"It's...it's freezing outside, can you let me go in first?"
"Ah, sorry, sorry, teacher, please come in quickly."
Chen Chi welcomed Song County Cheng in with an embarrassed look on his face, and the corner of his eye drifted to somewhere in the courtyard.
It's not that he is so careless, it's just that the situation in the small courtyard in the south of the city is a bit special recently, and it is inconvenient for outsiders to notice.
Even though he always believed that Master and Sister Xiangzhu were in the same room every night, with the lights on and no lights on, they were always simply reciting Buddhist scriptures.
But how can others believe it?
Whoever believes it is a fool.
Early winter snow.
Like goose feathers flying, Wenhe County was flooded.
Under the dark sky, the streets, houses, temples, and trees far and near were all covered in silver, a vast expanse of white.
Song County Magistrate was wearing a cotton fur coat, a long cloak and cotton boots, but his cheeks were still red from the cold and he was rubbing his hands to breathe.
However, when he entered the small courtyard, he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled all over his face.
The cold air in the sky seemed to be blocked out by those two ordinary wooden doors.
Outside the hospital, it was freezing cold in early winter, with ice and snow.
Inside the courtyard, the evening breeze was gentle and the mood of spring was pleasant.
Not only are the two elm trees green and green, but the spring orchids, autumn chrysanthemums and summer lotuses also release their fragrance in the courtyard, which is pleasing to the eye.
As for Chen Chi, he was only wearing a single suit. If he went out, he would definitely not be able to endure half a cup of tea before freezing to death.
"Chen Chi, this master of yours is definitely a real great power in the world. The fact that you serve the right and left can be regarded as the merit accumulated by your ancestors for you. But...how did he do it?"
While speaking, County Magistrate Song was already minding his own business wandering around the courtyard. Although he didn't reach out to touch randomly, his gaze was extremely serious and meticulous, not missing the slightest detail.
He has visited four times this month alone. Afraid of the majesty of the eminent monk? He always sits upright and does not look sideways.
However, tonight he came with another purpose.
Besides, the eminent monk has already gone to bed? How can he be so casual?
Chen Chi on the side suddenly became alert.
‘We can’t let County Magistrate Song continue to behave like this! If the scene of Master and Sister Xiangzhu studying Buddhist scriptures late at night is revealed, a man and a woman alone? A monk again? It would really be an insult to Master’s reputation!’
"Teacher, please sit down quickly. The students' heads will be spinning because of you."
Chen Chi found two benches, made another pot of tea, and forced Song County Cheng to sit down: "Teacher, do you want to know how my master did it?"
The Prime Minister of Song County stroked his beard: "I think it must be Buddhism?"
Chen Chi smiled and said: "Teacher guessed wrong. It's not Buddhism? It's formation."
"Formation? Is it a formation for marching and fighting? Used by eminent monks? It's really miraculous that it can turn cold winter into warm spring. Chen Chi, didn't you learn a few tricks from your master?"
"Ahem, Master said that I am too young and should concentrate on studying now. But he copied me a small booklet? It said it was some kind of magic to escape from armor. When...when will I become famous?
Only then can you see it.”
Chen Chi lowered his head and blushed slightly, but slightly changed Zhou Yi's original words.
After all, saying "I won the top prize in the exam" is really shocking and embarrassing.
"Really? Didn't the teacher say something happened tonight?"
"What about this? Is there something going on? Haha. When I was young, I also traveled far away, including Lingnan and Jiangnan. I also followed a tea merchant to see the scenery of Mobei..."
In the next stick of incense, County Magistrate Song began to tell Chen Chi endlessly about the unknown past of his youth when he traveled all over the country.
Chen Chi listened carefully and nodded in response from time to time.
However, his eyes secretly glanced at the hut where Master and Sister Xiangzhu were... I don't know which part of the Buddhist sutra they recited?
"...In short, I had longed for the days of being content with the situation and wandering around the world, but I had to give up because I wanted to test for fame."
Songxian Cheng said with emotion on his face.
Chen Chi looked at Song County Cheng, who had gray hair and cloudy eyes, with wide eyes, and couldn't help but ask: "Teacher, are you coming to see the students tonight because you want to tell them that you are always ready to resign instead of going out to make a living?"
Are you in the arena?"
"Cough cough cough..."
Song Xian Cheng, who was drinking tea, choked on Chen Chi's words and calmed down after a while.
"I haven't finished yet. When I was traveling back then, I heard many stories about gods and ghosts, and they were all conclusive.
At that time, I was a little doubtful. After I became an official, I met bad people, and I realized that there are indeed ghosts in the world.
However, I have never seen it with my own eyes. Until that night in the Xu Mansion, a box of leaves sent by your master turned into countless little monks and saved Prefect Xu from the monster."
"Teacher, what do you want to say..."
"After I became an official, I wanted to write a book. The book should cover the past and present, the various situations of the world, and naturally there will be a part about ghosts and monsters. It is also the one I know least about. So I wanted to ask your master and you for advice."
"Ask for advice? Students don't dare to do it, but this matter..."
For a while, Chen Chi was in trouble.
"Hahaha, it doesn't matter. If you can't be the master, just come and visit your master tomorrow."
While speaking, Song County Magistrate stood up and walked out of the courtyard.
Chen Chi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was finally leaving.
"Hey...it's really snowing heavily."
At the entrance of the courtyard, County Magistrate Song suddenly stopped, looked up at the sky, and exclaimed: "The snow is getting heavier and heavier. I even forgot to wear a raincoat when I went out. I am getting more and more confused as I get older."
"Teacher, how about I send you off?"
"Don't bother. Otherwise, I'll stay here for the night so that I can meet Master Yichen directly tomorrow morning."
"But……"
"Chen Chi, can you bear to see me, an old man, freezing in the snow?"
"I……"
"Okay, it's settled. Monks are compassionate, and if it were your master, he would definitely take me in."
That night, Song County Magistrate stayed in a small courtyard in the south of the city.
I also slept in Chen Chi’s room.
Thinking that he was the first outsider to stay in the small courtyard in the south of the city, Song County Cheng was filled with excitement, and naturally he didn't sleep well that night.
But apart from the exciting mood, there was another very important reason, which was that in a trance, he could always hear a "pah pah pah..." sound.
It was so loud that it lasted the whole night.
This voice sounded familiar, like the memories of the years when I was young and unruly decades ago, when I was young and didn't know what to look for.
He asked Chen Chi on the side what the noise was, but Chen Chi didn't answer.
He then asked Yichen which room Master Yichen slept in. Chen Chi turned over and started snoring.
When it was still dark, Song County Cheng couldn't sleep.
Looking out the window at the spring scenery of the small courtyard under the white snow, he couldn't help but feel very excited.
He tiptoed out of bed, came to the student's desk, and started grinding by himself.
The ink is drawn, the paper is laid, and the pen is licked.
Songxian Cheng spread the painting against the spring scenery in the courtyard.
Although he was born in a rigorous academic school of painting, his mood was agitated today, his ink brushes were flowing, and his dots were stained into microscopic insects, and every detail was dissatisfied.
Not long after, the spring scenery in the small courtyard appeared on the white paper.
The stone table, the old well, the three rooms, the elm tree, the flowers and plants... I always feel like something is missing.
Oh, it’s a monk!
Song Xian Cheng smiled slightly and said,
In the blink of an eye, a white-robed monk was outlined by him.
He did not choose the "Cao Yi Chu Shui" painting style that he is good at, which is a painting style with undulating outlines and contours.
But Fu Zhixin used the painting method of "Wu Dai Danfeng" which is popular in Chang'an City with the flying sleeves of the robe, lifelike and ethereal artistic conception.
Compared with the real Zhou Yi, the monk in the scroll has a bit of solemnity in his cheeks, while his brows have a hint of compassion for all people.
"There's something missing."
The Prime Minister of Song County stroked his beard, pondered for a long time, and then started writing again. After a few strokes, a Zen staff appeared in the hands of the monk in the painting.
"This is the eminent monk who slays demons."
Song County Prime Minister couldn't help but love it and couldn't put it down. The more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became.
He was about to write something when suddenly, the door to the inner room on the west side opened not far away.
The monk in white yawned and walked out.
Song County Magistrate turned his head and looked, his expression slightly changed.
He vaguely remembered that that room should belong to the young, beautiful and ambitious maid of Xu Mansion.