Travel through the heavens

Chapter 255 Bullshit

Half an hour later, Fang Muye and his party arrived outside Baoguo Temple. Looking up, they saw layers of green in the temple and heard the sound of birds singing.

Xu Fengnian got off the carriage, looked at the endless stream of people coming, and sighed, "There are so many people."

Xu Zhihu, who got off the carriage with him, said, "It's always like this at literary gatherings. Talking in the temple is an elegant affair. At most, we'll bring some maids and servants. The rest of the servants will wait here so as not to disturb the leisure and elegance of the literati."

Xu Fengnian sneered: "You want to block out the world by building a wall?"

Xu Zhihu smiled lightly: "It's a common habit for scholars to have such conversations. Let's go in."

Xu Fengnian said: "Wait a moment, some people haven't arrived yet."

After waiting for almost a cup of tea, Qingniao, Yu Youwei and the veiled Jiang Ni finally arrived.

Xu Fengnian asked with concern: "Are you okay?"

The blue bird replied, "No one followed us all the way out of the city."

Jiang Ni also took off her veil and smiled relaxedly: "Finally we are out of the city."

Xu Fengnian said to her, "Come with me to Baoguo Temple. There are many people here. If the Lu family members don't participate in the debate, it will be safer inside the temple."

At that moment, Wei Shuyang, Lu Qiantang, Shu Xiu, Ning Emei and Fengziying all stayed behind. The big cat was also pacified by Fang Muye and waited there. Only the seven of them continued to move forward.

It was still early and the debate had not yet begun. More than a dozen groups of guests were resting and chatting in front of the temple. Most of them were acquaintances in Huting County. When they saw the widow Xu Zhihu, they immediately shut up and exchanged glances secretly.

Fang Muye and his companions didn't care at all and walked straight towards it. They saw a small and exquisite square pond in front of the temple, close to the foot of the mountain. There were green trees surrounding the pond and an ancient pine tree with a strange twisted shape. There were stone dragon heads on each side of the pond, with spring water dripping from the dragon's mouth. The water was clear, and the scattered copper coins thrown by pilgrims at the bottom of the pond were clearly visible. There was also some watermelon that had been iced for some time in the water.

Fang Muye walked over, bent down to pick up one, put it on the stone table beside the pool, asked Xu Fengnian for Xiudong, rinsed it in the pool water, and then cut the watermelon into more than ten pieces of uniform sizes and shared them among several people.

He also picked up a piece and while eating, he walked over to the poor scholar Chen Xiliang who was reading a book attentively.

Noticing Fang Muye's arrival, Chen Xiliang just looked up and then lowered his head to continue reading.

Although this man is a down-and-out scholar, he is talented and good at strategizing behind the scenes. He will be Xu Fengnian's right-hand man in the future and is loyal to Beiliang. In case Xu Fengnian missed him because of his appearance, Fang Muye deliberately did this to attract Xu Fengnian's attention, and Xu Fengnian really looked over here.

The weather was hot, and Xu Zhihu and his friends quickly finished their watermelons. A ragged, skinny, beggar-like little girl walked up to them, pointed at the gnawed watermelon rind, and asked timidly, "Do you want more?"

Xu Zhihu looked at the melon peel in his hand and asked in confusion, "What's the use of this?"

The little girl didn't answer, Fang Muye said: "After slicing, you can stir-fry it as a vegetable, or pickle it and eat it."

Chen Xiliang obviously did not expect that such a handsome and suave young man actually knew how to eat watermelon rind. He looked at Fang Muye in astonishment.

It was the first time that Xu Zhihu heard that watermelon rind could be used to cook dishes. He subconsciously took a closer look at the little girl and couldn't help feeling pity for her. He took a large piece of untouched watermelon from the table and handed it to her.

The little girl shook her head, picked up the melon peel from the table and put it in the bowl. After thanking everyone, she ran to the pool.

"She won't take it. Those melons are for scholars and literati. If she takes it, she will be kicked out of the temple." Chen Xiliang sighed and continued, "She is a poor child who makes a living by begging. She has a paralyzed grandfather at home. If it weren't for this child, the old man would not have survived last winter. The monks in this temple felt sorry for her and allowed her to beg in the temple."

Fang Muye asked: "Do you know her?"

Chen Xiliang nodded: "I taught her to read."

Xu Fengnian came over and asked curiously, "What's the point of learning to read when the family is in this state?"

Chen Xiliang stood up and answered slowly, "Only by reading and learning to write can one understand reason and knowledge. If fate is bitter, the only way to survive is to save oneself."

Xu Fengnian smiled slightly, looked at Chen Xiliang with a hint of admiration, and asked, "Why don't you eat the melon?"

Chen Xiliang said calmly: "I can't eat it either."

Xu Fengnian was puzzled: "Aren't melons for scholars?"

Chen Xiliang was a little absent-minded, and after a pause he said, "I am not a scholar."

Xu Fengnian asked: "Then what are you?"

"Poor." Chen Xiliang smiled, but his smile was a little dejected.

Fang Muye sneered, "Only scholars with money and family background are literati, while scholars without money and family background are just poor. The Jiangnan literary world is really interesting."

"Bullshit." Xu Fengnian cursed and asked Chen Xiliang, "Are you here to participate in the Qing Tan Bian Tan as well?"

Chen Xiliang shook his head: "Poor people are not qualified to enter."

Xu Fengnian asked again: "Then what are you doing here?"

"Reading?" Chen Xiliang raised the book in his hand.

Xu Fengnian looked puzzled: "Come to the temple to read?"

Chen Xiliang hummed and explained, "Those scholars often give money to the temple, and occasionally donate books. If I come here often, I can borrow a few books from the monks."

Xu Fengnian frowned: "Why do you want to send money to the temple?"

"Pray for wealth, luck and marriage." Chen Xiliang said.

Xu Fengnian said with a sigh, "Instead of seeking help from books, I seek help from temples."

Chen Xiliang stretched out his hand and gestured: "Gentlemen, please look into the pool."

As soon as Xu Fengnian saw it, he knew what he was asking him to see, and asked, "Buddhism seeks wisdom and liberation, what does it have to do with throwing money into a pond?"

Chen Xiliang sighed and said, "They don't care about Buddhist practice, they only want immediate wealth."

Xu Fengnian said: "That's putting the cart before the horse."

Chen Xiliang's expression changed when he heard this. He looked at Xu Fengnian seriously for a few times, and his tone became more respectful: "You are very wise to say such words."

At this moment, the little beggar-like girl ran up to Chen Xiliang excitedly and said happily, "Master, let me pick up a few copper coins."

For the first time since Fang Muye came over, Chen Xiliang laughed from the bottom of his heart. He patted the little girl's arm gently and said softly, "Go."

The little girl immediately jumped to pick up the money in the pool.

Chen Xiliang looked at the little girl's cheerful figure and explained to Fang Muye and Xu Fengnian, "The monks in this temple are pretty good people, and they are kind. They often let her pick up a few copper coins."

Fang Muye and Xu Fengnian didn't say anything either, but just smiled as they watched the little girl picking up the coins like a happily dancing bird.

Suddenly, a cold light flashed in the eyes of both of them at the same time, and murderous intent arose.