Chapter 120 The Vajra Pestle
Chapter 120 Vajra Pestle
The discussion about Beishan Jun of Meishan Village came to an end, and everyone went about their own business.
The inns in Meizi Town have waiters who feed the horses.
But Bai Cen still did everything himself.
It wasn't that I didn't trust the waiter who fed the horses, but I'd been following the old man all this way and my ears were practically calloused from hearing him say the same thing: "A horse won't get fat without night grass, and the Eight Treasures Restaurant is such a big place, it can't be pulled away without one horse."
The Bazhenlou restaurant can travel all over the country thanks to the hard work of these horses!
So when Bai Cen was feeding the horses grass and watering them, he would also take the time to talk to them.
In the old man's words, people and horses are the same; both need emotional exchange.
Aside from talking, the best way to communicate with a horse is to feed it grass, give it water, and bathe it.
Before coming to Bazhenlou, he rarely came into contact with these kinds of things.
After being poisoned, he wandered around the martial arts world, inquiring about the poison that could dissolve bones and its antidote, living a leisurely life.
But the leisurely pace lacks a main storyline.
I felt like I wasn't making any progress, and every day was a blur.
But ever since he came to Bazhenlou, whether it was the opening of Bazhenlou or the various people and things he encountered along the way, his days have become fulfilling, and he no longer worries about whether there will be news of the Bone-Melting Poison today or tomorrow.
He was very happy along the way.
Regardless of the final outcome, he really wanted to stay with Bazhenlou forever.
It seems that whether or not the bone-dissolving poison can be cured is not so important anymore—in fact, it's more important to feed the horses well and talk to them to relieve their boredom.
Bai Cen reached out and stroked the horse that was grazing, saying softly, "This is fine too, isn't it?"
The horse continued grazing arrogantly, of course not answering him.
But Bai Cen wasn't annoyed. After all, some conversations never expect a reply from the other party. Once he understood that, he wouldn't dwell on it.
"Eat your fill, so you'll have more energy. Tomorrow we'll head to Meishan Village to officially open for business. You can have a good rest for the whole day." Bai Cen continued to pat the horses' heads. He was right. Once they were officially open for business, Bazhenlou wouldn't leave. For them, Bazhenlou staying meant rest.
It's been almost half a month since we left the town of Bewitching Souls, so it's time to let them rest for a couple of days.
Bai Cen casually picked up a comb—actually a brush—from the side and began brushing the horses' fur while they grazed, attending to every detail.
Wang Sumo watched from afar, and no one knew where he got the patience from, as if he was particularly enjoying this job.
We also discussed tomorrow's menu with Mr. Weng.
Although Bazhenlou had never used this method before, she was willing to try it this time, using the same approach as Mr. Weng, with a standardized menu of just a few dishes to reduce workload and improve efficiency.
Even if there are many tables, if the same few dishes are served repeatedly, a lot of time can be saved in the preparation work.
She and Zhao Tong are perfectly capable of handling the workload.
Moreover, Yu Tang and Bai Cen are there to help out, so even if things get hectic, serving the food shouldn't be a problem.
Actually, she was a little excited too.
The Eight Treasures Pavilion used to be small and exquisite, but it was a waste of the wonderful building that Uncle-Master Yu Daozi had built.
If she could manage, she would indeed like to make Bazhenlou more lively.
The world is vast, and Bazhenlou is a place where people make friends through delicious food. It sounds quite appealing.
While Wang Sumo was pondering this, she glanced at Bai Cen brushing horses not far away, not noticing when Jiang Yutang had come to her side until she suddenly spoke up: "Is brushing horses so beautiful?"
Wang Sumo was startled.
Especially since the person who said those words was Jiang Yutang.
Wang Sumo laughed and said, "I was just thinking about something when I saw Bai Cen brushing the horse. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I forgot to look at him."
"What's wrong?" Although she hadn't known Jiang Yutang for long, Jiang Yutang was definitely not the type to chat with people for no reason. Jiang Yutang had something to ask her.
Jiang Yutang looked around to make sure no one was around, especially no one was with the old man, before she spoke: "Didn't I promise to help you find out about the Vajra Pestle and the old man?"
Wang Sumo was stunned. Yes, after passing through the Bewitching Town, Yu Tang had blended in with her surroundings and had almost forgotten about this incident, but Yu Tang still remembered it.
It has indeed been more than ten days since we left the Enchanted Town, almost half a month in total, which is enough time for the all-knowing martial arts expert to gather some information.
"Did you find out?" Wang Sumo asked.
Jiang Yutang nodded.
She was never one to mince words, and she said directly, "The Vajra Pestle was given to him by one of the old man's disciples."
apprentice?
This surprised Wang Sumo.
She had thought about it a lot before, including whether it was another item from the Kunlun Sect.
Or perhaps it was something entrusted to him by one of the old man's close friends, which he was to pass on to someone in the future.
Or, cough cough, the old man's confidante, such as the one Jinniang entrusted to him earlier, and so on and so forth...
But I never imagined that I would be going in the direction of the old man's apprentice.
"Does the old man have an apprentice?" Wang Sumo asked curiously.
Jiang Yutang looked at her: "Didn't the old man tell you?"
Wang Sumo shook his head directly: "No, when I first met the old man, he had a headache, so I took him to see Fang Rushi. Later, his headache gradually got better and rarely flared up, but he didn't often talk about the past. It was as if he wanted to start a new experience from the bottom of his heart, so I didn't ask him much. I only found out today after you said that."
Jiang Yutang was slightly surprised.
Although she had spent some time with him, she had a pretty good idea of what kind of person Wang Sumo was.
In particular, Wang Sumo has absolute trust in and dependence on the old man.
But she didn't expect Wang Sumo's trust, or even his refusal to ask about the old man's past.
But then again, it seems that Wang Sumo has always been someone who trusts those she employs and doesn't employ those she doesn't trust. She trusts everyone at Bazhenlou, including her...
Jiang Yutang said directly, "About twenty years ago, the old master took in a disciple surnamed Yang, named Geng Hongbo. There is no definite source of information about how the two met, or why the old master took Geng Hongbo as a disciple. There are not many clues to trace. But there is one thing worth mentioning: when Geng Hongbo was in Ganzhou with the old master, Geng Hongbo debated scriptures with the abbot of a temple."
"Debate on scriptures?" Wang Sumo thought he had misheard.
Jiang Yutang nodded: "Yes, it is the debate on scriptures. Buddhism has a tradition of debating scriptures, which can spread the Dharma and help believers. At that time in Ganzhou, Geng Hongbo was able to debate scriptures with the abbot of a well-known ancient temple, which shows that he was well-versed in Buddhism and had outstanding wisdom."
Wang Sumo suddenly realized: "The Vajra Pestle..."
Jiang Yutang sighed softly: "That's right, the Vajra Pestle, also known as the Vajra Pestle, is a Buddhist ritual implement. There are many interpretations of the Vajra Pestle's function. One is to eliminate surrounding karmic obstacles, which is the effect of a talisman."
"Secondly, literally, the vajra is a weapon used to subdue demons and monsters. It is a very important ritual implement in Buddhism, which can make demons and monsters appear and be subdued."
"Finally, it is about removing inner demons and purifying the mind, which can be understood as self-reflection and self-discipline."
Jiang Yutang looked at her: "The old man's vajra was given to him by his disciple Geng Hongbo. Geng Hongbo had previously debated Buddhist scriptures with the highly respected abbot of the ancient temple in Ganzhou, and received much praise at the time. He is well-versed in Buddhism. Well-versed in Buddhism, and with a vajra by his side—"
Wang Sumo looked at her: "You mean, the old man's disciple was a Buddhist before?"
Jiang Yutang neither confirmed nor denied it, but did not shy away from the question: "Very likely."
Wang Sumo crossed his arms and took a deep breath: "Why would the old man take a Buddhist disciple as his apprentice?"
Wang Sumo couldn't figure it out. Although she thought of Liu Henshui and Zhao Tong, they shouldn't be the same people.
Jiang Yutang continued, "I don't know what the Vajra Pestle looks like, but there are indeed rumors in the martial arts world that Geng Hongbo gave it to the old man. It was because the old man had it that many people gave up the idea of getting the Vajra Pestle."
Wang Sumo was surprised: "A lot of people want this?"
Jiang Yutang wasn't surprised: "The martial world is vast. Most of the time, sects in the east and west, or in the north and south, don't communicate with each other. But more often than not, suddenly many sects in one place start searching for the same thing, but the other sects don't know what it means..."
Wang Sumo understood Jiang Yutang's meaning.
The commotion in the east is intense, but the west, north, and south haven't heard anything about it yet.
By the time I heard about it, the daylily had already gone cold.
Even the martial arts world is divided into regions.
That's true.
However, Wang Sumo asked, "What is the purpose of this Vajra Pestle? Why do people in one place suddenly want it?"
Wang Sumo's question hit the nail on the head.
Jiang Yutang said calmly, "We have already sent people to continue inquiring. It will take time, but one thing is clear: Geng Hongbo is dead."
Wang Sumo: "..."
Actually, Wang Sumo wasn't surprised by this.
Jiang Yutang looked at her: "Do you know how Geng Hongbo died?"
Wang Sumo shook her head. Of course she didn't know, but why would Jiang Yutang ask her that specifically?
Jiang Yutang hesitated for a moment, but still answered truthfully: "As mentioned before, Geng Hongbo once debated scriptures with a high-ranking monk in Ganzhou..."
Wang Sumo nodded; she remembered.
Jiang Yutang took a deep breath: "My grandmaster, Bai Xiaosheng, disguised himself and infiltrated the enemy camp to save Fang Rushi. He single-handedly rescued her, but during the escape, he was shot in the heart by a pursuing soldier and died at the border. Actually, there was another matter at that time..."
Wang Sumo looked at her, and Jiang Yutang said in a deep voice: "Back then, the enemy army pressed in and captured the people of a town. The enemy general at the time was a Buddhist, but he was also fond of killing. Geng Hongbo was in the town at the time, and with his martial arts skills, he could have escaped on his own. But he knew that the enemy general liked to show off his Buddhist teachings, so he proposed to debate with the enemy general, hoping that the other party would spare the lives of the people of the town."
Wang Sumo was surprised. How could this be?
Jiang Yutang continued: "The enemy general was always arrogant, but he didn't know that Geng Hongbo had once debated scriptures with a high monk to a standstill, so he underestimated the enemy. However, once he made his promise, he couldn't go back on it in front of his soldiers, so he set a trap for Geng Hongbo. 'If I don't go to hell, who will?' He might not kill these civilians, but each person is a knife, and his knife will eventually fall on someone..."
At this point, Wang Sumo had pretty much guessed the ending.
Jiang Yutang said in a deep voice, "In the end, the enemy general kept his promise. He saved the entire town with his own flesh and blood. It is said that he was carrying the demon-subduing pestle at the time... Although the enemy general kept his promise, he would not leave such a reputation for him. In the end, the word that spread was that Geng Hongbo had defected to the enemy and followed the enemy country. The other side also threatened the people of the town that if anyone dared to criticize this matter, they should be careful of their heads."
Wang Sumo asked in surprise, "Can it be hidden?"
Jiang Yutang shook his head: "With war raging, life is not worth mentioning. Although there are a few people who try to clear Geng Hongbo's name, the burden of war is too heavy, and there are more than just one injustice. Geng Hongbo's case has never been settled, and after that, few people mentioned it. If it weren't for the investigation of the Demon-Subduing Pestle, no one would have known about this."
"Then, how did the Vajra Pestle end up with the old man?" Wang Sumo asked.
Jiang Yutang said, "Back then, there was a righteous man in the town who spent many years delivering the Vajra Pestle to the old man. That's the origin of the story..."
Wang Sumo never imagined that the Vajra Pestle on her body had such a moving and inspiring story behind it.
"We just don't know why so many people wanted that Vajra Pestle back then, so we'll have to investigate further." After Jiang Yutang finished speaking, Wang Sumo understood and thanked her.
After all this time, the old man, being such a sentimental person, must still be deeply troubled by Geng Hongbo's death...
*
Night had fallen, but Wang Sumo still couldn't sleep.
The scene that kept flashing through my mind was Jiang Yutang's words about one person being stabbed once. How many times had Geng Hongbo been stabbed before he died?
These things, too, cut deep into the old man's heart, one by one...
Lost in thought, the bell at the stable rang, signaling that another inn guest's horse had been brought to rest.
There are quite a few, about seven or eight.
Wang Sumo overheard the waiter telling the stable hand, "Be careful, these are the horses of Chief Escort Zhang of the Golden Escort Agency. The Golden Escort Agency has been thriving these past few years, so don't offend them."
Is there a Golden Escort Agency? And Chief Escort Zhang?
Wang Sumo suddenly remembered something from before.
—I told Zhang Youjin, if you want gold and silver treasures, you don’t necessarily have to become a bandit, nor do you necessarily have to lead a whole mountain of bandits to burn, kill, and plunder.
— When we arrived in the northern frontier, Zhang Youjin and I parted ways. I asked him where he wanted to go, and he said that he had heard a lot about the Jinwei Escort Agency along the way. He wanted to try his luck at the Jinwei Escort Agency and become a bodyguard. Maybe one day he could even own an escort agency as famous as the Jinwei Escort Agency, and then he would be rolling in money.
"Master, once I open a security escort agency, you will be Liu Youfu, the renowned master of Zhang Youjin!"
Zhang Youjin, Liu Henshui's apprentice?
Wang Sumo chuckled lightly, "The martial world is actually so small..."
[Author's Note]
There's a red envelope in this chapter too! I'll be updating like crazy starting tomorrow! [Keep it up!]
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