Chapter 61 [VIP]
“You all have made many connections and your minds are clear. I accompanied my seniors on a tour of temples, and I was deeply moved by the profound thoughts that are expressed here,” Lu Xuejin said to the abbot.
The monks walked at the front, followed by Lu Xuejin and Ziyan, with Murong Yue and Tengluo trailing behind. The monks introduced them one by one to the image of the Water Moon Guanyin, the origin of the ten thousand Buddhas in the hall, and the enormous Buddha head that grew on a lotus sculpture and was buried deep in the mud.
Tengluo yawned, feeling a little sleepy. Murong Yue put his hands in his sleeves and listened attentively, but his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
Seeing this, Murong Yue said to Tengluo, "Hey, Tengluo, this bald guy is talking so boringly. I'll take you to a nice place, wanna come?"
Upon hearing this, Tengluo asked, "What good place? What kind of wicked scheme is Your Highness plotting now?"
"You'll know when you get here," Murong Yue said, turning his head away.
Seeing that His Highness was about to slip away, and knowing that the scriptures being recited were indeed boring, and worried that His Highness would wander off alone, Tengluo quickly followed him.
"Your Highness, wait for me! Where are you going?"
Murong Yue: "Shall we go to the kitchen? It seems I'll be staying here for a couple of days. The vegetarian meal earlier was terrible. I need to make something else for you."
He had already seen the leeks the monks were growing in the vegetable garden when he passed by, and was preparing to make a leek soup for Lu Xuejin. Tengluo, behind him, said, "Of course, the food in the temple is all vegetarian. What else does Your Highness want? It's good enough that you have food to eat."
Murong Yue remained silent. He led Tengluo through a maze of turns until they saw a house connected to a chimney. After the monk who had been guarding the house left, he and Tengluo went inside. The kitchen was located in the backyard, simply furnished. The vermilion tiles hung down, and inside was a statue of the Kitchen God, along with two couplets, giving it a very homey feel.
“Your Highness, look at the doll above. It looks just like you,” said Tengluo, pointing to the couplet.
The couplet depicts two children with fair faces and red lips. They smile with their eyes crinkling, holding long spears and swirling red tassels. Their expressions are smug and arrogant, giving off a very festive vibe.
Murong Yue glanced at it and saw the large water vat in the kitchen. He pushed it open and saw that it contained various kinds of cured meat. Pork, beef, mutton, fish, chicken and duck were all there. The monks had packed each type of meat into categories, and the water vat was labeled with the words "For Guests Only".
Tengluo was surprised to find that there was actually meat in it. She curiously moved closer, sometimes thinking that His Highness had sharp eyes and knew everything about other people's families by running around all day.
"Your Highness, is there such a rule that when a guest arrives, the monks must prepare meat for him? Is this...is this proper?"
“I haven’t heard of it,” Murong Yue said with a half-smile. “Those monks look like they’ve grown up eating this stuff.”
"You wait here, I'm going out to take another look. Lunch will be with chives and lamb chops. I haven't been feeling well lately, I need some soup to nourish myself," Murong Yue said.
He tossed the things to Tengluo, whose eyes widened. "Your Highness...we're on someone else's turf, how can we just touch things in the kitchen like that?"
Moreover, these monks had broken their vows and consumed meat; she felt she had glimpsed a corner of a secret. As soon as she finished speaking, the monks returned, and Murong Yue blocked the doorway. Before the monks could even utter a final "Amitabha," Murong Yue struck them unconscious with a single palm strike.
The monk slowly collapsed, and Murong Yue withdrew his hand. "Just do what you're doing. What good can a monk who eats meat be? I'll go back to the temple and take another look."
Tengluo wanted to say that monks who eat meat are not necessarily bad monks, but she couldn't refute His Highness. His Highness was always like this, seeing people in too many polarized ways, either black or white, with obvious preferences.
She glanced at the fruit on the plate—a variety of wild mountain fruits, enough to make many desserts. Since she was already there, her eyes lit up, and she gave in within seconds.
Lu Xuejin and Ziyan followed behind the monk and noticed that Murong Yue and Tengluo had slipped away. He glanced in the direction the boy had gone and listened to the monk's words without paying much attention.
The monk asked him, "When will you depart, sir?"
Lu Xuejin: "Three days later."
The monk said "Amitabha," and they returned to their rooms after their visit. Lu Xuejin and Ziyan waited in their rooms, and soon the young man and woman returned, each carrying something.
"Brother, look what I found." Murong Yue held a hairpin in his hand. The hairpin was made of gold, with the shape of a spider lily and inlaid with red gemstones.
"I found this inside the Buddha's head. This temple truly holds hidden secrets. What do these monks want the jewelry for? Will women come to donate jewelry?" Murong Yue inquired.
Tengluo brought over three dishes and a soup from the kitchen. The three dishes included both meat and vegetables, and were no different from their usual meals.
Lu Xuejin took the hairpin from the boy's hand. Judging from its design, it seemed to be from the southern region. The gemstone on it was from Wuzhou, and the entire hairpin was made of gold with intricate floral carvings. It must have come from a wealthy family.
"Where did you two go? You disappeared in the blink of an eye," Lu Xuejin asked.
“This servant followed Your Highness,” Tengluo said, “to the small kitchen. Young master, their kitchen has plenty of meat and delicate pastries. Does the code of conduct state that meat can be served to guests?”
“Such a thing is true. Monks should not eat meat, nor should they entertain guests,” Lu Xuejin said thoughtfully. “When I saw the monks gathered in front of the hall just now, it seemed as if they wanted us to leave as soon as possible, which is why I suggested that we stay here for a couple more days.”
“The origin of this hairpin is unknown. We’ll split up to investigate this afternoon,” Lu Xuejin said. “I want to see what they’re hiding in this Buddhist temple.”
“What else could it be? This hairpin is the answer. Throughout history, so many things have been about seizing power or making money. There is nothing else.” Murong Yue sat down beside him and personally served him a bowl of soup.
"Brother, let's eat first. After we finish eating, I'll go with you. I've made many discoveries. Just follow me from here."
Ziyan glanced at the table full of meat dishes. Tengluo hummed a tune as she arranged the steamed pastries she had made. In keeping with the temple setting, Tengluo had shaped the pastries into lotus flower forms, making them look like lotus petals blooming on the plate. Ziyan noticed that Tengluo had become much bolder, especially when she was with the young prince. She seemed to have been influenced by the prince's carefree attitude and was becoming more and more unrestrained.
Lu Xuejin stared at the soup in the bowl in front of him. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he smelled a strong muttony odor. The broth, however, was a greenish color from boiled chives, making it look rather unappetizing. The boy beside him looked at him expectantly, his expression very serious, as if he were about to taste something the boy had poured his heart and soul into.
"..." He finished a bowl of soup under Murong Yue's gaze. The soup was indeed fragrant and delicious, but the flavor was a bit strong. After he finished, the boy served him another bowl and said, "Brother, this is made with turtle. I saw that turtle in the pond was almost dead and no one cared for it, so I caught it and brought it to the kitchen to revive it. I hope it will meet a responsible monk in its next life who will change its water and feed it every day."
Lu Xuejin rubbed his forehead slightly. He hadn't noticed it when they were in the palace, but after leaving the capital, the boy appeared and disappeared unpredictably. If he didn't keep a close eye on him, he might cause a huge disturbance.
“Your Highness, the turtles in that pond are spiritual beings; how can we catch them to eat?” Lu Xuejin said.
Upon hearing this, Murong Yue said, "I think it's about to die. No one in this temple cares about it, so it's going to die anyway. I'll see it off on its way, which will also fulfill one of its wishes."
When Tengluo heard this, she pretended not to hear. While she was in the kitchen, His Highness went out, but returned a short while later with a turtle, a large bunch of chives, two field mice, and some brightly colored mushrooms. She threw away the field mice, but used everything else to cook.
Lu Xuejin said patiently, "That won't do either. If Your Highness wants to help it, you can release it by the pond. How can you take it to the kitchen?"
When he tried to persuade him, the boy pretended to be innocent. Murong Yue revealed his naivety, his ears turned red, and he snuggled up to hug him and said coquettishly, "I know, brother, I will definitely release animals next time. These were all made by Tengluo with great effort, brother, don't waste them, eat your food properly."
After they finished their meal, Lu Xuejin was coaxed by the boy to eat quite a few nourishing foods. The last time he was advised to eat properly was when his parents were around. His mother always worried about his diet and clothing, telling him to study less and spend more time taking care of his health.
The boy was now holding him close, leaning against him, reminding him of his mother. His mother was burdened with many worries, often falling into melancholy and depression. When a person's mood is low, their health deteriorates as well. His mother always hoped that he could be ordinary, not stand out in the crowd, to avoid his worries causing him to suffer the same torment.
"Brother Changyou?" He came back to his senses. The boy's voice was in his ears, and a smiling face was in front of him.
"What's Changyou thinking? I called him several times, but he's unhappy that I'm catching turtles?" Murong Yue asked.
The memories were bleak and desolate, but the scene before him was incredibly vivid. Lu Xuejin looked at the boy's lively appearance, which dispelled the deathly stillness around him. He couldn't help but pinch the boy's cheek. As soon as he pinched him, the boy's handsome face showed slight displeasure. He clearly didn't like this position, but he didn't dare to make any rash moves because the object of his pinch was him.
“Of course I’m thinking about Your Highness. Your Highness is so lively, you can disappear in the blink of an eye. If you keep running around, how about we find a chain to tie you up?” he asked with great interest.
His words didn't frighten the boy; instead, they made him blush. Murong Yue's eyes flickered, sometimes showing excitement, then turning shy, then barely concealing his excitement, and then immediately feigning composure so that he wouldn't see through his act.
"Then you have to pick out a nice necklace for me, brother," Murong Yue said to him.
Lu Xuejin: "..." He couldn't help but sigh, feeling helpless with the boy.
Murong Yue leaned over and kissed his ear twice, then gently licked it, saying to him, "Brother, come with me, I'll show you something good."
He let the boy pull him up. He had spent the morning exploring the temple with the monks, and the boy had already thoroughly explored the place. They chose a forest path that he hadn't noticed that morning. They walked through the forest, the bamboo swaying gently, and the Buddha statues within slowly closed their eyes, as if they were sleeping in the gaps between the bamboo groves.
Lu Xuejin: "Your Highness remembers the route so clearly in just one hour?"
“That’s easy,” Murong Yue replied. “You’ll know when you get to Lidu. All the hills in Lidu look the same, and it’s like a maze. If you can’t remember the way, you might even get lost in front of your own house. Besides, I like playing maze games. You’ve seen mazes made of boards before, Changyou. My mother made a lot of them for me, and I could always run faster than my uncle.”
Murong Yue: "There's a great mystery in this bamboo forest. I'll find out soon."
They walked through the bamboo forest, and beyond the path was a wall covered with scriptures and ivy. Now, with the leaves of the ivy withered at the beginning of autumn, only the color of the fallen leaves remained, covering the scriptures.
Murong Yue walked to the wall, where two green snakes still hung. The young man knocked on the wall, and an echo was heard; the wall was empty. At the bottom of the wall was a niche containing a mangled Buddha head. Murong Yue moved the Buddha head aside, revealing a passageway that shone with golden light.
“Brother, I got my hairpin from here,” Murong Yue said.
As he spoke, Murong Yue bent down again, moved the Buddha's head aside, reached into the passageway, and took out several gleaming gold coins. The gold coins shimmered in the sunlight, obscuring the lowered faces of the deity.
Lu Xuejin noticed the boy's curious expression, as if he were on an adventure. She watched as he touched the object again, pulling out a large bronze sculpture of a human hand – the arm of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. The hand was in a mudra gesture, with a human eye in the center. The eye was sculpted with remarkable realism, truly Guanyin's eye.
“This should be the torso of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. Why is it here?” Lu Xuejin held the arm, his eyes lowered in thought. He and the boy hid in the shadows, waiting for the monk to arrive.
They waited from dawn until sunset, until night fell and the moon and clouds appeared above the bamboo forest, before they heard footsteps. Under the moonlight, the monk trudged along the path, his steps uneven. It was none other than Ji Ming, who had greeted them on the first day. Ji Ming arrived at the wall inscribed with scriptures and pressed the four characters "Holy," "Spirit," "Of," and "Earth" on it. As the four characters appeared, the central wall transformed into a twisted door, which slowly opened.
Lu Xuejin and Murong Yue entered together after Ji Ming. Inside was a passageway that led to an empty palace within the wall. This palace was filled with countless golden lights and a dazzling array of gold and silver treasures. Countless Buddha statues had collapsed and crumbled, turning into gold and silver components scattered on the ground.
In this land of utmost purity and clarity, a land of unparalleled gold and jade, countless treasures of gold and silver piled up, making one feel as if stepping into a dream palace. The image of the Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin was shattered into pieces and collapsed amidst the gold.
“It seems a bunch of rats live in this temple,” Murong Yue said, picking up a Buddha eye, still inlaid with jade. “They steal lamp oil under the Buddha’s guise, using the airs of gods and Buddhas to bully others. They’re hiding their wealth here, but I wonder where it came from. If it came from the common people, this is the most profitable business in the world.”
Ji Ming went deeper; he only needed to follow the passageway to reach the deepest part.
Lu Xuejin picked up a piece of gold and jade brick. This piece of gold was enough to feed the people of Liancheng for half a year.
He couldn't help but sigh, "Perhaps there's more to the story. If the items they've taken in were all donations from officials and merchants, it doesn't count as robbing the people. Besides, what's the point of robbing? They're going to the Buddhist temple for their faith."
“Brother Changyou is truly naive,” Murong Yue said, leaning closer. “Having already eaten meat porridge, how can there be talk of innocence? If they were innocent, what’s hidden underground shouldn’t be jewels, but ten thousand volumes of Buddhist scriptures.”
“It seems our trip was worthwhile,” Murong Yue said, looking at the jewels and already having a plan for how to spend them. “We’ll capture these bald men, and then we’ll add half of the remaining wealth to my and Changyou’s treasury, and send the other half to Liancheng.”
Looking at the young man's expression, Lu Xuejin realized that His Highness had already written his name on these valuables.
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