Chapter 4

Lu Zheng remained silent, while Tang Xiaojiu began to complain, "It's all because of that fat pig. Last time, he beat us so badly that our butts were bruised and swollen. We had to lie in our den, unable even to crawl to the entrance of the Chunfeng Building to see the girls. The few copper coins we had hidden were used to buy a few steamed buns and baked cakes, and the rest we had to give to Lai Liqi as daily tribute. We still owe him a lot of silver, and he'll come looking for trouble sooner or later."

When he mentioned Lai Liqi, his real name was Fan Qi, a local thug who was the bully of the three streets near the Green Dragon Temple. He had gathered a group of half-grown orphans and beggars to steal and cheat for him. He was especially good at bullying women and children and beating up old men and women. He called himself "The Governor of Three Streets" and made his subordinates call him that. However, because he had a head full of sores, the neighbors privately called him Lai Liqi.

Lu Zheng also said, "We lay in bed for several days, and without money to see a doctor, our wounds didn't heal. They even became infected. This time, we owe a lot to Old Song. He said he knew a folk remedy and brought a black dog to lick our wounds. After a couple of days, the wounds started to heal and scab over. We were lucky to survive."

Tang Xiaojiu mocked, "At first, you were afraid the dog would bite your balls!"

Mingkong, who didn't know they had nearly lost their lives, felt a surge of anger and cursed, "That fat pig, he won't get away with it. When I become the abbot, I'll show him what I can do!"

Tang Xiaojiu gave a thumbs up, praising, "Great Master, you're so loyal! But killing him would be too easy. When I become a general, I'll boil him in oil, and I'll clap my hands in joy! I'll put him on a spit and set off firecrackers beside him. It will be so lively, and so many people will come to watch. Tsk tsk."

Lu Zheng, standing nearby, poured cold water on the idea, "By the time you become the abbot or a general, he will have been reincarnated seven or eight times."

Tang Xiaojiu waved his hand, stood up, and put on a heroic air, "You're too unambitious! A man must have ambition! Without military achievements and becoming a general, how can we have a future? Xiao Zheng, do you really want to be a beggar all your life, enduring the contempt of others? Aren't you afraid of disgracing your ancestors?"

Lu Zheng lowered his head, "I don't even know who my ancestors are..."

Lu Zheng was an orphan. When he was just a few months old, he was abandoned on the street and was raised by an old beggar. After the old beggar died a few years ago, he started hanging out with Tang Xiaojiu. Despite Lu Zheng being rather slow and Tang Xiaojiu being very clever, they got along very well.

Tang Xiaojiu, hearing this, also lowered his head, "My ancestors only left me the surname Tang, which is better than your adopted surname Lu..."

Mingkong, afraid of stirring up their sadness, changed the subject, "Now, the Huaxu Kingdom is at peace, with music and dance everywhere, and the people live in peace and prosperity. Haven't you seen how busy the temple is with incense? There's no war to fight. If you really want to establish military achievements, you'd have to go to the northern border, where the barbarians have been causing trouble."

Lu Zheng agreed, "That's true. I heard those barbarians are giants with green fireball eyes, towering and strong. They can touch the roof beams with their hands and can crush a cow with one hand. Their mouths are so big that they can eat a whole sheep in one bite. They are terrifying!"

Tang Xiaojiu, hearing their pessimistic words, sneered, "You're just listening to the storyteller's nonsense, which is no better than talking about gods and ghosts... Look at you two, you eat more than pigs, bark louder than dogs, and have the courage of mice..."

Just as he was rolling up his sleeves and getting into the flow, spitting and sputtering, a kitchen monk called out, "Puguang is back, hurry up and go."

The three children were startled. Mingkong quickly went back to stoking the fire. Lu Zheng and Tang Xiaojiu, like wild cats, slipped onto the stove and climbed out the window through the steam of the steamer. In the midst of all this, Tang Xiaojiu didn't forget to stuff a few steamed buns into his pocket.

Just as they leaped out the window, Puguang came in, his round belly protruding, his forehead sweating, and a food box in his hand. Before he even stepped inside, he shouted, "Mingkong, Mingkong, where is that little brat? Come and take this, do you want to tire me out?"

Mingkong quickly ran forward to take the food box. It felt lighter than usual. He opened it and was surprised to see that the food was untouched. "Brother, is the vegetarian food not to the high monk's taste?"

Puguang glared at him, "Shut up! Is that your business to ask?"

Mingkong hurriedly smiled, "Brother, you misunderstood. How could I dare to ask more? I'm just afraid that my stupidity and clumsiness might cause a mistake, which could make the high monk unhappy and mistakenly blame you for inefficiency. That would be a great sin!"

Puguang, pleased by the flattery, especially coming from a young boy like Mingkong, said, "It's rare for you to think of your brother. This time, you don't need to worry. To tell you the truth, the high monk is of noble virtue and insisted on not eating alone. He wanted to share with everyone, so I brought it back. Mingkong, pour these dishes into the pot." As he said this, his eyes were fixed on the food box.

Mingkong thought, "If his gaze had weight, the food box would already be crushed." He pretended to think for a moment, "Ah, the high monk is truly a high monk, treating everyone equally and being approachable. But, Brother, these dishes are prepared differently from what we eat. If we mix them in, the flavors will clash, and the monks might complain that the food tastes bad. This would not only disappoint the high monk and you but also bring complaints to the kitchen. In my humble opinion, it would be better if you, Brother, representing the monks, ate these dishes to fulfill the high monk's good intentions and save the kitchen from making a mistake. Brother, with your compassionate heart, please help, Amen!"

The kitchen monks, hearing this, thought, "What shameless flattery!"

Puguang, hearing this, his eyes lit up, and his face, full of fatty layers, smiled, "You really understand me, Brother. I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to make things difficult for my brothers and always thinks of them. It's my duty to share the burden with my brothers."

The kitchen monks felt their stomachs churn, thinking, "What a shameless flatterer can swallow such flattery!"

Just as Mingkong, the little flatterer, and Puguang, the fat-faced flatterer, were enjoying their disgusting act, a young monk rushed in, shouting, "Bad news, bad news, Brother Supervisor, a wandering monk is insisting on staying. He's strong despite his tattered clothes, and no one can drive him away. He's already inside the gate and sitting under a tree in front of the Great Hall."

Puguang, angry, said, "Didn't I tell you to break the vajra staff of the Vajrapani statue at the gate before the New Year? I told you to stick it in the ground if you see a begging monk. How could such a beggar get in? Are the gatekeepers eating dog shit?"

Vajrapani is a Buddhist guardian deity, holding a vajra staff. Temples usually have a Vajrapani statue at the gate. The custom is that if the vajra staff is on the shoulder, the temple welcomes wandering monks for three days. If it is held horizontally, the temple welcomes them for one day. If it is on the ground, the temple does not welcome them.

Puguang, cursing, rushed out, despite his large size, managing to run. Just before he left, he shouted, "Mingkong, put the food box in my meditation room."

Puguang, the fat man, ran to the Great Hall of the Green Dragon Temple, and on the way, he called out to the temple guard, Jiechen. Jiechen, holding a staff, followed Puguang to the tree. There was indeed a wandering monk, dressed in a patched robe, with a patched bag, a water bowl, a small knife, and a shovel.

Puguang, seeing the monk's pale face, thought, "I'm a monk, and you're a monk. What kind of wooden brain must you have to end up like this? Being a monk requires wisdom. Poverty is not the true way of a monk. No, poverty is not the true way of a monk!"

Puguang, pursing his lips and holding his belly, took a few steps forward and silently looked at the wandering monk, his eyes filled with pity. But the wandering monk was meditating with his eyes closed, not looking at him. The tattered monk sat cross-legged under the ancient tree in front of the Great Hall, his face calm and serene, seemingly unaware of Puguang's intense gaze.

The ignored gaze revealed the wandering monk's inner strength. Puguang's warm gaze was met with cold indifference, and he realized that the wandering monk was experienced in such situations. He had to speak, "Brother, where are you from, and where are you going?"

This is a common phrase in temples, similar to the secret language of street gangs, widely used in the Buddhist community. But the wandering monk acted as if he hadn't heard and didn't respond.

Puguang, trying to be polite, explained, "Brother, didn't you see the Vajrapani statue at the gate? The vajra staff is on the ground, indicating that our temple does not accept wandering monks. Please go to another temple to rest."

The wandering monk seemed like a wooden statue.

Puguang's face darkened, showing the authority of a temple supervisor. He frowned and said, "Brother, this is very impolite!"

The wandering monk seemed to be asleep.

After three attempts, Puguang's face turned red from the rush of blood to his head. He said to a monk nearby, "Brother, I'm sorry... Jiechen, please ask this brother to leave the temple."

Jiechen thought, "This should have been done earlier. This fat man just likes to talk." However, considering Puguang's position as the supervisor, Jiechen tucked the staff under his arm and went to pull the wandering monk.

Unexpectedly, the wandering monk spoke. "Jiechen, Jiechen."

The voice was deep and steady, making Jiechen feel a sense of familiarity. Jiechen was stunned, thinking, "You've been silent for so long, what do you mean by calling my name?"

Puguang was also stunned and looked at Jiechen, asking with his eyes, "What's the relationship between you two?" Jiechen looked back at Puguang, then at the wandering monk, feeling confused, and shook his head.

But the wandering monk seemed to fall asleep again. Puguang suddenly understood that the wandering monk was using Buddhist terminology, "Jiechen" meaning to "abstain from greed, anger, and ignorance." He was telling them to be calm, not to be familiar. Faced with such cold humor, Puguang's face turned green, and he was about to show off his loud voice, but the wandering monk spoke again, cutting off his words.

The wandering monk opened his eyes, looked at Puguang, and with a pure gaze, said four words slowly, "There is a demon in the temple!"