Chapter 28: Past Events Like Smoke
Chapter 28:
Magistrate Chen promised to distribute the grain to the starving people without holding back a single grain, and Master Zhishan felt relieved. However, he was also afraid that Chen would go back on his word, so he made an excuse to stay behind and supervise the distribution together with him. Chen had no choice but to agree to the master's request.
"Master, to be honest with you, I was blinded by wealth and sold the grain to a merchant; but I promise you: within two days, I will definitely get the grain back, even if it means bankrupting my family." Magistrate Chen said sincerely.
"Alright! I believe you, for the sake of Chen Prefecture's people, I'll stay in the prefectural government office for two days. However, within these two days, you must fulfill your promise, otherwise, you will be in big trouble." said Master Zishan.
"Thank you, Master. Chen Floating Life will definitely do his best, and please ask the master to return to Bianjing without reporting this to the emperor."
The Great Master of Benevolence agreed to Magistrate Chen's request.
Wang Zi Peng saw his master's incredible abilities and admired him even more.
For two consecutive days, Chen Fusheng took the teacher and the yamen runner to personally negotiate and retrieve the grain.
On the third day, open the granary and distribute the grain.
The people of Chenzhou heard this good news and ran to tell each other, and the nearby famine victims rushed to receive food.
Master Zishan and Wang Zipeng helped the government distribute relief grain, busy but happy.
After distributing the grain, Master Zishan bid farewell to the Magistrate, and before leaving, he repeatedly exhorted Chen Fusheng, who only nodded in agreement.
Leaving Chen State, the master and apprentice duo headed north all the way to Shaolin Temple.
"Master, so you are the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple and a red person by the emperor's side. No wonder that Chen Zhifu is so respectful to you and listens to your advice. But I'm puzzled, as the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, why do you often wander outside and end up at Wuyin Mountain's Gan Ying Temple? What's going on?" Wang Ziyu said with doubt.
"Zi Peng, perhaps you don't understand, but in the official circles, there's a popular saying: 'the higher the official, the more people are crushed to death.' Think about it, if we were to go to the prefecture as ordinary citizens, what would the Prefect do? He'd beat us up and throw us out. That way, not only wouldn't we be able to get the grain back for the Chenzhou people, but we'd also suffer physical harm. But if I were to see him as the abbot of Xiangguo Temple, he'd definitely be extremely intimidated. The abbot of Xiangguo Temple is a favorite of the Emperor, and the Prefect wouldn't dare offend him; instead, he'd try to curry favor with him. At that time, if we were to ask for the grain back, he'd definitely agree. As monks, we shouldn't tell lies, but for the sake of the Chenzhou people not starving to death, a benevolent lie would be forgiven by the Buddha." said Master Zishan.
"Master, I don't understand. How did you know the abbot's dharma name of Dashang Temple, and it sounds similar to your dharma name? Is there some connection between you two?" Wang Ziyu asked curiously.
"The Abbot of Da Xiangguo Temple, the Great Master Zhi Shang, is my junior fellow apprentice, and also the Abbot of Shaolin Temple, the Great Master Zhi Cheng, who is also my junior fellow apprentice. Speaking of these things, it's necessary to start from the Yang Family Army back then..." The Great Master Zhi Shan said up to this point, and the scenes that could be sung and cried about from those years appeared in his mind, as if they were just yesterday.
"In those years, my fellow apprentices and I were three of the generals under Yang Family General. That year, the Great Liao invaded our borders, their momentum was like breaking bamboo, the border towns were in urgent danger, the Emperor ordered Yang Family General to lead an expedition, with Pan Renmei as the supervisor."
Yang Family General led the vanguard to charge and fight, while Pan Renmei's army intentionally delayed behind. Yang Laozheng brought his seven sons to fight against the Liao army, but due to being outnumbered, they were ambushed by the enemy and suffered heavy casualties. The old general sent Qi Lang to break through the siege to ask for reinforcements, but Qi Lang was killed by Pan Renmei. Pan Renmei wanted to put Yang Family General in a desperate situation, refusing to send reinforcements, resulting in Da Lang, Er Lang, and San Lang dying one after another on the battlefield. Si Lang also disappeared in the chaos of war. The old general ordered us several generals to cover Wu Lang and Liu Lang's retreat, while he alone blocked the Liao army, finally dying at Li Lingbei. Along the way, we were intercepted by the Liao army, and Liu Lang was separated from us, so we could only protect Wu Lang and flee westward, escaping to Wutai Mountain.
Wulang heard that his father and brother had died in battle, he was heartbroken and hated Pan Renmei, but he couldn't avenge his family alone. He lost the courage to live and thought of taking his own life many times, but calmed down after being persuaded by us three subordinates. With all hopes lost, he shaved his head and became a monk. Seeing Wulang become a monk, we remembered the emperor's incompetence, the dominance of corrupt officials, and the repeated persecution of the Yang family generals, and also felt disheartened, so we followed Wulang to seek refuge in Buddhism.
We cultivated in Wutai Mountain for nearly twenty years. Later, Wu Lang became the abbot and summoned us three fellow disciples to ask questions.
"Three of you, it's been twenty years since you've been on Mount Wutai. Over the years, you've learned a lot of knowledge based on your own interests. Now, it's time for you to put what you've learned into practice. What do you three plan to do after leaving the mountain?" asked Wu Lang.
"I intend to focus on spreading scriptures and understanding the Tao, promoting Buddhist teachings." said the second master.
"I plan to go to Shaolin Temple to learn Shaolin Kung Fu and promote Chinese martial arts." said the third master brother sincerely.
Goro listened and nodded frequently, with a smile on his face.
"Twenty years have passed since you became a monk, what are your plans after coming down from the mountain?" Gorō asked, looking at me with his eyes.
"I said without hesitation: 'For twenty years, I have been following Master Bo to learn medicine. I am willing to use the medical skills I have learned to save the poor and sick people who cannot afford medical treatment.'"
Gorō was overjoyed when he heard this.
Then, my two fellow disciples and I descended the mountain together.
Zhichen went directly to Shaolin Temple.
He came all the way to Bianjing, arrived at Xiangguo Temple, and soon received the emperor's favor, wearing a high-ranking official hat with a red tassel.
I wandered around, collecting famous Chinese medicinal herbs from the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, making pills, traveling through the nine provinces, treating illnesses and saving people. Alas! In a flash, several decades have passed, and each event is still vivid in my mind." Master Zishan sighed as he spoke to this point.
Wang Zi Peng listened to his master's narrative and admired his master even more.
"Master, have you ever practiced martial arts?" Wang Zipeng suddenly asked.
"I've practiced some martial arts, which are all used to strengthen my body. However, there is one martial art that I created myself, which is based on the fighting styles of flying birds and running beasts that I observed during my travels to the three mountains and five peaks. I wrote down my unique moves in a book called 'Flying Birds and Running Beasts Mixed Yuan Gong'. Zi Peng, you are my only disciple with wisdom, so I'm giving this book to you to study carefully. From now on, I will teach you the basic skills and oral secrets." Master Zishan said, handing over the secret book to Wang Zipeng, then demonstrated the basic skills once again, and finally passed on the oral secrets to Wang Zipeng.
Wang Zi Peng obtained the secret book of Hunyuan Gong, and he was overjoyed. He knelt down to thank him, saying: "Uncle is above, accept my bow."
The Great Master saw Wang Ziyu calling him "Dry Father" and was so delighted that he didn't know what to say. He helped Wang Ziyu up, laughing happily and said: "Child, no need for too much courtesy, in the past it was I who caused your parents and brothers to scatter, today let's just consider it making up for past mistakes."
Wang Zongpeng stood up, thinking to himself: "Yue Fei took Zhou Tong as his godfather, I take Shi De as my godfather, and compared with Yue Fei, I am not inferior."
