In the middle of the night, black clouds covered the sun, and the earth was dull.

On the top of the eaves of the county government of Fei County, a carrier pigeon "coo" flew into the night sky and disappeared into the darkness.

After a few hours, the carrier pigeon crossed the mountains and over the barren land, and lowered its height above a bustling field of lights. The pigeon stooped down and flew towards a brothel, through the hall where the warblers were singing and drinking, and into the back hall.

In the corner of the back hall, an old servant with white hair was napping in front of the table, and when he saw the carrier pigeon stopped at the table, he suddenly got up in spirit, looked solemn, stretched out his hand, let the white pigeon stop on his forearm, slowly pushed open the hidden back door, and walked in.

Unlike the front hall of the brothel where flowers are blooming and singing every night, this backyard is guarded by four warriors with swords all over their bodies, and it is heavily guarded.

The old servant winked at the four guards, who walked away in amusement.

"Boss, this is a letter from Qingzhou." The old servant took out the scroll of paper from the pigeon's feet and unfolded it, and presented it respectfully to the man who sat in the hall.

The person sitting at the top read the letter, crumpled it into a ball, and said gloomily and angrily: "Liwu is an old subordinate who has followed me for many years, and he is also a person who has experienced wind, frost, snow and rain. Unexpectedly, this time it was defeated by a scholar......"

"Your Excellency...... Our strength in Qingzhou has been completely destroyed by that scholar, and the supply has been interrupted, which has affected the plan......"

"Boy, how can you have such a means......" the man sitting at the end frowned and pondered, "Privy Council, how can I explain it......"

"But...... My lord, the letter said that the scholar had passed the provincial examination, and now he was in Hangzhou, so he could go to Bianjing to take the palace examination. Isn't it...... I'll arrange for ......," the white-haired old servant asked.

"Well, be clean and decisive, and leave no traces!"

……

……

The day of the palace test is approaching, Liu Ming and Su Shi have also lived a chic life, and it is time to collect their hearts. In order to accompany his son to participate in the palace examination, Liu Yuanzhi also came to Hangzhou thousands of miles to meet his son.

Although Xing'er also wanted to accompany Liu Ming to take the exam, the latter considered that the mountain was high and the road was far away, and there were many inconveniences on the road to her daughter's house, so she asked Xing'er to stay in Hangzhou for a few more days, and she and Su Shi and her father embarked on the road to Beijing to take the exam.

Hangzhou to Bianjing, there are many hills and mountains and forests along the way, it is very difficult to walk, many times, the road conditions are so steep, there is no way to drive the carriage.

This line of people, walking and stopping, walking slowly. Because of the unfamiliarity with the road conditions, I often get lost.

Liu Ming was a little irritable in his heart, if these two tributes who participated in the palace examination couldn't catch up with the schedule because they got lost, it would be too stupid.

Helplessly, this road to Beijing to catch the exam was chosen by himself, and he had to finish it with tears.

Everyone climbed over the mountains and mountains again, and they didn't realize that it was getting late. There is no inn in this mountain forest. Liu Ming and the others heard that there was a Lindao temple on the top of the mountain, and that the presiding monk of the temple was kind and benevolent, and often helped passers-by, so they thought about going there to spend the night.

Lindao Temple is located at the top of Nayundae Mountain. The group hiked for a long time before reaching the top. The scenery on the mountain is wonderful, the clouds cover the peak, the sun turns to the mountainside, and the cliffs are pine.

The temple is also magnificent, the Daxiong Treasure Hall stands in the mountains, the Zen rooms are lined up one after another, the temple roof is covered with glazed gold and splendor, and the Buddha statue carving on the roof ridge is lifelike.

Liu Ming thought to himself, such a big temple, I am afraid that there are thousands of monks. He knocked at the temple door, and after a long time, no one answered.

"Look at it, this temple is big, and it also deceives customers. Son, let's go. Liu Yuanzhi was a little impatient.

"Dad, let's wait." Liu Ming said.

After a while, the temple door was opened, and a bald little novice saluted with his hands folded and said, "Two donors, are you offering incense or staying overnight?" ”

"Oh...... We're looking for Venerable Liberator. Please report to the young master. Liu Ming said. He looked at the little monk with a tiger's head and a tiger's head, big eyes and thick eyebrows, but he also looked clever and cute.

"Master Shi Neng ......" After the little monk heard this name, his face fluctuated a little, and his face was hesitant.

Liu Yuanzhi was flexible, he was afraid that the presiding officer of this big temple would be famous and the monks would be busy, so he didn't want to see him, so he immediately said nonsense: "Little Master, we are old friends with Master Shi Neng, and we haven't seen each other for many years. Please advise me. ”

Liu Yuanzhi closed his eyes, looked profound, and said: "We are also lay disciples of Buddhism, Taoism, and we are very interested in studying the matter of bowing to the Buddha. There is no Amitabha Buddha in the south, the Tao is the way, and the Tao is very Tao. May Allah bless you, Amen! ”

When the little monk heard this, he scratched his scalp in confusion, obviously not understanding the content of the second half of Liu Yuanzhi's sentence, he clasped his hands together and said: "Since the two donors are old friends of the abbot, then please come with me." ”

Liu Yuanzhi glanced at his son proudly, and followed the little monk in.

The Zen room in the temple, the courtyard pavilion, is very clean, but there are no monks. Liu Ming just thought that the monks were still chanting scriptures in the meditation room, so he didn't care.

The little monk led the two to the second Yuhua Courtyard, stopped in front of a meditation room, opened the door of the meditation room, and bowed down to invite the two of them in.

"Amitabha, Amitabha Fei ......" Liu Yuanzhi crossed the threshold with a haha, preparing to meet the legendary monk. However, I saw that no one existed in the meditation room, only a golden Buddha statue of Shakyamuni stood in front of the tribute table.

"This ......" Liu Yuanzhi looked at the little monk in confusion.

The little monk burst into tears, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and sobbed: "The two donors, the host of Shi Neng passed away two years ago. Now in the sandalwood box on the desk, there are relics of Master Shakoneng. ”

"Huh?" Liu Yuanzhi looked surprised.

Seeing the little monk's eyes crying and swollen like peaches, Liu Ming's heart was a little sour, the little monk named Fakong seemed to have a deep relationship with the old host, maybe it was the host who brought him up. Seeing that he was only eight or nine years old, it was the moment when he needed the care of his parents, and it happened to be the death of the old host, how could he be desolate?

Liu Ming couldn't bear to comfort in his heart: "Little Master, Master Shi Neng, full of Buddhism, this time to drive the crane west, jump out of the Three Realms, and not suffer from that reincarnation, it should be a good thing." ”

The little monk nodded ignorantly: "The donor is right about the Dharma. It's just that...... Fakong, I'm just sad......" The little monk wiped his tears with the back of his fleshy hand again.

Liu Ming said, "Little Master, we want to spend the night, can we let the other monks in charge of the temple come out and meet us?" ”

However, Fakong's reply in the next second surprised him.

"Two donors, I am a monk in this temple." Fakong bowed and said in a milky voice.

"What?" Liu Ming was dumbfounded, "Little Master, are you saying that in such a big temple, you are the only monk?" ”

"Amitabha, monks don't speak. It's really me. Fakong nodded and said, "The two donors are old friends, you might as well go to the side room and sit for a while, and I'll make you some tea."

Liu Yuanzhi scratched his head: "The situation of this temple is quite strange, I see that there are still a few households next to the temple, I see that this little monk is still young, and he can't say it clearly." It's better to go out and ask about the situation. With that, Liu Yuanzhi slipped out.

After a while, Fakong ran out holding a brown crockpot, allowing Liu Ming to see the contents clearly, and pointed with his finger: "Donor, I have a total of four pieces of tea, and now I will give you two pieces, and there are two more pieces to wait until the master of the Death Day Festival......"

Even the tea leaves for hospitality are only a few left, and the situation in this temple seems to have reached a very embarrassing point.

Liu Ming hurriedly said, "Little Master...... This Lin Dao Temple is so big, why are you the only monk? ”

The little monk sat cross-legged on the futon on the side, lowered his head, and pouted: "I don't know why Uncle Shi and they all left." They want me to go, too, but I don't want to......," Fakong said, looking down and pinching his fingers.

At this time, Liu Yuanzhi came back, he mysteriously pulled Liu Ming aside, and whispered, "I inquired about the neighbors just now." I kind of know what's going on! ”

Liu Yuanzhi 1510 told Liu Ming what he had just asked his neighbors.

It turned out that the incense in this Lin Dao Temple was originally prosperous, and it was all supported by the prestige of Master Shi Neng alone. But all the villagers who need to pray for good weather and wealth, wealth and children, can fulfill their wishes. Before Venerable Shak Neng passed away, he told the more than 100 monks and four elders and governors in the temple that they would continue to promote Buddhism and continue to build the Lindao Temple. However, after the death of Shakoneng, the heavens were not beautiful, there was a drought and a locust plague, and the people came to pray for rain, but there was no effect. The local magistrate also came to ask for a son, gave birth to a son, but died, which made the magistrate furious and ordered the messenger to guard the Lindao Temple and not allow pilgrims to offer to the Buddha.

This Lindao temple was originally maintained by incense money, which cut off the offerings, and the living conditions of the monks in the temple deteriorated, and finally in winter, they couldn't even afford firewood. As a last resort, several senior monks had to go to the temple in a neighboring county. The trees fell and scattered, and the remaining monks who were still layman, and those who defected to other temples, all found their own way out. Only this little monk named Fakong, who was brought up by Shi Neng, had deep feelings, and he didn't want to leave anything, so he stayed in this temple.

Liu Ming heard this, a little embarrassed and sighed, judging by his knowledge, even if the county issued a ban, but those monks and great virtues in the temple, if they want to continue to build Lindao Temple, they can always come up with a way, the county government is embarrassed by themselves, and it is a big deal to go to the state capital to beat the drums and drum grievances, and then it is not good, so they go to Bianjing to sue the emperor. Now under the rule of Renzong, it can be regarded as a peaceful and prosperous era, and there are many virtuous ministers in the capital, and they will never be ignored. It is estimated that those high-ranking monks are timid and afraid of things, so they don't do it. During his lifetime, hundreds of monks shared prestige and benefits, but after his death, there was no one to inherit the mantle. Before his death, everyone said that he was grateful, and after death, everyone wanted to abandon the grave. It is difficult to draw dragons and tigers, and it is difficult to draw bones, and knowing people and faces does not know their hearts.

Liu Ming saw Fakong sitting there with his head bowed, and saw that his sleeves were worn out, and the monk's socks were also washed yellow, thinking that he was just an eight or nine-year-old child, but he was alone in this temple, and he could still chant Buddha scriptures, rain or shine, cold and heat, thinking of this, he sighed and admired.

This Fakong is the same age as Xiao Rou, but the situation is much worse.

Liu Ming lowered his head, took out all the copper coins and broken silver he had brought from his money bag, and walked to the incense box that was already full of dust in front of the tribute platform.

When Liu Ming stuffed a string of copper coins into the box, Fakong was stunned by the side, he was a child, and he was naturally very happy to see so much money, and even forgot the etiquette of the children of the Buddhist family, and danced with his hands, "It's great, it's great!" With so much money, you can buy a better urn for the master. ”

Su Shi also followed suit and poured all his money into the urn. With tears in his eyes, he squatted to the side again, probably touching the scene and pondering some verses.

"Two donors, Amitofu, accumulate virtue and great goodness." Fakong clasped his hands together and said, "On behalf of Lin Dao Temple, I would like to thank you. If you don't like it, why don't you spend the night here? I'm here to entertain you. ”

"Hospitality?" Liu Yuanzhi sniffed, "What do you entertain us?" If you spoil your only two remaining tea leaves, we will be upset. ”

Fakong thought for a while with his fingers in his mouth, and then had an idea, and said with both hands on his meaty face, "Two donors, let me show you the two cats I raised." Let them put on a show for you...... Thank you ......."