When Cui Yuanzao and Liu Lanyin came out of Dali Temple, the morning drums were beaten hundreds of times, and the residents of the square took to the streets one after another, creating a lively scene.
Liu Lanyin looked at the lively market, breathed out briskly, and silently apologized to Cui Yuanzao in her heart. Don't blame her for running away soon.
"Ms. Yang, you'd better follow me closely."
Cui Yuanzao seemed to be a worm in her belly. Several blue butterflies suddenly appeared in her open hands, dancing strangely.
"Sun Mao, the jailer of Dali Temple, agreed that you can go out with me to investigate the case because he has planted the soul-locking incense on you. No matter where you escape, this kind of butterfly will be able to find you. If you leave for a long time, , I’m not sure what will happen?”
Liu Lanyin looked at Cui Yuanzao in shock.
Cui Yuanzao handed Liu Lanyin a power fence: "Let's go to eat the morning meal first, and then go to Zhao Jinggong Temple. I can't let my wife continue to be trapped in the murder case."
Cui Yuanzao took Liu Lanyin to the snack shop and Xiao's Soup Shop opposite Dali Temple.
When Mr. Xiao saw Cui Yuanzao coming over, he diligently brought a few plates of pickles: "Cui Pingshi, was it your turn to stay overnight again last night?"
"Yes, father-in-law, let's have a piece of Hu cake and a bowl of steamed soup." Cui Yuanzao was talking, but he was staring at the door of Dali Temple. He was waiting for his young servant Lingcong.
"Okay. Cui Pingshi, just one bowl? Doesn't this lady want a bowl?"
Mr. Xiao looked at Lan Yin suspiciously. He had never seen Cui Pingshi get close to any lady. Didn't he want to practice Taoism?
At this time, a gust of wind blew by, lifting a corner of the power fence, and half of Liu Lanyin's face was exposed in the rays of the morning sun.
Mr. Xiao felt that he had never seen such a beautiful girl, so he couldn't help admonishing: "Madam, you know that there has been a fox demon in Chang'an City recently, who specializes in plundering beautiful girls. Now he has become more and more courageous, even the Bodhisattva's You dare to go to any place, but for someone with talent like my lady, you really have to be careful."
Liu Lanyin felt shy after hearing this. Just as she was about to say something modest, Cui Yuanzao cut her off.
"I don't need to worry about her. I'm afraid that Madam Yang has already skinned her before the fox demon robs her."
Liu Lanyin realized at this moment that Cui Yuanzao was not gentle and considerate at all. He was no different from Cui Yuanpeng. On the contrary, because he was smarter, he was meaner and colder.
Cui Yuanzao didn't care about Liu Lanyin's thoughts. He soaked the Hu cakes in the soup, and when he took them out, the Hu cakes were soaked in soup and extremely delicious. He ate happily and had time to chat with Mr. Xiao.
"I've heard about the fox demon, but why do you dare to go to the Bodhisattva's place?"
"You still don't know? The fox demon went to Zhao Jinggong Temple."
"Zhao Jinggong Temple?"
Cui Yuanzao and Liu Lanyin looked at each other, was it Zhao Jinggong Temple again?
"Yes, didn't a painter of Zhao Jinggong Temple die just a few days ago? They said they had stepped up their vigilance and sent young monks to patrol the area at night. Unexpectedly, a fox demon was seen at night."
Liu Lanyin exclaimed: "So the fox demon killed the painter?"
"Who says it's not the case? All kinds of monsters and ghosts are out these days." Mr. Xiao muttered and walked away.
"Cui Yuanzao, what happened to the fox demon? Did it kill Lu Qian? It's none of my business!" Liu Lanyin thought, if she had known this, why would she have asked Cui Yuanzao for help? Now she is in a dilemma.
Cui Yuanzao frowned, he knew about the fox demon.
About half a month ago, rumors suddenly spread in Chang'an City that a fox demon sneaked into the boudoirs of ladies in various houses in the middle of the night and sucked the vitality of girls. There were alerts everywhere in Chang'an City. Jinwu Guards had indeed seen the fox demon, but the fox demon came and went without a trace and could not be caught at all.
Cui Yuanzao didn't believe in fox monsters. Now that the imperial court and Zhaoyi Town were fighting fiercely on the front line, all kinds of monsters and ghosts appeared in the rear. It was unknown who wanted to disturb this muddy water.
Now a fox demon murder case has been revealed? Why?
Cui Yuanzao plans to go to Zhao Jinggong Temple as soon as possible, but Zhao Jinggong Temple is in Changlefang, close to Chunmingmen, while Dali Temple is located in Yiningfang, close to Kaiyuanmen. One is in the east and the other is in the west. It needs to cross the entire Chang'an City, which is a bit Far.
He decided not to wait for Lingcong, so he took out a handful of money and handed it to Liu Lanyin: "Go to the horse and carriage shop opposite to rent a carriage. I want one that is big enough to lie down on and has soft cushions."
Liu Lanyin cursed, "Then why don't you get an eight-carriage sedan?"
Unfortunately, I had no choice but to reluctantly rent a carriage.
——
Zhao Jinggong Temple was built by Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Empress Dugu Jialuo, in memory of her father, Dugu Xin. It has a history of hundreds of years. As a royal temple in the Sui Dynasty, it had its own grandeur, but after all, it has faded over time.
When Cui Yuanzao and Liu Lanyin arrived, it was already noon, it was drizzling, and there were only a few pilgrims, making them feel a little lonely.
Several young novices were sweeping the floor in the verandahs on both sides. Cui Yuanzao stepped forward, clasped his hands together and said, "Little Master, I wonder where the "Hell Transformation" is painted?"
Liu Lanyin glanced at Cui Yuanzao, what did he mean? Where is "Hell Transformation"? Wouldn't it be nice to ask her?
But Liu Lanyin kept her mouth shut and waited to see how Cui Yuanzao behaved?
The little novice's eyes widened, and he clasped his hands together in a panic and said: "Two donors, the East Zen Monastery has been closed for a long time. It is inconvenient to visit now, so please go back."
Cui Yuanzao handed over a sling of money and said with a low smile: "Didn't it say there is a fox demon? Little master, tell us about it."
The little novice monk looked around, secretly hooked his hand towards Cui Yuanzao, and said mysteriously: "Don't say it's me who said it, it's not a fox demon but a ghost!"
"Haunted?"
"You know what "Hell Transformation" is about, right?"
"Know."
Cui Yuanzao believes in Taoism, but it does not mean that he knows nothing about Buddhism.
According to Buddhism, living beings are divided into six realms of reincarnation: the heavenly realm, the human realm, the ghost realm, the animal realm, the asura realm and the hell realm. Hell, one of the six realms, is the most painful.
In Buddhism, hell is used to admonish others. Buddhist scriptures warn people through descriptions of the darkness and terror of hell: Do not do evil while alive, otherwise you will go to hell after death and suffer torture.
The "Hell Transformation" in Zhao Jinggong Temple is the hell scene described by the painter Wu Daozi.
The little novice monk said tremblingly: "All the ghosts and monsters in that painting have escaped!"
"Did you see it?" Cui Yuanzao was confused.
"I saw it. Many of our brothers and sisters saw it. The abbot didn't let us say it, so he asked us to tell the outside world that it was a fox demon, so that the pilgrims wouldn't dare to come."
Liu Lanyin remembered that the appearance of the ghost in the painting was indeed terrifying, and she couldn't help but ask: "What does the ghost look like?"
"What do they look like? The ghosts in our Buddhism are ever-changing. Some brothers see black and white, some see horse-headed Rakshasa, and some see bull-headed and horse-faced ones."
"Where did you see it?"
"We don't dare to release ghosts in the East Zen Monastery."
Cui Yuanzao smiled, "If ghosts can be imprisoned, can they still be called ghosts?"
Seeing that Cui Yuanzao seemed to be very disdainful towards ghosts and monsters, the little novice monk said patiently: "Donors, please don't be careless. If the abbot master hadn't had profound magical power and performed several rituals and sincerely prayed to the Bodhisattva, how could these ghosts and ghosts be contained?"
"Speaking of which, those ghosts and ghosts haven't come out for a few days. Please don't ask for a Vajra bracelet blessed by the abbot. This will ensure that ghosts will not dare to wear it in the future."
Liu Lanyin secretly complained, this little novice monk really knows how to do business. Is he talking so much just to get them to buy bracelets?
"Little Master, can you take us to the East Zen Monastery?"
Seeing that they seemed to have no interest in the Vajra bracelets, the little novice became less interested. He pointed at them and said, "Go ahead by yourselves. Go straight. After passing the Heavenly King's Hall, just go right."
After bidding farewell to the young novices, Liu Lanyin found that although there were not many pilgrims in the temple, almost every pilgrim had a string of bracelets hanging on their hands, and the young novices next to them all had smiling faces.
This is really crazy. A murder case and a rumor actually enriched the temple?
Cui Yuanzao stopped a pilgrim and asked, "Excuse me, how can I buy this bracelet?"
"Please give me a bunch of money to ensure that you are free from illness and disaster."
"So expensive?" Liu Lanyin couldn't help but screamed, but Cui Yuanzao glanced at her and stopped.
After the pilgrims left holding the bracelet, Liu Lanyin said again: "I'm not wrong, ordinary people are not like you. Money can last a long time, but now you can only buy a broken bracelet."
Cui Yuanzao was not angry, and just murmured: "Buddha is so powerful that his tail is too big to lose."
