Chapter 006: Compassion is nothing but that of the Bodhisattva
Indeed, we should go up the mountain to discuss the theory. A few days ago, I went to the mountain to pray for rain, and the monk there, named Dao Ning, actually said that our lack of sincerity in worshiping Buddha was the reason for the absence of rain. He insisted that we should bring three sacrificial animals, six ceremonial offerings, and incense along with fruits and vegetables to worship Buddha in order to receive rain... How ridiculous! That shameless monk had shifty eyes, clearly a gluttonous monk!
The inscriptions of the Shifang Temple
The pure gaze turned among the crowd, and thoughts were swirling in the mind.
Then he leisurely stepped out.
Chunxin, however, frowned
Wu Zepeng is just this big; most people know each other, so he was immediately recognized. He is merely a servant, and now that Ye Chang, the master, is present, there is no place for him to speak. Someone scolded him.
Since being placed by the side of Ye Chang, Liu Gui has not had a moment's rest. Ye Chang truly treats him like a beast of burden, constantly commanding him. Having received instructions from the Liu family, Liu Gui thinks of the family assets worth several hundred guan and the rewards he will receive afterward, so he can only endure all of this.
Indeed, indeed... Oh, isn't this the Eleventh Young Master of the Ye family? You were struck by a broom star, and now you are fine?
If it is the Bodhisattva Weituo... The old monk indeed had a dream yesterday, in which the Bodhisattva spoke to him, saying that due to the continuous drought recently, he felt compassion and could not bear to see the people suffer from a lack of harvest. Therefore, he invited a blessed individual to come up the mountain to bestow upon him a spring to irrigate the fields. "Pure faith harmonizes with the Dao.
Ye Chang handed the small string of coins to him: "Tsk tsk, your skills are truly remarkable; even the Bodhisattva seeks you for a haircut... However, the Bodhisattva possesses boundless powers; why would they descend the mountain for a haircut?"
This thought surfaced, causing Ye Chang some irritation; he did not like the feeling of things slipping out of his control
Who said that ancient people were simple? Although they are very understanding of human nature, Ye Chang still underestimated the old monk's own thoughts
Liu Gui, fill the water jar to the brim
Liu Gui, please sweep the ground in the courtyard
That person turned out to be Liu Gui
I... I will take everyone to see. The young monk's face turned bright red, and he could hardly speak clearly, just leading everyone towards the temple. The crowd surged in, as dozens of young and strong individuals arrived, nearly filling the courtyard to the point where not even a drop of water could pass through.
The barber originally intended to consider himself unfortunate, but in the afternoon, some idle passersby noticed the fallen tree in front of his shop and began to inquire about it. The barber recounted the incident. Wu Zepu, being a fellow villager, felt a surge of righteous indignation and started shouting about going up the mountain to seek retribution against the monk.
Ah?
You! Liu Gui could hardly contain himself, but thinking of the Liu family's promise, he still suppressed his anger
Having long since recovered, it is quite unreasonable for the monks on this mountain. Shall we all go seek them out and discuss this matter?
But the robe of the statue is ultimately painted on, not genuine. Just as the crowd was about to shout, the barber trembled and said: "It is... it is him, this... this reckless monk!"
Liu Gui, there is no firewood at home, go to the mountain and bring back two loads of firewood
Up to this point, his objective has been achieved. Everyone believes that the Weituo Bodhisattva in the Shifang Temple has manifested. Once they return, they will surely spread the word about this matter widely. Before long, the people from the surrounding ten miles will all be aware, and naturally, there will be good men and women coming to offer their support and worship.
He not only did not kneel down, but instead took a few steps forward, seemingly to examine the statue of Weituo more closely. Then he exclaimed, "This... has five wen!"
In the eyes of the old monk, his actions were entirely justifiable; however, in Ye Chang's heart, this grudge was firmly noted. Given the opportunity, he would undoubtedly make the old monk pay for it
But it is still not possible to not go
At this time of severe drought, due to the lack of organization, the villagers mostly stayed idle at home, feeling quite bored. Encouraged by the crowd, the barber mustered his courage and set off with everyone towards the Shifang Temple. Along the way, they laughed and joked, and Ye Chang, having been struck by a broom star, could not escape being teased by the others. Liu Gui felt relieved to hear this, but he noticed that whenever others mocked Ye Chang, he would skillfully divert the topic to praying for rain at the temple, demonstrating a remarkable eloquence that was completely different from the timid boy he used to be.
Upon arriving at the Shifang Temple, the large crowd had already attracted the attention of the monks within. The monks stood in a circle, with the foremost being the chief monk, Chuxin. After inquiring about the purpose of the gathering, Chuxin said, "Amitabha! Esteemed benefactors, our Shifang Temple has only five monks. Currently, four of us are present, and one, Daoning, has gone into the mountains to gather firewood. However, everyone is familiar with him... There is no need for any rash actions." Chuxin then repeated, "Amitabha! Esteemed benefactors, our Shifang Temple has only five monks. Currently, four of us are present, and one, Daoning, has gone into the mountains to gather firewood. However, everyone is familiar with him... There is no need for any rash actions."
Those who are quick-witted are thinking about how to obtain a coin from the barber's hands
Let him speak, let him speak! Upon hearing this, everyone thought there was something to it, believing that the young monk was simply speaking without restraint, and thus they all began to shout. Chunxin was overwhelmed by the noise, his ears buzzing, and had no choice but to let the young monk speak.
Accompanied by a follower, Ye Chang stepped out, feeling somewhat empty-handed; it would have been better if he had a folding fan in his grasp. However, he was not in a hurry. He turned back to find a palm fan to hold. Noticing something was amiss, he imitated Zheng Banchao's brushwork on the palm fan and inscribed the four characters "hard to come by, muddled".
This time, it was not Ye Chang intentionally making things difficult for him. Since arriving in this world, Ye Chang has been very attentive to water hygiene, as this is an era where malaria can take a person's life
Seeing his appearance, Liu Gui murmured behind him and reluctantly followed along
The manifestation of Bodhisattva Wei Tuo! Everyone thought this way in their hearts; it was truly difficult to doubt anything else in this intricate web of connections.
"Here!" the young monk turned and pointed towards the front hall.
Everyone thought the same, yet no one doubted the authenticity of the Bodhisattva; they merely looked enviously at the barber. The Bodhisattva sought the barber for a haircut, presumably to bestow blessings upon him. These five coins were indeed given by Weituo; if they were enshrined at home to absorb the Buddha's teachings, would it not lead to a long life and everlasting wealth?
It is impossible, as the monk repeatedly claimed that he belonged to your Shifang Temple, and the robe he wore bears the markings of your Shifang Temple
Wuzepei was originally an ancient town, which is why it has this name. However, it now consists of just over 200 households, making it more of a large village. Although small, it is fully equipped, and the village has some basic commercial shops, such as barbershops and other craft stores, which are certainly not lacking. Ye Chang asked Liu Gui to lead the way, and before long, they arrived in front of this shop, where they saw several people gathered outside, pointing and discussing.
This is the young lady's instruction, this is the young lady's instruction, I only need to keep a close watch on this little beast, there will eventually come a day when I can deal with him! After muttering this to himself several times, Liu Gui finally managed to control his emotions and stepped forward to inquire about the news
This statement sent a chill down Liu Gui's spine. However, at that moment, he had no choice but to endure it. He filled a gourd with water and was about to come out, but was called back by Ye Chang: "What kind of water are you filling the gourd with? It should be boiled water, not this raw water taken casually from the vat!"
"Alright, put down what you're doing and come out with me for a stroll." That afternoon, Ye Chang called out to him, casually walking out the door with his hands behind his back
Upon thinking of this, I sincerely recited "Amitabha" and then said: "Monastics do not seek falsehoods. This old monk is of limited fortune and can only hear the Bodhisattva say that this person is a celestial being descended from the stars... As for the rest of the circumstances, this old monk is dull-witted and truly does not know.
Everyone was astonished, as they saw the barber's hands trembling, pointing at the statue of the deity Weituo, his eyes filled with fear
Everyone laughed: "Let us go together, let us go together!"
But now the old monk has changed his fortune, saying that "the celestial stars have descended to the mortal realm"—are the celestial stars from above so easily dealt with?
Not only must he pay for the cost of the haircut, but he must also compensate for this tree
I truly know! Liu Gui, seeing that most people did not believe him, immediately became anxious, jumped up, and shouted.
He himself said that he wrote the three characters "Ten Directions Temple" on the robe
At this moment, the people at the foot of the mountain, who had been suffering from a lack of water for a long time, suddenly heard the Bodhisattva bestowing a spring to someone. Everyone was filled with great joy and looked towards Chunxin, eagerly waiting for him to reveal who the fortunate person was.
It was only then that I learned that earlier that morning, a wandering monk arrived here, claiming to be a monk from the Shifang Temple on the mountain. After having his hair cut by the barber, he realized he had no money. The monk, somewhat irritable, even knocked down a tree in front of the barber with his shoulder. He then apologized to the barber and asked him to accompany him to the temple to retrieve the money.
The person's voice was sharp and urgent, sounding as if they were eager to speak, afraid that others might take the lead. The individuals kneeling in the courtyard looked at that person, their faces all displaying expressions of surprise.
Dismantling the bridge after crossing it is not a difficult task. Although the first monk is a high-ranking monk, the higher the monk, the more he must consider the interests of his own temple. In order to promote the Buddhist teachings, he can only slightly disregard this young acolyte.
Liu Gui knelt on the ground, a strange smile playing on his face. Ye Chang looked at the expression on his face, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat
Oh, by the way, bring a water bottle. Today we are going to the fields to take a look. If it continues to be this dry, there will be no harvest in the second half of the year. By then, we will inevitably have to sell off our property. Fortunately, Auntie sent you here; selling a servant should provide enough rice for me and Xiang'er to eat for a while
Of course, there are also those who are bold and skeptical; for instance, Ye Chang did not kneel down
At this moment, this fellow jumps out. What does he have to say
In fact, the statue of Weituo and the Mangtouduo bear only a resemblance of about fifty to sixty percent. However, due to preconceived notions, with the inscriptions on the cassock being prominent and the barber's identification, everyone, regardless of whether they had seen it before or not, took it to be the manifestation of Weituo. Those with even a slight inclination towards Buddhism were immediately frightened into kneeling down. Humans are social animals; when one person takes the lead, others follow suit. In an instant, the crowd began to kneel and worship, each one either begging for mercy or seeking forgiveness, fearing that their intention of asking Weituo for payment for the haircut would invoke divine retribution.
Indeed, indeed, Master Chunxin, your insight knows no bounds. Look at us, who among us is truly a person of great fortune? After we return, we will immediately prepare fruits, vegetables, and fragrant oil to come and express our gratitude
How could such a thing happen, writing on a robe... Look at the robes we are wearing, which one has writing on it?" a monk could not help but say
"Monastics do not speak falsehoods, and the Dao is empty; do not speak carelessly..." Chunsin's expression changed as he spoke.
After this statement was made, Ye Chang was taken aback
Amitabha! When the crowd murmured, unsure of what to do, the chief monk quietly recited a Buddha's name: "Could it truly be... the Bodhisattva Wei Tuo?"
Ye Chang's heart skipped a beat; until just now, the scripts he had designed were all normal. However, seeing Chunxin frown and hesitate made him feel that things were beginning to change
If we continue according to Ye Chang's instructions, we will have to bind the hard-won reputation of the Shifang Temple to Ye Chang. In this way, if Ye Chang's next plan fails, won't the reputation of the Shifang Temple be ruined again
This is completely different from what they had agreed upon. According to the predetermined script, at this moment, Chunxin should say that this fortunate individual is Ye's Eleventh Young Master. At that time, everyone would push him forward, and he would then make up a few words before leading people to open the mountain and dig for springs.
Liu Gui
Indeed, it is absolutely true! At that moment, the barber's face turned pale with fear, and his mouth trembled as he spoke
Although the changes in circumstances were unexpected for him, they remained within his control. Initially, it was intended for the monk to introduce him, a person of great fortune, but at this moment, it has transformed into him stepping forward himself, which inevitably diminishes the weight of his words.
Liu Gui, do you know what https://mhetushu.com is? Do not speak recklessly, lest you offend Master Chunxin
Hearing Ye Chang's words, a few who had not knelt down approached to take a look. Indeed, it was five cash coins strung together with a rope, placed at the foot of the statue, seemingly waiting for everyone to take them. The crowd recalled the barber's recounting of the monk Mang's words, and instantly felt a chill on their heads, as if someone were blowing down from above.
However, the barber, seeing his strength, dared not accompany him out of the village, fearing that a fight might break out and damage his means of livelihood. He merely claimed to be busy and suggested that the monk return to the temple first. Although the monk was a rough character, he still reasoned that he would wait on the mountain for him to come and collect the money, which was merely a matter of five wen, and he would definitely acknowledge the debt.
Everyone turned their heads and saw the statue of Weituo. Although the Weituo statue at the Shifang Temple was clad in armor, it was draped with a kasaya over the armor, and on one corner of the kasaya, the three characters "Shifang Temple" were indeed present
The old monk did not even glance at him, his demeanor as solemn as it could be. Ye Chang squinted his eyes, quickly pondering whether he should devise a scheme to take advantage of the old monk, considering he had burned the bridge after crossing it.
Everyone thought it was indeed too strange to write on a monk's robe. But at that moment, a young novice trembled and said: "Master... Master, there is indeed writing on one of the robes."
There are still stubble! Someone also noticed this detail at the feet of the Weituo statue and exclaimed again.
In terms of age, Liu Gui could definitely be Ye Chang's father, yet being addressed as "Little Gui" by him sends shivers down his spine.
At this moment, no one remained standing; even Ye Chang knelt down
At the foot of the statue of Weituo, there is a small string of coins, precisely five wen
Could it be that he has seen through his own plan, thus jumping out to create an unexpected obstacle, so that he stumbles right from the start?
"Xiao Guizi, go find out what exactly is going on?" Ye Chang asked
He really thinks of himself as a young master, but he is merely the scion of a fallen family
Yes, it is him! He came with the barber, and I also saw that reckless monk this morning. Now, upon seeing this statue of Weituo, I cannot help but exclaim.
Just as Ye Chang was contemplating how to make his entrance, someone beside him suddenly shouted: "The Star Constellation has descended... I know who it is!"