The first time I met Master Fa Xian and his six entourage was on the streets of the royal city of Khotan in the middle of summer last year.

This group of ragged Han monks were begging along the streets, and at first glance they knew that they had come from the north across the Huanglong Sand Sea.

The leader of the elder was holding a wooden staff, silver whiskers like snow, and looked weak and could be blown down by a gust of wind.

At that time, we had just returned from the Roman kingdom, and our hearts were full of gratitude and compassion for the rest of our lives.

In front of me, these monks came from the homeland of the Han Dynasty, how could I see such a scene, and Sha Mihan and the others hurriedly turned over and dismounted, eagerly greeted them.

He respectfully took out all the gold coins in his bag and put them into the monk's pottery bowl.

Being in this Khotanese Buddha country since childhood, I naturally understand the truth that giving is receiving grace, and I dare not have the slightest neglect.

I also understand that begging and fasting is the practice of these ascetics, and it is a sin to disturb them intentionally or unintentionally.

So, despite a stomach full of curiosity to ask these fellow monks where they came from, where they are going, and what kind of help they need, they endured it.

He bowed his head and stood by the roadside, ready to send them away.

"Amitabha, we monks do not accept gold and silver and secular things, and please forgive the donor."

The monk at the head clasped his hands together, his voice was as clear as the breeze, and his eyes were kind and tenacious.

He took my hand like an elder he hadn't seen in a long time, and poured all the gold coins into my palm.

"The old man is a destined person in front of my Buddha's hall, and I can't bear to leave. Please also ask the donor to give us some thin porridge and corn rice for our master and apprentice, the sea of sand and the sea of bitterness are boundless, Amitabha."

The elder sang the Buddha's name softly and bowed to me slightly.

We who believe in Buddhism know that those who give alms but the monks do not accept them, and they are regarded as people who have no relationship with the Buddha, which is a bad omen.

Master, this is saving me, and the heart of compassion is seen in the sea with a drop in the ocean.

"Yi Jincheng, the compassionate disciple of the master, is also a son of the Eastern Tuhan family, his ancestral home is Jincheng County, Longxi, and he met the master Sansheng today, and I am fortunate to have a few monks' houses in front of my house that are temporarily vacant, if the masters are not too simple, they can rest there for a period of time before going on the road."

I hurriedly and respectfully invited.

The experience of going in and out of the Huanglong Sand Sea twice told me that this group of monks is now on the verge of collapse, and if they do not recuperate in time, replenish their body fluids and restore their spirits, they may be worried about their lives.

"Amitabha, Yi Shi has a heart, the old man heard in Chang'an that the people of the Western Regions in Khotan Buddha are simple and compassionate, and it is indeed worthy of its name, Amitabha Buddha" Elder Whitebeard sang the Buddha's horn to show his gratitude.

Seeing that the elder agreed, I hurriedly asked Shamihan to hire a chariot and horse from nearby.

Then I personally drove this group of monks from Han land to my family's monks' meditation hall on the shore of Qingfengze.

Like all the ascetic monks who come and go all the year round, in addition to giving alms of vegetarian tea and fasting every day, my mother, who believes in Buddhism, and my wife, Kurina and Gulando, never go over to disturb the spiritual retreat of these wandering monks.

If you want to stay, you will stay, and if you want to go, this has been the case for decades.

I only learned from the mouths of other monks that their master, Sha Ming Fa Xian, came from Chang'an, Dongtu.

They prepared to go to the country of Tianzhu Buddha to obtain the Vinaya Sutras.

Master Fa Xian and his entourage cultivated in my monk's room for about ten days, and then they set off to go to Zanmo Temple to sit in peace and translate

The Sanskrit scriptures went.

During that time, I was busy guarding the tomb of my grandfather Ding, and I temporarily lost contact with this group of monks.

After the Buddha's Birthday, the ground temperature on the South Road of the Western Regions became hotter, and my caravan officially embarked on the journey to the North Tianzhu Fulou Shafo Country.

Recalling the business journey four years ago, Uncle Su and I were full of emotion on the horse.

At that time, Grandpa was still the backbone of the whole team, and ordinary old people such as Langton and Hesrul were still in the team, and more than 100 camel horses carried silk from Dongtu Jiankang.

Now there are no two old guys in the caravan, but new faces such as Sabing, Hull, and Nimi have been added.

Gu Landuo, Sha Mihan, Qin Chong, Liu Zhen'er and I are no longer what we used to be, the scenery along the way is still the same, but the mood seems to have changed.

Only Duo'er's condor, "Qingluan", is like knowing that the caravan is going to its homeland.

All the way, hovering high and low in the clouds ahead, from time to time there was a pleasant chirp.

Since there was no need to carry silk, only a few hundred "Chang'anfang" Kunlun Jade Buddhas and a small amount of gold and silver coins were prepared.

Therefore, we did not have any camels ready to transport goods on our westward journey, and all of them rode forward, and we came to the territory of Pishan country in just one day.

Qin Chong and the others are now the old men of the caravan, and they have experienced so many sinister rivers and lakes over the years, and they have become more and more silent and clean.

Without any instructions from me, he, Shamihan, and Liu Zhen'er arranged the daily affairs of the whole team in an orderly manner.

No more absurdity like the way to Rome, chattering around me all day long.

Only Gurandot is still the same as before, with endless energy and endless topics.

It seems that he can talk to everyone in the team, including the new team members Sa Bing and Nimi.

Such an angelic presence made the scene of the entire caravan much softer.

Now that I have officially become the head of the Qingfengze caravan, it will be my mission to make money from now on.

All the guys on the team hope that I can grow up to be a businessman who stands up to the heavens and the earth as soon as possible, like my grandfather in the kingdom of heaven.

Because the caravan is not only a business for us, but also related to the livelihood and well-being of them and their families.

Now that this is the first time to lead a business, everyone hopes that I can learn more Taoist experience and survival from Uncle Su.

There were no major matters to decide on the way, and almost no one would say a word in front of me.

Therefore, I can only move forward with Uncle Su and chat with his old man to pass the boring time on the way.

After the country of Pishan, it slowly entered the green mountains that shook the sky and stretched for thousands of miles.

The speed of the horse team has also gradually slowed down, and some sections need to be dismounted and walked to pass.

"Young master, now there is another big deal on the business road of this thing, hehe, the young master may guess what kind of business it is"

Uncle Su's beard is all white, and his back is slightly hunched, but his spirit is still the same.

As he spoke, there were a few wild people from the Northern Tianzhu Mountains with rattan baskets on their backs and red skin, hurrying from the top of the southwest snow line.

After exchanging greetings with folded hands, they followed our path in the direction of the city of King Pishan.

Uncle Su stood on the side of the road, pointed at me with a wooden cane, and asked with a smile.

"Uncle Su smiled, he has spent so many years in the western kingdom of Yunhai, and the business on this road has long been forgotten, and there are more profitable transactions in this world than our Han silk."

Suspicious, I removed the water bladder hanging from the saddle and took a few sips.

"Of course, the scale is not as good as the silk trade, but the profit in it is ten times that of our silk business, hehe."

Uncle Su is still selling Guanzi, and he refuses to say what kind of business it is.

"Could it be some kind of exotic flowers and plants or rare mountains and seas?"

I suddenly remembered that the Tianzhu people I had just passed by exuded a drowsy fragrance.

"The young master is really smart, he will break it at one point, hehe is this spice transaction"

Uncle Su stroked his white silver beard and smiled with relief.

"The spice on the back of these Tianzhu merchants just now is called Humble Belo Incense. Because it is produced in the country of rest, the world also calls benzoin, and it is said to have the effect of warding off evil spirits and restoring the soul. If their small basket of original incense can be successfully delivered to Chang'an and Luoyang in the eastern soil, they can get the benefit of a thousand gold. ”

Behind them, Qin Chong, Sha Mihan and their horses followed, and the hillside quickly became crowded.

I hurriedly hugged Uncle Su, an old man and a young man walking side by side, listening to him talk about the most profitable business in the world.

"With such a high level of water, why have I never heard grandpa tell you that we can't do what others do?"

I asked suspiciously, Tianzhu wild people can operate with their bare hands and shoulders, but our dignified caravan of 100 people turns a blind eye, this is not the way of businessmen.

"Young master, spices were the earliest offerings in front of the Buddha's altar. Tianzhu Buddha country, where there are temples and shrines, are the peak of incense, and the raw materials for making incense are these resin agarwood produced in the southwest countries. The old man said that he would not compete with the Buddha for profit and would not trade in spices, so he broke off the idea of my caravan engaged in the spice business. ”

Speaking of this, Uncle Su looked regretful.

In the face of a profitable business, it is a pity for an old man like Uncle Su who has been walking on the business road for decades.

Since I have my grandfather's testament in front of me, I don't dare to talk to Uncle Su about this spice trade anymore.

"Young master, the Fulousha we went to is now the royal city of the Northern Tianzhu Buddha Kingdom. From then there is Jiandra, where most of the world's Buddhism comes from, which can be called the holy land of the Buddha country, and it is also the place where the spices of the countries are traded and distributed. ”

Uncle Su told me about what he had seen and heard in the Tianzhu countries, and about the strange fragrances and strange woods that I had never seen before.

Ambergris, cinnamon, suhe, agarwood, cardamom, sandalwood, acacia, pepper.

The origin, function, name and market price of each spice, the name of the Tianzhu seller, the water transported to the Eastern Tuhan Land, and the loss on the way, Uncle Su is like a few treasures.

"Young master, in the country of Tianzhu Buddha, the world's strange incense has always been the exclusive use of Buddhism. Miss Duoer went to ask the Buddha this time, without the guidance of a guide, following the fragrance of ambergris and Suhe, you can follow the Buddha's return, hehe. In Chang'an, Dongtu, these Tianzhu Qixiang has the power of dispelling evil and eliminating disasters and prolonging life. ”

Uncle Su has long been fond of trading with spices, and has been speculating and researching for many years, and now he has become an expert.

If I'm willing to get involved in this field, it's a matter of course, and he's going to be able to help me.

What I am more interested in is Uncle Su's "follow the incense and ask the Buddha".

Shang and Buddha

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