The abbot led Sheng Shaoqing across the path and walked closer. Under the waterfall was a natural lake. It was not large. In these nine cold days, the lake was actually filled with hot steam.
The trees by the lake are all tied with red ribbons, giving off a dazzling light in winter.
"This is?"
The abbot explained to Sheng Shaoqing, "This is the strange thing about this scene. The waterfall in the distance is frozen, but the water in the lake is warm all year round."
Sheng Shaoqing was also surprised. He squatted down and tested it with his hands. Sure enough, it was hot, even hotter than her Tang Pozi!
The water in the waterfall comes from the underground water in the mountain, and there should be a hot spring at the bottom of the lake. The two waters have different sources, and they meet at one place to form such a wonder.
The little novice monk who was arranging the ribbons could not hide his pride in his words, "Pilgrims all said that it must be our Buddha who is merciful and couldn't bear the cold in winter, so he gave us this hot lake for our use. So, pilgrims come to meditate."
When I offer incense at Ning Temple, I will also come here to pray and ask for my Buddha’s blessing.”
The abbot just smiled and said nothing when he heard this, but Sheng Shaoqing started to be narrow-minded and said, "Then tell the Aijia, which came first, this lake or you?"
The little novice monk touched his smooth head and said, "Here, although Jingning Temple was built a hundred years ago, this lake should be older than us."
"Then why do you say that this lake was specially given to you by the Buddha?"
"This" the little novice monk hesitated and couldn't speak. The abbot had to come out to smooth things over. "Everything in the world is complementary to each other and cannot be missing. If it weren't for this lake, there would be no Jingning Temple. If there was no Jingning Temple,
, this lake is just an ordinary lake in the mountains and fields, and it will not be worshiped by the world."
"The Master is saying that this lake has a close relationship with Jingning Temple?"
The abbot nodded and said, "Back then, Emperor Taizu issued an edict to ban Buddhism. Our ancestors and other Buddhist disciples had no way to escape, so they could only hide in the mountains and forests with their scriptures. That winter, when the mountains were blocked by heavy snow and they were desperate, they accidentally discovered
There was a hot spring here, so he took his disciples to settle here."
"Later, Emperor Wen abolished the prohibition, and our ancestors re-established a Buddhist monastery here. This is the origin of Jingning Temple."
The abbot then explained to Sheng Shaoqing, "This young novice has been ordained not long ago and made some mistakes in his words. I hope the Queen Mother will forgive me."
Sheng Shaoqing smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, the Ai family is just teasing him."
The little novice monk blushed and retreated. When he arrived at the temple gate, he did not go in, but turned around and went elsewhere.
After playing around the hot spring for a while, Sheng Shaoqing felt empty in his stomach, so he returned to Jingning Temple with the abbot.
Looking at the vegetarian meal brought by Forsythia, Sheng Shaoqing sighed. She was almost depressed because she didn't see meat and fish every day.
After dinner, Forsythia ran in in a panic. Cui Yun saw this and scolded, "That's all in the palace, why are you so hairy and frizzy outside the palace?"
Forsythia didn't bother to listen to Cui Jun's instruction, and only said that Mrs. Feng had made a fuss to see the Queen Mother and had smashed many things. The novice monk of Jingning Temple had no choice but to report back.
"How did she know that the Ai family was coming?"
"My servant doesn't know either. Maybe the novice monk who delivered the meal leaked the news?"
Cui Yun said coldly, "It's impossible. The people I'm looking for to deliver food are all born deaf and mute. How could the news be leaked?"
"That means someone told her on purpose. It doesn't matter. I haven't seen her for a long time, and I still miss her a little."
Cui Yun cast a worried look, Sheng Shaoqing told her not to worry, stood up and let Aning lead the way.
If she hadn't made such a fuss, Sheng Shaoqing would have almost forgotten that such an "old friend" still lived in Jingning Temple. No wonder she thought of such a place when she thought of leaving the palace that day.
When Sheng Shaoqing walked to where Xu Wan currently lived, he was choked to death by the overwhelming smell.
"Ajun, didn't you say that you have everything you need for food, clothing, and cleaning? Why does it stink so much?"
Cui Yun was also panicked. She had found reliable people, so how could she be so careless?
After quickly finding the deaf-mute people and people who knew sign language, Cui Jun replied, "They said that Xu Wan was obedient at first when she got here, but later she refused to let them get close.
They want to harm her."
"Then you have so many people, but she is only one person, why can't you control her?"
Cui Jun signaled the translator to translate what the Queen Mother said to those people. When those people understood what the Queen Mother meant, they quickly waved their hands anxiously, "They tried to hold her down and force her to wash, but she was extremely strong.
He actually bit one of them, and they were concerned that she was a noble person, so they didn't dare to do anything harsh, so they had no choice but to let her go."
As he spoke, one of them opened his sleeves, and there was a tooth mark on his forearm.
"Hiss", this is a deadly bite, it hurts just looking at it, Sheng Shaoqing waved his hand to tell them to leave.
"Go and bring her out," Cui Yun turned to the guards and ordered.
After a while, an unkempt and smelly "woman" was brought out.
As soon as she appeared, Sheng Shaoqing and the people behind him couldn't help but cover their mouths and noses. They had never smelled such a bad smell.
As soon as the woman saw Sheng Shaoqing, she immediately knelt at her feet, grabbed the hem of her skirt and shouted, "Please, I'm so Qing'er, please let me out, I can't bear it anymore."
This change in Xu Wan's attitude was so drastic that even Cui Yun did not react, but the guards behind Xu Wan immediately pulled Xu Wan away.
"You, why are you acting like this?"
It looked like she had abused Xu Wan, but with all her conscience, she did nothing but confine her.
Xu Wan burst into tears, "I'm afraid you'll hurt me."
When Xu Wan used to discipline people in the Feng Mansion, everything he could eat and play with could be used to harm others.
Now she is alone in this wilderness, and no one cares about her even if she dies. If Feng Qing does something, she will not be able to rest in peace even if she dies!
Sheng Shaoqing was happy, "Then you still beg me to let you out?"
Isn't this a contradiction?
"Qing'er, it was all my fault in the past. I was ignorant and ignorant. I kowtow to you to apologize. Please let me out." As she spoke, Xu Wan ignored the dignity that she cared about in the past and used dirty words.
He wiped his nose with his sleeve and kept kowtowing.
Seeing the blood stains on the stone slab gradually expanding, Sheng Shaoqing signaled the guards to hold her back and asked, "Then tell Ai Jia, where did you go wrong?"
Xu Wan sniffed, where did she go wrong?
Her biggest mistake was to ask Feng Qing to find a job for his precious son, but she failed to find a good job and was left in a ditch in the mountains.
"I, it was my mistake to offend you that night. It was because I couldn't understand my own weight. I, a village woman from the mountains, actually tried to claim myself as the mother of the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother deserved the punishment, but now I have realized my mistake.
, just spare me."
Sheng Shaoqing shook his head, "No, that's not what you were wrong about."
