This is a large scale of the "Futu Ren Temple".

When you stand outside the gate, you can see a pagoda rising from the ground in the backyard, the pagoda is seven stories high, and it is a combination of wooden structure, platform and stone structure with the characteristics of the ancient Celestial Empire.

This form of building is relatively stable and can resist natural disasters such as earthquakes to a certain extent, but it also has obvious shortcomings in fire prevention and preservation life.

But now it's the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

To be able to build a stupa up to seven floors is already almost up to the ceiling of the architecture of this era.

It can be inferred from this that this county town called "Qianxian" may not be simple, at least in modern times, there may have been some rich and powerful scholars, and it is still a person who believes in and respects Buddhism, so he will build a "Futu Ren Temple" of such a scale in this place at any cost.

However, Buddhism that spread in the Celestial Empire was not so pure.

Youyun: "When Ying was young, he was a good ranger, a traffic guest, and he liked Huang Lao more in the evening festival, and learned to fast and sacrifice for Futu."

It is said that Liu Ying, the king of Chu, in his later years, not only believed in the set of "Huang Lao Dao" made by Yu Ji, but also admired "Buddhism" very much, and built many "Futu Ren Temple" for sacrifice.

In general, religion is highly xenophobic.

Even if there are different schools of religion, there will be incompatibility between the schools, so that each other's followers will regard each other as infidels, and there will be constant conflicts, and the war of words at the beginning will evolve into a cruel bloody conflict.

The most striking example of this is the "Shia" and "Sunni" in the Middle East, although there are some forces or countries with ulterior motives to stir up trouble, but the millennium-long differences and mutual hostility between the two schools are the root cause of the perennial wars here.

And it can be seen from the record in it.

In this era, there seems to be no obvious conflict between foreign Buddhism and Taoism, which was born in the Celestial Empire, but rather an extremely rare phenomenon of coexistence and complementarity.

People can practice both Taoism and Buddhism, which is almost impossible in the history of many religions.

However, now, the original plaque on the door of this "Futu Ren Temple" has been replaced.

Instead, there is a plaque with three large characters written on it: "Shou Cao Dao".

It seems that "Shou Cao Dao" has occupied the magpie's nest.

The group walked up the steps at the entrance of "Shou Cao Road", and more than a dozen guards wearing simple armor guarding both sides immediately bowed slightly to the female protector in white and respectfully called out "Right Protector".

The female protector in white still didn't squint, and didn't make any response, so she walked into the door with her head up.

The twenty or so archers who followed her consciously took off their bows and arrows and placed them on a platform on the right side of the gate.

Then another archer came over and said to Wu Liang: "No one in the main altar is allowed to carry weapons, and those who ask you to store weapons here should also be kept here, don't break the rules." ”

"Well said."

Wu Liang smiled and nodded, and turned around to signal everyone in the Hingren Army to do so.

So there was an extra copper dagger and more than a dozen strange-shaped sapper shovels on the platform, and those guards looked at it strangely, but Wu Liang and the others were brought by the female protector in white, as long as they didn't violate the rules, the guards didn't dare to come up and ask questions in the face of the female protector in white.

So the group entered the compound.

The courtyard is also the architectural structure of the courtyard, there are smaller halls in the east and west, and in the middle is a square that seems to be able to accommodate at least one or two thousand people, and there are many huge bronze incense tripods in the square, and each incense tripod is inserted with a thick incense fire, which is constantly emitting green smoke.

Directly north of the square is a larger temple.

In a Buddhist temple, this large hall facing north and south is generally called "Daxiong Treasure Hall" or "Tianwang Hall" and the like.

But at this time, the plaque on the hall has also been replaced, and the words "Heavenly Master Palace" are engraved on it.

The white-clothed female protector led everyone straight to the "Heavenly Master Palace".

There were also some guards in the courtyard, and there were many believers who were hurrying, and these believers were basically women, and they didn't look very old.

"Right Protector."

These people still bowed very respectfully to the female protector in white.

The white-clothed female protector still didn't say anything, and after a short time with Wu Liang and the others, she walked through the square and entered the "Heavenly Master Palace".

The roof of the hall of the "Heavenly Master Palace" is very high, roughly estimated to be more than two zhang, and there are some square platforms built of bricks and stones about half a meter high on the east and west sides and due north, and there are some less serious signs of damage left on the square platform.

Based on these details, Wu Liang guessed that these square platforms should have been used to place the Buddha statues enshrined here.

It's just that after the "Shou Cao Dao" dove occupied the magpie's nest, the great sage master not only ordered someone to change the plaque, but also ordered someone to remove all the Buddha statues enshrined here.

Today, there are some couches and tables on these square tables.

In particular, on the largest square platform due north, there is a couch of comparable proportions, and the table is also much longer than that on the east and west sides.

If Wu Liang's guess is correct, it should be the throne of the "Great Sage Heavenly Master".

At this moment, the hall was empty.

However, some voices with a strong sense of picture can be heard coming from the apse:

"Heavenly Master...... Please let the Heavenly Master bypass the servant, the servant is willing to be a cow and a horse for the Celestial Master in this life...... Heavenly Master, don't ......"

"Don't be afraid, when your father and mother saw you sent here, they prayed to the Heavenly Master to bless you, if you are obedient and obedient, I can not only ensure your longevity, but also ensure the prosperity and health of your father and mother in your family, this is an opportunity that others can't ask for, you don't want to miss this great opportunity in confusion."

"But the Heavenly Master...... Not! ”

"Shhh...... Syllable! ”

"I don't know what to lift! Today, you have to obey and obey, and if you don't obey, if you dare to resist again, you will be a traitor to Shou Cao Dao, do you know the fate of a traitor?! ”

"The servant doesn't dare anymore! Please forgive the heavenly master, the servant knows that he is wrong......"

"Take it off yourself!"

“……”

Wu Liang had already imagined the following scene, this "Great Sage Heavenly Master" should be "blessing" a virgin who was sent here by his parents.

It's a pity that this girl should be a little nervous, or a little resistant, and inadvertently hurt or hurt the "Great Sage Heavenly Master".

So much so that the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" was so angry that he no longer used the previous means of coaxing, and directly began to coerce and force this girl to give in...... Obviously, the consequences of becoming a traitor to Shou Cho Dao are quite serious.

By this time, the girl should have been forced to give in.

All you can hear in the apse is the girl's faint sobs......

That's when it happened.

"The right protector hears that people have something important to ask to see the Heavenly Master, please show up to see the Heavenly Master!"

The white-clothed female protector suddenly raised her voice and shouted loudly.

Voices echoed through the empty hall.

Wu Liang looked back at her, only to see that her brows were frowning slightly at this moment, and she didn't know what she was thinking in her heart......

"Heard ...... people"

"Wenren" is a relatively rare surname, and "Zhao" is her single name, and it turns out that the female protector in white is called this name, which sounds like a good name.

But.

The emotional intelligence of this white-clothed female protector seems to be a little low, and it is a little inappropriate to suddenly interrupt the good deeds of the "Heavenly Master" at such a time, and the "Heavenly Master" will inevitably be dissatisfied.

Of course, it may also be because the female protector in white has no fear.

After all, being able to become the protector of "Shou Cao Dao" means that she still has some abilities that the "Heavenly Master" has to rely on, or something else, if so, even if the female protector in white deliberately spoils the good deeds of the "Heavenly Master" at a critical moment, the "Heavenly Master" should not be able to do anything to her.

……

A moment later.

Seeing the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" coming out of the apse, Wu Liangxin was surprised again.

This so-called "Great Sage Heavenly Master" is not a normal person at all, but a dwarf who is only about one meter and two meters tall?

From his face, it can be inferred that this person should at least be a middle-aged man in his thirties, and even looks a little handsome, but this face is placed on the short and thick body, especially the way he walks and shakes, it makes people really unable to associate him with the word "handsome", and only thinks it is very funny.

No wonder before entering the city, Wen Renzhao specially reminded him that after seeing the "Heavenly Master", if the "Heavenly Master" came to him, he would immediately bow down, and he was not allowed to raise his head to look at him.

It is very likely that it is because of the height of this "Heavenly Master".

Even if a normal person like him bends down to look at him, he has a feeling of looking down, which may stimulate the self-esteem of this "Heavenly Master".

However, Wu Liang did not have the question that "dwarfs can also be heavenly teachers".

In ancient times, people did not have a clear understanding of many things, and this kind of dwarf born with physical defects would be said to be "born out of phase" in their eyes, and some people would even deliberately exaggerate this "out of phase" in order to create the image of a person with destiny.

For example, Confucius's "top is like anti-universe", which translates to low in the middle and high on the four sides, a bit like a kappa......

Another example is Zhang Taigu's "head is like a pen", Liu Bei's "ears are over the shoulders" and "hands are longer than the knees", Zhou Wenwang "has four breasts in the chest", and Xiang Yu "has two pupils...... And so on and so forth.

In later generations, these are the images of ordinary people who will only sigh "freaks" after seeing them, and then hide far away, but in the eyes of the ancients, they are "born out of phase" that will become a great thing.

Therefore, the dwarf will not affect the prestige of the "Heavenly Master", and may even become a gimmick used by him to shape his identity as a god-man.

At this moment, the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" was obviously a little displeased, and sat on his own wide couch with the support of another tall man, and then glanced at Wen Renzhao with some impatience, and asked: "Right Protector, you said that there is something important to report, what is the important matter this time, let's hear it?" ”

"Does the Heavenly Master know that I took someone to the ancient capital outside the city this morning to investigate the fire?"

Wen Renzhao's eyes lowered, and he bowed slightly.

"Long story short."

The "Great Sage Heavenly Master" seemed to be still thinking about what he hadn't had time to do just now, and said a little impatiently.

"These are the people who started the fire."

Wen Renzhao didn't sell anything to him, pointed to Wu Liang and others and said, "They were soldiers under Kong Rong, the minister of Beihai State, because they didn't want to be used by Kong Rong to be deserters, and they heard about the prestige of our Shou Cao Dao on the way to escape, so they came to take refuge, but when they came to the city last night, the city gate was closed, so they had to hide in the ancient capital to temporarily avoid the cold, and then when they lit a bonfire to keep warm, they accidentally ignited an ancient tree, so a fire was born." ”

"Oh?"

Hearing this, the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" finally straightened up, looked Wu Liang and the others up and down for a moment, and then said, "My Shou Cao Dao is not for everyone, let alone a deserter." ”

Wu Liang followed Wen Renzhao's previous arrangement and did not answer immediately.

And Wen Renzhao had already picked up the conversation, and then said: "When this group of people fled, they secretly brought out a batch of supplies, as well as nine war horses, they are willing to dedicate all the war horses and materials to the Heavenly Master to show their sincerity, and now they have sent someone to pick it up, and it will be delivered to Qiancheng County in about seven or eight days." ”

"In this case, these people will be handed over to you for the time being, and they will report back to me when the horses and supplies arrive."

"Great Sage Heavenly Master" only then did he slightly hook the corners of his mouth to reveal a hint of a smile, nodded and said, "Zhao Protector, in addition to this matter, is there anything else to report?" ”

"Nope."

Wen Renzhao bowed and said.

"In that case, you should retreat first, and report to me when the horses and supplies are delivered."

"Great Sage Heavenly Master" had already stood up and waved his hand.

Wu Liang originally thought that after meeting the "Great Sage Heavenly Master", the two sides would have to talk more about it, and even the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" might have to ask him personally, at least he would have to understand them more before deciding whether to accept him as a believer, or seeing that he was so "sincere", he would arrange a position or something for him.

In this way, Wu Liang can also have a better understanding of the "Great Sage Heavenly Master".

As a result, I didn't expect that less than a minute after the meeting, the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" had already taken the initiative to end the conversation...... Maybe it's because they came at the wrong time, and the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" has to be sent when the arrow is on the line, right?

"Farewell."

Wen Renzhao didn't say any more superfluous words, turned around and walked out of the hall with Wu Liang and the others.

Wu Liang followed closely behind, but he noticed an imperceptible detail: at this moment, Wen Renzhao was clenching his pink fist, and even the bone joints on the pink fist were a little pale......

Meanwhile.

"This stinky woman, when she saw me, she still had this cold attitude, don't forget, I am a great sage heavenly master!"

Looking at Wen Renzhao's graceful back, the eyes of the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" gradually cooled, and he gritted his teeth and scolded, "If she hadn't been a member of the Wen family, she would have become my crotch plaything!" ”

"What the Heavenly Master said is extremely true, this woman really doesn't know how to lift."

The tall man next to him who was supporting the "Great Sage Heavenly Master" hurriedly responded, and then lowered his voice and sneered, "But as long as the matter that the Heavenly Master explained to his subordinates is done, I heard that the family will have no place in Qiancheng County, and I am not afraid that she will not take the initiative to send it to the door to pray for the mercy of the Heavenly Master......"