Chapter 722 Senior Sister is Here [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]

night.

North of Chengtian Temple.

A grand hall that is currently undergoing renovations and is not open to visitors.

The walls around the hall are covered with murals depicting both completed and unfinished Jataka tales.

Inside the hall, apart from the oil lamp on the offering table in front of the Buddha statue, there was only a solitary lamp on the floor in the very center.

The light evenly illuminated the remaining paintings on the surrounding walls.

At the same time, it also stretched out the two figures, one tall and one short, very long, reflecting them on the mural.

The two figures appeared to be painting in front of the wall.

The taller figure was holding the ladder and carrying a tray of paint.

The short, hunched figure held a paintbrush, occasionally dipping it in ink to add a few strokes to the wall.

A soft laugh broke the silence of the ancient temple and the dim lamp:

"Of all the murals I have seen in my life, the one at Caotang Temple is the best."

"I have visited many temples in Guanzhong, including Chang'an, both famous and small. They all have mural halls or grottoes with murals, but there are almost none that can surpass the number of murals in the thatched hut temple on Longshou Plain."

"Caotang Temple was built during the reign of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty. It has a total of 1,379 murals, which not only exceed the number of murals in all Buddhist temples in the north, but also far surpass them in terms of exquisiteness."

The old man paused, then smiled and asked Yuan Huaimin, who was carrying a tray on the escalator below:

"Does Xiao Huaimin know about this temple?"

Yuan Huaimin, seemingly preoccupied, looked up at him and nodded reluctantly.

"I've heard a little bit about it, just a vague impression."

"Yes, even knowledgeable people have only heard of it. It is not well-known, and no one knows that when I was young, I built a hermitage at Caotang Temple and anonymously completed more than half of the 1,379 Jataka tales in the temple."

"People just think that the Jataka tales are boring, a fake highbrow thing to fool those royal relatives, nobles and the wealthy. It does not increase the yield of an acre of land, nor save a person. It is as useless as the rulers supporting a group of monks to sing praises and chant sutras for blessings."

Yuan Huaimin shook his head:

"You can't say that. To quote a friend of mine, many useful things in this world were once interesting but useless things. We can't deny the future because of the present, nor can we overemphasize the present because of the future. Everything can be done according to your heart. As long as it's interesting, that's enough."

Wu Daozi asked with some surprise, "Who is this friend of yours? His skill level is rather passable."

Yuan Huaimin did not answer, but he knew that to receive a "very passable" evaluation from Mr. Wu was already a great compliment, although Brother Lianghan probably didn't care about it at all.

Yuan Huaimin looked around at the desolate main hall.

Judging from the sky outside, it must be past midnight.

Mr. Wu, an old friend, approached him in the evening and said a lot of things that made Yuan Huaimin's scalp tingle. Yuan Huaimin stammered and brushed it off.

Mr. Wu didn't seem annoyed at wasting his breath, and just smiled and told him to go find something to eat.

Yuan Huaimin initially thought that Mr. Wu was hungry and wanted to eat, so he secretly obtained a large amount of food from the dining hall. However, he did not expect that Mr. Wu would not touch a drop of water or eat a single grain of rice. He told him to have a full meal, saying that they would go for a walk together at night and that he needed to replenish his energy...

So, Yuan Huaimin, looking completely bewildered, was led by Mr. Wu to the main hall where the murals were unfinished. He then helped Mr. Wu complete the murals without really understanding what was going on, while Yuan Huaimin helped carry the ladder and plates.

As for the new scroll with the bronze shaft, Mr. Wu casually hung it around his neck.

The rope hung down and fell into Yuan Huaimin's arms.

At this moment, he withdrew his gaze, glanced at the new scroll in his arms, and couldn't help but hug it tighter.

Although Mr. Wu seemed indifferent, Yuan Huaimin was unable to open the new scroll halfway through.

He didn't know why, but he had a vague feeling that the scroll couldn't be opened, that it contained something he couldn't suppress, something beyond his comprehension...

Yuan Huaimin continued to ask:

"Does the master really like Buddhism? I always thought you were from the Taoist school."

Wu Daozi said calmly:

"I am neither a monk, nor a Taoist, nor a Confucian. In my youth, I did indulge in some refined pursuits. I entered a Taoist temple, received a Taoist hat, and became a disciple. I met a rigid master, a blind old Taoist priest on Zhongnan Mountain who loved to guard his dilapidated temple. He always sent me down the mountain to collect paintings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism for him. Whether it was the statues of the Three Pure Ones and the Taoist Ancestors, the portraits of the Sage Confucius and the Seventy-Two Sages, or the Jataka tales of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the old Taoist priest loved to study them all."

"I once asked him why a blind man would obsessively gaze at paintings every day. He pointed to the dark eye sockets and told me that these eyes were taken away by the Taoist Ancestor because he had glanced into a door. But now that he's blind, he can look without worry, day and night, until he has seen the Taoist Ancestor, the Buddha, and the Sage Master..."

"Later, after searching the entire foot of the mountain, there were no new pictures to see. The old Taoist priest gave me a brush and told me to paint whatever I wanted, to paint boldly. He even sent me down the mountain to learn to paint... So I gradually entered this path. But I never went back. I knew that if I only painted Buddha, my master would not be satisfied. People say that returning home in glory brings honor to the master. What would I, a worthless disciple who has gone astray, do if I went back? Would I be scolded by him? Haha."

The smiling old man waved his hand, picked up the pen, and said:

"Those are all old stories. I am now just a lonely old man."

Having said that, he dipped his brush in ink and added another stroke to the "Three Great Bodhisattvas" painting on the wall, which the painter had been lazy about finishing.

The brushstrokes are rounded and flowing, and the clothes and belts depicted appear to be fluttering in the wind.

This technique, known in the world as "Wu's brushstrokes in the wind," belongs exclusively to one person.

Yuan Huaimin looked up at him with admiration: "No matter what, Mr. Wu's paintings of Buddha and Buddha have reached the level of the best in the world, unmatched by anyone, and have brought glory to his school. He is just too strict with himself."

"Although I know you're just trying to fool me, you do have some truth to it. Yes, it really does come about as you draw."

Wu Daozi seemed to have his memories stirred, and murmured a few words to himself:

"On that day, at that time, I was very thirsty. After finishing a simple and unremarkable Buddhist painting, I turned around to retrieve my water bag. As I drank, I glanced at the night outside the door. For some reason, a sudden inspiration struck me, and I realized that I was now invincible in this field."

"I looked up again at the Buddha's true form on the mural, and I never imagined that it was the mortal closest to the Buddha. Why, you ask? It's nothing. Bodhisattvas have no form, but I was able to paint it. I used form to depict the formless. Who else could it be but the one closest to the door, the one who could see the inside most clearly?"

On the stairs, the lean old man laughed heartily, clutching his stomach, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Is the Buddha originally without form...?"

Yuan Huaimin seemed to understand but not quite, and muttered something under his breath.

Wu Daozi suddenly pointed with the tip of his brush at the unfinished Buddhist painting on the wall of the main hall and asked:

"Do you know why I only like to depict Buddhist statues and not Taoist deities or Confucian sages?"

Yuan Huaimin then asked, "Why? Isn't it because of your personal likes and dislikes, sir?"

Wu Daozi said with a smile:

"Because the Dao Ancestor is too high and too cold, indescribable, and not allowed to be looked at directly by anyone who is not a direct descendant of the Daoist sect. Otherwise, if you steal a glance, you will at least have your eyes gouged out, or at worst lose your life."

"The Sage Confucius was too strict and upright, and he respected the hierarchy and was like a rigid teacher. Although he said that education should be for all, he loved to talk about principles. If you secretly looked at him, he would look at you too. If you did not listen to his principles and did not abide by the rules of Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents and Teacher, you would be punished with a ruler."

"Only the Buddha, although the Dharma is very far away, so far away that it is on the other shore, allows you to see it. He also proclaims that all sentient beings have the potential for wisdom and can become Buddhas. Regardless of whether it is false or not, it is enough to be able to see it."

"We are not the direct descendants of the Taoist sect, nor are we disciples of saints, but we are certainly ordinary people. For us, copying Buddhist paintings is the safest course of action. However, don't be fooled by its kind and benevolent appearance. You can peek inside, but keep your feet far away. Who knows if it's a trick to lure us in? Hahahaha..."

Wu Daozi continued speaking to himself, and the further Yuan Huaimin went on, the more confused and unable to understand him became.

The old man didn't explain. After speaking, he laughed for a while, put one hand behind his back, picked up a brush with the other, and quietly began to write.

Yuan Huaimin, who was bracing himself against the ladder at the bottom, took a deep breath.

"Ask whatever you want, Xiao Huaimin, don't hold back."

As Wu Daozi lowered his eyes and dipped his brush in ink, he spoke calmly.

Yuan Huaimin mustered his courage and said:

"Sir, this evening in the courtyard you said that the Donglin Buddha was a good thing, and even said that it could be obtained, and that having the Buddha and the new scroll would grant one the mandate of heaven..."

He asked in confusion:

"What exactly is this Donglin Buddha statue? It sounds like it's the same as your new scroll?"

"They are the same, yet different."

"What's the meaning."

"Compared to the new painting in your arms, it is a little inferior, or rather, it was a step too fast and went too far."

Yuan Huaimin became increasingly confused.

Wu Daozi laughed and said:

"To put it simply, in terms of sheer power, the new scroll in your arms is more formidable for an individual. The Buddha statue is slightly inferior, but it has the advantage of being able to erect several more, distributed across the southeast, northwest, and south, to protect the pseudo-Zhou dynasty. One Buddha statue is worth a thousand troops, but it is not as convenient as the scroll in your arms, which can be taken to all corners of the world. It is like a cauldron sword in the world, but it is not as sharp as the cauldron sword, nor does it have the indestructibility of the cauldron sword. Like the person wielding the sword, it is easily destroyed."

"However, speaking of which, this scroll used to be usable only south of the Yangtze River. Now, having been lost to the north for three hundred years, it has been repainted by me and can be used in both the north and south."

Yuan Huaimin pointed to the new scroll in his arms and asked curiously:

"Power? How powerful can this thing be?"

Have you ever heard of the Dingjian sword?

"I've heard about it; Qiu Niang mentioned it to me."

Wu Daozi calmly said, "In a sense, it is actually a cauldron sword. If viewed as a cauldron sword, it possesses supernatural powers, but as I just mentioned, it has many shortcomings. However, it has many advantages. The two scholars who designed it were ingenious."

Yuan Huaimin was surprised and couldn't help but ask:

"What about the Buddha statue?"

"Alright, let me tell you a story, a story that spans quite a bit. It's a hidden past that I've pieced together over many years of traveling between the north and south. That's about it."

"What story? What hidden past? Is it related to those two scholars you mentioned?"

Wu Daozi first raised two fingers, then raised one finger.

He shook three fingers and said leisurely:

"Yes, it's related to these two scholars. Oh, now, we have to add an old man who likes to paint Buddhist paintings. Three people in total."

Yuan Huaimin asked hesitantly, "Could this one in the back be you, sir?"

Wu Daozi smiled but did not answer. He looked up at the unfinished Jataka painting and continued to copy it.

In his paintings, there is never a painting that is not finished.

The original 1,379 Buddhist paintings at Caotang Temple on Longshou Plain were like this, and so is the new Peach Blossom Spring painting in Yuan Huaimin's possession now.

But as he painted, the smiling old man didn't forget to tell the story of "two scholars and an old man".

...

Dawn breaks.

The quiet courtyard was bustling with activity.

Pei Shisan Niang arrived with her maids to help Zhao Qingxiu with her makeup and hair.

In front of the dressing table in the main room, Pei Shisan Niang carefully drew Zhao Qingxiu's eyebrows.

Zhao Qingxiu smiled faintly with her eyes closed.

Pei Shisan Niang praised her for a while, and she became somewhat shy.

A short while later, during casual conversation, he asked:

By the way, does Madam have any news about the Fang sisters? It's been a long time since I've seen them.

"No, it seems like something's been going on in their family lately."

The beautiful woman gave a calm and composed reply.

Soon, seeing that Zhao Qingxiu's expression showed no suspicion, Pei Shisan Niang changed the subject and talked about other things.

Perhaps because she was in a good mood today, Zhao Qingxiu kept smiling.

Not long after, Pei Shisan Niang finished drawing her eyebrows and took her leave.

"Embroiderer, please eat first. I will come to pick you up this afternoon. If there is anything you need, just tell the people guarding the door, and they will take care of it."

"Uh-huh."

After Pei Shisan Niang left, Zhao Qingxiu went to the kitchen to prepare a beauty-enhancing soup and noodles, planning to cook them in the afternoon and take them over.

She returned to the house and took out a newly embroidered red sachet.

Zhao Qingxiu carefully took out a red slip of paper.

It was someone Xie Lingjiang had met before.

However, at this moment, the word "elder sister" was also written on the red paper.

This is what Zhao Qingxiu heard from Tanlang. When he tried to get information out of her, Xie Jiejie had previously said that he had to serve her tea and water and call her "sister".

However, Zhao Qingxiu was unable to speak.

That's all I can do now.

She plans to give this "King of Fortune" divination slip, which Tanlang had read to her, to Sister Xie.

She knew that Sister Xie was actually quite concerned about the fortune slip after reading it.

Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head and quietly slipped the red token into the small red sachet.

This is a gift for Sister Xie.

The gifts presented to Zhen Shuyuan were longevity noodles and a three-white beauty soup.

Zhao Qingxiu then wrapped a white jade hairpin in red cloth.

This was intended as a gift for Ye Weilai.

She had just reached the age of marriageable age and had never had a proper coming-of-age ceremony, so this was a belated gift.

Zhao Qingxiu carefully inspected the items, wrapping them one by one with the red cloth and gift box prepared by Pei Shisan Niang.

These are all things to bring to the birthday banquet tonight.

After making some preparations, the afternoon arrived quickly.

Zhao Qingxiu listened to the sound of the water droplets ticking, but she didn't know what time it was.

It seems the sun is still out; it shouldn't be evening yet.

But then, a knock came from the gate outside.

"Ahh!"

She immediately responded.

Thinking to herself that Pei Shisan Niang had arrived ahead of schedule, Zhao Qingxiu breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she was thorough in her work and prepared everything in advance, otherwise Madam Pei would have had to wait a long time.

She feels guilty and apologetic if she makes someone wait, so she always does things in advance, even if she has to sit there waiting for the other person.

Zhao Qingxiu happily hugged a small bundle containing gifts and a well-prepared food box, and walked briskly to the courtyard gate to greet Pei Shisan Niang.

She walked somewhat hurriedly to the outer courtyard.

As she approached the courtyard gate, she didn't see Pei Shisan Niang push the door open and enter without any politeness, as she always did.

The person knocking on the door seemed to be waiting for Zhao Qingxiu to open it.

She paused for a moment, then exclaimed in confusion, "Ah!"

The courtyard gate was finally pushed open by the person who knocked, and the voice from the person at the door made Zhao Qingxiu's delicate body tremble involuntarily.

"Why is Xiaoqi running so fast? Where are you in such a hurry to go?"

A woman in white entered the courtyard, sighed softly, seemingly helpless with her pitiful blind and mute junior sister; her tone was gentle yet resigned.

"Put your things down first and make something for your senior sister to eat, noodles will do. This city is really troublesome, we took a roundabout route. Luckily we have Mr. Wu's painting. Hmm, I'm a little hungry."

(End of this chapter)