From Wan Yankang's perspective as a time traveler, the fact that Zhiyuan can stand out among hundreds of monks at the age of forty and has been in charge of Anguo Temple for many years speaks for itself of many problems.
From the beginning, he did not dare to underestimate the great monk. He did not simply use the so-called "my Buddha's compassion should save all sentient beings" moral binding to persuade him, but directly proposed a more practical idea of relief through work.
Zhiyuan knows how to choose the lesser of two evils and the greater of two benefits.
When dealing with smart people, you can't be too smart. Doing one thing is enough.
Click till then.
…
Zhiyuan said he was going to arrange food and prepare for disaster relief. Wanyankang wondered whether he was going to fulfill Anguo Temple's internal decision-making procedures.
When the emperor encountered major issues, he would discuss them with his ministers, and this was a temple.
Wan Yankang continued to wander around the temple with Juekong leading the way as usual, and took Liang Zireng and several other guards with him.
Anguo Temple occupies a very large area. Entering from the mountain gate is the Tianwang Hall, followed by the Main Hall, Jieyin Hall, Thousand Buddha Hall and Pilu Hall.
These main buildings are distributed on a central axis. There are hundreds of monk houses on the left side. The rectangular area on the right side is where the renovation and expansion projects of pagodas, forest of steles, warehouses, etc. are currently under construction.
The more he walked around the temple, the more Wan Yankang felt that Anguo Temple had a rich heritage and that there was still potential to be tapped in the matter of disaster relief.
Although Zhiyuan took the initiative to clarify the amount of grain stored in Anguo Temple and actually produced the account books to prove it, but as a man of two generations, he was the most aware of the fishy nature of this.
In ancient times, an enterprise as big as Anguo Temple was not a listed company. How could it only have one open account?
There are almost certainly hidden accounts that cannot be seen in the light. It’s just that unless absolutely necessary, the “dark goods” hidden in the dark can’t be easily exposed.
But it would happen to anyone else, so don’t push it too hard, just take it step by step.
Soon we moved to the deepest Sutra Pavilion in the main courtyard of Anguo Temple, which leads directly to the back mountain. There are two other temples on the mountain, Wenshu Temple and Vajra Temple.
Wan Yankang wanted to go into the back mountain to have a look, but then he saw a young man in green clothes hurried over behind another young novice monk. He looked carefully for a few times before he recognized the young refugee boy just now.
She has pretty features and looks quite well-behaved.
He San knelt down and kowtowed several times.
Wanyan smiled generously and helped him up, saying, "How is your sister?"
He San said respectfully: "Xiao Lian just ate and fell asleep. I came here to thank the young prince for saving his life!"
"Living well is better than anything else."
Wanyan Kang nodded, patted He San's thin shoulder, walked two steps and stopped to wave: "If there is nothing wrong with your health, you might as well follow me to the back mountain for a walk."
"I obey, little one!"
…
"He San, who else is in your family?" Wanyan Kang asked casually while climbing the mountain.
"My father, mother, and two brothers all starved to death on their way to Zhongdu." He San's heart was cut with a knife.
There used to be a family of six, but now only two brothers and a sister are left to depend on each other. The suffering makes people numb, and the tears have long been dried up, and the only thing left is the strength to grit one's teeth and fight for their lives.
Under natural disasters, human life is like a piece of grass.
Wanyan Kang sighed and patted He San on the shoulder again: "Don't be sad... Since you brothers and sisters are also homeless, go back to work in the palace."
He San was so surprised that he prostrated himself on the mountain road.
Liang Zireng clicked his tongue and thought to himself, this young man is lucky enough to meet this young prince, otherwise he will starve to death in the mountains sooner or later.
Faced with the tears of gratitude from the young man in front of him, Wanyan Kang touched his chin and motioned for Liang Ziwen to help him up.
Only then did he realize that he was no longer the logistics staff officer he had been in the past.
A casual word can change someone's destiny.
Wanyan Kang also asked about what the three brothers and sisters had experienced on their way to escape.
He San was very reserved at first, but gradually relaxed after seeing that Wan Yankang's words were gentle and he didn't have much airs of a nobleman.
The mountains are densely forested, and there is an alpine lake in the mountains called Wangyue Lake.
The entire mountain forest, including Wangyue Lake, is the property of Anguo Temple and is enclosed. At the entrance to the mountain climbing, there is a "stop monument" signed by the local county government.
Seeing that both sides of the mountain road were half-cultivated terraced fields, Wan Yankang stopped and stared for a moment, then said softly to Juekong: "Little Master, these mountain fields are probably over a thousand acres, why are they abandoned halfway and abandoned in vain?"
Juekong smiled and replied: "Little prince, every time the rains are good, the temple will hire people to cultivate these mountain fields, but the harvest is not good. This year there is a severe drought, and the tenants of the temple are fleeing, so they are deserted."
Already."
Liang Zireng looked around and said: "The mountains and fields are barren, and we can only rely on rain. It is difficult to fertilize, and the harvest is even lower. Farmers have worked hard for a year, and their income is not enough to pay the land rent. I have seen many such large areas of mountain fields abandoned in Changbai."
It’s not surprising in this place.”
"However, a small harvest is still a harvest. Although there is a severe drought, there is still lake water in the back mountain for irrigation. Young monk, there are hundreds of monks in your temple. Can't we cultivate the land without tenants?"
Juekong's smile froze slightly, but he immediately said calmly: "Old master, although there are many monks in this temple, most of them are old and infirm. In addition, this temple receives many pilgrims on a daily basis, and the monks each have their own duties and heavy workload.
How much time will it take to reclaim the wasteland?”
"What about a young monk like you? He is too weak and sick to survive?" Liang Ziweng's voice was slightly sarcastic.
Juekong straightened his back and said calmly: "The young monk has been a monk since he was a child. Although he does not do farm work, he chants sutras and worships Buddha. He works hard and sleeps day and night and never dares to slack off. It is not that the old master thinks that he is industrious and does not distinguish between grains.
.”
"Ha... the little monk is very sharp-tongued, but he is also good at sophistry."
"My Buddha is merciful, but this young monk only knows how to debate scriptures." The young monk said confidently.
The two bickered for a while, and Wan Yankang laughed secretly and turned to look at Wangyue Lake.
"Let's go to the lake and have a look."
Juekong advised: "It looks like it's not far from Wangyue Lake from here, but it needs to go around the peak in front. It will take at least more than an hour to go back and forth. Now that it's getting late, I might delay the young prince's dinner.
Can you go again tomorrow?"
Wanyan Kang pointed straight ahead: "Can't we just go straight?"
"Go straight ahead. There is only one small road. Because it is rugged and difficult to walk, and some places are full of thorns, few people usually walk on it. The noble body of the young prince..."
Wanyan Kang waved his hand and walked forward.
Everyone had no choice but to keep up.
The trail winds upwards in a zigzag shape, is extremely narrow and steep, and is indeed difficult to walk.
Measured by feet, it's about two or three miles in a straight line.
From a closer look, the lake is indeed quite large, resembling a large natural reservoir.
However, due to a severe drought, the lake level dropped significantly. The reeds that stretched as far as the eye could see were dry and lodging, and a large silt foreshore was exposed along the coast.
Wan Yankang stood by the lake and looked back at the mountain and field community. He felt that the terrain there was obviously much lower than here.
The surface of the lake at the far end was sparkling, and the mountain breeze was blowing. Wan Yankang looked around at the crowd and said with a smile, "Everyone, who knows how to swim? Let's go down to the lake and see if there are any fish."
Liang Zireng shook his head repeatedly. Although he was highly skilled in martial arts, he was born in the northern part of the country and was a typical landlubber.
Seeing the young prince looking at him, Juekong also shook his head: "The young monk usually only works at Huijing Hall to copy scriptures. He rarely comes to the lake on weekdays, and he is not familiar with water."
He San walked out of the crowd and whispered: "Young prince, I know how to drink water."
Two middle-aged guards also stepped forward and volunteered: "I know how to swim."
Liang Ziweng thought that Wanyan Kang was in high spirits and wanted to watch people swimming and playing, so he waved his hand to the guards and others to get into the water quickly.
He San immediately took off his shirt and plunged into the lake. When he emerged again, he had swam more than ten feet away.
In comparison, the two guards pale in comparison. They crawl like a clumsy dog and can only flop around in the shallow water of the lake. They are actually deliberately trying to please their little master, and everyone burst into laughter.
He San was swimming in the water, very happy. This moment in the water made him temporarily forget the sorrow of his father, mother and brother starving to death. He also thought of the brother and sister who met the noble man and their lives would be settled in the future. If his father, mother and two brothers were still alive,
How wonderful it would be to be alive!
Amidst the conversation and laughter on the shore, suddenly there was no trace of the boy on the lake, and everyone was startled.
Wan Yankang's heart tightened. There would be no danger in such an undeveloped wild lake, right?
But not long after, the young man showed his head again, with his feet stepping on the water and his hands raised above the water. In his hands, he was holding a golden carp that seemed to weigh half a kilogram.
The young man cheered: "My dear prince, there are too many fish in the lake!"
Several guards shouted: "Throw it up and roast it!"
"Catch a few more!"
…
He San followed his words and picked up four or five more carps and threw them ashore. The largest one weighed at least a pound.
Liang Zireng and his guards were busy grilling fish.
Wan Yankang had the intention to stop him. After all, this was the back hill of Anguo Temple. It would not be good to eat fish in front of the young monk, but he thought it was just a few fish and didn't want to disappoint everyone, so he pretended to be confused.
I walked alone on the shore and found Juekong sitting cross-legged in the grass, with his eyes closed and muttering: "Namo Amitabha Night, Duotagadu Night..."
Wanyan Kang was surprised: "Little Master, are you doing your homework?"
Juekong stood up, clasped his palms together and sighed: "All living beings suffer due to sins. The young monk is reciting the mantra of rebirth to save these fish to be reborn in the Western Paradise."
"My little master is merciful! However, my little master will have to recite the Rebirth Mantra dozens or hundreds of times..."
Jue Kong was stunned.
"On our way up the mountain, including you, the little master, we accidentally crushed countless ants and insects under our feet. All living beings are equal. If the little master can save a few fish, how can he favor one over the other?"
Juekong's face turned red.
I wanted to refute, but felt I couldn't.
"Haha, it's a joke, don't take it seriously. What I want to say is that this man eats fish just like fish eats shrimp. It's just the cycle of all things, the law of nature, and it's not killing. Do you think this is true, young master?"
The young monk saluted solemnly and said: "It's the young monk who is obsessed."
"You are not Buddhist disciples, so you do not need to observe the precepts. Chicken, duck, fish and meat have always been part of the world's food, but please feel free to eat them...it doesn't matter."
This turn is very fast.
This little monk is quite interesting and has quite a talent for driving.
Wanyan Kang immediately raised his thumb: "Yes, young master practices Buddhism without being pedantic. This is great wisdom. You remind me of a friend who is also a monk."
"His name is Xu Zhu."
"Later, when he practiced Buddhism to the extreme and attained great enlightenment, he married a girl named Menggu and became a great master."
"Little Master, the so-called Buddha sits in the heart, and wine and meat pass through the intestines. There is a Buddha in the heart, which is better than thousands of Buddhas. If you stick to the precepts and formalities, you will never become a Buddha. I am optimistic about you..."