Chapter 55

As Bai Mei Chan Shi, Huo Sijie, and the wealthy merchants listened, their faces immediately turned pale. It was like slapping someone in the face or insulting a monk by calling him bald; it was no different.

"You look so crude and unrefined. What do you know about Buddhist teachings? Can you even understand the Buddhist scriptures?" Among the wealthy merchants, the one who had led the morning donation drive now pointed at Ouyang Qing and shouted in a shrill voice.

Ouyang Qing sneered, crossed his arms, and looked up at the sky, seemingly unwilling to speak to this person.

Su Peng couldn't help but smile. In his view, although there were some debatable aspects in Buddhist teachings, there were many more valuable points. Whether as a religion or a field of study, delving into it would bring some benefits, not just the concept of cause and effect.

After all, it had existed for a thousand years, and there must be a reason for it.

However, Su Peng didn't elevate Buddhism to the level of worship. When reading scriptures, he also had his own thoughts. Today, he didn't talk about the Diamond Sutra or the Shurangama Sutra, but rather the much criticized Sutra of the Threefold Causality, which was somewhat clever and somewhat belittling of Buddhism.

However, what Ouyang Qing said, in a certain sense, pointed directly to the truth. Whether in reality or in this game, the secular and utilitarian nature of monks and Taoists were often criticized and ridiculed. After all, monks need to eat too.

At this moment, although Ouyang Qing's words were extreme and derogatory, they, on another level, pointed directly to the heart of the matter. Could this extreme and malicious approach be a method to see through phenomena to the essence? Su Peng couldn't help but think with a bit of mischief.

At this moment, Su Peng looked at Bai Mei Chan Shi to see how he would react.

However, this Bai Mei Chan Shi seemed not as well-versed in Chan principles as Su Peng had imagined. He was just trembling all over and couldn't say anything at this moment.

"Master! These people are simply making trouble! To defame Buddhism like this, they will surely go to hell and receive retribution! We should ignore them and go on with our release of life." The leading wealthy merchant said to Bai Mei Chan Shi, trying to defuse the situation.

"Haha, release of life? I look down on people like you the most. I heard you spent a hundred gold pieces on this turtle? Spending a hundred gold pieces on a turtle, what a grand gesture... If you really had a kind heart, why don't you save the many people who are dying of hunger? Is a human life not as valuable as a turtle's?" Ouyang Qing sneered and said to them.

"This year, there was a great flood in Jianghuai and a great drought in Liangzhou, resulting in many people dying of hunger." Fu Yi added, seemingly offhandedly.

"Truly, you are good at fanning the flames and stirring up trouble." Hearing Fu Yi's words, Su Peng couldn't help but give a thumbs up. He hadn't noticed it when he was speaking, but now, standing outside the situation, he realized that Fu Yi was a hidden master of stirring up the atmosphere... It was he who pointed out the disharmony in the Buddhist scriptures earlier, and now he was saying this, each word piercing the heart. Where did this put the 'kindness' of these people?

As soon as these words were spoken, the wealthy merchants and Huo Sijie were temporarily speechless. This was indeed a logical flaw in their 'good deeds.' Anyone who heard it would doubt whether using a hundred gold pieces to save people dying of hunger would not be better.

Just as the wealthy merchants began to have some self-doubt, the leading wealthy merchant shouted again, "How can you understand the compassion of the master? All beings are equal, do you understand? A human life is a life, and a turtle's life is not? Besides, Jianghuai and Liangzhou are thousands of miles away, while this turtle is right in front of us. Naturally, we should save what we can."

Hearing this, the others finally found a reason for their actions and nodded, but they still felt that something was off.

"Amitabha." Bai Mei Chan Shi suddenly chanted a Buddhist phrase and walked briskly to the side of the boat, holding the turtle.

The wealthy merchants were surprised that Bai Mei Chan Shi didn't even try to defend himself and looked at him.

Huo Sijie, at this moment, felt his mind in a mess. He had a vague feeling that Ouyang Qing was right, but he had already given his gold and made connections with Bai Mei Chan Shi. If this release of life was really foolish and meaningless, what had he done? A clown in a farce?

Huo Sijie, who was highly self-regarded and wanted to make a name for himself in the martial world, subconsciously rejected this idea. He urgently needed to find a meaningful reason to prove that Bai Mei Chan Shi's release of life was meaningful... or rather, that his own actions were meaningful, correct, and valuable!

At this moment, he saw Bai Mei Chan Shi walking to the side of the boat, seemingly to release the turtle. His muddled mind suddenly had a flash of insight, and he said, "Ah! I understand! The master is showing us that no matter how much sophistry there is, it is not as good as a practical good deed. As long as we do good, whether saving a person or a turtle, it is still good. No matter how much they talk, if they do nothing, they are still doing nothing!"

"Reasonable!"

"That's right! The master is indeed profound in Chan principles!"

The wealthy merchants all looked enlightened.

Seeing this, Su Peng almost laughed in frustration. This Huo Sijie seemed to be in a psychological state where he thought that because someone was of high moral character, everything they did was profound.

However, this could be understood. Just like Su Peng's aunt Zeng Na often said, human psychology is strange; people would rather deceive themselves than admit they were deceived.

"Reasonable, indeed reasonable. Even the master's fart is Chan principle." Ouyang Qing sneered.

Bai Mei Chan Shi, who seemed to have heard Huo Sijie's words, seemed encouraged and reached out to throw the turtle into the water.

"Wait a moment." Su Peng shouted.

Bai Mei Chan Shi paused, his eyes slightly angry, and said, "What do you want now?"

Su Peng smiled and walked over, saying, "If the master wants to release this turtle into the water, why not give it to me? I can kill it and make a turtle soup for everyone to taste and nourish themselves."

"You are truly despicable! This turtle cost us a hundred gold pieces, and we bought it to save a life. You want to kill it? How is that different from a petty vendor? It is extremely rude! You are a fool!" Huo Sijie, who had been repeatedly insulted, felt that his actions today were foolish. He was not good at self-reflection, and the feeling of being a fool made him angry. He needed to shift the blame. Hearing Su Peng's words, he felt he had found an opportunity and immediately shouted.

"Foolish request!"

"How can you eat it?"

"Master, release the turtle quickly!"

The wealthy merchants, finding a place to vent their emotions, all shouted at Su Peng.

Bai Mei Chan Shi, who had been criticized enough today, was almost furious and said, "You are truly unreasonable! Unreasonable! You have no compassion. I will not give you the turtle. I will protect its life today! Even if you don't kill it, the thought of killing is still a sin, and you will surely go to hell!"

Su Peng shook his head and said, "I don't know about hell, but if the master wants to release this turtle into the water, why not let me have it and kill it for a meal?"

"Stupid! Fool! Cruel! Like a despicable vendor!" Huo Sijie looked at Su Peng with cold eyes, made a contemptuous expression, and walked over to Bai Mei Chan Shi, saying, "Master, ignore him. Let's release the turtle."

"Yes, Master, let's release it!" The wealthy merchants also walked over, and Bai Mei Chan Shi took a deep breath, recited a Buddhist phrase, and said, "Amitabha, let's release it together."

"Good!"

"Let's release it together!"

The wealthy merchants and Huo Sijie all reached out and pushed the turtle, which finally fell into the water from Bai Mei Chan Shi's hands.

"Amitabha, well done, well done..." Seeing the turtle fall into the water, Bai Mei Chan Shi closed his eyes, recited a Buddhist phrase, and looked compassionate. The wealthy merchants and Huo Sijie all felt a sense of lightness and satisfaction, their faces showing a sense of accomplishment.

"Alas... you have released it into the water..." Su Peng sighed, "It would have been better to kill and eat it..."

"You! We are doing a good deed by releasing this turtle! But you, you only think of your own desires, full of evil thoughts. Even if you don't kill the turtle, the thought of killing is still a sin, and the Buddha will give you retribution!"

Huo Sijie, who was extremely displeased with Su Peng, said to him.

"Amitabha, the Buddhist scriptures do say that the thought of killing is a sin and will bring retribution," Bai Mei Chan Shi, who also seemed displeased, said.

"Alas... I think it is you who will receive retribution." Su Peng sighed and looked at Huo Sijie and the others with pity.

"Absurd! We are doing a good deed, how can we receive retribution?" Huo Sijie shouted.

Su Peng took a few steps forward, looked at where the turtle had fallen into the water, and sighed, "Alas... I, Su Peng, may not have read many books, but I have some discernment. The turtle you released has a green shell with no patterns, and it is as tall as a person's calf... That kind of turtle is a land turtle, which cannot live in water. You have put it in the water, and it will die in a short time. It would have been better to let me kill it and make a few dishes, at least using it to its full potential and not wasting a life."

Su Peng sighed.

As soon as these words were spoken, Bai Mei Chan Shi, Huo Sijie, and the wealthy merchants were stunned.

"Hahaha... You hypocrites! I almost believed you were doing a good deed, but it turns out you are killing! How foolish, not even knowing if the turtle can swim, you drowned it! Hahaha! This is the funniest joke I've seen today! Truly 'kind people' and 'enlightened monks'!" Ouyang Qing laughed and walked over, and Fu Yi smiled, stroking his beard.

At this moment, Bai Mei Chan Shi and the others finally reacted. Huo Sijie was so ashamed and angry that he almost jumped into the water. Bai Mei Chan Shi, unable to maintain his image of an enlightened monk, had a red face of shame, and the wealthy merchants were almost furious, finally losing trust in Bai Mei Chan Shi and looking at him with suspicion.

"Don't listen to their nonsense! Turtles are all in the water, what's the difference between land and water turtles? They are slandering the master..." The leading wealthy merchant started shouting again.

"Go to hell!" Ouyang Qing, finally losing patience, kicked the leading wealthy merchant, sending him flying.

"Ha... Master, you usually don't show it, but now your face is as red as a monkey's bottom, making your beard and eyebrows look a bit fake..." Su Peng laughed, looking at Bai Mei Chan Shi.

"They are fake!" Ouyang Qing, hearing this, grabbed Bai Mei Chan Shi's long beard and eyebrows and pulled them off!

It turned out that the 'master's' beard and eyebrows were fake! The 'master,' who had a kind and benevolent appearance, was actually a young monk with a rather handsome face!

"Ah?" The wealthy merchants, seeing this, all gasped in surprise.

"May the Buddha curse your ancestors!" The young monk, revealing his true face, finally lost control and, with a face full of malice, slapped Ouyang Qing.

"Come on!" Ouyang Qing, with a nearly sinister smile, slapped back. Su Peng, standing next to him, felt as if hot sand was blowing in his face.

"Poof!" The young monk, after exchanging a slap with Ouyang Qing, spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward. Just as he was about to fly off the boat, he suddenly turned and kicked the side of the boat, then flew into the lake like a large bird...

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