The city of Yanzhou has existed since the founding of the Northern Shaolin Temple.
Its preservation time is almost the same as that of the Northern Shaolin Temple.
Its scale can be imagined over thousands of years.
Moreover, being close to the Northern Shaolin Temple, the city is patrolled daily by disciples from the Northern Shaolin Temple, ensuring excellent public security.
Over time, in addition to tourists and pilgrims preparing to go to the Northern Shaolin Temple, commerce also flourished in Yanzhou City.
Although it cannot compare to the capital of the Great Song Dynasty, it is even more prosperous.
Therefore, after they finished eating the most famous vegetarian food in the restaurant, they did not return to the inn immediately, but instead planned to stroll around Yanzhou City for a while.
However, thinking about the amount of silver she had just spent on the bill, Qu Feiyan couldn't help but mutter, "They were all vegetarian dishes, and the ingredients together only cost three coins, yet they charged ten taels."
Hearing what Qu Feiyan said, Xiao Zhao sighed and said, "Yes! Back in the capital of the Ming Dynasty, renting a courtyard in an inn for one night only cost thirty taels, but in Yanzhou City it costs fifty taels. That's so expensive."
Holding the little one, Chu Qinghe slowly said, "Most of those who can come to this city of Yanzhou are preparing to go to the Northern Shaolin Temple to offer incense. In the Great Song Dynasty, how many people who have the leisure to go to the Northern Shaolin Temple are poor?"
Just like how prices at tourist attractions are often extremely high.
Whether it was around the Southern Shaolin Temple during the Ming Dynasty or around the Northern Shaolin Temple, prices were far higher than in other places.
After all, unlike the Wudang Sect, Zhang Sanfeng personally issued some requirements and regulations to the merchants at the foot of Wudang Mountain, taking into account the issue of prices.
Although it is near Shaolin Temple and Buddhist-related items can be seen everywhere in Yanzhou City, as a merchant, making money is naturally not just about buying and selling simple goods.
Not to mention the performances by various troupes, there are even Buddhist lantern festivals on some streets, featuring various riddles with Buddhist themes and lanterns painted with Buddhist images.
There are also some stalls that sell Buddhist beads as gambling tools, allowing people to guess whether the number is odd or even, and offering to tattoo Buddha images on their bodies.
If that's the case, then so be it.
The key point is that Chu Qinghe even saw some women dressed as nuns by the railings on the second floor of some brothels.
Moreover, when soliciting donations, they address each other as "benefactor".
"What a talent!"
After turning his gaze away from the brothel, even Chu Qinghe couldn't help but marvel at the profound Buddhist atmosphere of Yanzhou City.
At least the merchants in this city are much more savvy than those in the towns near the Southern Shaolin Temple in the Ming Dynasty.
Even Chu Qinghe felt this sense of surprise while strolling around Yanzhou City, let alone Shui Mu Yin Ji and the other women.
After turning her gaze away from the nun-dressed brothel woman in the distance, Qu Feiyan asked with a strange expression, "Young master, doesn't the Northern Shaolin Temple care about these brothel people doing this?"
Qu Feiyan could barely understand using these Buddhist beads as stakes and getting Buddhist images tattooed on her face.
However, the brothels in Yanzhou City all have a Buddhist theme, and they are located in a town next to the gate of the Northern Shaolin Temple.
It would be unreasonable for the Northern Shaolin Temple to ignore this.
Listening to Qu Feiyan's words, Chu Qinghe said calmly, "Yanzhou City is close to the Northern Shaolin Temple, so it is naturally within the Northern Shaolin Temple's sphere of influence. All the merchants here will contribute a certain amount of tax revenue to the Northern Shaolin Temple every month. Anyway, these are done by the merchants in the city, and the Northern Shaolin Temple does not manage them personally. They have a reason to explain to the outside world and can also make a considerable amount of money. Why should the Northern Shaolin Temple interfere?"
In other words, every penny earned by the courtesans in those brothels also came from the Northern Shaolin Temple.
Who would be so foolish as to interfere with their own business?
Hearing what Chu Qinghe said, Wang Yuyan glanced around and then looked at the smiling nun in the brothel in the distance. She said in a complicated tone, "I didn't expect that the area around the Northern Shaolin Temple is nothing but a den of filth."
Upon hearing the voice, Lin Shiyin beside her said softly, "There are thousands of temples in the world, but most of them are just using the name of Buddha to profit themselves."
"If one truly achieves purity of mind and body, one should be accompanied by the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp, uphold one's own heart, and help oneself and others."
“From the moment a force like the Northern Shaolin was established, it could no longer be considered a Buddhist sect; it was merely a martial arts force that constantly chanted Buddhist mantras.”
"In fact, the Beggars' Sect has acted more noblely in recent years, which explains why you had such a high opinion of them before."
At this moment, Jellyfish Yin Ji glanced in certain directions and said softly, "Those have been following us for almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Aren't we going to do anything about it?"
In response to what Jellyfish Yin Ji said, Chu Qinghe slowly replied, "Anyway, we're not going to do anything else, so let's just keep an eye on things!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lianxing, who was standing to the side, glanced at him and said, "Does brother-in-law mean that the people watching us are from the Great Yuan Kingdom?"
Chu Qinghe gave a soft "hmm" in acknowledgment.
"After all, I showed some strength when I faced Bashiba last time, and Pang Ban and the others suffered two losses at my hands before, so it's normal for them to be wary of me."
Seeing Chu Qinghe's completely indifferent attitude, the girls put aside their thoughts and continued strolling around.
It wasn't until nightfall that the group slowly returned to the inn.
As night deepened, after Wang Yuyan and Qu Feiyan and the other girls finished their baths and sat down, Qu Feiyan said with a relaxed expression, "I didn't expect that there would be a bathing pool in the courtyard of this inn."
Xiao Zhao, standing beside her, said weakly, "But even just taking two baths costs five taels of silver, which is too expensive."
Five taels?
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