Chapter 286 wind and snow iron horsemen down south (VIII)

Xu Fengyen and his entourage came to the foot of the mountain, there are one thousand and eight climbing steps, Zhang Longjing dismounted and introduced that this incense burning road has the saying of worry-free road, bothering even more incense burners, there is no worry after walking this mountain road. However, Zhang Longjing smiled and added a sentence, if I see ah, is tired, even if there are worries can not care. Xu Fengyen smiled slightly after hearing, Zhang Longjing then lamented: “Liyang extinction of the Buddha, a good long history of a thousand years of ancient temples, now to a very close to the government of the Taoist priests occupied to go, this time the temple monks have run out of the monk at that time the Taoist priests led the officials and soldiers to seal the temple, the results of the temple monks and even a book of ancient books were not able to take away, our county county magistrate adults were not respected the Huanglao, early years, even the other years of the old man, the old man was not even the old man. Huang Lao, in the early years, even the alias is also related to Buddhism, and the poetry and singing with Wenlin, signed by the name of the ‘old man escaping Zen’, this time the court a paper order, immediately became a devout believer in the Taoist people, alias also followed the change into the ‘pure old man’, it is said that not long ago, also with the capital of the great real people. It is also said that not long ago with the capital of the great real person Wu Lingsu successfully climbed into the relationship, last year in the assassin’s side of the government performance appraisal scored a one-hit ‘on’, this is not soon there are rumors to go to the capital Ministry of Rites as a big official.”

Xu Fengyen, who was leading his horse along, frowned and said, “Isn’t there a stone workshop at the mountain gate in front, inscribed with ‘Buddha in the present’?”

Zhang Longjing pointed and laughed: “Your Highness is really knowledgeable, there was indeed a stone workshop in front, the inscription and couplets are from the hands of the previous dynasty’s great Fengyong saint of calligraphy, it is a first-class good thing, but unfortunately this time the Taoist priests occupied the land, and I do not know who is the reason, pushed to the stone workshop, Your Highness will not be able to see it on this trip.”

Xu Feng Nian sighed, helplessly said, “Xu Snap had some stories here back then, this time when I passed through Wucai County, I just happened to be on the way, so I thought I could try my luck and see that old monk who once asked Xu Snap to ‘put down the butcher’s knife’. Forget it, let’s go back.”

Zhang Longjing lamented, “There is even this matter? What a pity, had I known that my subordinate should have added a few tens of thousands of taels of incense money for Cold Mountain Temple back then.”

Xu Fengyen laughed it off, mounted his horse and returned the same way, only in the distance on the side of the path there are vague lights swaying, this is not a sight when passing by before, the old spy Song Shanshui out of instinct, immediately alerted, but soon relieved, not to mention that the king is one of the four great masters of martial arts evaluation who is standing at the top of the jianghu, that Commander Yuan and act as a personal escort of the Xu Yanbing, who dares to mess with it? These two masters even a single carry out, you court does not send out seven or eight hundred soldiers and horses probably have no face to run to say hello, right? Xu Fengnian has never had the gift of forgetting, previously glanced at the lights swaying, is the fork in the road on a dilapidated land temple, slowing down the horse’s hooves, the result is to see a ragged old man wearing a hat standing by the side of the road, carrying an oil lamp in his hand, followed by a small child sleepy-eyed, followed by the top of the worthless leather hat. Yuan Zuozong put down his heart, originally thought that it was a deep hidden worldly master, but now when he took a closer look at his demeanor, it was an ordinary late old man, only slightly sturdier than the physique of his peers.

Xu Fengyen did not dismount, his body leaned forward and asked in a gentle tone, “This old man, is there something wrong?”

The old man was ultimately older, his eyes were not very good, and it was nighttime, so he raised the oil lamp high, then smiled, “Is the gentleman’s surname Xu?”

Xu Fengnian froze and asked in return, “Is the old man an old member of Cold Mountain Temple?”

The old man smiled and nodded.

Xu Fengyen quickly dismounted amidst the surprise of Zhang Longjing and Song Shanshui, and came to the old man’s child’s body, pulling out a Buddhist scripture carefully wrapped in silk from his bosom, and said, “Back then, the master lent this Buddhist scripture to my father, and now that he has been borrowing it for almost twenty years, it is time for it to return to its rightful owner.”

The old man was not polite and took the sutra, and then said a vulgar saying that made Zhang Longjing greatly disappointed, only to see that old man carrying a lamp in one hand, touching the hat of the child beside him with one hand, smilingly asked, “Can almsgiver Xu spare a few taels of silver for the poor monk? There is no more rice in the rice bowl today.”

Xu Fengyen was a little difficult, the Northern Liang iron cavalry all the way south, there is no shortage of anything, only the lack of this inconsequential yellow and white things, Wucai County’s God of Wealth Zhang Longjing is even more dumbfounded, he is not the kind of people who can not wait to go out of the body hung full of gold of the tycoon, that is, playing with the jade pieces, not worth a thousand taels of silver that do not get into the eyes of the brocade night journey of course will not be able to carry the silver and gold, the good thing is that old spies from the body to touch out a few taels of silver! Xu Fengyen took over and then handed over to the head of the leather cap for warmth more covered old monk of the Cold Mountain Temple, accurately said to be the old host of the famous Buddhist temple in the south of the river, Fa Xian monk. The old monk also did not have the kind of general monk hands do not touch the silver money concerns, hallowed income in the sleeve, some undisguised smile, the old man beside the little monk is more smiling, with silver on the firewood, rice, oil and salt, can not starve, how can not be happy?

The old monk put away the silver, lamented: “The imperial court has a decree, the Central Plains around the temple monks are not allowed, Cold Mountain Temple is no exception, some people are secular and some traveled, poor monks have wanted to go to the Northwest to make, but the old man is not good, around the side of this new disciple is really young, and the poor monks is the general foot weak, which delayed down, and then thought, go to the north of the country does not matter to the North Rang, but is an old man, but the North Rang, but the old man, the old man is the old man. North Liang, but is an old monk got a place to rest, do not go to North Liang, not to mention the poor monk can let a few more fated people, got peace of mind.”

Xu Fengnian sincerely said, “Master, I can send someone to send you master and disciple to Northern Liang, when the world is more peaceful, as long as the master still wants to return to the Central Plains at that time, Northern Liang will definitely escort the master on his travels as well.”

The old monk smiled and shook his head, “Master Xu does not need to go to such great lengths, Buddha’s destiny is wherever it is, don’t force it.”

Xu Fengnian did not force it either, and knew that he could not force it, he only laughed and said, “My father often mentions the master, saying that the master is an accomplished monk who really has great Buddha dharma, and he admires him very much.”

The old monk laughed loudly, “Xu little master bamboozled ah, although only one side, but how poor monks do not know Xu old master’s temper? It’s good to be able to not call the poor monk an insensitive old vulture.”

Xu Feng Nian was dumbfounded, not to mention what he thought in his heart, Xu Snapdragon indeed every time he mentioned this old monk of Cold Mountain Temple, it was all one old vulture in one mouth, and privately he even gave the old host the nickname of Butcher Knife Monk. The general course of events, Xu Feng young heard his mother said, Fa Xian monk from a powerful family, in the Western Chu had been official to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, resigned and hung up the seal into the Taoist first, but not in the big mountains in the head of the famous view to practice, but to pick a remote small mountains to live in seclusion for many years, and then somehow converted to Buddhism, it is said that the last presidency of the Cold Mountain Temple with a debate in the eyes of the world, inexplicably A step to heaven when the presidency, when the Xu family iron horse galloped through the Central Plains, hoofs over the place, war constantly, not to mention that the people fear that the Liaodong tiger from the northeast, that is, the main generals of the Central Plains countries have to talk about the tiger, but only the monk Fahien took a Buddhist scripture alone ran to the Xu family barracks, to the time of the day as a massacre of the Xu Snapdragon to put down the knife, if it is not Wu Su blocked the monk not to say what the head fell to the ground, I am afraid that less than a stick to wait for, but also to say what the head fell to the ground, the head fell to the ground. I’m afraid that there will not be a stick to serve, there is a daughter-in-law in the side staring, Xu Snapdragon had to pinch his nose and took the sutra, absentmindedly with the monk to chat with a few words, and then let the people hurriedly sent out of the camp.

Zhang Longjing was able to be the Zhang chief minister of Wucai County, within a state are counted as a rich man, how oily, see the needle said, “Master, my family also has a lot of people who are fasting and chanting Buddha, recently need to do a few Buddhist ceremonies ……”

Patiently waiting until Zhang Longjing finished dripping that set of wording, the old monk only then slowly opened his mouth and said, “The good intentions of the master of the poor monks heart, but it is a pity that in the master’s home to do, is not a Buddhist ceremony ah.”

Just when Zhang Longjing thought that this matter was completely yellow, he did not expect the old monk’s words to turn around and said with a smile, “But go over there or go, in case you run into someone who is destined to be there?”

Yuan Zuozong and Xu Yanbing looked at each other.

Xu Fenian did not have any surprised look at this, and said with heartfelt regret, “This time, the court exterminated the Buddha, the reason is complicated, so I won’t talk about this kind of bad thing, but I really hope that the master will be able to speak the Dharma to more people.”

The old monk who was straining to carry the lamp changed one hand to carry the oil lamp, and said calmly: “The poor monk said not to say the Dharma is a matter of fact, to say to how many people to listen to it is a matter of fact, and a few people to listen to the Dharma is a matter of fact. Whether or not there are Buddhist temples, statues, scriptures, monks, or even Buddhas, or whether or not there is a Western Heaven in this world is actually not the most important thing.”

The old monk paused for a moment and looked at the young man in front of him, “It only depends on the hearts of all beings, whether there is that square inch to set aside the Dharma, the Dharma is there, the temple is there, the monks are there, the Buddha is there. Without the Dharma, even if all beings in the world are monks, what good will it do?”

Xu Fengnian nodded.

This truth that the old monk said was a bit big, but a great truth is true truth as long as it has a place for people to land. The old monk’s mouth of putting Buddhism in a square inch of land was the habitat between the very large and the very small. Previously Xu Fengyen abhorred the rhetoric of the readers, bored with those who measure the word divination fortune-teller, now looking back, probably because they can not stand the kind of fall not in the real place of words, especially the former, know what it is not know what it is, as if it is the reason I have said anyway with you listen, how to do is your thing next. Still the son of his highness, Xu Fengyen on the so-called literati civil servants quite a lot of opinions, just before and after the hereditary succession, even if there were two into the capital is not very painful experience, the impression of the Leiyang readers but more and more have changed, which has a king of the priests, Huangshang, Han Guzi, Qiyanglong, etc., these are the big man of the northern Liang is not hostile to the big man, and of course there is also a Zhang Julu Huan Wen, these have always existed in the north of the feudalism of the heart of the temple. Of course, there are also Zhang Julu Huan Wen, the pillar of the temple, and then Xu Fengyen began to think of a question, is it not until the young readers grow older and more experienced, as well as able to grow into a worthy of anyone’s admiration of the pillars of the court, a country of the bones of the wind and bones of the place?

Monk Fa Xian looked at the people around Xu Feng Nian for a few moments, collected his warm smile, and asked blandly: “Master Xu, North Liang has risen up, is determined to rebel?”

Xu Fenian shook his head and said, “No rebellion.”

The old monk who wore a leather cap and no robe and therefore did not show his monk status, gave an oh with some surprise and continued to ask: “Is this the king’s decree to pacify the rebellion?”

Xu Fengyen still shook his head and said, “There is an imperial decree in Tai’an City, but I surely can’t see it, probably the bedridden Cai Nan, the two Huai Dao’s provincial governor, and Han Lin, the strategic envoy, have already received the imperial decree.”

The old monk frowned and asked, “Then Guangling Dao needs the Northern Liang Cavalry to help the imperial army to quell the rebellion?”

Xu Fengnian continued to shake his head, “No need. If I needed it, behind me would not be 10,000 Northern Liang Cavalry, at least 20,000 Youzhou Infantry should be added.”

When the conversation reached this point, Yuan Zuozong narrowed his eyes with a deep killing intent.

After the old monk gave an oh sound, he asked three questions in a row without expression, “Is Beiliang in Liyang’s territory? Are the people of Northern Liang the citizens of Liyang? Is the Beiliang Border Army the army of Liyang?”

Xu Fengnian also nodded his head expressionlessly and said, “All of them are.”

The old monk carrying that oil lamp stood in the night, silent for a long time, and asked, “Dare I ask the King of Beiliang, of the three emperors of Liyang, could there be any immoral and dim emperor?”

Xu Fengyen smiled, “Not only no, and regardless of the personal grudges between Xu and Zhao, to be fair, from the heart, the three emperors of the Zhao family in Liyang, they are only a handful of virtuous and wise rulers in history, Zhao Li’s great talent and strategy is better than the founding emperors of Liyang, the diligence of Zhao Dun’s governance, and his tolerance for others are also rare in the past thousand years, and Zhao Zhuan’s ambition is high and far-reaching, but there is no suspicion of having high or low aspirations, and given ten years of peace, the world will definitely be calm and peaceful. The world will certainly be calm and peaceful.”

The old monk laughed, then suddenly the smile dissipated, said heavily: “Duh!”

Xu Fengyen slowly said with his hands on his sleeves, “Master must be wondering why you, as a Western Chu relic, as a monk who had to live in a land temple at the foot of the mountain after the mountain was closed down and destroyed, are still able to look at today’s world in a calm and peaceful manner, why would I, Xu Fengyen, as a Northwestern Vassal King, bring my troops to the south for my own selfishness?”

The old monk gazed at the young man, looking at his eyes instead of his face, “Does the king have something difficult to say?”

Xu Fengnian laughed to himself, “There is, but it’s not worth mentioning to everyone.”

The old monk gently lifted the oil lamp in his hand, “Is it really not worth mentioning? The poor monk is so old and dim that he can’t recognize the road without the oil lamp, he can’t see the people, he can’t see you, isn’t it worth nothing as well? Maybe everyone under the sky is, precisely the poor monk at this moment is not.”

Xu Fengyen wanted to stop talking.

The old monk as if talking to himself: “This world is very strange, the barren land of Beiliang, must be under the command of the Xu family to guard the tiger and wolf divisions, must be Xu Snapdragon to deter the North Mang, otherwise not to mention others, even Gu Jiantang can not keep, at the same time to cut the feudalism is the trend, if the Xu family luckily won the North Mang, and then want to cut the feudalism is difficult to climb to Heaven, any of the two successive kings of Beiliang! How I think, it is difficult to guarantee that those full-fledged heart of the generals to push the flames, wanting to do from the dragon’s minister to do that help the dragon’s work, so away from the Yang Zhao room of the emperor, on the north of Liang on the Xu family, it is very difficult to be the son of God, but can only be allowed to civil and military officials and the readers scolded, but the north of the Liang iron cavalry can only be the name of the Xu, thunder and lightning. Later, a scholar surnamed Zhang became a big official, so he came up with a method to make Bei Liang and Bei Mang consume each other, preferably fish death.”

Xu Fengnian smiled and said, “Right, in the eyes of the court, it’s dog eat dog.”

The old monk glanced at the young vassal king.

Xu Fengnian said frankly, “If I say that it is my Xu family that has dragged the court into not treating the people of Beiliang as the people of Liyang, I admit it, and so does Xu Snapdragon.”

The old monk began to fall silent.

Xu Fengnian stood there, a little out of his mind, “To take a step back, if it is my Xu family that caused the Beiliang border troops to die generously without being able to show their bravery, I also admit it.”

A young vassal king and an aged monk, both sides’ words reached this point, the old spy subconsciously reached out and pressed the cool sword on his waist, but Yuan Zuozong gently pressed the old spy’s arm and shook his head towards this indignant old man.

Xu Fengyen that sleeve cross in front of his body, those like a countryside plowing young young strong in and a senior nagging crop harvest, words without any indignation, more will not have half a bit of heroic, is to pull the family routine, as if to say that the sky will be raining hurry up to the sun grain field grain collected it, this spring rain this year, how to more than last year a few more quintals of rice it.