As soon as Zuo Zhong said these words, Ben Zhi was indeed a little flustered. The rhythm of playing with the beads was messed up and his body leaned back slightly. It was obvious that the news had brought him great shock and uneasiness, making him unconsciously want to stay away from the source of the news. —Left heavy.
This is the natural reaction of the human body. It is human nature to be afraid, unwilling to believe, afraid, and flee when encountering something. This has nothing to do with courage.
To overcome this kind of nature, you must go through a long period of training, such as a soldier or a spy. The two are different. One requires that one's expression remains unchanged even if the mountain collapses, while the other requires the ability to freely control and disguise emotions and expressions.
But they also need time to react. After all, humans are not machines. If they suddenly hear bad news about themselves, no matter how well-trained they are, there will always be a period of confusion.
The length of the gap depends on training and one's own psychological quality. Zuo Zhong wants to know how long Ben only needs, which determines the subsequent interrogation work.
Ben was only in a daze for a few seconds, and then quickly changed to a horrified expression: "I haven't heard of it, could it be a rumor? Did you see it with your own eyes, Donor Dai?"
Zuo Zhong saw his reaction in his eyes and knew that the other party was definitely a top expert. The kind of agent without any emotional changes only existed in his imagination. Unless you guide your emotions first and take the initiative first, you will not be fooled. People see through.
Yu Xingle once said that what made him truly realize the power of this move was his conversation with Master Hongwu. At that time, the old monk easily dominated his emotions and saw through him.
Zuo Jian nodded: "I came to Putuo Mountain by boat from Ningbo. I saw Shen Ku being taken away at the dock, so I went to inquire about it. Director Zhou Wenshan of the Party Investigation Office had an old relationship with the Dai family, so we chatted for a while.
It is said that Shen Ku is a monk in Japan and has been lurking in Putuo for many years. If the spy who contacted him hadn't jumped into the sea and found the clue, I don't know how long this person would have been hiding. "
He paused for a moment, seeing that Ben seemed to be in a daze, and then said: "That's why I asked the master if there are any monks in Japan. It turns out that Japanese Buddhism is an evil path. No wonder Shen Ku wants to be a spy."
Zuo Zhong revealed the biggest secret in his heart to completely destroy his luck and let him know that his identity was not as secret as he imagined.
The breathing rate of this bird accelerated instantly, and his face was a little flushed. He put on an expression of disbelief, and then said with a wry smile: "It's really unimaginable. The poor monk is very familiar with Shenku. He knows that he is superb in Buddhism, but he didn't notice him. It’s a Japanese spy.”
The standard hesitation, as an old friend he neither defended nor denied, he couldn't wait to admit his painful identity as a Japanese spy.
Zuo Zhong smiled and said: "To be honest, before I visited the master last time, I went to Haichao Temple. The master scolded me unreasonably. Now that I am caught, I really deserve it."
Benzhi seemed to have noticed the mistake just now and wanted to make up for it: "Shenku is usually very kind. I have never heard of him having a conflict with anyone. There must be some misunderstanding between you two. Please continue to talk about today's incident. How did he do it?" It could be a Japanese spy."
Now I want to vomit after eating, but it’s too late!
Zuo Zhong clapped his hands: "I don't believe that Shen Ku is a Japanese spy. How can a spy help people pray for blessings and burn incense? It's almost enough to say that he is an underground party. Master, are you right?"
I didn't expect him to say that, so I had to bite the bullet and find a reason for Shenku: "What the donor said is true, but the people Shenku comes in contact with are all poor people. What can he gain by being a spy?"
Ben finally revealed the fatal flaw. He was not trying to explain, but to defend himself. Maybe this was what he was thinking.
Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, Zuo Chong immediately retorted: "That's not necessarily true. He can get a lot of things, and they are very important to the Japanese."
"Oh?" I said with kind eyes, "I would like to hear the details, I really can't think of it."
Do you think no one can see the nature of his mission? Or do you think the people of the Republic of China are all barbarians who don’t understand modern science? That's too arrogant.
Zuo Zhong took a step forward and pointed outside: "How much precipitation does the Putuo area have in a year? How much evaporation is there? What is the average number of sunshine hours? What is the prevailing wind direction all year round? The law of increase and decrease in wind speed. What are the signs of local strong winds? !”
Every time Zuo Zhong said something, Ben's temples beat violently, the rosary in his hand spun faster, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared.
Seeing that Ben was silent, Zuo Zhong took another step closer: "Also, how many shallow islands are there in the Putuo area and even Hangzhou Bay, the times of ebb and flow, where are the undercurrents, where are the undercurrents, water level, flow, sediment, water temperature, Ice conditions, water quality.”
After saying this in one breath, he said meaningfully: "These things are very important to the Japanese. If they land from Hangzhou Bay, penetrate directly into the Jiangnan area and Shanghai, or even directly attack Jinling City, master, do you think this information is important?" "
General!
From the moment they met, Zuo Zhong had been playing a game of chess, inducing words, guiding emotions, stimulating the other party, and now sealing his throat with a sword.
Ben was silent. As a professional spy who had been lurking for many years, he recalled the previous conversation and realized that he had been at a disadvantage from the beginning.
This benefactor Dai is very powerful. He is careful at every step. He speaks out his words calmly and in an understatement. He is definitely a professional agent.
He raised his head, his eyes shining brightly: "I also have a question to ask the donor Dai. No, the donor's surname should not be Dai, right? Who are you, are you really doing business in Nanyang?"
Zuo Zhong laughed loudly: "I am laughing at Master. The responsibility is too heavy to be revealed. The name is just a code name. Just think of me as Dai. Master, please answer my questions."
Ben only put down his rosary beads and straightened his waist. His originally somewhat sad face relaxed, and his whole temperament suddenly changed. From a senior monk chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist scriptures, he turned into a scholar full of books.
Zuo Zhong looked on with a smile and had no intention of controlling him. He did not say the age of this animal, but said that the other party had been lurking in Putuo Mountain for so many years. Without training, no matter how powerful his previous skills were, he could still retain them. a bit.
I carefully took off my monk's robe and rosary beads, placed them on the altar, clasped my hands together and chanted sutras quietly, with a pious and solemn expression. Is he saying goodbye to himself, or to me?
Zuo Zhong watched with gusto, or both. This master might have to recite sutras in front of the Buddha for the rest of his life. Let him go. Zuo Zhong stood at the window to prevent him from committing suicide by jumping off the building.
As time passed, I finally stopped chanting sutras, said one last Amitabha, turned around, and walked over with a relaxed expression.
He walked to Zuo Zhong, looked towards the sea, and said in a leisurely voice: "Thank you Mr. Dai for giving me time. It is really a blessing to say goodbye to the past. It's a pity that I can no longer see the falling cherry trees in my hometown. Mr. Dai looked at Have you been to the cherry blossoms?"
Zuo Zhong turned around and said casually: "You Japanese value the beauty of mourning. We Chinese are not so petty. We can only describe it with the phrase "falling red flowers protect flowers, but death is ugly after all."
Ben's espionage behavior seems ordinary and does no harm to ordinary people, but in fact it is a heinous crime. The only path waiting for him is death.
"Death is inevitable, how did you discover it?" I asked calmly.
He doesn't care about death, life is like cherry blossoms, he only wants the most beautiful and brilliant moment, even if it is short, not to mention he is not young.
Zuo Zhong looked at him with a disappointed expression: "I originally thought the master was a different opponent, but I didn't expect you to be as boring as your compatriots.
Then let me talk about your windmill and water tank, your ruler and calculation tools, and your extraordinary care for the fishermen. Isn’t this enough? "
Ben only looked helpless: "I was careless. I originally thought that no one here would understand meteorology. Is Mr. Dai from the party investigation room?"
Zuo Zhong was unhappy when he heard this: "Master, you and I get along well, otherwise I would have to treat you well based on your words.
You don’t need to test me anymore. Let’s get straight to the point. How about you tell me your story? I’m really curious. "
This task cannot be carried out by ordinary spies. Only professionals who have received systematic education know how to analyze those complex data.
Ben only shook his head and said with a smile: "There is nothing to say. Thirty years of studying literature, twenty years of practicing Buddhism, and half a hundred years ago, I accidentally entered this industry."
He revealed nothing, not even a word about his mission and origins. Whether he was a monk or a spy, he was very dedicated.
Zuo Zhong suddenly understood: "So that's it. I guess the master is also a son of a fisherman. It's a pity that he can't apply what he has learned to help more people, and it's even more of a pity to give up his original belief.
I think this must be very painful. Recreating your life for fifty years is tantamount to putting you in another person's shell. No wonder you acted well at Master Hongwu's Dharma gathering. "
Only now did Zuo Zhong understand that being vulgar at the Dharma gathering, greedy for oral pleasure while eating, criticizing fellow practitioners in the meditation room, practicing while lying on his side under a tree, and being compassionate towards fishermen, these are all part of the original self, not the whole of the original self. .
Ben only applauded Zuo Zhong and exclaimed repeatedly: "It's really amazing. I am indeed the son of a fisherman, and I have also experienced life and death, but Mr. Dai has been eyeing me since the Dharma conference.
But you and I didn't know each other at that time. How did you discover it? Is it really a clue to the contact person? I don't think it is that simple. I wonder if Mr. Dai can satisfy my curiosity. "
Zuo Zhong did not answer. He listened to the labor chants of the fishermen under the windmill and fell into deep thought.
After a long time, he smiled: "Let's just keep this as a secret, just like I don't want to ask you how you found the information about the Xiaoguan Mountain tomb.
If you studied meteorology because you were separated from your family, then tell me where the meteorological data you have recorded over the years is.
It's not that I need it, it's that these poor people need it. After all, they really regard you as a great monk who saves the world and helps the people, are you right? "
Zuo Zhong pointed to the working fishermen. Some of them were smashing rocks with their bare arms, some were supporting the elderly and young to carry wood for the carpenters to process leaves, and some were chatting while drinking their own ginger soup.
"Come on, work hard. When the wind comes, it will be hard to work. Master I will have to worry again."
"Haha, don't worry, it will be finished in a few days. It's a pity that the master can't eat meat, otherwise I really want to give him the biggest and fattest fish."
"It's a sin, it's terrible for a Bodhisattva to hear it. Master, he should be angry if he hears it."
The fishermen's conversation was clearly audible. Ben just listened and closed his eyes. The veins on his hands popped out and his body couldn't stop shaking.
He bit his lip to prevent tears from falling. He was a Japanese spy, not a Japanese spy. These stupid guys were just tools to obtain intelligence.
Zuo Zhong sighed, touched the rough wall inside the windmill, and said to himself: "Don't let me down, let alone them."
I finally couldn't help it anymore and shouted at him: "That's enough. I'm not that idiot! The things are under this windmill. Please stop talking about it. Stop talking about it."
After speaking, as if he had exhausted all his energy, he knelt down on the ground and cried like a child.
Zuo Zhong walked to the altar, took out a pill from his pocket and placed it on it, then turned around and stepped onto the stairs. Before leaving, he said something.
"Since I entered this industry, this medicine has been beside me. Even if this friend of mine bids you farewell, please let me live forever."
He walked away without looking back. When he walked out of the windmill, Zuo Zhong felt a breeze blowing from the seaside. The wind blew stronger and stronger, just like the day he and Master Benji met. He smiled at Gu Qi and Song Minghao. , Wu Chunyang, and He Yijun waved: "Let's go."
