Chapter 29: Galan's fate was shallow, but it wasn't over yet. ...
When in Luoyang, Zhou Xian asked Monk Yu if they could walk slower. He wanted to take a detour to Wuchang Prefecture, then take a boat down the river from Wuchang Prefecture to Yingtian Prefecture.
Monk Yu reminded him, "Although the capital is full of veteran officials, there are also Jinyiwei and Dongchang guards on duty. Are you sure you want to go?"
Zhou Xian said, "Go and take a look. If it doesn't work, forget it."
They were sitting in the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, which was the first place where the Buddha from the West began to preach in the Central Plains. Luoyang was also the capital of a thousand Buddhas and had many temples. Monk Yu took Zhou Shan to eat everywhere.
Luoyang was a city of both Buddhists and Confucianists, a city of monasteries and a gathering place for the most distinguished. Zhou Xian spent three days in Luoyang and witnessed several literary societies, from the Cheng brothers' Luoxue debates to Yangming's philosophy of mind. He joined in the fun, donning a straight robe, a wide scarf, and a folding fan, looking like a refined scholar.
After pretending to be a scholar and having a big meal in the city, he obediently returned to the White Horse Temple and lived in the monk's quarters with Monk Yu. Every night he sat under the green lamp and ancient Buddha, reading the newly bought erotic books.
Monk Yu was concentrating on chanting scriptures and beating the wooden fish. The sound of it echoed in the huge hall. Occasionally, pages of books were turned, and Buddhist bells rang outside the hall. Suddenly, an autumn rain began to fall, dripping in, and the cold air squeezed in through the crack in the door.
Zhou Xian shuddered, closed the book, crossed his arms, and complained, "It's so cold! Baldy, have you finished reading the sutra?"
"If you're in a hurry to sleep, you can go back first." Monk Yu continued to beat the wooden fish rhythmically. He was truly a strange monk, devoutly devoted to Buddha, and meticulously completing his daily monastic duties. Yet, his hands were stained with blood, and he was greedy for money—a profound contradiction.
Zhou Xian didn't dare sleep alone; he was afraid of the dark. In the past, palace maids and eunuchs took turns keeping watch at night, and he couldn't close his eyes until he heard the sounds of people outside. Over the past year, he'd almost grown accustomed to having someone beside him, but now, the feeling had gradually cooled. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, he'd instinctively reach out to touch someone, only to find nothing.
So no matter what, Zhou Xian had to wait until Monk Yu finished chanting the sutra, and then asked someone to go back to the monk's house to sleep with him. He lay on the couch and slept, while the monk sat beside him, meditating and resting.
Another half hour passed before Monk Yu rose and adjusted the wick of the eternal lamp. The light in the hall brightened slightly, and the flickering light cast a faint golden glow on the Buddha statue. He was about to tell Zhou Xian to leave when he saw him kneeling on a cushion, his forehead resting on the merit box. The romantic book in his hand had fallen to the ground. He had fallen asleep.
Monk Yu was silent for a moment.
He stepped forward, wanting to help Zhou Shan up. His hand barely touched Zhou Shan's hair, but he pulled it back. Looking up, he saw the Buddha, silent, his gaze fixed on all living things. Lotus flowers from the heavens blossomed behind him. The Buddha said that everything arises and ceases, and the world is filled with suffering. You're already attached to money, so why cling to anything else?
But he and Zhou Xian had a shallow relationship.
Thinking of this, Monk Yu smiled with relief and sat quietly beside Zhou Shan without waking her up. He let Zhou Shan sleep all over the place until she bumped into the lamp stand and woke up with a confused look on her face.
Zhou Xian rubbed his forehead, sat up and stretched, then asked dazedly, "Bald donkey, why didn't you wake me up?"
Monk Yu smiled and said, "The donor fell asleep under the Buddha's seat, which shows that he has a connection with the Buddha. Since it is fate, how can this poor monk disturb him?"
Zhou Xian glanced at the bald donkey, hesitant to speak, picked up his notebook, and said casually, "Let's go."
They walked side by side out of the palace. As they pushed open the door, a slanting autumn rain fell, casting a shadow over Buddhist temples and pagodas. They stood in the rain, each a deep, silent silhouette, a deep blue. Zhou Xian skipped along the path, took a few steps, and then turned back. He saw a large vat. The water lilies inside had withered, leaving only a few goldfish. The autumn rain created ripples on the water, swirling in circles, and the goldfish spit bubbles underwater.
"Donor, those fish cannot be eaten." Monk Yu reminded seriously.
Zhou Xian rolled her eyes at him.
Monk Yu looked up at the sky, and suddenly his heart was touched. He asked a strange question. The monk asked: "Do you like Censor Zhang?"
Zhou Xian nearly fell over when he heard this. Perhaps out of dissatisfaction, or perhaps out of embarrassment, he said, "Bald Donkey, you're a monk, why are you asking about these love affairs? Be careful, or the Buddha will say that your six senses are impure."
It's really strange. If Baldy hadn't asked him, he would never have thought about this question seriously.
Why does he like Zhang Jin?
Zhou Shan's face was a little red. He walked around in the corridor without saying a word. The autumn rain slanted down and wet half of his shoulders, but he was completely unaware. His fingers were twisted together behind his back, and he could hear his own heartbeat.
After a while, Zhou Xian whispered, "He's very annoying, but I don't hate him."
Monk Yu smiled knowingly: "In that case, do you miss him?"
Zhou Xian lowered his eyes and did not deny: "A little bit, I miss him a little bit." He knew that Zhang Jinwei must be worried about him running away, and might have been looking for him for a long time. He felt sorry for Zhang Jinwei.
Monk Yu said, "I believe that the fate between you and Censor Zhang has not yet ended."
Zhou Xian said angrily, "What's wrong with you, bald donkey! I worked so hard to get out here, and you curse me, saying that my fate with him hasn't ended yet, fate hasn't ended yet... Isn't it just that he will find me..."
He thought of that strange dream again. The ghost in it said that he and Zhang Jin would be husband and wife for the rest of their lives. It was really infuriating!
As he spoke, he became anxious again and threatened, "Tomorrow I'll go to the escort agency to look for someone, and the day after tomorrow I'll go south to Wuchang Prefecture. Bald donkey, don't curse me again, or I won't let you go with me!"
Say one thing and mean another.
Monk Yu concealed the smile on his face, followed Zhou Xian, and disappeared into the night.
…
Zhou Shan did what he said. The next day, he went to a security company in Luoyang and asked someone to drive a horse-drawn carriage to take him to Wuchang Prefecture.
The escort agency, called Dilu, was run by a woman with a pretty face but a rather large build, heavily muscled, and dressed like a man. Zhou Shan was a bit afraid of her, thinking she could knock him away with a single punch.
The woman, calling herself Lu Erniang, was sitting cross-legged on a rattan chair. Seeing Zhou Xian and Monk Yu walk in, she raised an eyebrow and said in surprise, "A little kid with a mask and a monk with martial arts skills. Tsk, what a strange combination."
Zhou Xian held his breath and pretended to be calm before asking, "I'm going to Wuchang Prefecture. I'd like to ask your escort agency to send a few people to protect me. It would be best if they can drive a carriage and have decent martial arts skills. How much silver would it cost?"
Lu Erniang said calmly, "The monk next to you is quite skilled in martial arts, so why would I need to send a few more people? Little kid, you're so arrogant, asking for money right away. I advise you to be careful. If you ever run into someone unreasonable and get ripped off, don't cry."
Zhou Xian was choked by the woman's words, his words stuck in his throat. He still didn't understand the ways of these jianghu people, and he had been constantly hitting a wall for the past two weeks. He insisted, "May I ask if you are unwilling to take over? The monk and I both have innocent identities. If you'd like to see them, I have a pass for you to see." As he spoke, he was about to take out the pass and the talisman.
The Jade Monk at the back sighed imperceptibly.
Lu Erniang sneered: "A travel permit? This thing is useless to people in the martial arts world. You can forge as many as you want. Little kid, I'll tell you the truth. Recently, someone in the martial arts world has offered a huge reward for the head of Jade Monk, saying that he injured the prince and robbed the dog emperor's own daughter. His crimes are unforgivable. His head is worth ten thousand taels of gold. I have lived half my life. Whether my kung fu is good or not is another matter, but my vision is recognized as vicious. There are some things I don't want to expose, so please find someone else. I don't have the courage to do this business!" After that, she turned around and was about to leave.
Zhou Xian was shocked when he heard this, and his face turned pale in an instant. He clenched his hands tightly in his cloak, and his nails dug into his flesh, causing him to shiver with pain.
"Don't be afraid." Monk Yu came up from behind Zhou Xian, patted his shoulder gently, then chased after him and said loudly, "Second Mother, please stay."
"You damn bald ass!" Lu Er spat, turning around with an impatient look on his face. "I know you're that stingy and mischievous Fang Yuan. Whenever you show up, nothing good will happen! Last time you provoked Master Ke Neng from Shaolin Temple, and this time you actually dare to provoke that bastard from the capital. I think you're really tired of living!"
Monk Yu smiled wryly. Suddenly, he felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He glanced out of the corner of his eye and caught sight of Zhou Xian's anxious face. He said earnestly, "Second Mother, you know that the most noble place in the world is not a good place to stay. This child is uncomfortable there and wants to leave. I've always been on good terms with him, so I'll take him with me. Second Mother, all you need to do is take us to Wuchang Prefecture. Don't worry about the rest. The Jinyiwei won't find out about your Lu Escort Agency."
Lu Erniang was silent for a moment and didn't answer. Instead, she asked Zhou Xian, "Little kid, you escaped alone. Have you thought about how to survive?"
"I..." Zhou Xian lowered his head.
He really hasn't thought about it yet.
The gold and silver in the bundle would have been enough to keep him going for a while in his small town, but it wasn't a permanent solution. He thought carefully: if he could learn poetry and prose, improve his appearance, pass the imperial examination, become a private school teacher in the county, or work in the government to earn a living, that would be a good option. But it was still risky; there was no telling when the Imperial Guards would come knocking. Alternatively, he could earn a living writing storybooks. Since he was a skilled needlework woman, growing vegetables, writing books, and sewing in the Jiangnan countryside could also be a way to supplement his family's income.
He thought, there are many ways in the world, and there is always one way for himself.
But facing the hostile Lu Erniang, Zhou Xian hid behind Monk Yu and did not intend to speak out. He said fiercely: "It has nothing to do with you!"
Lu Erniang ignored him and sat in her chair, lost in thought. She looked at Zhou Xian again and asked, "How much silver can you give?"
Zhou Xian held up five fingers.
Lu Erniang exclaimed, "As expected of someone who escaped from there, you're giving me five hundred taels of silver. I don't need so much. Fifty taels will be enough! I'll send two people, and the carriage is ready. You should leave quickly tomorrow to avoid getting me into trouble!"
"...Thank you!" Zhou Xian was stunned. He didn't know why this woman changed her mind, but he could leave at least, so he hurriedly thanked her.
Zhou Xian and Monk Yu continued southward, arriving in Wuchang Prefecture after a fortnight. They didn't stay long in Wuchang Prefecture, as search warrants were everywhere for Zhou Xian. They needed to quickly reach Jiangnan and hide. Zhou Xian, once again considering becoming a monk, asked Monk Yu, "Bald Donkey, what do you think of me becoming a monk?"
Monk Yu was eating porridge. He paused his chopsticks when he heard this, then said nonchalantly, "If the donor is willing to sever worldly ties..."
"Forget it, I can't bear to part with my hair." Zhou Xian frowned, and then he urged, "Hurry up and eat, we're about to get on the boat, and everyone on the boat is waiting for us!"
After the monk finished eating, they boarded a passenger ship bound for Yingtian Prefecture. Zhou Xian was overwhelmed with excitement, lying on the side of the boat, gazing at the vast and mighty river, the towering buildings on the shore, and the Yellow Crane Tower, which had stood for a thousand years. He also saw a fisherman's wife at the ferry in the distance, bidding her husband farewell on his journey. The two of them exchanged sweet words, tears streaming down their faces, unwilling to part for a long time.
Zhou Xian held his chin and thought of someone far away in the sky.
At this moment, something strange happened!
Suddenly, several men in black climbed onto the side of the boat, all nimble and swift. Several of them surrounded Monk Yu, while the remaining one, standing on tiptoe like a crane, flew straight towards Zhou Xian. Zhou Xian instinctively pulled out his dagger for self-defense. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead and back, but he had nowhere to retreat and crashed hard against the side of the boat.
Meanwhile, Monk Yu exchanged several blows with the man in black, exchanging dozens of moves in the blink of an eye. Despite his unparalleled martial arts prowess, he couldn't gain the slightest advantage! Despite the setback, the monk remained unhurried. He slowly thrust forward with his palm, about to smack the man in front of him and rescue Zhou Shan, when he suddenly felt a pain in his chest and spat out blood.
Monk Yu looked down and saw the man in black lightly tapping his chest with one finger, as casually as if he were twisting a peach blossom, yet containing a thousand pounds of strength.
"You are..." Monk Yu quickly stepped back, his hand trembling slightly, "someone from the East Factory."
The Flower-Picking Finger is the secret of the imperial guards.
Now he is also called Jade Monk and has learned from him.
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