More than half an hour later, Xu Lanyin and Zhao Wu arrived at the northern foot of Yefeng Ridge. They followed the bluestone steps to Daxiang Temple. Instead of going through the main gate, they went around to the side and entered through a side door. After walking along a corridor and through a large cherry orchard, they arrived at a small fenced courtyard.
A small courtyard is largely surrounded by a winding stream. Inside the fence, flowers and trees flourish, and there's a small vegetable patch where a young monk tends. In the center sit three thatched meditation rooms. To Xu Lanyin, the thatched rooms here possess a poetic beauty and a deliberately understated elegance.
A big question mark appeared in Xu Lanyin's head. A monk who was in charge of cooking lived in such a high-end courtyard. The welfare benefits of Daxiang Temple were too good, right?
Zhao Wu saw through Xu Lanyin's thoughts and chuckled softly, "Perhaps it's because my master is of a higher generation, his Zen temple is different from other monks."
After they entered the gate, Zhao Wu called the young monk "Junior Brother Mingzhi" and walked along the gravel corridor to the door of the meditation room. He knocked on the door and said, "Master, I brought my sister here, and I also brought you some delicious food."
A strong male voice came, "You deserve a beating. Why didn't you bring the little girl in by yourself? You let this poor monk go out to pick you up?"
Zhao Wu smiled indifferently, pushed the door open and walked in. Xu Lanyin followed him into the house, and the sweet aroma of snacks hit them in the face.
Shouldn't a Zen room be filled with the scent of sandalwood? This is too incongruous.
Xu Lanyin felt that she had not entered a meditation room, but a pastry shop. Fortunately, the aroma was just sweet, not the aroma of wine and meat.
Across the room stood a high-legged altar, decorated with Buddha statues and fruit offerings. The two turned left and headed to the left-hand side room, where an old monk sat on a kang, counting his rosary beads. The monk, with his eyes closed, was thin, ruddy-faced, and sported a long, stylish white beard. He looked every bit the venerable monk he once was, a completely different image from the head monk who was often punished and beaten for stealing alcohol and meat.
Zhao Wu placed the food box at his feet and bowed, "Greetings, Master."
Xu Lanyin also followed suit, clasped her hands together, and bowed, saying, "Greetings to Master Jie Chi."
Jie Chi opened his eyes and ignored Xu Lanyin. He sniffed and scolded Zhao Wudao, "You deserve a beating. You know I hate formalities. Why don't you bring the food over quickly?"
Zhao Wu quickly took the food box and placed it on the kang table, then took out three large bowls of snacks.
Jie Chi looked at them, reached out and picked up the most beautiful snowball and started eating. He savored it slowly, eating one and then another. After eating three, he clapped his hands and smiled at Xu Lanyin, "The female donor is very thoughtful. This snack is beautiful and delicious, sour and sweet, and has a strong flavor of that thing. It is perfect for the hot summer."
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "This snack is called Xuetuan'er. I hope Master likes it."
Jie Chi nodded with satisfaction and gestured "please sit down". Xu Lanyin sat on the chair against the wall, while Zhao Wu still stood respectfully beside Jie Chi.
Jie Chi continued, "The female donor was so kind today, offering to add that thing to me. What's the reason?"
What a smart and direct greedy monk.
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "Don't lie in front of a real person. Last year, I had the good fortune to meet the old miracle doctor Zhang. He liked the two blackroot grasses I picked and exchanged them for a box of jade-like regenerating ointment and a small wooden plaque. I want to know what disease the blackroot grass can cure that it can be exchanged for so many miracle drugs."
Jie Chi stroked his white beard and said, "Although I haven't met Young Donor Zhang many times, we can be considered close friends regardless of age, and our friendship is long-standing. Sixty-one years ago, when he was still a teenager, I met him a few times when he came to Yefeng Valley with his master. The year before last and the year before last, he came to Yefeng Valley again, and I met him a few more times. But last spring, he suddenly left without saying goodbye. It was really abominable."
Jie Chi actually called the old doctor Zhang "Little Donor Zhang" and said that they were friends regardless of age difference. They had met each other sixty-one years ago. The old monk must be at least eighty or ninety years old, and possibly even over a hundred years old.
Xu Lanyin was filled with awe.
Jie Chi continued, "Blackroot grass is a rare and miraculous medicine. It only mutates once every sixty years, and it takes thousands of jasmine grasses for one mutation. Blackroot grass combined with other medicinal ingredients can be made into the miraculous medicine Immortal Bone Pill."
"Xiangu Pills! As the name suggests, they should be used to treat bones." Xu Lanyin said.
Jie Chi nodded and said, "Yes, the Immortal Bone Pill promotes bone growth and development. If a short person takes it, they can grow into a taller person. It can also heal broken bones. As long as the bones are not severed from the flesh and blood, fractures, breaks, and even necrosis to a certain extent can be cured. Of course, other treatments are needed to assist. However, people under the age of twenty should use it with caution, for fear that they will grow too tall."
Xu Lanyin had never imagined that the medical level in this world was so advanced. Not only did they have the Jade Regenerating Cream for cosmetic surgery, but they even had height-increasing pills. In her previous life, ugly people could have plastic surgery, but short people had no other options.
No wonder the old doctor likes it so much. Blackroot is not only a blessing for the disabled, but also for those who want to grow taller. This medicine must be sold for tens of thousands of taels of silver, right?
Xu Lanyin felt ecstatic.
Zhao Wu also laughed out loud with joy, and quickly bowed to Jie Chi and said, "Master, where is the specific address of the old genius doctor Zhang? I will go to him to ask for medicine to treat my elder brother's leg."
Jie Chi suddenly turned hostile, stretched out his hand and slapped Zhao Wuliang, cursing, "Stupid, why did I accept such a stupid disciple like you? You have to take care of the little girl, but you still go to the faraway place to find the little donor Zhang."
Zhao Wu said with a bitter face, "What's the use of my sister having black root grass? She doesn't know how to make immortal bone pills..."
Before he could finish his words, Jie Chi slapped him several times. "Fool, if there was no other way, would that girl bring so much food to me?"
Unable to contain his anger, Jie Chi leaned forward and kicked Zhao Wu twice, causing Zhao Wu to stagger.
This old monk was also a violent man, he had lost even the superficial demeanor of a high monk. The sound of him beating people made Xu Lanyin's heart ache.
No wonder he can only be a rice cooker with such ability. He is really too willful.
Xu Lanyin said unhappily, "Master Jie Chi, you are a monk, why do you hit people at every turn? You should be compassionate and calm. Besides, how can my brother be stupid? If he was really stupid, would you still accept him as your disciple?"
Jie Chi stopped and said to Xu Lanyin with a smile, "This silly boy was actually very dumb. I beat him until he became smart. If I don't beat him more, he won't become smart either." He added, "This silly boy's fate is not that miserable. Someone cares about him. At least his fate is better than mine."
Zhao Wu hurriedly said, "Master, you are lucky. I, your disciple, will be very filial to you."
Jie Chi ignored him and leaned forward, looking at Xu Lanyin carefully.
Zhao Wu didn't like any man looking at Xu Lanyin like this, including his master. He hurriedly said, "Master, it's not good for you to look at me like this."
Zhao Wutao's words of beating made Jie Chi so angry that he kicked him a few more times.
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