The frenzied sacrifices in the square gradually subsided.
The disaster victims, who had donated everything, wore a kind of calm and numbness after exhaustion. They were led by a gray-robed monk with a gentle smile to a courtyard deeper behind the main hall.
It seems that this place is specifically for housing these "Buddhist disciples".
The people of Liushutun stood there, looking out of place.
They donated some grain, but it was far from all they had.
The village chief watched the group of numb figures being led away, and he couldn't describe the feeling in his heart.
A middle-aged monk in gray robes walked up to them, put his hands together, and said, “Esteemed benefactors, you have had a long journey. Please follow me and I will take you to a place to rest.”
He smiled amiably, his gaze casually sweeping over the machetes and axes tucked into the waistbands of the men in the group.
"Thank you for your trouble, Master." The village chief bowed quickly and led his group to follow.
The monk walked with a leisurely pace, asking casually as he went, "Gentlemen, you all look travel-worn. May I ask where you come from?"
"...The village was also hit by a disaster...and people couldn't survive there..."
The village chief remained silent.
The monk nodded compassionately, "Natural disasters are merciless, but the Bodhisattva is compassionate. It's good that you've come to Ciyun Temple."
At this moment, he paused slightly, his gaze falling once again on the chipped woodcutter's knife from Wengjia Village at Liu Dazhuang's waist, and then sweeping over the axe that Zhang the butcher had tucked into his belt.
"Amitabha." The monk said calmly, "Esteemed benefactors, the temple is filled with devout believers, and there are many eyes and ears here. These sharp objects... it's best to keep them safe. If they accidentally bump into or injure anyone, it will disturb the tranquility of the Buddhist temple and only increase karmic burdens, which goes against your desire to atone for your sins."
These words were soft but firm.
The men of Liushutun felt a jolt in their hearts.
The bloodshed of last night and the pressure of "atonement" today weighed heavily on their minds, making them extremely sensitive to the word "karma."
"Don't worry, Master! Don't worry, Master!" Old Wang quickly smiled apologetically. "We're all honest farmers! We're just carrying it for self-defense... We'll definitely keep it safe! We'll never cause trouble!"
“Yes, yes, yes! We believe in the mountain… Bodhisattva! We believe in the gods! We are very sincere!” Li Laosan quickly chimed in, almost blurting out “Mountain God,” but he managed to get it on his tongue, his face turning red as he corrected himself, “We… we believe in Buddha and Bodhisattva! We believe in the protection of the gods! We would never dare to do anything reckless!”
The monk smiled and nodded, seemingly satisfied with their "devoutness" and "obedience," and said no more, continuing to lead the way.
The monks led them through several corridors to a relatively secluded courtyard at the rear of the temple.
The courtyard was quite large, surrounded by blue brick walls, and the ground was fairly clean.
But outside the courtyard gate, the scene was completely different.
Huddled against the walls and in the corners, many ragged, emaciated disaster victims were huddled together!
Their eyes were vacant, some lying down, some sitting, like a group of abandoned rag dolls.
Unlike the numb disaster victims in the square, these people did not have a trace of false calm on their faces, only pure despair and deathly silence.
Several bald monks, also dressed in gray short jackets, walked around nearby, their eyes sweeping over the area with indifferent gazes.
"Please rest in the courtyard, everyone." The monk pushed open the courtyard gate, revealing several empty side rooms with relatively intact doors and windows. "You must be tired from your journey, so please take good care of yourselves. Someone will bring you porridge and water later."
His gentle demeanor, compassionate tone, and calm demeanor formed a stark contrast to the desperate disaster victims and indifferent monks outside the courtyard.
It felt as if we were in two completely isolated worlds.
"Thank you, Master!" the village chief and the others quickly expressed their gratitude.
They were flattered by this "merciful" treatment.
The monk nodded slightly, then turned and left.
The people from Liushutun had just entered the courtyard when they busied themselves looking for a place to stay.
"This place is great! Much better than sleeping outdoors!"
May the Bodhisattva protect us!
"They even provide congee..."
"Finally, I can catch my breath..."
At this moment, everyone's tense nerves finally relaxed.
The shock and exhaustion of the past few days, coupled with the mental shock they had just experienced in the square, made them yearn for a moment of peace.
They put down their meager luggage and slumped down on the stone steps or the ground in the courtyard.
The courtyard was indeed quiet; there were no arguments, and even the crying of children was rare.
This unusual calm, on the contrary, exuded an unsettling sense of lifelessness.
...
The brief respite inside the hospital did not last long.
Heavy footsteps approached from afar.
Two gray-robed monks appeared at the courtyard gate carrying a large, steaming wooden tub.
Another monk followed behind, carrying a stack of rough earthenware bowls and a long-handled wooden ladle.
"Squeak—" The courtyard gate was pushed open a crack, and the monk turned to the side to put down the porridge bucket and bowls.
"Esteemed benefactors, please have some thin porridge to fill your stomachs first," the monk carrying the bowl said in a gentle tone.
Wooden barrel!
Water ladle!
This scene instantly shattered the brief peace that the people of Liushutun had just established!
Wengjia Village!
That bloody night! Those two buckets of "lifesaving water" laced with drugs!
The dull thud of a comrade falling! A desperate battle! The scene, like a cold tide, instantly engulfed everyone!
Old Wang, who had been slumped on the ground, suddenly sprang up.
Liu Dazhuang also took a step back and bumped into Zhang the butcher behind him!
Li Laosan stared intently at the steaming wooden barrel, as if he were seeing boiling poison!
The courtyard was deathly silent!
You could hear a pin drop! No one stepped forward, no one spoke, only heavy, terrified breathing rose and fell.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the wooden bucket and the water ladle, filled with undisguised fear and vigilance!
The monk at the door was stunned.
He looked at the group of people who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, and the gentle smile on his face froze. "Esteemed benefactors... what's wrong? Please have some porridge." His urging was like a needle piercing the frozen air.
The village chief was the first to react.
He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, suppressing his wildly beating heart. "Thank you... thank you, Master! We... we can divide it ourselves! We wouldn't dare trouble you!"
As he spoke, he strode forward, blocking the wooden bucket, and winked at the villagers behind him, "Quick! Quick, bring out the bowls! The masters have worked hard, we'll divide it ourselves!"
The people of Liushutun seemed to wake from a dream, frantically pulling bowls out of their tattered bundles.
"Yes, yes! We'll divide it ourselves!"
"No need to trouble Master!"
The monk's confusion deepened, his gaze sweeping over the village chief and the group of villagers who were clearly acting strangely. "It's just distributing porridge, a simple matter..." He reached for the water ladle.
"No!" Old Wang practically shouted! His voice was shrill! Realizing he had lost his composure, he quickly lowered his head. "We...we have an old rule in our village...the distribution of food must be done by the village elders...it can't be done by others..." His excuse was so clumsy that even he didn't believe it.
The monk's outstretched hand froze in mid-air.
A barely perceptible hint of inquiry and a deeper displeasure flashed in his eyes.
He didn't insist on taking the water ladle anymore, but simply said, "In that case... please make yourselves at home." After saying that, he didn't look at anyone anymore, and turned to leave with the other two monks carrying buckets.
As he stepped out of the courtyard gate, he paused, turned his head, and glanced back at the group of people still gathered around the porridge bucket, their expressions tense.
That look in his eyes was cold and scrutinizing, completely devoid of the gentle compassion of before.
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