244 Panicking Liu Shi
The handsome monk returned to the meditation room alone and sat at the table to think.
When the young novice monk brought in the tea, he saw the handsome monk in a daze.
It was really strange. Usually, at this time, his Master would be sleeping. Could it be that he had just encountered something special?
It did not seem like his Master’s style.
“Qing Wu,” the handsome monk suddenly said.
The novice monk looked up. “Master, you called me?”
“Help me pack my things.” The handsome monk placed his hand under his chin and rubbed his slender fingertips gently. He looked at the novice monk. “Do you want to leave with me, or stay here?”
Little Qing did not understand what this meant and only stared at the handsome monk with his round eyes.
“Ah, Master, are we leaving? Where are we going? To beg for alms?”
The handsome monk nodded. “We’re leaving.”
Martial Uncle Yuan Zhi had told him that he was an abandoned child that his master had picked up when he went out to beg for alms.
Until now, Little Qing Wu had never left Puji Temple before.
In the past, when he wanted to go out with his master, his master would not let him.
He told him that he was still too young and the people outside were sinister. He would be easily deceived and tricked.
When they had packed a set of clothes and were about to leave, Yuan Zhi followed them eagerly and shouted, “Senior Brothers, how long will you be gone? Why did you bring your luggage?”
The handsome monk glanced at Yuan Zhi. “Oh, I forgot to give you something.”
He took out something from his waist and threw it to Yuan Zhi from afar.
Under Yuan Zhi’s confused gaze, the handsome monk added, “The date of our return is uncertain. Perhaps we won’t be returning at all. As a fellow disciple, I’ll give you a gift.”
It was a relatively large brocade bag. Yuan Zhi wanted to open it, but the handsome monk asked him not to open it for the time being. He said that the heavenly secrets could not be leaked. He should use the oil lamp to look at it after dark.
Yuan Zhi thought about the handsome monk’s wisdom and listened to him in the end.
Little Qing Wu followed his Master out of the mountain and they quickly found a carriage at the foot of the mountain. The two of them then drove the carriage out of Nanhe Town and headed further away.
Along the way, they went past many families, but he did not see his Master go down to beg for alms.
Little Qing Wu wanted to ask his Master if they had enough money, but he felt that he could not say it in front of the coachman lest he was remembered.
When it was finally late at night, they stopped at a place with no village or shop.
The handsome monk actually bought the carriage and chased the coachman away.
The two of them rested in the carriage. As soon as they opened the carriage’s compartment, there were actually two large boxes of vegetarian food inside. It did not look cheap.
Little Qing Wu did not notice when they were bought.
Little Qing Wu finally could not help but ask, “Master, what was in the brocade bag you gave to Martial Uncle Yuan Zhi?”
At this moment, seeing that the sky was dark, Yuan Zhi, who could not hold back anymore, finally opened the brocade bag under the night sky.
As soon as he opened it, Yuan Zhi saw the most obvious thing under the candlelight.
It was actually the Abbot’s seal!
Previously, the old Abbot suddenly took in an especially good-looking and young disciple outside.
After his hair was shaved off, he was actually still very handsome.
At that time, Yuan Zhi was still a little unable to accept this.
He was a layman who did not understand Buddhism at all. He did not even have much respect for Buddhism!
In the end, not long after, that person actually finished memorizing a few thick scrolls of Buddhist scriptures very quickly and could even memorize them backwards with a smile.
When the old Abbot discussed Buddhism and the Dao with him, he could actually speak logically and not be at a disadvantage.
If he was asked to go out and ask for alms, others would only ask for a few taels of silver. However, he actually brought back three rich people who fought to renovate and mold golden Buddha statues for their Puji Temple.
Everyone in Puji Temple was overjoyed.
Then, the handsome monk suddenly changed from Young Junior Brother to Eldest Senior Brother.
He had squeezed out Yuan Zhi’s original position as Eldest Senior Brother and inherited Puji Temple after the old Abbot passed away.
Even now, Yuan Zhi was still indignant about it.
Based on what?
He was already in his fifties and had studied Buddhism for nearly 50 years, but the Abbot was actually not him!
This was too infuriating!
But now, this guy took the initiative to hand the seal to him?
“Does that kid think that he can’t bear the responsibility? After all, in terms of being an Abbot, it should be me!” Yuan Zhi placed the seal in his arms and chuckled, feeling smug.
Then, he looked at the remaining things in the brocade bag. There were actually two silver ingots. After shaking them, he realized that they should be sufficient. There were five taels each.
After removing the silver, there was a letter and a receipt.
There was only one sentence on the letter: “Practice thrift at home but be amply provided while traveling. Take care, Junior Brother.”
On the receipt were the words ‘IOU’.
It was a loan in the name of Puji Temple.
After seeing the amount on it, Yuan Zhi pinched his arm with all his might.
“Yuan Gou!!! I’m going to kill you!!!”
That miserable roar pierced through the forest, scaring the monks resting in the meditation room so much that they pulled at their blankets again.
This summer night, they actually felt cold.
In the forest, Little Qing Wu, who was eating, asked his Master in confusion, “Where are we going?”
“I met an interesting person. We’re going to be messengers of that person.” The handsome monk looked down at Little Qing Wu, his eyes revealing a teasing light. “We’ll watch the show while we’re at it.”
If that person knew that there was actually a child in this world who looked like that,
He would definitely go crazy.
He loved to see others go crazy.
It was not appropriate to leave this matter to anyone. It was more interesting for him to make a trip personally.
On the other hand, after Liu Shi returned from the temple, she was a little nervous along the way. From time to time, she would look back, afraid that someone was chasing after her.
When she returned to Old man Wang’s house, she was like a frightened bird and ignored everyone who spoke to her.
Wang Chuanman had left to transport the crops so it was not appropriate for the others to go to Liu Shi’s room. Hence, they could only guard outside anxiously.
This was because not only was Liu Shi in the house, but she also carried Little Ah Yu in.
Later, Old Madam Wang, who had gone out, returned and stood outside for Liu Shi to open the door. Only then did Liu Shi open the door in panic.
After opening the door, she said to Old Madam Wang with red eyes, “Mother, let’s move!”
Everyone looked at each other. What was going on?
Old Madam Wang chased the others away and handed Little Ah Yu to Tang Yuan to bring Little Ah Yu to play with Wenwen and the others.
Little Ah Yu knew that she should avoid the adults when they were discussing something, but her mother’s expression looked haggard and flustered.
Little Ah Yu was a little worried about her mother and was unwilling to go out to play.
“Grandma, I’ll accompany Mother. I promise I won’t speak. I’ll be good.”
Unexpectedly, Liu Shi blurted out, “No, go play. Mother is fine.”
Old Madam Wang also smiled at Little Ah Yu. “Ah Yu, don’t worry. Grandma is here.”
Hence, Little Ah Yu walked out hesitantly, turning around three times with every step until she was led away by Tang Yuan.
“Take good care of Ah Yu,” Old Madam Wang reminded from afar.
Chi Tu, who was standing on the roof, felt that these words were directed at him.
Was it a misconception?
After everyone left, Liu Shi told Old Madam Wang about Puji Temple.
“The moment that monk opened his mouth, he said that Ah Yu and I are not biological mother and daughter. Mother, do you think that the monk knows something?” Liu Shi was extremely flustered. The people of Hu Family Village had already tacitly agreed that Little Ah Yu was a member of their Wang Family.
The young children, like Ah Yu, did not know the truth at all.
However, she did not expect a stranger to expose this matter.
Why did he point it out?
Was there a conspiracy?
Could it be that the person who had treated Ah Yu badly back then had come looking for her?
Liu Shi could not help but panic.
She could not lose Ah Yu!