"Your subject wishes to try!"
Facing the emperor's question, Han Mo respectfully stood up, clasped his hands towards Zhao Ji, and said earnestly.
"If that is the case, then you may try it out in Mingzhou and Quanzhou. If it is feasible, then it can be promoted throughout the entire Liangzhe Circuit!"
After some hesitation, Zhao Ji finally agreed. After all, the temptation was too great.
If it were only in Quanzhou and Mingzhou, even if some trouble arose, it should not have had any significant impact.
After all, Han Mo held the Quanzhou and Mingzhou navies. If anything happened, even suppressing it should be sufficient.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After receiving the emperor's permission, Han Mo felt a sense of relief.
This matter might seem negligible now, but it was crucial for Han Mo's future plans.
The Mingzhou and Quanzhou navies were, after all, the imperial troops. Turning them into his training camps was not an issue at the moment.
Indeed, it was wartime, and Zhao Zhen, the Commissioner for the Six Eastern Circuits, had given his approval, so no one beneath him would dare to voice any objection.
However, the Fang La rebellion was now nearing its end. To sustain this system, an imperial edict would be required.
With his two biggest troubles resolved, Han Mo's mood greatly improved.
Looking at this excessively young face, Zhao Ji felt a sense of returning to his own youth.
After discussing official matters, their conversation gradually shifted to a more relaxed tone.
After a period of casual talk, Zhao Ji even kept Han Mo for dinner at the palace, after which Han Mo finally left the imperial city.
"Young Master!"
Just as Han Mo's carriage was about to return to the back gate of the Han residence, Jiang Yan, who was sitting on the carriage seat, suddenly stopped the horses and gently knocked on the carriage door.
"What is it?"
"That appears to be the carriage of Master Yuan Miao ahead!"
Jiang Yan quickly lowered his voice and said.
"No matter, let's go and meet him!"
Glancing at the inconspicuous black-canopied carriage in the distance, Han Mo slowly said.
"Yes!"
After responding, Jiang Yan urged the horses forward. When the two carriages met, he stopped his carriage, exchanged a glance with Zhang Ruhui in the adjacent carriage, and with great tacit understanding, they both left the carriage seats, moving to the left and right respectively to block both ends of the alley.
"Sir, you come here late at night. Is there something the matter?"
After Jiang Yan's footsteps faded, Han Mo was the first to speak.
"Since we have reached an agreement, why is the young official still offering those monks another way out?"
Although both of them could not see each other's faces through the carriages, Han Mo could still discern Lin Ling Su's displeasure in his words.
"So, sir, are you here to demand an explanation?"
Instead of answering his question, Han Mo retorted.
"Should I not have come?"
Lin Ling Su did not back down, asking directly again.
"If sir is here to demand an explanation, then I believe we have no further business to discuss. What I promised sir was that those monks would withdraw from Bianliang for three years. I did not promise anything else!"
"Even if we take a step back, does sir truly have the confidence to completely eradicate Buddhism?"
After Han Mo finished speaking, Lin Ling Su fell into silence once more.
"The young official speaks wisely. This old Taoist has been too attached."
With a long exhale, Lin Ling Su finally took a step back.
"Sir, I have already said before, rigidity cannot last; too much rigidity leads to breaking! The Shenxiao Sect is currently flourishing and prosperous. If sir still does not know when to stop, I fear that the ruin of the sect is imminent!"
Han Mo's words, spoken with such a plain tone, caused Lin Ling Su to tremble.
"Is there truly no way to resolve this?"
After taking several deep breaths, Lin Ling Su spoke again.
"Sir, everyone experiences birth, aging, sickness, and death. Plants have their seasons of withering and flourishing. Have you ever heard of a dynasty lasting for a hundred generations? The Shenxiao Sect, from nothing to its current state, has become the leader of Taoism in the world within a mere few years. Is that not enough?"
"However, it is not easy to retreat..."
Although Lin Ling Su understood everything Han Mo said, he was now in a precarious situation. Understanding the logic and being able to act upon it were two entirely different matters.
"Prime Minister Cai, at the age of seventy, is still able to cut off his own limbs. Does sir lack this courage? To retreat wisely is true skill! Even if it is painful for a while, it is better than being purged later, isn't it? Three years, is that not enough time for sir to maneuver?"
After Han Mo finished speaking, the two fell silent again.
Putting aside other matters, to retreat, they would have to hand over the current Shenxiao Palace. Without the Shenxiao Palace, would the Shenxiao Sect still be the Shenxiao Sect?
Moreover, from top to bottom, from Lin Ling Su to the disciples at the lowest level, the Shenxiao Sect had grown accustomed to arrogance over the years. Within the Taoist circle alone, they were practically enemies with everyone. Not to mention the monks lurking behind them with covetous eyes.
The Crown Prince's close association with Buddhism was an irreversible fact. If he pushed those monks so hard now, one could imagine how they would treat him once they gained power...
This was not cutting off limbs, was it?
This was clearly a loss of half his life!
A single misstep could lead to eternal damnation!
"Sir might as well think about it again. However, if you intend to act, sir must hurry. After all, three years is neither long nor short!"
Although the two charcoal basins in the carriage's hidden compartment were burning brightly, the drafty carriage was not a good place for a conversation.
In just a short while, even leaning against the thick fur cushions, Han Mo still felt a chill on his back. The winters in Bianliang were truly too cold.
"I will consider what the young official has said again. Did the young official enter the palace today with the intention of bidding farewell?"
After another moment of silence, Lin Ling Su finally spoke.
"The wind in Bianliang is strong. Isn't it for me to return and avoid the storm?"
"All of you are returning?"
"I have no choice but to return. Did you not see the tiger whip already delivered to my doorstep? If I were not sensible, I fear the next delivery might be a silken noose!"
"Then, when will the young official return to the capital?"
"If nothing else happens within these two years, I likely will not return. After all, sir knows I have a stiff backbone and cannot always stoop. Sir, if there is anything you need from me, you can send someone to find Manager Zhe at the Cuju General Association."
"Then I wish the young official a safe journey! After the matters in Bianliang are concluded, I will immediately prepare for the affairs in Taiyuan City!"
"Thank you, sir!"