The Romance of the Famous Marshals of the Early Tang Dynasty Li Jichuan

Chapter 7 Wisdom Accepts High Disciples

Early in the morning of the fourth day, after breakfast, Xu Gai and housekeeper Xu Quan brought the ingredients and old soup, and the two of them set off from home, and after nearly two hours of galloping, they arrived at the place where Sun Wu picked them up when they came last time.

The housekeeper Sun Dayou stepped forward and said with a smile: "The old lady ordered the two of us to come to greet us, today is the next day to wait here."

Xu Gai said: "Hard work." The four of them rode forward together, and when they arrived at Sun Anfu's house, after the guests and hosts were seated, Sun's father exchanged a few words with Xu Gai.

Xu Gai said with a smile: "Uncle, now you can make a famous dish, and you can eat it at noon."

Father Sun smiled, "Okay."

Sun Anfu and Xu Gai came to the kitchen together, Xu Gai said while making famous dishes: "Brother Yu went home and discussed with his wife, there was a private school Mr. Kong Siru in Huxian County, a year before Xu Maogong went to private school, suddenly moved away, I really can't find a good gentleman, Brother Yu discussed with his wife, and planned to let Xu Maogong go to Yicheng Temple to be a lay disciple, worship Master Huitong as a teacher to learn martial arts, and implore the virtuous brother to help persuade Master Huitong to accept Xu Maogong as an apprentice, as soon as it should be used, Brother Yu has been prepared."

Sun Anfu said with a smile: "As far as I know, there are no lay disciples in Yicheng Temple, and my father knows more about the situation in Yicheng Temple, so I will go to my father to talk about it." After speaking, Sun Anfu turned around and went out.

After a while, Father Sun and Sun Anfu came to the kitchen together, and Father Sun smiled and said: "Virtuous nephew, go to Yicheng Temple with the old man to do business, and it's not too late to come back to make famous dishes."

Father Sun, Sun Anfu, and Xu Gai came to the main hall, and Father Sun smiled and said, "Virtuous nephew, eat some snacks and drink some tea, and go to Yicheng Temple."

Sun Anfu called the housekeeper Sun Dayou and instructed: "Butler, take the worship sticker, go to Yicheng Temple to inform Master Huitong, and the old lady will accompany the distinguished guests to visit." The housekeeper Sun Dayou responded, "Yes." "Turn and leave.

After everyone had tea and snacks, Father Sun sat in a sedan chair, Sun Anfu, Xu Gai, and housekeeper Xu Quan rode to Yicheng Temple, about half a mile away, a group of monks came to meet them, six monks in gray robes, in the center was a tall thin monk in a yellow robe, and next to him was the housekeeper Sun Dayou.

The housekeeper Sun Dayou trotted to Father Sun's sedan chair and said with a smile: "Old lady, the first Huiyuan Zen master of Yicheng Temple came to greet you."

Everyone dismounted, and Zen Master Huiyuan came to Father Sun's palanquin, inquired, and said, "Senior Brother Abbot ordered the poor monk to come to greet Old Brother Sun."

The housekeeper Sun Dayou opened the sedan curtain, and Father Sun looked at Zen Master Huiyuan and said with a smile: "Zen Master Huiyuan, it's hard work, please lead the way."

Zen Master Huiyuan and six monks in gray robes were in front, and everyone walked towards Yicheng Temple.

Everyone came to the gate of Yicheng Temple, but saw that the temple door was wide open, there were two rows of monks standing in front of the temple gate, the first row of eight monks wearing yellow robes, the last row of twelve monks wearing gray robes, and an old monk wearing a yellow robe and a red robe stood in the front, which was Master Huitong, the abbot of Yicheng Temple.

Master Huitong walked quickly to the sedan chair of Father Sun, and Father Sun got off the sedan chair, Master Huitong inquired and said: "Outside the old man, the big driver is coming, and he is not welcome." ”

Father Sun pointed at Xu Gai and said, "The distinguished guests have some small things to trust, and they are here to treasure each other. ”

Master Huitong nodded with a smile at Xu Gai and said, "I respectfully invite the old staff and the abbot of the distinguished guest to have tea." ”

Master Huitong took Dad Sun's hand and walked forward together, the first Huiyuan Zen Master followed behind, Sun Anfu, Xu Gai, and Master Huitong entered the abbot's room of Yicheng Temple, and the guests and hosts sat down.

I saw Xingtong bring out tea. After tea, Xingtong took the tea cup and tray and exited the abbot's room.

Father Sun looked at Master Huitong and said with a smile: "The old man is entrusted by Xu Xian's nephew, and if he has something to ask for, he hopes that the master will agree."

Master Huitong said: "Old man, please speak."

Father Sun said: "A year ago, Mr. Kong in the county suddenly moved, and he couldn't find a good Mr. Xuewen, so he was willing to come to your temple to be a lay disciple, worship the master as a teacher and learn martial arts.

Zen Master Huiyuan interjected: "Except for Old Master Sun, since the temple was built, there has never been a lay disciple, how can you make an exception now?"

Master Huitong said: "The Buddha said that we should make good connections, and Xu Yuan should be kind to others, save the poor, and do not ask relatives. How can such good karma be turned away? In addition, the old man Sun is very helpful to the temple, even if the old abbot is in charge, he will not be the golden face of the old man. ”

Zen Master Huiyuan was so anxious that his face turned red, and he said: "There has never been an idler in this temple, who only eats and does not work."

Master Huitong looked at Father Sun and said: "Outside the old man, Senior Brother Huida is very old, and it is a little difficult to clean the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion, and the poor monk wants Xu Gongzi to help Senior Brother Huida clean the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion.

Father Sun said in surprise: "This ······?" looked at Xu Gai. Xu Gai looked at Father Sun, then at Master Huitong, and then bowed his head and said nothing.

Sun Anfu smiled and asked, "Master Huitong, how can you let a twelve-year-old rich boy clean the Hidden Scripture Pavilion?"

Master Huitong looked at Sun Anfu and said, "Nephew Sun Xian, it is indeed a little difficult for the twelve-year-old rich son to clean the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion, why don't you wait a year or two to come back?"

Master Huitong looked at Father Sun and asked, "Old man, do you see this arrangement, are you satisfied?"

Father Sun looked at Xu Gai and asked with a smile, "Nephew Xu Xian, do you think Ling Gongzi will come now, or wait a year or two to come back?"

Xu Gai replied: "The little nephew will go back and discuss with his wife and eldest son before replying."

Master Huitong asked, "Senior Brother Huiyuan, is it okay for the old monk to arrange it like this?"

Zen Master Huiyuan replied, "It's all up to the abbot's arrangement."

Master Huitong looked at Father Sun and asked, "Outside the old man, thanks to the help of his brother, the poor monk can settle down here, and the old man has not come to our temple for six years, can he have some fasting here?"

Father Sun replied: "Master Huitong, thank you for your kindness, the old man is old and his teeth are not good, so he can't eat fast, so I will leave after disturbing me for a long time." After saying that, he stood up.

Master Huitong said with a smile: "Outside the old man, I haven't been here for six years, and the poor monk Gong sent him out of the temple."

After speaking, holding Dad Sun's hand and moving forward together, the first Huiyuan Zen Master followed behind, Sun Anfu, Xu Gai, housekeeper Xu Quan, housekeeper Sun Dayou walked out of the mountain gate of Yicheng Temple with Master Huitong, everyone waved goodbye, Sun Dad sat in a sedan chair, Sun Anfu, Xu Gai, housekeeper Xu Quan, housekeeper Sun Dayou rode back to Sun Anfu's house.

After everyone entered the main hall, the guests and hosts sat down, the servants offered tea and snacks, and Father Sun took a sip of tea and said: "On the way back, the old man has been thinking in the sedan chair that Master Huitong's arrangement may be the best."

Xu Gai smiled and asked, "Uncle, why do you say this?"

Father Sun said: "Virtuous nephew, do you know, when Master Huitong was involved in the internal disputes of the Northern Qi royal family at that time, the royal family he supported lost power, he escaped and secretly ran to my house, I discussed with my father, I felt that it was safer to send him to Yicheng Temple."

My father and I took Master Huitong to Yicheng Temple overnight, found the old abbot, explained the situation, and the old abbot said that quietly shaving him into a monk would not arouse suspicion; At that time, the backyard of Yicheng Temple only lived the six disciples of the old abbot, the old abbot found a meditation room in the backyard, Master Huitong lived alone in that Zen room, chanting scriptures during the day, practicing martial arts at night, until the Northern Qi Dynasty died in 577 AD, people outside the temple of Master Huitong, he only saw his father and me.

Sun Anfu interjected with a smile: "Dad, I heard that Zen Master Huiyuan arrived at Yicheng Temple several years later than Master Huitong."

Father Sun said: "Yes, Master Huitong came to Yicheng Temple in the second year, the old abbot went out to travel, and when he came back, he brought back a five-year-old boy, and the old abbot later told me that the boy was the son of an old friend, his parents died, and the old friend entrusted him before he died, so he took the boy back to Yicheng Temple, and this boy was Huiyuan Zen Master. Strange to say, for more than 30 years, no relatives and friends have ever come to Yicheng Temple to visit Zen Master Huiyuan. ”

Father Sun continued: "Among the monks of the Hui generation, the old abbot is most optimistic about Huida Zen Master, Huitong Master, and Huiyuan Zen Master.

Twenty years ago, on the tenth day of the first month, the old abbot planned to let Huida Zen Master be promoted to the first seat by the capital temple on the fifteenth day of the first month, this day suddenly came out of the news, Huida Zen Master and the daughter of the widow of Zhang Daren Zhuang Zhang had a scandal, the old abbot was furious, and ordered to remove the Huida Zen Master from the position of the temple, so that he would clean the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion for life.

After looking hard for a year, the old abbot did not find the right person to be the first seat, in desperation, it was decided to let the master of Huitong be the first, the master of Huitong resolutely improper, the old abbot looked for the old man, and persuaded the master of Huitong together, the persuasion failed, the old abbot looked for his father again, and our father and son persuaded for a whole day and a night, the master of Huitong reluctantly agreed, and the master of Huitong put forward the conditions, waiting for the Huiyuan Zen master to grow up, the position of the first seat was given to the Huiyuan Zen master, and the old abbot agreed.

Three years later, Master Huitong was promoted from the first to the abbot, and after another five years, the old abbot was old and frail, and had reached the level of merit consummation on the abdication, after the election of the monks, Master Huitong became the second abbot of Yicheng Temple.

In the first year of Master Huitong's reign, Master Huiyuan was prejudiced in his heart, he always believed that it was Master Huitong who robbed the position of the abbot of Master Huida, and Master Huiyuan often contradicted Master Huitong, sometimes for the sake of colliding and colliding, but Master Huitong's words and deeds, his bones were clear and high, and he disdained to see a villain like Huiyuan Zen Master, and the six uncles thought that it was Master Huitong who connived at Zen Master Huiyuan.

For this matter, at the request of the six uncles, a meeting was held in the abbot's room to discuss the matter, and Master Huitong, six uncles, the old man, and Zen Master Huiyuan attended.

Sun Anfu interjected: "Dad, I also went that time, I'll talk."

Father Sun smiled: "Okay, you come, I'll drink tea for a while."

Sun Anfu continued: "Master Huitong said: Six uncles, if any one is willing to be the abbot, the poor monk will immediately let the virtuous and become an ordinary monk.

The six uncles all shook their heads.

Everyone came to the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion together, found Huida Zen Master and then discussed the matter, Master Huitong said that if Huida Zen Master was willing to be the abbot, the poor monk immediately let Xian and go to be an ordinary monk himself.

Zen Master Huida said: "The decision of the old abbot is right, the position of the abbot must be sat by Master Huitong."

Zen Master Huiyuan came up with a compromise plan and said: "Master Huitong will be the abbot, and Zen Master Huida will be the abbot."

Zen Master Huida scolded: "Huiyuan, don't say more."

Zen Master Huida looked at the six uncles and said, "The little monk has violated the color precepts, and he is willing to obey the punishment of the teacher, and he is willing to live in the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion for the rest of his life."

Father Sun interjected: "That time, the old man saw that there were only two people in Yicheng Temple Huiyuan Zen Master who did not contradict each other, one was the old abbot, and the other was Huida Zen Master."

Xu Gai asked, "Uncle, why doesn't Zen Master Huiyuan contradict Zen Master Huida?"

Father Sun replied: "Virtuous nephew, this is a long story, when Zen Master Huiyuan came to the temple, he was only five years old, and never relatives and friends came to visit him, among the more than 500 monks, there are always ten, eight unscrupulous disciples, often bullying him, Huida Zen Master is the elder brother of the Hui generation, and he is kind-hearted, and often maintains Huiyuan Zen Master, so Huiyuan Zen Master is sincerely grateful to Huida Zen Master."

Xu Gai asked, "Uncle, how can this temple be so bullying the weak?"

Father Sun replied: "Virtuous nephew, although the temple is small, it is also a river and lake, and Zen Master Huiyuan was only five years old at that time, and he was helpless."

Sun Anfu said: "Brother Xu, you don't have to worry about Ling Lang, Ling Lang has your father, father, and younger brother, and he will often go to the temple to see him."

Father Sun said with a smile: "Virtuous nephew, in the entire Yicheng Temple, only Zen Master Huiyuan does not give face to the old man, and there will be no unscrupulous people to bully Ling Lang."

Father Sun looked at Sun Anfu and said: "My son, when the eldest son of Xu Xian's nephew comes to Yicheng Temple to be a lay disciple, you give the ancient inkstone in the old man's study to Zen Master Huida, and tell him: The old man asked him to take care of Xu Gongzi, and Zen Master Huida will understand the deep meaning of the old man."

Xu Gai interjected: "Uncle, what I said in advance, I should use it, and the little nephew should prepare it himself, and the little nephew will go back to prepare a gift and give it to Zen Master Huida."

Father Sun said: "Virtuous nephew, Huida Zen Master has a hobby of practicing calligraphy, other gifts Huida Zen Master will not receive, the old man's ancient inkstone, Huida Zen Master has seen a few times, he also likes it, this ancient inkstone to him is not a gift, just to express brotherhood, he will understand the old man's mind, Huida Zen Master will naturally take care of Xu Gongzi more carefully."

Father Sun took a sip of tea and said: "Master Huitong is a martial arts idiot, his mind is used to practice martial arts, study the art of war, the big and small things in Yicheng Temple, are all decided by Zen Master Huiyuan, Master Huitong never takes the initiative to ask, let Xu Gongzi clean the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion, Master Huitong wants Huida Zen Master to maintain Xu Gongzi, the old man sees it as the best way."

Sun Anfu asked, "Dad, how about finding someone to clean up for Xu Gongzi?"

Father Sun said: "This method has also been thought of by the old man, one or two days can be, but after a long time, he will definitely not be able to hide from Zen Master Huiyuan, and when Zen Master Huiyuan discovers it, the trouble will rise and it will be out of control."

Father Sun said: "Virtuous nephew, Ling Lang has been in contact with the villain early, he can see the ugly face of the villain, and understand more about the sinister side of the human heart, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, Master Huitong once told me that he was instigated by the villain in Northern Qi and was involved in the disputes of the royal family, and as a result, he lived in the temple for most of his life."

Father Sun continued: "Virtuous nephew, are you hard to find a famous teacher?"

Xu Gai replied with a smile: "Uncle, it's true, Mr. Kong in the county has been looking for many years and can't find it."

Father Sun looked at Xu Gai and said with a smile: "Virtuous nephew, when you go home, discuss it with your wife and Ling Lang, and wait for a year or two, and you can come back when Xu Gongzi grows up."

Xu Gai replied: "My wife also supports her son to learn some skills, when the little nephew came, she sewed cotton clothes at home overnight, and wanted the child to bring a few more cotton clothes to Yicheng Temple."

Sun Anfu said with a smile: "Brother Xu, go and make famous dishes with my younger brother, make famous dishes, and chat while eating."

Father Sun smiled and asked, "Virtuous nephew, the old man is hungry, when can he start eating?"

Xu Gai replied, "You can start the meal in an hour." After speaking, he stood up and went to the kitchen with Sun Anfu to cook famous dishes.