Hello Chang’an

 “Catch?” Taifu Chu snorted: “What can we catch? The thief is far away in the horizon...”

Qiao Jijiu couldn't help but said in surprise: "According to this, he is a thief?"

Far away in the horizon, yet so close.

"Isn't it?" Mrs. Chu glanced at Qiao Yang.

After Qiao Yang was stunned for a moment, she joked: "When you look at me like this... I'm going to wonder if I'm similar to that 'house thief'!"

Taifu Chu looked at him and said nothing on the surface, but he said "poof" in his heart.

What does it mean to have similarities? The thief is clearly Qiao Yang!

thief!

Thief!

Thief who steals students!

Taifu Chu scolded "Thief Qiao" in his heart, but "Thief Qiao" didn't know the inside story and comforted the old Taifu half-knowingly: "Thieves in the family have always been difficult to guard against. Now that we know who did it this time, we will leave it to our children and grandchildren." As for cooking, you are already very busy with work, so there is no need to get angry over such trivial matters."

After all, the most important thing in the old Taifu's family is children and grandchildren. Although the Taifu only has two sons, these two sons are both good at spreading their business, and they have given the Taifu more than twenty grandchildren... these two The profusion of children can be described as conscientious, as if childbirth is a business that is being carefully managed, and it gives people the impression that they can't find anything else to do at night for entertainment. Feeling of lack of things.

Moreover, the older grandchildren in the Taifu's family have also married and had children, and there are already a large number of great-grandchildren in the Taifu's family.

Among these children, it is normal for one or two naughty and disobedient thieves to appear.

Qiao Jijiu analyzed seriously on the road that deviated from the truth.

Faced with those irrelevant words of comfort, Grand Tutor Chu listened blankly and seemed to change the topic: "Wang Borun has written and asked me to say hello to you, the wine-sacrifice master, on his behalf."

"Wang Borun..." Qiao Yang thought for a while and was sure that she did not recognize this person. When she was about to ask, she heard the Taifu say in a cold voice: "The one who is now the chief historian of Jiangdu Governor's Office."

Qiao Yang was stunned, but still puzzled: "But I have never interacted with this Wang Changshi before..."

"There wasn't one before, but now there is one." Taifu said, "Isn't he the assistant officer under your good student?"

Qiao Yang: ...Yes, yes, but why is Taifu's somewhat unfriendly tone?

The Taifu added: "He is full of praise for your student. Naturally, he admires you as a teacher. He admires you beyond measure."

Qiao Yang inexplicably felt like she was about to break out in sweat, so she subconsciously said humbly: "Others don't know, but don't you know, Master, that I, the teacher, have never taught anything..."

"Sui Ning's achievements today are not only like a spring thunder in the eyes of outsiders, but even I, a teacher and a father, never expected it."

Qiao Jijiu said with some emotion: "This is her creation power, not mine."

Mrs. Chu slightly raised his gray eyebrows - these words were barely pleasant to hear.

"Speaking of this creation, it is indeed too mysterious..." Qiao Jijiu said, and couldn't help but feel a little immersed: "These days, I often think about all kinds of things about Suining... If I really talk about it in detail, her work can be called a rewrite. The destiny-like destiny seems to have begun to take shape from the fame of Dengtai Tower..."

"And that day happened to be the apprenticeship banquet that this child set for me." Qiao Jijiu sighed with emotion: "Everything seems to be destined."

Mrs. Chu's beard twitched - okay, after going around in a circle, he still has to put gold on his face!

"Why did the clues start to show up from the day we ascended the Tai Tower?" Taifu Chu ruthlessly destroyed the situation with his bare hands: "You ate me in the imperial examination? She was also eaten by you in Dayun Temple Bo Xiang?"

Qiao Yang coughed lightly: "Compared with what you said, the impact it had on the day you climbed the Tailou, it is still slightly inferior..."

Qiao Yang was about to say more, but seeing the expression on Taifu's face, she quickly stopped.

It was also at this time that he suddenly realized where the Taifu's emotions came from... Could it be that he was jealous that he had such an outstanding student?

He has been in contact with the old man for many years. According to his understanding, this old man with a strange temper dislikes and despises everything, and people will never be jealous of things they despise -

If you are jealous, it means you like him.

The last person who was "favoured" by the Taifu was His Highness.

If there are one hundred inverse scales on the Taifu's body, about ninety-nine of them are due to His Highness.

And the Taifu now "favours" Sui Ning, is it because...

Qiao Yang was thinking with complicated emotions and asked in a low voice: "Does the Grand Tutor also feel that this child Sui Ning has many similarities with His Highness during his lifetime?"

Before Chu Taifu could say anything, he heard Qiao Yang say: "To be honest, I have often felt this way since Sui Ning joined the battlefield."

-Oh, he is still in a trance.

After trying out the answer he wanted, Master Chu's mood suddenly became much brighter. He even raised his hand and patted Qiao Yang's shoulder to express comfort.

He is no longer angry. What does he care about with someone who is still kept in the dark?

After arriving at the riverside and sitting down on a small bamboo stool, the Taifu took the food box from the servant and handed it to Qiao Yang. After opening the food box with his own hands, he raised his hand and signaled: "Eat some first to cushion the meal."

Qiao Yang took a look and saw that the three-tiered food box contained three or four different kinds of pasta, as well as slices of roast duck and a small plate of fresh vinegar and celery.

For fishermen, a dry steamed bun can last a whole day in their arms. The combination of meat and vegetables in front of them is extremely rich.

Qiao Yang was a little surprised and said with a smile: "Master, you are paying more and more attention to health preservation now."

Moreover, the Taifu was clearly in a mood when he came. Even when he was angry, he did not forget to ask people to prepare healthy food and drinks... which shows his level of care.

"That's right." The Taifu adjusted the fishing line and said, "I want to live a long life."

Qiao Yang was even more surprised. The Taifu never held birthday banquets. The biggest reason was that he hated hearing people congratulate him on his longevity.

Qiao Yang laughed: "Now you finally know how to cherish your life!"

The Taifu threw the fishhook out with a happy expression. His disgusting student was now starting over from scratch, and the road ahead was destined to be difficult. He had to save his life in case he was such a bad student. " emergencies”.

Qiao Yang also hung up the bait and swung the hook. After making the nest, he and the Taifu picked up the chopsticks and tasted the crisp vinegar and celery. Qiao Yang was full of praise.

Suddenly, the fishing line swayed, and Qiao Yang quickly dropped her chopsticks and waited for an opportunity to close the rod.

When he saw what he had caught, he couldn't help but be startled: "...Why did you encounter such bad luck on your first catch so early in the morning?"

What was hanging on the hook was a dead fish.

There is a popular saying that "a dead fish will just say what it says and just put the pole away", which means that a dead fish will not take the bait on its own. If you encounter a dead fish, it must be hooked by a water ghost or a water monkey. In other words, there is something dirty in the water.

"The sky is clear and the sun is shining brightly, I'm afraid it's just a water ghost." The old lady picked off the dead fish for Qiao Yang, threw it away, and said disdainfully: "There really is a water ghost hanging on the fish, so I really won't leave. , I refuse to close the pole, and will stay here today. You call those other supervisors to come over, surround the river, and throw hundreds of poles down. I want to see if it can get over and hang on. It’s not sour! Don’t you dare do it again next time!”

"Since it dared to show its head today, I dare to tell it that it will not be able to lay down for three days and three nights... It will be so exhausted that it will search for teeth all over the ground and foam at the mouth. It will have to come up to the water to beg for mercy from me." The Taifu said, and pulled Qiao Qiao out of the water. Yang reattached the bait on his fishing rod and swung it out again. "..." Qiao Yang felt deeply that this kind of resentment called "I am entangled in official duties, and you water ghosts can't even think about leisurely life" is really extraordinary.

But Qiao Yang still felt some bad premonitions in her heart. Looking at the swaying water surface, her heart felt up and down for no reason.

Soon, before the "dirty things" under the water could catch fish again, Qiao Yang heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.

It was Qiao Yubai who came.

"…father!"

Qiao Yubai was in such a hurry that he only had time to give a cursory salute in the direction of Master Chu. Then he looked at his father with a pair of reddish eyes and said, "Dad, someone from Dayun Temple came to report the news. It's..."

He came in a hurry, but the words seemed to be blocked in his mouth. After his father's questioning and urging, he was able to say: "Master Wujue... passed away!"

Qiao Yang stood up suddenly, with quick and chaotic movements, turning over half of the food box and dishes in front of her.

"...Master, Yubai and I have to excuse ourselves!"

Qiao Jijiu and Qiao Yubai quickly left the place.

Master Chu sat there, lost in thought for a while, but still felt unable to react.

He didn't go to Dayun Temple very often these days, and he never saw Wu Jue, but in his impression, the monk who was still very young in his eyes was clearly fair and fat, with a face full of happiness...

How could such a fat monk suddenly walk ahead of a bad old man like him?

…

Qiao Yang and his son quickly arrived at Dayun Temple.

The friendship between Qiao Yang and Wu Jue was obvious. Everyone knew that they had worked together under the former Crown Prince. However, Wu Jue had no other relatives for a long time, so the monks from Dayun Temple went to the Imperial College to report the funeral. Lift.

The same news of the death soon reached the Zhongyong Hou Mansion in Xingningfang.

Meng Lie's situation is a little different. On the surface, his relationship with Wujue is just a businessman who donated money to build Dayun Temple and the abbot of Dayun Temple -

This superficial relationship prevented him from showing up at Dayun Temple immediately, otherwise he might arouse the suspicion of countless saints in the temple...

Yes, if Wu Jue dies, His Highness will never come back, and it will be meaningless for him to keep the secret of Deng Tai Tower... But he doesn't believe it!

He didn't believe that Wu Jue would really die like this!

Meng Lie still maintained the last trace of reason. He sat calmly in the carriage for a long time. He estimated that the time was almost up and the news of his expected death had spread, so he asked the coachman to continue driving to Dayun Temple.

When he arrived, there were many carriages, horses and sedans parked outside the temple, including those from the palace. I think the saint also knew about this...

Meng Lie maintained his normal expression. After entering the temple and learning the news of the abbot's death from a Zhike monk, he dared to show shock and sorrow: "...Can I go and pay homage to Master Wu Jue for the last time?"

The monk knew that he was a nobleman of Dayun Temple and often discussed Buddhism with the abbot master. At this moment, he clasped his hands and recited the Buddha's name: "Donor Meng, please come with the young monk."

Along the way, the Bodhi tree swayed gently in the wind, and the pine needles fell quietly. The scorching golden light from the scorching sun above his head was almost dazzling. Meng Lie stepped on the bluestone bricks, but it seemed as if he was walking in the dark night, with only a faint candlelight left in front of him. Reluctantly guiding him to move forward.

He soon arrived at the Buddhist temple where Wujue was placed, surrounded by the sounds of people, the tapping of wooden fish, the sound of chanting sutras, and some intermittent crying.

The older monks have already understood the method of transcending life and death. Even though they are sad in their hearts, they just close their eyes and chant sutras. Most of the cries come from the young monks.

Wujue didn't have many bonds in the mortal world. Except for some pilgrims who happened to come to offer incense and learned about this, the only secular people in the temple at the moment were the Qiao family and his son, and four or five people who looked like chamberlains, or People sent by saints or people from Yu Zeng were either talking in low voices or showing sighs and regrets on their faces.

In the chaos, Meng Lie's eyes and Qiao Yang's eyes converged for a moment.

What Meng Lie saw was a pair of heavy and sad eyes. Through these eyes, Meng Lie clearly saw that the weak candlelight in front of him became dim again.

Meng Lie almost stretched out his hand to push away the woman in front of him. Fortunately, the situation was special and the official's wife was not surprised and no one paid attention to him.

Meng Lie came to Wujue.

Meng Lie's eyes scanned the person lying there inch by inch, from the closed eyes, to the pale and gray face, the thin and sunken cheeks, and the lifeless face, to the face that was covered by prayer flags but could still be seen. A thin and shriveled body…

It’s obvious that it hasn’t been ten days since we last met...

stand up!

Get up quickly!

Get up!

Meng Lie shouted in his heart, almost hoarse at the top of his lungs.

He controlled himself and didn't make a sound, but he couldn't help but grab Wujue's hand. That hand was freezing cold in this summer, and even became as stiff as a living person.

"Amitabha..." Seeing that his actions were inappropriate, the medical monk on the side reminded: "Master Abbot has passed away. Although the physical body has been dissolved in the world, his merits have been completed. Now he no longer needs to be trapped in the six paths. This is transcendence. Therefore, Please don’t mourn this.”

Meng Lie trembled and lowered his eyes, feeling that the cold winter wind suddenly struck from the depths of his heart, and finally swallowed up the dim candlelight in one fell swoop.

Two young monks came out of the hall, and one of them muttered in a low voice: "...The abbot has been ill for many days, but he is just holding on. I make and deliver medicine every day, and I have long been tired of serving him...He finally passed away today." , I can finally feel relaxed.”

The monk next to him was frightened and angry, and pulled him aside, avoiding the monks and pilgrims coming and going, and sternly reprimanded: "Huikong... what are you talking nonsense!"

The monk named Huikong was stunned for a moment: "Third senior brother, I..."

"The abbot and the abbot have always treated you well and allowed you to serve him closely, but you said these words on the day of his death... Is this how you have been practicing Zen all these years!"

"Third Senior Brother..." Huikong's eyes suddenly turned red and he was at a loss: "I made a mistake..."

"Not only have you made a mistake, I think you have lost your Zen mind!" The older monk chanted to Buddha repeatedly: "You don't need to take care of the abbot's funeral. You should go to the Buddha to reflect on yourself and repent right now!"

Huikong agreed and left here in despair.

How could he say those words just now...

In fact, looking back, not only today, but since the abbot and abbot fell ill, he has often complained in private, as if... it seems that he feels displeased with the abbot and the abbot, and that he no longer has the respectful respect he once had...

He didn't know what was wrong with him... It was like he was possessed by a demon!

Huikong blamed himself so much that when no one was around, he slapped himself hard in tears, went to the back hall, knelt down in front of the Buddha and repented.

…

In the majestic palace city, Tianjing Imperial Master was looking up at the sky on his way to the Ganlu Palace, his clear eyes thoughtful.

4400 words update, see you tomorrow.

Thank you for your monthly votes, and thank you for the rewards from Yanzhihu 1, Xinxinzi Destined to Be Rich, I Am Sister, and Book Friend 20231010133746711~