Zong Zhenlei and Li Ruhui rented a car at the rental station and drove to Yunju Temple in the capital.

From the navigation map, it can be seen that the Leiyin Cave of Shijing Mountain and Yunju Temple are not together, and the two places are still some distance apart, after the two discussed, they decided to start from the Leiyin Cave, and then drove to the foot of the Shijing Mountain to go to the Leiyin Cave.

At the foot of the mountain is the Keihara Line Railway, which allows you to enter the cement and rock-paved path leading up the mountain.

There are mines in Shijing Mountain, which was rich in white stone slabs in the past, which is a reason for a large number of stone scriptures carved here; Because this mountain is a Buddhist resort, and the peak is like Tianzhu Mountain in ancient India, it was named "Xiaoxitian" by the predecessors, and the name was engraved next to the path into the mountain; In addition, because this mountain is covered with sand grass that can produce traditional Chinese medicine, it is also called "Sand Title Mountain" locally, and the name of the mountain is also engraved on the mountain stone on the side of the road.

Li Ruhui smiled and said to Zong Zhenlei that these mountain names are a collection of stone mines, scripture plates, beliefs, and medicinal materials, which are really like a mountain given by the Buddha, and each name seems to be related to Buddhism, and I feel that I can get the Buddha when I breathe in the air.

Zong Zhenlei thought it through, and the two trekking poles he brought just worked. Climb the mountain all the way, first it is gentle, after the legend Zhang Guo rested on the "fairy couch", the mountain began to steep; The two of them didn't care about talking, and went all out to trek the steep slope, and just as they were panting, a tea pavilion appeared in front of them.

Entering the courtyard of the Shi Tea Pavilion, Zong Zhenlei remembered that the book "Research on Fangshan Yunju Temple" written by the Japanese said that there was a stone tablet in the Shi Tea Pavilion halfway up the mountain, which recorded the discovery of the Buddha relics in the Leiyin Cave and the re-placement of the Empress Dowager Li's life; He just wanted to find the stone tablet, but he heard Li Ruhui calling him in the upper room of the Shi Tea Pavilion.

Zong Zhenlei rushed over, and it turned out that she saw the propaganda display board of the cultural management department introducing the Buddha relics of Leiyin Cave in the house; I saw Li Ruhui pointing to a passage on the display board, "The Queen Mother wrapped a grain left behind in a brocade and stuffed it into a sachet" for him to see, and said: "Look, this display board says that it was the Empress Dowager Li who took a Buddha relic." ”

Zong Zhenlei shook his head, didn't answer her words, and carefully looked at the exhibition board's explanation of the three Buddha relics going through three periods:

The first section is the great cause of the Sui Dynasty, by the monk Jingwan will be the Sui Yang Emperor gave the three Buddha relics hidden.

The second section is that during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, two high monks Zibai and Hanshan were enlightened, and they were welcomed into the palace by the Empress Dowager Li and raised for three days; After that, the Queen Mother took out two relics, put them into the small jade letter together with two small pearls, and then handed them over to Zibai and Hanshan for storage.

The third paragraph was opened again in 1981 by Mr. Luo Jiong and five others from the Institute of Religious Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and found that there were two relics and two pearls in the small jade letter where the Buddha relics were placed, which were finally collected by the state.

He pointed to the words on the display board, "Take out two very small pearls from the sachet you are wearing and put them in" for Li Ruhui to see, and said: "Look here, the pearl that is replaced should be the key to solving the puzzle with a Buddha relic missing." ”

Li Ruhui asked: "Isn't there already an explanation that it was taken by Empress Dowager Li?" ”

Zong Zhenlei didn't answer her, but turned to point to a photo on another display board for Li Ruhui to see: "This is the inscription left on the stone letter of the Tibetan Buddha relics by the senior monk Jingwan, remember what I said about 'Si' and 'Mao', right?" From this inscription, it can be determined that the '卯' is wrong. ”

The inscription on that photo reads: "In the twelfth year of the Great Sui Great Cause, the fourth month of the fourth month of the Great Sui Dynasty, the eighth day of Ding Sishuo, Jiazi placed three Buddha relics in this letter, and wished the abbot to be forever robbed", a total of 36 characters; The expression on Li Ruhui's face showed that she remembered Zong Zhenlei's speculation about Tongyun's master's behavior of not digging up these three Buddha relics last time; She nodded and took a picture of the inscription with her camera.

After Li Ruhui finished taking pictures, she looked at Zong Zhenlei with questioning eyes and scolded him: "Am I not right? ”

Zong Zhenlei knew that she still wanted to discuss the question just now, but there were other people in the exhibition hall, so it was inconvenient to expand it, so he waved his hand at her.

After reading the display board in the Shi Tea Pavilion, the two asked the guardian that from the foot of the mountain to the Shi Tea Pavilion, they only walked half the way to the Lei Yin Cave; In order to leave enough time for the Yunju Temple to go to later, the two decided to seize the time and continue to move forward.

Zong Zhenlei walked in front, Li Ruhui followed, and continued to climb along the thousand-year-old mountain road, and after a while, Li Ruhui's panting shout came from behind: "Ahead, no, take a rest." Zong Zhenlei looked back and saw that she was four or five steps away from him.

Zong Zhenlei handed over a bottle of mineral water and said, "I have seen the map, there is a thousand-year-old holy water well not far ahead, let's go there to rest." ”

Li Ruhui took the water: "Let's just walk like this if we don't speak, we'll be tired, let's talk." ”

Zong Zhenlei stopped and stretched out the trekking pole in his hand to her: "Come on, I'll pull you away." I didn't bother to speak, I kept thinking about what I had just said. ”

Li Ruhui came to Zong Zhenlei's side, pushed away the trekking pole that Zong Zhenlei stretched out to her, and said with a smile: "No, I can go, I just want you to take care of me." After a few breaths, he said, "I'm thinking about that, too." It can be seen from what the display board said that the Empress Dowager Li returned a small jade letter containing two Buddha relics and two pearls, does that mean that the Empress Dowager Li left a Buddha relic, how is there anything wrong? ”

Zong Zhenlei waited for Li Ruhui to calm down and gasp: "It's not that you're wrong, I mean that this introduction on the display board looks like it was conceived and speculated by experts, and then written in the way of writing a story." Just now, because I was in the exhibition hall, I didn't want to comment on the expert's statement in front of others. ”

Li Ruhui looked like she didn't want to give up the question she just asked: "Do you think there is a deviation in what is said on the display board?" Didn't Empress Dowager Li take it away? ”

Zong Zhenlei thought for a while and said: "Judging from the information I have checked so far, strictly speaking, I have not found out who took the Buddha relic. ”

Li Ruhui looked at Zong Zhenlei in confusion: "You can talk about it in detail." ”

Zong Zhenlei stepped forward again, but in order to follow Li Ruhui's steps, he didn't have the big stride just now: "Let me start with the records of the contacts of the three Buddha relics." The thirty-six-character inscription engraved by the Sui Dynasty monk Jingwan on the stone letter of the Tibetan Buddha relics is the inscription that I just let you see, and it is the earliest record of the Buddha relics hidden here; The continuation of this incident is the record in the "Zhuozhou West Shijing Mountain Leiyin Cave Relic Record", "Fuzhuozhou Shijing Mountain Wangong Pagoda Courtyard Record" and Zibai's "Fangshan County Tiankai Bone Incense Nunnery" written by Hanshan, describing the source, quantity, and shape of this Buddha relic; Their texts illustrate two things, one is that the Buddha is enlightened here, and the relics of the Buddha's body are from authentic sources; The second is that the number is three, which is consistent with that recorded in the Ming Dynasty. There was no record of enlightenment before 1981 after the Ming Dynasty, but when it was revealed in 1981, it was found that there were two Buddha relics, so this missing one Buddha relic could only occur during the period from the enlightenment to the Tibetan in Wanli Year, and more precisely, it should be sent to the Empress Dowager Li to the last period of the Tibetan period; According to the records at the time, these three Buddha relics went through the process of being raised by the Empress Dowager Li for three days, and the Empress Dowager Li sent the official Chen Ru back, and the two senior monks re-placed the Buddha relics; Therefore, if you want to say that the suspect who took this relic, the three parties of Empress Dowager Li, Chen Ru, and the two senior monks who have come into contact with the Buddha relics are all suspicious. ”

Li Ruhui and Zong Zhenlei stood side by side: "The person who took the Buddha relics put in two pearls, why is this?" ”

"If, as the display panel says, pearls are used instead of Buddha relics, then it is clearly intentional."

"Intentionally? Does pearl mean anything? ”

"In the birthplace of Buddhism, there are first-class schools that believe that pearls are the only jewelry that grows from the body, and pearls are used as intimate jewelry to communicate with the Buddhas of the past and the Buddhas of the future."

As the two spoke, they came to the holy well. Zong Zhenlei continued while looking for a place to sit by the well: "According to the Lotus Sutra and the Amitabha Sutra, pearls are one of the 'Seven Treasures of Buddhism', but the Seven Treasures of the same sutra are also different in different versions translated in different historical periods; ”

Li Ruhui also sat down: "According to the introduction of the exhibition board, the two pearls that were replaced are smaller, and the display board says that they are personal items. ”

"This kind of personal item is generally used by women, and it is a noble lady."

"Look, isn't this still the Empress Dowager Li's doing!"

"Wait for me here! I mean, there is no record of the information, because there is no exact record of who took the Buddha relic, so the statement on the display panel just seen can only be regarded as speculation; Including when we said that the two pearls were used by the noblewoman, it is actually speculation. ”

"Didn't you say that there was a record when they put back the Buddha relics?"

"I have paid attention to the subtleties of this matter, the records of the Ming Dynasty only say that they were re-hidden, but not the number of remnants, which is in obvious contrast to the number of remnants clearly marked in the Sui Dynasty."

"Could it be that Empress Dowager Li didn't return the Buddha relic, and others found out and didn't dare to say it?"

"This is the biggest possibility, so it is estimated that this is also the origin of the expert's speculation that the Empress Dowager Li took the Buddha relic." Zong Zhenlei wrenched his fingers and said in detail what he had seen and thought when he checked the information during this time and looked at the display board just now: "The reason why it is said to be the greatest possibility is that the inscription on the outside of the white marble stone cover records the fact that three Buddha relics were revealed and sent to the Empress Dowager Li for support. From this, I speculate that the number of things that are not said to be the number is due to the problem of the quantity, and the number of revelations is not the same as the number that is put in. Second, the names mentioned in the inscriptions of the stone letters inside and outside are: Zibai and his apprentices, Chen Ru, the official who returned the Buddha relics, and Hanshan; These people were apparently present when the stone letter was sealed, and they were naturally responsible for the number, authenticity, and provenance of the Buddha relics in the stone letter, and the names on the stone letter could be regarded as a guarantee for their lives, so it can be speculated that they could not take out one of them alone in front of the public eye. ”

"Are there any more three?"

The third is Hanshan's "Zhuozhou West Stone Jingshan Leiyin Cave Relic Record", which uses the story of the Sui Dynasty Shenni holding a Buddha relic to help Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty achieve great causes, which seems to have a metaphor for the meaning of Empress Dowager Li to help her son Shenzong to be stable for a long time. Finally, there is a fourth, which is the purple cypress on the inside of the bluestone cover, leaving a vow, which seems to be very dissatisfied with the act of stealing the Buddha's relics without the permission of the enlightened person, but because of the special status of that person, it is inconvenient to speak out, so he has to swear a heavy oath. The above four points can be used as speculation that the Empress Dowager Li left a Buddha relic, however, as the real reason for the lack of one, there is no explicit record. ”

Li Ruhui was silent, as if she was quietly digesting what Zong Zhenlei said.

After sitting for more than ten minutes, Zong Zhenlei saw that Li Ruhui had not spoken, stood up and said, "Think while walking, Let'sgo!" ”

Li Ruhui stood up in response, and the two walked out of the holy water well and continued to move forward.

After walking for a while, Li Ruhui, who had not spoken, mentioned the topic just now: "In this way, if there is a record of Empress Dowager Li stealing the Buddha relic, it will be strange, because the person who recorded this matter is guilty, and it is estimated that the record will be destroyed." It seems that Li Ruhui figured out what Zong Zhenlei said just now, and also agreed with his opinion.

Zong Zhenlei looked up at the mountain road and said, "That's the case, but I still want to find more conclusive evidence." ”

Li Ruhui followed closely: "Did you find it?" ”

Zong Zhenlei used his trekking pole to probe the truth of the mountain road at his feet: "I haven't found direct evidence yet, it's still speculation." ”

Li Ruhui stopped and said, "How can you speculate?" ”

Zong Zhenlei also stopped: "Judging by the different endings of the three monks......"

Suddenly, Li Ruhui pointed to a street sign on the side of the road for Zong Zhenlei to see: "My mother, there are one hundred and eight steps ahead!" I'm exhausted! He sat down on a big rock on the side of the road.

Zong Zhenlei stopped, only to see the stone carved road sign read: From here, go up to the Tibetan scripture cave. The ancients deliberately carved 108 steps, it is said that this represents 108 kinds of troubles in life, each step can eliminate one kind of trouble, and after climbing 108 steps, it means eliminating all troubles.

Zong Zhenlei looked at it, pointed to the street sign and said to Li Ruhui: "Bad news is always accompanied by good news, you see, 'go up from here, to the cave of the scriptures', victory is in sight!" Come, I'm here to help you. He pulled Li Ruhui up, and then let out a roar like a car in his mouth, making it look like he was about to start.

Li Ruhui shook off his hand with a smile and said, "Come less, it's now the era of electric vehicles, how can there be such a big movement, yours is outdated!" ”

The two laughed and came to the Thunder Sound Cave.

This cave hall is supposed to be one of the earliest surviving Buddhist halls in China. The cave is surrounded by stone carved scripture plates, and there are four exquisite thousand Buddha pillars standing in the middle, on which there are 1056 Buddha statues carved in total.

Zong Zhenlei has long been familiar with the layout of the cave, and in that book "Research on Fangshan Yunju Temple", he saw a hand-drawn survey map drawn by a Japanese author; In addition, I have seen many photos and descriptions of the cave from other sources. Zong Zhenlei remembers that there is a piece of information that introduces that the diagonal of the Buddha pillar is a statue of Buddha, and under the worship stone in front of the Buddha statue, there is a stone cave, and the three Buddha relics have been hidden here.

Zong Zhenlei took a turn in the cave, feeling a little depressed, and saw that Li Ruhui had gone out of the cave to take pictures outside, so he silently walked out of the cave; He looked from afar by the side railing of the road outside the cave, and seemed to be able to feel the sad and helpless state of mind when the two monks hid the Buddha relics here. He exhaled deeply.

Li Ruhui walked over: "What do you want?" Are we still on it? ”

Zong Zhenlei came back to his senses: "There is the Golden Immortal Princess Pagoda above, it is said that this eighth sister of Tang Xuanzong, who believes in Taoism, has given a lot of help to the carving of scriptures here; However, it has nothing to do with Buddha relics. Look, it's almost noon, we still have to go to Yunju Temple, or don't go up? ”

Li Ruhui rubbed her calf and said, "It's exactly what I want, let's make sure it's the point." Alas, I really don't want to go down the hill step by step. ”

Zong Zhenlei wanted to stir up her emotions and increase her motivation: "Want a somersault to go down?" Try? ”

Li Ruhui glared at her and said, "Try it, try it, you come first, I dare if you dare!" After saying that, he laughed first.