第 11 回

After the wronged soul left, another person named Zhu Taiwei came to lead the way.

He led Emperor Taizong of Tang and Judge Cui forward.

They arrived at a place called the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

There were countless living beings, who, based on the good and bad deeds they did while alive, respectively walked into different paths.

Some entered the Heavenly Path, Human Path, while others entered the Asura Path, Animal Path, Hungry Ghost Path, and Hell Path.

Each person received the result they deserved, without any error.

Judge Cui said to Taizong that after returning to the human world, he must educate the people to do more good deeds.

Only in this way can they avoid falling into bad paths.

Taizong felt that what he said was very correct and firmly remembered it.

Then, Zhu Taiwei led Taizong out of the underworld.

Emperor Taizong felt his body lighten, and his soul returned to his body.

He slowly woke up on the bed in the imperial palace.

Taizong told the ministers who were guarding nearby about all the things he saw and heard in the underworld.

He mentioned Wei Zheng"s letter, Judge Cui adding to his lifespan, encountering the vengeful spirits of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, and also seeing hell and the six paths of reincarnation.

The ministers were all very surprised upon hearing this, and they also believed more in karma and retribution.

After this incident, Emperor Taizong of Tang fully understood the principle that good deeds bring good rewards and evil deeds bring evil retribution.

He decided to do more good deeds and govern the country well.

Therefore, Taizong issued orders: pardon prisoners with relatively minor crimes, release some palace maids to return home and reunite with their families, and provide money and grain specifically to care for elderly people without children.

After these good policies were implemented, the common people were very grateful to the emperor and praised Taizong as a good emperor.

Taizong did not forget Xiang Liang, who lent him money in the underworld.

He sent people to find out where this person lived.

Soon it was found out, Xiang Liang was a poor man from Kaifeng Prefecture, Henan, who made a living by selling water.

He usually lived very frugally, but often did good deeds.

Therefore, he accumulated a lot of hidden virtue, and the money in the underworld was the blessings reserved for his next life.

After Emperor Taizong learned about this, he exchanged a treasury of gold and silver borrowed from the underworld into money that could be used in the human world.

He ordered Yuchi Gong to personally deliver this money to Xiang Liang.

Yuchi Gong took the money and found Xiang Liang's home.

Xiang Liang was just an honest poor man, and suddenly seeing a high-ranking official from the court arrive, he was so scared that his whole body trembled.

He thought his family had committed some serious crime.

Yuchi Gong hurriedly explained his purpose, and then presented the money from Emperor Taizong as a token of gratitude to him.

Unexpectedly, Xiang Liang and his wife firmly refused to accept it.

They said that doing good deeds in daily life is their duty, and they never dare to ask for any reward.

Yuchi Gong persuaded many times but it was useless, so he had to take the money back to the imperial palace and report the situation to Emperor Taizong.

After hearing this, Emperor Taizong said: This is truly a kind-hearted old man.

So he changed his mind and ordered to use this money to build a large temple in Kaifeng.

Emperor Taizong personally named the temple Xiangguo Temple to remember Xiang Liang's good deeds.

At the same time, Emperor Taizong also ordered Prime Minister Xiao Yu and others to immediately start preparing a large water-and-land assembly.

They wanted to invite eminent monks from across the country to chant sutras and perform rituals, to deliver the suffering souls in the underworld and help all living beings.

After the news spread, monks from across the country together selected a monk with the best character and the most understanding of Buddhist dharma to preside over this water-and-land assembly.

The eminent monk selected by everyone was the son of the top scholar Chen Guangrui from that year.

He has now become a monk, and his Buddhist name is called Xuanzang.