The first person in the team is Uncle Wang from the village. He is a bit older than Grandma Li.
One of the two Qi-training monks took out a small bundle from the storage bag and sent it to Uncle Wang. The other opened a book full of names, and at the same time took out a box of ink pads and asked Uncle Wang to press his name. Get a fingerprint.
"Do you need to replace the spring lanterns at home?" asked the monk holding the booklet and ink pad.
Uncle Wang: "No need, no need, everything is fine. Thank you."
"You're welcome, it's my duty. Okay, next one."
Uncle Wang left the team tremblingly, and the monk in the foundation-building stage stepped forward and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
As soon as Uncle Wang shook his head, a villager in the team shouted: "He broke his leg last month. He has been given medicine, but I don't know if he is fully recovered. Please ask the immortal master to take a look at him!"
"It's ready." Uncle Wang said quickly and stamped his feet to indicate that there was no problem.
However, the foundation-building monk couldn't help but bend down and point at the crook of Uncle Wang's knee. His fingertips glowed with white light. After a while, he said: "It looks like he has recovered, but in fact he is not. You are old and you are falling." It's not a trivial matter. If others don't tell me, if they just leave it alone, they will suffer a lot in the future."
After that, the white light on his fingertips gradually became brighter, and he counted several points on Uncle Wang's legs, and then said: "This should be enough. Keep warm within two months. If you still feel uncomfortable after that, you must ask someone to go to the town to tell you." I wait."
"Hey, okay, okay." Uncle Wang responded and thanked him repeatedly.
The foundation-building monk waved his hand indifferently and turned to ask the next old man who received the small bundle.
Grandma Li was asked about it after she received the baggage. She replied that she was not feeling uncomfortable. The monk checked her again and said, "Well, your bones are indeed strong. It's nothing serious. It would be better if you eat more meat on weekdays." "
"Hey, I remember it. Thank you so much for coming here every year."
"It's just a matter of duty. If you are safe and sound, we will have a good account to the sect."
Grandma Li came over with a small bundle in her arms. Jing Yingrong saw the word "Taizhu" embroidered on the surface of the bundle and asked, "Is this a saving?"
"That's right, Miss Jing, you don't know, your Taichu Temple sends holiday gifts to the town and village every year."
With that said, Grandma Li unpacked the baggage. Inside were some small bottles and boxes, also engraved with the word Taichu.
"That box is an animal-repelling ointment. Apply it on your neck before going into the mountains. Bears, wolves, and other beasts will not attack people. This bottle is a cold-repelling pill, which can cure common wind-cold ailments. This one is Healing medicine, if you are accidentally scratched by a knife, just rub it on and it will heal quickly. And that stack, what is it called, the rain talisman? In the dry season, when the crops need water, just tear it open and it will heal. Yes, but I haven’t used it for many years..."
Grandma Li rambled on about each item to Jing Yingrong.
Jijie Brush: "These are all made by novices who are just learning skills in Taichu Temple, right? They are not even used during the Qi training period, but they are just right for mortals. It can be regarded as killing multiple birds with one stone."
Jing Yingrong: "Yeah." After a pause, he continued: "It's a system that didn't exist before."
Ji Jie Bi: "Today's Taichu view is indeed much stronger than before."
After the old people in the village received their gifts, the foundation-building monk stopped asking. He came to Jing Yingrong and said, "There have been a lot of things going on in the town recently. I was half a day late when I saw Senior Sister. I thought you were the inspector of our sect, so I was panicked."
Jing Yingrong: "I've stayed here for a few days and haven't seen any other monks."
The other party said: "The inspectors will not go to every place. We cannot predict when and where they will go."
Jing Yingrong nodded and said, "Have you been staying in Jiangren Town?"
"Yes, after I have lived in the Qiongju Enclave for a hundred years, I can't be promoted to the inner sect, and I can't afford the spiritual stones and contribution points to continue to live, so I applied to become an external disciple of the sect. This way, I can still Having a fixed salary is more stable than going out on your own."
Jing Yingrong looked at the two monks who were still distributing festival goods: "I have never seen them in places where mortals and monks live together. Are festival goods only given to places where mortals live?"
The other party said: "Yes, festivals like celebrating the new year basically only exist in places where mortals live. If there are many monks in the place of residence, the mortals will live according to the pace of the monks, and there will be no need for me to take more care of them."
"Take more care?"
"Exactly, we must try our best to solve the problems of the mortals within our jurisdiction and ensure that their lives are safe and worry-free. At the same time, we must not interfere too much with the order of the mortal settlements, so we usually stay in the town. Don’t come to these places. If they encounter something they can’t solve, they will come and tell us.”
Jing Yingrong thought thoughtfully: "Taichu Guan now attaches great importance to mortals."
"That's natural," the other party smiled, "The current head has said that mortals must have someone to support them when they are young and someone to rely on when they grow old. Only when there are no worries can monks leave home to practice Taoism with peace of mind."
Jing Yingrong nodded.
After distributing the goods, the three monks walked around the village to observe, learned about the current situation of the village from the villagers, and recorded it in detail.
After finishing all this, they came to say goodbye to Jing Yingrong, and then hurried to other villages belonging to Jiangren Town.
Jing Yingrong and Grandma Li returned slowly, passing by a large flat open space in the village. Many villagers were cleaning the ground and moving debris.
Seeing this scene, Jing Yingrong asked: "What are they doing?"
Grandma Li said: "Get ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow we all will have dinner and celebrate the festival together here."
"Bringing the food here?"
"No, we are here to cook together," Grandma Li said with a smile, "We have to come too."
…
The next day.
The village has been lively since early in the morning.
The villagers set up a stove and lit a fire on one side of the open space. Stacks of kitchen utensils, bowls and other supplies were delivered here, followed closely by piles of grain, vegetables, meat, seasonings and other ingredients.
The villagers brought these things from their own homes. Grandma Li also brought a lot of ingredients and utensils. Jing Yingrong carried two large buckets of well water and poured the well water into the large tank on the side like other villagers.
More red lanterns were hung up. The villagers were carrying water, carrying firewood, washing vegetables and cutting meat. Almost every household was busy here, including Grandma Li and Uncle Wang. Help wash rice.
The only ones who were still idle were the group of children running around the village.
"Sister, this is for you."
As soon as Jing Yingrong handed a fish to another villager after removing its scales, several children gathered around it. One of them held up a fried golden meatball.
Jing Yingrong thanked her and ate the meatballs. Seeing this, the other children took out the pastries and snacks hidden behind their backs and treated her to them.
Before Jing Yingrong could respond while holding a pile of scraps of food, two villagers ran towards him with their spatulas in the air, shouting: "I told you that was for everyone to eat in the evening, why don't you guys?" Make trouble and steal words!”
The child who showed the meatballs to the mirror screamed strangely, and ran away with the other children with a smile.
Jing Yingrong looked at the food in her hand, and then at the villagers who had given up chasing and were panting and laughing and cursing. Her eyes swept over the heated scene around her, and the corners of her mouth curved softly.
