Chapter 28: Treasure Pavilion's Leisurely Cultivation

  The Northern State is indeed in a state of great turmoil. The Emperor of the Northern State, Yelü Shulü, spends his days drinking and neglecting government affairs, and has a fondness for killing people. Not only does he kill high-ranking officials in the imperial court, but also the cooks, deer herders, wolf herders, and attendants around him; anyone who slightly displeases him is immediately put to death, causing the people's hearts to gradually lose their sense of security.

  Minister Xiao Siwen saw this scene, took the opportunity to contact a group of nobles in the court, bribed the eunuchs and attendants around him who were anxious and could not end their days, hid sharp blades and sneaked into his bedroom, killing him. However, there were still many powerful officials loyal to Yelü Shilu in the court, who were very dissatisfied with the news, gathered troops to punish the rebels, and the internal strife in the Northern Dynasty naturally had no time to look south.

  When the northern troops hastily withdrew, General Cheng Shixiong of Guangyuan still suspected that there was a trick, so he didn't dare to slack off at all. He strictly guarded against it on the one hand and sent out scouts to gather information on the other. It wasn't until two days ago that the news came back. Until now, many people in Guangyuan don't know the details. Master Kongkong found out about it because he was close to the local officials and happened to have a visit from an official's family to the temple during these two days.

  Ding Yuluo was overjoyed upon receiving the good news, and tears of joy streamed down her face. The two senior monks were astonished and asked for an explanation. After being comforted, they invited Miss Ding to stay in a temporary guest room, but she refused. Although the northern rebels had retreated, their grain supplies were already five days late. Even in peaceful times, this would be considered a breach of contract, and delaying another day would mean another day's worth of punishment. It was still best to deliver the food as soon as possible.

  At this point, Ding Yu explained her difficulties to herself, and the large group of people only rested at Puzi Temple for a short while before continuing on their journey. In order to prevent everyone from becoming lazy, she didn't reveal the news that the northern invaders had retreated to anyone, but when she went to visit Ding Hao, she told him in detail, and he was also overjoyed after hearing it.

  Ding Hao's condition had just taken a turn for the better, and the convoy still had at least one more day of travel ahead of them, so Ding Yulou left him to rest at Puzi Temple. Before the convoy departed, Ding Yulou found Master Kongkong again and donated another 500 taels of incense oil money, asking the master to take good care of Ding Hao.

  Master Kong nodded his head in agreement and replied, "Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Even if the female donor hadn't instructed me, I would still take good care of him. There's a special feature in our temple - behind the temple, there's a spring that gushes out water all year round, with hot water suitable for bathing to dispel wind and cold. If Mr. Ding stays in the temple to rest and recover, I can arrange for him to stay near the hot spring, administer medicine, and bathe in the hot spring again, he should be able to recover quickly. Please don't worry, female donor."

  Seeing Laohe Shang's enthusiasm, Ding Yuluo finally put his mind at ease and went to see Ding Hao again before personally directing the fleet to continue advancing towards Guangyuan City.

  Puji Temple received a large sum of silver from the Ding family, but they didn't mention it out loud. In their hearts, however, they were very grateful to this guest who had stayed behind. After sending off Miss Dingshao and her entourage, the abbot, Kongzhizhi, instructed the monk Xuanfa to bring Dinghao to the rear temple to rest. As soon as Dinghao entered the temple, he felt warm and cozy, and after drinking two bowls of sugar water with ginger and medicine to dispel the cold, his body relaxed greatly, and he regained some energy. Two young monks accompanied him on a winding path through several majestic halls until they reached the quiet and elegant rear temple, where red plum blossoms were in full bloom.

  In the backyard, there are pavilions and towers, red plum blossoms everywhere, a winding pool of water, twisting and turning, with mist rising from the surface, like an immortal realm. Ding Hao didn't expect that there would be such a elegant place in the temple, and he couldn't help but feel greatly surprised.

  Xuan Fa led him on a winding path to a small courtyard, opened the door, and instructed Xia Sha Mi to spread out the bedding, light the charcoal stove, and smiled at him: "Master Ding Shi, please rest here for now. Three meals a day, decocting medicine, I will have someone deliver them. The room in the back has an underground river, which is connected to the hot spring, if you feel better, you can bathe there."

  "Thank you, Master, for your guidance." Ding Hao followed local customs, clasped his hands together and bowed to him.

  Xuan Fa returned a courtesy and smiled: "Less courtesy, less courtesy. The scenery behind the temple is elegant and suitable for quiet recuperation. However, when you go out of this gate to the right, by the lotus bridge, please do not enter. There is a residence of a protector of the temple's benefactor and their servants temporarily staying there, it's not suitable to disturb them."

  Ding Hao hastily said: "Master, rest assured, I will only recuperate here and within the temple, I won't wander around recklessly."

  "Hehe, so be it. I'll take my leave." The fat-headed and big-eared monk said as he left with the two young monks. Ding Hao moved the charcoal brazier to the side of the kang, lay down on the kang, pulled over the quilt to cover himself, and let out a satisfied sigh. People's needs always change with the times and circumstances. When he was at the Ding family home, he had hoped to change his status and live a comfortable life. But after traveling through the snowy wilderness for many days and still recovering from a serious illness, a bowl of hot soup, a warm stove, and a soft quilt were now his greatest comforts.

  The monk's medicine is quite effective, although it was bitter to the point of making one want to vomit when drinking it. Now, the fever in his body is gradually subsiding. Dinh Hao leaned on his arm and pondered: "The northerners retreated due to internal strife, and this evil battle did not break out after all. The great calamity of the Ding family can be considered over. However, they were late by a few days and almost brewed a great disaster. Guangyuan Jun will inevitably be afraid afterwards and cannot avoid being bullied by them. Dinh Tingxun, who started from scratch and built this family business with his own hands, is not an ordinary person in terms of wisdom. He should have foreseen these things and informed Ding Yuluo about them earlier. I am just a servant of the Ding family, and it's not up to me to take charge of these matters of welcoming and sending off dignitaries. What I needed to do, I've already done. Now, I'll just focus on nursing my body back to health."

  Ding Hao was thinking about his worries in the room, when suddenly he saw a grey Buddhist robe flashing by the green pine forest beside the road as the monk and two young monks walked towards the front hall. He couldn't help but stop in his tracks, and upon closer inspection, he saw a big bald head with a Buddha-like aura shining brightly from behind a short pine tree, clean and shiny without any blemishes.

  Xuan Fa said in a bad mood: "Bi Xiu, what are you doing there?"

  The person behind the green pine was startled and hastily jumped out, saying: "It's actually Master Xuanfa. Hehe, Little Monk didn't do anything, just now a few old mice stole lamp oil, I drove them out and am chasing them away."

  That man was indeed Bi Zu, he had just sunk the Ding family's convoy in the Wan Water Hole and then headed towards Guangyuan, leaving Ding Hao and his group nearly six hours earlier. On the way, they met Kong Wen from Puji Temple with two apprentices, Bi Zu being alone, thought of joining them to travel together.

  This time, Bai Su learned his lesson and admitted that he didn't understand Buddhism at all, nor did he know the rules of Buddhist families. He claimed to have just followed his master out of the house, but unexpectedly encountered bandits on the road, who killed his master, leaving him alone and wandering around. His words were filled with tears and sorrow, which greatly moved Kong Hui's compassionate heart, so he took Bai Su along with him on their journey. On the way, they also encountered a severe snowstorm, but because they were traveling light on foot and were familiar with the road, they arrived two days earlier than Ding's grain team.

  He had been speaking eloquently all along the way, but in reality he just wanted someone to take care of him and leave the wilderness. As soon as they arrived at Puzi Temple, he thought about sneaking away to Guangyuan City to have a good time. Unexpectedly, he found out that there was a noble person living in the backyard of the temple, who was none other than the wife of General Cheng Shiying, the protector of the temple. This time, she had donated as much as 10,000 taels of incense money to stay at Puzi Temple. Suddenly, his greed grew, thinking that this person was rich and noble, and if he could get a share from him, maybe he could wash his hands clean and become a wealthy man.

  Because he had this idea, he pretended to be a devout monk and first became a small samanera in the temple, looking for an opportunity to steal the money of that guardian layman. The Ding family affair had long been thrown out of his mind, but now hearing that the Ding family's caravan had left, he did not know that the person who had ruined his good deed at Qing Shui was still here.

  Xuan Fa rolled his eyes and said: "Has the Gong De Temple been swept clean? Are all the oil lamps filled?"

  "Everything has been swept and cleaned up, and the lamp oil has also been refilled."

  Xuan Fa snorted and said: "Then go back and behave yourself, do you think this temple is a place for you to wander around as you please? There are noble people living here, don't disturb them."

  "Yes, yes, yes, Bai Suo is going back now."

  Xuan Fa, as the abbot of the temple, was very particular about gains and losses within the temple. He looked down on this young novice who ate without working, but since he had been brought back by Kong Xian Shifu's great compassion, it wasn't suitable to drive him out. So, with a flick of his sleeve, he turned and left.

  Looking at the back of Shi Kuang, Bi Zu's smiling face suddenly turned gloomy, and he cursed loudly: "Damn it! You think I, Bi Zu, 'the all-around master' is also a real man, but you, this dog-eyed monk, dare to order me around. Hmph, sooner or later, I'll make you pay!"

  After finishing speaking, he glanced at the lotus bridge on the other side of the pool with a sly smile, and then hummed a tune as he swayed back to the Merit Hall.