"Finally found you!" Mu Zixu was excited and nervous, his heart jumped suddenly, and he hurriedly said, "Let it go—I have to live here!" ”

Shi Jianmei saw that Mu Zixu's face was pale, so she hurriedly put down the painting and said, "No, it's too dangerous here!" ”

"It's not dangerous, what did the emperor ask me to do?" Mu Zixu said, "I want to live here, and in the evening in three days, please send troops to meet you!" ”

"Why three days?"

"I haven't stopped, I'm tired." Mu Zixu said, "Besides, there are many masters in this temple, I have to wait for the opportunity to ......" At this point, he heard the sound of boots outside the courtyard, and an old monk with yellow eyebrows walked in wearing a robe, and put his palms together and asked: "Amitabha, the old man Jue Yuanji first greets him, and the two donors are happy and good!" Mu Zixu hurriedly got up and clasped his palms together and said: "The believer Li Risheng, who made a special trip from Changchun, dared to ask the abbot and the great monk to open the door of convenience, and allowed my uncle and sister-in-law to knock on the living Buddha!" ”

Jue Yuan sat down in front of the Zhongtang desk, and said in a deep voice: "Fang Cai Mingxuan has already been gifted. Lord Lingtang is pious and respectable! Sex Ming disciples since childhood to take refuge in my Buddha, to understand the three vehicles and the bitterness and happiness of all non-existence, face the wall for ten years to sweep the dust of the clear mirror, has realized the true meaning of my Buddha, the next is scheduled to sit in the temple on May 25 next year. At that time, not only the two, all the good men and women in the world can come to Luobai, it is very inconvenient to disturb at this time, please forgive me! When Mu Zixu heard this day, he sighed in his heart, this day was when Kangxi was in Jinling! But somehow it didn't match what Wei Dongting said, so he asked, "Isn't it three days later?" ”

"The layman is mistaken!" Jue Yuan Huo Ran opened his eyes and said, "Three days later, I will pass away in vain. Shi Jianmei didn't believe it at all, all the monks in this temple were empty, and they knew that they could predict their own life and death, so I really wanted to ask, "Your apprentices are all going to Elysium one by one, why don't you rely on the world and refuse to achieve nirvana?" He pursed his lips and smiled at the moment and said, "Elder, this is unfortunate, I still have to go to Yangzhou with the shopkeeper." For so long, my brother has to stay with you. As he spoke, he took the silver ticket in Mu Zixu's hand and held it with both hands, "Some incense money, please accept it!" Jue Yuan took it a little reluctantly, and said for a long time: "...... Okay, just live in Lanruoyuan, and you have your own food, but you have to follow the rules of the temple - you have wronged the donor! ”

Mu Zixu was arranged in the West Chamber Divine Treasury of Lanruo Courtyard[1]

In the monk's room next to him, he fell asleep after fasting, and he ran around for days since he entered Jiangsu, only slept in Wei Mansion for a few hours, and was so tired that he didn't wake up until the next night. It was already twilight outside, Xuan Ming sent it into the evening fast, he ate two bites randomly, fell on the pillow and half lay down thinking about his thoughts, at this time the autumn insects outside the courtyard chirped, the trees were bursting, and the twilight drum was faintly coming, which increased the gloomy and desolate feeling. "One is bright, the other is ......" Mu Zixu thought, "why two?" How can we 'pass away'? It seems that the thief originally knew that the master would come to Ning in September this year, and he prepared one first, and then he heard that the date was changed, so he had to arrange another one-so well-informed, which is really shocking...... This temple is dedicated to Zhong Sanlang, it must be Yang Qilong's den of thieves, the old bald donkey left me to live here so easily, did you see what horses' feet? Then how could he let me out of the temple alive? ”…… Just thinking about it, he heard the sound of grass in the courtyard, Mu Zixu's eyes flashed, he turned over and pretended to sleep, put one hand on his waist, and tightly held the snow steel dagger given to him by Kangxi.

"Old guest, you sleep well!" It was Yu Yishi who came in, and when he came back, he threw the blanket on his back to the corner of the house, and beckoned Mu Zixu and said, "Have you eaten?" Mu Zixu turned over and sat up, rubbed his eyes and said, "Aren't you the gentleman who eats oil cakes?" It's a good skill, a lot of kung fu - why do you live here? Yu Yishi smiled, tore open the artemisia recommendation on the board bed, lay down, and said: "I'm a person who walks the rivers and lakes, what store do I live in?" There is a temple that will be in heaven. ”

That night, the two of them lit the light, and on the kang, you talked to each other, asking each other's experience and the customs of their hometown, until midnight, and they fell asleep. For three days in a row, Yu Yishi went out early and returned late, Mu Zixu entered the incense during the day, and visited the temple in front of the temple and the temple in the back, and he didn't feel anything unusual. But seeing that there were more people in the house, Mu Zixu didn't dare to make a move at night. The fourth night was the day of action, Mu Zixu recuperated his spirits during the day, and when he saw Yu Yishi coming back, he only said that he was not feeling well, and lay on the bed quietly. Listening to the monks beating drums and cymbals, the evening class was dispersed, Yu Yishi snored like thunder, and he was already asleep, so Mu Zixu put on his shoes and got up quietly.

"Where's it going?" Yu Yishi, who was snoring, suddenly woke up.

"Little solution."

"This ancient temple in the deep mountains, you are not afraid to go out in the middle of the night as a businessman!" Yu Yishi also sat up, "It just so happens that I also want to be relieved, let's work together." ”

Mu Zixu had no choice but to say: "That's good, I'm just a little timid!" So they went out together, and made it convenient for them to be among the artemisia. Turning back, Mu Zixu lay down, and saw Yu Yishi's swarthy figure standing in front of the bed without moving, so he asked, "Old Yu, why don't you sleep?" ”

"Who the hell are you?" Yu Yishi asked gloomily, approaching Mu Zixu as he spoke. Mu Zixu was suddenly startled in his heart, but said with a smile: "What's wrong with you?" Is it demonic? I'm in business! Yu Yishi sneered and took another step closer: "Doing business? Do you still do the white knife in and the red knife out? I inquired, Nanjing Wharf Yangzhou Mansion does not have your name! Say! Who is that woman and where does she live? Hmph, it's very cunning, and as soon as you get out of the temple gate, you can't find it! ”

Mu Zixu heard that Jianmei had no accident, his heart was relieved, he sat up straight, and said with a smile: "Don't joke about it, it's weird and scary ...... in the middle of the night." Yu Yishi didn't expect his means to be so strong, he was kicked back a few steps and stood on the horse post, a harrier turned over and hit two steel darts, Mu Zixu a "Cao E Throwing River" stuck to the bed and went to the ground, he had put the dagger in his hand, and pierced a white crane with bright wings to watch. In this contest, Mu Zixu knew that the other party was slightly better than himself, and he couldn't help but be secretly anxious, and he didn't pay attention to it, when he saw Yu Yishi's hand raised, a black line suddenly came, because he didn't know what it was, he didn't dare to pick it up with his hand, only a few people turned over on the ground, and it was easy to dodge, and his body didn't stand still, and the black line was thrown back like a long eye! Mu Zixu only felt a pain in his right wrist, the dagger in his hand had flown away without a trace, and in a daze, the black rope in the hand of a soldier had already coiled back, wrapped Mu Zixu's left arm tightly around his waist, and when his right hand was busy unraveling, he realized that it was a steel wire wrapped around a cowhide, where could he untie it in his eagerness?

When Yu Yishi saw that he was bound, a tiger jumped up, tightened the rope, wrapped the left and the right, tied Mu Zixu's legs firmly, lit the lamp, and then said with a cruel smile: "Your kung fu is not bad, you have been walking on the rivers and lakes for so many years, and you are the only one who can avoid my three tricks - you tell me, are you still a trader?" ”

"Buyer and seller!" Mu Zixu stiffened his neck and said, "This is Pilu Courtyard, not a black shop, if you don't untie it, I'll shout!" ”

"Shout!" Yu Yishi said with a hippie smile, "If you shout out your throat, no one will pay attention to you!" ”

"Obediently take you skillful! Where is there no one to care about? Qingfeng Daoist suddenly pushed the door in, walked to Mu Zixu in a mad manner, twisted the black rope in his hand, and sighed: "This thing is really rare, how did you get it, it tied people like sticks...... Before he finished speaking, Yu Yishi, who woke up, had already thrown another one, and concocted Qingfeng according to the law, but his hands were wrapped in it.

Yu Yishi laughed: "I didn't expect you to fall into Lao Tzu's way!" Qingfeng Taoist didn't seem to be aware of it, he didn't know what kind of body he had done, as soon as he shrank his body, the black rope fell to the ground in a circle, and he spread his hands and asked: "Old Yu, what way can you tie Qingfeng?" Oops! Are you Granny Wind? At this time, Mu Zixu was already dazzled.

Yu Yishi was stunned, his face was as white as paper, his body retreated, and he pointed at Qingfeng with a trembling finger and said, "You...... You...... Is it a human or a ghost? He yelled "wow" and turned his head away.

"Come back!" Qingfeng didn't know what to do, so he grabbed Yu Yishi's shoulder and pulled it back, picked up the ropes on the ground and wrapped them one by one, and Yu Yishi was pointed at the acupoint, but he had no power to resist. Qingfeng said with a smile: "This pestering kung fu Taoist priest has not practiced, it is strange that it is troublesome, Zhu Ziyun will use his way of others to govern his body, although it makes sense, it is too troublesome to do, too troublesome......" said that he had bound a scholar.

Mu Zixu looked at this scene in a daze, as if in a dream, unraveling the rope by the breeze, and only after a while asked, "Dao Chief, who are you, and why did you come to save me?" Qingfeng untied him, sat down on the bed, and replied indifferently: "Anyway, it's fate with you." Fu Yi wife, Gui Yi friend, you don't remember me, it's reasonable. Mu Zixu stared at Qingfeng for a while, and suddenly his mind lit up, and he stammered: "You-you are...... Fourth brother, Hao Lao Si - my fourth brother! Mu Zixu suddenly stepped forward and hugged Qingfeng's shoulder and cried loudly......

It turned out that during the Shunzhi period, Mu Zixu, Wu Dan and Hao Laosi were horse thieves outside the Guan, and because they got acquainted with Wei Dongting, they became Kangxi's guards. In order to save Wu Ciyou, Mu Zixu and others who were trapped in Baiyun Guanshan Guju, Hao Laosi gave Ao Bai a good wind. Kangxi fell in the eighth year of Aobai, and found out about this matter, Hao Laosi was originally given to death, but was later rescued by Hu Gongshan, a Taoist priest in Zhongnan.

"Hao Laosi has long been dead, I am Qingfeng." Qingfeng slowly broke Mu Zixu's hand, although he was calm, he couldn't be indifferent, "The Taoist has long been interested in cutting off this thief temple, but it is protected by the government, and it is lonely, and it can't be as desired, I'll take you to see it carefully tonight!" Mu Zixu also calmed down, if he insisted on admitting this Hao Laosi, then he would still be a repeat offender, not only Wei Dongting, but even the wolf was inevitably guilty of arson, which was not good for anyone, so he wiped his tears and said: "I don't want to mention the old things anymore, I will give you a good view after the incident!" **This? Didn't he come? Qingfeng said: "He is old, and he has closed the mountain to retreat - shhhh As he spoke, he kicked Yu Yishi's dumb hole, and the two of them flashed behind the door. I only heard the footsteps approaching, and pushed the door open with a "squeak", and the leper monk Mingxuan stuck his head in, and said with a smile: "Old Yu, what are you rubbing when it's over!" ——Ah, how do you call people to tie up——" Before the words were finished, Mu Zixu's dagger flashed, and Ming Xuan fell into the door without saying a word. Mu Zixu stepped over the pool of blood, lifted Yu Yishi, and turned back to Qingfeng Dao, "This person's tongue is useful, but he is afraid of accidents if he keeps it, what should I do?" Qingfeng arched his hand and said, "Good Amitayus Buddha!" There is a dry well behind the Shenku, grieve him! ”

The two of them dealt with the aftermath of Lan Ruoyuan, looked up at the stars, and estimated that the appointment was already positive. In the dark, the two nodded in understanding, jumped up the high wall and entered the Zen Mountain, but saw that there were stacks of hills and hills inside, and the houses were scattered, dark and vast, and it seemed that there was no way out. Mu Zixu groaned and said, "This is not a problem, please come with me!" Then he jumped up the wall path to the Miaoxiang Flower Rain Building, and went down to the courtyard courtyard.

The courtyard was very quiet, and the houses were completely unlit. Mu Zixu went up to push the door of the building, but it was hidden, and he went in in a flash, and when he looked back, Qingfeng had already covered the door with him. Mu Zixu quietly touched the front of the case, uncovered the painting in the middle hall, and moved the statue of Zhong Saburo with his hands, but it seemed to take root. Qingfeng whispered: "Don't worry, there are no people living here, touch it, and the mechanism will naturally move away." Mu Zixu put his mind at ease, and only groped around in the shrine, and his stinky sweat was still useless. Just about to come down, one hand unintentionally touched the flute on the back of the statue, but listening to the rustling sound, Zhong Saburo statue slid westward, the door of the back wall opened silently, and the black inside seemed to be a stone road between the wall, about through the Zen Mountain, and the wind that came over was cool and whistling.

Mu Zixu followed closely behind the Qingfeng Dao people, along the dark wall, one foot high and one foot low touched the scene of half a meal, then saw the lights in front of him flickering, and when he approached, there was a stone hut at the end of the wall, looking in from the window lattice, there were several chairs and cabinets inside, which were quite exquisite, Jueyuan and a middle-aged man with a scar on his face were talking to the genuine tea.

"Mountain Chief," said the middle-aged man, "you shouldn't let that man and woman come to your Miaoxiang Huayu Building." Now that the man is gone, the woman can't find any traces, which is suspicious and terrifying! Jue Yuan smiled: "That's Ming Xuan is not sensible and can't deal with it, and I just went to see Xing Ming, so he had no choice but to take it upstairs." If a man dies, how capable will she be as a woman? Feel relieved! I abandoned Orthodox Christianity and converted to my Buddha, thanks to your Mr. Yang's care, operating here for ten years, no one can see the true face of this mountain! ”

"Mr. Yang!" Mu Zixu was taken aback, "This is Yang Qilong, the fake third prince of Zhu?" In the twelfth year of Kangxi, he visited the Niujie Mosque with the emperor at night, and had a one-sided acquaintance with the "third prince", what kind of graceful, elegant and handsome young scholar was, how did he become such a thin half-old man in ten years? was thinking to himself, but he heard Yang Qilong sneer: "You are so angry, if it weren't for Ge Zhitai, the grass on this mountain would have been trampled on a long time ago, so what would it be!" Jue Yuan said disapprenously: "I really don't know what you are doing with such a lot of effort here, don't you still have dozens of black shops, and Liu Tiecheng from Hongze Lake is four or five hundred people!" It's a bit of a wait-and-see. Besides, the temple kills people one after another, and outsiders see that there are many people who have passed away, so don't you doubt it? ”

"What do the common people know? They can't be suspicious. Yang Qilong chewed a piece of tea in his mouth and said, "The prefect of Nanjing, the official has been dismissed; Zhang Bonian, transferred; What are you afraid of? The master is shrewd, but he has a problem: curiosity, love to make micro-service visits. I've planted him here, and I'm going to make him fall here—I've got other things to do elsewhere, just listen to me!" ”

"I'm really convinced of your poor temperament." Jue Yuan sighed, "Could it be that if the matter is successful, it will still be Your Excellency's turn to sit in the Dragon Court?" It is not a wedding garment for another. ”

"Well, I know. I hate, I just need to get rid of my hatred! Yang Qilong stood up, his eyes glowing with a green light, "The elders of the mountains and forests will only make a fuss, and now they are going to pat today's sycophants one by one, I want to humiliate them, so that they know that the hearts of the lonely sons of the Ming Dynasty will never be attached to the full tartars!" With that, he turned his gaze and said, "It's time, let's go—I remember it's the turn of the fourteenth steamed bun stuffing tonight?" With that, the two pushed open the small door of the west door of the stone house and went out. Mu Zixu and Qingfeng exchanged looks, passed through the window through the stone house, and followed far behind.

At first glance, I came out of the stone wall and sandwiched the wall, but I saw that the air outside the Zen Mountain was cold and the wind was urgent, the bamboo trees were swaying in the dark night, the maple leaves were whimpering, accompanied by the roar of the Yangtze River under the mountain, it was eerie and terrifying, and it was creepy. Yang Qilong and the two of them walked towards the bottom of the mountain with watermelon lanterns in their hands, occasionally laughing and laughing along the way, not knowing that they were followed by two people with martial arts. Mu Zixu was full of doubts, wondering what "steamed bun stuffing" meant.

In time, Yang Qilong and Jueyuan came to the dark and dreary monk's house, where a few dim sheep's horn wind lamps were lit, flickering in the wind. When a novice saw them coming, he hurriedly greeted them, clasped his palms together and said, "The disciple is empty, waiting for the helmsman, the great monk at the head of the hall!" ”

"Ready?" Jueyuan asked.

"Monk Zhitong No. 14 has already started!"

"In the old place?"

"The river is ebbing, and the futon moves forward seven feet."

Jue Yuan turned around when he heard this, let go of his hand, and said, "Lord Yang Helm, please!" Yang Qilong didn't answer, and walked towards the riverside with a bow.

Mu Zixu suddenly felt a great terror hit his heart, the cold day, cold sweat flowed down, his neck was wet and itchy, he was unsettled, the breeze patted his shoulder, and said gloomily: "Follow, see how they kill." ”

The place of death soon arrived, and there was a pile of dry firewood piled up on the beach on the bank of the Yangtze River, which was as tall as a house, and the top was small and the bottom was stacked neatly. The shallow pressurized pavilion on the bank of the river has a wooden frame, and a thick wooden plank the size of two doors is placed not far from the shore. In the center of the board was a sharpened serrated knife with a sharp edge upwards, faintly glittering under a few claw lamps, and near the handle of the knife there was a hole the size of a teacup for bloodletting. Although Yang Qilong has seen this kind of tragedy several times, he still can't help but shudder.

The Zhitong that was put up was as white as dough, without a trace of blood. About the time he entered the temple as a steamed bun stuffing, he was fed with a strong potion, and he sat motionless on the sand with his palms together, except for the occasional turn of his eyes, he didn't look like a living person. Qingfeng knew that there were many masters in this group of evil monks, and he didn't dare to get too close, and he couldn't see it clearly from a distance, so he only heard Yuan Yuan call softly:

"Zhitong ......"

Zhitong moved his lips and didn't say a word.

"You are a prisoner waiting to die, and you will achieve positive results after three years, give up the gates of hell and ascend to Elysium, you are good for creation." Jue Yuan said softly, "From now on, you will never have the joy of anointing oil, nor the suffering of sitting on a dry meditation bed, nor the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, nor joy, anger, sorrow, love and evil. All fates are empty, and you enter the great Arhat to the realm. Today, Master sent you - Relic Pagoda, you sit tight! With that, he waved his hand, and the four novices with thick shoulders and round waists skillfully put the knife board on the river, passed through Zhitong, and pressed the tip of the knife at the lower anus violently...... It's very simple, Mu Zixu and Qingfeng haven't figured out what's going on, and Zhitong has already "passed away" - blood water is gurgling from the sinuses of the planks below, flowing into the endless river.

"Amitabha!" Yang Qilong and Jue Yuan clasped their palms together and chanted the Buddha's name, "Extinguish the world's lifeless appearances, relics, and in Zhitong sacrifice one's body to seek the Dharma, then the sea of suffering is transcendent - there are all aspects of hell, and the relics seek the Dharma without sparing my body." If we don't go to hell, who will go to hell? The dozens of monks present also had words in their mouths.

[1]

Shinku: A dilapidated temple and a burial place for Buddha statues.