Uncle Ma took us straight into the forest, walked along a winding path, and came to a hut.
But I saw that there was a small square area on one side of the hut, with some green plants growing there. They should be vegetables, but I didn't recognize what kind they were.
A bamboo table and several bamboo chairs were placed in front of the hut. Tea was boiling in a small red clay stove, and the faint fragrance of tea wafted in the air.
A man wearing a navy blue robe was sitting on a bamboo chair, holding a book in his hand and reading without raising his head.
This man was about thirty years old, with a handsome face, fair and kind, with small eyes and wearing glasses, which made him look very festive.
Uncle Ma went over to say hello. The man obviously recognized Uncle Ma and stood up with a smile in return.
"Hey, Taoist Master Ma, what kind of wind brought you here today? This is a guest from afar, sit down."
This man was very enthusiastic as soon as he opened his mouth. He didn't sound as aloof as the hermit in my impression. He was as kind as a neighbor's big brother.
Uncle Ma also laughed and said: "Oh, you're welcome. I'm taking my disciples for a walk in the mountains. I passed by you and I'm tired from walking. I want to ask for a cup of tea."
"Okay, okay, let me just say that the magpies have been chirping overhead for a long time this morning. It turns out that Taoist Master Ma is coming. Please sit down quickly. The tea has just been brewed."
He enthusiastically asked us to sit down, then washed our tea cups and got busy.
Uncle Ma introduced us: "This is Taoist Liang..."
The man laughed when he heard this: "Oh, you are not a Taoist priest. I should be a few years older than you. Just call me brother."
Uncle Ma touched his beard: "Well... okay, as long as you are happy."
I looked at this friendly and casual Mr. Liang, but somehow I thought of the murderer of Tao Rong!
I remember Tao Rong’s ghost told me that the murderer, her husband, had the pseudonym Liang Jinyu, and he was also known as a Taoist disciple.
Master Zhong Kui also told me that this man is in Zhongnan Mountain.
The person in front of me happens to be named Liang, could he be...
Thinking of this, I shook my head secretly. It must not be such a coincidence. This person is known to Uncle Ma and cannot be a murderer. Besides, he is chubby and cute, and he doesn't look like a bad guy.
What's more, Mr. Zhong Kui also said that the man's name has been changed and should not be called Liang Jinyu.
I must be overly concerned.
So I put my mind away and stopped thinking. We have already arrived at Zhongnan Mountain anyway, so let everything take its course and there is no need to force it.
At this time, Taoist Liang poured tea for us. I picked up the teacup and listened to Uncle Ma and Taoist Liang reminiscing about old times. Suddenly an idea came to me and I tried with a smile: "By the way, I came from Chongqing and heard from my friends that there was a Liang Liang in Zhongnan Mountain. Taoist Priest Jin Yuliang, could it be you?"
I'm getting straight to the point here, and I didn't give him any chance to draft the manuscript. If he were Liang Jinyu, there would definitely be flaws!
But the next moment, Taoist Liang was slightly stunned. He looked at me blankly, shook his head and said, "Liang Jinyu? I haven't heard of it. Maybe it's someone else. I don't call him that name."
His reaction was quite natural, his eyes didn't dodge, and there was no flaw at all.
Uncle Ma glanced at me and said: "As far as I know, there is no one with this name in Zhongnan Mountain, and our Taoist Liang has nothing to do with Chongqing."
Of course Uncle Ma knew what I meant, so this sentence was telling me: Don't make blind guesses, this person is not Liang Jinyu.
Okay, it seems I did overthink it...
However, fortunately, Taoist Liang didn’t know what I meant at all, so I skipped this topic and let’s drink tea and chat.
Uncle Ma was naturally the main force, chatting with Taoist Liang, talking about some things in the mountain temple, and chatting about some old things. Ma Yunfeng and I couldn't get in the conversation, so we just listened on the sidelines.
After all, we are apprentices. We should talk less and do more in front of the master.
So I kept staring at the field behind the hut, ostensibly listening to their conversation, but in fact I had already been distracted.
It happened that at this time, Uncle Ma asked me something. I didn't pay attention, so Ma Yunfeng poked me: "Hey, hey, master is asking a question."
I came back to my senses: "Ah, what's the matter?"
Uncle Ma looked at me and smiled: "Xiaofan, what are you looking at?"
I pointed at the piece of land: "I didn't look at anything. I was just curious about that piece of land. It looks like it hasn't been plowed yet. Is Taoist Liang planning to plant something?"
He looked back and said with a smile: "I haven't decided yet, just let it go. Maybe I won't plant anything, but I just like the smell of soil and the endless flow of life."
There was a hint of "Tao" in these words. I thought about it and asked, "Taoist Master Liang, please forgive me for being a bit extra. I think you should be a cultured person. Are you used to living in this mountain? There is nothing here." Is it going to be very hard if I still have to farm my own land?”
Daochang Liang smiled and replied calmly: "It's definitely hard, but I'm not here every day. Usually I have to be busy in the temple. I've been free recently, so I came to take care of this land. In fact, look at this land Although it is small, it contains the principles of heaven and earth. We sow seeds in the soil and watch the seeds sprout, sprout branches, scatter leaves, bloom, and bear fruit. Life is constantly flowing, and the avenue is endless. So we start from this piece of land. From small things, you can understand the great truth, how good is this?"
These words deeply touched my heart. It seems that this Taoist Liang is indeed a true practitioner.
When a practitioner who lives in seclusion in the mountains collides with a practitioner from the city, how could I miss such a good opportunity to seek advice?
So I asked Taoist Liang again: "Please tell me, those of us who cannot live in seclusion and live in the city, how should we practice cultivation? Is it enough to just modify our behavior and do good deeds?"
Daochang Liang laughed again: "You guys, if you focus on doing good deeds every day, it would be too deliberate. In fact, doing good deeds and doing good deeds is right, but it comes naturally after examining your own heart. A kind of behavior, rather than deliberately telling myself that I have to do good deeds every day, is not true practice, but practice forced by myself."
This is quite right. I couldn't help but ask: "So, tell me, those of us who practice at home, how should we practice? In addition to modifying our own behavior, do we need to read scriptures and meditate every day? Or do we do something else?" What?"
