Chapter 811 Traveling together
Manbao couldn't help but turn his head to look at Bai Shan, and then turned his head again, and the two of them smiled broadly at County Magistrate Tang, so brightly that it almost blinded County Magistrate Tang's eyes.
Although he knew it was wrong, County Magistrate Tang couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine, as if ants were crawling quickly along his back, and he shivered.
County Magistrate Tang's eyes flicked between the two of them and he asked, "But I remember the prefectural school usually has a three-day holiday on February 2nd. You came back yesterday, and you're leaving tomorrow?"
Bai Shan said: "I asked for two more days of leave."
County Magistrate Tang looked at him suspiciously, "Just to celebrate the second day of the second lunar month?"
Bai Shan nodded and said, "Lord Tang is here too. He's obviously very interested in our temple fair. We come here every year, and it would feel like we're missing something if we don't come this year."
County Magistrate Tang smiled and stood up from the stone. "Since it's such a coincidence, why don't we go together?"
Manbao nodded repeatedly and said enthusiastically, "We are familiar with this place. County Magistrate Tang, we will be your host and take you on a nice tour, okay?"
County Magistrate Tang smiled and nodded.
The group then set out together.
Seeing that they did not even rest on the way and climbed up the mountain in one breath, County Magistrate Tang could not help but ask, "Aren't you tired?"
Manbao and Baishan turned to look at him and said hesitantly, "Master Tang, are you tired again? How about we take a break?"
County Magistrate Tang looked up at the Taoist temple looming in the distance and said firmly, "No, I'm not tired."
So the group continued walking, and County Magistrate Tang explained, "The mountain road here is quite steep, so it's quite tiring to walk. For example, I climb Qixia Mountain every year, and I can walk up the mountain in one breath."
"Really?" Manbao glanced at their mountain, then thought of Qixia Mountain, and reluctantly agreed. "Yes, you can get on the mountain by car, but here we have to walk. But we've been climbing since we were little, so we don't feel tired."
County Magistrate Tang asked curiously, "Do you often come here to climb mountains?"
"Yes," Manbao said, "Every year on February 2nd, the temple fair, the Dragon Boat Festival in May, the Ghost Festival in July, the Double Ninth Festival in September, and before the New Year, we all have to come to the Taoist temple. In the past, when the master was on vacation, he would take us here to climb the mountain and see the distant view."
County Magistrate Tang looked down at the crowd still moving at the foot of the mountain. Thinking of Mr. Zhuang's age, he sighed, "Mr. Zhuang is in good health."
Manbao and Baishan nodded together, then glanced at County Magistrate Tang subtly.
However, the two of them are now planning to ask him for something, so he can only praise him. How can he attack him?
Manbao praised him without hesitation, "Master Tang, you are also very capable. Look, those who climbed the mountain with us are still used to doing farm work. They had to rest twice on the way up."
Bai Shan racked his brains and thought for a moment, "Everyone is sweating a lot and a little embarrassed, but the adults are still so graceful."
County Magistrate Tang glanced at Bai Shan and said, "If you don't know how to praise others, don't praise them."
He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then opened the folding fan in his hand and fanned himself.
Manbao looked at his folding fan in confusion for a while before saying, "Master Tang, it's not good to fan yourself when you're sweating, and it's still spring and cold, so it's not good for your health."
Magistrate Tang paused with his folding fan in his hand when he remembered that she was a doctor. He calmly closed it and asked, "How long will it take?"
"It won't be long. Just walk a little further. This section of the road is very flat."
County Magistrate Tang followed Man Bao and the other two forward. As they went a little further, the road indeed became flatter. County Magistrate Tang saw many people coming up from another road. Most of them were young and strong, and most of them were carrying an old man on their backs or holding out their hands to support the old man.
County Magistrate Tang couldn't help but exclaim, and Manbao explained, "That's another road. It's smoother and easier to walk on. We usually take that road when we come to burn incense."
County Magistrate Tang asked, "Then why don't we take that road?"
Manbao said, "Because the scenery on that road is not as good as this one, and it's narrower. This road was built by County Magistrate Yang and the local tycoons in the county. It's much easier to walk on."
County Magistrate Tang didn't feel comfortable at all. He looked at Bai Shan and asked, "Did your family also pay?"
Bai Shan nodded and said, "We contributed a little, but my family contributed less. My cousin, and the Zhang and Liu families in the county contributed the most."
County Magistrate Tang looked at him and said with a smile, "Local tycoon."
Manbao nodded in agreement and said, "Local tyrant."
Bai Shan looked at her without saying anything.
The Taoist temple is bustling with activity. Regardless of whether one brings incense or not, everyone who comes here must kneel down and worship.
Rich families, such as the Bai, Zhang, and Liu families, would also donate some money to the Taoist temple.
Of course, their treatment was also different. When they came up the mountain to burn incense, Taoist Master Shouqing and others would vacate the remaining rooms in the temple for them to rest.
There were not enough rooms, so they built two new rooms in the past two years specifically for accommodating guests.
There was no other way. The Taoist temple was becoming more and more popular, and more and more wealthy families were coming. They couldn't appear too shabby.
Daoxu used the money donated by the pilgrims to repair the house and gave it to the pilgrims to live in. He then quietly said to Manbao, "This money just passed through our hands and returned to them. It's all our hard work. It's not worth it."
Manbao asked, "With so many people coming, is there any donation left?"
"Yes, there is. Master used the money to buy rice, flour and herbs. When the laypeople who came up the mountain asked for medicine, Master gave it to them."
Manbao said: "This is worth it."
Daoxu said, "But we are exhausted. We have been copying fewer and fewer scriptures lately, and we have less time to meditate."
Dao He, who was standing by, said, "It seems that Man Bao is more suitable for cultivation than you. You've wasted all that time in the mountains, but you still can't see things as clearly as Man Bao."
Daohe asked, "You are a poor Taoist priest, what are you going to do with the money? If you keep it, it will just be wasted. It is better to spend it. Take it from good people and use it for good people."
Even Bai Shan couldn't help but applaud Daohe and said, "A peaceful mind leads to a long way."
Daoxu was unconvinced. "Money has many uses. If we keep it, we can at least eat meat, right? We are not bald donkeys. We don't need to abstain from food. We can buy a lot of delicious food."
Manbao burst into laughter and said, "Be careful next time Master Jiechen comes, I'll tell him."
Daoxu said of her, "A snitch."
Daohe said, "Eating too much meat is not good for your health. Don't always think about your appetite. Ask Manbao if eating too much meat is good for your health."
Manbao said: "It's bad for your body, but good for your mouth and heart."
Daoxu and Baishan laughed together with Manbao, while Daohe stood aside and watched them silently.
Manbao was familiar with the people in the Taoist temple, but she looked at the flow of people inside and said to County Magistrate Tang, "I guess there are no rooms for you to rest. But I know some young Taoist priests there. If you don't mind, I'll take you to their room to rest."
County Magistrate Tang looked at her and said, "You're suddenly so polite. I'm a little scared."
Today is Mo Yan's birthday. The next update will be around 3 pm.
(End of this chapter)
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