Chapter 14: Cross-World Routines
Xiangjiang Temple is located in the south of Dongdu. It was built during the reign of the fifth emperor of the Tang Dynasty. More than ten Tang emperors in later generations would visit it whenever they came to Dongdu. In Zhao Yushu's time, it was considered the number one temple in Dongdu.
Xiangjiang Temple was a popular temple with many tourists and pilgrims along the way, many of whom rode horses or took sedan chairs. However, Zhao Yushu was the only one who went there with a limp. Passersby looked at him twice, thinking that this young man in black was really pious.
"Little Smart, do you think there are any monks in Xiangjiang Temple?"
"Of course there are. I heard that all the masters there are well versed in Buddhism. It would be rare if there were not a few monks there."
"So what do you think of monks?"
Xiao Jiling laughed and said: "They are all gods, what can I do? Just look up."
"Hahahaha, you are worthy of being called Little Smart, you are really amazing," Zhao Yushu was amused. If Little Smart knew that he was also one of the gods, he wondered if he would still joke with him in the future.
Do we have to look up to divine figures?
Zhao Yushu squinted his eyes and looked at the warm spring sun. Is he looking up like me?
It is a rule to stop the horse and get off the sedan chair outside the mountain gate of Xiangjiang Temple. No matter you are a prince, general, or royal relative, there is no exception. After all, the emperor always walked in.
So Zhao Yushu leaned on his crutches and looked at the endless staircase and fell into silence.
"How many levels are there?"
"I heard it's one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine. How about I carry you up on my back?"
"No thanks, you are so small, let's go"
One thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine. Even though Zhao Yushu was a monk, he was a little out of breath. The little smart guy who claimed to carry him sat on the ground and couldn't speak. Looking at Zhao Yushu who was leaning on a crutch and blushing slightly, he gave him a thumbs up with admiration.
After entering the main hall, Zhao Yushu stood silently in front of the Buddha statue, looking at the smiling big-bellied Maitreya Buddha statue in the middle. In front and behind him were groups of devout men and women who took turns to worship, add oil and burn incense. The air was filled with smoke and the noise of people was deafening.
Zhao Yushu felt very lonely. This is really not my world anymore.
"Amitabha, you are here to worship Buddha even though you have difficulty walking. Please follow me to a quiet place to avoid being bumped into. Good, good," a young monk came over and led Zhao Yushu to one side. It was not known whether he was afraid that he would be knocked down or that he was blocking the people behind him.
"Thank you, Master." Zhao Yushu followed the monk and walked to the side.
"Where does the donor come from?"
"Xijing Lianshao came to Dongdu to take the exam"
"This temple has a plaster that may be helpful for your leg injury. Please wait a moment while I go get it."
"Master, don't bother," Zhao Yushu stretched out his hand to dissuade the monk, but the monk ignored him and went straight to the back of the hall.
This won't be a forced sale, right?
Not long after, the monk came back with a small bag of medicine plasters.
"How much is this?" If it's expensive, I won't buy it.
"Donor, you are joking. Buddha is merciful. How can I charge for providing medical treatment and medicine?"
Free? Free is good, hey, this monk is a good person
"Donors, please add some money for incense." The monk took out a donation box from his back like a magic trick.
Oh, the medicine is free, but you have to donate money, right? This is a common trick in the past life. World peace, no, cross-world peace.
"Whatever you want, little smart guy." Zhao Yushu was not someone who was easily bullied. He called out to him and the little smart guy came running over: "Master, what do you want?"
"Lend me a penny." The little smart boy didn't understand, but he still took out a copper coin.
"Look, I didn't bring any money with me. This one is borrowed. I hope the Buddha can feel my sincerity." With a clang, the copper coin fell into the merit box.
The monk's expression changed again and again: "Are you serious, benefactor?"
"What's the problem?"
The monk suddenly laughed and said, "Okay, okay, donor, you have difficulty walking, please be careful."
threaten me?
"Master," Zhao Yushu called the monk, "Take the plaster back."
The monk smiled and said: "This is the mercy of Buddha."
"In this case, why don't you be more merciful and give me a few more stickers?"
The monk frowned, snorted coldly, and walked away.
"Well, sir, why bother to offend the Buddha? Just donate the small amount of silver."
"Give me medicine if you want to give me medicine, and take money if you want to take money. I didn't offend the Buddha, I just offended him who used the Buddha's name to make money for himself. Go back."
"Ah? You're leaving after just one stick of incense?"
Seeing Zhao Yushu limping down the mountain, Xiao Jingling cried out in pain and had to keep up with him.
I came to Xiangjiang Temple for no other reason than to see whether what Zhang and his daughter said was true. Now that I have seen it, I naturally have to leave. Can I stay for a vegetarian meal?
Besides, if the young monk who wanted to make money was angered by him, who knows if he would use some insidious tricks.
He was right. As soon as he walked down the stairs, two young monks looked at his back from afar. One of them was the monk from before.
"Brother, it's the cripple."
"He is so arrogant and has no respect for Buddhism. I wonder which playboy he is from in Dongdu."
"He is a scholar who came to take the imperial examination. I don't know whether he is staying with relatives or staying at an inn. If he is staying with relatives, it would be fine as long as they are not the ones we cannot afford to offend."
"Ask two junior brothers to follow and investigate. Once we find out, we'll go to his house and tell his fortune. We'll accuse him of being haunted by a vengeful ghost and give him a good beating."
"Brother, you are very capable. I admire you so much."
Zhao Yushu, who was going down the mountain, naturally didn't know that the vengeful monk had already set his sights on him, but he had already reached the first level of the outer world and his ears were already open. In addition, the alertness that the Jade Rat's body had trained for many years soon made him realize that someone was following him on the way.
Looking back slightly, he saw two young monks in the distance secretly looking over here, following his sedan chair not too far away.
"Little smart guy, come closer"
"What's the matter, sir?" Little Smart stepped forward and put his ear close to him.
"Hide when there are many people around later."
Little Smart was confused: "What do you want me to do, sir?"
"Just check to see if the two monks behind me are following me, and then go back to the city and wait for me. Don't make any noise, just go and do it."
Little Smart really lived up to his nickname. He disappeared after walking a few steps. If Zhao Yushu hadn't been watching him, he wouldn't have noticed where he went.
After Xiao Jingling disappeared, Zhao Yushu closed his eyes and ignored him. After all, they didn't have much hatred. It was estimated that the monk just wanted to cause some trouble, and it was impossible for him to fight and kill in the street.
Moreover, even if he only glanced at them from a distance, Zhao Yushu could tell that the two monks had no spiritual power at all. He was at the outer scene after all, so even if he broke his legs and all his limbs were crippled, he could kill them by just holding Madam Xu in his mouth.
Afraid of a hammer
After returning to the inn and resting for a while, Xiao Jingling didn't come until the evening.
"Sir, look carefully, they are coming for you. When they saw you enter the inn, they hesitated for a long time before leaving. Looking at the direction of the city, they are monks from Xiangjiang Temple. I stayed until the city gates were closed, but they didn't come back."
"Well done, it looks like revenge will come tomorrow. Okay, you don't have to come to me tomorrow. I'll take a day off so I can prepare for the big exam the day after tomorrow."
Xiao Jingling hesitated: "If they come, there will be no one to take care of you."
Zhao Yushu chuckled twice: "What's the matter, do you think you can beat them or me? It's nothing more than some evil tricks. Well, you can come, maybe I need you to help me call someone. It's getting late, you should go back early."
Zhao Yushu suddenly thought of someone. He had broken his leg before because of his arrogance. He must not fall into the gutter again because of his arrogance this time. He knew too little about this world, and his understanding of the four words "human heart is treacherous" was not deep enough.
After sending Xiao Jingling away, Zhao Yushu sat on the bed, slowly unwrapped the bandage on his right leg, and tried to move his legs. His right leg was broken last night, and the doctor said it would take a hundred days to heal. Everyone thought that his right leg was still unable to move.
It is now active as usual
How can a mortal compare to a monk's body?