The Wang family is the largest source of incense for Zishou Temple. When the bandits crossed the border at the beginning of the year, the Wang family's house was fine and their house was not burned to the ground. The bandits have always raided temples vigorously, and Zishou Temple was also unharmed. Some people said that Zishou Temple and the thieves
The military relationship was very close, and the Wang family was protected because Zishou Temple was the guarantee. Of course, the Wang family was cut off.
Jinyiwei's spies started to investigate from these fragmentary clues. After several months, they finally revealed the true identity of the abbot of Zishou Temple and reported it to Dongchang. So Chang Yu came straight here and met the temple incense minister seemingly casually.
, actually picking melons along the way.
From another point of view, it is also a good thing for the temple to help the Wang family survive the disaster, but from Chang Yu's point of view, this is a thief! He originally intended to watch his actions before discussing. If he had already washed his hands in the golden basin and worshiped the Buddha with peace of mind,
It's fine in Shanxiang, but as soon as he tested it, the other party became a little uncontrollable and even wanted to strike first.
That would be embarrassing.
"You knew there was something wrong with this temple, but you didn't know that you would wait for me and let Kun Xing and I go into the temple to offer incense. Are you not afraid..." Zhu Cixiang's face was incomprehensible, while Chang Yu smiled: "You are the only one waiting for three
"The five of them don't know, but the rest of them know." Zhu Cixiang said, looking at Wang Zhengnan, Chen Ruxin and other personal guards around him, with smiles on their faces.
"It's not that I intentionally concealed it, but I was just afraid that you would show off and scare others."
We had lunch in the temple at noon. Before the meal was finished, the interrogation was over. There were six or seven of the more than twenty monks in the temple who were originally Wenxiang disciples. The abbot was named Cheng Dakui, who had surrendered six years ago.
The bandit army served as a bandit general under Yuan Zongdi, and was defeated in a defeated battle and broke into Buddhism. He actually put down his butcher knife without any evil deeds. However, when the bandit army crossed the border at the beginning of the year, they set up a line again, but they were able to protect the common people.
Peace, this is supposed to be a good thing, but! Gu Junen stayed in the temple for nearly ten days two months ago!
It can be said in Cheng Dakui's words that when it comes to public affairs, it is common for temples to offer good fortune to stay with lay people, but when it comes to private affairs, it is common for old friends from the world to stay for a few days. This is just human nature, so why not do it? Chang Yu angrily rebuked him for being a monk, so why did he come to be an old friend from the world? Cheng Dakui could only sigh.
: "Once you enter the world, you can't help yourself."
Maybe he really couldn't help himself, but from Chang Yu's point of view, he was a thief!
"Since you have done no harm since you escaped into Buddhism, and have done many good deeds in the countryside, I will spare your life today. If you dare to collude with the thieves again in the future, I will take your lives. Even if the Buddha comes, I can't save you!"
"Chang Yu decided to let Cheng Dakui go, which made Zhu Cixi very incomprehensible: a thief is a thief, let alone an ordinary thief, how can he just forget about it because he has entered Buddhism? However, Chang Yu did not explain to him.
It's something that can't be explained clearly.
After noon, everyone left and continued on their way.
Unlike Zhu Cixiang who was confused, Wang Zhengnan and others were worried: Cheng Dakui had been a bandit general a few years ago and had entanglements with thieves at the beginning of the year. Recently, he had been in contact with Gu Junen, one of the three major military advisors of the bandit army, so they were not afraid of him acting as Gu Junen's spy.
If you continue to serve the bandit army, you can't just let go of this old thief even if you don't kill him. You can at least arrest him and imprison him for a few years.
"Have you ever heard of a saying that makes a hero short of breath in his old age?" Chang Yu said with a smile. Wang Zhengnan and others were startled and thought for a moment.
Cheng Dakui was able to become the marshal of the Wenxiang Sect, which shows that he was also a troubled master when he was young, and he had some ambitions. However, now that he is nearly fifty, his ambition has long been worn away, and the past has become nothing.
Buddhism has seen through many things, and although it still has entanglements with thieves, it is indeed out of control.
To put it simply, Chang Yu believes that this person will not bother anymore. For people like him, converting to Buddhism, enjoying a place of incense and having a good death is what many people dream of. He will definitely cherish this opportunity, otherwise the rest of his life will be ruined.
I believe he will never want to live that kind of life again despite being chased by Jin Yiwei and Dongchang.
"You have changed." Zhu Cixiang stared at Chang Yu for a long time and choked out three words.
Chang Yu looked around the mountains and sighed: "People will always change."
He has indeed changed. When he first debuted, he hated evil as much as he hated evil, and he was decisive and merciless in killing. But now, he is able to be merciful and forgiving, and will give others a chance to change their minds. Perhaps now he really understands: human beings
, sometimes you really can’t help yourself.
There is no absolute right or wrong in this world, and black and white are not always clear-cut.
At the gate of Zishou Temple, Cheng Dakui watched Chang Yu and his entourage go away until they became a small black dot, then he chanted a Buddhist name and turned around to enter the temple.
After traveling another twenty miles to Lingshi County, Chang Yu and his party stopped in the city for a while and then left the city to continue on their way. Zhu Cixiang couldn't help but said: "I have inquired, and it is at least a hundred miles from Lingshi County to Huozhou.
There are very few villages along the mountain road and you may not encounter even a place to stay and rest. Are you going to take the risk of traveling at night again?"
"How can I not know what you know?" Chang Yu smiled, but Zhu Cihong said reluctantly: "You know that you still take risks, you... have changed."
Chang Yu just smiled and said nothing.
The mountain road is rugged but relatively wide. It winds along the Fen River in the deep mountains. The mountains on both sides are completely white. Occasionally, mountain beasts flash past. There is no one else in the surrounding area except Chang Yu and his party. After all, the heavy snow has almost blocked the road.
It’s a mountainous place, who can go out for a walk if there’s nothing to do?
It gets dark quickly in winter, and it gets darker even faster in the mountains when it's overcast. It's already getting dark within a few dozen miles of leaving Lingshi County. All the personal guards dyed their torches, and Chen Suole reminded his subordinates to be alert.
At this time, Wang Fuchen and Wu Mushan and a few people still rushed to the front to explore the road. They were also very responsible. They looked around from time to time while riding slowly. If they found any suspicious spots on the hillside, they would observe carefully and shoot arrows to test.
Soon it was completely dark. Fortunately, the mountains were covered with white snow, so it wasn't all black. However, a team of dozens of people alone in the middle of a deserted mountain seemed particularly abrupt and a little scary.
Feeling the emotion, Zhu Cixiang quietly pulled the corner of Chang Yu's clothes and whispered: "I have an ominous premonition..."
"Brother, don't be so talkative." As soon as Zhu Cixiang opened his mouth, he was interrupted by Kun Xing: "It's scary to be on the dark side, but you actually scare people..."
"Don't be afraid, even if he opens his mouth, there will be no danger." Chang Yu looked relaxed and put his head out of the car: "I remember there is a market not far ahead by the roadside, and there is a place to rest.
, in order to avoid chaos, let’s rest tonight and wait until dawn tomorrow before leaving.”
"Are you familiar with this road?" Chang Yu half-smiled but said, "The Night Demon, who has always been fearless, showed his timidity. Could it be that this road is not smooth?"
Su Jing bared her teeth with anger on her face: "What's the point of fearing if I go back and forth with him on my own? I'm not going to be dragged down by you..."
"He has a bad mouth. Master Sujing, please don't be the same as him." Kun Xing and Yan advised and asked, "Is it really unfair on this road?"
Su Jing snorted and nodded: "There are many bandits on mountain roads, but there are a few who are peaceful. And this hundred-mile mountain road is the only direct passage to Pingyang Mansion and Taiyuan. There are many tourists coming and going, and it also breeds a lot of grass bandits. I will take this road."
The past few years have been very uneven. There are three bandits and eight bandits who are known to be ruthless. In addition, at the beginning of the year, the bandit army was defeated in the Taiyuan battle and fled into the mountains. Many of them fell into the trap of bandits. I am afraid that the road will become more and more unsmooth now."
After hearing this, the Zhu brothers and sisters' faces darkened and they could not hide their panic. After all, the shadow from last time was too heavy, and they all looked at Chang Yu.
However, Chang Yu seemed to be fine, with a nonchalant look on his face: "Three bandits and eight thieves, haha, you are still talking nonsense. Ordinary thieves and bandits are blind and don't have the guts to touch us. These dozens of strong bows and warriors are just decoration..."
"The question is, are we worried about these ordinary thieves? You also know that the bandit's subordinates contacted the Green Forest Road of the Three Mountains and Five Mountains. They..." Zhu Cixiang was a little panicked, with a worried look on his face. Chang Yu shook his hand: "That's all.
That’s all, how about we rest ahead and wait until daybreak before leaving?”
Su Jing's memory was correct. There was indeed a big market ahead, but it was not that far away as she said. She had walked at least ten more miles, and by Haishi (9 p.m. to 11 p.m.) she was already far away from Lingshi County.
Forty or fifty miles away, it is the confluence of two rivers, which the locals call Sanwankou.
There is a large village in Sanwankou. Because it is close to the official road, it has over time become the largest market in ten miles and eight towns. Business travelers often stay in this market. The market has inns, teahouses, and restaurants. It is said that
As long as the money is in place, even the young lady can be found.
After nine o'clock in the evening, in later generations, it can only be regarded as the beginning of nightlife, but for people of this era, people have already slept several times. The entire market is silent, with only a few lanterns swaying left and right in the cold wind with their yellow light.
There is no smoke or smoke, and it looks like a ghost from afar.
Wang Fuchen and Wu Mushan rode close to each other, and the native dogs in the village began to bark, one at first and then more and more. Wang Fuchen couldn't help teasing Wu Mushan: "Do you have more ears, male dogs or female dogs?" Wu Mushan said.
Without taking any trouble, he pointed to the house with two lanterns hanging at the end of the village and asked, "What does that wooden sign say?"
"Hey, you are asking this, it seems that I am literate." Wang Fuchen raised his head and frowned at the big words. Fortunately, there were words that his entourage could read next to him: Dajian, hotel. Wu Mushan then moved forward.
He knocked on the door, and soon the waiter inside removed the door panel and said, "How many guests are there? Do you want to be a guest or stay in the hotel?"
"I'm staying in a hotel. I don't know if I can stay here..." Wu Mushan muttered and looked inside a few times. He saw a few sleepy-eyed waiters making bunks on the floor. Wang Fuchen even squeezed in immediately.
The hall went around a circle and went to the kitchen and backyard to look: "There are more guys than guests?"
"It's a snowy day. There are not many people on the road, so there are no hotels." The waiter bowed and smiled: "When the snow closes the mountains, there will really be no business." He glanced at them and said, "We
It is the largest and only inn in this market. There are only four or five of you guests, so even ten or four or five people can stay here. If you pass this village, you will have to walk at least another twenty or thirty miles.
Only then there is a store.”
There were really ten, four or five people, maybe even more.
But this inn is really affordable, because it is the off-season, and their Datong Shop can sleep more than ten people in one room.
Dozens of people came in at once, and the inn immediately became lively. The clerks started busy serving, and even the shopkeeper got up and was busy in person. Chang Yu asked Su Jing and Qing Yi to accompany Kun Xing to the upper room to rest, while he went to the upper room to rest.
Zhu Cixiang and a group of personal guards sat around in the lobby and asked the store to boil some hot water for everyone to warm themselves up.
Soon the hot water was boiled, and several waiters carried kettles to add water one by one. However, the guards all sat still. Chang Yu picked up the bowl, blew on it and put it down again. He looked up at the counter and saw that the shopkeeper
With a puzzled look on his face: "Sir, what's going on?"
"They must be afraid that the water has been drugged." A smile appeared on Chang Yu's lips, and the shopkeeper's face was stunned: "Say, just kidding, guest officer, we are open to do business in this market.
It’s been almost ten years. It’s not a black shop. How could it be drugged, let alone a military man?”
"Oh, you can see that we are military lords." Wang Zhengnan laughed, and the shopkeeper hurriedly said: "Every guest officer is wearing something like this on your body, and your mounts also have military horse marks. You must be a military lord. How can you be a bandit?"
It won’t work”.
"Good eyesight." Chang Yu stretched out his thumb and said to the shopkeeper: "You can tell at a glance that we are soldiers, but our eyesight is not good at seeing. It took me a long time to notice that shopkeeper Gu, oh no, it's Gu.
The true identity of the great military advisor, Military Advisor Gu has been admired for a long time."
As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of guards in the hall unsheathed their steel swords. Immediately, several waiters and the shopkeeper surrounded him, and several others protected Zhu Cixiang upstairs. However, the prince's face turned blue in shock.