Songshan Mountain is not an independent mountain, but a general name for a group of mountain peaks, including Shaoshi Mountain where the Shaolin Temple is located.
At this time, there were crows everywhere in Songshan Mountain, and there were even more crows on Shaoshi Mountain.
Changsheng had never been to Shaolin Temple before, and he didn't know if crows originally lived in this area. Zhang Mo is a Taoist priest from the Shangqing Dynasty. According to Taoist etiquette, Taoist priests do not enter Buddhist temples, so she has never been to Shaolin Temple. She saw crows everywhere on the mountain and was confused.
Just when the two of them were looking up in confusion, a young novice monk hurriedly walked over from the gatehouse at the foot of the mountain. He came closer and bowed to the two of them with their hands together, "Amitabha, two benefactors, I am a humble monk, our temple is holding a water and land ceremony recently. , we will not receive Buddhist pilgrims for the time being, please go back."
Hearing the novice's words, Chang Sheng and Zhang Mo looked at each other with frowns. Although they were both from the Taoist sect, they also knew what the Water and Land Dharma Assembly in Buddhism was about. The so-called Water and Land Dharma Assembly was also called the Water and Land Dharma Hall. It was the salvation of Buddhist monks. The soul of the dead is a kind of ritual that can help the six realms.
After the little novice monk finished speaking, he turned around and wanted to leave. When Zhang Mo saw this, he hurriedly called out to him, "Little Master, as far as I know, the water and land Dharma Assemblies are held at night. How come the Dharma Assemblies are starting before it gets dark?"
The little novice monk didn't expect Zhang Mo to ask such a question, and was immediately stunned, with panic in his eyes.
Changsheng and Zhang Mo are both careful people. Seeing the young novice's expression, they immediately guessed that something happened in the Shaolin Temple. The so-called water and land ceremony was just an excuse for the Shaolin Temple to refuse pilgrims from entering the mountain.
The little novice came to his senses, clasped his hands and said, "Returning to the donor, this poor monk has only received the novice ordination, and is not familiar with many rituals of this religion. In short, our temple does not receive outside pilgrims recently. You two should leave early."
After the little novice monk finished speaking, he hurriedly left without waiting for the two of them to speak.
The two of them had come all the way, so naturally they couldn't stop at the bottom of the mountain. After exchanging glances, the two followed the young novice to the concierge at the bottom of the mountain.
Worried that the two of them would continue to ask questions, the little novice monk walked into the concierge and never came out. Just when Changsheng was hesitating whether to go in to talk to him or go straight up the mountain, a middle-aged monk walked out of the concierge and said, "Amitabha, poor monk Shi Zuxing, this temple "Zhike monk, our temple is currently holding a water and land ceremony for giving porridge and water to help evil spirits. There is quite a lot of gloom in the mountain, so you two should come back another day."
After the monk Zhike finished speaking, the two of them did not answer the conversation immediately. The monk Zhike yawned several times while speaking, and his eyes had dark circles and he looked quite haggard.
"Master, monks don't lie," Changsheng asked seriously, "is the water and land ceremony really being held in the temple?"
"You two, please leave quickly. Don't you see that there are crows everywhere on this mountain," the monk Zhike raised his hand and pointed north. "They are all telepathic, and they are here to beg for food."
If it were anyone else, he would be too embarrassed to insist on going up the mountain because of what he said. However, Chang Sheng was keenly aware that this Zhike monk was lying, but for the time being, he was not sure whether this person was a fake monk or not. A truly knowledgeable monk.
The monk Zhike looked gloomy and listless. After he finished speaking, he wanted to turn around and go back to the house. Seeing this, Changsheng could only say, "Master, to be honest, we are not ordinary pilgrims, but imperial envoys carrying an edict from the imperial court. This time we are here to deliver the edict." .”
Hearing Changsheng's words, the monks were surprised. They hurriedly turned to face each other, clasped their hands and chanted the Buddha's name.
For monks, Amitabha is both the name of the Buddha and a panacea. When you are speechless, you can chant Amitabha. When you don’t know how to answer, you can chant Amitabha to buy yourself time to think.
"Are you two really imperial envoys?" asked the monk Zhike.
Changsheng took out the imperial edict from his sleeve and handed it over, "We are indeed imperial envoys. Here is the edict. Please review it, Master."
Whether it is the Zhike Taoist from the Taoist temple or the Zhike monk from the temple, they are all people who are well versed in human feelings and sophisticated. The Zhike monk knows that he has no right to read the imperial edict, but since Changsheng has taken out the imperial edict, it means that the two of them are really here to deliver the edict.
Since they are here to convey the decree, they can only be allowed to enter the mountain, otherwise they will be deceiving the emperor. The monk who knows his guests still understands this principle.
After thinking anxiously, the monk Zhike spoke up and said, "Please ask the two imperial envoys to wait here while the poor monk goes to report to the abbot."
"No need to bother, we will go into the mountain with you." Changsheng said and took the lead.
Monk Zhike didn't dare to stop him, so he had to quickly follow the two of them and accompany them up the stairs.
"Master, you don't look too good," Changsheng asked casually, "How tired have you been lately?"
"It's okay, it's okay." The monk Zhike apologized awkwardly.
The further you go up the mountain, the more crows you get. Crows and magpies are not the same thing. Magpies have black feathers and white flowers, and their calls are chirping, which is neither high nor harsh. Crows are completely black and have no white feathers. It is also much larger than a magpie, and its call is loud and shrill.
When there is no one on the mountain road, crows don’t chirp very much. When they see people going up the mountain, the crows along the way start to cackle strangely. At first, they are several crows together, and then they are crows together. One crow’s crow is enough to make a noise. , but now there are hundreds of crows cawing strangely at the same time. This is no longer just noisy, but shrill and shrill, like a ghost crying.
In addition to crows all over the mountains and plains, there are also a large number of mountain rats, hares, snakes and insects in the grass on both sides of the mountain road. There are even venomous snakes coiled on the steps up the mountain.
"Master, has something happened in the temple recently?" Chang Sheng asked seriously.
"Ah? Oh, be careful where you step." The monk Zhike talked to him.
Since Changsheng wanted to ask, he naturally would not allow him to be vague, "Master, is the water and land ceremony really being held in the temple?"
"The imperial envoy asked, we are indeed holding a water and land ceremony." Monk Zhike replied helplessly.
"Are the birds, snakes, insects, rats, and ants in this mountain attracted by the land and water ritual?" Changsheng continued to ask.
"It should be so." Zhike Monk was ambiguous.
Seeing that the monk Zhike looked listless and sleepy, Changsheng asked again, "Master, how many days will the water and land ceremony last?"
"The poor monk has been staying at the foot of the mountain, and he doesn't know much about the situation in the temple." The monk Zhike shook his head and said.
After the monk Zhike finished speaking, Changsheng didn't ask any more questions. At this time, he could already confirm that something happened in Shaolin Temple, but he didn't know what happened.
After walking for a while, the sound of chanting was faintly heard from the north. It was evening, and it was the time when the monks held evening classes.
The scriptures recited by the monks are completely different from those recited by the Taoist priests. Although Changsheng can hear the chanting, he cannot tell what scriptures the monks are reciting. He only thinks that they are reciting Sanskrit scriptures. .
However, after climbing a hillside, Changsheng discovered that he had made a mistake. The sound he heard earlier was not monks chanting sutras, but countless toads cawing.
Seeing that the temple was surrounded by toads of all sizes, Zhang Mo was confused, "Where do so many toads come from?"
"The female donor must have been attracted by the Water and Land Dharma Assembly." Monk Zhike replied bravely.
As soon as the monk Zhike finished speaking, a group of monks carrying wooden barrels appeared on the road ahead. At first, the two thought that these monks were going down the mountain to carry water, but when the monks approached, they found that the barrels were full of water. It's a toad.
There were more than ten monks in that group, and every one of them had dark circles under his eyes. When they saw Chang Sheng and Zhang Mo, the expressions on the faces of the monks were unnatural. They buried their heads deeply and hurried past.
"Master, where are these toads going to go?" Changsheng asked.
"This, that, maybe, maybe it should be sent down the mountain." The monk Zhike hesitated.
"The Water and Land Dharma Association will help the six realms. They bring blessings to the soul and they come here because of their feelings. Why do you still want to send them away?" Changsheng asked.
Changsheng kept asking questions, and realized that the guest monk was very worried, so he sighed helplessly, "It's impossible not to send him off. They are chirping day and night, making people uneasy."
Seeing that Changsheng still wanted to speak, Zhang Mo winked at him. Changsheng understood, slowed down and distanced himself from the monk Zhike.
"Things are strange," Zhang Mo said in a low voice, "These crows, toads and the snakes, insects, rats and ants all over the mountains and plains were not attracted by the Land and Water Dharma Assembly."
Changsheng nodded slowly in agreement.
Zhang Mo said again, "They may have really held a water and land ceremony, but it was not to save hungry ghosts and give alms to the six realms, but to deceive people and disrupt their hearing."
"I also think that the water and land ceremony should be held after these snakes and insects appear." Changsheng said in a low voice.
Zhang Mo nodded, "Yes, they are worried that the reputation of Shaolin will be damaged if this matter is spread, so they hold a water and land ceremony to cover up the truth of the matter."
While they were talking, they came outside the temple gate. The huge square was filled with toads of all sizes, and a group of dark-eyed monks carrying wooden buckets were busy catching them everywhere.
There are the most toads and crows gathering around the Shaolin Temple. Since the monks strictly prohibit killing, the crows are bold and aggressive. Everywhere on the gate tower, on the roof ridge, and on the courtyard wall is occupied by crows. The toads on the ground are also densely packed, and the toads are cuckling. The crows and crows echo each other, one after another.
The monk Zhike asked the two of them to stop outside the door, and he ran into the temple to report the news.
"Aliens don't gather for no reason," Zhang Mo said. "I suspect someone is doing something secretly."
Chang Sheng frowned and nodded, "It may be the Japanese pirates. I have encountered Japanese pirates who know how to control beasts in Silla. They may have guessed that we are short of manpower, and will ask the Shaolin Temple for help next, so they did this. .”
"It's not impossible," Zhang Mo nodded and said, "Shaolin Temple was originally a pure place for Buddhism, but now it's not at all clean. It's almost noisier than a wet market. The monks in the temple have no peace and are suffering."
"I'm afraid there's no hope for the monks in Shaolin Temple." Changsheng said.
"Not necessarily. We'll wait until we meet Tongchen," Zhang Mo said. "If we can find the root cause and get rid of the fire, the monks in the temple can still help us after they regain their consciousness..."
