Chapter 174 It turns out that Zhu Ju is a poor child
Zhu Ju and the others held their bulging bellies and looked at Zhu Bai with wide eyes angrily.
Zhu Ju pouted: "Brother Twelve is so bad."
Zhu Tan: "Twelfth brother, how could you do this?"
Zhu Bai shook his head: "Tsk, you unlucky kids. I treat you to steamed buns, and you still scold me..."
Haha, how easy is it to take advantage of me?!
How can I be honest without torturing you and making me happy?!
Zhu Ju got off the car and went to complain to Lao Zhu and Queen Ma: "Brother Twelve invited us to eat meat buns."
Queen Ma nodded: "I know, thank you, Brother Twelve?"
Zhu Ju: "No, Brother Twelve only invited us to eat meat buns."
Queen Ma: "My child, you must repay your kindness. Your twelfth brother treats you to meat buns, and you will treat him to something else later."
Zhu Ju became anxious and cried: "Wow, Queen Mother, listen to me, he treated us to five big meat buns..."
Queen Ma: "Yes, I'll worship Buddha later after I'm full. Ju'er, be good and don't make any noise in the Buddhist hall."
-----
Tianjie Temple will not accept ordinary pilgrims today.
The Jinwu Guards had already dispersed the idle people and surrounded the Tianjie Temple.
Even the monks are in the backyard and cannot come out unless summoned.
Lao Zhu led his eldest wife and a group of younger wives, as well as their children, and hundreds of people knelt in a large area in the Buddhist hall.
Lao Zhu is in the center of the front row. Queen Ma is on his right and Zhu Biao is on the left.
Next to Zhu Biao is Zhu Bai.
Zhu Bai smacked his lips and sighed: There are so many people. No wonder we have to make a roster, otherwise there is no way to remember them.
After worshiping the Buddha, Zong Lai lectured everyone on the Mahayana Infinite Life Sutra.
Lao Zhu wanted his children to learn Buddhist scriptures, so he asked the princes and princesses to sit in the front.
The little princes and princesses are young, full of buns and tired from the bumps on the road.
At this moment, when they heard Zong Lai's sermon, everyone was so sleepy that they staggered and nodded like chickens pecking at rice.
Zong Li was so angry that he bit his sleeve secretly: All of Lao Zhu's sons and daughters have such virtues. They have no Buddha nature at all. If you don't listen, don't come. Such a bad reputation for the old monk.
He turned around and looked.
Only one prince had his eyes wide open and listened with great interest.
Hey, isn't this the Tenth Prince Zhu Tan?
Zong Lai clasped his hands together secretly: Amitabha, there is finally someone with wisdom left, so it is not in vain.
They dispersed here, and the concubines and princes went to the backyard to enjoy the wintersweet.
Lao Zhu and Queen Ma were invited to the Zen room to drink tea, rest, and listen to Zong Lai's detailed lecture on the scriptures.
Lao Zhu originally wanted to capture Zhu Bai and go with him, but as soon as he turned around, Zhu Bai ran away.
"This bastard is really..." Lao Zhu frowned.
Empress Ma couldn't help but purse her lips and smile: "He is still young, don't restrain him. If he wants to listen to Master Zongli's lectures, there are many opportunities."
In fact, what she was thinking was: This kid is quite sensible. Whenever Lao Zhu appeared with her, he would hide and avoid and never steal the limelight.
Zhu Biao said: "My twelfth brother probably went to pick fruits. I heard that there is a big orange tree behind."
Lao Zhu sighed: "Oh, I'm just like a monkey all day long."
Over there, Zhu Tan chased Zong Lai and asked, "Master, master, can you live forever after learning the Mahayana Infinite Life Sutra?"
Zong Li was so helpless. After working on it for a long time, the child didn't even understand the question.
He could only patiently explain: "The Mahayana Infinite Life Sutra talks about the great wish to attract all living beings and the beautiful scene of the Paradise."
Zhu Tan frowned: "Infinite life, doesn't it mean that the life span is boundless?"
Zong Lai: "Buddhism is boundless, and it is all about saving others and saving yourself. If you recite Buddhist scriptures often, you can accumulate virtue and increase your longevity."
Zhu Tan's face was full of disappointment: "It turns out that it doesn't work. I just listened to it for a long time in vain."
Zong Lai was so excited that he almost spit out a mouthful of blood: Does your child have any misunderstanding about our Buddhism?
Besides, you can't say that. There is nothing in this world that can make ordinary people immortal by just listening to it.
Zhu Tan had already turned around and left, still mumbling: "Taoism is still reliable. Just take a golden elixir or something."
Zong Lai took a deep breath: I used to think Zhu Bai was naughty, but now I know. Compared with Lao Zhu's other sons, Zhu Bai is already a good person.
-----
Concubine Hu Shun followed Zhu Bai's instructions. After listening to the scriptures, she told the palace maids and eunuchs that she wanted to walk by herself and not follow her. Then she pretended not to care. As she walked, she saw the south wall of the temple and stopped. She coughed lightly.
Hu Mei's voice immediately came from the other side of the wall: "Is it Yi'er?"
Concubine Hu Shun burst into tears when she heard her father's voice. She called out "Dad" and was speechless.
Hu Mei also said hoarsely: "Don't cry, don't cry. Your mother and I are both fine, don't worry about us. Serve the Emperor and the Queen well."
Concubine Hu Shun sobbed.
She wanted to say that as soon as she entered the palace gate, it was as deep as the sea, and there was not a day without fear.
She wanted to say that she would rather marry an ordinary person and be able to serve her parents and raise her children every day.
But she couldn't say.
Because these words, if heard by others, can be twisted into treason.
Hu Mei comforted Concubine Hu Shun a few more words and left in a hurry.
Zhu Bai had just watched Concubine Hu Shun go to the south wall, so he felt relieved and planned to take a stroll himself.
As a result, Zhu Ju grabbed his sleeve and followed him like a little tail.
Zhu Bai helplessly raised his forehead and asked, "Why are you following me? Didn't you just eat enough?"
Zhu Ju: "Hey, maybe I'll be hungry again on the way back?"
Zhu Bai: "Don't you have monthly money yourself? Besides, the palace doesn't have enough food for you."
Zhu Ju said nothing.
Could it be that he accidentally said it right?
Zhu Bai felt strange and turned to stare at her.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that Zhu Ju was a bit thinner than the last time they met.
Zhu Bai frowned and asked, "Those old ladies, don't they really want to deduct your food?"
Zhu Ju let go of Zhu Bai, lowered his head, turned around and left.
Zhu Bai thought for a while and asked Fugui: "By the way, who is Zhu Ju's biological mother?"
At the previous family dinner, when mother and son met, it seemed that Grandma Li just took Zhu Ju away.
There were many people at that time, and Zhu Bai was busy talking to Concubine Hu Shun and didn't pay attention.
Fugui sighed: "Oh, that lady died during childbirth."
Zhu Bai was stunned.
It turns out that Zhu Ju is also a poor child without a mother.
No wonder Zhu Di is gentler to Zhu Ju than others.
No wonder Lao Zhu loves her more.
No wonder Concubine Li Shu dared to use Zhu Ju to frame him, thinking that she had no mother-in-law to support her.
In the past, because Lao Zhu doted on Zhu Ju, no one dared to neglect her.
Now Lao Zhu's attention is all on him, and he doesn't pay so much attention to Zhu Ju.
As soon as the number of times Lao Zhu asked Zhu Ju decreased, those palace officials who looked down on him and flattered him naturally became less devoted to Zhu Ju.
Fu Gui whispered: "Although Aunt Li is hateful, she is quite devoted to Zhu Ju on weekdays. When Aunt Li died, she was replaced by an old woman. That old woman only thought about how to take out the things around Zhu Ju and sell them for money, maybe snacks
, eggs, fruits, etc., were not given to His Highness."
