As an area near Maoshan, after leaving Changtang Town, there is also a large area of typical Jiangnan water town scenery. As far as the eye can see, there are mountains, rivers, ponds, and rice fields; there are crisscrossing streets on the plains, and woven tree shades on the roadside; there are fishing boats on the water singing in the evening, and pastoral songs in the woods.
Densely populated villages and market towns, small markets and wild markets at intersections; almost one after another, villagers leaving early and returning late, travelers passing by, bustling wild shops and tea sheds, and herds of mules and horses The inns and travel stations seem to have been largely unaffected.
Instead, it was a group of people headed by Jiang Tian who passed by, breaking the hustle and bustle of the city and creating a moment of coolness and silence. After the team gradually got further away, more noise and discussion broke out; however, it was not that unexpected.
Because in the early years, the carriages and horses, the ceremonial guards and the lavish crowds of dignitaries and dignitaries who came to visit Hemaoshan Resort and Huayang Cave, and even the envoys of the imperial court and state and provincial government were no less than this group of people. . However, the large group of people that followed immediately made everyone look at each other in awe.
Therefore, people immediately left their towns and villages, wanting to go out to report something; but they were all intercepted by soldiers patrolling on both sides of the road and at river crossings; they were even chased and arrested on the spot. Only then did someone notice that these officers and soldiers were not local flags.
Instead, they used the "Su" character of the neighboring state to unite the army flag; and then all the livestock and horses at the inns, travel inns, and wild stores along the way were also intensively monitored, which made more people realize the seriousness of the situation. The person responsible for all this was Lu Chusheng, the deputy regiment training envoy from Suzhou.
Because, compared to the governor Liu Zhanyuan, who could only write good calligraphy and use beautiful seals to accuse, he also wanted to struggle a little more for his own destiny and future; therefore, he not only accepted the The imperial censor who patrolled the river also used this to persuade most of his subordinates.
But even though he had the endorsement of the censor who patrolled the Yangtze River, this unannounced cross-border dispatch of troops still inevitably broke the unspoken rules of the officialdom and even caused isolation and rejection by most people. Therefore, he is also one of the individuals who is most looking forward to the results of this trip.
If he can make some discoveries and achieve results, he can build on the existing foundation and go further with evaluation methods that are courageous to do things and not afraid of evil. Otherwise, he would have no foothold in Suzhou, and he might be used as a scapegoat to deal with the imperial court's accountability and be deposed.
Jiang Tian first arrived at the Xiabo Palace, located ten miles away from the foot of Maoshan Mountain; it is also the first stop to enter the main mountain of Maoshan Mountain. According to legend, this is the former residence of Mao Ying, the leader of the Three Mao Zhenjuns. In the 11th year of Zhenguan (637 AD), the palace was built as a palace. It was the starting point for people without official titles to dismount and walk.
Therefore, it was named Xiabo Palace. According to the standard regulations of the imperial court, the Xuanyuan (Emperor) Hall, Tianzun (Haotian) Hall, Lecture Hall, Sutra Court, Sutra Tower, Bell Pavilion, Teacher's Room, Corridor, and Pavilion were built. There are a series of architectural complexes such as corridor, gate tower, gate house, Xuantan, dining hall, dining kitchen and so on.
This part of the main body covers an area of about dozens of acres. In addition, there are functional buildings such as Jingsi Yuan, Jingren Square, Mule and Horse Square, Cart and Ox Square, Suhaifang, Shifang Kefang, and Nianxiafang. It is also the place where the vast majority of Li common people, scholars and believers directly offer incense and pay their vows.
But what was slightly beyond Jiang Tian's expectation was that in the Xiabo Palace, which was the facade and welcoming place of the Maoshan Sect, there were no middle-to-high-level Taoist priests (third class) or above from Xuanbu. Instead, several (second-class) low-level mages from the Cave God Department led a group of newly admitted disciples and halal disciples.
And these low-level mages who maintained their daily routine also knew very little when questioned; they only said that after the mountain closure order was issued, there were many (third-level) Shengxuan Department and (fourth-level) Gaoxuan Department in the palace. Master Zhenyi, Master Gao Xuan, and internal disciples all evacuated quickly overnight.
He didn't say how long he would be away. Only low-level mages and Taoist disciples were left to stay behind and maintain the basic operations of Xiabo Palace; barely coping with the ordinary believers coming from all directions. Then, I went to another ancestral palace at the foot of Maoshan Mountain and found the same problem.
Ancestral Palace, as the name suggests, is a palace that has existed for a long time as a large-scale sacrificial place near Maoshan Mountain; it is also the main reception place for secular and large fasting rituals. Similar in nature, there are Ziyang Temple and Chongyuan Temple located at the foot of the mountain and in the mountain respectively to receive visitors.
The predecessor was the courtyard building formed by the gathering of resident believers and visiting pilgrims around Maoshan. Among them, the predecessor of Ziyang Temple was the former residence of Xu Xun, a monk from the Jin Dynasty; it was used to receive secular believers. The Chongyuan Temple located in the mountain has long accepted some prominent believers.
But the most important and prominent one is undoubtedly the Huayang Three Palaces Temple in Chuwang Valley, located between Jijinfeng and Damao Peak. That is to say, it originated from Tao Jinghong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, who built the upper, middle and lower pavilions around the terrain of Huayang Cave; today's Huayang Palace, Huayang Middle Pavilion and Taiping Temple.
This is the hinterland of the Maoshan Sect of the Shangqing Sect, and it is also the place of practice for most members of the Maoshan Sect. Compared with other palaces that are famous and crowded with visitors, apart from the exchanges between families and imperial emissaries, they rarely receive visits from the outside world, and they are also relatively full of a certain sense of mystery.
The Taiping Temple, which was built by Huayang Xiaguan near the exit of Chuwangyu Valley, was built three times. It is also the residence, living and practice place of the Maoshan patriarchs/sect masters in the past dynasties. Therefore, he was able to be an outstanding leader among the three temples in Huayang and became the number one temple in Maoshan officially designated by the imperial court.
This is also the place where the highest-level urns are received among the various Taoist sects. Taoist priests in the Tang Dynasty were divided into five levels according to the grade of urns, namely: the "Du Gong 瓓" for the first one, the "Alliance Wei 瓓" for the second one, and the third urn. The "Five Thunder Barrels" for Shou, the "Three Holes and Five Thunder Barrels" for four Shou, and the "Shangqing Ur" for Five Shou.
Just like the poet Li Bai, he received the "Du Gong Rui" near Mount Tai; and as his introducer, Princess Yuzhen, received the third-class "Five Thunder Rui", and the Taoist grade was the Three Scenes of the Xuandu Cave in the Shangqing Dynasty When Princess Yang Taizhen was ordained as a monk, she was directly awarded the "Shangqing Ru".
In addition, although there are a number of affiliated temples and temples scattered up and down Maoshan Mountain, such as Maojun Temple, Louzhen Hall and other architectural places, they cannot be compared with it. Therefore, what Jiang Tian actually wanted to visit this time was the Huayang Cave Sky surrounded by the Huayang Three Palaces Temple.
However, when Jiang Tian's team arrived at the Shanguan (Mountain God) Hall at the Chuwangyu Pass, known as the inner mountain gate, they found that the two sides of the Shanguan Hall were surrounded by masonry walls several feet high. , the cover is tight; it extends to the narrow mountain walls on both sides of the mountain pass.
Under the tall archway with several layers of cloud-top Tiangong decorations, several Taoist priests in yellow skirts, crimson brown or yellow-brown black scarves, leading a group of Taoist disciples with flat crowns and yellow hats; they have received the news and are here to greet them. Among them, the only middle-aged Taoist with a hibiscus crown on his head and a beautiful beard and broad forehead spoke up first:
"Sheng Xuan Zhenyi (Master) Yuan Ming, Tian is the presiding officer of the Shanguan Palace, and I respectfully welcome Shang Xian... I dare to ask, is Shang Xian here for official business, or do you have other thoughts of paying homage to the mountain? If it is official business, please I will write a written notice in advance; if the noble official wants to pay homage to the mountain, he can only thank you and invite him back."
"Of course it's business, or a sudden situation." Although the other party was very polite, Jiang Tian didn't want to go around the bush and said: "A demonic incident broke out in the Linwu Cave in Taihu Lake. Duan Ming, the master of Shenyou Temple, has serious suspicions and has been captured on the spot. ;As the origin of the sect, I need an explanation."
"What!" The rhetoric and polite words prepared by the host Yuan Ming were suddenly stuck. The next moment, Jiang Tian's followers and guards were seen swarming up to surround the Taoist priests; they opened the ajar gates inside and outside the Shanguan Palace, and controlled the inside and outside of the mountain gate one by one.
At this time, dust was billowing on the road in the distance, and a cavalry team with flying horses arrived in an instant. Immediately, Wu had no time to take over the inside and outside of the Shanguan Palace, and took control of everyone. He was also wearing armor and holding a crossbow, standing on the newly erected walls on both sides of the mountain pass. It's like a situation of blocking access.
"You are...this is...how daring!" At this time, Yuan Ming, the host of the mountain gate, who was forced to rush out to deal with it, finally reacted; his whole body was cold and his hands and feet were trembling and he shouted in a hissing voice: "This mountain is a resort that was enshrined by the founding of the People's Republic of China, and a burning place for the Heavenly Family of all dynasties."
"Gaozong, Ming Emperor and Taixing Dynasty all have edicts stored in the temple, and they all order local officials and various supervisors to patrol. No offense is allowed unless an edict is issued." Then a spare copy of the official document was thrown on him, and Jiang Tian He wrote lightly: "The signature of Zhongshu's disciples will not count if it is printed by Zhengshitang."
"This..." At this moment, Yuan Mingzi, who was a little gray-faced and with disheveled hair, did not dare to pick it up lightly when he heard this. After looking at it carefully several times, he opened his eyes wide and murmured in self-defense: "That's the case. , Just follow the Tao, why should Shang Xian be so disrespectful of dignity?"
"Because I can't trust your fellow disciples!" Jiang Tian sneered unceremoniously: "Who knows whether he might be using it as a cover-up to report information, cover up crimes and destroy evidence? Xuan Mingzi of Shenyou Temple is from Maoshan The direct descendant was born under the first door of Huayang Zhongguan."
"What's more, if something like this happens in Linwu Cave, it will harm tens of thousands of civilians, officials and soldiers. Even Jiangning Mansion and Jiangdong Road may not be able to bear it. What's more, Just one, Maoshan Zongben Mountain where Huayang Cave Heaven is located.”
However, upon hearing this, Yuan Mingzi's face suddenly turned pale; he couldn't even help his hair that was tilted; and when he stepped forward to hold Jiang Tian's arm, he was restrained from the left and right and cried out: "Shang Xian, Shang Xian, can you please speak at a clean place? I have a special request."
