Chapter 004: The Mysterious Monk in the Temple

Daoning, however, was unaware that Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty felt grateful for the rescue by the Thirteen Monks of Shaolin Temple on Mount Song. He had granted permission for the martial monks to eat meat. Upon hearing that the reckless monk openly admitted to having eaten meat, he immediately jumped up and exclaimed: "Well, you reckless monk, you actually ate meat! Amitabha, this is a sin, a sin!"

He glanced at it like this, and then he was momentarily taken aback

Moreover, there is not just one, but two young women, both appearing to be in their early twenties. One of them is scolding Xiang'er. However, although Xiang'er is bowing her head to listen to the reprimand, she does not seem angry or afraid; instead, she appears somewhat obedient.

Master, that was decades ago; at that time, the old monk was still a novice and witnessed the grandeur of that era

I do have a way to improve the incense offerings at the Temple of All Directions... However, it requires this Master Shan Zhi to hang a few days' worth of orders with you all.

This is a macroclimate, which cannot be countered by mere faith. However, in Xiuwu County, there exists a microclimate. During the early years of the national dynasty, the immortal Sun Simiao came to this vicinity to gather herbs for healing and left behind a disciple. This disciple established the "Yao Wang Temple." Due to the blessings of the living immortal Sun Simiao, people from the surrounding villages flock to the Yao Wang Temple to burn incense and seek divine favor. As a result, the incense offerings at the Shifang Temple have naturally diminished day by day.

Shi Shanzhi touched his belly, staring blankly for quite a while. He was simple and honest, yet not foolish, and certainly not completely ignorant of the ways of the world. Upon seeing the dilapidated state of the temple, he realized that the abbot was not wrong. ... He had originally thought he had finally found a place to eat, but now it seemed ... not necessarily so.

Daoning was taken aback, as there were few people available in the temple. He had always been the most trusted disciple of Chunxin and believed himself to be the rightful candidate for the next abbot. Chunxin had always been careful to preserve his dignity, and to be scolded like this was truly unprecedented!

I am a martial monk, and Emperor Taizong has granted permission; monks like me are allowed to eat meat

Ye Chang wore a smile on his face, exuding an air of inscrutability as he fixed his gaze on Chun Xin. After a moment of contemplation, Chun Xin thought that although Dao Ning had said this young man possessed no particular skills, it would not hurt to listen to his methods.

"Master, this monk actually eats meat!" Dao Ning was astonished, yet he was unaware of the words Ye Chang had used to persuade Chun Xin. He pondered that for the moment, he would set aside all else and report the matter to the authorities: "He disrupts our rules and regulations; he truly ought to be expelled!"

Shi Shanzhi responded affirmatively and truly stood guard at the door. Dao Ning, watching from behind, could only stop in his tracks, secretly cursing the young man for his cunningness

He is not present, and due to the restrictions of identity and age, there is indeed no way to deal with it

Hehe... Ye Chang shook his head with a smile again

What came naturally were Ye Chang and that rough monk. As they traveled together, Ye Chang had already learned that the monk's name was Shi Shanzhi. He was originally an orphan without parents from the foot of Mount Song, taken in as a disciple by the monk Dao Xuan. Later, when Dao Xuan returned to Dafu Xian Temple, he could not endure the rules of the temple and thus set out to wander the world. Despite his ugly appearance, he had a heart that was exceedingly kind.

Hearing Shan Zhi speak of the legend of the Veda Pestle, Ye Chang looked towards the Veda and then exclaimed in surprise: "Master Shan Zhi, this Veda bears a striking resemblance to you!"

Thinking of the scene when Ye Chang would come out in a disheveled state later, Dao Ning chuckled to himself. Shi Shan, seeing his expression, scoffed, "That monk, could it be that he has stolen some meat to eat, wearing such a lewd grin!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Chang finally realized the truth

Ye Chang scratched his head; it was evident that he had offended Dao Ning in the past, which was why Dao Ning was now incessantly speaking ill of him

With such thoughts in mind, Daoning said nothing further, watching Chunxin escort Ye Chang out the door and to the foot of the mountain. Had Ye Chang not turned back to decline, he would have likely accompanied him all the way down.

Sister... Ye Chang was still somewhat surprised

This fellow must be boasting, using flowery language, and is bound to be expelled by the chief seat

Ah?

"Hey, speaking nonsense and provoking with your words, why don't you go and copy the scriptures?" Chunxin felt a bit embarrassed; usually, he regarded this person with some respect, hence he viewed him with a different perspective. Why is this fellow being so oblivious today?

At this time, it was the height of the Li-Tang dynasty. The Li-Tang dynasty, tracing its lineage back to Laozi, also embraced Daoism with great reverence. Numerous immortals emerged from the mountains, with figures like Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng gaining fame across the land. Even after the current emperor ascended the throne, there was the old Daoist Zhang Guo, who was found drunkenly sleeping in Chang'an. As Daoism flourished, Buddhism declined. Although Empress Wu Zetian once revitalized Buddhism to counterbalance the Li family, with the Li family regaining the throne, Daoism once again surpassed Buddhism.

All temples and shrines, if they have true Buddhas and deities present, will naturally flourish with incense offerings; otherwise, the offerings will inevitably decline. Upon hearing Ye Chang's words, Monk Dao Ning stretched his neck and mockingly retorted: "What a grandiose statement, as if you are a Bodhisattva or Buddha yourself. Do you think that if you invite them to perform miracles, they will come?"

Regardless of whether Dao Ning was willing or not, he could only endure and step back. Ye Chang called Shi Shanzhi aside and whispered a few words. Upon hearing this, Shi Shanzhi chuckled and nodded, then stood beside Chunxin, clearly indicating that Chunxin had chosen to keep him. From a distance, Dao Ning witnessed this scene, feeling both angry and perplexed. Chunxin was not known for his generosity; over the past few years, Shifang Temple had expelled more than just a couple of wandering monks, yet for some reason, this meat-eating ascetic was allowed to stay.

Five monks sat beneath the "Great Hero Hall," reciting scriptures in a feeble manner. This was the evening session held daily. In the past, when the Ten Directions Temple was thriving, dozens of monks would gather, filling the Great Hero Hall to capacity, and everyone would chant together, truly a sacred place of the Buddhist community. However, now not only has the atmosphere diminished and the incense offerings decreased, but even the remaining few monks lack the spirit to continue.

Xiao Tanyue inquired, how can the incense of this temple be revitalized

Master, what kind of sorcery has this fellow used to bewitch you?

If this goes smoothly, then he will have firmly established himself in this era, and even if there are any mistakes, they can be explained away.

Indeed, the pure faith that once held hope in his eyes has turned to disappointment. He said: "The mountain gate will close; you two should leave the mountain and not linger any longer."

He pondered what methods Ye Chang might have. After much contemplation, he concluded that it would require the intervention of a Bodhisattva to manifest a miracle, which would necessitate boundless magical power. At least in his view, neither the Pure Faith Master nor that young man with the surname Ye possessed such abilities.

"I am not the benefactor, I... ah, I am here to offer my congratulations," said Master Shi Shanzhi with a smile. "If I may trouble you for three days, I kindly ask the abbot..."

Master, look, he has made a fool of himself again. The Buddhist teachings do not permit the consumption of meat, but this is merely the edict of Emperor Liang Wudi, a case of burying one's head in the sand. When did it become a strict rule of the Buddhist community?

"Do not cry, do not cry!" Ye Chang felt it was strange. The eldest daughter of the second branch, who was also the eldest daughter of his father's biological brother, was merely his cousin. Why did she seem to be no less than the new siblings?

It is merely a request for the Bodhisattva to bestow miraculous light and signs.

He has no good methods at all; even if he did, he would not share them. He would rather see all the monks of the Temple of Ten Directions disperse, leaving only himself behind. At that time, with the temple's assets in hand, he would not fear a life of luxury and indulgence

"You have stolen meat to eat, you unprincipled ascetic!" Dao Ning was furious

"Master Chunxin, the temple is in such a state now, we must treat a dead horse as if it were alive." Ye Chang did not say much more: "There is only one opportunity, or does Master Daoning have a better way to make the Shifang Temple thrive?"

Daoning's expression became somewhat awkward; the first seat's words were clearly meant to dissuade him from arguing with Ye Chang

"Yes, yes, what the abbot said is... Dao Ning, if you have nothing to do, go copy ten volumes of the Heart Sutra of Prajnaparamita, hurry up!" Chun Xin glared, and indeed had a bit of the abbot's authority.

Indeed, I blame you. If it were not for the bad idea you and elder brother came up with, how could the third party have ended up in this situation... Had I known you would make such a decision, I would rather die than marry. I must protect my younger brother, allowing him to achieve success, which is far better than being the unloved child of a father and mother!

The woman who reprimanded Xiang'er reacted quickly, immediately approaching with a smile. Her smile was very genuine, unlike the kind of forced smile one puts on after being caught. Ye Chang was taken aback for a moment, swallowing the questions he originally intended to ask, and glanced at Xiang'er.

Eleven younger brother, you have returned

Indeed, you are a young man, boasting without limits. I recognize you, young monk; you are none other than the Eleventh Young Master of the Ye family from down the mountain. What skills do you possess? Everyone in the village knows you well.

Among the monks in the temple, only this monk could be considered young, and he was the only one who dressed somewhat neatly. Chunxin turned back to glance at him, then looked at Ye Chang: "Dao Ning, do you know this young donor?"

It must be that Eleventh Young Master Ye is full of sweet words... Let's endure for a while; once this period passes and the tricks of that young man from the Ye family prove ineffective, we can discuss it then

Shi Shanzhi touched his hair, looked at the statue above, and smiled broadly: "So it seems that my ugliness has its reason, and I have a connection with the Buddha... and with books..."

The disciple recognizes that he comes from a common family in Xiaoliu Village. The sister of this young man is married to a distant nephew of the disciple's family. He has always been lazy and indulgent, only thinking about gathering herbs and refining elixirs, and has a good relationship with Luo Shouyi from the Yaowang Temple

The chief monk of your temple, this master, truly needs to be taught well. In the future, if the temple flourishes, and if this master were to meet guests with such a lack of insight, would it not invite ridicule? Just as Dao Ning was about to argue with Shi Shan, Ye Chang walked out again, and the chief monk Chun Xin followed him almost reverently, his eyes filled with excitement

The woman's eyes immediately turned red, and biting her lip, she began to cry: "My unfortunate brother... Just now, Xiang'er said you have lost your mind, and I thought it was just a rumor from that little Hu. Now you can't even recognize your own sister... Father and mother, it is the daughter’s fault for not taking good care of my brother..."

There are indeed forests and fields, but currently the temple's incense is not flourishing, and the monks have mostly dispersed, leaving only five or six of us, both old and young. We are unable to cultivate or plant, and hiring local villagers yields very little grain. The entire temple's monks rely on their own farming for sustenance, and truly, there is no surplus to support wandering monks

"Look at our current state; do we still appear capable of hosting wandering monks and travelers?" Chunxin sighed again, saying, "In a few days, we will have to go out to beg for alms; how could we still have rice and flour to entertain you?"

Aunt, please do not cry, it is all our fault..." said another woman beside her, her face filled with shame

Even the originally grand temple architecture has now been reduced to two barely intact main halls and a few monk quarters. The mountain gate has long since disappeared, and from the open main entrance of the Great Hero Hall, one can directly see the green-faced statue of the Guardian Deity.

So that's how it is; ultimately, it still comes down to the issue of incense offerings. Ye Chang thought to himself as he cast a glance at Shi Shan Zhi and then turned back to look at the statue of Wei Tuo.

Ye Chang descended the mountain, leisurely making his way back to Wu Ze Pi, a faint joy rising in his heart. The predicament of Shifang Temple, for him, was an opportunity; by helping Shifang Temple, he was essentially helping himself

Xiao Tanyue invited the abbot to the abbot's room for a discussion, Dao Ning, you go outside and take a look first

Because two individuals unexpectedly entered through the front door of the Weituo Hall and turned to stand before the Weituo statue, one of them, who was exceedingly ugly, looked back at the Weituo statue and spoke in a coarse voice: "My master said that when entering a temple, the first thing to do is to observe the demon-subduing pestle held by the Weituo Bodhisattva. If it is resting on the shoulder, it signifies a large temple, and I can stay there and be provided for three days. If the pestle is held upright in hand, it indicates a medium temple, and I can stay for one day. But if it is leaning on the ground, it is a small temple, and it will be difficult for me to have free food and lodging... Amitabha, this is a large temple, and I can rest here comfortably for a few days!"

Chunxin had not yet responded when another monk who had come along with him interjected

The first pure-hearted person looked at these with growing anxiety, yet felt utterly helpless.

They entered the so-called abbot's room. Ye Chang saw Dao Ning peeking in from behind and smiled at Shi Shan, saying: "Mang Tuo, keep an eye on the door and don't let unrelated people come close. My method won't work if others hear it."

Upon returning home, before even entering the door, she heard voices coming from inside, seemingly a woman speaking to Xiang'er. From the tone, it appeared she was scolding Xiang'er. Ye Chang's brows immediately furrowed; could it be that Aunt Liu had come to cause trouble again

Xiang Er is quite clever and knows that Ye Chang has almost forgotten the past, so she reminds him: "This is the eldest sister of the Second Branch"

Upon seeing his master turn towards him, Daoning immediately shrank back his neck

He was not disheartened and pleaded a few more times, but Chunxin simply would not agree. Ye Chang, who was nearby, noticed that the two monks were becoming increasingly tense and were almost about to quarrel, so he stepped in between them to separate them.

The two benefactors... he could only step forward himself

He pushed open the door, and the sounds inside abruptly ceased. Ye Chang was contemplating how to deal with that Aunt Liu, but he noticed a woman in the courtyard looking back at him, who was only in her early twenties and was not Aunt Liu.

His voice was not small, startling the monks in the Grand Hall, causing their studies to be hastily abandoned. A few disheveled monks peeked over towards them, and the chief monk sighed. Nowadays, the temple did not even have a host to receive guests, allowing these two to intrude and disturb the Buddhist rituals, which was truly a transgression

The large temple should have considerable temple property, such as mountains, forests, and fields... Why has it come to this state today

This master asked, "Was the Shifang Temple originally a large temple?"