Early in the morning of the eighth day of April, Zongzhi and Runer got dressed under the service of Yuyan and Axiu. The twelve-year-old Zongzhi and the ten-year-old Runer were both dressed as children, with their hair in front of their eyebrows, their hair hanging down and their shoulders shawled. Zongzhi wore
Wearing an exquisite white silk jacket, wearing a jade belt, her face is like the bright moon, her lips are red and her teeth are white; Run'er is slender, wearing a long skirt embroidered with clouds, her eyebrows are picturesque, her face is like a mutton-fat jade carving, and her cheeks are still a little bit...
Baby fat, extremely pink and cute, two big eyes with watery eyes, long and dense eyelashes blinking, blinking again——
Qingzhi came up and said: "Zongzhi, Run'er, we went downstairs to have breakfast. Today we have to go to Lingyin Temple to offer incense, so we have to leave early."
Run'er said crisply: "Brother and I remember firmly that my grandmother once told Uncle Chou to go to Lingyin Temple to offer incense and worship Buddha on the Buddha's birthday on the eighth day of April every year. Uncle Chou is currently in Qiantang and cannot come back, so my mother will
I want to go to Lingyin Temple to offer incense on behalf of Uncle Chou to fulfill his wish, and add sesame oil to Uncle Chou’s longevity lamp.”
Zongzhi, Run'er went downstairs, and his mother Ding Youwei was already waiting for them. Ding Youwei had her hair styled in a ring bun, and was wearing a long dress embroidered with longevity. Her complexion was smooth and delicate, like fine Yue porcelain, shiny and smooth, with a slender waist and beautiful neck.
, with a graceful figure, she looked like twenty beauties.
After the mother and son had breakfast, Laifu, Laide and his son each drove an ox cart, followed by Qingzhi, Axiu, and Yuchan, and Jingnu led six soldiers with swords for protection, and headed for Lingyin in the Wulin Mountains.
Offering incense to the temple.
Before Chen Caozhi went to Jiankang at the beginning of the year, Jing Nu suggested to Chen Caozhi to form a military branch of the Chen family. Such a large family, with more than 10,000 acres of land, would not be able to survive without a strong private army to protect it. At that time, Shan
There are many bandits in the lake, who often rob traveling merchants and even rob their homes. The large noble families are protected by their own soldiers, and the small groups of bandits dare not covet them. The Chen family's property in Qiantang has increased sharply in the past two years, and they must be on guard against those who take risks——
Chen Caozhi had long wanted to form a private army, and immediately discussed it with his fourth uncle, Chen Xian, and his sixth uncle, Chen Man. Chen Man had a narrow vision and felt that forming a private army would be expensive, and he was still hesitant. Chen Xian gave the example of Shangyu.
The surname of a common people in the county was attacked by thieves at night, all their money and silk were looted, and the women of the tribe were also insulted. When Chen Man heard this, he was frightened, and the Chen family in Qiantang decided to form a family army. Jing Nu
Since Chen Nai was born in a military household, Jing Nu has been responsible for training his soldiers——
After Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng left Qiantang, Jing Nu began to organize the Chen family's army, and selected forty strong and agile young men from more than a hundred tenants of the Chen family.
The blacksmith shop forged forty daggers and forty spears, and they practiced every day between Jiuyao Mountain and Yuhuang Mountain. Jingnu trained his soldiers very rigorously, and he had a ferocious one-armed figure. Although he was nearly sixty years old, his energy was not lost.
In the prime of life, the thirty tenants' sons were extremely respectful to Jing Nu. They were all born in farm work and were willing to endure hardships. After two months, they were already very good at wielding swords and spears. Now when Chen clan members go out, they all have tribes.
Private soldiers followed and protected, just like a wealthy family.
Jing Nu felt that military training by peasants was always inefficient and elite soldiers were rare. Last month, he suggested to his young mistress Ding Youwei that he wanted to go to Jingkou and recruit 60 refugees from the Huainan area as Chen's private soldiers. In this way, Chen would have more power in Qiantang.
A private army second to none——
Ding Youwei discussed with the patriarch Chen Xian and felt that the matter should be slowed down. With the current family property of the Qiantang Chen family, it is not able to support a tribe of a hundred people. In two years, after the Qiantang Chen family's family industry has grown, they will expand their private business.
It’s never too late to fight——
Mingsheng Lake in early summer is so beautiful that the lake and mountains are so beautiful. The red sun is rising, and thousands of rays of rays of light are spread out on the vast lake. The golden waves are shining. In the distance, Chen's fishing boat casts a net to catch fish. Near the shore, the lotus leaves are like a canopy.
There are pink flower buds that are trying to be hidden but still exposed——
Ding Youwei, mother and son did not take a car, but walked to enjoy the scenery. Run'er said happily: "It's great, such a big lake belongs to our Chen family."
Officials from the Zuo Min Shangshu Department, the Ancestral Department, and Yangzhou and Wu counties in charge of household registration and farming came to Qiantang at the beginning of this month and issued an order to grant Mingsheng Lake to the Chen family of Qiantang, and twenty Yin households were included in the Chen family's family register. Now
The Chen family of Qiantang already has forty households, which has exceeded the number of households of the second-class gentry, and is only ten households less than the Quan family, the largest clan in Qiantang. The other six surnames of the gentry are not as good as the Chen family——
The breeze from the lake blew, and Ding Youwei's temples were slightly messy. He reached out and brushed the messy hair behind his ears. Looking to the right at the vast lake, he smiled and thought: "The young man went to Jiankang on the 16th day of the first lunar month. He was less than two years old when he arrived in Jiankang."
In just a few months, these two important things have been accomplished for the family. Officials from the Zuo Min Shangshu Department told Chen Xian, the fourth uncle, that Xiao Lang was highly appreciated by the King of Kuaiji. In addition to the Ming Sheng Lake and Twenty Yin Houses, Xiao Lang
He will be promoted to a second-grade official. Although I haven’t received Xiaolang’s letter from home yet, we can tell that Xiaolang is going well in Jiankang.”
Run'er suddenly sighed quietly and said: "Today is the eighth day of April, and in three days it will be Run'er and mother's birthday, but Uncle Chou hasn't sent us a gift yet. Will Uncle Chou send Run'er a gift?"
Did you forget your mother’s birthday?”
Zongzhi said calmly: "There are still three days left. Uncle Chou will send someone to deliver the gift."
Ding Youwei knew that Jiankang was thousands of miles away and there were many changes, but she knew Xiaolang's temperament very well. Xiaolang was as careful as hair and thoughtful in his work. He would not forget her and Run'er's birthday, so she said: "What's the rush?
Maybe when we return from Lingyin Temple to offer incense, your uncle Chou's messenger will already be waiting in Wubao."
Run'er opened her eyes wide and asked, "Mom, are you serious?"
Ding You smiled and said: "Maybe——"
Run'er said: "It must be true, Uncle Chou would never lie to us."
In this way, on the mountain road to Lingyin Temple, while worshiping the Buddha and offering incense, Runer was thinking about the gift he would see from Uncle Chou when he returned to Chenjiawu——
Ding Youwei was slightly worried. If he returned to Chenjiawu and didn't see anyone from Jiankang, Run'er would be disappointed and sad. In fact, the child didn't care about the gifts, but wanted to know the news about Uncle Chou and wanted to know whether Uncle Chou was worried about him.
The two children who care about her are very attached to Uncle Chou, but things go against their will in the world, and things often go wrong, so it doesn’t matter if Run’er is disappointed once——
Although he thought so, Ding Youwei could not bear to look at Run'er's pure and expectant eyes.
After having a quick meal at Lingyin Temple and taking a short rest, Ding Youwei and his entourage set out on their way home. Run'er was as eager to return as she could. She didn't say anything, but her eyes were full of longing.
The red sun was setting in the west, and the ox cart turned through the willow forest to the west of Wubao. Gui, a foreigner from Wubao, was looking this way. As soon as he saw the ox cart driving out of the willow forest, he strode over and said loudly: "Young Mistress
, Young Mistress, A-Zhu is back, bringing a letter and a gift from the young man!"
A Zhu was a servant of the Chen family who followed Chen Shang and Chen Caozhi to Beijing. When she heard that A Zhu was back, Ding Youwei's heart skipped a beat. Only then did she realize that she was also with Run'er and Zong Zhi.
Generally full of expectations.
Run'er's face was flushed with joy. She jumped off the bullock cart and ran towards Wubao with Zongzhi, shouting: "A Zhu - A Zhu -"
When the servant Ah Zhu heard the sound, he quickly came out and saluted Mr. Zong and Mrs. Run'er, and then came over to salute Ding Youwei.
Ding You smiled and said warmly: "Ah Zhu, thank you for your hard work."
A Zhu said: "My dear mistress, I am returning to Qiantang with Quan Changshi, who is taking office on February 25th. I thought I would be able to get back to Qiantang before the end of March, but Quan Changshi can't stand the bumpy road and has to go back to Qiantang every day.
We only traveled three or forty miles, so we delayed our return to Qiantang until today. Fortunately, we did not delay the young man's trust. We finally sent back the letter and gifts to the young mistress and the young lady Run'er before their birthdays. By the way.
, Miss Lu also has a gift for you."
Zong Zhi and Run'er followed A Zhu to see the gifts sent by Uncle Chou and Aunt Chou. A Zhu presented four letters, one each from Ding Youwei, Zong Zhi and Run'er, and another one written by Ran Sheng to Jing Nu.
When Jing Nu heard that Xiao Sheng had written him a letter, he was so excited that he lost all the coldness and majesty he had when leading private soldiers to drill. His one arm was trembling, and he finally opened the letter. On the one-foot square Zuo Bo wrote three lines of official letters.
Jing Nu didn't recognize a single word of the letter, but he turned it over and over for a long time. He even asked A Zhu if it was written by Ran Sheng himself, and asked the young master of the clan to read the letter to him——
Zongzhi took the letter, read it, smiled and said, "Uncle Jing, let Run'er read it to you."
When Run'er received the letter and read it, she burst out laughing and read in a crisp voice:
"Is Uncle Jing okay? I am very well in Jiankang. I have nothing else to do. I just miss Uncle Jing's injured arm. Does it still hurt in the rain?"
With tears in his eyes, Jing Nu murmured: "The little lord has finally grown up. When he has grown up, I should tell him those things. The little lord should be able to bear it——"
…
When Ding Youwei personally added sesame oil to Chen Caozhi's lotus longevity lamp in front of the Buddha, Buddhist believers in the Mahavira Hall of Waguan Temple in Jiankang, thousands of miles away, were witnessing the magic of Gu Kaizhi dotting the eyes of Vimalakirti Bodhisattva.
The fact that Chen Caozhi and Gu Kaizhi painted murals for Waguan Temple has long been spread inside and outside Jiankang. Moreover, when the murals were painted, the door of the temple was closed and no outsiders were allowed to visit, which added to the mystery and expectation. Therefore, on the Buddha's birthday, there were thousands of believers
Come to Waguan Temple to celebrate the occasion, admire the murals, and worship the Buddha.
The eight-part celestial dragon statues on the west wall of the Mahavira Hall painted by Chen Caozhi are either solemn, ugly, pure, or terrifying. The eight parts of living beings make the faithful men and women deeply feel the vastness and compassion of Buddhism, and worship them endlessly——
The portrait of Vimalakīrti Bodhisattva painted by Gu Kaizhi on the east wall is magnificent and exquisite, but the main image of Vimalakīrti Bodhisattva has empty eyes, which is surprising. The elder Zhu Fatai explained to the believers that Gu Tanyue had not yet put the finishing touches on the portrait, and immediately invited Gu Kai to come to the hall.
——
Gu Kaizhi and Chen Caozhi came to the Main Hall together. Both of them were among the four outstanding figures on the left side of the Yangtze River. Their good appearance and restraint attracted everyone's admiration.
Gu Kaizhi picked up his pen and looked at the statues on the east wall. He turned to the believers who gathered to watch and said: "Today I will dot the eyes of Vimalakirti Bodhisattva and look forward to spending millions to build the Heavenly King's Hall for Waguan Temple. I ask all the good men and women to donate to achieve this."
Merit, if after the eye-dotting, you believers feel that the murals are ordinary and no different from before the eye-dotting, then it means that my painting skills, Gu Kaizhi, are not good, so you can cancel the donation, and I, Gu, will be responsible for building this Heavenly King's Hall alone!"
