Chapter 3, Situation (Part 1)
The Daoist register is highly valued in Daling, and if one can achieve a higher position in the future, the treatment will be much better
He did not immediately go to report the news, but continued to guard the drying area. In the meantime, he ate the dry food he had brought, a black steamed bun, and only packed up his clothes to hurry back after the sun had set in the afternoon
Xiao Qingying
Thus, these words come from the heart, spoken with absolute certainty
Accompanying the sound of the wind, there was also a waft of a certain type of barbecue aroma
The leader among them was tall and strong, with a full face of black beard, holding a lantern in one hand and a long stick in the other
Many have received training on how to serve others before coming here, whereas the number of those who are literate, articulate, and clear in their thinking is relatively small
After Zhang Rongfang finished speaking, he pondered for a moment, glanced at the scattered miscellaneous disciples around him, and waved his hand
He let out a sigh of relief and gazed into the distance ahead.
The disciple does not dare to utter a single word of falsehood. Zhang Rongfang said solemnly, "In fact, previously, Senior Sister Xiao Qingying had once offered assistance to the disciple in the alley beside the Xuankong Hall. The disciple has always kept this in mind. Normally, in such matters, if it were someone else, the disciple would not dare to rashly come forward to report, but upon hearing that it involves Senior Sister Xiao, the disciple, under no circumstances, would dare to have the slightest hesitation.
In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed.
"... ... hasn't come, what happened? Were you suspected by her before?" a low young male voice said
Subsequently, he gradually heard some explanations.
Is there something wrong
"If you were to hear the morning sounds again, would you be able to distinguish them?" Xiao Rong asked
He used to think that the sable fur was purple, but now it seems he didn't see any purple at all
Aside from the person who comes here to hang out the laundry, there is basically no one else who would come.
At this moment, Xiao Rong saw a miscellaneous disciple in the Daoist temple rising and hurrying towards him. With a hurried pace, he paused to wait for a moment.
"Speak up, the drum will sound soon." Xiao Rong had a gentle temperament and held no negative views towards the servant disciples
Zhang Rongfang takes a few steps and then rests for a while; on one hand, the path here is difficult to traverse, and on the other hand, the fog in the mountains is thick at this time, making it hard to see ahead
A dark cloud looms over the mountains, while a crescent moon above casts its gentle light. In the distance, the mountains stand silent and still, with only the wind howling through them.
... ...
Each time, he would continuously stop, stand aside to clear the way, and bow his head in greeting
As time passes day by day, in the blink of an eye, more than half a month has gone by again
Passing by a cliff's viewing platform, Zhang Rongfang paused for a moment and glanced down from the platform.
"I don't know... there shouldn't be any, she was still having a heart-to-heart with me last night..." another female voice replied somewhat anxiously
Within the Qinghe Palace, disciples are divided into those who practice cultivation and those who serve as miscellaneous disciples
Zhang Rongfang quickly arrived at the laundry room and began to sort through the buckets of dirty clothes that had been sent in, working alongside the other ten or so attendants
Zhang Rongfang walked along the cobblestone path towards the dormitory area at the back where the disciples resided
It should be possible! I am not sure. " Zhang Rongfang nodded
In the alley, Zhang Rongfang gazed in the direction where Xiao Qingying and the other person had left, and only after their figures had completely vanished did he turn and leave
"What are you doing here? Don't disturb the layperson!" At this moment, a group of patrolling monks walked by and reprimanded softly.
The meals for the servant disciples consist of two black steamed buns per meal, a plate of assorted pickled vegetables, and a bowl of egg drop soup in which the bottom of the bowl is clearly visible.
The Qishan Daoist nodded slightly, watching Zhang Rongfang quickly head towards the dormitory area for the miscellaneous disciples, before shifting his gaze and continuing his patrol.
It is evident that the two individuals engaged in the secret discussion heard him approaching and left in advance
The tall and robust Daoist known as Qishan is the leading disciple responsible for the patrol during this time period
This matter is of great importance. Have you thought it through? If you slander other disciples, you will be subjected to fifty strokes of the rod. With your physique, you will hardly survive after that
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Rongfang wiped the sweat from his forehead and prepared to continue moving forward
Zhang Rongfang glanced under the light of the Dao Palace, the brown fur of the sable coat glimmering slightly in the glow, sleek and glossy
At the same time, he is also the biological father of Xiao Qingying
After a hard day's work, it was not until nearly 10:30 in the evening that I finally finished resting
The sound drifted far ahead, and soon he returned to the previous position, where he indeed no longer heard any voices.
For more than ten days, Zhang Rongfang had to wash large buckets of clothes every day, resulting in significant physical exhaustion
His Taoist name is also Mingguang, and he holds an officially recognized title of Master, thus he is generally respectfully referred to as Master Mingguang
Zhang Rongfang looked at the attribute points on his attribute panel, which had not increased at all; they remained at 0. He increasingly understood that he could not afford to waste time like this any longer
However, the parties involved often find it difficult to perceive.
A steamed bun is only the size of half a fist; it may barely suffice for someone who is inactive, but for those disciples who need to perform hard labor, it is completely insufficient
He did not want to get involved in such matters, nor did he have the ability to do so. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, suddenly a name pierced into his ear.
In this day and age, not everyone has the privilege to read and write. Even if wealthy farmers and affluent households have the financial means, they must also possess the time and energy to do so
Surrounded by bare trees, there are piles of stark white rubble.
Zhang Rongfang unconsciously swallowed, the little black steamed bun he had for lunch in the cafeteria was simply not enough to fill the gaps between his teeth
Zhang Rongfang quickly got up from the dojo and walked towards Xiao Rong, who was preparing to leave
From a distance, it appears like a mountain tiger, its gaze piercing and its presence formidable
"Yes. I will return shortly," he replied
As soon as it ended, Zhang Rong wasted no time and, with the money tucked in his chest, headed straight for the registration management office
Zhang Rong remained expressionless and went to the drying area as usual, where he and another disciple, * Tu *, hung all the clothes on the drying rack, arranging them in neat rows by pulling and patting them into place
April 1183
Certainly! Zhang Rongfang nodded in agreement.
The text recited is the Heart Sutra of Infinite Measure
Are you sure you did not mishear?
This relieved Zhang Rongfang's mind
It is as follows: during the day, when the disciple went to the back mountain to dry clothes... Zhang Rongfang did not conceal anything, truthfully recounting everything he had heard.
Regardless, during this trip to the town for procurement, you are responsible for creating opportunities. This item, place it in her gourd before I set off..." The male voice said as low as possible.
However, it is not without good news; after sending the money, the second elimination of the miscellaneous disciples descending the mountain did not include his name.
Along the way, he occasionally encountered disciples dressed in light blue robes with white garments over them.
When drying clothes, it is essential to have someone on watch. This time, Zhang Rongfang is fortunate to have obtained this relatively leisurely job
In the palace, due to the strong wind, when the wind is favorable, sounds from over ten meters away can still be heard to some extent, even if they are muffled
Zhang Rongfang felt a chill in his heart; it was not the first time he had overheard others speaking in private, but this time... it seemed there was something amiss
After sending the message, if something happens, he can not only repay the favor owed to Xiao Qingying from last time, but perhaps he can also...
In the evening at Qinghe Palace, everywhere is illuminated by oil lamps and candlelight
The sound of the evening drum, echoing with a rhythmic "dong, dong, dong," drifts from afar, fluctuating in strength with the wind.
However, the disciples in training are different, thus the regulations regarding etiquette are very strict
As he spoke little by little, Xiao Rong's initially distracted expression gradually became serious
Zhang Rongfang was making his way forward while contemplating in his mind
... ...
The dry and bland food he eats every day, devoid of any oil or moisture, results in his complete inability to perceive any signs of accumulating attribute points
Zhang Rongfang sighed inwardly. ... The miscellaneous disciples have no rights at all ...
Before long, he emerged from the management office, his silver wallet completely deflated, with only a small amount of the two taels of silver he had accumulated over a long period remaining
Zhang Rongfang has met him several times and has a rather deep impression of him
Upon hearing these words, Xiao Rong's expression shifted slightly. The status of a servant disciple is not particularly esteemed, and among them, to find someone like the person before her—articulate, clear-minded, and possessing a sense of loyalty and righteousness—is indeed quite rare
Therefore, one must be particularly cautious
Xiao Rong is the transmission master responsible for the studies of all the miscellaneous disciples, holding a position higher than that of ordinary cultivators, equivalent to that of a steward in the Qinghe Palace. He ranks just below the palace master, the supervising院, and the hall master
There are generally few people here, and since the other party is secretly discussing such matters, if he is discovered, the consequences are likely to be dire
Zhang Rongfang stood still, his gaze flickering uncertainly
Zhang Rongfang carried two buckets of clothes, walking along the mountain path towards the drying area at the back of the mountain
This person stands just over 2 meters tall, with a broad waist and shoulders, and has strong, sturdy limbs. He has previously practiced in a training hall, where he was able to gain the upper hand in a one-on-three sparring match
On the surface, he hurriedly bowed his head to pay his respects, as etiquette must not be neglected
Two noblewomen draped in purple marten fur stood in the right corner of the cloud platform, whispering to each other, whether to admire the moon or to share their thoughts is unknown
Xiao Rong is a man with a full beard, always carrying a wine gourd, though it usually contains very little alcohol
Two barrels of clothing weigh sixty pounds. He needs to carry at least fifteen barrels back and forth, and this is only a portion of the garments.
As for how to make a judgment, he believes that Xiao Rong has her own criteria for assessment
Strictly speaking, a miscellaneous disciple can be considered a temporary worker, who can be dismissed at any time
For the time being, he also has no good solutions in mind
After a busy day, it was only this evening, when I finished my homework, that the evening drum was about to sound.
However, once the consumption is excessive, this accumulation of heat will noticeably weaken
After pausing for a moment, he continued to retreat a distance, and then deliberately hummed a scripture while strutting ahead in his clothes
Among the miscellaneous disciples, most are discarded children sent by various families from nearby towns to occupy the Daoist register
If there are any instances of disrespect, the lighter punishment would be to reflect on one's mistakes while facing the wall and performing the most arduous labor, while the heavier punishment could involve being beaten several dozen times, or even being executed by beating and thrown down the mountain
Zhang Rongfang displayed a fist-and-palm salute, and after bowing, he said: "Disciple Zhang Rongfang, pays respects to Master Mingguang."
Zhang Rong presents a sincere and calm demeanor; whether in his past life or the present, his character remains unchanged, with a clear distinction between gratitude and resentment. He believes in repaying kindness without fail
Xiao Rong displayed a contemplative expression. He then carefully scrutinized the disciple who had come to deliver the message.
During this half month, Zhang Rongfang has been traveling daily between the laundry room, the study hall, the cafeteria, and the disciples' dormitory area
It is important to note that each time he accumulates attributes, he can feel a slight warmth gathering within his body
Every time at this moment, he has heard from the senior brothers and sisters in the water-washing room that there might be monkeys from the mountains coming out to steal clothes
Qinghe Palace has bid farewell to a group of distinguished guests who came to attend the tea gathering, and has commenced the annual selection and assessment of new disciples for training.
As dawn breaks, the entire Qinghe Palace presents a rectangular structure, with the drying area at the back adjacent to the mountain forest and stone wall, situated outside the Taoist palace walls
Clothing, hats, flat shoes, high boots, belts, and so on, everything that needs to be cleaned will be thrown here all at once
The speaker does not know who it is, but he remembers that voice. Additionally, it was mentioned in the conversation that medicine was administered during a trip to the town for procurement, indicating that Xiao Qingying is likely to be schemed against on one of her trips to the town for supplies
Not to mention the immense grace of ... ...
Zhang Rongfang immediately stood still and slowly began to retreat backwards
Then, as long as we find out when she goes to town, we can secretly remind and inform.
It is rumored that he is a notorious drunkard, yet he is seldom seen drinking.
The three grand halls and the direction of the temple still resonate with faint chanting sounds, which are not the voices of the Taoist priests, but rather those of some devout pilgrims who are staying in the palace to recite scriptures
... ...
At that moment, from the mist in the front left, faint voices could be heard.
He understood in his heart that he must find a way to escape this state