Turning the last bend on the avenue, there are the five peaks of Lingyun Mountain in front of you, and the Nanzong Temple that is located in the layers of peaks, which can accommodate 100,000 monks and nearly 200,000 pilgrims and believers.

At the foot of the mountain should be the bustling Fangsheng River, which stretches left and right on both sides of the river, and is a long street filled with the smell of fireworks.

Under the black and shiny tiled house, there are all kinds of people who sell incense, pastries and tributes, vegetables and fruits, candy sellers, rock sugar gourds, cold and hot drinks, monkeys, fortune tellers, begging and selling medicine.

Pilgrims and devotees, before and after going up and down the mountain, must wander around this simple but human-rich street to feel the prosperity and peace of Nanzong Temple.

But now in front of Yifeng and the others, there is a lonely bridge with no one in sight, and the river flows quietly, silently winding into the distance.

On both sides of the river, long black tiled houses were empty, covered with yellow dead leaves blowing from nowhere, and rows of doors were closed, and there was no one in sight.

Only occasionally one or two dirty wild dogs and wild cats popped out, howling twice at the autumn wind, and the sound was empty and spread into the distance.

Walking across the bridge, the stone pier, which was originally crowded with countless people rushing to make wishes for release all day and night, often broke their heads and could not stand, now seems extremely wide and empty.

The wharf is like a release dojo without sacrifice, and only the release river is quiet and far away.

However, without the noisy Fangsheng River, the river water is much clearer.

At the foot of the mountain, the towering huge stone archway was empty, and there were no more men carrying sedan chairs and pilgrims who were afraid of heights and difficult to climb.

On the lonely stone archway, there is a stone staircase scattered with withered yellow leaves, and occasionally one or two inexplicable birdsong dotted the quiet peaks.

Ascending the stone steps, there is no trace of incense in the courtyards, and the countless temples that are lifeless seem to change color.

The originally shining jujube red walls and golden glazed tiles are now covered with a layer of ashes, a gray one, like a strange group of stones growing on Lingyun Mountain.

There was not a single figure, and occasionally two lonely bells rang out, and I knew that there were still living people in this strange stone group.

Yifeng and the others stopped in front of the Do'e Bridge and watched all this quietly,

Yifeng and the others have only stayed in Nanzong Temple for a year.

Ben Qian and Master Zhiran and others have lived in Nanzong Temple for a lifetime, for many years, every day is the prosperous and bustling Nanzong Temple, now it is empty as in the barren mountains and mountains.

They never imagined that one day Nanzong Temple would become so dilapidated, so lonely, and so lonely.

An autumn wind blows, and the leaves are flying.

On the stone steps, and halfway up the mountainside, there are patches of dead forests that fall faster than the foot of the mountain, and the fallen leaves are blown up like paper money burned for sacrifices—the yellow leaves all over the mountains and fields pay tribute to the decaying Buddhist path.

Master Ran only felt cold to the bone, and old tears were running across his wrinkled face.

Yuqiuni's originally cold cheeks shed two tears, and Ben Qian was even more red-eyed, sobbing and unable to control herself.

Yifeng and the others were also extremely uncomfortable in their hearts, their second home, and spent many unforgettable and warm days here.

When she first learned the magic exercises, she danced and boxed and summoned spirit beasts in the Erran Courtyard, and Xiu Gu cheered happily on the side;

Senior Brother Ben Chang wakes them up to eat every day, and laughs at their senior brothers and sisters during the evening fast;

Sometimes the fire monkey and Shuli were secretly drinking, and Senior Brother Ben Chang bumped into him, and he also covered his face and hurriedly ran over;

I also remember the Lantern Festival at the beginning of the year, and the bright and splendid prayer lantern festival of the entire Nanzong Temple······

Nanzong Temple carries many of their warm and happy times, and now it has become so lonely, they are also extremely sad in their hearts, and they have thought that Nanzong Temple is like this, so what about Qingshan Temple?

Senior Brother Yuan Yin and Guangchen Master Ancestor, the two of them are guarding Qingshan Temple, and Qingshan Temple has also fallen into a strange stone on the mountain full of dead leaves? Are they okay now?

The more they thought about it, the more sad they became, and they almost didn't see a group of people coming down from the mountain.

When they walked out of the mountain gate and hurried down to the archway at the foot of the mountain, Yifeng and the others saw them, and it turned out to be the abbot master and the senior brother Ben Chang.

Yifeng and others hurriedly dismounted, led the horse across the Doe Bridge, and greeted the archway under the mountain.

After a while, everyone converged under the stone archway, and Yifeng looked at the abbot master and the others, all of whom took off the bright robe of the robe, but wore a blue-gray monk's robe.

When they first walked down, from a distance, the color of their monks' robes, which matched the color of the blue-gray stone steps, was inconspicuous, and they looked like a pile of rubble rolling down in a group of strange stones.

Master Abbot looked at the tears on the old face of Master Ran who had aggravated several layers of wrinkles, and he was inevitably sad and heartbroken, and the three of them supported him and wept silently.

Senior Brother Ben Chang saw Yifeng and the others, hugged Yifeng tightly in his arms, his eyes were red, his nose twitched and tears were shed, and he asked why he didn't see Aunt Xiu.

Yifeng easily broke free from the embrace of Ben Chang, and after roughly telling Ben Chang the reason, Ben Chang was inevitably sad again.

It took a long time for everyone to recover from their sadness and loss, and several elders who followed Master Abbot down also came up to greet Master Ran and the others.

Yifeng looked behind the abbot master and found that in addition to the monk's robes and costumes becoming extremely simple and plain, there were also many fewer people, so he took a few elders such as Elder Hong, and more than a dozen disciples.

Where are the 100,000 monks of Nanzong Temple?

At this time, Elder Lifa and Ben Yuan also rode their horses from the side of the avenue, and when they came to the front, they rushed off their horses, and without even saying hello, they asked with a face: "Where are the people?

Master Abbot wiped away his old tears and scolded: "What are you messing about, are there any rules?"

Elder Lifa was so anxious that his face turned red, and he said loudly: "I've only been away for more than ten days, where is this person, when I left, there were a lot fewer pilgrims and believers, but the senior brothers and disciples are still there, why is there no trace of them? Just now I thought I had arrived in a barren mountain and a wild mountain!

Master Abbot said lightly: "I sent everyone away." ”

Elder Lifa was so anxious that he stomped his feet and said anxiously: "Senior brother, are you old and confused, how can you send them away, why do you want to send them away, how many people are left?"

Master Ran also asked Master Abbot what was going on.

Master Abbot shook his head and said with a lonely expression: "After the Fa took the monks of Nanzong Temple and left, the people sent by Lu Tiesheng, the commander of the Yunzhou Legion, and the Yunzhou pastoral envoy to give the order arrived.

"The previous three golden dragon decrees ordered that Nanzong Temple was not allowed to make offerings except for sacrificing Buddha incense, and pilgrims were not allowed to give alms.

"This time, the order reads, in accordance with Emperor Wu's Golden Dragon Order, Nanzong Temple will retain 5,000 monks, and the rest will be dismissed. ”

Elder Lifa hurriedly said, "So you just listen to them?

Master Abbot's face was gloomy and he nodded.

Elder Lifa was so anxious that he shouted, "My stupid senior brother, is what they say?

"Why are you so confused! How can such a Buddhist path last forever? And they will not be wiped out little by little until they are wiped out? Then the five or six thousand monks and soldiers who died in battle under my leadership of the monk regiment died in vain?"

Master Abbot said angrily: "What can I do?!Don't I want to keep them?!Since the execution of the Golden Dragon Decree some time ago, Nanzong Temple has been immediately affected.

"In addition to the pilgrim benefactors who are decreasing every day and cannot give alms, more than 100,000 people in the temple have to eat, and the temples below are demolished, and all the acres and money and grain under it are also given to the monks and households.

"More than 100,000 people in the temple can't even eat, so if they don't disperse, will they all starve to death on the mountain?"

Elder Lifa was about to reply, and Master Abbot continued: "What's more, the deputy general who sent the order said that the 50,000 Yunzhou legions around Nanzong Temple are gathering, and if they don't comply, the 50,000 troops will immediately go up the mountain to personally exterminate the Buddhist monks!"

And they arranged a lot of soldiers in those days to watch both sides of the Du'e Bridge, so that many donors and pilgrims no longer dared to come to the temple to worship the Buddha.

The soldiers also went up to the mountain to patrol the places, forbidding the pilgrims to give alms secretly, which made the people panic. ”

Elder Lifa gradually quieted down.

Master Abbot said: "Not only that, but they also set up a row of recruitment positions on the side of the Du'e Bridge, and the soldiers are well paid.

"The consumption in the monastery was so great that when they saw that many of the monks were short of food and clothing, they immediately attracted all the young monks to join the army.

"The monks in the temple have decreased at a visible rate in the past few days, and tens of thousands of Buddhist monks can be reduced in one day, and I have not dismissed them by order, at least, I can still save the dignity of Nanzong Temple!"

Elder Lifa's face was extremely ugly, and he clapped his hands and shouted: "What can I do about this, I just sent people to find the monks of the temples that have revolted in various places, and let them come to Nanzong Temple to jointly resist the evil government of the imperial court!"

"Originally, I thought that our 100,000 monks in Nanzong Temple could fight to the death with the Yunzhou Army. Now there are only 5,000 old, weak, sick and disabled people left, and even the courtyards and halls of Nanzong Temple add up to more than 5,000, and the courtyards are more than people!

The master abbot seemed to have heard some terrifying words, and he was furious and shouted: "What?!You dare to have the heart of rebellion against the Yunzhou Legion?!"