Liu Yi and the deceased Chen Yili met Han Li. The three of them exchanged a few words and then focused their attention on where Wucai Zhenren stayed.
Ten steps away, Wucai Zhenren's energy and blood were boiling, his purple crown fell to the ground, his head was covered with bird feathers and pine branches, he held a bald and numb whisk in his hand, and sighed slightly, with a helpless expression on his face.
Beside him, the young man with a crown who had just come out to disrupt the situation had long since disappeared with the stick in his hand. Seeing him wearing a plain hat and plain robe, he stood beside Wucaizhen with some reluctance, stared at Han Li, and said loudly, "Uncle, don't sigh. , if it hadn’t been for this strange bird’s attack, we still wouldn’t have known whether we would win or lose.”
Master Wucai looked at the young man beside him, with a somewhat painful look on his face, "Your uncle, I firmly believe in Taoism. My heart is no longer in the mortal world. What I sigh about is not the gains and losses of kung fu and victory. What my uncle sighs about is you." Ah! I’m afraid that in this life, all your blessings will be gone and your spirit will vanish into thin air!”
The young man's nose twitched and his eye circles turned red. He turned away and resolutely said, "Thousands of lives must be repaid!"
The scene fell silent again, and everyone had more or less guessed the answer from the young man's mouth.
The county soldiers who had regained their fighting strength surrounded Wucai Zhenren and the young man on three levels outside and three levels outside. The soldiers were all cautious and ready to defend and counterattack at any time and start fighting.
As Wu Caizhen's vitality gradually calmed down, the old Taoist priest stood on the spot like a pine or a bamboo. He held his head high and looked arrogantly at everyone, without losing any timidity.
As long as Master Wucai doesn't nod, these people in front of him will never take away the young man behind him.
As a result, the situation began to stalemate.
Liu Yi, who was standing aside, had some insight into the stubbornness and stubbornness of Master Wucai. He thought about it for a while, raised his head and said, "Master Wucai, I once said: Those who have more will lose it, and those who have less will make up for it. The Tao makes up for the deficiencies when there are excess losses. The cycle of heaven's way, karma and retribution, have always been tried and true. Don't insist on going your own way and destroy the Taoist heart and the human heart!"
After hearing this, Master Wucai suddenly felt like a deflated rubber ball. He sighed softly, waved to Han Li and others, and whispered, "Everyone, come with me!"
It is unknown when Shuihe Temple was built, who built it, and who the first owner of the temple was.
In the Taoist tradition of the Han Empire, there were four ancestral temples: Zhengyiyi, Wudang Mountain, Taixu Temple, and Luofu Temple. Shuihe Temple was just a little-known Taoist temple in the vast rivers and lakes, not worth mentioning.
However, the Shuihe Temple is well-known in the county of Zhangwu. There was a long-lasting poem among the people of Zhangwu: Zhuanxu tortures ghosts, and it is difficult to move away; Zhangwu is long, but there is no high sun; the sky is full of auspiciousness Beasts regulate all things; green water and rivers curl into desolate roads.
Judging from this little poem alone, when the Shuihe Temple was built, it should have been used by the locals to suppress evil and drive away evil spirits.
After the battle, the two parties felt a little relieved. During the march, they carefully looked at the layout of Shuihe Temple.
There is only one south gate in the entire Shuihe Temple. Outside the gate is green pines and cypresses all year round. There are two majestic stone lions on the side of the gate. When you enter the south gate, you enter the courtyard. The story just happened here.
At this moment, all the county soldiers recovered and surrounded Shuihe Temple again. Under the leadership of Wucai Zhenren and the young man in plain robes, Han Li, Shi Chen, Liu Yi, two county guards, Fan family warriors, Waisong Walking towards the main hall tightly.
As they walked, the few people looked around cautiously. They saw that the courtyard where they had just fought fiercely had three gatehouses, houses with red pillars and gray eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, and a treasure hall with figures of the year, month, day and hour. The statue of the god can be regarded as a decent arrangement for the Taoist sect.
Once you pass the first courtyard, you enter the more spacious and brighter second courtyard. The second courtyard is a two-story majestic attic. In the hall are the ten emperors of Yama. They sit upright with majestic expressions and are cold to all living things. , if people look at it, they will suddenly feel awe.
Located in the three-entry courtyard at the back, the east side is the Zhuque Tower, the west hall is the Xuanwu Pavilion, and the main hall is the main hall of Shuihe Temple, Shuihe Hall. There are three floors in Shuihe Hall. Sanqing Tianzun stands solemnly on the first floor in a cloud and mist, extending through the three floors, showing no anger and self-power.
Because of the Zhangwu plague, there were no pilgrims or pedestrians along the way. Only some Taoist boys stuck their heads in the nooks and crannies, looking at Liu Yi and the others with vigilance.
The group turned from the side door of Shuihe Hall and entered the back door of the main hall. Two rows of simple wooden houses came into view. Undoubtedly, this was the daily resting place for Taoist priests and overnight pilgrims in the temple.
When he got here, Liu Yi gently pulled Shi Chen's sleeve and whispered, "Master, these five talented people did not explain the reason in the main hall, but brought us here. I'm afraid things are not as good as Fan Guanbei's. It’s so simple!”
"What are you afraid of! With this powerful man from the Mo family here, even if the Five Talents Master is a mighty dragon, he still won't be able to make a few big waves!"
The dead man Chen comforted Liu Yi carelessly, but he unconsciously clenched the Chen sword in his hand, secretly trying to restore his mind and energy in case of emergency.
In an ordinary wooden house, everyone was sitting together. At this time, it was almost dusk, and Mao hour had just arrived.
Everyone had no intention of sipping the elegant tea served by Wei Tong, and they also had no intention of watching the beautiful scenery of the setting sun in early spring. They stared at Wucai Zhenren with their eyes, waiting for him to explain what happened.
Master Wucai saw it in his eyes and remembered it in his heart, so he simply stopped going around in circles.
The old Taoist chief straightened his white hair, moved his lips slightly, and said slowly, "Everything in the world has its own laws. The ups and downs of prosperity and decline are within the law. Everyone, the disaster of Zhangwu is indeed inseparable from the child beside Pindao. Hey, I am selfish, bitter, mean, protective of shortcomings, unreasonable, and I don’t really understand the general trend of the world. My fight with you today is just for fun in my heart. Don’t worry, that Huang Wu is not. It will leave any hidden danger to the health of the soldiers. Everyone, please forgive me!"
Wucai Zhenren's sharp eyes cast an extremely kind look at this moment. He looked intently at the young man standing beside him with a plain crown and a plain robe. When he saw the young man nodded slightly in response, he sighed, pointed at the young man in a plain robe and said , "This child's name is Li Yanfeng and his courtesy name is Boyi. He has grown up next to Pindao since he was a child. Half a year ago, Pindao had a premonition that the mirror was about to be broken, so he went to the Lingyuan Mountains alone to retreat and meditate. The water river view added up to the top and bottom. There are only sixty people, and this kid is very familiar with them, so Pindao handed over all the details of Xiaoguan to this kid, and expected that there won't be any big trouble."
When Master Wucai said this, his face showed a trace of sadness. He paused and continued, "Four months ago, when the autumn harvest was in sight, this child received a letter from Fan Guanbei, the second son of the Fan family. This was the cause of the disaster. The beginning.”
After saying that, Master Wucai took out a piece of yellow paper from the soft mat under the couch and handed it to Jiaozhi Hanli.
When everyone saw the yellow paper, they had something in their minds. Since Cai Lun, Marquis of Longting, invented papermaking, papermaking technology has continued to innovate, and the quality of paper has become higher and higher. So far, it is possible to produce yellow paper that is different from the yellow paper used for sacrifices.
Yellow paper, which is smooth, supple, easy to write on and easy to carry, was deeply loved by scholars and had great potential to replace silk and bamboo slips. However, because of its high cost, it is only widely circulated among the royal family, aristocratic families, and the rich. Moreover, this object is not sold in pieces, but because of its manufacturing process, it is sold by the pound. Small Taoist temples such as Shuihe Temple, Can't afford such high costs.
Everyone opened it and took a look, and the full text read: The virtuous Taoist spreads the wind, and I have always heard that observing the water and rivers, respecting the sky to achieve his mission, benefiting the people to achieve his Tao, and cultivating his body to pursue his roots. In fact, he is the model of the Zhangwu Qi family and the leader of Taoism. The Imada family has good weather and welcomes this year of good harvest. There is no room in the warehouse and no roads in the market. It is a beautiful scene. However, the rats caused a disaster, devouring the people's millet, digging barns and digging holes, and people and dogs lost control. There is a rumor in the world that Brother Li has reached the pinnacle of his skill in the yellow and white furnace fire. He has the ability to rejuvenate dead trees and reverse the flow of streams. I would like to save the people from the water and fire. If this is done, I will need a thousand gold to express my gratitude to Guanbei.
Signed by Fan Guanbei and stamped with private seal.
When Liu Yi saw the letter, he immediately understood. When the others saw the content of the letter, they thought about it and understood the reason.
"After I returned home from the mirror, the child recalled to me that at that time Fan Yi, the second son of the Fan family and the housekeeper of Fan Guanbei, came with a letter and a daughter of his own. With tears mixed in his eyes, he asked for a prescription for killing rats, and he also brought three giant cats with him. Rat, please set your sights straight."
Master Wucai lamented again, patted Li Yanfeng on the shoulder, and said, "Yanfeng is a shallow person after all, so he did not ask for proof on this matter. In addition, the county governor Fan Tingnan had a good reputation, so he generously agreed. This child is also the same." Being honest and truthful, I used the thousand taels of gold given by Fan Guanbei to buy the best herbs, and even subsidized a lot of gold and silver. With the help of secret techniques, I refined four carts of Xie Ling Powder. If it hadn't been for this child that day He thought carefully and wanted to explain the gold and silver subsidies to me, so he lied about the loss of the letter and blocked Fan Yi's request for the letter. Today, it's really hard for me to explain!"
"This kid doesn't like talismans and martial arts, he doesn't like inner elixirs, he only loves refining elixirs and medicine. Today's incident is also a destiny!" Master Wucai patted the wooden couch on the earthen bed several times, and he couldn't be said to be in a good mood. Bad, just keep shaking his head and lamenting.
"My lord, all heroes! This happened because of me, and the medicine was prepared for me. It has nothing to do with Shuihe Temple or the Great Father. I am responsible for everyone's work. I am willing to obey the law." In the crowded wooden house, Li Yanfeng walked to the center and said, The voice is clear and honest, and the eyes are clear and resolute.
A county guard seemed to have doubts in his heart and asked, "Li Yanfeng, I have a question. You said you made this medicine. Do you have any evidence?"
"Master, do you have any medicine?" Li Yanfeng stepped forward and asked.
"Here!"
The county guard who asked the question took out a packet of brown medicinal powder from his arms. The texture, packaging, and color were the same as those taken out by Fan Tingnan from the dilapidated house two hours ago.
Li Yanfeng took the powder, which was called "Chaeling Powder". Without thinking, he poured the whole packet into his mouth and swallowed it without hesitation.
Han Li originally wanted to step forward to stop him, but when he saw that Master Wucai made no move, he just waited and watched.
"Xie Ling Powder is colorless and tasteless. It has strong medicinal properties and is difficult to refine. You need to take into account the changes in yin and yang. Put the 17 herbs into the cauldron according to the number of the five elements. The process is very particular about the heat. If you are not careful, it will What comes out is just a pile of flour!"
Li Yanfeng briefly introduced the properties and pharmacology of this medicine. He did not seem to be worried about his life or death.
Afterwards, Li Yanfeng quickly took a basket of herbs from outside the door and continued to tell everyone, "The antidote is also simple! Just eat the seventeen herbs in the opposite direction."
After Li Yanfeng called out "Big Father", he arranged the Chinese herbs in the basket and ate them one by one. After finishing his meal, he walked directly to Master Wucai and turned his back to him. Master Wucai slowly raised his thoughts, gathered his palms together, moved from behind to in front of him, and rubbed Li Yanfeng's waist, eyes and tail back and forth.
After about two cups of tea, Master Wucai gathered his luck. Li Yanfeng returned to the center of the hut and said, "Just now, my uncle gave me a massage, which only accelerated the effect of the medicine. Now, the poison in my body is draining my spirit." , have all been discharged, everyone, this is enough to prove that what I said is true."
...
After a brief period of silence, the county guard who had just asked the question spoke first. When he saw him looking at Han Li and Death Shichen, he asked, "Two knights, do you have any opinions?"
If Han Li hadn't intervened in today's situation, we don't know what the outcome would have been. Death Shichen's sword was even more amazing. Although the county guard followed the official path, due to morality, friendship and strength, he still chose to open his mouth and ask in a low voice.
The two looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time. Since Li Yanfeng has pleaded guilty and the evidence is conclusive and conclusive, there is really nothing more to say about this matter.
The county guard was about to step forward to take someone away when Liu Yi suddenly walked out from the dead man's side, lowered his head and held his hands in his hands, saying respectfully, "Sir, I have something to say. Although it has nothing to do with this matter, I want to ask for your clarification. Please allow me!"
Looking at Liu Yi, who had thick eyebrows raised and clear eyes, the county guard hesitated for a moment. He was worried that something might happen, but he glanced at the dead man Chen again, and finally nodded softly.
Liu Yi walked to the edge of the earthen bed, cupped his hands, looked straight at Wu Cai Zhenren, and said, "Senior Wu Cai, I have a very painful question. I wonder if I should talk about it or not?"
Master Wucai raised his head and glanced, his eyes startled for a moment, and then saddened again, "Ask, child!"
"Have you... been to Zhangwu County recently?"
"Hey, a word is worth a thousand words. I know what you mean. You want to see if I'm trying to protect you and refuse to save you, right? Hey, this matter is also a coincidence. With Pindao's qualifications, age and determination, he should not have reached this state."
Wucai Zhenren wandered in the sky and said slowly, "Half a year ago, a vision came from the sky in Zhangwu. The clouds lasted for a long time and ran through the character Qiong. I sat and watched the clouds, looked back on the past, and felt a lot of emotion. I prayed for blessings the next day. , I found that my energy was greatly increased, my mind was full of thoughts, and the mysterious feeling of mastering one method and mastering all kinds of arts seemed to my ears but I couldn't understand the origin. I knew in my heart that this was the precursor of moving from heaven to mastering the arts!"
The county guard standing aside nodded deeply and testified for Wucai Zhenren, "Half a year ago, there was indeed a strange scene in Zhangwu County where the sky was covered with red clouds."
Wucai Zhenren whispered, "This opportunity cannot be missed, so Pindao decided to use the alchemy cauldron to forcibly break the mirror. Although he successfully entered the imperial realm, his aura was disordered and yin and yang were imbalanced at the beginning. From the Lingyuan Mountains, After returning to the temple, I immediately started to practice in seclusion again. I even skipped the auspicious ashram that was supposed to be set up during the New Year’s Day a few days ago.”
"I myself did not go to Zhangwu City, but in the middle of last month, I sent a group of boys to the north to Zhangwu, but the Fan clan members drove them back in the name of sealing the city for Gongsun's funeral. Although they were angry, they did not go there again in person. Or send someone to investigate. This is an act of dereliction of duty!" Wucai Zhenren looked at Liu Yi carefully from left to right, and nodded, "In the twilight of my old age, I am marching on the road to seal the sky. I am old! I thought so. It’s too small, it’s done slowly, and people are useless!”
Liu Yi ignored Master Wucai's emotion. He slightly bowed his hand to Master Wucai, said, "Junior, I have no doubts," and returned to Death Shichen.
"Master Wucai, it's already getting late. If there is nothing else to do, we will take Li Yanfeng back to the county for trial. The "Han Code" has its own clear judgment on what is right and wrong, Mr. Fan has his own judgment, and the people of Zhangwu County have their own public opinion. Although Taoist Master is at ease, with Master Fan here, he will not wrongly accuse a good person, nor will he kill a bad person by mistake, so I will say goodbye!"
Seeing that it was already getting late, the county guard did not want to have a long night and dream, so he asked for the person to be escorted back to the county.
The two county guards were able to hold Li Yanfeng's arms and were about to turn around when they heard a voice behind them, "Wait a minute!"
Han Li and Shi Chen instantly became vigilant, fearing that Master Wucai would change his mind on the spot.
Master Wucai left the kang lightly, his back straight and his little eyes bright.
"If there are still patients in the county who are poor, I am willing to do my best to make the difference!"
...
Many years later, Gongsun Haojin, now the general of Zhangwu, finally led his tribe back to Zhangwu County, Zhangwu County, after five years of war and countless twists and turns. After returning to his hometown, the first thing he did was to rebuild. He visited Shuihe Temple, which was destroyed by the war, and wrote with emotion: "I didn't know that a thousand volumes of books could not cover one mile." Little do you know that a thousand good things are not as good as a false promise. However, even if there are thousands of winds blowing, never give up.
