Chapter 1 "Come, I'll ask and you answer: 'The most amorous are left with only regret from time immemorial,' what's the next line?"

In the middle of the morning, the blind man, while brewing tea, asked Xue San, who was sitting in front of him.

Xue San immediately replied with a smile:

"This regret stretches on forever without end."

The blind man nodded and said, "Another one led astray by the pig."

"Uh…"

"It should be 'Good dreams are always the easiest to wake from.'"

"Never heard of it. Wait, are you calling me as stupid as a pig?" Xue San realized.

The blind man picked up his teacup, took a sip, but didn't find the tea very pleasant. After hesitating, he put it down again. The weather was getting hot, and something cool would be best. He'd have to ask A Ming for some ice later.

"What I mean is, we actually have a lot of freedom. Within the limits of that freedom, each of us can do what we like, but if we exceed those limits, it can't be allowed.

"Like what you did last time; it was like dragging all of us into the pit with you."

"I was set up by A Li. That blockhead didn't give me the whole story. And, do you guys even know what's going on? Weren't you all watching which way the wind was blowing with me?"

"Of course," the blind man said matter-of-factly.

"Since you were watching which way the wind was blowing, how can you still have the nerve to say that to me now?"

"I have plenty of nerve. Do you know the difference between a pioneer and a pit-digger? Actually, they're both the people at the very front of the road. If the road gets through in the end, you call them pioneers; if the road gets blocked, you call them pit-diggers.

"So, you're a pit-digger."

"Hey, hey, hey, it's the middle of the morning. I just came here to get some funding. You had to give me a dressing-down, didn't you?"

"I'm idle anyway," the blind man said, not taking it to heart.

Just then, Si Niang walked in.

Today, Si Niang was wearing a long purple dress and a phoenix hairpin. Her beauty was unmatched.

The blind man's expression paused slightly, then he smiled in understanding.

Xue San didn't react at first, but after Si Niang sat down, Xue San was about to speak when he suddenly looked surprised and hurriedly said:

"Si Niang, you've reached the next realm?"

Si Niang reached out and picked up a ledger that had just been delivered this morning, opening it as she nodded.

"How did you reach it?" Xue San asked, unable to understand.

"Just like that."

"Then you… forget it, forget it, I won't ask. A thousand people, a thousand paths. If I ask, I might get dragged into another pit. Si Niang, please approve this list for me. I need to have these workshops built first; I need people to forge some equipment."

The men under Xue San were personally trained by him, and he would also design some special equipment for them. This equipment generally wasn't suitable for promotion, partly because it wasn't worth promoting, and partly because they couldn't afford to promote it.

"Okay, leave it here. I'll approve it this afternoon and have someone send it to you."

"Alright, then I'll be going. You guys chat."

Xue San got up and left the signing room.

The blind man then turned to Si Niang and said, "Congratulations."

Si Niang shook her head and said:

"If you really want to congratulate me, you might as well fight me now and see if your spiritual power is faster than my needle."

Every time she reached the next realm, she would feel an urge to fight someone.

The blind man said with a wry smile:

"I can't beat you."

"Boring."

"I've brought today's list; please work hard again."

"I know."

The blind man got up and left directly without any delay.

Si Niang quickly finished reading the ledger in her hand, marked it in red ink, and threw it aside, stretching her fingers slightly.

Thinking of what she had said to the master last night,

In this world, only you, Master, are a man to me.

Even as a veteran of the pleasure quarter, Si Niang couldn't help but blush.

This was truly from the bottom of her heart.

She wasn't interested in men, but she happened to be a woman.

Since she was a woman, she would always have needs. She wanted to find someone to try to get along with, someone to try to court, someone to try to say "I love you," whether it was spiritually or physically; she always had to have an object.

In this world, only the master could give her the feeling of being a man.

Even if she didn't love the master, not in the love between a man and a woman, she had no choice.

Could this be considered love?

Si Niang wasn't sure.

When she got up, the master was still fast asleep.

What exactly was the feeling of loving someone?

Si Niang didn't know the answer.

But when she got up and saw how drained he looked, she did feel a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in her heart.

When she started flipping through the second ledger,

Si Niang's gaze immediately turned cold.

She drew a large circle on a certain area with a goose feather pen dipped in red ink.

This circle meant that someone was going to die again.

Si Niang thought of what the blind man had once told her:

Those dirty hands can't be chopped off completely; even if you chop them off, they'll grow back again.

The blind man said,

People take baths, but their bodies still get dirty. Does that mean they should never bathe again?

The master said that he wanted to go to Jiangnan in the Qian Kingdom to relax,

Actually, Si Niang also wanted to go,

Going around and around, from the westernmost part of the Yan Kingdom to the easternmost part of the Jin Kingdom, what changed was the scenery, but what remained unchanged was the roughness in the red curtains.

It seemed that only in Jiangnan in the Qian Kingdom could she find the true refinement of the brothels.

It was just a pity

That the matters at hand hadn't been handled yet. If she wanted to go out and stroll around, she would have to wait until everything in Xue Hai Pass was on the right track.

At the same time, the master's status was different now; if something happened, it wouldn't be a laughing matter.

Si Niang sighed,

And picked up the third ledger.

…

"Master, this is Xue Hai Pass. Look, they're building everywhere, making the people miserable!"

"Thwack!"

The old monk gave his disciple a knock on the head.

The little monk clutched his bald head, feeling very aggrieved.

"Liao Fan, I've told you to read more, but don't believe everything you read."

"But it's obvious here…"

"Does building everywhere necessarily mean the people are miserable? Look, the commoners here are certainly working hard, but their faces don't show any signs of decadence. They clearly have the appearance of having Buddha in their hearts."

Having Buddha in their hearts—in this case, Buddha can be understood as hope.

"But the world is full of suffering, and driving them to labor like this, how can…"

Upon hearing this, Kong Yuan almost gave him another knock on the head, but seeing that his disciple was still clutching his head, he had to bend his knee and give his disciple a hard slap on the bottom instead.

"Ah!"

The little monk Liao Fan clutched his butt, feeling very aggrieved again.

"Don't argue with your master. If everyone practiced and worshipped Buddha, who would farm for us to eat? Who would build Buddhist temples? Who would sculpt Buddha statues?

"The Buddhist path is austere, but any suffering, when you add the word 'austere' in front of it, actually doesn't seem so bitter anymore. Instead, it becomes a sort of artistic mood."

"Master, you're distorting Buddhist principles."

"You and I are all Buddhas, and all living beings are Buddhas. Where is there a unified Buddha?"

"Master, I can't argue with you."

"Then mind your tongue. Look at those soldiers patrolling over there, and look over there—clearly, those are barbarian tents. And look at the foot of that mountain; they're all wildling slaves.

"This Earl of Pingye is destined to be a murderous fellow. If you say something reckless again after we go in, don't think that people will think you're young and cute and not take you seriously."

"Master, this disciple understands."

"Understands? Then go and deliver the certificate of ordination."

"But there's no temple here."

"Once we're here, the temple will come."

"But this certificate of ordination was issued by the Chu Kingdom's government. We're monks recognized by the Chu Kingdom's government, and we're taking a certificate of ordination issued by the Chu Kingdom's government to the Yan people. Master, aren't you afraid that…"

"That means we're representing the monks of the Chu lands to come and convert to the true Great Yan."

"…" The little monk Liao Fan was speechless.

"Aren't you going yet?"

"Master, you're really shameless."

"Get going for your master!"

Monk Kong Yuan kicked him.

…

"Master."

"You're back so soon?"

"Yes. This disciple asked around, and the yamen runners over there said that the Earl's manor does accept us god-men."

"God-men your head, god-men your head!"

Two more knocks to the head, and two red marks were visibly forming on the little monk Liao Fan's head.

"Master, that's what they said."

"Is there any vegetarian food?"

"They provide food and drink, and lodgings too."

"Where?"

"In the city, at a place called Temple Terrace."

"Let's go."

"But they call us god-men."

"But your master is hungry!"

Monk Kong Yuan led the little monk into Xue Hai Pass. They didn't encounter any obstacles when entering the city gates, but after they entered, the smells wafting from the shops on all sides made the stomachs of the two monks, one big and one small, start chanting sutras.

It was just that the yamen called Temple Terrace was near the north gate, so the two of them had a bit of a walk.

Just then,

A group of children ran past in formation, about eight hundred of them, all boys of thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing uniforms of grey practice clothes and the same boots.

Leading them was a captain, wearing armor and leading the children in a run.

Seeing this scene, Monk Kong Yuan subconsciously stopped and watched the children run past him in rows.

"Master, I'm hungry."

The little monk Liao Fan urged the old monk to hurry up and get some vegetarian food.

Monk Kong Yuan clicked his tongue and said:

"That's quite rare. Those eight hundred kids who just passed by, about the same age as you—did you see anything?"

"See what?"

"They carry a kind of baleful aura."

"Silly aura?"

"Thwack!"

Another knock on the head.

"Ouch!"

"It's a baleful aura, a baleful aura! The ancestors have spirits, and the descendants offer blood to the ancestors, and the ancestors protect the descendants. This is the framework of yin and yang ethics."

"What's so strange about that, Master? Who doesn't have ancestors?"

"That's different, these children are different. I told you to study more, to look more, but all you know is how to eat, eat, eat. Look at your uselessness."

"What's with all the mumbo jumbo." At that moment, a porter pushing a cart passed by and laughed at the monk. "That group of kids just now are from the Righteousness Hall of the school. They were all orphans at first, and the Earl's manor adopted them. Later, when soldiers died in battle, since they had no descendants, they donated their pensions to the school and chose a child from the orphans to change their surname and be adopted.

"You say they're orphans? They certainly don't have fathers or mothers, but their families all have memorial tablets."

Upon hearing this, Monk Kong Yuan said thoughtfully, "No wonder, no wonder."

"Heh heh, you two monks are going to Temple Terrace, right?" the porter asked.

"Indeed."

"You can only go to Temple Terrace. You won't be able to find food to eat anywhere else in Xue Hai Pass. We don't support idlers in Xue Hai Pass; if you want to be an idler, you won't have food to eat.

"The Earl's manor allows us to burn paper money, allows us to hold ancestral sacrifices, but doesn't allow us to support monks and Taoists and the like to do things. They catch one and throw them in, saying it's, what was it, breaking feudal superstitions."

"Master, what does 'feudal superstition' mean?" the little monk Liao Fan asked his master.

"It means it's all bullshit."

Monk Kong Yuan put his palms together and bowed to the porter:

"Amitabha, thank you for clearing things up, benefactor."

"Alright, I won't chat with you anymore. I still have to deliver goods to the front street. Temple Terrace is straight ahead; turn left at the intersection ahead and you'll be there."

"Thank you, benefactor."

Monk Kong Yuan led his disciple forward and quickly found Temple Terrace, following the porter's directions.

There was no one guarding the entrance to Temple Terrace. The door was small, and the plaque was small too. On one side was a pork shop, and on the other was a mutton restaurant, but they were both much grander than Temple Terrace.

After the two monks went inside, they found a small table in the inner courtyard. Behind the table sat a clerk, yawning.

When he saw someone coming, and then saw the robes they were wearing, the clerk opened the booklet in front of him, picked up a writing brush, and asked:

"Name, hometown, where have you been? Tell me in detail, and don't make any mistakes."

"This poor monk is Kong Yuan, and this is my disciple Liao Fan. This poor monk is from the Qian Kingdom, where I became a monk. Later, I went to the Chu Kingdom and obtained a certificate of ordination. Here it is."

The clerk reached out and took the certificate of ordination that the old monk handed over. He glanced at it, not really taking it seriously, and gave it back to the old monk, saying:

"You're a monk, right? Recite a few sutras for me to hear, and don't mumble. Speak louder."

Monk Kong Yuan signaled his disciple to come forward.

Liao Fan walked to the table and began to recite the sutras, enunciating clearly and without any hesitation. At the same time, as he listened to the sutras, it seemed that his mood was calming down, and he felt a hint of coolness in the hot summer.

After listening for a while, the clerk raised his hand, as if still wanting to hear more, and said:

"Stop, that's enough. Take these two plaques and go inside. In the courtyard inside, the main room is the lecture hall, the room to the left is the cafeteria, and the room to the right is the dormitory. Someone inside will arrange things for you again."

"Thank you, benefactor."

"Thank you, benefactor."

Monk Kong Yuan led his disciple inside. Without any hesitation, the two of them turned left into the cafeteria. Because it was already past mealtime, there weren't many people inside. There were only two women busy at work. When they saw the two monks coming, one of the women called out:

"There are only steamed buns left."

"Steamed buns are good," Kong Yuan said.

"Steamed buns are very good," Liao Fan said.

Six steamed buns were brought out. They were already cold, but the two monks ate them very sweetly with hot water.

After they finished eating, the two monks were about to leave when they saw a soldier wearing armor walk in and point at them, saying:

"You're the new arrivals, right? Come on, go inside. Class is starting."

"Is there a great virtuous monk here lecturing on Buddhism?" Monk Kong Yuan asked.

The way of cultivation takes Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism as its three main branches, and there are many others. But no matter which branch, in order to promote their teachings, the virtuous ones within them inevitably had to go around giving lectures and spreading their ideas in the hope of attracting more disciples.

"Heh heh." The soldier smiled and said, "You'll know when you get there. Hurry up, don't dawdle."

The two monks didn't dare to delay and went straight inside. Only then did they discover that dozens of people were already sitting inside.

Some were wearing Taoist robes, some were wearing kasayas, and some were wearing all sorts of strange clothes. Everyone was sitting there, listening very attentively.

The lecturer wasn't some virtuous monk, but a blind man.

The blind man looked quite young, closing his eyes, but speaking very logically and giving people a very comfortable feeling.

Monk Kong Yuan and his disciple found two prayer mats and sat down.

What the blind man was lecturing on wasn't exactly Buddhist teachings, nor was it Taoist scriptures, but it couldn't be separated from Buddhism and Taoism. In fact, you could find many, many shadows of other sects within it.

Although so many things were mixed together, it didn't sound messy or cumbersome at all. The clear logic and extensive references made you feel that this was the way things were.

As he listened,

The little monk Liao Fan showed a look of infatuation,

But Kong Yuan frowned more and more deeply.

He immediately reached out and pinched his disciple.

But the little monk Liao Fan didn't seem to notice and continued to be infatuated.

"Amitabha."

Monk Kong Yuan chanted the name of the Buddha in a low voice, then formed a Buddhist mudra with his hand and directly touched his disciple's forehead.

Only then did the monk Liao Fan wake up, then he gasped for air. The place where his master had pinched him now really hurt.

"Master?"

"Let's go!"

Monk Kong Yuan immediately grabbed his disciple and walked outside.

At that moment,

The blind man who had been lecturing,

Had a meaningful smile on his face.

When Monk Kong Yuan led his disciple out of the Temple Terrace gate, the clerk sitting inside didn't stop them, only saying:

"Once you leave this door, you won't be able to come back in for free food, drink, and sleep."

"Master, we're not leaving!"

The monk Liao Fan immediately grabbed his master.

"Heh."

Monk Kong Yuan laughed lightly and looked back at the school, saying:

"A place like this that devours the mind, if you stay here any longer, you'll be devoured from head to toe. Do you still need your stomach to eat?"

With that said,

Monk Kong Yuan forcefully dragged the little monk Liao Fan out of Temple Terrace.

In a mutton soup restaurant next to Temple Terrace, Zheng Bo, who had woken up late and come here to drink soup, was sitting on the second floor. A Ming was sitting next to him.

"Oh, that's strange. Someone who went into the blind man's mouth can actually run out on their own."

Zheng Bo said, pointing down, while gnawing on a mutton bone.

A Ming also looked out and said, "Perhaps they're really capable."

"Heh heh, aren't you talking nonsense? How could they get out without being capable? But it's a pity. You know, putting some fillers in there doesn't seem to work, and really capable people—in other words, people who have real skills—this kind of mix of real and fake probably has the best effect."

"Master, should this subordinate go down and stop them?"

"Not yet, not yet. Anyway, they're still in the city. Oh, they're looking up, looking at you, A Ming. Tell me, did you reveal any killing intent to them just now?"

On the street below, the old monk looked up at the second floor.

A Ming replied:

"This subordinate was worried that they were assassins."

There really are true powerhouses in this world. They might not be very effective in a battle between armies and can still be drowned by a sea of soldiers.

But at certain moments, extraordinary individual strength can have a miraculous effect.

For example, the Sword Saint assassinating Old Situ, or killing Grim at Xue Hai Pass.

Or, for example, when Zang Fuzi and Bai Li Jian went to Yan Jing in the past, causing the Yan Jing forbidden army to be on full alert.

Sha Tuo Que Shi died outside the marquis's residence in the past, but if he had been more tactful and assassinated the princess specifically, then the princess would have had to carefully consider going out in the future.

It was precisely for this reason that Zheng Bo would carry Sha Tuo Que Shi's coffin wherever he went, and would spend so much effort trying to please the Sword Saint.

You have to have a million soldiers, but you also can't lack top-tier ace fighters around you, or else someone will stage a "Jing Ke Assassinating the King of Qin," and where will you go to cry?

Why was the Jingnan Marquis so terrifying?

Because he not only had a million soldiers, but he had also personally defeated the Sword Saint. This was true invincibility.

"Master, what are you looking at?"

"Sigh, it seems that I've come to the wrong place in Xue Hai Pass."

"Then let's go, Master. Anyway, we're full, so we can just run away."

"It's easy to go up the mountain, but hard to go down."

As he spoke,

The old monk Kong Yuan immediately took his disciple's hand and walked into the mutton soup restaurant.

A monk coming to eat mutton immediately drew a lot of attention, but Monk Kong Yuan didn't care and led his disciple straight to the second floor.

But as soon as they entered the second-floor stairs, before they could see the layout of the second floor clearly, they were aimed at by more than a dozen crossbows.

They were all standard military crossbows, and at this close range, their killing power was naturally incredibly terrifying.

The little monk Liao Fan immediately began to tremble in fear. He was still young and couldn't withstand such a battle array.

Monk Kong Yuan, on the other hand, was carefree and natural, showing no fear.

Zheng Fan shouted, gnawing on a mutton bone:

"What's the matter, Monk, want to come up and break your fast?"

Monk Kong Yuan put his palms together and said:

"This poor monk has come to say goodbye to the benefactor."

Zheng Fan threw down the mutton leg that he had almost finished gnawing, reached out and picked up a handkerchief, and wiped his hands while saying:

"You're leaving as soon as you arrive. Doesn't that mean that this Earl's hospitality is inadequate?"

The little monk Liao Fan's eyes immediately widened. This was the Earl of Pingye!

Monk Kong Yuan bowed and said:

"I thought that this place would be a pure land, but who would have thought that there were already ravines in the Earl's heart, and that you would build fences outside this world."

The implication was that Zheng Fan was controlling this group of otherworlders—that is, this group of god-men—and transforming and utilizing them.

Regardless of whether they were real or fake, nominally, they were all members of the clergy. Even if they met emperors and generals, members of the clergy didn't have to kneel, because they were no longer under the constraints of the secular world. However, this Earl of Pingye had taken an interest in the clergy.

"Heh, don't members of the clergy also have to eat? There's no reason why members of the clergy don't have to work. Besides, if everyone in the world becomes a member of the clergy, then that means no one is really a member of the clergy."

Monk Kong Yuan said in admiration:

"This poor monk has learned something."

The little monk Liao Fan immediately imitated his master's appearance, putting his palms together and saying seriously:

"This little monk has learned something."

At this moment, the blind man also came over after finishing his lecture at Temple Terrace. Seeing that the blind man had also come, Zheng Fan finally waved his hand and signaled the guards beside him to retreat with peace of mind.

In any case, this was Xue Hai Pass after all. With A Ming and the blind man guarding him, even if this monk was some kind of hidden expert, it would be very difficult for him to assassinate him.

Monk Kong Yuan looked at the blind man and said:

"May I ask, benefactor, are you Buddha or demon?"

The blind man smiled and said, "If the Buddha says I am Buddha, then I am Buddha. If the demon says I am demon, then I am demon."

Monk Kong Yuan felt that he had once again received a baptism.

He immediately said:

"This poor monk has learned something."

"This little monk has learned something."

The little monk Liao Fan silently recited these words in his heart. Usually, when he followed his master traveling around, when they met some masters giving lectures, they often had to listen for a whole day before they could hear one or two lines of insight. These lines of insight were very useful. According to his master, whether he could get good vegetarian food, good lodging, and the approval of dignitaries in the future would depend on these lines of insight.

Who would have thought that the people in this Xue Hai Pass seemed to be able to come up with insights at will? He had to memorize them quickly, keep them in his heart, and rely on them to eat in the future.

In fact, insights were just five parts wise sayings, four parts half-truths, and one part the edge of Buddhist principles, mass-produced, really not difficult.

Moreover, who said the words was often more influential than the words themselves.

Zheng Bo was now the Yan Emperor's Earl of Pingye, the Xue Hai Pass commander-in-chief, and at least in this Xue Hai Pass, he had touched the threshold where even farting was Zen.

Zheng Fan beckoned to the two monks, signaling them to come over.

The monk Liao Fan smelled the mutton on the table and sniffed.

"Eat."

Monk Liao Fan looked at his master.

Monk Kong Yuan said:

"Amitabha, since the Earl of Pingye is forcing you to break your meat vows with weapons, then eat. The Buddha knows your difficulties and will not blame you."

"Amitabha."

The little monk grabbed the mutton and began to eat.

Zheng Fan silently took out a pack of Chinese cigarettes, took out one and handed it to the blind man, and bit one himself. When he was about to put it away, he saw that the monk Kong Yuan had actually reached out his hand.

"Monks smoke too?"

"Although tobacco is harmful to the body, it can refresh the mind."

At this time, tobacco was not yet fully popular in the East. After all, the practice of taking drugs was in vogue. It wasn't that no one used tobacco, but most people used it as a medicinal material, and there had always been a saying among the people that lighting tobacco could remove filth.

Translated into modern terms, it meant that people believed that lighting tobacco could disinfect and kill bacteria, making them less likely to get sick and even prolonging their lives.

The fact that this monk knew that tobacco was harmful to the body meant that he was indeed an expert. He remembered that the Jingnan Marquis had said that it was harmful to the body of martial artists when he saw him smoking, because the Jingnan Marquis had tempered his body since childhood and naturally understood the ins and outs.

However, this wasn't a big deal for Zheng Fan. He wasn't an ascetic monk. Besides, he used to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day when he was working in a studio, and now he smoked less. Instead, he had been strengthening his body and cultivating, so what was there to be upset about?

The old monk took the cigarette and put it in his mouth, imitating Zheng Fan and the blind man's posture.

Zheng Fan lit the cigarette with a fire starter, then handed the fire starter to the blind man. The blind man lit his own, then helped the old monk light his.

The old monk quickly stood up and said politely:

"Thank you, benefactor."

The three men all lit their cigarettes.

The old monk smoked very naturally. Obviously, even if he had never smoked cigarettes before, he had definitely tried tobacco.

"Old monk, you said this thing is harmful to your body, so why do you still use it?"

The old monk replied:

"It's just a stinky skin, what does it matter? The sooner it rots, the sooner this poor monk can ascend to paradise."

"You're really open-minded."

"I've made the Earl laugh."

The blind man had been smoking silently, not saying a word.

"Old monk, why have you come to my Xue Hai Pass?"

"This poor monk previously thought that this would be a pure land."

"Heh heh, half a year ago, this place was still covered in corpses. What is a pure land?"

"There were indeed many dead people, and many dead colleagues. The more colleagues die, the more it is naturally a pure land for this poor monk."

"Tsk."

Zheng Fan laughed,

Then ordered:

"Come, give this little master another pot of wine."

The little monk Liao Fan heard this, bit into the mutton leg, and looked up at his master.

"Sigh, since the Earl of Pingye is forcing you to break your vows against alcohol with weapons, then break them. The Buddha knows your difficulties and will not blame you."

"Yes, Master."

When the wine was brought up,

The little monk Liao Fan directly pulled out the stopper on the small wine jar and drank it straight into his mouth, then put down the wine jar.

"Ah!"

Immediately,

He continued to gnaw on the mutton leg;

Judging by this appearance, his alcohol tolerance was definitely very good.

"Earl, this poor monk knows what you're planning to do."

"Oh? What?"

Monk Kong Yuan pointed to the north and said:

"Your Excellency was granted the title of Earl of Pingye by the Yan Emperor, and now you are guarding Xue Hai Pass. What you need to deal with most is naturally the wildlings on the snow plains.

"The snow plains are too big and too vast. The wildlings on the snow plains are indeed a mess, but it is not easy to clean them up.

"What Your Excellency wants is to subdue the enemy without fighting."

"Continue."

"Next, it should be Your Excellency who tells this poor monk."

"Oh? What should this Earl say?"

"Your Excellency, this poor monk is willing to go."

"If you were willing to go, why would you run out of Temple Terrace?"

"This poor monk has been traveling to many ancient temples, but has never stayed at one for long, only because this poor monk believes that the Buddha can be kneeled to, but people must not kneel. Of course, if Your Excellency forces me to with weapons, this poor monk can kneel."

"You mean, you want a temple of your own?"

"Yes."

"That's not difficult for you."

"The temple must not only be guarded by a true Buddha, but also have a Buddha of the human world sitting in it."

The typical meaning was that the temple had to have a backer.

Zheng Fan wanted to laugh a little. He remembered that Si Niang had said something similar when she opened a clubhouse.

"This Earl can promise you that, provided you do something first. If you get things done, this Earl doesn't mind you opening a temple in Xue Hai Pass. I'll even support you if you want to open an ancestral temple."

"This poor monk thanks Your Excellency."

"It's settled?"

"Isn't it settled?"

"I'm just talking."

"But this poor monk believes it."

"Tsk, you monk are indeed interesting, Blind Man."

"This subordinate is here."

"You two, communicate more and see if the training work in Temple Terrace can be handed over to him."

The blind man had too many things to do, and it would be good to find helpers to share the pressure.

At present, the most important thing was ideological and political education for the new soldiers and the Keyan Tribe, and this work could not be entrusted to others.

"Yes, Master."

The old monk put his palms together and said sincerely:

"This poor monk will definitely not disappoint Your Excellency."

"If you do things well, even if you want to open a large temple in Yan Jing City, this Earl can help you do it."

Upon hearing this, Monk Kong Yuan opened his mouth in surprise. This wasn't an act, because at this moment, he had figured out a lot of things.

"The wildlings are not Your Excellency's true…"

"Heh heh."

Zheng Fan leaned back slightly,

Raised his knees,

And directly extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand,

Saying:

"The snow plains are indeed big, and there are indeed many wildlings, but this Earl hasn't taken them seriously. Eight hundred years ago, you should know what is my Great Yan's real hidden danger!"

It was the barbarians!

"Let's not beat around the bush. If you can be effective on the snow plains within three years, it's not a dream that you'll be able to enter the hall of Yan Jing in the future and be granted the title of National Preceptor.

"His Majesty of Great Yan is most generous in this regard."

According to Zheng Fan's understanding of the Yan Emperor, if you could help solve the barbarian problem, the title of National Preceptor really wasn't a big deal.

Monk Kong Yuan immediately said:

"Thank you for your promotion, Your Excellency."

"Blind Man."

"Yes."

The blind man stood up and said to the two, "Please follow me."

"Okay, okay."

Monk Kong Yuan reached out and grabbed the greasy hand of the little monk, pulled him and followed the blind man downstairs.

A Ming said:

"Master, is he reliable?"

"Just treat it as a test. Anyway, it's just sending dozens or hundreds of god-men to the snow plains. We won't lose anything. Oh no, you might have to cooperate a little."

"Have this subordinate cooperate?"

"Perform the art of resurrection."

"Yes, Master."

"Is the workshop under construction?"

"It's already under construction, Master."

"Well, hurry up, thank you."

"Your Excellency is too polite."

"This mutton soup is pretty good. The new residence is almost finished, right? Transfer it to the residence."

At present, all the businesses operating in the city were under the name of the Earl's manor. Transferring chefs was just a matter of one sentence.

"Okay, Master, I'll tell Si Niang."

"Hmm."

"Hmm."

"Don't you have anything to say to me?"

I've given you the opportunity to speak, don't you want to level up?

"Master, this subordinate hasn't figured it out yet."

"Then take your time, no hurry."

…

"Two masters, this is where you'll be resting in the future. Temple Terrace is in front. Master Kong Yuan, please give lectures with me tomorrow."

"Thank you, North Master."

"You're too polite, Master."

At this time, servants came to serve tea and put it on the table.

The blind man said:

"These two are to serve the two masters."

"You can't, you can't, extravagance often breeds problems."

"I was abrupt. You go back to the yamen."

"Yes, North Master."

"Yes, North Master."

The two servants left.

The corners of the old monk Kong Yuan's mouth couldn'