This temple is located in the innermost part of Shuisheng Village. It is not very big. It has only one courtyard and a two-story temple. There is a very old tree in the courtyard. Judging from the current fire intensity, this is where the whole temple started to catch fire. It started with an old tree.
The fire was huge and black smoke was everywhere. From a distance, it looked like an ancient ferocious beast was planning to devour everything in this ancient temple.
Fortunately, there was no wind in Shuisheng Village at this time, otherwise the dozens of nearby houses would probably not be saved.
But I soon discovered that something was not quite right about everything in front of me. The northwest region has always paid more attention to religious beliefs. No matter what ethnic group you are, this is absolutely the same.
But the only temple in the village was on such a big fire, and no one came to put out the fire. To be more precise, I didn't even see a single person.
I turned around and looked around, and couldn't help but sigh: "It's strange..."
As soon as I opened my mouth, Li Su next to me said, "It's indeed strange... not only strange, but also a bit pity..."
"What a pity?" When I heard Li Su say this, I couldn't help but be stunned and quickly asked, "What's the pity?"
When Li Su saw me asking, he raised his finger and pointed at the ancient tree in the temple yard and said, "What I'm saying is that this tree is a pity."
I frowned slightly when I heard this and said, "What's wrong with this tree? Is there anything special about it?"
Li Su said calmly: "The scientific name of this tree is whitebark pine."
"Whitebark pine?" I frowned and said, "Why do I feel like I've heard this name somewhere?"
Li Su looked at me, then said with a smile: "Of course you have heard of the name of a shop as big as Yiyuanzhai, but it has another name in your mouths."
I asked calmly: "Another name?"
Li Su nodded and said, "Well, you usually call him the white-robed general!"
General White Robe is the best among the best trees. Most people in the world know about Huanghuali in Hainan, but few people know about White Robe in Northwest China. The most important reason is that there are too few trees of this kind.
General White Robe is an evergreen tree of the Pinaceae family, reaching a height of 30 meters. The bark of young trees is smooth and gray-green. When it grows up, the bark falls off in irregular flakes, revealing new light yellow-green bark. When old, the bark becomes light brown gray or gray-white and breaks into irregular scaly pieces. It falls off and is almost smooth after falling off, revealing the white inner bark, making the trunk completely white. From a distance, it looks like it is wearing a silk satin white robe, hence the name "White Robe General".
According to legend, Emperor Qianlong was particularly fond of it during the mid-Qing Dynasty.
According to the records of the folk chronicle "Longxi Minbailiao Tuzhi", Fan Bang once tributed four white-robed general trees to Emperor Qianlong. At first, Emperor Qianlong didn't care and just had them planted in Tuancheng, Beihai.
Unexpectedly, Emperor Qianlong went to Beihai to play that day. While resting, he was attracted by a tall and straight white bark pine. He sat under the shade of the tree to rest. Perhaps he was taking care of his busy schedule. Emperor Qianlong soon fell asleep.
But who knew that as soon as Emperor Qianlong fell asleep, a big green python appeared in his dream, intending to swallow Emperor Qianlong into his belly. Emperor Qianlong was shocked. Just when he was at a loss, a man wearing white skin appeared. A handsome general with a long robe and a jade face appeared in front of Qianlong.
Emperor Qianlong opened his mouth to ask the general's name, but who knew that the white-robed general did not answer him, but just raised his sword and killed the giant green python in front of him.
Emperor Qianlong woke up from his dream and looked back at the white pine tree he was leaning against. He knew that this tree had saved him just now, so he ordered people to move it from Beihai to the Imperial Garden, just like a mighty tree. The general guarded the Chengguang Hall next to it. Emperor Qianlong later named this white pine tree the "White-robed General".
I have heard the story about the white-robed general more than once, but to be honest, this is the first time I have seen this kind of tree.
I looked at Li Su beside me and asked, "Are you so sure that this tree is the white-robed general?"
Li Su nodded and said: "Of course! After all, the appearance I have now has something to do with it... If it were you, you would naturally recognize it!"
I didn't ask any more about Li Su's life experience. After all, asking these things at this time would be a bit gossipy. I just glanced at Li Su and said lightly: "Although I have never seen the white-robed general, But as far as I know, there are less than four trees of this kind still alive in the country..."
Before I finished speaking, Li Su interrupted me. She slowly stretched out two fingers and said, "Five years ago, there were only four plants left... and now that's the number."
I was surprised and said, "Are there two plants left in the entire country?"
Li Su said: "This one is burned...that means there is only one left."
I sighed and said, "It's really a pity to put it this way!"
And just before I finished speaking, Li Su beside me suddenly turned his head and looked at me and asked, "What you just said was not this tree... Then what is this strange thing in your mouth?"
I smiled bitterly, then pointed to the deserted village and said, "There is such a big fire in this place, but there is no one around. Even the three people I saw at the entrance of the village don't know at this time. Where did it go? Don’t you think it’s strange?”
After my reminder, Li Su finally reacted. She looked around, and then murmured: "This is really strange. Where have all the people in this village gone?"
I was confused by Li Su's belated attitude and didn't know what to say for a moment, but before I could say anything, Li Su strode to a private house.
When I saw this, I quickly asked: "Li Su, what do you want to do?"
Li Su didn't even look at me, and said, "Of course I can't wait to see those guys. Why are you hiding in the house?"
As he said that, Li Su raised his foot and kicked open the wooden door in front of him with a bang.
As the wooden door was kicked open, a heavy cloud of dust also fell. The dust was so thick that it felt as if no one had opened the door for a long time.
Li Su quickly covered his mouth and nose with his sleeves to avoid inhaling the falling dust.
Looking at the situation in front of me, I frowned slightly, covered my nose with my hands and strode into the room behind Li Su.
This is a not very wealthy family, and there is not even a soul in the house.
The house is not big, just a single room, no more than fifty square meters at most. There is a broken wooden bed, a broken wooden table and two chairs. Apart from these, there are no extraneous furnishings.
I walked slowly to the table, touched the tabletop with my hand, and found a thick layer of dust on it.
At this time Li Su came over and said to me: "This place is really weird!"
I nodded and said, "Yes! And it feels like no one has lived here for a long time..."
