Poor monks do not break the precepts

Zhu Ling is used to Xu Sheng giving orders to herself coldly, but suddenly seeing the soft voice in front of Xu Sheng's eyes, Zhu Ling was even more at a loss, and felt uneasy and resisted in her heart, "I can handle things for you and relieve your worries, and my subordinates will not feel pain."

Xu Sheng smiled softly, and the words that followed were like needles piercing one's heart, he said slowly: "A few years ago, it was the age to talk about marriage, I was the one who delayed you until now."

The corners of Zhu Ling's perennially charming lips froze, and her charming curves gradually faded. She couldn't hide the shock and astonishment in her eyes. She didn't know if she was too stimulated.

The girls in Wuzhi Building are all orphans picked up by Xu Sheng, and they all grew up under Xu Sheng's nose, so no thought can escape Xu Sheng's eyes.Xu Sheng looked at Zhu Ling's dazed look indifferently, his eyebrows trembled inadvertently, and he sighed silently in his heart.

The gray and cloudy sky was intermittently covered with sparse snow. Zhu Ling knelt on the ground, her face was like the sky outside the house.The sound of falling snow more and more highlights the silence in the room, as if the inner restlessness under the silence of everything.

Xu Sheng stood up silently, glanced at Zhu Ling, and said coldly: "Get up, don't be ashamed in front of outsiders."

"What a wonderful monk, you have learned the bad habits of ordinary people, and the golden house hides the beauty." Meng Xiuran often went to and from the palace, and was used to Concubine Wan's posture of sinking a fish. When he saw Zhu Ling, he couldn't help but blink his eyes, and boasted: "Everyone in the world knows that Concubine Wan is stunning, but they don't know that there is such beauty outside the common world."

Zhu Ling bent her knees slightly, bowed meanly and said, "Zhu Ling pays homage to the sixth prince."

Meng Xiuran was surprised, and said with a slight smile, "So it's Miss Zhuling from Han Gongchun, who has been famous for a long time, and her reputation is really well-deserved." In a blink of an eye, he teased cynically, "The wonderful monk is so beautiful."

Xu Sheng glanced at Zhu Ling from the corner of his eye, "The poor monk has only helped her in the mountains and fields, but Zhu Ling's benefactor remembers his love, and he always has a few days to visit the poor monk every year."

"You shouldn't be called Miao Monk, the world should call you Holy Monk, save people everywhere." Meng Xiuran looked around and saw Zigui, and wondered, "Where's the little devil who usually follows you?"

"Probably went to the temple." Xu Sheng replied calmly, his heart was always uneasy, but he couldn't tell the reason.

Meng Xiuran asked casually, but he didn't really care about Zi Gui's whereabouts. Hearing this, he nodded and said, "I'm here this time, and you seem to be preoccupied. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"The Sixth Highness has already helped Shaolin a lot yesterday, how can this poor monk have the nerve to let His Highness deal with trivial matters in the world." With short hands, Xu Sheng doesn't like to owe too much to others, and it's an unspoken secret.Xu Sheng rarely had contact with Zhu Ling, and he just tried to stop him, "Zhu Ling benefactor, please sit down as you like."

Meng Xiuran stared at Xu Sheng's back who was rummaging on the shelf, and said with a light smile: "The Buddhist land, I can't do it, the wonderful monk can make me a pot of tea at will."

Xu Sheng still used it to refresh Qiu Zui, "The last pot brewed this year is reserved for His Highness the Sixth Highness."

Meng Xiuran made the pot of tea unceremoniously, "You usually make tea, so it's rare to try my craft today." The beauty here, but it seems that the beauty doesn't appreciate it, and Meng Xiuran's face is not catered to.

"Miss Zhu Ling's temperament is also that seeing is believing."

"Zhu Ling's benefactor has always had such a temper, please forgive me, Sixth Highness." Although Xu Sheng was not close to Meng Xiuran, he still liked the sixth prince's temper, so he blamed Zhu Ling a little in his words.

Meng Xiuran had seen too many beauties who flattered him, but now he met a woman who was indifferent to him, and felt strange. He had a good temper, so he would not care too much about Zhu Ling.It's just that he was a little curious. The relationship between Xu Sheng and Zhu Ling seemed complicated, but it was a pity that Xu Sheng kept silent, and he would not embarrass others.

Xu Sheng has always been picky when making friends, fools and idiots look down on them, anyone who can talk to him is a master with a seven-orifice heart.Knowing that it is difficult to hide from Meng Xiuran, Xu Sheng simply pointed out: "I do often ask Zhu Ling's benefactor to help me pay attention to the movements in the world. After all, there are so many martial arts in the world, we can't always be aware of it later."

"Indeed, just take recent events as an example, the Hermitage Villa was framed for no reason, it is really innocent."

It's not easy to inquire when you open your mouth abruptly, now that Meng Xiuran has started, Xu Sheng took the opportunity to ask: "Although you are helping Ji's family with what you said today, what is that person thinking? Are you really not suspicious at all?"

Meng Xiuran squinted at Zhu Lingxu for a moment, she looked like a tight-lipped girl, so she didn't have much scruples, shook her head and sighed: "Miao Monk is really a wonderful person, with a delicate heart, nothing can be hidden from you."

Between the pauses, the laughter on his face gradually disappeared, and his expression was slightly sad, "Although the father scolded him in the court, he sent many people to secretly monitor the imperial mother and concubine. Except for Aunt Tang, the imperial mother The maids around the concubine have been replaced a lot. The prince is often reprimanded by the father, even if it is a trivial matter, he is still caught by the father. Recently, the second brother is very proud of the father. Worried..." After all, Meng Xiuran was a little apprehensive, and stopped talking in the middle of the sentence, but there was no way to guard against it, even if the point was reached, no one in the room knew what he hadn't said.

The news was basically the same as Mr. Gong's, Xu Sheng said with a light smile: "I have heard of the reputation of His Highness the Second Highness as a virtuous king, I don't think so..."

Before Xu Sheng finished speaking, Meng Xiuran's sneer sounded, "The virtuous king..."

Si Pa lightly covered the tea beads at the corner of her mouth, and Zhu Ling said in a manly voice: "Han Gongchun often has literati who come to have a drink and talk about elegance, and I often hear them mention the second prince, who has countless reputations. Even the girls in my courtyard are very good. It's because of admiration for the second prince."

Meng Xiuran took a sip of tea, with an inexplicable smile on his lips, he said in a relaxed tone, "Second brother is indeed wise and far-reaching, as a younger brother, I can't match it."

Xu Sheng sized up Meng Xiuran's expression intentionally or unintentionally, and couldn't help but give him a high look. Apart from the momentary contempt just now, he was almost filled with joy and anger.Gently blowing the hot tea, Xu Sheng asked: "Why did you come to Wuwangya to look for me on purpose?"

"I'm going to talk to you about the old days, but I don't think you will believe me." Ming people don't say dark words, and they can't hide their words from smart people. Focus on cultivating on Wuwangya, but I feel that Xusheng's heart has never left the world of mortals. Now that the court is in turmoil and the martial arts world has been stirred up, can you really stand on Wuwangya and watch from a distance? Instead of standing here How about following me down the mountain? After all, if you want to turn the clouds upside down and hide in the dark, it is not convenient to be restrained."

Xu Sheng smiled lightly, and said leisurely: "Your Highness Sixth, aren't you afraid that I'm an ambitious man?"

Meng Xiuran supported Taiyin with his fingers, and chuckled disapprovingly, "It's better to have an ambitious person by your side than to hide behind the scenes and not be seen by yourself."

"To be honest, the poor monk, His Highness Six is ​​not lacking in wisdom, and he also has the courage of an emperor. It's a pity..." Xu Sheng smiled slightly, and was rarely serious to others, and asked: "Who does Your Highness want to support? Third Prince... ...is still the fourth prince."

"My mother and concubine's status in the palace, I don't want my son to rely on my mother, and I'm used to living an unfettered life, so it's embarrassing." Meng Xiuran didn't mind the undertones in his words, and laughed at himself magnanimously.

Zhu Ling was beside him silently, when he first heard Meng Xiuran's words, he wanted to kill him, but was stopped by Xu Sheng's eyes, so he didn't dare to think any more.Hearing Meng Xiuran's heart, he looked at him carefully, but he didn't say what he meant, but he looked at him with admiration. He didn't realize that he had a slight liking for him, and he didn't realize that he was as boring as ordinary men.

Xu Sheng sat with his legs crossed in the red sandalwood chair with water dragon pattern, with a rare casualness, he tilted his head and smiled lightly: "You have come here several times in the past, and you have never pointed it out to me, why did you choose this time."

Meng Xiuran sat up slightly, looked at Xu Sheng with deeper eyes, and said word by word: "You like to pay attention to timing when making wine, let alone the battle for the succession. Right now is an opportunity that cannot be missed. No, for all the princes, I am afraid that this is an opportunity that never comes again."

The room suddenly became silent. Hearing the words, Xu Sheng didn't intend to start a conversation. He kept looking at Meng Xiuran with a light smile. His deep eyes were imperceptible, revealing bursts of coldness like an ancient well. .Before making up his mind to say these words, Meng Xiuran had inquired about Xu Sheng in many ways, thinking that he might have guessed Xu Sheng's thoughts, but he did not expect that Xu Sheng would react like this when he risked his life to speak out.

Meng Xiuran's heart turned cold for the most part, but he still refused to give up. He said truthfully, "I'm not dissatisfied with the crown prince, but with my elder brother's aptitude, at most I can be a conservative king. Eldest brother is too soft-hearted, knowing that the second elder brother is blind Knowing that he was framed, he still refused to fight for it. To put it nicely, Big Brother is benevolent, but in other words, he is actually too benevolent and cowardly."

Xu Sheng closed his eyes and meditated for a long time, his lips finally opened slowly, "Who does His Highness the Sixth Prince belong to?"

"My third brother." Meng Xiuran's eyes were burning, and his tone was as firm as a rock.

"Meng Qingrun?"

Meng Xiuran didn't blame the arrogance of calling his third brother by his name, and said bluntly: "Yes. The third brother is resolute and wise, and he is kind and generous. He not only cares about the people, but also humbly accepts advice from his staff. Moreover, the third brother is consistent in his words and deeds. It's not like some hypocrites, who talk honey and have swords, and are wise and wise."

"Your Highness the Sixth Highness dares to say anything." Xu Sheng looked down at his cloud-patterned brocade shoe surface, making people unable to see his thoughts, and said for a long time: "Why didn't Your Highness choose Meng Yinghuan? Compared with Meng Qingrun whose mother and concubine died early and had no one to rely on, Meng Yinghuan's mother and concubine are the head of the four wives. Even if Mrs. Wei's favor is not as high as it was back then, at least a son is worthy of his mother."

Meng Xiuran chuckled lightly and said, "You are a wonderful person with vicious eyes, can't you see what my fourth brother is like?"

Xu Sheng was stunned for a moment, then laughed wildly as if hearing a very funny joke, the arrogance exuding from his whole body, not to mention Meng Xiuran had never seen it before, even Zhu Ling had never seen it before.The treacherous laughter lingered for a long time, then stopped abruptly, Xu Sheng's eyes gradually turned cold, his eyes seemed to be serious and thoughtful.

"Your Highness the Sixth Highness spoke so frankly to the poor monk today, are you not afraid that the poor monk has already cooperated with His Highness's two older brothers to pass on His Highness Sixth Highness's words?"

Meng Xiuran smirked, showing no fear at all, "I dare to speak out today, I am not afraid of life and death. The situation in the palace is unknown to people outside the palace, and even my father may not see it clearly. To be honest, if the second brother or the fourth brother In the future, no matter whether it is the crown prince or the third brother and I, there will be no good results. Instead of sitting and waiting for death, I might as well risk my life." He chuckled bitterly, "Actually, the third brother Renhou doesn't want to compete with the crown prince. , but I still want to give it a try and see if I can convince you to help third brother."

Hearing the words in silence for a long time, Zhu Ling was very confused and couldn't help interjecting: "Why does Your Highness the Sixth Highness seek Master Xu Sheng? Is the counselor famous?"

"Most of the counselors in our house were taught by Mr. Shi, and many of the courtiers in the previous court were mostly students of Mr. Xiao." Meng Xiuran's eyes were firm, and he stopped talking and said, "They are yours, right?" After falling, Meng Xiuran suddenly felt a gust of cool wind hit the back of his neck, and then he heard Xu Sheng angrily scold: "Zhu Ling stop, step back!"

Zhu Ling's short blade was less than half an inch away from the back of Meng Xiuran's neck, and she stopped abruptly, not willing to look at Xu Sheng, and took a long time to back away.

"If you don't want people to know you have to do it yourself, it seems that I have been negligent." Xu Sheng helped the coffee table to get up slowly, slowly moved to the small window, looked at the snow scene outside the house with cold eyes, and calmly said with a smile: "When did you find out? "

Cold sweat unknowingly soaked the brocade clothes. Meng Xiuran's heartbeat was as violent as a drum. He knew that he had just escaped from death. Although he acted calmly, his face was terribly pale with no trace of blood. "Do you still remember?" , more than a year ago, I came to visit unexpectedly?" Seeing Xu Sheng nodding without saying a word, he continued: "I was afraid of etiquette, so I sneaked up from the back of the mountain, and accidentally bumped into Xiao Quhua and Shi Guan who were about to leave. I didn't As he thought about it, he was just curious, how can you, a wonderful monk, even know a great Confucianist, so I asked someone to investigate."

The more Xu Sheng listened, the more curious he became, "What did you find?"

Meng Xiuran shook his head dejectedly, and said helplessly: "I didn't find much. The spies who went to Wuxue Academy only reported back, and only said that Shi Guan, Xiao Quhua, and even Mr. Bianji seemed to be related to you. So I just did it boldly." I made a guess, and it seems that I have hit the mark." He couldn't help glancing at Zhu Ling, "It seems that he knows more secrets."

"Who else knows about this but you?"

"There is no second person. If you want to silence me, no one else in the world will know." Meng Xiuran's eyes were clear, and he smiled: "No one knows that my little king is here today."

Xu Sheng turned around and raised his eyebrows slightly to stare at Meng Xiuran for a long time, admiring his courage, he had no intention of taking his life, and said: "I believe His Highness Six is ​​a man."

The snow is falling all over the sky, but the weather in the mountains is unpredictable. Now is a good time to go down the mountain.Xu Sheng thought over and over again, but he still didn't have the intention to kill Meng Xiuran, and although he couldn't agree to what he said, he still kept it in his heart.Although Xu Sheng didn't really want to help Meng Qingrun ascend to the throne, he should teach him a lesson that he often finds himself in trouble recently.

The idea was made, Xu Sheng didn't want to keep more guests, so he changed back to the appearance of a transcendent Buddha bone, and said with a smile: "The poor monk can't give His Highness the answer for a while."

Meng Xiuran had no illusions anymore, he was very surprised to hear Xu Sheng's answer like this, and hope was rekindled, he hurriedly said: "You don't have to give me an answer immediately, I sincerely hope Xu Sheng you can think about it."

"It's not early, the road behind the mountain is long, and it's not easy to go down the mountain. Your Highness the Sixth Highness should go down the mountain and go back to the capital earlier." Xu Sheng was still a little worried, and added a sentence: "The mountain road is difficult, Zhu Ling, you personally escort the Sixth Highness to the capital. At the foot of the mountain, make sure that His Highness meets the guards in his residence before leaving."

"It's an interesting journey with beauties." Meng Xiuran folded his arms and bowed to Xu Sheng, laughing brightly, as if he was from the rivers and lakes, "I'm waiting for the wonderful monk in Yongle City, and I'm taking my farewell."

Sending people outside the gate of the withered grass hut, Xu Sheng told Zhu Ling a few words alone, he didn't mean to take a few steps to send Meng Xiuran to the back mountain, he just said: "The poor monk will not send more." Walking inside the house, without waiting for anyone outside to react, the door of the withered grass hut has been quietly closed.Meng Xiuran was well versed in the imaginary temperament, and was born with a generous temper. He loved to travel in the Jianghu when he was young, and he saw a lot of people in the Jianghu with strange tempers, so he didn't feel annoyed at all. He smiled and said to Zhu Ling: "Miss Zhu Ling, let's go."

After driving away the annoying people, Xu Sheng hid in the secret room to meditate and practice the magical power of Mingxiang. The tenth calamity has not passed, and Xu Sheng dare not be sloppy for half a day.On the first day of the day, there were white fluffy stars fluttering down and down, Zigui hadn't come back yet, Wuwangya was silent, as if he could hear the slight sound of snow falling on the tile roof.Xu Sheng has been restless for the past few days, every time Zi Gui is not under his nose, the anxiety in his heart becomes more and more obvious.

True Qi traveled in reverse for three weeks, and Xu Sheng meditated for a long time again. By the time he calmly walked out of the secret room, it was already evening.The setting sun is slanting to the west, and the glowing clouds are like fire burning continuously in the sky.Wuwangya is a good place to watch the sunset. Today's sunset glow is extraordinarily bright red, but it has a kind of endless desolation.

The red sleeve fluttered like a butterfly, Chen Xiang stood silently beside Xu Sheng, her expression of wanting to cry was very ugly, and there seemed to be mist in front of her eyes.Chen Xiang's lips trembled slightly, and she lost her composure and said, "Zi Gui... the subordinates found it."

"Where is it?" Xu Sheng had never seen Chen Xiang like this before, he couldn't help being startled, and hurriedly said: "Take me there."

Chen Xiang's thin shoulders were slack and she clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles were distinct, and the warmth dripping from between her fingers gradually stained the white cotton under her feet.After a moment of silence, Chen Xiang suddenly knelt down and said with a sob: "This subordinate is incompetent, he didn't protect Zi Gui well."

Xu Sheng's expression was calm, as usual, but his hand that supported Chen Xiang was trembling, "Get up, you lead the way."

I often come and go to the stone steps. Xu Sheng has walked countless times since he was on Wuwangya, but it is only a place that can be reached by jumping. Today is particularly long and difficult.Chen Xiang took Xu Sheng out of the Buddha Cave, his feet seemed to be tied with a thousand catties of stones, and he couldn't move half a step.

"You wait here." Xu Sheng said coldly, the sternness in his eyes could not be concealed, "Someone needs to come and kill."

"Yes." Chen Xiang also had killing intent all over his body, and the evil spirit popped out of his eyes, like a burning fire, trying to burn the depression in his heart to ashes.

Before the construction of the withered grass hut, the Sanfo cave used to be a place for the monks who violated the precepts to contemplate and visit the Buddha.Zigui lay peacefully on the stone bed in the cave, just like in the past, if it weren't for the blood stains all over the wall, he would really be like a good sleeping child.The setting sun slanted into the cave, blending with the blood stains, the cave was gradually filled with deep red, and the moon-white monk's robe seemed to be soaked in blood.

Xu Sheng walked very slowly, leaving dazzling bloody footprints behind him, and the hem of his clothes drooped due to being wet.Stretching out a trembling hand, Xu Sheng tried to help Zigui close his lifeless eyes, but those eyes seemed to be looking at Xu Sheng, and he couldn't hit him.

"Master is here." Xu Sheng's lips moved slightly, and he wanted to say something, but there was only wordless silence.

The fingers holding the Zigui were icy cold by the cold wind that rushed into the cave, Xusheng hummed a little sleep tune, one master and one apprentice seemed to go back to the situation when Xusheng first picked up the Zigui a few years ago.Xu Sheng put his arms around Zigui, patted his back repeatedly, and wiped the wet blood on the corner of Zigui's lips with his sleeve.

After a long time, Xu Sheng mocked himself and said with a light smile: "Zi Gui, Master, don't worry any more. If Master is not around one day, how will you deal with yourself?"

Chen Xiang stood motionless outside the cave and waited, watching the sun go down and the moon usher in the stars, suddenly she took two steps back and slid down to sit with her back against the mountain wall.The winter in Wuwangya is always cold and cold, but this year seems to be particularly bleak. Chen Xiang curled up on the ground with her knees folded, her body trembling uncontrollably, and her whole body felt as if she had collapsed.

The lights in the temple on the mountainside turned on and off until the third watch, when Xu Sheng walked out holding the already cold Zigui, "Let's go."

Back on the cliff, Xu Sheng entrusted Zigui's body to Chen Xiang to look after, destroyed the Peony Terrace with a shovel for the first time, dug a soil pit himself, and destroyed the large furniture in the house with internal force, barely making a small coffin.When the two of them buried the cuckoo, the east side was gradually showing a white belly, and Xu Sheng under the early sun was in a state of distress, wearing a blood-stained monk's robe all over his body in disgrace.

Xu Shi was in so much pain that he had no tears, his heart was so numb from the pain as if it had been hollowed out, his expression was almost distorted, Xu Sheng still couldn't shed a single tear.He stood in front of Zigui's grave for a long time, gritted his teeth and muttered as if exhausting all his strength, "Lianxinhuiji..."

"The landlord?" Chen Xiang saw that Xu Sheng rushed into the thatched hut like crazy, not long after the porcelain cups and dishes fell to pieces in the room, and after another cup of tea, Xu Sheng walked out slowly with a ferocious expression on his face.

"Drunkenness and Dreams have been taken away."

Chen Xiang was slightly taken aback, "Huiji Lianxin killed a child, just to get drunk and die?"

As if her heart was tightly pinched, Xu Sheng felt sick for a while, and said coldly: "Not all, she is punishing my disobedience. Lian Xin Hui Ji!"

"What is the landlord going to do? Do you want to stay here?"

"Look it up for me, no matter what method you use, even if you dig three feet into the ground, find Lian Xin Hui Ji." Xu Sheng stared down at Zi Gui's simple tombstone, and gently stroked back and forth, "You sent me Someone to send a message to Mr. Bianji, asking him to find me a house in Qingzhou Prefecture and Yongle City."

Chen Xiang has a dull temper since she was a child and was not good at expressing her feelings. Now she knows that her state of mind is vain, but she can't squeeze out a word of comfort, so she just obeys orders, "Yes, my subordinates will do it immediately."

Xu Sheng glanced sideways, smiled wryly and said, "You don't have to worry about me."