incredulously. Following, there was Master Juehui’s anguished scream.
"Blade! Blade!..."
"Ah! My shoulder!... the blade cut my shoulder!!..."
