Daxiangguo Temple is located in the center of the downtown area of ​​Bianjing. It was originally the former residence of Mr. Wuji, the prince of Wei. In the first year of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty, the monk Huiyun came to Bian and pleaded that there was spiritual energy here, and that he raised money and purchased land to build a temple. In the first year of Yanhe in the Tang Dynasty, in order to commemorate his ascension from King Xiang to the throne, Li Dan, the Emperor of Tang Dynasty, changed the name of Jianguo Temple to "Xingguo Temple" and wrote a plaque of "Daxiangguo Temple" by himself.

The Tang and Song dynasties were the heyday of Xiangguo Temple. Especially during the Northern Song Dynasty, Xiangguo Temple was repeatedly added and repaired, becoming the largest Buddhist temple in the country. The temple covers an area of ​​more than 500 acres, governs 64 Zen temples and law courts, and has thousands of monks. The magnificent architecture is known as "golden and green, clouds and clouds are lost." At the same time, the host of Xiangguo Temple was granted by the emperor. The emperor usually visited, prayed, thanked, and even the titles of Jinshi were often held here. Therefore, Xiangguo Temple is also called "Royal Temple".

On the day of the Queen Mother's birthday, Zhao Ji, as Yang Fan's instructions, went to Daxiangguo Temple in person, and kowtowed the ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows. It started two hundred steps away from the entrance of Daxiangguo Temple and continued to the front of the Sutra Pavilion of Xiangguo Temple.

Daxiangguo Temple is located in the downtown area of ​​Bianjing. The Xiangguo Temple Master Hall Square alone is enough to accommodate ten thousand people. The surrounding streets and alleys are crowded with people, and pilgrims from all over the country line up in endless lines.

In this crowded environment, Zhao Ji, as the prince of the dynasty, moved forward step by step with the ceremony of three kneeling and nine kowtows, which immediately attracted the attention of people around him. Soon, people were transmitted from people, and tens of thousands of people rushed to watch, speculating about what Zhao Ji wanted.

He naturally had to command Yang Fan's idea on the spot. Now Zhao Ji is very fond of Yang Fan, and the Duan Prince's Mansion respects Yang Fan, the priest Yang Fan, so the big guards who originally only protected Zhao Ji now have one more task to protect Yang Fan.

In the eyes of outsiders, Yang Fan was so envious of such a high treatment. Only Yang Fan himself knew that Zhao Ji had not completely trusted him. These big inner guards were called protection, but in fact, they were not ruled out to monitor Yang Fan, for fear that Yang Fan would run away.

This is Zhao Ji's petty mind. Yang Fan will not expose him. Everything will be done when Zhezong dies and Zhao Ji ascends the throne. Then it will prove that what he said is true.

Seeing the crowd talking, Yang Fan shouted, "Where is the guard Zhan?"

Zhan’s guard was named Zhan Chong, one of the great guards sent by the clan’s mansion to protect Zhao Ji. He was the fourth-rank light chariot commander. Yang Fan had no rank, but he was a priest and had a respectable status, so Zhan Chong did not dare to neglect him. He hurried forward and said respectfully: “I am in a humble position, what instructions does the priest have?”

Yang Fan smiled slightly and said, "I would like to ask Brother Zhan to send someone to climb the high school and shout, saying that King Duan did this to fulfill his filial piety to the empress dowager. It is as clear as possible. If necessary, find more entrusted people to get involved in the crowd!"

Zhan Chong understood Yang Fan's intention and secretly admired him. At the same time, Yang Fan always called him the eldest brother, which made Zhan Chong feel more affection for Yang Fan. He naturally had to do what Yang Fan ordered with care.

"Don't worry, priest, the job is set up!"

Zhan Chong bowed and soon organized people to promote it everywhere to build momentum for Zhao Ji.

When he learned that Zhao Ji performed the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows was just to pray for the current queen mother's birthday, this filial piety immediately made tens of thousands of people watching warmly praise it.

In the Song Dynasty, where filial piety was the first, Zhao Ji was not the biological daughter of the empress dowager, but he might not be able to do filial things even if he was a biological son. His filial piety was touching. The pilgrims who had originally complained that Zhao Ji was delayed by them also took the initiative to move away.

Zhao Ji took the initiative to go out. He only performed the ceremony of "Three Kneeling and Nine Knocking" once, and was a funeral for his father Emperor Shenzong. It was just one round and it was finished soon, so it was not tired. This time, Zhao Ji kept kneeling and Nine Knocking from outside Xiangguo Temple to the Sutra Pavilion, which was far away.

Not long after, Zhao Ji's cheeks were sweating profusely, his knees were broken, his forehead was red and swollen, and then he bleed. At first, he complained that Yang Fan had such a ghost idea, but when he found that he was watched by tens of thousands of people and everyone praised him, he felt very happy, as if he had endless strength to use his body, and he understood Yang Fan's painstaking arrangements even more.

In this way, Zhao Ji knelt three times and kowtowed all the way to the door of the Sutra Pavilion.

The host of Daxiangguo Temple had been alarmed for a long time and had been persuading him. After all, Zhao Ji wanted to invite Master Chen out of seclusion. Master Chen is a generation of monks. He has been in seclusion for twenty years and has never been disturbed. Now Zhao Ji's actions have made the host embarrassed.

Zhao Ji shouted more than a dozen times at the door, but Master Le Chen didn't come out. He was anxious and couldn't help but look at Yang Fan in the crowd not far away.

Yang Fan was secretly happy. He deliberately punished Zhao Ji and avenged the people who suffered from Jing Kang's shame in advance. Seeing Zhao Ji looking at him, Yang Fan had to help.

Yang Fan once again ordered Zhan Chong to inspire the onlookers to shout in unison. The shouts of tens of thousands of people naturally alarmed Master Lechen, who was retreating in the Sutra Library and specializing in studying scriptures.

Master Lichen didn't know the situation outside at first, so he just heard Zhao Ji shouting that he would ignore it, but tens of thousands of people shouted in unison, and the momentum was shocking, so he had to come out to watch.

Master Lechen, who is already ninety years old, pushed the door out. Although he was used to seeing the world, he was also shocked by the big scenes outside.

When Zhao Ji saw Master Chen coming out of seclusion, he was immediately overjoyed and hurriedly told him the purpose of the visit. The abbot of the presidency also came forward to explain, allowing Master Chen to know what happened.

Master Le Chen looked at Zhao Ji deeply, and saw that Zhao Ji's forehead and knees were bleeding, he was immediately moved by his filial piety and immediately agreed to Zhao Ji's request.

Daxiangguo Temple only hits 108 bells during the New Year, which means removing 108 kinds of life and obtaining good luck and happiness.

But today, at the instruction of Master Chen, Daxiangguo Temple sounded a hundred and eight times for the Empress Dowager's birthday, which were all due to the filial piety of worshiping Zhao Ji.

In the palace, civil and military officials were congratulating the birthday of the empress dowager and offering birthday gifts one by one. The birthday gifts were different, and most officials were still very conventional and presented real gold and silver jewelry.

They were all supporting roles, just to express their feelings, but King Mu and King Chu spent a lot of effort. King Mu gave the Empress Dowager a Persian cat from the Western Regions, and the King of Chu bought a box of pineapples from Nanyang, and rushed to the capital with ice insurance along the way.

The Queen Mother liked the gifts of King Mu and the Queen Mother of Chu. At this moment, Zhang Duan saw that King Duan Zhao Ji had not appeared for a long time, so he deliberately shouted: "The Queen Mother's 70th birthday, why didn't he see King Duan come to celebrate his birthday?"

Someone from Zhang Dun's sect immediately stood up and echoed: "The annual flower review list has started again in recent days. Prince Duan has always been here. I'm afraid that he has gone to a prostitute and forget the Queen Mother's birthday!"

Now is the critical moment to stand in line with the ministers. Among the civil and military officials, the officials who have had their relationship with King Duan on weekdays, dare not speak easily, leaving no one to defend Zhao Ji.

The Empress Dowager frowned immediately. Zhao Ji has been serving her these days, but she absent today. She knew that Zhao Ji could not go to the prostitute house at this time.

At this moment, a melodious bell sound came from the direction of Daxiangguo Temple, one after another, and one hundred and eight times kept ringing, which surprised everyone.

"Today is not the New Year, why does Daxiangguo Temple ring a hundred and eight bells?"

Everyone, including the Queen Mother, didn't understand why.

The King of Chu said immediately: "I guess the host of Xiangguo Temple knew that today is the 70th birthday of the empress dowager, so he only heard one hundred and eight times to celebrate the empress dowager's birthday!"

The Queen Mother smiled slightly, obviously very happy.

However, a eunuch soon came to report to the empress dowager and told the truth about Prince Duan Zhao Ji's trip to Daxiangguo Temple to pray for the empress dowager's blessing and signing. He was the eunuch arranged in advance by Zhao Ji. He said it with great qi, which shocked all civil and military officials. After hearing this, the empress dowager smiled very brightly. This was the first time in most of her life that she had laughed so happily. Everyone saw it and had a scheming in her heart.

Not long after, Zhao Ji came to celebrate his birthday. He deliberately did not change his clothes or wash his face, so that everyone could see his forehead and knees breaking.

The empress dowager was very distressed and actually left the seat on her own initiative, came down to help Zhao Ji up, and said kindly: "Why are you doing this?"

Zhao Ji hurriedly said: "On the Empress Dowager's birthday, the child should be filial, it's nothing! But the child's efforts were not in vain. He invited Master Le Chen for the Empress Dowager and asked for a signature for the Empress Dowager!"

The Empress Dowager nodded happily. She respected Master Chen the most, but unfortunately the other party has been in seclusion and has not met for many years.

At this time, Master Le Chen then came to wish the Queen Mother a happy birthday, and praised Zhao Ji for his filial piety in front of her. At the same time, he handed over the mother-son heart-to-heart sign Zhao Ji had asked to the Queen Mother and son.

If someone else took out this signature, the Empress Dowager would definitely not believe it, but Master Lechen was highly respected and naturally trustworthy. She was excited. She had never had children for a long time, and suddenly felt that Zhao Ji was her own son.

Everyone saw the empress dowager's expression. Everyone understood Zhao Ji's purpose at that moment, but no one would expose Zhao Ji's trajectory in front of the empress dowager, and they couldn't help but secretly praised Zhao Ji for being smart and scheming.

King Mu and King Chu looked at each other and understood one thing from each other's eyes, that is, they were deceived by Zhao Ji for a long time. Zhao Ji quietly gained the trust and favor of the empress dowager. Originally, all the princes were on the same starting line because the empress dowager had no children. Now Zhao Ji is one step ahead and has the capital to compete for the crown prince.

Zhang Dun also frowned. He had not pressed his treasure on Zhao Ji from the beginning and had been against Zhao Ji, which made him feel a little nervous.
Chapter completed!