Chapter 507 Visiting
Shengci Temple is huge in scale and covers a vast area. It has ninety-six courtyards and more than 8,500 rooms of various sizes. It is the largest temple in Shu. The plaque on the mountain gate was written by the Tang Emperor himself three hundred years ago. From any angle, this is the most suitable place for the Central Plains and Tubo Buddhist sects to debate scriptures.
No matter what their status, all who came to worship were required to stop their horses and get off their sedan chairs when they arrived at the mountain gate. The servants would immediately pull the carriages and horses to another place and would never dare to block the mountain gate.
Zhao Yushu stepped into the gate. It was already early in the morning and the air was filled with curling incense. The reflection of the rising sun was charming and beautiful, creating a grand scene of Buddha's light shining everywhere.
The temple was large, and there were too many pilgrims. A nobody like Zhao Yushu would naturally not have any monks to specially entertain him. Zhao Yushu was also happy and relaxed, at least he didn't have to be chased and cheated like he was in Xiangjiang Temple.
But it won’t do if no one pays attention to me, I still have something to ask.
Zhao Yushu walked to the first Guanyin Hall and threw ten taels of silver into the box. It was not a lot, but it was enough to attract some attention.
The monk next to him nodded at him and handed him three incense sticks.
"Master, I came from Xijing and first arrived at your temple. Are there so many people here every day?"
The monk smiled and said, "I am not worthy of the title of master. I am very grateful to you for coming from afar. On normal days, there are many people in my temple, but these days are special, so there are even more people."
"Oh? Is there something important?"
"Master Zhixuan of our temple will be giving a lecture in front of Master Puxian in a few days. Please come early and ask for a seat."
Zhao Yushu suddenly realized something and immediately thought of Master Zhixuan's lecture, wondering if it was related to the upcoming dispute over Yanhui's corpse.
"Excuse me, Master, how many people are here to listen to this lecture?"
"My temple is small and can only accommodate about 10,000 people."
How many?
Zhao Yushu's genuine shock made the monk opposite him very satisfied.
"The space is limited, so please come early and donate some money to pray for the Buddha's blessing so that you can find a seat."
Zhao Yushu turned his head and looked inside the temple. His gaze penetrated several halls and fell on the smiling face of Maitreya.
It's nice to have money.
"I don't know, how much sincerity is needed to listen to Master Zhixuan's lecture?"
"Buddha saves those who are destined to be saved. All that matters is that the donor has the intention. I will take my leave now."
No price? Or the highest bidder wins?
As a disciple of the academy, as Yan Hui's enemy for a year, and as the direct bait for the old monk's death, I don't seem to have a connection with Buddha at all.
Zhao Yushu touched his head and thought, never mind, let’s go to the back and take a look first.
I walked through palaces and halls along the way. When I felt like it, I would light some incense. If there were too many people, I would just walk around. For a moment, I seemed to have returned to the state of worship in my previous life. After coming to this world, it seemed that I hadn't enjoyed the joy of traveling for a long time.
If nothing happens today, just give yourself half a day off.
Zhao Yushu thought so, picked up three incense sticks, lit them, bowed again, and put them in the huge incense burner. The crowd behind him suddenly became restless.
Zhao Yushu sighed, his vacation ended early.
Buddhism is a quiet place, and under normal circumstances no one would come here to cause trouble. The reason for the commotion later was that a large group of people squeezed in and disrupted the order of burning incense.
Everyone is equal under the Maitreya Buddha's seat, but there are always people who are more equal, such as the Queen Mother.
The Liao guards shouted and drove away everyone in the Princess Dowager's route, forcibly clearing a passage. The monks around turned a blind eye to the situation, as if they were already accustomed to this kind of scene.
Zhao Yushu followed the panicked crowd and retreated. He looked at Concubine Xiao Qing, who had a cold yet pious expression on her face. She was dressed in a purple-red, elegant Shu brocade, and walked in quickly but gracefully.
This person must have been considered a beauty when she was young.
Zhao Yushu looked at the pair of large silver earrings on the other person's ears, with a vague light in his eyes.
You are a princess dowager. If you want to worship Buddha and listen to sutras, you can just ask the abbot to arrange a single room for you, or even invite the monk to the palace. Why bother competing with us ordinary people?
"Bah, Liao dog."
Very quiet but clearly pronounced curse words were heard one after another in the crowd. People were filled with resentment, but it was just resentment, not hatred yet.
"May I ask, brother, when will the lecture be held?"
Watching Xiao Qing walk into the main hall, Zhao Yushu gently patted a scholar beside him.
"You don't know? Then what are you doing here? If we count from today, it will be three days later."
"I am from another place, thank you for telling me."
Zhao Yushu squeezed out of the crowd and walked towards Puxian Pavilion. Three days later, Xiao Qing would definitely come to listen to the lecture. By then, would the Liao army have arrived?
For a temple as large as Shengci Temple, there must be masters guarding it. So can the master guards behind Xiao Qing still enter Shengci Temple?
If that is not possible, if they want to assassinate Xiao Qing, this place is more suitable than outside, because the masters of Shengci Temple are not guards and will not only look after Xiao Qing.
Zhao Yushu walked hurriedly, quickly walked around Puxian Pavilion, looking for a place where he might make a move, and then walked straight out of Shengci Temple.
He wanted to verify something.
There is a large open space not far from the gate of Shengci Temple, which is filled with horse-drawn carriages and sedan chairs. Coachmen and grooms are chatting idly in groups of three or four. Before their master comes out, they have to look after him here and wait for the servants to come and notify them before going to the door to greet him.
Zhao Yushu made a big circle and came to the south of the junction of the Shengci Temple gate and the parking lot, forming a triangle.
A green light flashed, and Kunwu stood there expressionless. Zhao Yushu threw a face towel over him and wrapped it around him. A tremendous amount of spiritual power gushed out, directly covering the Shengci Temple and the parking lot.
At least ten spiritual powers were alarmed, and six of them immediately ceased their activities and restrained their spiritual powers after a moment of spiritual power contact to avoid causing unnecessary misunderstandings.
These six people are all below the sixth level.
A sixth-level spiritual power did not retreat, but did not explore further. Before understanding the other party's intentions, this person wisely chose to protect himself.
The remaining three all unleashed their spiritual powers without hesitation, probing towards Kunwu. One of them even soared into the sky in an extremely ostentatious manner, and slammed towards this side fiercely.
A green light flashed and a fat man of the seventh level dressed as a soldier rushed over. He turned around in great confusion, unable to understand why the sixth level cultivator who had been so arrogant just now suddenly disappeared without even leaving a trace of his breath.
Zhao Yushu stood far away, not paying any attention to this cultivator who openly held an official position. He did not even take the mere seventh level cultivator seriously. Moreover, the other party was just doing his duty and was not the person he was looking for.
What he was looking for was another person, whom he just scanned with his spiritual power and then took back.
There are two such people, one in Shengci Temple and the other near the gate of Shengci Temple.
Both of them are monks who have reached the great perfection of the outer scene.
If my guess is correct, the man at the mountain gate should be the guard behind Xiao Qing.
Zhao Yushu walked over leisurely, without looking around, and passed by an old woman dressed as a maid.
I found you.