The ancient Buddha Temple is on the edge of the morning market by the South River, and when they came out of the back door of the old Wangjia fruit shop, they could see the seven treasure pagodas in the temple when they looked up.

Tao Qi and Di Xu accompanied Shang Cheng and went around the small ancient Buddhist temple, and soon came to the pagoda.

This seven-story wooden pagoda is probably the oldest building in Yanzhou City, and there has always been a saying among the people that "there are seven pagodas first and then Yanzhou City". According to the local legend, when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty invaded the Huns, on the eve of the expedition, the sky suddenly appeared seven treasures glazed light, Yao Ran Huang ran all night long, and then the three armies were excited, 30,000 miles out of Yanshan in the north, beheaded the Hun king on the coast of the North Sea, and Yanshan was no longer suffering from the Huns. After the army returned victoriously, the generals who led the troops built this seven-treasure pagoda on the original site of the military camp, and the incense has continued to this day.

This legend is clearly unreliable. How could the pagoda be built during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty? Although Shang Cheng never really became a monk, he also knew that Buddhism was introduced to the Central Plains in the second half of the first century AD during the Eastern Han Dynasty. However, he can understand the feelings of the person who compiled this legend, Yanshan is the edge of the Han people's range of activities, and has always been the focus of the Han and grassland peoples......

When Shang Cheng raised his question about the age of the construction of the ancient tower, Tao Qi smiled and explained the confusion of the Admiral: "It is not Emperor Wu of Han who repairs the tower, but Emperor Wu of Wei. This pagoda is recorded in the local annals, and it was built by the monk Shi Chuantuo in the 26th year of Jian'an. When I first came to Yanshan in the fourth year of the Eastern Common Era, I also saw a remnant tablet here, and there was a text on it, which said: 'Spread the inscription and feel the Buddha...... I wish to do my best...... Buddhism Gao Jiang Liu Qi Wu Tong Peng Zhang...... Then the four of them will help ......'. I saw it once in the previous two years, but the handwriting became more and more illegible. As he spoke, he led the two to a densely woven place behind the tower, opened the weeds and looked at them, and couldn't help shaking his head and sighing, "The monument is gone......

Shang Cheng saw that there were several sections of large stone pillars crawling with green rust lying in the grass, and under the stones were layers of gravel rubble, and there was a big gap in the gray and mottled courtyard wall in the past, and the black handprints of the little doll, the hemp soles of the adults were clear, and he couldn't help but shake his head. It seems that the incense in this temple is not prosperous, and the monk has no longevity, and he is too lazy to know how to repair the collapsed wall.

He asked Tao Qidao: "Twenty-six years of Jian'an?" Isn't 'Jian'an' the name of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty? How can you say that this tower was built by Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei? ”

"This is not said in the local chronicles. However, this matter was mentioned in the "Yanshui Geography General Examination", Jian'an 25 years Wei Wu sent troops to recruit the Huns, and won a big victory the following year, in order to raise his might, he ordered to set up nine pagodas in the north. This Seven Treasure Pagoda is also one of them. The twenty-sixth year of Jian'an is the first year of Wei's Yankang, and it is not a fallacy to record it in the book. ”

Shang Cheng frowned and didn't say a word. The history of the Seven Treasure Pagoda is long, and the original origin is difficult to distinguish and understand, but he always feels that there is something wrong with Tao Qi's words, but he really can't say what is wrong, there is always something wrong...... The strange feeling he had when he watched "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" swelled up in his heart again, as if the history that Tao Qi told and the history he knew were in most places, but the subtleties were completely different. These differences are too subtle, they are all knowledge that belongs to the dead end of his memory, and the dazed trance feeling seems to be a flash in the pan in his mind, which can neither be grasped nor distinguished......

The three of them searched separately in the rubble, but in the end they did not find the remnants of the monument that Tao Qi had seen. Seeing that it was still early, Di Xu proposed to go to the monk's house in the side courtyard to sit for a while. He said that the abbot monk in this temple learned the good skill of cooking tea in the south, and he hid good tea leaves, if he entered the ancient Buddhist temple and did not drink fragrant tea, it was really better not to come.

Shang Cheng agreed with a smile.

When they arrived at the side courtyard, the abbot monk had already prepared a room for them. After offering tea, when Di Xu signed a sesame oil money on the merit book brought by the abbot, the three of them were left in the pure monk's hall and sat without embarrassment.

Shang Cheng took a sip of water from the cup and asked Di Xu, "How much incense money did you fill?" ”

"Five."

"So much?" Shang Cheng said in surprise. He glanced at the teacup in his hand, grinned, and said, "No wonder I saw the abbot monk smiling when he went out." One by one, this delicious tea soup can be sold at such a high price, and I have to grin on the back of my head if I change it. ”

Di Xu and Tao Qi smiled, lowered their heads and ate tea without speaking.

Shang Cheng raised his eyes and looked at the layout in the monk's house. On the east wall, there is a large folding fan that is opened, and the four corners are fixed with wooden nails, and the fan with the painting "Fishing Picture of Smoke Willow Clothes" almost covers half of the wall; There are two banyan bonsai trees with branches and vines on the side of the west wall, the shape is quaint and the shape is natural, between the two scenes is a sandalwood case, and the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone four-color study room on several cases are readily available; In the open north window, a half-rolled fine southern bamboo curtain is faintly blue-yellow, and it is more and more lush and deep under the background of the sun...... Looking around, I couldn't help but sigh: "Good place." He praised twice in a row, and said, "Everything is good, it's just as bad—this place doesn't look like a monk's temple." ”

Di Xu said with a smile: "The monks of this ancient Buddhist temple originally had few who could recite scriptures, and many who knew how to make a living. There are a small half of the shops in the morning market outside that are their temple property, and these monks don't have to go from door to door along the street to make money and food supplies that can't be eaten, where do they still need to worship the Buddha and concentrate on cultivating their minds? ”

That's what happened.

Tao Qi saw Shang Cheng nodding and was silent, thinking that he remembered his experience when he was a monk, so he smiled and diverted the topic and said, "Di Gongyan is left." Let's say it's good to come to eat tea and chat, what do you care about the monks in this temple? Whether they recite the scriptures or make a living, as long as they don't disturb their neighbors and don't commit adultery, what can they do? One by one, there is something to tell Zida first. It's also a happy event, one by one, Uncle Huo Gong, who tried to go to the countryside today......"

Uncle Seventeen has been promoted in the exam? Shang Cheng couldn't believe it. In order to help him, Huo Shiqi ran around every day and his legs were thin, where did he have time to warm his books, how could he pass the township test? He hurriedly asked, "Tao Gong, this matter can't be spread randomly!" Is it really over one by one? ”

Tao Qi twisted his white beard, nodded with a smile, and said, "I met Sectarian Wen in the teaching workshop last night, and that's what he said. It's just that the list of state schools has not yet been finalized, so Huo Gong has not decided on a ranking for the time being. ”

Even if Tao Qi didn't say so, Shang Cheng believed it. He knew that Tao Qi would never joke with himself about this.

What a happy event!

He was sincerely happy for Uncle Seventeen.

Hey! After two days, Aunt Seventeen came to Yanzhou with a few little girls, and I heard that Uncle Seventeen was lifted, I don't know what she will be happy about!

He immediately thought about how to celebrate Huo Shiqi in his heart. In the new mansion that Uncle Seventeen had just purchased, a large banquet was certain; If you want to hold a flowing water seat, invite everyone who can be invited, and set up a flowing water seat in a beautiful way. Well, Uncle Seventeen has not been doing things again for a long time, and there have been many disasters and difficulties in the past two years, and the money must be very tight, and if you want to make the banquet bright, the money must not be spent less, but there is no problem with this! Uncle Seventeen has no money, he does! In addition, he also has to reconsider Uncle Seventeen's position, and it is two heavens to raise people and show talents, and he can't let Uncle Seventeen be a deacon anymore...... The right of the sixth room of the Admiral's Palace? Well, this is an eighth-grade official, it seems to be a little higher, and Lu Ji and they won't agree immediately. It's not too much of a problem, though. Uncle Seventeen has not yet been paid for his efforts in dealing with the aftermath of Yanshan, and when the time comes, he insists on setting the reward higher, and Lu Ji can't tear his face with himself for this matter, right? Oh, by the way, there's also the matter of filing with the Ministry of Newspapers. Let Guan Xian write the document, his writing is good, maybe the official of the Ministry of Officials will see the official document he wrote, and he will promote Uncle Seventeen to one and a half levels......

Thinking about it, he himself was amused by the ridiculous thoughts that came to him.

I just don't know how Guan Xian and Lao Yao did in the exam. Why don't you go back and ask Wen Yan about it?

Di Xu couldn't help but be overjoyed when he saw him, and said with a smile next to him: "Zida will go back and tell me for Meng Changgong, and when the state school is Zhang Bang Seventeenth Uncle High School, Meng Changgong and I must come to the door to disturb a glass of wine." ”

"Welcome, welcome, definitely," Shang Cheng smiled all over his face, lifted the teapot to help the two of them fill the tea, and said, "Others can not be invited, the two of you have to come, I will invite Uncle Seventeen today......

"That's not going to work." Tao Qi shook his head and said, "I heard that Huo Gong's family will go to Yanzhou within ten years, and Wuyi Lane is also a big mansion newly purchased by Huo Gong. ”

Shang Cheng patted his forehead and said, "Meng Changgong is right! It's me who gets dizzy! When the list is posted, I will ask Uncle Seventeen to invite it door to door! ”

Tao Qi shook his head even and smiled, and his old face shrank into a ball. Di Xu said: "There is another happy event. The inspection department audited and examined the merits, Huo Gong handled all things properly and appropriately in the aftermath of Yanshan, and was set as the top of the first class, and the original plan proposed to grant Huo Gongzhu the post of county and county leader, but now it seems that this position is lower one by one, and the county order of Zheng County south of Huo Gong was awarded. He looked at Shang Cheng with a smile, "At that time, the inspection department will submit a document, and I also ask the governor not to be demanding because of the recommendation of relatives." ”

Shang Cheng glanced at Di Xu, the ghostly light in his left eye flashed and disappeared, his face was still full of smiles, and he asked, "Then who is better to be the chief deacon of the temporary public office for water control and road construction that we are discussing?" ”

Di Xu and Tao Qi glanced at each other, and Di Xu said: "Zhou Xiang, the official of Duanzhou, has excellent knowledge and integrity, and has a straight character. ”

Shang Cheng's face turned gloomy. He put down the teapot and asked, "Zhou Xiang has a conflict with Li Shen again?" ”

Tao Qi knew that the matter could not be hidden, sighed, and said: "The commander also knows Li Shoude's temper, as long as it doesn't go his way, he can't see it." Zhou Xiang was squeezed by him in Duanzhou, and he couldn't do it anymore......"

Shang Cheng frowned and thought for a moment. He knew Zhou Xiang. This person's ability is still there, and his speech in Yanshan's state and county officials is also very weighty, and after thinking about it, he said: "Okay, according to your suggestion, let him come back to the Health Department to do things." However, the affairs of the temporary public office are heavy, and he is the only one who takes care of the details, and I am afraid that there will inevitably be omissions. In this way, since Huo Shiqi has passed the township test, and the inspection department has also audited his political performance, and he himself is a person who is not afraid of tedious and tiring, it seems that he can also take on some heavier burdens. What do you think? ”

Tao Qi and Di Xu pondered for a moment, and both nodded slowly: "The commander is very thoughtful, Huo Gongze is indeed a person who can do things, and Right Jianshu is the most suitable for his position." ”

After talking about official business, the three of them talked about other things, and after eating in the monk's house, they dispersed.