The Luan sisters did not return all night. The eldest son of Liu Lanzi’s family went to Linlong Temple. The monks at the temple said that after 3 PM yesterday, the sisters left, and they inquired about what had happened.
Liu’s eldest son briefly explained a few things before hurriedly leaving to report to the county yamen.
Shouyi heard this and was stunned for several seconds.
After the temple closed yesterday, Shouyi discussed Buddhist dharma with Uncle Yuanrong all night. Uncle took out his treasured tea. The incense money could not be reduced any further. Uncle said he could give her a packet of tea.
The leaves of the calming tea.
If this packet of tea were sold at the market, it could fetch one tael of silver. If he met their Linlong Temple pilgrims, he might even be able to sell it for a bit more.
Calculating this way, she only needed another one or two hundred wen to pay for her parents’ memorial tablets.
Shouyi had originally planned to give her the tea personally when she came to Linlong Temple again. He looked down at the tea in his hand and turned towards the back courtyard.
Abbot Yuanming looked down at Shouyi, his fingers turning prayer beads. His voice held no excessive emotion, always seemingly peaceful and compassionate: “Shouyi, you grew up in the temple since childhood and have never experienced the mortal world. Therefore, I have never given you ritual scarifications. Now, you wish to descend the mountain. I will not keep you. However, many things have happened recently. If you descend the mountain, you must be cautious and careful. Never act with killing intent, never bully the weak. Even if you cannot break free from the mortal world and become lost within it, I hope you can remember what is good and what is evil, what should be done and what should not be done.”
“Disciple remembers!”
“Master, this disciple is not descending the mountain for the mortal world, but only for one person. If I do not save her, the Buddha in my heart and the dharma in my heart cannot become clear. What this disciple does, though seemingly for others, is ultimately for oneself. This journey is about cultivating oneself, cultivating the heart, and attaining freedom. Therefore, please rest assured, Master, this disciple will strictly adhere to the precepts and will not act incorrectly in any way.”
“Amitabha!”
Yuanming recited a Buddhist phrase. Shouyi was the disciple in this generation who had the deepest understanding of Buddhist dharma. If he could return after his trials, entering the mortal world and emerging from it, he could become the next abbot of their Linlong Temple.
“Go!”
Yuanming had no further advice. He simply took out a bag of silver and placed it into Shouyi’s hand. The times were difficult now, and even if he begged for alms along the way, he should always carry some silver with him for unforeseen circumstances.
“Shouyi takes his leave!”
Shouyi did not refuse. He tucked the money bag into his robe and, as he stepped out, he happened to meet Uncle Yuanrong.
Uncle hurried over, seemingly looking for him.
“You are descending the mountain?” Yuanrong asked.
Shouyi nodded. He thought Uncle would stop him, but then he heard Yuanrong say, “You cannot leave like this. Go change your monk’s robe and put on ordinary civilian clothes. You will also need a headscarf. Wait for me… No, come with me!”
Yuanrong, without explaining, dragged Shouyi away.
Yuanming lowered his eyelids and began reciting the Heart Sutra.
Shouyi blended in with the passing pilgrims and left Linlong Temple with them.
…
Granny Bian, accompanied by the eldest son of the Liu family, reported the matter to the authorities. After being dismissed by the yamen runners, Granny Bian knelt in the bustling street like a madwoman, crying and wailing: “It’s the Song family! It must be the Song family colluding with human traffickers to abduct my son, and now they’ve abducted my two nieces! Song family, Song family, I will fight them! I will go kill them!”
Granny Bian went mad, her strength astonishing. Liu’s eldest son could not restrain her immediately. The passing citizens stood quite a distance away, chatting in small groups and whispering. Cheng Zimo was on his day off, and he always reported to the county yamen on his days off. As he stepped onto the street leading to the county yamen today, he heard heart-wrenching cries.
Hearing the content of the cries, he pushed through the crowd and walked up to the crying person.
Liu’s eldest son was pulling at Granny Bian, while Aunt Wang, who had followed worriedly, stood by, unable to help, her eyes red with anxiety.
Cheng Zimo was eager to know what was going on with the Song family the woman mentioned. Seeing that the aunt beside him seemed to know the crying victim, he quickly inquired, “Aunt, what is going on? What Song family? Were this aunt’s family really abducted by that Song family in collusion with human traffickers?”
Aunt Wang suddenly heard the somewhat anxious inquiry beside her. She was about to turn and curse whoever was foolish enough to watch the commotion, but upon seeing that it was the young master from the Cheng manor standing beside her, she immediately swallowed back the obscenities that were about to escape her lips.
“This commoner has seen Young General Cheng.”
Cheng Zimo was surprised that the aunt knew him. He waved his hand, signaling for her not to stand on ceremony.
Aunt Wang remembered his question and said, “Young General Cheng, please don’t listen to Granny Bian babbling nonsense here. She is speaking incoherently out of desperation. Although her family has some conflict with the Song family, they are neighbors who see each other all the time. How could they commit such an evil deed? It’s just that this Granny Bian lost her son a few years ago, and yesterday, her two nieces who came to stay with her did not return all night, it seems… it seems they too… So, in her anxiety, her mind is naturally a bit unclear, and what she says cannot be taken seriously, cannot be taken seriously!”
“So that’s how it is!”
Cheng Zimo was somewhat disappointed. He thought he had found a clue, but it turned out to be nonsense.
Granny Bian stopped struggling upon hearing Aunt Wang’s words. She turned her head to look at Aunt Wang, her eyes so red they seemed to be bleeding: “I am crazy? I am speaking nonsense? Then tell me, why is it that among so many children in our Ji Jia Lane, only my children are lost? Why is it that my two nieces disappeared again right after appearing in our lane? Why? Why?”