After seeing off his good friend Wang Xuance.

Even the Second Miss of the Yingguo Duke's mansion, Wu Zetian, went to Jingzhou to live because her father became the governor of Jingzhou. The chivalrous youth watched the convoy go away, and for some reason, the words "Jingzhou" always left a faint touch in his heart, just like the Crouching Tiger Token.

It seemed that this city had a great impact on him.

After his friend left, there was no little fellow to chat with in the Yingguo Duke's mansion. Chen Yuan looked at the crescent-shaped jade pendant that the little fellow had given him, watching the leaves of the old tree turn yellow, fall, and finally a heavy snow fell. For some reason, the huge city of Chang'an felt much lonelier.

How boring.

As the chivalrous youth thought this, he turned his head and occasionally saw the refined gentleman looking at him. His eyes were distant and ancient, as if he could see the stories of thousands of years later, making the chivalrous youth feel a chill down his spine. He shivered and quickly ran away.

This Yuan Tiangang is definitely suspicious.

But he occasionally saw that this great gentleman had a reputation throughout Chang'an City.

Most importantly, no matter where he ran.

This guy could always block him at just the right time.

So he had to invite him home for a couple of simple meals.

After a while, they became somewhat acquainted.

And Chen Xuanzang's desire to leave the country was still unresolved. Under the strong pressure of the Tang Dynasty, the other monks who had been enthusiastic also retreated, and in the end, only Xuanzang was still persevering. One day, Chen Yuan went to the temple to freeload a meal as usual.

Chen Yuan scooped rice into a basin-sized rice bowl.

The bowl he used was about three times the size of an ordinary person's.

He filled it to the brim.

Then Chen Xuanzang took the rice bowl over.

This was his meal.

The two ate in silence. The chivalrous youth was filled with frustration. He didn't expect that even his appetite was no match for this guy. Why could this monk eat so much? He was like a pig. And when Chen Xuanzang sighed regretfully that he had no way to go west, the chivalrous youth was overjoyed.

Chang'an City is so good, only a fool would want to go west.

But after all, he was his own clansman, so he had to offer some comfort on the surface:

"There's nothing we can do about it."

"We Tang citizens all have to abide by the Tang laws."

"It's a pity, I was actually very willing to accompany you. If you were to go on the road alone, to be honest, I wouldn't feel at ease. What a pity. Of course, if you really want to go, we can risk leaving the country. Although there is danger of life and death, don't worry, I'll accompany you."

The reason was appropriate and reasonable, smoothly connecting with an emotional appeal, and at the same time, linking with a sob story.

Chen Yuan himself didn't know when he had become so smooth at using such rhetoric.

He felt like he had seen others do similar things a long, long time ago.

In the end, he could also reasonably amplify the danger, so that the other party would back down when faced with difficulties.

The chivalrous youth was very satisfied with his approach.

But he overlooked a certain possibility—

What if the monk in front of him was a stubborn guy?

For example, very headstrong.

The monk named Xuanzang, who had wandered alone in the troubled times for a full seven years since he was sixteen years old, put his hands together and muttered to himself: "Break through the barrier..."

He looked at Chen Yuan, who was happily eating, and a strange light flashed in the monk's eyes.

That day, the monk went out and bought a lot of wine and dishes.

Then he invited Chen Yuan to his home for dinner.

Chen Yuan, who was penniless to begin with, was quite happy to see the wine and dishes, although they weren't very good, and the wine wasn't very fragrant. Still, the monk actually took the initiative to invite him to drink. The monk used tea instead of wine and sincerely told him:

"This poor monk was stuck in a dead end before."

"It was wrong to always want to go out with a travel permit."

"I also want to thank you for reminding me."

"Come, I'll use tea instead of wine to toast you."

That day, Chen Yuan got very drunk and didn't expect that the monk's words could actually be interpreted in another way. So when he woke up, he found that he was no longer in Chang'an City.

"Where are we?"

"Oh, we're a hundred li away from Chang'an now."

The monk smiled heartily:

"Chen Yuan, you reminded me yesterday."

"We can totally sneak out of the country!"

Chen Yuan: "............"

....................

So Chen Yuan had to agree to accompany the monk to Yumenguan before considering the matter.

After more than a month of traveling in the wind and dew, the two of them actually ran from Chang'an City to Liangzhou on their own two legs. But at this moment, the border was heavily guarded because the Turkic people had previously provoked them, and the Tang Dynasty was in a state of extreme anger and military expansion.

Chen Xuanzang was not flustered at all. He entered Liangzhou City.

There were also many monks here. He preached and spread the Dharma here, and after receiving donations, he only kept a small portion, and donated the rest. He was clearly a monk who was particularly anxious to go to the west, but at this moment, he became calm instead.

It was as if he really wanted to concentrate on being a preacher here.

Chen Yuan had no idea what Chen Xuanzang was going to do in the west.

He also didn't know what this seemingly amiable monk would do in the Buddhist country of that era. But when he had already gotten used to the strong liquor of Liangzhou, Chen Xuanzang calmly told him that the travel expenses were ready.

"If we accumulate a large amount of money and dry food at once, it will definitely be noticed and checked by the border generals."

"But if we prepare little by little, spending a month, then there will be no problem at all."

"By the way, I've met some local monks who know where we can sneak out."

"The money has all been given away, and what's left are some dried steamed buns that can be stored for a long time, as well as some antidote, flint, and tinder..."

On the border, especially the border where a great war is about to break out, spiritual sustenance is very important.

This gentle monk who preached and lectured to the people during the day, comforting the anxiety in their hearts.

His words were calm, his eyes were firm, and he was extremely handy when making preparations, earnestly introducing these travel expenses and the subsequent plans to Chen Yuan.

He was so familiar with it that Chen Yuan felt a chill down his spine.

Why are you so skilled!

Aren't you the pride of Buddhism?

You're just a bald bandit, right?

So, at this time when two giant countries were preparing for war with each other, Chen Xuanzang, a senior intellectual of the Tang Dynasty, the pride of Buddhism, a harmless Buddhist cultivator, quietly sneaked out with a chivalrous youth and enough dry food under the heavy guard. Thus, there was the scene at the beginning, running wildly in the desert after leaving Liangzhou.

They were afraid that the Tang border army would find out and shoot them into hedgehogs.

So they could only hide their identities and travel by night, resting during the day. Chen Yuan looked at the monk who wrapped his bald head with a turban, and looked at the eight-hundred-jin refined iron Water Mill Zen Staff, and felt that no matter how they hid their identities, it probably wouldn't be of any use.

But perhaps it was also for this reason that the journey had been peaceful.

They hadn't encountered even half a bandit, as if this Hexi Corridor of the Silk Road was like the back garden of Chang'an.

The monk was quite relaxed.

And Chen Yuan felt that as long as they weren't blind, seeing this Zen staff would probably make them turn around and leave. But then, blocking their way was Guazhou, the last important border town of the Tang Dynasty. This was a truly important border town, and now it was forbidden for any Tang citizens to go out. The most important thing was that an arrest warrant from Guazhou had already been issued.

The two who were hiding in the inn couldn't hold out for long.

And to go to the Western Regions from Guazhou, they needed a local to lead them, otherwise they would get lost on the road.

But Xuanzang was still very calm. He told Chen Yuan:

"At this time, we should hope for the blessing of the Buddha."

Chen Yuan's mouth twitched. He really wanted to hit this bald head—at this time, he was still talking about the Buddha's blessing, was he out of his mind? But this guy actually leisurely ran to the largest temple outside Guazhou City to pray.

Chen Yuan was worried. He sighed, picked up his Tang saber, and followed him.

Guazhou City was of course safe, but outside the city was not necessarily so.

This place was very chaotic, with merchants, martial artists, bandits, foreign women, all kinds of people.

In fact, Xuanzang had been targeted when he went out.

He had accidentally revealed a little of the wealth he had obtained when he lectured in Liangzhou.

He was from the Central Plains, carrying treasures, and he was alone.

This was a fat sheep!

Many people exchanged glances secretly. This was also a competition. The strong would take action, and the weak would retreat.

In the end, a group of bandits took action. They were quite fierce. The leader's beard and hair were almost mixed together. From a distance, he looked like a fierce lion. This group followed the monk to the temple outside the city. The locals knew how powerful they were and hid far away with pale faces.

Even the abbot of the temple did not dare to remind this monk who had come from afar.

No one knew what happened after that.

It was only when the chivalrous youth arrived at the temple that their problem had been solved.

The bandit leader was kneeling on the ground. The monk seemed to be about to shave his head, his right hand pressed on the former's forehead. The bandit leader, who was originally fierce like a tiger and a lion, now looked like a monkey. Chen Xuanzang's eyes were gentle as he looked at Chen Yuan and said, "This is the Buddha's blessing."

"I have taken a new disciple, and he is actively willing to help us sneak out of the country."

"Amitabha, Buddha bless us, this is really great."

Chen Xuanzang's expression remained unchanged.

Chen Yuan's mouth twitched: "Do you think I'm stupid..."

Chen Xuanzang smiled gently:

"If you don't believe me, you can ask him."

The monk was still maintaining the posture of touching the crown and bestowing the precepts.

That is, his palm was pressing on the bandit leader's crown of the head.

The latter's face was distorted. When he saw the chivalrous youth's suspicious gaze, he squeezed out a little smile and choked out, "I am voluntarily asking to help you sneak out of Guazhou. I am willing."

And at this time, Chen Yuan suddenly realized that this monk was not stupid at all.

This guy was simply too shrewd.

............

Later generations have many records of the unprecedented great master Tang Xuanzang. Among them, it is written that the determined Master Xuanzang chose to go to a nearby temple outside the city to worship the Buddha when he encountered unsolvable problems. And this time, a 'foreign horse merchant' secretly followed him all the way.

He walked along the street, out of the city, and into the temple.

There is no doubt that the areas near the border in that era were not without chaos.

And when writing about why he followed him.

Master Xuanzang casually recorded—

It's very simple, because this horse merchant hoped that Xuanzang would touch his crown and bestow the precepts on him.

Because he recognized that Xuanzang, who was hiding his identity, was a high monk.

He wanted to be Xuanzang's disciple and serve him.

Master Xuanzang readily agreed.

And the foreign merchant also voluntarily became Xuanzang's eldest disciple.

And knowing the Tang law: those who cross the border illegally—are to be executed.

He enthusiastically and actively offered to help Xuanzang sneak out of Guazhou.

He also provided two good horses and some food, clothing, and water bags.

He was really enthusiastic and hospitable.

And in that era, according to legend, when the bandit leader finally survived, someone asked him if he didn't want his life. He replied, "...When that monk touched my crown and bestowed the precepts on me, his palm pressed on my crown of the head, and he said that he wanted to go to the Western Paradise."

"He didn't mind if I went with him."

"Asked me if I wanted to go?"

This is just a rumor.

And in the record of this bandit leader, of course, he would never dare to change his master's record.

He just quietly added a sentence to "The Biography of the Tripitaka Master".

When he received the touch of the crown and the bestowing of the precepts, he felt that he was one step closer to the Buddha.

ps: Today's third update... Three thousand six hundred words

The foreign merchant followed him only to voluntarily become Tang Seng's disciple, and took the initiative to offer to help sneak across the border is really recorded like this...

It reminds me of the story of Zilu becoming Confucius's disciple after provoking Confucius.

In addition... It is also truly recorded that he was closer to the Buddha when touching the crown and bestowing the precepts... "The Biography of the Tripitaka Master"

Perhaps there really was a person who followed a wanted monk with money outside a temple on the border, just to kneel down and become this monk's disciple, and risk his life to pay for people to help him sneak across the border... (Subway grandpa watching his phone face)