Chapter 913 Rage!

"Master, time to eat."

The little monk Liaofan set out the food and called to his master.

The master walked over and sat down. Usually, he was quite mad and eccentric, but there were two times when he was very clear-headed.

One was when entering the Pingxi Prince's mansion; he wouldn't drool and stare blankly, but would instead try his best to appear dignified.

The other was at meal times; he'd come immediately when called, never lingering to drift off into the beyond.

Truly mad was truly mad,

Pretending to be mad was also pretending,

Living in this world, being mad when one should be, and being clear-headed when one should be, was also a kind of carefree freedom.

The food was lavish, vegetarian of course, but not overly frugal. There was plenty of oil, and some of the mixed dishes even had shredded meat. The master and apprentice ate without hesitation.

They were the only two proper monks in the Gourd Temple, along with some disabled veterans who had also been placed there.

In the early days, the Gourd Temple was mainly a place for安置 disabled veterans. Most were lonely and without family, and their injuries were too severe for other work such as "jailer" or "sentry guard." The Gourd Temple was a good place; they only needed to fetch water and sweep the floor on weekdays.

Some had considered bringing in more monks to fill the temple, but the Pingxi Prince's mansion had always managed this aspect extremely strictly. In the past two years, Jindong had become a forbidden zone for all *fangwai zhi ren* (outsiders).

At all times, most *fangwai zhi ren* were just freeloaders. Those with real skills weren't nonexistent, such as those in the Qian Kingdom's back mountains and the imperial astronomical observatories of various countries. They usually didn't need to wander around; they had their own foundations.

Ordinary *fangwai zhi ren* who entered Jindong would immediately be "invited" to receive "ideological education" once discovered, then packaged and sent in batches to the snowy plains to enrich and enhance the spiritual and cultural life of the snowfield barbarians.

Everyone was just trying to make a living, and there was no need to directly challenge the highest difficulty.

Therefore, the huge Fengxin City only had one Gourd Temple, making the business of the master and apprentice quite busy.

Fengxin City had a dedicated drum and horn team with *suona* (a Chinese wind instrument) and drums, formerly buglers in the army who blew horns and beat drums. They usually took on these percussion gigs and would be drafted back into the military during wartime to pick up their old trade.

But religious ceremonies were compressed as much as possible because there were only two of them.

Often, the master and apprentice had to go to more than a dozen households a day. For blessings, funerals, and other occasions where they were needed, the two could only recite a passage of scripture and then rush to the next event, faster than the most popular courtesans in the red tents changing stages.

As for the daily meals in the Gourd Temple, they were provided by believers, mostly vegetarian with some meat mixed in. The cost wasn't high, and even then, people had to wait in line to deliver the food.

There was incense money, and a lot of it, but the Gourd Temple handed over a large sum to the Prince's mansion treasury every month as tax money. To the public, it couldn't be called tax money; it was called the great compassion of taking from the believers and using it for the believers.

Therefore, under this "castle in the air" structure, the Gourd Temple couldn't expand like temples and Taoist temples in other countries by lending money at high interest rates or annexing land.

However, both master and apprentice were blessed with Buddhist affinity and really looked down on this development path.

As they were eating,

A figure walked over.

His face was very, very white, and deep down, it revealed an uncomfortable red. It was a paper figure.

But this paper figure clearly possessed the characteristics of a "living person." He had walked here on his own.

The Kongyuan monk was clear-headed during meals.

He took a big gulp of soup

And said:

"The people from the Prince's mansion will be coming to the temple this afternoon. Aren't you afraid?"

The paper figure sat down.

Seeing this, the little monk Liaofan immediately shouted:

"There's water underneath!"

The paper figure stood up, but his buttocks were already wet.

The little monk Liaofan sighed,

"I have to re-paper you again."

"Letting you reshape my body is your good fortune. Even if you are the reincarnation of some kind of thing, that is still a cycle of Buddha. This priest is the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao!"

"Tch."

The old monk Kongyuan made a disdainful sound without any image.

He said:

"Look at the bragging, you've blown thick cowhide into thin paper. Still blowing?"

The paper figure

Was that Taoist priest.

The Taoist priest died, but he hadn't died completely.

This Taoist priest initially entered the Gourd Temple as a straw puppet. After a round of witty exchanges with the monks, the puppet was torn apart by the old monk's words to the believers, "Kill him."

His real body silently infiltrated the coffin shop in Fengxin City.

He wanted to take a peek at that "rootless person,"

But the "blue bird" had just taken to the sky

When it encountered a wheel-like war against Heaven!

First, the old monk rang the bell,

Then the little monk invited the Buddha's shadow to appear,

After that,

Stars fell.

He thought it was over, and he could slip away, but who knew that at the last moment, the most terrifying weapon hidden in the Prince's mansion would strike and grab and burst the Taoist's bird.

The Pingxi Prince was a very generous man, but also a ruthless one.

He could tolerate people like Xiao Yibo, Jian Bi, and Qu Peiluo, who had killed his father and teacher, continuing to be active around him and using them for his own purposes.

But for those who tried to covet his child,

Even if they were of great use,

He would never condone it.

Therefore, the Taoist was beheaded by Fan Li.

The divine soul he had painstakingly cultivated was forcibly swallowed by the Demon Pill and feasted on, indirectly promoting Zheng Lin's development in Si Niang's womb.

The Taoist was a supreme being in the world. At his peak, he was on the same level as Zang Fuzi. It could be said that Zheng Lin's innate nine-rank talent was due in part to the Taoist; such tonic couldn't be found through power alone.

But a centipede dies but does not fall.

The Taoist was a true *fangwai zhi ren*.

The destination pursued by Taoism was ascension.

The body was meant to be abandoned in pursuit of a kind of unrestrained self-spirit.

Therefore, a part of the Taoist, a very small part, was preserved, preserved in his last puppet clone, the paper figure.

The paper figure was now the Taoist.

But the real Taoist was already dead.

His cultivation, his body, had been crushed clean by the Pingxi Prince's mansion.

Only the paper figure remained, inheriting a part of his will, but he couldn't make any waves. A child with a flint could set him on fire.

He had no past because he had lost it.

He had no future because he couldn't even touch water, and he couldn't cultivate or recover.

He could only continue to use the paper figure as a vessel, drifting and drifting, stubbornly continuing his pride and indulgence.

In theory, this paper figure was just the last toy. After the destruction of the main body, it should have quickly dissipated, but it floated to the Gourd Temple.

The master and apprentice in the Gourd Temple actually took him in.

It wasn't that the master and apprentice deliberately took in the Prince's enemy to plot something, but because the two knew that the Taoist was gone. Accepting him was nothing more than out of friendship between fellow monks.

Every half a month, the little monk had to personally recite a passage of scripture to bless the paper figure, otherwise the paper figure would cease to exist. The Taoist's existence was so pitiful and helpless.

But,

It is easier to change rivers and mountains than to alter one's character.

He still felt that he was the superior one, and his state of mind didn't change with external objects. The Taoist had indeed achieved this.

"I'm very comfortable now, really, old monk, why don't you join me?"

The old monk rolled his eyes at the paper figure and ignored him.

The master and apprentice continued to eat.

The little monk ate a little faster and put down his chopsticks.

The old monk continued to leisurely eat his soup with rice,

And asked:

"Disciple, let's discuss again what Buddha we should establish for the Pingxi Prince?"

Establishing a Buddha,

This meant that they were no longer satisfied with just a statue of the Pingxi Prince riding a *pixiu* (mythical wild animal),

But wanted to find a "Buddha reincarnation" identity for the Pingxi Prince in the Buddhist scriptures.

Since ancient times, *fangwai zhi ren* have often liked to do this. This was the highest honor they could bestow.

But in every circle, there were people who flattered the powerful, and naturally, there were also upright people.

Therefore,

The paper figure at the dinner table scolded directly:

"Shameless!"

The master and apprentice ignored the Taoist, who didn't even have a face anymore.

The little monk suggested, "A *luohan* (arhat)?"

The old monk shook his head, "Too low."

*Luohan* usually appeared in the human world in the form of martial generals, wielding the thunderous law, making fierce faces, and cleansing the filth of the world.

But clearly, the Pingxi Prince's current status had long surpassed this level.

"A *pusa* (bodhisattva)?" the little monk asked again.

*Pusa* meant teaching the world, supporting order, and often transforming into human prime ministers, assisting monarchs.

The old monk shook his head again and said, "I'm afraid the Prince doesn't want to be a *pusa*."

In fact,

The old monk really wanted to say to his disciple,

You were the one who wanted to establish a state religion!

But the old monk also knew that the disciple that day wasn't his disciple.

Therefore, it seemed that the master was asking the disciple for ideas, but in fact, the master was doing what the disciple meant, but the disciple didn't know it himself.

"He won't want it," the paper figure said. "He doesn't respect ghosts and gods, and he's not interested in being a ghost or god. 'Believe it and it exists, don't believe it and it doesn't,' everyone can say this, but not everyone can really do it, but he can.

Don't waste your efforts, or you might shoot yourself in the foot."

The little monk nodded in agreement.

The old monk hesitated and wanted to insist a little longer, but he still agreed to give up the proposal for now.

…

In the afternoon,

The group from the Prince's mansion, who had returned from praying for blessings at Mount Tai, arrived at the Gourd Temple.

Today was the day for the Prince's daughter and the heir to grab auspicious objects, so the ceremony couldn't be lacking. Of course, there was another meaning, which was that the master and apprentice in the Gourd Temple had helped when Da Niu was born, and they had to repay the favor.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards had cleared the area in advance. The Gourd Temple wasn't open to the public today, but there were still many people kneeling outside the temple. In everyone's eyes, with the Prince entering the temple, the Buddha would also be more effective.

Zheng Fan walked into the temple and yawned. He had this problem since his last life. He felt sleepy as soon as he entered a temple.

Behind him, Zheng Lin, who was being held by the Princess of Fu, was also yawning. He was also sleepy.

The father and son, one in front and one behind, synchronized their movements and expressions.

When the Princess of Fu first held the heir, she wondered if this was a test for her.

Now, she was somewhat certain that she was really being asked to take care of the child.

She didn't feel any dissatisfaction, but was really flattered. Generally speaking, in wealthy families, raising children was the responsibility of the first wife.

Even in the imperial family, children born to other concubines were often sent to the Empress to raise. Of course, they didn't need to take care of them personally; servants and nannies would take care of everything.

But whoever the child was around from a young age would naturally be closer to that person.

However, the Princess of Fu still admired the Prince's wife's generosity.

Even though she had only entered the Prince's mansion for a day, she could see that the real leader of the Prince's back house was Feng Si Niang. Even Xiong Liqing, who came from the Chu imperial family, was just a younger sister in front of her.

In fact, things weren't that complicated.

Si Niang was really… annoyed with her son.

A mother would definitely love her child, but just like even loving couples would quarrel, she cared about the child, but she was also really annoyed. But after this little thing was born, she couldn't put him back. Handing him over to the Princess of Fu was the best choice.

Liu Ruqing's place was empty, which was convenient for the master to listen to operas. Although this little sister had entered the mansion as a widow, she was still young and knew etiquette. It was impossible to leave the child there to chain her up. The Princess of Fu was a new addition to the family, so she should naturally take on this task.

The Prince and Liang Cheng sat down on two chairs and began to talk about the Jindong military parade that would be held during the New Year.

Xiong Liqing held Da Niu, and the Princess of Fu held Zheng Lin, accompanied by a group of nannies, and began to worship the Buddha statues in the temple.

They put incense money where it was supposed to be put, and bowed where it was supposed to be bowed.

The children were still young and didn't understand, so the adults had to help them worship.

This wasn't feudal superstition, because the real feudal class didn't believe in this.

For example, Xiong Liqing herself didn't believe in this, but that didn't stop her from treating every Buddha statue in the temple seriously for Da Niu's sake, just as… a custom.

The Princess of Fu replaced Si Niang in worshiping the Buddha for the child.

Da Niu was in her mother's arms, looking at the various Buddha statues in front of her, feeling very curious, and giggling from time to time.

But the Princess of Fu noticed that the heir in her arms didn't look at the Buddha statues with the curiosity of a child, but frowned slightly.

Yes,

The child's eyebrows hadn't fully grown, but it was still possible to see him frowning.

A look of

Great disdain.

It seemed that this kind of worship was a kind of resistance, a kind of… torment for him.

The Princess of Fu thought that the child might not be able to stand the incense in the temple, but she didn't think too deeply about it.

After passing through the *Luohan* Hall, there was a place with paper figures.

The Gourd Temple also made paper figures, but not many, because the master and apprentice and the veterans who helped out in the temple were too busy, and the coffin shop in Fengxin City provided a one-stop service for funerals and had everything.

Like chanting scriptures, when someone needed something, they would come to the Gourd Temple to exchange incense money for a paper figure to represent the deceased, so the job wasn't big.

The heir, who was originally listless, suddenly became interested at this time, and even smiled actively and waved his hands and feet outward. Fortunately, the Princess of Fu held him.

The movement of the younger brother also attracted Da Niu, who was being held by Xiong Liqing.

Da Niu looked at the pile of paper figures with some confusion,

And soon,

Da Niu also became excited.

In the eyes of adults, the two children were curious and playful about the paper figures, but it was a bit unlucky. In the adult world, paper figures always had some bad associations.

But the adults didn't know what the two *lingtong* (spiritual children) saw.

"Let's go, go inside to invite the ancestral tablet," Xiong Liqing ordered.

"Yes," the Princess of Fu replied.

Every family member of the Prince's mansion had their own longevity tablet in the Gourd Temple, even Tian Tian.

As the group continued to walk inside,

A gust of wind seemed to blow, and a paper figure swayed slightly.

And Zheng Lin, who was being held in by the Princess of Fu, rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes still looking at the corner of the paper figure pile behind him.

He seemed to instinctively want to break free from the woman's restraint,

To tear apart the things that were hostile to him.

But in the next moment, the red mole between his eyebrows lit up slightly, and the strength that the child had just gathered dissipated in an instant.

The effect of the seal worked.

The child leaned back tiredly and stopped looking at the paper figure.

The group from the Prince's mansion didn't stay in the Gourd Temple for long. The old monk didn't suggest "This poor monk observed the celestial phenomena at night and was enlightened by the Buddha to know that the Prince was the reincarnation of a certain Buddha";

So, after finishing the worship, the group from the Prince's mansion quickly returned home.

But the auspicious object grabbing ceremony wasn't yet the time, and according to the normal procedure, after worshiping the gods and Buddhas, they had to worship the ancestors.

In the earliest days,

In Zheng Fan and Xu Pangpang's bragging, he was from the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion, his grandfather Zheng Zhilong and his father Zheng Chenggong.

Later, Xu Pangpang investigated and found that there were no such two people in the Marquis's mansion.

Of course, at that time, with Zheng Fan's rise, the Pingxi Prince had gradually become synonymous with "the common people rising to power," just like Zhu Chongba in another time and space. Humble origins were no longer a black history, but a glorious history.

But the Prince didn't have no previous generation.

In the underground of the Prince's mansion, there was one who had become an "elder" from a very early age, silently blessing Zheng Fan's family in a way that combined "the spirit in heaven" and "the spirit on earth."

But there was no need to worship him in a grand manner.

Inside the passage of the underground secret room,

Zheng Fan was the first to walk in, personally lighting incense and placing offerings. The coffin lay there quietly.

Even though he now had an army of 100,000 men,

Even though he had a sword saint by his side,

Zheng Fan had never forgotten the care that the person in the coffin had given him when he was at his weakest and most dangerous in this world.

This time, Si Niang, who didn't go to the Gourd Temple, also came.

Demon Kings would never admit that their seniority was low, but as Zheng Fan's wife, she had to show her etiquette at this time.

The Princess of Fu was here for the first time, quietly holding the child and remaining silent.

"Your granddaughter and grandson have come to see you. Later, when they can walk, let them come down to play with you by themselves."

This was Tian Tian's growth model.

Now, it could be copied over. After all, his son and daughter were both *lingtong*, so there was no need to worry about being cursed.

"Put them up there,"

Zheng Fan said.

Xiong Liqing smiled and took the initiative to step forward and put Da Niu on the coffin lid. When she first entered the Prince's mansion, she had worshiped her "father-in-law."

The Chu imperial family, which had a history of beast taming, was naturally close to this kind of family guardian god.

The Princess of Fu was a little stunned at first, and hesitated when she saw this, but she still put Zheng Lin on the coffin lid as well.

Da Niu was very curious about her current environment,

And once again stimulated her instinct,

She patted the coffin lid with her small hand

And smiled at the bottom.

And at this time,

A scene that made the Princess of Fu's scalp tingle appeared. A "sasha sasha" rubbing sound came from the coffin lid, like fingernails scratching the coffin.

The Princess of Fu looked at the people around her and saw that everyone was calm, so she could only force herself to be calm as well.

Zheng Lin was a lot more wooden, just sitting there with his eyes open but not moving.

This scene

Was unbearable for the father,

He picked up his son

And slapped his butt a couple of times.

Zheng Lin was beaten and turned to look at Zheng Fan, his eyes somewhat dark.

This feeling was like you were teaching a food-guarding puppy. It was very cute, but sometimes, you could feel its anger.

"Heh."

Zheng Fan saw this and struck harder.

But perhaps being beaten on the butt by a dad couldn't compare to being pricked with a needle by a mother, after all, the Pingxi Prince, a fifth-rank master, couldn't kill his own son.

Therefore, Zheng Lin remained unmoved.

At this time, the coffin seemed to respond, and the rubbing sound became a little gentler.

It was as if it was dissuading Zheng Fan from doing this.

Si Niang on the side silently took out a needle and prepared to step forward.

Deeper underground,

In that prison,

The black-armored man slowly opened a slit in one eye.

Since Xue San had watered him with blood last time to get him to crush the Taoist,

His activity seemed to have recovered a little bit, at least he wouldn't fall into eternal silence like before, and now he could occasionally react on his own.

The black-armored man seemed to be able to detect the scenes that were happening above,

His lips parted slightly,

With disdain,

He said silently:

"Waste… thing…"

The words "waste thing" were naturally directed at the Pingxi Prince.

Because everyone else around him had an unusual aura, but after several times, the only person standing in the main seat was just a fifth-rank martial artist…

This little cultivation was no different from trash in the eyes of the black-armored man.

However,

Just then,

Zheng Lin, who was being picked up and beaten on the butt by his dear father, suddenly became extremely angry and began to scream wildly:

"Aaaaaah!!!"

The child's cry was inevitably childish.

Therefore, in the eyes of outsiders, this was the child crying because he was being beaten by his dear father.

But the dear father was stunned at this time,

Because he could clearly see the anger and hysteria in his son's eyes, like a beast whose reverse scale had been touched, gnashing its teeth at the enemy.

Not at his dear father who was beating him,

But at the depths,

That stone gate.