Counting from the 19th year of Jiajing, when Zhao Ran hired Qu Fenghe to work as a fire worker in Junshan Temple, he had contact with Gan Shutong. The relationship between the two began with Qu Fenghe formally worshiping in the temple.
Close, and became even closer as Qu Fengshan gradually became a disciple of the third generation.
It can be said that today's Zongsheng Hall has become the backer of the Qu family and the Gan family in the spiritual world, and Gan Shutong has also become Zhao Ran's helping hand in the court. Zhang Lue was promoted to the commander of Longtan Guard.
Zhang Juzheng's promotion to Zhan Shifu was all the result of Gan Shutong's influence.
Even the chief envoy Zhou Gao and the governor of western Sichuan Xia Ji, two Sichuan officials, gave their full support to Zhao Ran and had a close relationship with Gan Shutong.
Zhao Ran is now the abbot of Tianhe Palace and has gained quite a reputation among the people. Masters and servants from all over the Gan Mansion unconsciously crowded into the front yard to pay homage to this immortal master.
Entering the flower hall, Gan Shutong brought all his family members to see Zhao Ran. He pointed at his five-year-old son and said, "My son is thirteen. I wonder if the abbot can see him?"
The meaning of the inspection was to check the bones. Gan Shutong did not let anyone else check, but asked himself to check the little Thirteen. He must be successful, so Zhao Ran cast a spell to take a look. After taking a look, he nodded immediately.
Although his qualifications are not as good as those of Qu Fenghe and Qu Fengshan, he is very upright and can be cultivated. He may not be able to learn the water-stone elixir method, but he can worship under his master's wife and learn the Huangting Taoist method.
With a flick of his fingers, the five-year-old Sanlang Gan was lifted up by a gentle force. Zhao Ran pulled him to his side, gently stroked his little head, looked at his innocent and confused look, and smiled.
: "Can Shangshu Gan give up his children?"
Gan Shutong was overjoyed: "If you can enter into spiritual practice, you will have to give it up even if you don't want to!"
Zhao Ran pondered for a while and said: "Five years old is a bit too early to practice. Many people only start to come into contact with Taoism at the age of six, but I think it is still too early. It is really appropriate, at least after the age of nine." He said, joking.
Said: "But I don't want to let go of this material with excellent qualifications, otherwise other people will snatch it away, and our Zongsheng Hall will regret it."
Gan Shu accompanied him and laughed twice, while the young Mrs. Xu Xian looked at Zhao Ran nervously from the side, with a tangled face. She wanted her child to embark on the real road to success, but she also did not want to give up her flesh and blood.
separation.
Zhao Ran said: "Let's do this. What I want is to raise the child in the Cave Heaven of Dajun Mountain for three years. While learning the Taoist scriptures, he will receive the influence of spiritual practice. From an early age, he will learn to adapt to the spiritual environment of the Cave Heaven Paradise. When he is nine years old,
Then get in touch with Taoism. Considering that the child is still young, can Shangshu Gan arrange for the family to move into the cave in Maharaja Mountain? I will find a place in the cave to build a yard to accommodate the people in the house."
This is compared to the practice of many pavilions, where important relatives and friends are connected to the cave and become the secular way of the sect. From then on, it will be the basis for the reproduction of the sect. If the descendants have the talent for cultivation, they will directly become apprentices and learn from them. If they don’t, they will help take care of it.
The worldly affairs are like the omniscient guests of Lou Guan.
This is of course a great thing. From now on, the Qu family and the Gan family can truly transition from being a secular family to a Taoist family.
Gan Shu was also the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and he was very particular about keeping his emotions and anger hidden. But after hearing what Zhao Ran said, he couldn't help twirling his beard and smiling. He quickly calculated in his mind which personnel to send into the Zongsheng Hall to help the Gan family.
He Qujia first lays the foundation.
Gan Shutong was making calculations here, and Zhao Ran was also starting to make plans. Now that he has talked about this, he also plans to formally discuss with his teacher and senior brother to start accepting ordinary people to join the family. This is an important step for the sect to grow. For example, the Qu family
Being able to produce three monks in a row like the Gan family has shown that the blood and luck of these two families in recent years have been at the right time. After being nurtured in the Cave Heaven Paradise, the proportion of talented people will be higher, which is the best candidate to accept.
In addition to these two families, the Renjia family, Yuan Hao family, and even Du Tenghui family in Hongyuan all have cultivating talents, and they are also candidates for investigation.
Of course, in the past two years, many young people suitable for practice have been selected from the Songfan area, but most of them are from poor families. It is impossible for Zhao Ran to accept them all into the sect hall from door to door. No other hall in the world has done this.
When considering whether to accept someone, there is another unspoken rule: whether it can help the sect.
Okay, it’s really un-monastic to say this, but that’s the reality, and there’s no reason to say it.
Mrs. Gan looked at Gan Shutong expectantly, with tears in her eyes: "Master..."
Gan Shutong hesitated for a moment, and finally sighed and nodded: "Then there is Mrs. Lao. It's just that after going to the Zongsheng Hall, you must follow the rules of the Zongsheng Hall in everything, especially not to spoil your children too much. By the way.
, and we must not forget the Qu family, the two families are one."
Mrs. Gan was overjoyed, her tears finally fell down, and she was deeply blessed: "Thank you, Master... Thank you, Abbot..."
Doing things thoroughly and in a timely manner is Zhao Ran's style. Immediately, Fei Fu contacted his teacher and senior brother and told them about the matter. This was the only way to benefit the development of Lou Guan, and they naturally agreed. That's how it happened.
It’s finalized.
Mrs. Gan excitedly asked Zhao Ran about the location, scale and number of people living in the house. Gan Shutong was also very embarrassed, so he stopped her and said to Zhao Ran: "It made the abbot laugh."
Mrs. Gan will set off in a month, taking Thirteenth Son and several relatives to Sichuan. After arriving in Sichuan, she will first stay at the Qu family residence in Long'an Prefecture, and discuss with Qu Zhongheng which tribesmen will enter the cave and which tribesmen will stay outside the house.
Zhao Ran gave the two families a total of twenty people. These quotas are very precious and cannot be wasted casually. After that, the two families went to Maharaja Mountain to worship at the gate and discussed with Quanzhike about opening a new house in the cave.
I'm afraid it won't be until next year that I actually move in.
Gan Shutong was in a good mood and ordered the wine to be served. It had been prepared in the kitchen of the house for a long time. The flowing water was introduced. Zhang Juzheng accompanied him, and the three of them drank together.
Gan Shutong asked about Zhao Ran's living conditions in Jiming Temple, whether he had any necessary things, etc. Zhao Ran declined with a smile.
Talking about Zhang Lue, the commander of the Longtan Guards, Comrade Gan Shu said: "Zhang Lue manages the army well. Last year, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Households inspected the Beijing camp. They found that his guard was the most elite. The regulations, provisions, and armor warehouses were all in good order.
He was listed as the top one in the capital camp and was even praised by Prime Minister Xia."
Zhao Ran said: "He came from the small army fighting step by step. If he had failed to manage the army well, he would have given Xixia's heads long ago. I met Xia Xiang once in Wudang. He has a sharp eye and a good understanding of people. I praised him.
Zhang Lue is also reasonable."
Comrade Gan Shu said: "Speaking of Xia Xiang, he also talked about the abbot to me when he came back that year, saying that the abbot is a great talent in governing the world, but he is a Taoist. If he is above the court, he will be the chief minister of a province or even a minister.
If you can’t, when you become more senior, you can even take charge of the cabinet.”
Zhao Ran shook his head and said with a smile: "Thanks to Prime Minister Xia's high opinion, I might as well pay him a visit someday if I have the chance."
Gan Shutong said: "Then I will see Xia Xiang later and make an appointment with the abbot."
After drinking until nightfall, Zhao Ran saw that it was getting late, so he got up and left. Gan Shutong said that today he just invited Zhao Ran to come and recognize the door. In a few days, he would take him to enjoy the nightlife of the capital.
Returning to Jiming Temple, the lights in Jingyang Tower had already been lit. Zhao Ran returned to his room and continued to practice the water stone elixir method.