If Chen Baiqing's suppression of Cui Hao in every aspect came from being a stronger version of the same type with no weaknesses to worry about,
then Li Yingling's suppression of Cui Hao was that of a natural predator.
Li Yingling was immune to Cui Hao's bamboozling techniques and didn't care about his pity plays. Her method of dealing with Cui Hao was simple and effective—you useless junior brother, come take a punch from your Eldest Senior Sister!
Cui Hao clearly didn't enjoy getting beaten, and he didn't have any unusual preferences.
But this children's song thing… if word got out, he'd definitely get an education from Eldest Senior Sister's iron fists.
But if he tried to argue… given Eldest Senior Sister's personality, he'd probably get a couple extra punches.
Should he confess and receive leniency, or resist and face the consequences?
Li Yingling looked at Cui Hao's panicked expression, a half-smile appearing on her face:
"Little Cui Hao, why aren't you talking?"
"I'm just too overjoyed to see Eldest Senior Sister." Cui Hao put on a smiling face as he approached, changing the subject. "Why did you come, Eldest Senior Sister? Shouldn't you be overseeing the big picture in Central Province? Did Master come too?"
Li Yingling closed her book, and despite Cui Hao's clumsy attempt to deflect, she answered:
"According to Buddhist sect intelligence, Buddhist Son Wuwang has already arrived in the Southern Zhanbu Continent. If I didn't come personally, I wouldn't feel at ease leaving you junior brothers and sisters to your own devices."
"As for Master, since I'm here, naturally Master will handle the big picture in Central Province."
"Alright, I've answered your questions. Now, troublemaking Fifth Junior Brother, can you explain this children's song business?"
Cui Hao chuckled twice, then thought of the answer least likely to get him beaten:
"I newly learned and wrote two children's songs, specifically to help Mr. Li with education. After all, with singing, you learn as you go. Teaching needs to be multi-faceted these days—rote memorization is too rigid."
Li Yingling nodded in strong agreement at that:
"I did underestimate you. I didn't expect you to have such insight."
Cui Hao waved his hands repeatedly:
"I'm just picking up some of Eldest Senior Sister's past wisdom. I learned it all from you."
Li Yingling smiled and nodded, then pulled a piece of paper from her book and shook it in front of Cui Hao:
"Is this the kind of children's song you wrote?"
Cui Hao's gaze naturally fell on it, and his heart grew colder the more he read.
The paper in Li Yingling's hand contained Cui Hao's first children's song composition.
In this song, Cui Hao had first attacked Confucian literature as bullshit, then said Li Junzi's learning was chasing after that bullshit to sniff, and now Li Junzi wanted to bring that bullshit to everyone for them to sniff.
It was a song with vulgar wording and considerable attack power.
The more vulgar language a children's song had, the better it spread.
Clearly, this song had spread extremely well.
Relying on this one song, Cui Hao had received quite a bit of real silver and gold rewards from noble families, who had commissioned him to continue his creative efforts.
"Before I even arrived here, I heard plenty of children singing this song." Li Yingling narrowed her eyes. "If I found out who wrote it, I'd skin them on the spot."
"By the way, Cui Hao, you've been in the Xuanwu Kingdom capital so long—any news on this?"
Cui Hao froze on the spot. Now it was another question of confess and receive leniency, or resist and face the consequences.
After a moment of thought, Cui Hao still confessed.
He showed a guilty expression, his tone mournful:
"Eldest Senior Sister… I wrote it. But I had my reasons…"
"Enough." Li Yingling interrupted Cui Hao, taking the paper back. "Sure enough, little Baiqing is still little Baiqing—she really knows how to handle you."
Cui Hao looked at Li Yingling somewhat blankly.
Li Yingling didn't speak. Instead, spiritual energy flowed from the book in her hands, and a new piece of paper floated out from between the pages.
Cui Hao looked at it, then silently swallowed—this was his second version of the children's song.
"Since you honestly confessed this time, as Eldest Senior Sister, I naturally have magnanimity." Li Yingling put the paper back in her book, then turned. "I won't discipline you this time. As for your reasons, Mr. Li has already told me."
Li Yingling walked toward the small room where Li Junzi was in secluded writing, gesturing for Cui Hao to follow.
Cui Hao wasn't sure what he was feeling. He hurried after her, staying close behind his Eldest Senior Sister.
As soon as he entered, Cui Hao found that everyone was already there.
Li Xingtian, Chen Baiqing, and Lin Luoyu were all looking at him, their gazes scanning up and down as if trying to find where Eldest Senior Sister had beaten him.
Li Junzi also looked at him with a somewhat concerned gaze.
Cui Hao secretly rejoiced. Clearly, this had been a test Eldest Senior Sister had conducted behind his back, and he had successfully avoided it with his sincerity!
Li Yingling entered the room, first nodding with a light smile to Li Junzi, then naturally taking the lead:
"Buddhist sect intelligence confirms that Wuwang has personally arrived in the Southern Zhanbu Continent to supervise the pilot site himself."
Li Yingling's demeanor was composed. Over these past twenty years, she had genuinely handled many matters for her Master and made many decisions.
The moment she spoke, a natural authority radiated from her. Though her tone was calm, it made people subconsciously trust her.
Cui Hao had been working with Chen Baiqing during this period, and Eldest Senior Sister was usually busy too, so they'd had less contact. At this moment, Li Yingling's aura made Cui Hao feel like his Eldest Senior Sister had completed an evolution.
Li Yingling was long accustomed to it and continued naturally:
"The noble families and aristocrats use knowledge as their power, intending to maintain their wealth for millennia."
"They also assumed the monarch would resist the new policies for the sake of national stability and their loyalty."
"Naturally, without an outside force to break this thousand-year tacit understanding, things would probably develop exactly as those aristocrats expected."
"So, the purpose of bringing in the Buddhist sect is to break these tacit agreements."
"Since ancient times, the Buddhist sect has flourished in the mortal world. Besides its core doctrine meeting imperial needs, it's also because the Buddhist sect—one of the eighteen immortal sects of Central Province—serves as its ultimate backer."
"Thus, from ancient times to the present, there has never been a situation of rejecting the Buddhist sect."
"As for how to provoke conflict between the noble families and the Buddhist sect, that's naturally the simplest thing—visible interests."
"The Buddhist sect wants to promote Small Vehicle Buddhist teachings. Naturally, they can't send all their own Arhats and Bodhisattvas. Ultimately, it'll be the ordinary monks who already practice Buddhist teachings in mortal temples who do the promoting."
"Master and I gave Wuwang a reminder. Promoting Small Vehicle Buddhist teachings is a thankless task. Even with the Buddhist sect's decree, without benefits, it absolutely cannot be smoothly promoted."
"Moreover, immortal sects cannot overly participate in mortal dynasties. Benefits must be shared among everyone for people to be willing to promote it together."
"So, Master and I gave Wuwang an idea."
"Temples recognized by the Buddhist sect to promote Small Vehicle Buddhist teachings can accept [Land Offering], meaning temples allow believers to donate land to the temple. This land will not be inherited by the temple itself, but by the Central Province Buddhist sect."
"In other words, the donated land belongs to the Central Province Buddhist sect, with benefits distributed to the temples."
Li Xingtian listened with considerable emotion. This was clearly shell protection, but there was one point he didn't understand, so he asked:
"But why would those noble families donate land to Buddhist temples? Are we going to use cultivator methods?"
Li Yingling smiled and shook her head:
"What kind of underhanded technique is that? We immortal practitioners naturally act openly and honorably."
"The Buddhist sect promoting Small Vehicle Buddhist teachings, besides cultivating themselves, should naturally also try to help others cross the sea of suffering."
"After all, without believers and without benefits, why would anyone believe in your Small Vehicle Buddhist teachings?"
"So, Master and I gave Wuwang another idea."
[
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