Li Muchan took a look at the girl in white. She had an oval face, a pointed chin, and big bright eyes. She was so gleaming as she glanced at her that it was hard to extricate herself from it.
She is indeed a rare beauty. No wonder the gods in the early Song Dynasty were upside down, and no wonder Song Shuhua was worried. One look at this woman's temperament shows that she is cunning and intelligent, playing with men like monkeys.
He cupped his fists and said with a smile: "Meet Miss Cheng."
Cheng Sisi pursed her lips and smiled lightly, and said generously: "Mr. Li, please."
Li Muchan and Song Chu sat down, Cheng Sisi said: "Young master Li and Xiaohua came back together, right?"
Li Muchan nodded lightly: "Yes."
"It's been a hard journey, Xiaohua's temperament is a bit colder." Cheng Sisi pursed her lips and smiled.
Li Muchan chuckled and refused to comment. Song Chu said: "Sisi, you can go and persuade the little sister later, she is angry."
Cheng Sisi and Liu Ran feel comfortable.
Some ladies were sitting in the carriage, opening the corner of the window and looking outside. A group of young people, holding swords or fans, stared at the girls in the carriage boldly and unrestrainedly.
There might be a group of girls in twos and threes, giggling happily, flirting and flirting with the young people. It was so lively that Li Muchan admired that the folk customs here were as open as those of later generations.
Song Shuhua turned a blind eye to everything around her, and just walked slowly and looked coldly at her. Li Muchan shook his head secretly. Her state of mind was indeed different from that of ordinary people, and she seemed to be dismissive of these beautiful things.
They walked a mile away, and in front of them was a snow-white stone bridge, like a rainbow spanning the wide river. The stone bridge was extremely wide and could accommodate twenty people walking side by side.
On both sides of the bridge, there are small stalls closely connected with each other, offering food, entertainment, small handicrafts, and some rare treasures. It is very lively.
Song Shuhua dismissed these and just walked in the center of the bridge, ignoring the stalls and crowds on both sides. Li Muchan praised: "It's so lively!"
Song Shuhua sneered: "Boring!"
Li Muchan smiled and said, "Why are you bored?"
Song Shuhua snorted coldly: "If you have this skill, you might as well work hard and practice martial arts well. Coveting for these false excitements is just bringing shame on yourself!"
Li Muchan said: "The way of civil and martial arts is always tightened, which is not conducive to the practice of martial arts."
"These are just disturbing people's hearts. Even if you relax, you can't touch them." Song Shuhua shook her head.
She quickened her pace as she spoke, and Li Muchan followed helplessly, not wanting to join in the fun. After a while, she crossed the bridge and continued walking east.
Going further east is the fields, like patches of green carpet, and further away are the hills.
……………………………………………………
The two of them came to the foot of a big mountain, walked up the stone steps, and walked up with the crowd. At the foot of the mountain, they could smell the faint scent of sandalwood.
The bluestone steps were already shiny, like polished jade. They went up all the way, getting steeper and steeper. Halfway up the mountain, their eyes suddenly opened up, and they came to a flat and spacious place. A magnificent temple stood in front of them.
The hundreds of steps go almost straight up to the temple. Looking up, you can almost see the clouds.
People are constantly coming and going on the steps, green smoke is billowing up into the sky above the temple, and the scent of sandalwood is rich but not choking.
The expressions of these men and women coming and going were calm and peaceful, and somewhat pious. Li Muchan was even more curious, thinking that there were eminent monks here.
Seeing the curiosity in his eyes, Song Shuhua explained: "We have very few temples in Beiyezhou, because this is the capital, so there is this Buxue Temple."
Li Muchan praised, "It seems that the incense is very powerful!"
Song Shuhua said: "There are several eminent monks in Kuxue Temple who have superb Buddhist teachings and can relieve people's worries."
Li Muchan asked curiously: "How are the martial arts of these eminent monks?"
"Unfathomable!" Song Shuhua said slowly.
Li Muchan smiled and said, "Well, you should know a thing or two!"
"Let's go and see my mother first." Song Shuhua walked up the steps, and the two of them walked the ninety-nine steps together with everyone else and entered the temple gate.
The three big words "Kuxue Temple" above the temple gate are deep and concise, fierce but not loud. Li Muchan admired them. These three words seemed to be integrated with the entire temple.
The red mud on the temple walls is as bright as new, and the yellow tiles are bright and shiny. It does not look like an ancient temple, but more like a newly built temple. Li Muchan asked Song Shuhua, and she explained that believers donate money for renovations and renovations every year.
When the two of them entered the temple, a mediocre-looking young monk came forward to greet them and asked them to wait in the side hall next to them. They could also visit the various parts of the temple as they pleased.
Song Shuhua clasped her hands together and said she wanted to see Master Xuezhu.
The young monk knew the etiquette very well, so he looked at Song Shuhua in embarrassment, but finally went in to report.
After a while, the young monk came back, asked the two of them to follow him, and led them around the several main halls in front and to a vegetable field behind the temple.
The vegetable fields are green and green, exuding a light fresh air, which makes people refreshed. It is completely different from the incense in front, as if they have entered another world.
A thin monk wearing gray robes was carrying a load of water, wandering along the vegetable patch into the vegetable field, slowly putting down his hand and watering the vegetables with ladle after ladle.
These green vegetables looked strange to Li Muchan, as if he had never seen any of them before.
…………………………………………
Song Shuhua stood by the vegetable bed and looked at the old monk quietly. Li Muchan also looked at the monk Li's body, which was so thin that it looked like a gust of wind could blow him away.
He felt carefully and didn't feel that this old monk was very advanced, as if he didn't know martial arts, but his intuition was completely opposite. This thin old monk was a great master.
The young monk tithes at the old monk's back, then turns around and leaves quietly.
Song Shuhua stood quietly, and Li Muchan didn't move either. Seeing the respect in her heart, he stared at the old monk's movements. After a few glances, he noticed something strange.
His movements were slow and difficult, as if each ladle of water was as heavy as a mountain. Miraculously, his movements were continuous, and if you looked closely, they looked like flowing water.
Heavy and light, difficult and continuous, these artistic conceptions blend together to reveal an unspeakable harmony. Li Muchan was surprised in his heart, this old monk is indeed not simple.
He was immersed in the old monk's every move, constantly comprehending the artistic conception, unaware of the passage of time. When the old monk put down the ladle, stood up slowly and turned around, Li Muchan saw his face clearly.
He is thin and thin, with a long snow-white beard and a fairy-like spirit.
"Master Xuezhu!" Song Shuhua saluted and called respectfully.
"Xiaohua, when did you come?" the old monk asked with a smile and a kind expression.
Song Shuhua looked him over and said: "Master, you have lost your weight again."
Master Xuezhu smiled: "Xiaohua, you are wrong. The old monk is fat."
"What has Master been doing lately?" Song Shuhua asked with a smile.
"Eat, sleep, plant vegetables and chant sutras." Master Xuezhu looked at her with a smile: "Xiaohua, your cultivation is really rare. This donor is like...".
"He is Li Wuji, and it is thanks to him that I can come back safe and sound," Song Shuhua said.
Master Xuezhu tithes: "Almsgiver Li."
Li Muchan smiled and said: "Master is too polite, but my disciples dare not be polite."
Master Xuezhu stroked his beard and smiled and said: "Xiaohua has a bad fate, but with good fortune and good fortune, there will be noble people to help him at the critical moment. It seems that he finally met the noble person."
"Master, thank you." Li Muchan saw that he spoke calmly. He was not like an ordinary old monk who often talked about Amitabha and Buddha's words. Instead, he seemed like an ordinary old man, speaking casually. If he were not in ordinary monk robes, it would be difficult to believe him.
He is an old monk.
Song Shuhua pursed her lips and smiled: "Master, I want to see my mother."
"Come with me." Master Xuezhu smiled and nodded, walking slowly through the vegetable field and heading east to a forest of pagodas.
The pagodas gathered together to form a forest of pagodas, naturally exuding majesty and solemnity. The three of them came to a pagoda and stood in front of it. Song Shuhua saluted in unison, with a solemn expression.
This pagoda is no different from the one next to it, but there is a garland on it. The flowers have withered, as if it was put on last year.
Li Muchan looked at Song Shuhua in surprise, and Master Xuezhu smiled and said: "Xiaohua's mother is a lay scholar. She has exquisite Buddhist teachings and profound cultivation. The old monk still relies on her guidance."
………………………………
Li Muchan was even more curious. He didn't expect that Song Shuhua's mother was a Buddhist practitioner. In this world, Buddhism is far less powerful than in the original world.
In the original world, there were kings who worshiped Buddha, and the people naturally liked it. Buddhism has penetrated deeply into the people, and has taken root in the land, and is deeply rooted.
There are very few Buddhists in this world who are far away from the world of mortals, like Kuxue Temple. They all practice hard in remote places, and there are very few Buddhist disciples who are walking in the world of mortals.
Song Shuhua looked at the pagoda quietly, as if staring at a person, motionless. Li Muchan understood that she was speaking her mind, so naturally he would not disturb her.
Song Shuhua stood there blankly, her face gloomy.
After a long while, she shook her head and turned around. Master Xuezhu said warmly: "My child, are you encountering something troublesome again?"
Song Shuhua said: "Master, my father is determined to marry me to the He family!"
Master Xuezhu smiled and said: "You will not marry into the He family."
"Really?" Song Shuhua's bright eyes flashed.
Master Xuezhu smiled and nodded: "Old monk, what did you do to lie to you? How can a monk lie?"
"Then I'm relieved!" Song Shuhua breathed a sigh of relief and hummed: "He's gone too far. He turned his back and refused to recognize anyone else. I will never pay attention to him again!"
Master Xuezhu said with a smile: "If your mother knew about it, she would not be happy."
Song Shuhua sighed, shook her head and said: "Master, you don't know how annoying he is!... Okay, master, let's make fast food. Li Wuji, master's fast food is one of a kind, I'm sure you'll like it!"
Li Muchan chuckled and said, "Isn't it too troublesome, Master?"
"You're welcome!" Song Shuhua waved her hand, turned around and said, "Master, you won't be reluctant, right?"
Master Xuezhu shook his head and said with a smile: "Okay, I'll just do it. You can rest in my courtyard."
Song Shuhua said to Li Muchan, "Don't be polite to Master, let's go and wait first!"
She led the way, and Li Muchan followed. The two passed through the pagoda forest and arrived at a Zen courtyard in the east. It was quiet and elegant, and there was a bamboo forest in the courtyard.
There is a small pavilion to the north of the bamboo forest. The two came to the small pavilion and sat down. Li Muchan said: "This Master Xuezhu has profound cultivation, it is really unfathomable!"
"Huh?" Song Shuhua said in surprise: "You are wrong, the master does not know martial arts."
Li Muchan smiled and shook his head silently.
Song Shuhua frowned and said, "Master, are you really skilled in martial arts?"
Li Muchan smiled and said, "I shouldn't be mistaken."
Song Shuhua thought for a while, shook her head and said, "I never knew the master knew martial arts, but the Dharma is profound, and whenever I have troubles, I come to him to find solutions."
"Is he a friend of yours?" Li Muchan asked.
Song Shuhua nodded: "Yes."
Li Muchan smiled and said, "Then he has never used martial arts?"
"No." Song Shuhua shook her head and said with a smile: "I saw that he was struggling to do his job, so I thought he didn't know martial arts!"
Li Muchan was silent and thoughtful. Looking at his body, it seemed that he was really not strong. He looked like he could be blown away by a gust of wind. It didn't look like he was pretending.
Then why do I feel so unfathomable and powerful? Is it because Buddhist martial arts are different from other martial arts?
He became more and more curious and said with a smile: "Sister Xiaonuo, have you ever seen Buddhist martial arts?"
"Is there any unique martial arts in Buddhism?" Song Shuhua asked, after thinking for a while, she nodded: "I've seen it before. There are specialized monks in the temple who practice stick techniques."
"Nothing else?" Li Muchan asked without giving up.
Song Shuhua shook her head: "I have never seen other Buddhist martial arts, but their stick skills are sharp and indeed powerful. They are the best skills."!