Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 280 One Hundred Taels of Gold

Yan Sui stayed by Xie Yuyan's side the whole time, and today Xie seemed different from usual.

Although it's still not very devout, it's at least a bit more solemn.

Could it be that he suddenly became a believer in Buddha?

Yan Sui had many questions in his mind, but with so many people in front of him, he couldn't find an opportunity to speak.

Among the believers in the main hall, more than a dozen were merchants who not only donated a lot of grain seeds to the temple, but also probably donated some incense money.

Based on this alone, Yan Sui felt that his master had made a worthwhile deal.

But... what will Madam Xie gain? Just because she fired Buddhist porcelain in the new kiln in Luozhou, will it attract many people to buy it?

Yan Sui felt it wouldn't work.

Baode Temple's reputation hasn't reached that level yet, and his master wouldn't help Madam Xie sell porcelain.

To expect everyone to buy porcelain from the Luzhou kiln through a Dharma assembly is impossible unless Buddha himself appears.

Just as I was thinking these random thoughts, I suddenly heard a voice in my ear: "Buddha has appeared."

Yan Sui stared blankly at it.

A beam of light fell precisely on the Buddha's face.

Although it wasn't a dazzling display of colors, the Buddha statues appeared to be floating in the clouds, framed by wisps of smoke.

The sound of Buddhist scriptures being recited grew louder, and everyone subconsciously began to worship.

The sound of a round chime rang out.

Some believers even had tears in their eyes from excitement, because they truly saw the Buddha's light and were certain that the Buddha had heard their wishes.

The light gradually moved and eventually left the Buddha statue.

"It is the Buddha's light guiding the Buddha through the porcelain."

“I saw it; it was reflected in the porcelain Buddha statue that was placed there.”

Someone pointed to the window, where offerings and porcelain Buddha statues were piled up in front of the Buddha.

The Dharma assembly was not yet over, but the believers could not stop whispering among themselves, because the Buddha's miraculous appearance was truly exciting.

Even if they felt that the Buddha's light they had just witnessed was related to those Buddhist porcelain pieces, so what? It was meant to be this way; Buddhist porcelain was made for temples.

Doesn't this prove that those Buddhist porcelains were approved by the Buddha?
The believers all turned their attention to the Buddhist porcelain, which looked unusually special for some reason.

Among the many Buddhist porcelains, the tricolor reliquary stands out.

"Is that reliquary glowing?"

"Now that you mention it, I think so too."

"I wonder whose relics this reliquary will hold in the future."

"Not only the reliquary, but the porcelain Buddha statues are also glowing."

Once you have a certain idea in your mind, what you see will change.

Even the high-ranking monks in their robes couldn't help but look at the reliquary.

Thanks to Master Zhiyuan's continued "ordinary mind," he was able to continue presiding over the Dharma assembly.

But who can know what Master Zhiyuan was thinking?
Zhiyuan's heart was also unsettled; it turned out that Benefactor Xie was plotting for the Buddha to "manifest."

The fire that had occurred in the temple earlier clearly gave Xie some insights.

This led her to think of using Buddhist porcelain to create fake Buddhist halos.

If candles can accidentally set prayer flags on fire, then Buddhist porcelain can naturally illuminate the face of the Buddha.

Amitabha.

How can there be such a person?

After the Dharma assembly ended, the believers were reluctant to leave. In addition to continuing to worship Buddha, many people also set their sights on the Buddhist porcelain.

This was especially true for merchants who were preparing to trade in Buddhist charcoal and clay stoves.

They had all witnessed what happened today. The Buddha's light appeared, and the sound of chanting filled their ears. For a brief moment, they were in a trance, as if they were no longer kneeling before a clay figure, but the real Buddha. "Madam," one of the merchants couldn't wait any longer, "can we do business with that porcelain...?"

Xie Yuyan said, "Those porcelain pieces came from my newly built Luzhou kiln. It is because the porcelain stone produced in Luzhou is special that it can be fired into this shape."

The merchant immediately showed a hint of disappointment.

“However,” Xie Yuyan looked at the Buddhist porcelain, “the ability to fire Buddhist porcelain to such a smooth finish is not only due to the porcelain stone, but also to the coal kiln.”

Buddhist charcoal is made from coal and comes from Baode Temple.

Everyone immediately grasped the key point.

"Then how do you build a coal kiln?"

Xie Yuyan did not continue: "It's not appropriate to discuss these matters in the temple. If you all want to find out the truth, you might as well go to the Yang family tomorrow."

The merchants nodded in agreement. They had been hesitant about joining Madam Xie's village gathering, but now they felt there was no need to think about it anymore.

Merchants who are Buddhist need not be mentioned.

Even those who aren't particularly devout believers feel that with the blessing of Buddha, this deal must be good.

Yan Sui, who was standing to the side, widened his eyes. He thought he had learned a lot from Madam Xie, but now it seemed that he was still far from good enough.

"Abbot," someone approached Master Zhiyuan, "how should we request those Buddhist porcelain pieces?"

Yan Sui couldn't help but look at his master; it was finally time to sell the porcelain.

“The offerings and reliquary should be enshrined in the temple,” Master Zhiyuan said. “As for these fired Buddha statues… donors can do as they please.”

Yan Sui knew that his master would not reveal the price.

However, how much incense money should be given to the Buddha porcelain that has been bathed in Buddha's light?
It seems the master wouldn't mention the price, but instead gave more incense money.

“I am willing to pay five hundred strings of cash for a Buddha statue.”

“I’ll take this statue and give you 600 strings of cash as incense money.”

"Please get me one too!"

“One thousand strings of cash.”

A slightly high-pitched voice rang out, and Xie Yuyan turned to look. A man in his forties without a beard stretched out his hand.

"I must take this Buddha statue with me; I will worship it every day." Shen Zhongguan's eyes were fixed on the porcelain Buddha statue, specifically the one of Shakyamuni Buddhas.

He pushed through the crowd to the front, eager to immediately embrace the porcelain Buddha. He had long forgotten his previous criticism of the Yang Xie family's porcelain, finding it too crude.

As if he felt that a thousand strings of cash was not enough, Shen Zhongguan changed his mind again: "I will give you a hundred taels of gold."

Everyone present took a breath.

The unusual activity inside the hall finally caught Han Si's attention, and he spotted Shen Zhongguan in the crowd.

"That man wants to spend one hundred taels of gold to commission a porcelain Buddha statue."

Han Si's gaze immediately froze.

what?
Shen Zhongguan wants to buy a Buddha porcelain statue for one hundred taels of gold? And it's from the Luozhou kiln owned by Lady Xie?
If people found out, would they still be able to leave Daming Prefecture quietly? Would they still be able to openly say that the porcelain from the Luzhou kiln has no merit?

Han Si tried to stop Shen Zhongguan, but it was too late.

Shen Zhongguan took out a heavy money bag from his bosom: "This is my offering money. Take 20 taels first, and the rest will be sent later."

The gold was stuffed into the novice monk's hand. Before everyone could react, Shen Zhongguan strode forward and finally got his Buddha porcelain statue.

Han Si felt a chill in his heart. There was no point in saying anything now. He took a deep breath and his mind raced. Now... it seemed there was only one way to go. He should take Shen Zhongguan away quickly while no one could recognize them. As long as no one found out, they could deny it.

Han Si immediately stepped forward and grabbed Shen Zhongguan's arm: "We've got the Buddhist porcelain, let's go now!"

These words were practically squeezed out from between his teeth.

Han Si's unusual behavior brought the eunuch back to his senses. He immediately understood Han Si's thoughts, so he did not struggle and followed Han Si outside.

However, before the two of them even left the main hall, Shen Zhongguan saw a familiar figure walking towards them.

(End of this chapter)