At the foot of the Flaming Mountain, there was a temple called the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall. The name sounded grand, and outsiders thought it was a famous ancient temple. It was actually a small temple. How small was it? There wasn't even a monk in the temple, let alone the abbot and elder! How could a temple be called a temple without monks? How could he accept the incense? This was a characteristic of Buddhism in China. If a temple couldn't keep a monk alive, they would hire someone to manage it. The person in charge had a special person called the temple priest. Temple priests were not monks. In modern terms, they were a group of laymen who were interested in Buddhism and relied on Buddhism to make a living. This group had a general name called Scholar. The Great Compassion Buddhist Hall was one of the many temples on Jiuhua Mountain. The only difference was that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was worshipped on Jiuhua Mountain, while the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall worshipped the merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva. The devotees who came to offer incense on Jiuhua Mountain had the belief that they would not let go of any temple they encountered, so many people would also turn to the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall to offer incense. Over time, although the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall was not very popular, it was still passable. The layman in the temple was surnamed Zhang. However, what everyone didn't know was that this small temple had a famous person in the Buddhist world of the Celestial Dynasty in the future, and the entire Jiuhua Mountain had benefited from it. However, that was decades later. Today, the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall was just a small temple that didn't even have a monk.
When Murong Yao and Wei Wuji walked out of Grandpa Niu's house, they bumped into Wei Wuji.
"You didn't go to Wuhu today?"
"No, the Japanese are coming. Stay at home for a few days. I've already made arrangements for the trading company.”
Murong Yao shook his head with a bitter smile.
Although Wei Wuji didn't go to the Rebirth Valley, he still yearned for Murong Yao and the others to explore. The three of them had played together since they were young. When they heard that Murong Yao and the others were going to the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall, they followed them.
When Layman Zhang saw Murong Yao and the rest coming to the temple, he felt that the sun was about to set from the east. Since when did children become interested in burning incense and worshipping Buddha? He even heard that they were going to offer incense to Goddess Guan Yin, which was even more unbelievable!
When Layman Zhang knew the purpose of Murong Yao and the rest's visit, he smiled,""Three little benefactors, you are forsaking what is near for what is far away.”
When Layman Zhang actually said these words, Murong Yao was very surprised. Could it be that Goddess Guan Yin really showed her spirit?
Layman Zhang's next words made everyone feel like they had returned to their original spot.
"Do you know when the Great Compassion Buddha Hall was built? That was in the 14th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty. As far as I know, it was about the same time as your Three Family Village was established. At the same time, a temple was built. It was your own village temple!”
"There's a temple in our village. Why didn't we know about it?”
"The temple in your village must have been built. It's not far from there," said Layman Zhang.”After saying that, he pointed at the wall of Three Family Village."The house with the corner of the eaves inside the wall is the temple in your village.”
Murong Yao and the others felt strange. There was an abandoned house there, and there was actually a temple inside!
Layman Zhang continued," I worship Goddess Guanyin here. It is said that the temple in your village worships two disciples of Goddess Guanyin. They are a man and a woman. They have done countless good deeds in their lives. I heard that there was a great disaster one year, and these two disciples saved many people. After Goddess Guanyin found out, she took them in as her disciples. They can be considered to have achieved the right fruit and become Buddhas. That's why I said that you're willing to give up what's near and seek what's far. It's your village's own business. Of course, go to your village temple and ask the gods for guidance!”
When the three of them heard this, they finally understood what Layman Zhang meant. After going around in circles, they returned to the original point. Fine, they still had to ask a few more old men.
The three of them donated some incense money to the temple and returned to the village. Wei Yiqu wasn't around, Niu Yunfeng and Murong Qingshan were in the city and would only return at night. It was probably pointless for the grandparents to ask. Murong Yao suggested that since he had nothing better to do, they should go to the abandoned house to take a look.
The group of people returned to the village. At the northernmost part of the village, there was a row of abandoned old houses against the village wall. If the wall was removed, it would be at the foot of the Flaming Mountain. It was only a few dozen meters away from the Great Compassion Buddha Hall, so Layman Zhang could accurately point here with a finger. Everyone found this place. The houses here were already very old. They had probably been built when the village was built and had been abandoned for a long time. Murong Yao found the one that was sticking out from the corner of the roof. The door was tightly shut. It was not the kind of door with a window grid to let in light, but two large doors. A large rusty lock hung outside. Murong Yao wanted to break in, but after thinking about it, it was still inappropriate. He would talk about it when he met his father and the others at night.
At night, the three of them gathered at Niu Zheng's house and told Niu Yunfeng about their visit during the day. Niu Yunfeng pondered for a moment and said,"There is a small and simple temple. Usually, there is no incense. When I was young, every year on February 17th, when I burned incense for Guan Yin Bodhisattva in the Great Compassion Buddha Hall, I would also bring some here. Layman Zhang was right. This place was dedicated to the two disciples of Goddess Guanyin. Because they felt that the Bodhisattva was being worshipped in the Great Compassion Buddha Hall, the villagers would run over there if they had anything to do. This place was slowly neglected. Later, when they saw that there was no incense, they had to send people to take care of it, so they closed this place. These are all things that happened when I was young. No one has entered this place for decades!”
"Can we go in and take a look tomorrow?”
"The key to the temple door is in the village ancestral hall! I have something to do in the city tomorrow morning and I have to leave early: Yao 'er, your father also has the key to the ancestral hall! Tomorrow morning, go with your father. He knows where the key to the temple is!”
Murong Yao said,"The lock of the temple is very rusted today. If we can't open it, can we smash it open?"”
"Smash it open! I'll find a new lock later."
Early the next morning, Murong Yao and Murong Qingshan went to the ancestral hall to get the key. The three of them arrived at the village temple excitedly. The lock that had rusted for decades was indeed not something that could be opened with a key. With the imperial sword, Murong Yao did not hesitate to pick up the stone and smash it. The door finally opened. Because the door was opened too hard, a cloud of dust gushed out from inside. After waiting for a while, the three of them entered again. The interior of the temple could no longer be seen. The cobwebs were covered with dust, the cloth curtains were covered with dust, and the altar was also covered with a thick layer. The two clay statues inside could no longer be distinguished between male and female! He was even bigger than the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the Great Compassion Buddhist Hall. One of them was holding a case-like object in his left hand. The three of them walked around quietly, but they couldn't see any place to hide anything. They were afraid of raising dust, so they didn't dare to speak loudly.，Murong Yao used his eyes to signal Niu Zheng to see if he could hide anything on the beam. Afraid that dust would fall on his eyes, Niu Zheng narrowed his eyes and looked at Murong Yao for a long time before shaking his head. Murong Yao looked around and his gaze finally landed on the clay statue's left hand that was holding something that looked like a box. He was afraid of damaging the clay statue, so he grabbed the box and gently pulled it! He knocked on the box a few more times, and it actually felt loose. There was a way! Murong Yao was overjoyed. He knocked a few more times and the box actually left his hand! Murong Yao gently picked it up and moved it out of the room. He brushed away the dust on it. It was a long and narrow wooden box. Its color was the same as the clay sculpture. Niu Zheng and Wei Wuji followed him out.
"Let's go back!" Murong Yao said.
When he returned to Murong Yuan's house, he wiped the box clean with a damp cloth. It was a lacquer box. The lacquer box was actually tightly sealed. "It can't be made of a piece of wood, right?" Niu Zheng asked.”
Murong Yao didn't say a word. He waved his hand and said with a slight voice,""It's empty inside. There must be something inside.”He held the box and examined it carefully. Finally, there were traces of a seal on one side of the port. They found some tools and carefully dug the seal open. Murong Yao moved slightly and a roll of yellowed paper came out. "It's a rubbing!" Wei Wuji said with sharp eyes.”The scroll was placed flat on the table. Murong Yao wanted to unroll it, but the scroll was stuck tightly together and could not be unrolled. "We're going to find a master of painting framing and restoration. Are we going to ruin it by doing this?" Wei Wuji said.”
Among the craftsmen of Sanjia Village, there was a master of painting and calligraphy framing. However, there was too little business in this industry. It was also a business that did not open for three years and only opened for three years. Therefore, the framing restorer opened his shop in the county.
Murong Yao gently placed the scroll back into the wooden box. The three of them immediately rushed to the county town.
The framing master who lived in Sanjia Village was surnamed Gong. When Master Gong saw the three young masters in the village, he immediately greeted them with a smile.
Murong Yao took out the scroll and said with a smile,""Master Gong's business is here. Don't break it. It's very valuable!”
Master Gong's business was passed down in the family. He took it and said,"This is not difficult, but it will take time!”
"How long will it take?"
"There are eight steps to the restoration of the frame: washing, removing, mending, supporting, completing, embedding, covering, and mounting. Yours doesn't need so many processes, but it will take at least evening!”
" Then we'll wait. We need it today."
"Alright! The three young masters, you can go and play. Come and get it after dinner.”
At this moment, the three of them felt relieved. Wei Wuji suggested," Let's go eat first. After that, we'll go to the teahouse to drink tea. It's been a long time since we last visited a teahouse."”Niu Zheng said," Let's go to the teahouse. However, we brought our own tea leaves. We brought some good tea leaves from the clinic when we went to Huitouping last time. After we eat, we'll go get some tea leaves. After that, we'll go to the teahouse in the afternoon."”
After lunch, the three of them really went to a teahouse to pass the time. During the period of the Republic of China, people's entertainment activities were very monotonous. In a small city like Qingyang, other than listening to Huangmei opera, they would go to teahouses. Huangmei opera was not common, but it was only during the New Year, and teahouses could be visited every day. Everyone did not pick a teahouse nearby. The teahouse's business was good, and it was very popular. They found an empty table and called the waiter to give them tea leaves. The three of them were ready to spend this leisurely time. There were storytellers in the teahouse who came to drink tea and listen to the books. The three of them had just sat down. "Pa!" The sound of a gavel was heard on the stage, and a voice full of energy came from the stage."Ladies and gentlemen, I'll continue to talk: Pearl Tower!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。