From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 123 Working together
The sky is not clear after the rain.

There are bursts of frog croaking in the small lake of Jingyuan. There is a low desk in the small pavilion. Yingruo sits cross-legged in front of the desk with a chair back behind him, holding a scroll with one hand and supporting his forehead with the other.

She was not wearing a Taoist robe as usual, but a loose-fitting home dress.

Her hair was casually pinned up with a wooden hairpin. She wore no makeup and looked lazy.

People say that the lotus emerges from clear water, naturally without any embellishment. This is roughly true.

Meng Yuan saw clearly that the reason why the elder sister didn't want to see guests was because she had just come out of the bath. But since they were all family, she was a little bit polite.

After listening to Meng Yuan's words, Ying Rushi finally turned her head slightly.

She didn't put down the book in her hand. She looked at the boy in front of her. Seeing that he was dressed in plain clothes, had an ordinary complexion, was healthy and upright, she said, "You already have a lot of thoughts. It's nothing if someone plants a few more in your mind."

Is this the attitude that a master should have? When I am serving you halfway and I miss your hair, please don't call me a wicked servant who bullies his master, and don't slap me!

"Miss San," Meng Yuan took a step forward and said helplessly, "I have committed a crime."

Meng Yuan knew very well that although the Third Miss had a sharp tongue, she was actually an extremely intelligent person.

When dealing with this kind of person, the method of nine out of ten being true and one out of ten being false may not work, so it is best to tell the truth.

"You didn't go to find Nie Yannian, but came to find me instead. This shows that this matter is not a small matter." Ying Rushi held the scroll in his hand and nodded to the low table in front of him, "Sit down."

Meng Yuan had been to Jingyuan many times. In the past, he always answered questions while standing, but now he can finally sit down.

It can be seen that being able to cause trouble is also a kind of ability.

He bowed and walked forward, then sat cross-legged opposite Ying Rushi, with a low table between them.

The croaking of frogs all around makes the place even quieter.

There was a gentle breeze, and Meng Yuan saw the black hair at Ying Rushi's temples moving slightly, and a faint fragrance came from her, like the scent of lotus.

Meng Yuan looked at his nose with his eyes, and his heart with his nose, and he never looked sideways, just like a gentleman.

"Since you entered the martial arts world, you have been involved with evil monks." Ying Rushi put down the book and said, "Nie Yannian and Zhang Guinian must have told you how to guard against thoughts and various psychedelic methods."

She looked into Meng Yuan's eyes and asked, "You are well versed in the classics of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Do you know what Confucianism says about everything having its root and its branches?"

This is to delve into the essence. Meng Yuan immediately said: "Everything has its roots and its ends, and things have their beginnings and their ends. If you know what comes first and what comes later, you will advance in the Tao. If you regard the world as one thing, then the country is the root. If you regard the country as one thing, then the family is the root. I wonder if this is right?"

"You are indeed a master of both poetry and swordsmanship." Ying Ru praised him and said with a smile, "There is a theory of yin and yang in my Taoist school. Yin and yang change at any time, depending on the different places they are in. For example, you and I, men are yang and women are yin. But if you look closely, I am in a high position, on top; you are in a low position, on the bottom. So I am yang, and you - what are you thinking about?"

Isn't this too sharp? Meng Yuan just couldn't help but recall the slap he received in the illusion, but he didn't expect that the third lady noticed it.

Meng Yuan had no evil thoughts in his mind, but the person in front of him was the master after all, and she was also a dignified beauty. He had been in the illusion for a while, so Meng Yuan's heart was slightly moved.

"There is thunder in my heart but my face is as calm as a lake. Is he imitating the spring thunder?" You should ask like this.

"I learned it." Meng Yuan replied, and then added, "I didn't think about anything."

"You'd better not think of anything." Ying Rushi said unhappily, "Otherwise your young wife will not be a little Taoist nun, but a little Buddhist nun."

Just bully the honest people! Meng Yuan raised his head and looked at Ying Rushi, only to see a slight smile on her lips, which showed that she also knew that she was bullying the honest people.

"Where were we talking about?" you should ask.

"The changes of Yin and Yang in Taoism." Meng Yuan answered honestly.

"Reach the utmost emptiness and maintain deep tranquility. Many studies in the three religions are interlinked." Ying Rushi's face remained calm, and it was obvious that she would not pursue the matter any further. She continued, "I have said so much just to tell you that the path of Buddhism is to plant the Bodhi seed first, then to generate the Buddha's heart, and to take the Three Refuges and Five Precepts to eliminate greed, anger, and ignorance. Isn't this also a kind of thought?"

We should continue to point out, "Therefore, the method of cultivating thoughts is the basis for their entry into the Tao."

"What does Third Miss mean?" Meng Yuan asked.

"I mean, this kind of thought is the strongest law, but also the weakest law. In the world, there are all kinds of thoughts in the mind. It doesn't mean that if you don't have greed, you won't be corrupted by greed; it doesn't mean that if you don't have lust, you won't be disturbed by lust."

Seeing that Meng Yuan had a desire to seek, Ying Ru taught him carefully: "Buddhism cultivates the mind and nature, so it is best at attacking the mind. A bodhi seed is planted in the heart. Whether it will be difficult to break the shell or grow into a towering tree in the future depends entirely on you."

"Miss Third is teaching me to wipe it frequently and avoid dust?" Meng Yuan understood.

"You have wisdom." Ying Ru smiled. "Buddhism seeks emptiness. The sudden enlightenment school has its own unique features, but the gradual cultivation school is more suitable for us to study."

Ying Rushi looked at Meng Yuan and continued, "Cultivating your mind and improving your performance can eliminate long-lasting thoughts. Do you need me to help you eliminate those thoughts?"

"How to kill?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Buddhists use meditation to cut off thoughts, Confucians use sincerity to cut off thoughts, and Taoists use meditation to cut off thoughts." Ying Ru's voice was erratic, and he said, "Open the three heavens of upper, middle and lower. I will use the meditation to help you get rid of your temporary thoughts and obsessions."

My original intention was to ask for a divine power, how could I let you enter my body at will?
Thinking of this, Meng Yuan couldn't help but think of the evil servant bullying the master and the equal status of the master.

And there is also the matter of the spirit and fire. Meng Yuan really didn't dare to let the third young lady watch it casually.

“Don’t listen with your ears but listen with your heart. Don’t listen with your heart but listen with your breath.” The voice that should be heard seemed to come from the nine heavens, and seemed to soar straight up to the nine heavens.

"Miss Third, I think I should find a way to kill the thoughts myself." Meng Yuan was very serious. "I was born a gelder, and I am best at finding the starting point!"

Ying Ru stared into Meng Yuan's eyes, and then sneered, "You need to know: if you have an evil heart, you don't need others to think of you!"

How to slander people?

Meng Yuan felt guilty and didn't dare to answer. But he made up his mind that he would never show his emotions in the future and never let Miss San see his thoughts again. "Is it a thin waist slave?" Ying asked.

"Yes." Meng Yuan replied honestly.

"killed?"

"Yes."

"Who else?"

"Yao Jiamu and Yue Qingtian."

"Why kill them?"

"They wanted to kill me."

The two of them asked and answered questions quickly. Ying Rushi did not ask for details and just knocked on the table.

Xiangling, with her brown skin and white belly, immediately ran over from a distance and bowed, saying, "What work do you want me to do, Third Madam?"

"Go call Mingyue and tell her there's news about the person she's looking for." Ying Rushi threw a coin.

"I won't charge you this time!" Xiangling took the copper coin, put it back on the low table, and ran away happily.

Meng Yuan looked at this scene and thought to himself, my girl is being used as a Taoist child by you, and Xiao Xiangling has also become your errand boy!
Ying Rushi glanced at Meng Yuan and said, "Do you know how to say it?"

"I know." Meng Yuan originally thought that the two of them were in cahoots and should smile at each other, but when he looked up, he saw that the other person was frowning, as if with some disgust.

The two of them were silent, and the cicadas chirped even louder.

Not long after, Mingyue was seen approaching, and the woman in the red cloak was accompanying her.

The two men, one tall and one short, one holding a sword and the other clasped their hands in a round cloak, came to the low table and sat down.

Ying Rushi didn't say anything either. She just picked up the book and started reading again. Mingyue and the red cloak looked at Meng Yuan.

"Oh, it's a long story." Meng Yuan had already stood up and bowed, then he sighed and said, "What a coincidence, one of my subordinates is from Qingshui Town. When I went to Muzhuang, I remembered this matter and planned to go and see my subordinate's family. When I passed by Yan's house, I thought of Madam Yan's hard work, so I went to take a look. But I found that Madam Yan was the thin-waisted slave who had just killed Yao Jiamu and Yue Qingtian."

Meng Yuan spread his hands and said helplessly: "I was discovered by the thin-waisted slave, and fled into the mountains in a hurry. In the end, I took advantage of the terrain and killed him with the floating light cave."

At this point, Meng Yuan sighed again, "Although I am a small flag and not very capable, I know that I am humble and I dare not forget..."

"Alright, alright." The woman in the red cloak interrupted, as if she was too lazy to listen to such nonsense.

"Heh." Mingyue, who was always cold, also sneered.

Why don't these people believe what I say? Meng Yuan could only sigh again.

"You are Miss Ying's man, so I naturally believe you. You don't need to quibble." Mingyue spoke, still coldly, "Just tell me what news you got."

Meng Yuan immediately told him the whereabouts of Jie Kaiping and the matter of the Rat Taoist Society.

"This rosary is the invitation to the Taoist meeting. You can attend with it." Meng Yuan held the rosary in both hands and presented it to Mingyue.

"I think it's dirty." Mingyue refused, "You keep it."

"..." Meng Yuan was stunned for a moment, put away his rosary, and said: "If Miss Mingyue needs me, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"You can use the Floating Light Cave Heaven by force. Rest for two days first. Let's forget about it this time." Mingyue said.

Meng Yuan didn't want to go in the first place. Jie Kaiping was not someone to be trifled with. Although it was possible to take down Jie Kaiping this time, it was still better to open the acupoints as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Meng Yuan looked regretful, but then he clenched his fists. Just as he was about to say a few polite words, he saw that the third lady seemed to be smiling, so he quickly held back, fearing that he would say too much.

"Be careful of fraud." This is the warning you should give.

Mingyue agreed and went out immediately, and the man in the red cloak followed immediately.

Meng Yuan wanted to say a few more words to the Third Miss, but he saw that she had already started reading a book and clearly didn't want to talk any more.

Helpless, Meng Yuan bowed and retreated.

"Little gelder!" Not long after they walked away, Xiangling jumped out, climbed onto Meng Yuan's shoulders, and said seriously, "Don't run around outside! I've got a plan. I'll make sure you have a good life in the future, and you don't have to go out and take risks! You should also clean up and dress more stylishly!"

"What method?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"Wait for my good news!" Xiangling said nothing, but patted her chest, very confident.

"There's more." She took out a handful of pig hair, "This is for classmate Du. I'm the president, and everyone in our Laobiekeng Poetry Club will get a share!"

"What about mine?" Meng Yuan smiled.

"Don't worry!" Xiangling whispered, "Let's let Du make his own brush, and I'll make yours myself. Don't tell him!"

"I know." Meng Yuan accepted the pig hair, and the two people who were in cahoots with each other smiled in tacit understanding.

However, Meng Yuan remembered that Dugu Kang still owed him a copy of the Heavenly Secret Map! It was a good time to go get it.

(End of this chapter)