After the fast meal, Gu Ming led Jingkong to sing evening lessons. They took advantage of the warmth of the ground stove in the meditation hall and the red charcoal fire to sit on stools to eat.
Seeing that the time had come, Song Siyuan asked Zen Master Gu Ming: "Master Gu Ming, since we know Brother Xu, please tell us his story. I have never seen a monk and a Tao become friends!"
Before Song Siyuan finished speaking, Xu Xiake burped: "Let me speak on behalf of Master Gu Ming on this matter."
Xu Xiake took off his Taoist sword and threw it aside. He stretched out his hand to light the fire and said, "My master is the master of Chongxu Temple in Yuji Mountain in Qinling Mountains, Yunyangzi~"
"Who? Who? Who?"
Sun Daqiao seemed to hear the familiar name again. He was initially confused by the hot wind, but as his heart pounded, he became completely energetic.
"Yujishan Chongxu Temple Master, Yunyangzi~" Xu Xiake's eyes widened and he emphasized again.
As early as a few days ago, Sun Daqiao had already told about the old grudges. Yue and Song also knew about Yunyangzi. Just now they heard that the little Taoist priest said that his master was that old Taoist. In addition to being surprised, they felt , there is still a hint of weirdness.
This little Taoist priest's arrival was too coincidental. The two of them nodded to Sun Daqiao and told him not to disclose their identities yet, and to listen to the little Taoist priest in secret.
It was expected that this little Taoist priest was not deeply involved in the world. Even when he traveled around the mountains and rivers, he only saw all the scenery. Before he was aware of Sun Daqiao's attitude, he unknowingly told the past events between his master and Zen Master Gu Ming.
This beautiful story about monks and Taoists becoming friends started twenty-five years ago.
At this time, it has been two or three years since the Anyuan demon was suppressed. The people of Anyuan County and Yuping Town adhere to the agreed customs of the civet fairy. They seem to be living a stable life. Everyone knows that there is a crisis lurking. If you are not careful, the civet demon will come back. Bringing back the cat plague again.
The people of Anyuan County did not want to worship Mr. Li Lang at first, but it was obvious that the domestic cat brought back large and small gold nuggets every year. No matter how much they resisted, they had nothing to do with the money. Seeing Mr. Li Lang generously giving gold, they put down their guard and worshiped him at home. Get up the statue of Mr. Lilang!
As the saying goes, a horse will not be fat without night grass, and a man will not be rich without windfall.
You can get golden beans by worshiping the civet man. Once this strange thing comes true, it will attract the attention of the people in the county. Some people still stay away from ghosts and gods. Except for worshiping the civet man in the early snow in winter, they can't avoid it in other seasons. But Some people, who can't afford to be early without any benefit, have a wrong idea when they see a golden bean.
They thought to themselves, since the domestic cat was given golden beans after holding a piece of meat in its mouth, what if the house cat was holding a living person? How many beans should be given to a living person with such a large piece of meat.
There are many poor people in Anyuan County who are desperate for money. They came up with this idea and quickly put it into practice. They actually left their children in the temple while going to the civet cat ceremony, and then followed everyone down the mountain.
But a few days later, when the raccoon boy returned, he pulled a box as big as a human head. Inside, there was a golden dog head as big as a fist, which was shiny and yellow, very pleasing to the eye.
The people of Yuping Town knew that sacrificing living people would get more gold. Everyone is greedy and selfish. They want nugget gold but don’t want to sacrifice their own children. So what should they do?
Of course, it is a dead Taoist friend but a poor Taoist who sacrifices other people's children!
As soon as they come and go, these greedy people actually have the idea of poor people. If you ask someone's child to be sacrificed for no reason, they will not play with your life. It is extremely difficult to give the child away, and there is no guarantee. The white knife goes in and the red knife comes out.
These greedy people did not dare to take such risks, so they could only make bad ideas behind their backs. They began to bribe the elders of Yuping Town, and the elders re-determined the ceremony of the Li Xian sacrifice. In addition to the prescribed six animals, there were also other sacrifices. A pair of boys and girls were added.
The family members were powerful country squires in the past, and they were naturally willing to do anything if they had money to share. With their acquiescence, sacrificing boys and girls in rituals to the raccoon god became a fixed folk custom.
Even if the people are unwilling to do it, they have to pinch their noses and admit defeat. These gentry are all rich and powerful near Yuping Town. If you dare to disagree, you will not have to wait for the sacrifice ceremony, but you will be ruined immediately. So In this way, before the annual sacrificial ceremony, the elders of several major clans, under the persuasion of these greedy guests, gathered all the children under the age of ten to determine the candidates for the golden boys and girls by drawing lots.
A new problem arises here!
If children from Yuping Ancient Town and surrounding villages participate, what if the relatives of these elders are selected? Even if the selected ones are not their relatives, if they are also rich and powerful landowners, then they will still be willing to sacrifice their children?
How about these greedy thieves?
They used the lottery ceremony at the beginning just to be able to operate in secret. On the days when the lot was drawn, most of the wealthy gentry would come to bribe the clan elders. Since they were asking for accommodation, they would have to shed money and spend their free money. , their children’s lives were saved.
The elders of this clan will make a list of wealthy households who have given money and place it in a dark room. On the day when the lot is drawn, someone will be guarding the exit. As long as a child comes to draw the lot, the identity taboo will be chanted to confirm the identity. If the identity of the chanting and the list is If they are right, then a yellow forged ball will be stuffed into them to ensure that they will not be selected.
