Qingyun Temple is also strange, unlike other Taoist temples, it is located on the outskirts of the city or even outside the city.
Qingyun Temple is located right in the center of Luochuan City.
There is a Qingyun Mountain here, and the temple is named Qingyun Temple!
I really don't know whether the mountain is named after the temple or the temple is named after the mountain!
In short, this Taoist temple is quite famous. In good years, it is very popular with worshippers. Even now, with restrictions on visitor numbers, there is still a constant stream of people coming and going.
It is said that the vegetarian dishes inside the temple are also extremely famous, and there are quite a few people who go to great lengths to come just to eat a bite of vegetarian food! Qin San Niang understands, and there is nothing strange about it. Throughout history, wealthy people have always had a strong sense of curiosity!
When Qin Sanniang and her companion arrived at Qingyun Temple, the sky was already turning dark. It was around 5:30 in the evening.
In winter, it gets dark early.
Qingyun Temple is located on the mountainside, with a narrow path leading directly to the foot of the mountain, wide enough for a horse-drawn carriage to pass through.
The two then rode their horses along the path into the mountains, following the path directly to the entrance of Qingyun Temple.
Looking up, one sees a high stone staircase leading directly to the temple gate. The tall, red-painted gate is solemn and majestic, blending perfectly with the long, melodious sound of the Dharma bell and the magnificent sound of the chime, reaching the ears of the world.
How many stone steps were there exactly? Qin San Niang didn't count, but they were high enough and far enough!
There was no other way but to accept my fate and keep climbing!
Looking around, although it was already dark, there were still many worshippers waiting to enter the temple.
Moreover, these people were all wealthy and noble. The men wore jade crowns and brocade robes, while the young women wore veils, and the older women were attended by maids.
In comparison, their outfits are simply out of place.
"It's alright, the abbot of Qingyun Temple isn't a snob." As if knowing her thoughts, He Yingyuan said in a low voice.
On the way, he already knew that Qin San Niang had acquaintances in the temple. Although he was surprised that a woman who never left her house could know people from Luochuan, everyone has their own secrets, and wasn't he the same?
They can enter the temple openly, which is much better than being a sneaky wall-climber! It would be quite difficult for him to climb over the wall anyway!
Ascending the steps, a Taoist nun of about twenty years old stood at the entrance of the temple. She wore a dark blue, straight-collared robe, her hair was tied up in a bun on top of her head, adorned with a hairpin, and a long-handled whisk draped over her arm. Despite her kind and benevolent appearance, Qin San Niang sensed an imposing aura about her. This person was skilled in martial arts; don't ask her how she knew, it was just her intuition.
The nun had already seen them when they came up.
"Esteemed guests, did you come here at this hour with prior arrangement?" The Taoist nun guarding the gate kept her eyes down and did not look outwards. She did not treat them differently because of their shabby clothes. Just as He Yingyuan said, she treated everyone equally.
Qin Sanniang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "We apologize for the inconvenience of coming at this time, as we are leaving Luochuan tomorrow. Huiyuan, a lay disciple of the temple, is an old friend of mine. She passed through this area and learned that she was practicing meditation in the temple, so I came to visit her."
As she said this, Qin San Niang took out the willow basket she had bought earlier to hold things, lifted a corner to reveal what was inside.
The gatekeeper nun looked inside and saw that it contained snacks and fruits.
Huiyuan was the name Sima Yao used in the Taoist temple. If you need to find her, you can use this name.
Upon hearing that she was a relative of Huiyuan, the nun guarding the gate softened her expression somewhat. Huiyuan was said to be the granddaughter of her close friend from when she was the abbot of the secular world. She had only recently come to their place, and before the abbot went into seclusion, she had specifically instructed the older nuns to take good care of her.
Upon closer inspection, the woman before him, though an ordinary woman, was composed and had a bright, sparkling gaze. Despite being dressed in simple clothes, she possessed an extraordinary air about her, suggesting that she must have been the mistress of a wealthy family before her downfall.
As for the man behind him, he was eight feet tall, with a graceful and elegant figure, and his eyes were clear and cold with a sharp edge. He was definitely not someone to be underestimated.
She had met all sorts of people, but this man actually possessed the aura of someone in a superior position! It even instilled a sense of fear in her.
"Please come in, benefactor. Huiyuan should be doing his evening prayers right now. I'll take you to the guest room to wait." With that, he took small steps forward and led the two of them into the temple.
It was early winter, and the sycamore trees in the temple were bare, with only a few leaves standing on the branches. However, there wasn't a single fallen leaf on the ground, indicating that it had been cleaned very diligently. The sound of chanting drifted from the main hall, mingling with the scent of incense, adding to the solemn atmosphere.
The two followed the Daoist nun Miaofa without looking to the side, winding their way into a courtyard at the back, which was presumably where the guests stayed.
The Taoist nun guarding the gate is named Miaofa, and today is her day of duty at the mountain gate.
“Please wait here for a moment, gentlemen. There is tea inside, please help yourselves. Huiyuan will come over after evening prayers. The nights are long in the mountains, so if you would like to stay here for the night, that is also fine.”
"Thank you for letting us stay at home, Master Miaofa. However, we have young children and an elderly mother at home. It is already a rare privilege to see Huiyuan. After seeing her, we will be heading back and will not trouble you masters any further!" Qin Sanniang quickly replied.
Once they've taken the goods, they'll be too busy running away to stay here overnight. Qin San Niang would never do something that increases the risk, and He Yingyuan would be even less likely to do it!
Hearing her say that, Miaofa smiled even more sincerely. It was wartime, and the temple's income had plummeted. If people came and stayed here, the temple would really be struggling financially.
The abbess was someone who didn't concern herself with worldly affairs. Usually, it was her sisters who managed the worldly things. Whenever it was time to go down the mountain to buy supplies, they would find themselves short of money.
Just then, as if she had just remembered, Qin San Niang hurriedly took out a large bag of pastries from the basket and handed it to Miao Fa.
These pastries were Sachima (a type of Chinese pastry) she got from the supermarket, wrapped in oil paper to make individual gifts. They looked big, but there were actually only a few pieces. However, their charm lay in their ingenuity—something unheard of in this day and age!
"Master Miaofa, these are some homemade snacks we made to sweeten the palates of the monks at the temple. We hope you won't find them too tacky. We, Huiyuan, are truly grateful for your help here!"
Being overly polite is never a bad thing; this principle applies everywhere! Even in Taoist temples, it's the same. Wherever there are people, there is a world of its own; it's just that the people involved are different!
Sure enough, after receiving the large bag of pastries, Miaofa's smile became even more genuine! She thought to herself, "This relative of Huiyuan is quite capable. The aroma of the pastries is already wafting out; they seem to be things they haven't tried before." She immediately became even more enthusiastic, giving a general description of the temple's scenery—where the gardens were, where the vegetable gardens were, and which spots had the best views. She suggested that if they got bored waiting, they could stroll through the back garden; there was a pond with fish, which was quite nice!
This came to me without any effort at all!
When Miaofa couldn't see her, Qin Sanniang winked at He Yingyuan, as if to say, "Is this the place? Is there anything else you need to ask?"
Having witnessed Madam Qin's outstanding social skills, she's simply amazing!
He Yingyuan nodded slightly. The place he was looking for was this pond, and in the center of the pond should be an artificial hill. The thief had said that the treasure was hidden in a cave in the artificial hill. But where exactly was it? He still needed some time to search, and he just hoped that the artificial hill wasn't too big.
Miaofa and Qin Sanniang had a very pleasant conversation. After all, Qin Sanniang was a woman of many words, and her words were so sincere that no one could sense any insincerity in them!
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