Along the way, the two seemed to have a good conversation, but what they actually said was the most polite content, and no one would take it seriously.

When they arrived at Zenko-in, they waited at the door for a while, and when the head of the courtyard, Zhenghong, went in and called out all the monks who were left behind, and the two left their horses outside the courtyard and stepped into the courtyard.

Gao Shisheng came here once yesterday, but he didn't pay attention to it, but now he observes that it is built according to the specifications and size of the Garan Hall and the layout of the house, covering an extremely wide area. Ancillary facilities such as guest halls, meditation rooms, dining halls, dormitories, bathhouses, squatter rooms, west clean (toilets), and release pools are distributed on both sides of the central axis, and the east and west are symmetrical.

Dormitories and other living facilities are arranged according to the principle of inner east and outer west, the meditation room of the practicing monks is in the inner east, and the dormitory of the guest hall is in the outer west.

After years of renovation and expansion by the Kamikawa family, the Shingon sect, and the Jodo Shinshu, the scale of Zenko-in Temple at this time is not comparable to the jungle temple practiced by the famous monks, but it can also be called the Gion Monastery, and it is no wonder that the monks of Umegawa-in will never forget it.

If Gao Shisheng is simply amazed that there is such a quiet Zen temple between the mountains and wilderness, then Matsugami Xinglu is extremely satisfied with the scale of Zenko-in, and the temple will have more money, and more money will be enough.

It's not that Matsugami himself is greedy for money and wants to embezzle secretly, but it's actually that the head of Asahina in the county based on the 200 Fenggonglang Party of the headquarters recruited 800 disciples from the West Yuanjiang State and re-expanded a flag book, which cost a lot of money.

In addition, the chief of the Asahina himself praised Sun Wu's skills, paid attention to strict orders, and rewarded and punished letters. During the training, there are heavy rewards for entering and heavy punishments for retreating.

These military training know-hows, summed up as a money word, without the support of money, even if Huaiyin is alive, we must stop sighing.

Although it is autumn, but it is still too early to collect the annual tribute, Junfu has abolished all kinds of checkpoints, there are few local counties, and the treasury has long been empty.

Asahina Motocho praised Gao Shisheng in front of his two cronies, and he was not all polite, but really felt that his nephew was fabricating charges and extorting money.

If you change the people, at most, you can only passively ask the county to send someone to judge, and dare to convict the monasteries of the two big temples like Gao Shisheng, and it is a serious crime, it can be said that there are few people.

This evaluation is really not low, and only those who have the ability and courage can be called cool officials, and only then can they dare to be cool officials.

For the children of the martial arts, it is better to have a reputation for cruelty than to be judged as weak.

It's just that the word cool official doesn't have a good reputation, so Matsugami Shinshu didn't mention it to Gao Shisheng.

Hands-on inspection, no need to do the criminal records yourself, Matsugami Shinshu was accompanied by Gao Shisheng and the master of Zhenghong Temple, checked the account books of the temple, and corresponded to the list of confiscations sent by the county clerk and the attendant, and the more I looked at it, the more I felt that something was wrong.

Matsugami criminal record is clearly divided between public and private, talking and laughing when chatting, saying that the matter related to the county's observance of the instructions, without giving any affection, after a rough look, he snapped the account book closed, and said to the master of Zhenghong Academy: "As far as I know, the monks of your hospital have come to my Yuanjiang for nearly five years, why are the account books incomplete, and I don't know where the other registers are?" And why is there so little money left in the hospital? ”

There is obviously a balance of hundreds of copper coins on the account, but the search list shows that only half of it has been searched, and the gap is so large that Matsugami Shinzong is very dissatisfied.

Entering from the courtyard door, all the way, he didn't talk much, but he looked very carefully, the courtyard building was magnificent, obviously very rich, although the soap clothes on the monk's body were slightly old, but there were no patches, and the feet were wearing mango shoes, but the inner lining was very new, there were a few rich monks, and the Buddha beads in their hands were also of high quality, this kind of style, how could there be no money.

The face of the master of Zhenghong Monastery did not change, and he said with a smile: "The temple property in the courtyard is also divided into public and private, and the daily expenses of shaping the bronze statue and the golden body, renovating the monastery, and the daily expenses of the monks, and helping the poor believers are all spent a lot. ”

The property of the monk group mainly comes from three aspects: gift from the outside world, obtained by fate, and self-management, and the property flow is mainly used by monks for self-sufficiency, the construction and development of monasteries is expensive, and Buddhist activities are consumed.

In order to avoid internal disputes over property, monasteries should also distinguish between public and private property in the name of the property.

For example, the temple itself's house, Buddhist hall, Buddha statues and other large inheritances, as well as the land donated by the believers, are regarded as the common property of all monks in the temple, unless the believer says that it is designated for a certain high monk, the general believers directly donate to the temple, and it is very rare for this to be dedicated to individuals.

Private property covers a wide range of private property, such as the monks' own personal belongings, clothing and ritual utensils, gifts for holding rituals, and the incense oil money that individuals receive from the monastery every month.

If a monk dies, if there is no clear will, the disciple can get a part of the inheritance, and the rest will be sold in the monastery, and the monk will bid for it, and part of the money will be sent to the secular relatives as mourning, and the rest will be incorporated into the Buddha's treasury for daily expenses.

Although nowadays, the temple family mostly implements the family business passed down from descendant to descendant, but this internal division of public and private property has always been strictly implemented, even if the presiding officer of the temple can pass on to the "Yuko", only his own personal property and the position in the monastery, unless it is like Ishiyama Honganji Temple, all the officials and monks are accepted as retainers, and the Warring States Daimyo is completely transformed.

Gao Shisheng was still a little nervous, after all, it is also a big crime to leak the news of the county without permission, picked up an account book and pretended to watch, and when he heard the words of the master of Zhenghong Academy, he couldn't help but smack his tongue, and said that his family did not speak, and this Zhenghong monk was really a serious nonsense when he spoke.

"In this way, the monks of your hospital are really miserable."

The master of Zhenghong Temple said, "Who said it wasn't? My Pure Land True Sect has always paid attention to pure cultivation and asceticism, and has not paid attention to mundane things, and the offerings to the people are also taken from the people and used by the people. ”

"The Zen master is really a monk from the jungle of the Three Rivers Kingdom, if everyone in your sect is like the Zen master, I think the court and the shogunate will not know how happy they will be, then again, since you don't value mundane things, you might as well confiscate your private wealth to offset the empty consumption in the accounts."

"Yes! From the perspective of my own heart, it is reasonable to sell private property to offset the shortfall, but even if I am the head of the monastery, I cannot force the monks to pay their money, after all, this is all to be handed over to the servants of the village! ”

What do you mean by that? Why do monks give money to the village for no reason? Matsugami turned his head and asked, "Gao Zhuangtou, do you want the monks of Zenko-in to extort bribes?" ”

In cases like these, it is not uncommon for the commissioners to solicit bribes from the sufferers and the defendants under the pretext of trivial reasons.

Gao Shisheng listened to the two of you coming and going, and felt very funny, so he couldn't hold back his laughter, and replied: "How dare the subordinates, what the master of Zhenghong Academy said is probably the ransom money of the monks and soldiers." ”

"Six monks and soldiers, but only twelve yuan of money, how can they all be handed over to the village?"

"The private pockets of the monks in the courtyard are even poorer, so I am afraid that it is not enough!" After speaking, he pretended to plead with Gao Shisheng: "If there is a shortage, please ask the head of the village to give a few days, let me wait to raise again, even if it is to borrow usury, there will not be a shortage of money, and please don't sell the monks and soldiers who are detained!" ”

Gao Shisheng understood it, this big monk really talked a lot, what do you mean by this, there is really no money, can the servants of the village really tie people up and arrest them back?

"Master Zhenghong Yuan, this criminal record advises you to do it yourself!" Matsugami Shinzong didn't have anything to do about this hob meat, so he could only keep a straight face and threaten.

"Yes! Be! The poor monk knew that he was deeply wrong, and did not dare to resist the law. "The master of Zhenghong Academy is only resigned, and continues to look left and right.

"That's a good point." Seeing that he was always prevaricating, no matter how good Matsugami Shinzong's temper was, he couldn't help but be annoyed, turned around and pointed to the golden body of the bronze statue of the Bodhisattva on the main hall of the Garan Xiangtang, and said, "Since you just said that the money was spent on the bronze statue, then please ask the master of the courtyard to help prepare an ox cart, and I will send someone to move this bronze statue back to the county and melt the money." ”

Not to mention the master of Zhenghong Academy, even Gao Shisheng was also taken aback, put down the account book and hurriedly persuaded: "Don't laugh at the criminal record, how dare we and other laypeople destroy the golden body of the Buddha." He turned his face to the head of the courtyard and said, "Master Zhenghong, you can go back to the meditation room for the time being to think about it and see if there is anything missing, and it is not too late to talk after thinking clearly." ”

Since the time of Asuka, the destruction of the Buddha statue has rarely had a good end, the Monobe clan resisted Buddhism and led to the extinction of the clan, after the battle of the altar of the Ura, Heishige Hengben has been forgiven, in the end, why did the monks of the southern capital want to file a strong lawsuit, forcing the Kamakura shogunate to behead the Kizu River, the head was ordered to show the public in front of the temple of Prawaka, isn't it because Heishigemori destroyed the Buddha statue to mint money, in order to fill the military salary?

Now the power of the temple is even stronger than in the past, otherwise why the temple is closed, the temple must first agree to send so many people, it is not afraid that the people will gather to resist.

If there is news that the officials of Fuzhi County have destroyed the Buddha statue of Shihui Bodhisattva, it is difficult to guarantee that it will not really appear as it has always been, Matsugami Shinmune took the Buddha statue and hid back to Saku City, there is no danger, Gao Shisheng is afraid that the first one will be dragged out of the village to sacrifice to the Buddha and apologize.

Matsugami Xinglu stared at the master of Zhenghong Academy, and said in an unkind tone: "Why is Shinjiuro so flustered, what I just said is just a joke, how can the golden body of the Bodhisattva of Shehui be easily offended, after all, a precept master of the Shingon Sect died yesterday, how can I dare to test the power of the Pure Land True Sect Buddhism with my body." ”

"The words of the torture record really tormented the poor monks."

Matsugami Shinmune also saw that he wanted to bargain, patted the table, and asked bluntly: "What does the master of the courtyard think, you might as well say it directly, the monks should know that being convenient with others is convenient for themselves, and if it is inconvenient for me, how can I be convenient with you, a monk?" ”

Although the words are tongue-twisting, it is true that the truth is true, Matsugami Criminal Record can't get the money back, and he will definitely not give up, as long as he doesn't admit it, he still has to discuss.

"What the criminal record says, how is this? The Buddha statue is not easy to sell even if it is collected in the county, so how about the poor monk redeem it again and buy it back? The price is negotiable. This is a very philistine, but it is not surprising at all that it comes from the mouth of a monk.

"The seizure of the monastery is an order from the county guard, how to deal with it has its own judgment, you and I make a hasty decision in private, isn't it?" Matsugami was a little moved.

As the owner of Zhenghong said, even if it is seized, it is difficult to sell.

The people of Qianshou can't afford it at all, and there are no rich businessmen or countrymen in Pingshan Township, and the monks of the Shingon Sect have just been expelled, and now only the Pure Land Zhenzong family remains, and even if there are other sects, they will not take it over at will.

Unless it is a case like Umegawa-in Temple, which is clearly expelled, people will be sent to the temple.

This is a tacit agreement between the Buddhist temples of various sects, in order to resist the forced intervention of the guardian daimyo in the affairs of the temple.

"The poor monk knows that the county has its own laws, and he doesn't dare to ask for the punishment record and agree to it now."

"And the other half of the account?" Matsugami Shinmune tapped the ledger lightly, meaning something.

The master of Zhenghong Academy knows that this matter should not be impatient, "As long as the criminal record promises to be willing to speak to the county guard on behalf of my Zenko Academy, the poor monk will definitely fill in the other half of the shortage!" ”

Gao Shisheng didn't want to continue to drag on like this, so he opened his mouth to help persuade him: "Xinglu might as well let the monks wait for the temporary hospitalization, and really drive them out, the village is understaffed, and I am afraid that I can't afford to send someone to guard this monastery for a long time, and when I go back to ask for the decision of the county guard, it is not too late to deal with it!" ”

The location of Zenko-in Temple is secluded, and if the official property is really taken back, the village will have to send someone to guard it for a long time, but it will become a burden.

There were too few people who came to guard it, and if there were really bandits, there would be a danger of human life, and there were too many people sent over, and there would be a shortage of manpower on the side of the village.

Matsugami thought about it, but couldn't find a reason to refute it, so he nodded in agreement.

This is also his good way to change power, if it is replaced by Yamauchi's general judgment, he will definitely not agree to this kind of request to be reached by means of coercion and forced prosecution.

When the deliberations came to an end, the rest of the matter was much easier, and the servants took out the copper coins hidden in the cellar of the monastery and loaded two large carts.

There were not many jailers brought by Matsugami Torture, and Gao Shisheng wanted to take people all the way back to the county, but when he arrived at the fork in the road at the edge of the Zhuangjie, he found that the Lang Dang of the Hamamei family had been waiting on the side of the road early to answer.

Seeing that the famous man was doing this, combined with yesterday's attitude, it was clear that he was despising himself, and although he was dissatisfied in his heart, he never showed it in front of others.

"Junfu has its own law, and the servants of the Zhuang Office are not allowed to leave the Zhuang Department without permission, and Xin Jiulang doesn't have to send it anymore, so don't pass it away!" Matsugami Nobumune didn't want him to meet with the people of the Hamana family, so he opened his mouth halfway to persuade him.

Gao Shi Sheng Lema stopped, bowed his hand goodbye, and respectfully said: "The criminal record is going slowly, please forgive me for not being able to send it far!" ”

He stood quietly for a long time, and watched the figure of the convoy disappear at the end of the village road, turned his horse around, and led people back in the direction of the village.