Chapter 43

Then, I went to a shop by the temple, which was said to be run by the monks, and had a vegetarian meal. The dishes were common vegetables, but they were fresh, and the knife work and cooking time were just right, making them refreshing and appetizing, which made me feel quite hungry.

Although I stumbled upon a group of rather interesting people and events, I still had no clue or help regarding my purpose for coming to Chen Guo Temple.

I thought for a moment, realizing I had forgotten something. I called over a young monk who was responsible for guiding and running errands. With his shiny bald head, he was very skilled at bowing and said:

"Sir, what can I do for you?"

"I want to inquire about something... Is it convenient?"

"What would you like to know, Sir?"

I asked a series of questions, including the history and background of the temple, the scenic spots, and the layout of the various courtyards. He was not at all impatient.

Suddenly, I slapped my forehead and exclaimed, "I came here with a friend, and we agreed to meet in the temple..."

I said, pretending, "I didn't expect the temple to be so large and crowded, and we got separated. Is there any way to find someone?"

He thought for a moment, "There is a way..."

A moment later, he led me to a large archway with the words "Bao Sheng" (Report Birth) written in black lacquer. Next to it was a wall covered with half of the notices.

"This is the Bao Sheng Archway of our temple, originally dedicated to those who have been separated from their loved ones, to寄托哀思 and pray for blessings."

He pointed to the long wall, "You can ask the monks from the Medicine King Hall to write a notice for you... leaving contact information."

"If your companion is also looking for someone, they will surely pass by here and check the wall. They should find you."

I chuckled, thinking it was just a message board, "This is for the monk, a small donation for the Buddha..."

I took out a small coin and placed it in his hand, "Thank you for your trouble."

Following the backup plan, I just needed to pay to have a specific combination of phrases and notices written on the wall in the Medicine King Hall. If it was still effective, someone should contact me within three days.

A moment later, I suddenly realized I was being followed. Was this the aftermath of my casual lies to a group of people I had just met? Or was there a problem with the local informants and bases?

My experience of fleeing made me immediately alert. I easily found another suspected follower.

However, the quality of their surveillance was really poor. Even if they were alternating, they should at least pretend to be more devout. How could they not first pay respects to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, but instead pretend to stare at some corner statue as if it would grow flowers on its face?

I tested a bit more and walked into the Hundred Flowers Garden, where I saw the person again, even though he tried to hide among the withered flowers.

Hearing that a high monk was giving a lecture, I followed the crowd.

Holding the head-scratching squat, I squeezed into the back of the hall with the women, then asked a monk for the toilet, walked to the second floor of a side pavilion, and looked back through the window.

I saw the person who followed me standing anxiously in the courtyard, then a few servants ran over, whispered, and dispersed to search.

I lifted the head-scratching squat and easily climbed over the low fence, jumped out from the side of the monk's quarters, and found myself in a vegetable garden planted by the monks. The soil still smelled of freshly watered earth. Walking on the soft, tilled soil, we soon saw the wall and the sounds of the market outside.

Following the wall in one direction, I soon encountered a monk carrying water. I gave him a small coin, and he, somewhat stunned, showed me the exit, and I re-entered the crowd.

In this temple with a large crowd, it was too easy to lose them, but I couldn't be sure if there were other followers nearby.

I found a covered carriage at the street corner, paid enough money to drive around the city twice, then got off in a busy market, changed clothes in a ready-made clothing shop, and left through the side door.

When we returned to Shengchang Tower with a pile of miscellaneous items, it was already evening.

The events of the day made us so tired that we didn't want to get up, and we even had dinner in the room.

...

After the debate was cut short due to the incident, the leader of the Fusha Society, Cai Yuanzhang, temporarily bid farewell to everyone, took a few books from the Fusha Society, and came to a residence in a narrow alley in the city.

He entered directly without any announcement. The seemingly unremarkable large courtyard had a different world inside.

Even in broad daylight, the side courtyards and gardens still had faint sounds of music and female singers.

On both sides of the halls and corridors, various servants and maids were walking or standing, all trained to move with only the soft sound of their small steps.

After walking through several layers, he finally slowed down at the inner quarters, nodded to the servant standing by the door, and entered a spacious courtyard.

A banner hung with the words:

"I know that speaking truth will bring trouble,

But I cannot bear to abandon it.

I point to the heavens as my witness,

For the sake of the wise ruler."

A middle-aged man in a loose robe was contemplating, and upon seeing him, he called out, "Yuanzhang, take a look at my calligraphy in the Yan style..."

"Yushu, I met a remarkable person at Chen Guo Temple today..."

After hearing his account and the reactions of others, Yushu smiled with interest, "In these turbulent times, dragons and snakes rise, and heroes emerge from the grass. It's not surprising to encounter some extraordinary people."

"But..."

Yushu thought for a moment and continued, "Don't you find his perspective and stance somewhat strange?"

"What do you mean?"

Cai Yuanzhang looked curious.

"His way of looking at and thinking about the big picture of the court and the state, doesn't it seem familiar to you?"

"Is it a memorial from a court official?"

Cai Yuanzhang said uncertainly, "Someone who can write memorials and serve as a model for future generations..."

"This is at least the vision and breadth of a prime minister."

"Could he be a fugitive from the capital?"

"Or perhaps he has had some extraordinary experiences..."

...

Two days later, I didn't bring the head-scratching squat and went directly to the Fusha Society to seek their help.

I didn't find Cai Yuanzhang, but Li Boji came up to me, pulled me through a side alley, and led me to a teahouse by the street, looking serious and whispering, "You're in trouble..."

"What?"

I responded, half surprised and half puzzled.

"Do you remember the people from yesterday's debate? They are all from the Tongguang Society."

"So what?"

"Among them are several children of local officials."

I chuckled, immediately guessing what he was going to say, "We students usually debate, but they found out that Brother Xia is not a student... They have already declared that they will give you a lesson."

"Of course, it won't be life-threatening, but you will be humiliated."

"You should leave quickly; these people are not broad-minded."

He said with a worried look, "Moreover, the local governor is a disciple of the Lu School, who hates the economic and utilitarian theories the most. He might take the opportunity to accuse you of spreading false doctrines and causing unrest."

"This is a chaotic era; various doctrines should be rampant, right?"

I pretended to be panicked.

"Because it is a chaotic era, local officials can act without restraint, fabricate charges, and suppress dissent."

He seemed to be deeply troubled, "The disputes between schools and sects are more intense and decisive than religious disputes."

"In the past, the fifth patriarch's disciple Shenxiu even sent people to kill the sixth patriarch, leading to the division of Zen into Northern and Southern schools."

"Confucius executed Shaozheng Mao, and the dispute between Confucianism and Legalism was not settled until the early Han dynasty."

"The dispute between the Guan and Lu schools in the previous dynasty was also a matter of life and death."

"Seeing the decline of the old and new parties, the disciples of the Lu School even got involved in the imperial succession."

"The result was that a scholar from the Qi School, who was a gardener, struck the leader of the palace coup, the prime minister, with a mace, and settled the matter with one blow."

"Then there was the dispute between the Shu and Ling schools, which led to the unrest in the capital."

"Hey, was the founder of the Qi School of the Guanzhong School surnamed Han?"

I suddenly asked.

"No, it was the Qinglian Academy founded by Mr. Taibai and the Shaoling School founded by Mr. Duzimei, collectively known as the inner and outer Qi Schools."

I was stunned. What was this? Could Li Bai and Du Fu, who were known for their tragic fates, have founded schools? The academic circle is really chaotic.

Shouldn't there be a gardener surnamed Han who, through hard work and study, entered the government, charmed the empress, marginalized the emperor, and eventually became a prime minister and regent for several dynasties?

"More talk is useless. We have known each other for a while. This is a token of our goodwill."

He handed me a small bag.

"You should leave the city as soon as possible, or you will regret it."

Although his words might not be entirely true and his motives were somewhat suspicious, I still acted grateful.

Alright, I can't take risks, especially with the burden of the head-scratching squat. Relying on someone's kindness for my safety is like the warlord era in the later years, where there might have been a few examples of individuals acting out of personal principles or occasional kindness, but more often, they were unreliable and typical bullies, causing countless tragedies and separations.

Not long after I left, Cai Yuanzhang returned to the Fusha Society, but he could only return disappointed.

Li Boji, who had personally driven me to the city gate, began to turn back, muttering to himself, "I'm really sorry... If it were another time, we could have become good friends."

"But now, we cannot let any extra variables affect our grand plans."

"Yuanzhang, who is usually indifferent, has never been this curious."

"I hope you understand and don't look back. Otherwise, what is false may become true."