The National Master's brow furrowed again. "Your Majesty," he said, "to start a war with Buddhism would require a great sacrifice. Can you afford to pay such a high price?"
"I can," the Emperor stated. "If Buddhism dares to confront us today, I will not compromise."
The Emperor's words conveyed a significant message to the National Master.
"There is one issue I cannot comprehend, Your Majesty," the National Master said. "Could you resolve my confusion?"
"Your Majesty would not start a war with Buddhism without reason, just as Buddhism would not detain the Long Princess without cause. As for war with Buddhism, we of the Daoist Sect have nothing to fear. But we need to understand what we are fighting for. We must at least know the secret concerning the Long Princess. Otherwise, even if I support Your Majesty, I will have no grounds to convince my Sect to declare war on Buddhism!"
