Chapter 41: Mu Zixu's Wisdom at Pilu Courtyard, Yang Qilong's Violence
"Finally found you!" Mu Zixu was excited and nervous, his heart pounding, and he said urgently, "Put it down - I have to live here!"
When Shi Jianmei saw Mu Zixu's face turned pale, he quickly put down the painting and said, "No, it's too dangerous here!"
"No risk, why did the emperor ask me to come?" Mu Zixu said, "I want to live here. At midnight in three days, please send troops to support me!"
"Why three days?"
"I haven't rested, I'm very tired." Mu Zixu said, "Besides, there are many masters in this temple, I have to wait for the opportunity..." At this point, the sound of boots was heard outside the courtyard, and an old monk with yellow eyebrows was wearing a cassock.
Stepping in, he put his palms together and lowered his eyes, bowed and asked: "Amitabha, Lao Nijue Yuanji greets you, the two donors are happy and well!" Mu Zixu stood up quickly, clasped his hands and said: "Li Risheng, a believer, made a special trip from Changchun to pay homage, dare to invite the abbot, the great monk
Open the door of convenience and allow my uncle and sister-in-law to kowtow to the Living Buddha of Xingming!"
Jue Yuan leaned forward and sat down in front of the table in the middle hall, and said in deep thought: "Ming Xuan has just reported this. Your Majesty, you are so pious and respectful! Disciples of Xing Ming have taken refuge in my Buddha since childhood, and have explored the wonderful meaning of the Three Vehicles and the joys and sorrows of the non-born phase.
After facing the wall for ten years and sweeping away the dust in the mirror, I have realized the true meaning of my Buddhism. I will sit in Hua Ben Temple on the 25th of May next year at Hai hour. At that time, not only the two of you, but also all the good men and women in the world can come to worship. Please excuse me at this time.
Sorry for the inconvenience!" When Mu Zixu heard about this date, his heart skipped a beat. This date happened to be when Kangxi was in Jinling! But somehow it didn't match what Wei Dongting said, so he asked: "Isn't it three days?
after?"
"The layman is wrong!" Jue Yuan suddenly opened his eyes and said, "In three days, my disciple will lose his nature and pass away." Shi Jianmei didn't believe it at all. All the monks in this temple had the same emptiness and color. They had a clear mind and could predict their own life and death.
, I really want to ask, "Your disciples are going to the Paradise of Paradise one by one, why do you stay in the world and refuse to reach Nirvana?" Then he pursed his lips and smiled, and said: "Elder, this is not a coincidence, I still want to
Follow the shopkeeper to Yangzhou. For such a long time, my brother can only stay here with you." After saying that, he took the banknote from Mu Zixu's hand and held it up with both hands, "Please accept the incense money, elder!" Jue said.
Yuan accepted it reluctantly, and after a long while he said: "...Okay, I'll live in Lan Ruo Yuan, and I'll have my own food supply, but I have to abide by the temple rules - I've wronged the donor!"
Mu Zixu was arranged in the monk's room next to the sacred treasury in the west wing of Lan Ruoyuan [Note 1]. After lunch, he fell asleep. He traveled around Jiangsu for days and only slept for a few hours in Wei Mansion. He was really tired.
, didn’t wake up until late in the afternoon. It was dusk outside, Xuanming sent him to the evening meal, he ate a few mouthfuls, fell on the pillow and half-lyed on his mind, while outside the courtyard, autumn insects chirped, tree waves burst, and dusk drums
The sound came faintly, adding to the gloomy and desolate feeling. "One has a clear nature, and the other has an oblivious nature..." Mu Zixu thought, "Why are there two? How about 'passing away'? It seems that the thief knew that his master was in September this year."
When I came to Ning, I prepared one first, but then I heard that the date had been changed, so I had to arrange another one - so well-informed, this is really shocking... This temple is dedicated to Zhong Sanlang, and it must be Yang Qilong's den of thieves.
Did the old bald donkey see something wrong in letting me live here so easily? Then how could he let me leave the temple alive?"... Just as he was thinking about it, he heard the rustling of grass in the courtyard, and Mu Zixu's eyes flashed.
In a flash, he turned over and dozed off. He put one hand on his waist and tightly held the snow steel dagger given to him by Kangxi.
"Old guest, have a good sleep!" The person who came in was Yu Yishi. After collecting the dishes from the busker, he threw the robe on his back towards the corner of the room and called to Mu Zixu, "Have you eaten?" Mu Zixu turned over.
He sat up, rubbed his eyes and said, "Aren't you the Mr. Yu who ate the fried cakes? What a great skill and effort - why do you live here?" Yu Yishi smiled, pulled the mugwort off the bed, and lay down flat on his back.
Fang said, "I'm a wanderer. Where can I stay in a hotel? There is a temple and it will be heaven."
That night, the two of them lit fires and lanterns, chatting with each other on the kang, asking each other about their experiences and the customs of their hometown, until midnight, when they fell asleep. For three days in a row, Yu Yishi went out early and stayed late.
After returning home, Mu Zixu spent the day doing incense, visiting the front temple and the back temple, and didn't feel anything strange. But seeing this person in the house, Mu Zixu didn't dare to do anything at night. The fourth night was the day of action.
Mu Zixu had refreshed himself during the day. When he saw Yu Yishi coming back, he just said that he was not feeling well and lay down quietly on the bed. Hearing the monks playing drums and cymbals as the evening classes were over, Yu Yishi snored like thunder. It was expected that he had already
After falling into a deep sleep, Mu Zixu put on his shoes and quietly stood up.
"Where are you going?" Yu Yoshi, who was snoring, suddenly woke up.
"Urine relief."
"In this ancient temple in the mountains, you, a businessman, are not afraid to go out in the middle of the night!" Yu Yishi also sat up, "I just need to relieve myself, let's go together."
Mu Zixu had no choice but to say: "That's good, I'm just a little timid!" So the two of them went out together and took a rest in the wormwood. When they came back, Mu Zixu lay down and saw a dark figure standing on the bed.
When he didn't move forward, he asked: "Lao Yu, why don't you sleep?"
"Who are you?" Yu Yishi asked gloomily, approaching Mu Zixu as he spoke. Mu Zixu was suddenly startled, but smiled: "What's wrong with you? Are you possessed by a demon? I am
You're doing business!" Yu Yishi sneered and took a step closer: "Doing business? Do you still do the business of using a white knife to go in and a red knife to come out? I've asked, your brand name is not even in Nanjing Pier and Yangzhou Prefecture! Say! That woman
Who is he and where does he live? Huh, he is very cunning. He can't be found as soon as he leaves the temple gate!"
When Mu Zixu heard that Jianmei was fine, he felt relieved. He sat up straight and said with a smile: "Don't be kidding me, Lao Yu. It's so scary at midnight..." As he spoke, he gathered enough energy and suddenly stood on his head and swooped down.
With both feet in the air, he performed a series of forward kicks on Yu Yishi's chest. Yu Yishi was completely unaware of how powerful his skills were, and was kicked back a few steps to stand still on the horse post. He turned over with a kite and hit two steel darts.
, Mu Zixu got down on the bed like "Cao E threw himself into the river", already holding the dagger in his hand, piercing a white crane with its wings open to the door and watching quietly. In this contest, Mu Zixu knew that the other party was slightly better than him, and he couldn't help but secretly
I was in a hurry, and just as I was not paying attention, I saw a man raise his hand, and a black line came suddenly. Because I didn't know what it was, I didn't dare to catch it with my hands, so I just rolled over and managed to avoid it without standing up.
Suddenly, the black thread swung back like an eye! Mu Zixu felt a pain in his right wrist, and the dagger in his hand flew away without a trace. He was startled and the black thread had already coiled back in a soldier's hand.
He wrapped Mu Zixu's left arm tightly around his waist, and when he was busy untying it with his right hand, he realized that it was a steel wire wrapped with cowhide strips. How could he untie it in his hurry?
Seeing that he was tied up, Yu Yishi jumped up and grabbed the rope, tightened the rope, wrapped it left and twisted, tied Mu Zixu's legs tightly, lit a fire, and then said with a grin: "
You're not bad at martial arts. You've been in the world for so many years, and you're the only one who can evade my three moves - tell me, are you still a businessman?"
"Trader!" Mu Zixu frowned and said, "This is Pilu Courtyard, not a black shop. If you don't untie it, I'll scream!"
"Shout!" Yu Yishi said with a playful smile, "If you shout till your throat is broken, no one will pay attention to you!"
"You're so cute! No one is paying attention to you?" Qingfeng Taoist suddenly opened the door and walked in front of Mu Zixu. He twisted the black rope in his hand and sighed: "This thing is so rare, why?
To do it, tie the person up like a stick..." Before he could finish his words, Yu Yishi, who had regained his consciousness, threw another one and used Qingfeng according to the law, but his hands were entangled in it.
Yu Yishi laughed loudly: "I didn't expect that you also fell into my trap!" Taoist Qingfeng seemed to be unconscious and did not know what kind of movement he used. When he shrank his body, the black rope fell to the ground in circles, and he spread his hands and asked
He said: "Old Yu, do you have any idea how to tie up Qingfeng? Oh my! Are you Granny Feng?" At this time, Mu Zixu was dazzled.
Yu Yishi was petrified, his face was as white as paper, he backed up, pointed at the breeze with trembling hands and said: "Are you...are you...a human or a ghost?" He yelled "Wow" and turned around and ran away.
"Come back!" Qingfeng didn't know what kind of movement skills he had, so he grabbed Yu Yishi by the shoulders and pulled him back. He picked up the ropes on the ground and wrapped them one by one. Yu Yishi's acupoints were tapped, but he had no power to resist. Qingfeng
He smiled and said: "This troublesome Kung Fu Taoist priest has not practiced, so it is troublesome. Zhu Ziyun uses his own way to treat his own body. Although it makes sense, it is too troublesome to do it, too troublesome..." He had finished speaking.
Yu Yishi is bound.
Mu Zixu stared at this scene in a daze, as if in a dream, letting the breeze untie the rope. After a while, he asked: "Taoist Master, who are you and why did you come to save me?" The breeze untied it for him.
After being tied up, he sat down on the bed and replied nonchalantly: "Anyway, I'm destined to be with you. Rich people change their wives, and noble people change their friends. It's reasonable that you don't remember me." Mu Zixu stared at Qingfeng with his dead eyes.
After a while, something suddenly flashed in his mind and he stammered: "You - you are... the fourth brother, Hao Laosi - my fourth brother!" Mu Zixu suddenly stepped forward and hugged Qingfeng's shoulders and cried loudly.
…
It turns out that during the Shunzhi period, Mu Zixu, Wu Dan and Hao Laosi were horse thieves outside the customs. Because they met Wei Dongting, they became Kangxi's bodyguards. Hao Laosi rescued Wu Ciyou, Mu Zixu and others who were trapped in Guju in Baiyunguan Mountain.
People, gave Ao Bai a break. In the eighth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, Ao Bai fell. When this was discovered, Hao Laosi was originally sentenced to death, but was later rescued by Zhongnan Taoist priest Hu Gongshan.
"Hao Laosi has died a long time ago. I am Qingfeng." Qingfeng slowly opened Mu Zixu's hand. Although he was calm, he could not be indifferent. "The Taoist has long been determined to eliminate this thief temple, but it is protected by the government.
You can't do what you want alone. I'll show you carefully tonight!" Mu Zixu also calmed down. If he insists on recognizing this Hao Laosi, then he is still a repeat offender. Not only Wei Dongting, but also Lang Ding is also guilty of conspiracy.
A violent crime would do no good to anyone, so he wiped his tears and said, "I don't want to bring up the old things anymore. I'll build a temple for you after the incident! Where is Lao Hu? Isn't he here?" Qingfeng said: "He is old.
, the mountain has been closed for meditation - shush - there's some movement!" After saying that, he kicked Yu Yishi's mute point, and the two of them hurried to the door. They heard the footsteps approaching and pushed open with a "squeak".
At the door, the leprous monk Mingxuan stretched his head in and said with a smile: "Old Yu, what are you waiting for after everything is over! - Oh, why did you ask someone to tie him up -" Before he could finish his words, Mu Zixu flashed his dagger, Mingxuan
He fell through the door without saying a word. Mu Zixu stepped over the pool of blood, lifted Yu Yishi up, turned around and said to Qingfeng, "This person's tongue is useful, but he keeps it for fear of accidents. What should I do?" Qingfeng cupped his hands and said: "
Good Lord Amitayus! There is a dry well behind the treasury, please give him some mercy!"
The two of them took care of Lan Ruoyuan's funeral affairs, looked up at the stars, and saw that it was probably the first time of the year. In the darkness, the two of them nodded in understanding, jumped up the high wall and entered the Zen Mountain, but saw the undulating hills inside.
, the houses were scattered, it was dark and vast, and there seemed to be no way to find it. Mu Zixu pondered for a while and said: "This is not a problem, please come with me!" Then he jumped up the wall to the Miaoxiang Huayu Tower, and then went down to the patio.
hospital.
The courtyard was extremely quiet, with no lights on in every room. Mu Zixu went up and pushed the door to the building, but it was ajar. He stepped in and looked back. When he looked back, the breeze had already followed and the door had been closed. Mu Zixu quietly
In front of the magic case, he uncovered the painting in the middle hall and moved the statue of Zhong Sanlang with his hands, but it seemed to have taken root. Qingfeng whispered: "Don't worry, no one lives here. Just touch it and you will find the mechanism."
Moved it." Mu Zixu was relieved and just touched the flute in the shrine. His head was full of stinky sweat but it still didn't work. Just as he was about to come down, he accidentally touched the flute on the back of the statue, but he heard rustling.
There was a sound, and Zhong Sanlang seemed to slide to the west. The door on the back wall opened silently, and the dark inside looked like a stone path with a wall, which probably led to Zen Mountain. The wind that came over was cool and chilly.
Mu Zixu followed closely behind Taoist Qingfeng, walking along the dark wall, one foot high and the other low, for half a meal. Then he saw the lights flickering in front of him.
There is a stone hut at the end. Looking in through the window lattice, there are several couches, chairs and cabinets inside, which are quite exquisite. Jue Yuan is talking to a middle-aged man with a scar on his face over a cup of tea.
"Shan Chief," the middle-aged man said, "you should not have let that man and woman into your Miaoxiang Huayulou. Now although the man is gone, there is no trace of the woman. This matter is suspicious and scary.
Yeah!" Jue Yuan said with a smile: "That's because Ming Xuan is ignorant and can't deal with it. I just went to see Xing Ming. He had no choice but to take him upstairs. The man is dead, how capable she is as a woman.
?Don’t worry! I gave up Orthodox Christianity and converted to my Buddha. I owe it to you, Mr. Yang, to take care of me. I have been operating here for ten years and no one has been able to see through the true face of this mountain!"
"Mr. Yang!" Mu Zixu was shocked, "Is this Yang Qilong, the fake third prince of Zhu?" In the twelfth year of Kangxi's reign, he accompanied the emperor to visit the Niujie Mosque at night, and had an acquaintance with the "third prince". How charming and suave he was.
, an elegant and handsome young scholar, how did he become such a skinny old man in ten years? Just as he was thinking about it, he heard Yang Qilong sneer: "You are so loud, if it weren't for Ge Zhitai, there would be no grass on this mountain."
It's been trampled down a long time ago, what's the point of it!" Jueyuan said disapprovingly: "I really don't know what you are doing so much effort here, don't you still have dozens of illegal shops, as well as those in Hongze Lake?
Liu Tiecheng is one of the four or five hundred people! This is really a bit of a wait-and-see. Besides, people in the temple are killing people one after another, and outsiders see so many people passing away, wouldn't they be suspicious?"
"What do the people know? They can't arouse any suspicion." Yang Qilong chewed a piece of tea leaf and said, "The governor of Nanjing has been dismissed; Zhang Bonian has been transferred; what are you afraid of? That master is very smart, but he has one problem:
He is curious and likes to travel incognito. I have fallen into his hands before, and I want him to fall into his hands again - I have other arrangements elsewhere, so just listen to me!"
"I really admire your stubbornness." Jue Yuan sighed, "If the matter is successful, it will be your turn to sit in the Dragon Court? You are not making wedding clothes for others."
"This, I know. I hate it, I just want to relieve my hatred!" Yang Qilong stood up, his eyes glowing green, "The old people in the mountains and forests only know how to make fuss, and now they are trying to flatter today's people one by one. I want to humiliate them.
, let them know that the heart of the lonely minister of the Ming Dynasty will never be with the Manta Tartars!" After that, he turned his eyes and said, "The time has come, let's go - I remember it is the 14th's turn tonight
Are the steamed buns stuffed?" After saying that, the two pushed open the small west door of the stone house and walked out. Mu Zixu and Qingfeng exchanged looks, climbed through the window and passed through the stone house, following closely behind.
When I first came out of the stone wall, I saw the cold wind and strong wind outside Zen Mountain. In the dark night, the bamboo trees were whistling, the maple leaves were sobbing, and accompanied by the roar of the Yangtze River at the bottom of the mountain, it was eerie and creepy. Yang Qilong and his two men were holding watermelon lanterns.
He meandered down the mountain unsteadily, occasionally joking along the way, unaware that he was followed by two men with martial arts skills. Mu Zixu was full of doubts, wondering what "steamed bun stuffing" meant.
As time passed, Yang Qilong and Jue Yuan came to a dark monk's house. There were several dimly lit ram's horn lanterns flashing in the wind. Seeing them coming, a novice monk hurriedly came up to greet them, clasped his hands and said, "Disciple Xingkong,
Welcome the helmsman, the great monk at the head of the hall!"
"Ready?" Jue Yuan asked.
"No. 14 Seng Zhitong has set off!"
"At the same place?"
"When the river ebbs, the futon moves forward seven feet."
After hearing this, Jueyuan turned around, gave up his hand and said, "Master Yang, please!" Yang Qilong didn't answer, nodded and walked towards the riverside.
Mu Zixu suddenly felt a great fear coming over him. It was a cold day, and he was sweating. His neck was wet and itchy. He was uneasy when the breeze patted his shoulder and said gloomily: "Follow me."
, look at how they kill people."
The place of passing away soon arrived. There was a pile of dry firewood piled on the beach on the bank of the Yangtze River, as high as a house, with small and large piles stacked neatly on top. A wooden frame was set up for the water pressure pavilion in the shallows of the river bank, and it was placed not far from the shore.
There is a thick wooden board the size of two doors. In the center of the board, a sharply sharpened serrated knife is inserted with the blade upward, faintly shining coldly under a few horn lamps. There is a hole as big as a teacup near the handle of the knife for bleeding.
.Although Yang Qilong had seen this kind of tragedy several times, he still couldn't help but shudder.
The Zhitong that was carried was as fat and white as dough, without a trace of blood. It must have been force-fed with potions since entering the temple as a steamed bun filling. He sat motionless on the sand with his palms clasped and his hands folded. Except for the occasional movement of his eyes, he looked nothing like a living person.
Qingfeng knew that there were many masters in this group of evil monks, so he didn't dare to get too close. He couldn't see clearly from a distance. He only heard Yuan's soft voice calling:
"Zhitong..."
Zhitong moved his lips but didn't say a word.
"You were originally a man awaiting death in prison. After three years of ordination, you achieved enlightenment. You left the gates of hell and ascended to the paradise world, so that you could be blessed." Jueyuan said softly, "From now on, you will never have the happiness of anointing and nourishing your belly.
, there is no pain of sitting on a meditation bed, no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, no joy, anger, sorrow, desire, love or evil. All conditions are empty, and you have entered the state of a great Arhat. Today, Master gives you a message - Sit tight in the relic tower!
"After saying that, he waved his hands, and the four novice monks with thick arms and round waists skillfully placed the knife board on the river, supported Zhitong, pointed the tip of the knife at the lower anus, and pressed hard... It's very simple, Mu Zixu and Qingfeng
Before we could figure out what was going on, Zhitong had already "passed away" - blood gurgled from the sinuses of the wooden board below and flowed into the endless river.
"Amitabha!" Yang Qilong and Jue Yuan clasped their palms together and chanted the Buddha's name in a low voice, "Sariputra, in the world of peace and tranquility, sacrifices one's body to seek the Dharma, and one will be transcended from the sea of suffering. There are all the appearances of hell, and the Shariputra's pursuit of the Dharma will not spare my body.
If you don’t go to hell, who will?” Dozens of monks present also murmured this.
[Note 1] Divine Treasury: The temple is ruined and the Buddha statue is buried. (To be continued)
