Chapter 309: Ancient Ruins
Patna, the capital of the central state of Bihar, India, near the ancient Magadha king's house, is where the ancient Nalanda Temple is located!
However, the Nalanda Temple, built in the 5th century AD, has long since disappeared in countless years of war, and now only a large area of ancient ruins remains.
Two ordinary Indian youths, a man and a woman, dressed in traditional Indian costumes, walked into the ancient ruins of Nalanda Temple together.
Changsheng and Xiao Wu have both turned into dark yellow skin, especially Xiao Wu, there is a blood-red spot between the eyebrows, which is very similar to the red spot on the eyebrows of Indian women!
The appearance of the two has also changed a lot, almost no different from ordinary Indian youth, even if they are very familiar friends, they may not be able to recognize them.
The two walked into the ancient ruins of Nalanda Temple, and under the suspicious eyes of several security guards, they stopped and watched the ancient city walls and huge earth pits around them!
"Xiao Wu, do you think that since we put on makeup, people have been paying attention to us from time to time, are we not pretending?" Changsheng glanced at his security guard vigilantly, and whispered to Xiao Wudao.
Xiao Wu also felt the same way, as if everyone was paying attention to themselves, but Xiao Wu couldn't understand the situation, carefully looked at Changsheng's whole body, and replied in a low voice, "I think that whether it is clothing, appearance or behavior, you are pretending to be very similar, and besides, we didn't speak, how could others see that we were disguised?"
"I don't know, could it be that we were noticed by Ling Feng's people?"
"It's also possible!" Xiao Wu nodded and said in a low voice, "Otherwise, let's put on the makeup of foreigners, maybe this will be better......"
As he was talking, a foreign tour group came next to him, a young female tour guide holding a small flag, walking in the front to lead the way, holding a megaphone, pointing to the huge Buddha statue in the distance, and explaining in pure Mandarin, "This Buddha statue is the legendary Buddha Shakyamuni statue......
Attracted by the sound, Changsheng and Xiao Wu looked at the tour group at the same time, and the two of them suddenly had a sense of intimacy!
The tour guide of the tour group was a Chinese little girl of about 20 years old, and introduced in a sweet voice: "Nalanda Temple was founded in the 5th century A.D., and it was the highest institution of learning and academic center of Buddhism in ancient Central India! Nalanda Temple was large-scale, and in its heyday, there were as many as 9 million volumes of books, and scholars of all generations came out in large numbers, and tens of thousands of monks and scholars gathered here...... In addition, the masters of the Tang Dynasty who came to study Buddhism at Nalanda Temple include Master Huiye, Lingyun, Xuanzhao, Daoxi, Daosheng, Mahayana Deng, Daolin, Zhihong, and Wuxing......
"How did such a large Nalanda Temple disappear?" asked a visitor next to him.
"There are very complex historical and religious reasons for the decline and even demise of Nalanda Temple, and it is difficult to explain this!" the little girl thought for a moment and replied, "However, the direct cause of the decline of Nalanda Temple from glory to decline is the invasion of the Turks...... It is said that in 1193 A.D., the Turks captured Nalanda Monastery, the monastery and library suffered very serious damage, and a large number of Nalanda monks fled to Tibet for refuge! Since then, this most glorious Buddhist center has gradually lost its former glory and has been forgotten in the long river of history with the passage of time!"
"Is there any other reason?" Changsheng involuntarily stepped forward and asked.
"Huh?" the little girl involuntarily took a step back, and in order to hide her embarrassment, she replied with a smile, "You speak Mandarin very well!"
Only then did Changsheng notice that he was speaking Mandarin just now, and said with a faint smile, "What you said is also very good!"
"Hahaha......"
Seeing that Changsheng, a simple Indian youth, was so interesting, the Chinese tourists behind him burst out laughing!
"Little girl!" Changsheng stepped forward and said in a low voice, "I found that when you saw me just now, you seemed to be startled, is there something wrong with me?"
The little girl was a little embarrassed, bit her lip and replied, "Are you pretending to be Indian?"
"Huh, how do you tell?"
"You shouldn't pretend to be a pariah!"
"Untouchable, why do you say I'm a pariah?" Changsheng glanced at his clothes, which were not much different from other Indians, and wondered, "How did you see it?"
At this moment, four burly bearded bodyguards came from a distance, and the four bodyguards overbearingly pushed away the pedestrians who were blocking the way, protecting several Indian men and women to this side!
These Indian men and women should be a family, covered with gold and silver jewelry, with a look of pride on their faces, which seems to be born with their own, as if they were born superior!
The male owner squinted his eyes, and just saw Changsheng and Xiao Wu surrounding the little girl of the tour guide, his expression suddenly changed, and he was talking about something.
"Uh, you guys, hurry up!" the little girl could understand Hindi, her expression also changed, and she whispered to Changsheng and Xiao Wu to leave quickly!
"What's wrong?"
Without waiting for the little girl to explain, the two bodyguards had already rushed to Changsheng and Xiao Wu, and they couldn't help but pull out the rubber roller in their waists, and smashed their heads and faces!
A group of tourists shouted in surprise to dodge, and asked what happened in fright.
Seeing that the rubber roller was about to be pumped on Changsheng's face, but suddenly, two stout bodyguards flew backwards and fell to the ground with a bang!
Xiao Wu stood in front of Changsheng and stared coldly at the two bodyguards in the distance, and the arrogant Indian.
The Indian man was also startled and looked at Xiao Wu in shock!
The nearby Indians exclaimed in surprise, pointing at Changsheng and Xiao Wu, with a look of surprise and fear on their faces.
"Uh, you pariah, how dare you resist?"
It's like Xiao Wu fighting back, which is a very incredible thing.
The other two bodyguards rushed forward with angry faces, picked up the two companions, and touched their waists with their right hands!
Xiao Wu squinted his eyes, just saw the pistol on the bodyguard's waist, his expression suddenly turned cold, and one leaped in front of the four bodyguards, and instantly kicked the two bodyguards to the ground!
The other two bodyguards wanted to fight back, but Xiao Wu was faster, grabbed the two of them and slammed them together.
Seeing the four of them lying on the ground and screaming, Xiao Wu pulled out the pistol in their waists, disassembled it into parts, pointed at the Indian man, and whispered in English, "Get out!"
Presumably, this family never thought that they would be scolded by the untouchables on the street, and they couldn't react for a while, and stood on the spot in a daze!
The four bodyguards stood up with each other's arms, hurriedly greeted the Indian man and woman, and limped out of the ancient ruins, not even daring to pick up the weapon parts on the ground.
"What did they just say?" Changsheng walked up to the little girl and asked in a low voice!
"They, they say, 'You are pariahs, you cannot stand beside me...... Why are you pretending to be untouchables?" replied the little girl timidly.
Regarding the matter of untouchables, Changsheng still understands!
The caste system in India divides people into four classes, which are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras!
Among them, the Brahmins were mainly monks and aristocrats, who had the privilege of interpreting religious scriptures and worshipping gods, as well as the right to enjoy offerings, and the main education, audience Kshatriyas, who were responsible for monopolizing cultural education and reporting on the agricultural seasons, as well as the right to interpret religious discourse!
Kshatriyas were military and administrative aristocrats, Brahmin audiences, who had the privilege of collecting all kinds of taxes, presiding over the army, and were responsible for guarding the Brahmin class!
Vaishyas were ordinary Aryans, politically privileged, and had to provide for the first two ranks in the form of alms and taxes!
The fourth class is the Shudras, who are overwhelmingly subjugated indigenous peoples who belong to the non-Aryan and are the most populous castes and are also considered the lowest castes.
At this time, Xiao Wu also understood the reason, and with a little remorse, he asked, "Little girl, how do they distinguish untouchables?"
"Because your complexion, dress, and appearance are very similar to other Indian untouchables!" The little girl was a little afraid of Xiao Wu, and timidly replied, "You better go first, they will not give up!"
Changsheng nodded, and said to Xiao Wudao, "Stay by the side, whoever dares to be presumptuous, take them all!"
"Understood!" replied, pulling out a slinger from his backpack.
"Little girl, I have a question for you!" Changsheng asked with a smile, "You just said that after the demise of Nalanda Monastery, many monks fled to Tibet, is there a record of this?"
"I don't know!" the little girl thought for a moment and replied, "but I have heard that many monasteries in Tibet retain the heritage of Nalanda Monastery, and even the monasteries near Kailash are related to Nalanda Monastery, which means that although Nalanda Monastery is gone, its Dharma mantra is not dying out, but is spread all over the world like dandelions...... Oh, by the way, I also heard that the Mingjue Temple, which is not far from here, has also inherited the Buddhist heritage of Nalanda Temple!"
"Mingjue Temple?" Changsheng muttered.
"Yes!" the little girl added, "It is said that some monks of Nalanda Monastery did not flee to Tibet, but rebuilt Mingjue Monastery and practiced in Mingjue Monastery!"
"I understand, thank you!" Changsheng thanked him and turned to walk towards Xiao Wu!
At this time, Xiao Wu had already knocked down more than a dozen Indian men, a few of whom were bodyguard-like people, five or six Indian policemen, and seven or eight ordinary people.
Changsheng couldn't help but laugh secretly, and stepped forward and said, "Little Five, let's go!"
The Indians lying on the ground glared at Xiao Wu angrily, scolding something in their mouths, but unfortunately Xiao Wu couldn't understand a word, followed Changsheng out of the ancient ruins of Nalanda Temple, and said embarrassedly, "Changsheng, I'm sorry!"
"Hehe, I don't blame you for this, I thought there was no caste system in India, but who knew that those guys arranged identities for people just based on other people's looks?" Changsheng smiled, and then said, "Don't tell them about this, or you won't be laughed at by them?"
Xiao Wu nodded awkwardly, and then said, "Where are we going now?"
"Find a place first, change your appearance, and then go to Mingjue Temple dozens of kilometers away!"
"Mingjue Temple, do you think Ling Feng will be there?"
"Actually!" Changsheng said in a low voice, "Judging from the information I have gotten, it is impossible for the Eight Treasure Glazed Pagoda to appear in Nalanda Temple, let alone in the hands of the monks of Nalanda Temple!"
"Why?"
"Have you forgotten?" Changsheng said as he walked, "Nalanda Temple was destroyed in 1193 AD, and earlier in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, and even during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Indian monks went to the Central Plains to find the Eight Treasure Glazed Pagoda, so it is almost certain that the Eight Treasure Glazed Pagoda may have appeared in Nalanda Temple, but it has long been lost......"
"You mean to say that Ling Feng doesn't know this information?"
"It's possible that he doesn't know, but it's more likely" Changsheng smiled faintly and said, "He wants to set a trap for us again, let us drill the ......"
"Huh, how is that good?"
"Don't worry, this time, let's make good preparations, take down Ling Feng in one fell swoop, and take back the Mozi Sword in his hand!" Changsheng smiled lightly and walked out of the ancient ruins of Nalanda Temple.