This scholar is a bit cruel

Chapter 336 Flower and Willow Disease

The sun is rising.

The orange-red dawn light spilled over the boundless Cangyun Mountains and the slowly flowing Tianshui River below, as if a vat of dye had been splashed on it, casually sketching a charming winter landscape.

The chill of the mountains lingered, and the trees were covered in white frost.

The withered yellow leaves covered the mountain path, making a soft rustling sound in the morning breeze, like the whispers of winter.

The Tianshui River flows slowly.

The river water shimmered, reflecting a dilapidated little building on the bank.

At the entrance of the small building, a faded flag fluttered in the morning breeze, as if warmly welcoming the lonely guest outside.

But there was no smoke coming out of the chimney.

Only a few sparrows remained on the rooftop, sometimes shaking their feathers, sometimes lowering their heads to forage for food, adding a faint touch of life to this quiet winter day.

Xu Ziyin stood motionless at the doorway, like a statue.

Her red cloak fluttered gently in the cold wind, and her tied ponytail swayed gracefully at the cloak's enthusiastic invitation.

She was slender, like a willow by the river, yet graceful and charming.

But that slightly immature pretty face was as cold as the mountain wind at this moment, only a trace of melancholy was revealed in her dark eyes that faintly reflected the blurry city in the distance.

At this moment, a young man in a green robe came out of the inn and came to her side, saying, "Junior Sister Xu, are you still worried about your family? We will be back soon, in five months at most."

Xu Ziyin gazed at the distant outline of the city, seemingly oblivious to his words.

The young man said nothing more, glanced at her delicate yet cold face one last time, and turned back to the inn.

Just then, a horse-drawn carriage came from the distant path, its wheels crunching through the thin ice on the ground.

"Squeak... squeak..."

The sound of ice cracking grew louder as it approached, then stopped in front of Xu Ziyin.

Xu Ziyin withdrew her gaze from the distance and looked at the carriage.

The curtain was lifted, and a tall figure dressed in a gray outfit and a blue robe stepped out of the carriage. When his eyes met hers, his gaze lit up, and he looked her up and down.

Xu Ziyin coldly shifted her gaze and looked into the distance.

The man on the carriage jumped down in front of her, his gaze still lightly appraising her, and said, "This young lady looks very familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

Xu Ziyin frowned slightly, then looked at him again.

The man in front of her was tall and slender with a good temperament, but his appearance was extremely ordinary. He was waving a paper fan in his hand, smiling, and looking pretentious. His gaze was not only frivolous but also extremely rude and presumptuous, constantly scanning her face, chest, and slender waist.

"roll!"

Xu Ziyin clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with a cold light.

She had heard yesterday that a wealthy young man who wanted to travel to the Kingdom of Women had joined the group today.

It was clearly the person right in front of them.

Such a person is simply courting death. Having grown tired of playing in Lin'an City, he thought of spending some money to go to the Kingdom of Women for fun, not realizing that he couldn't even leave the Cangyun Mountain in front of him.

"That girl is so fierce."

The man in front of her didn't seem angry. After being scolded by her, he smiled slightly, waved his paper fan, and entered the inn.

Xu Ziyin had just loosened her fist when the man stepped back, tilting his head to look at her cold face, and said, "By the way, fierce girl, may I ask, has Wang Qiangzhuang arrived?"

"Shh!"

A flash of red light, and the sharp tip of a spear, gleaming coldly, was instantly pressed against his throat.

The chill on the tip of the gun was colder than the wind in the forest.

Holding a red-tasseled spear, Xu Ziyin glared at him with an icy expression and said, "Do you want to die?"

That's really fierce!

Just as Luo Zijun was about to speak, a man in a green robe walked out of the inn and said, "Junior Sister Xu, put down your gun."

As she spoke, she looked at the young master holding a paper fan and said, "Young Master Hua, is that right? The captain is waiting for you inside. Come in quickly."

Luo Zijun extended his finger and gently brushed aside the spear tip in front of his neck, then cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you, brother."

As she approached him, she asked in a low voice, "Brother, is that young lady your junior sister? What's her name? Is she married?"

The man in the green robe smiled slightly and said, "Young Master Hua, please go in quickly. Don't provoke my junior sister; she's not someone to be trifled with. If you anger her, I won't be able to stop you."

He then introduced himself: "I am Yang Yan, a disciple of the Taoshan Sect."

Then he glanced at the door and whispered, "My junior sister's name is Xu Ziyin. She doesn't like people talking to her."

"Momoyama Sect?"

Luo Zijun knew that the five major sects of the Great Yan Dynasty were Taoshan Sect, Wanjian Sect, Jinfo Temple, Qinglong Temple, and Jade Maiden Valley, and Taoshan Sect was located on Zhiri Peak in the Great Liang Kingdom.

So it turns out that little girl Xu Ziyin is actually a disciple of the Peach Mountain Sect. I really didn't expect that.

I don't know when I joined.

Of course, he never expected that he would encounter her in the caravan heading to the Kingdom of Women.

"Thank you, Brother Yang."

Luo Zijun thanked him and went inside. He needed to find the captain, Wang Qiangzhuang, and get his approval before he could join the team.

The first floor of the inn was dimly lit.

At a table in the corner sat a burly, bald man who looked just like Lu Zhishen, gnawing on a chicken leg.

In the other corner, a thin girl with pigtails sat looking down at a map spread out on the table.

There was no one else besides these two.

Luo Zijun walked up to the bald, burly man, took out her nameplate, and bowed, saying, "Captain Wang, I am Hua Liu, here to report for duty."

"puff--"

The bald, burly man immediately spat out the chicken he was eating.

"Vegetative state...vegetative state? You're the young master who's going to the Land of Women for fun? Hahahahahaha..."

The bald, burly man burst into laughter, bending over backwards, and fell to the ground with a "plop," continuing to roll around and laugh.

Luo Zijun was a little embarrassed, but her skin was already as thick as a city wall.

This morning, when the Queen gave him the nameplate, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. When he took the nameplate and saw the name on it, Qing'er next to him also laughed so hard that she squatted down on the ground.

Even the usually stern-faced woman in purple turned her head away, her shoulders trembling.

But by then, it was no longer possible to change the name.

So he had no choice but to take the plaque, leave the palace, and come here.

So what if he has syphilis? He's already grateful that the Queen kept her promise and helped him join the team. What else is there to complain about?
"Brother Hua, this is the captain."

At this moment, Yang Yan hurriedly reminded him at the door.

Luo Zijun was taken aback, turned around, looked at the skinny girl with pigtails he was pointing to, stared blankly for a few seconds, then quickly took the nameplate and went over, saying, "Captain Wang..."

Wang Qiangzhuang, a skinny girl with pigtails dressed like a little girl.
This name, this appearance...

Wang Qiangzhuang raised his head and looked at him seriously, saying, "Young Master Hua, I was reluctant to take you on this journey, but the offer was too much for me to refuse. However, I must tell you in advance that this is not a trip for sightseeing, composing poems, flirting, or seeking pleasure. One wrong move and you could lose your life. I hope you will consider this carefully. If you want to back out, it's not too late, but the reward I have received will not be refunded."

The little girl had a serious expression and sharp eyes, but her voice was childish, like a baby's voice, yet she had the air of a little adult, which looked quite comical.

Of course, Luo Zijun would never dare to underestimate him.

A captain who can lead the five major sects and the imperial court's warriors, and who dares to travel across mountains and rivers to the Women's Kingdom, is definitely not as simple as he seems on the surface.

"Captain, I've made up my mind. I'll take full responsibility for any problems that arise on the road."

Luo Zijun said respectfully.

Wang Qiang shook his head and said seriously, "I received a lot of money, so I promised to make sure you come back alive. Therefore, you absolutely cannot have any problems on the way, unless I die. Of course, if you don't have any problems on the way, but in some woman's bed, or in the Land of Women, then it's none of my business."

At this moment, the bald, burly man who resembled Lu Zhishen also got up from the ground and said, "Young Master Hua, our Golden Buddha Temple has also received the reward. This humble monk promised my master that I would protect you. You'd better stay with me obediently on the way. If you dare to run around, I won't hesitate to break your legs and carry you back."

Yang Yan introduced from the side: "This is the eminent monk Master Zhizhang from Jinfo Temple."

Luo Zijun: "???"

Master Zhizhang stroked his shiny bald head and said in a gruff voice, "This humble monk has always felt that this name is not very good. My fellow disciples are all named Zhiren, Zhihui, Zhigen, and Zhiwu, but I am named Zhizhang. But Master said that my name is the best. Young Master Hua, I heard that you are a scholar. What do you think?"

Luo Zijun's lips twitched slightly. After thinking about it seriously for a moment, she said, "Master Zhizhang's master is right. I also think that Master Zhizhang's name is the best."

"What's so good about it?"

"The mentally challenged master asked."

Luo Zijun thought about it seriously for a moment, and said in a serious tone: "'Mental disability' is not a simple word. At first glance, it may sound a bit harsh, but upon careful consideration, one will realize that it contains profound Buddhist meaning."

"Deeply imbued with Buddhist meaning? Really?"

Upon hearing this, the mentally challenged master immediately came over, listening attentively. His imposing figure was as tall as a wall.

Seeing this, Luo Zijun dared not be negligent and began to fabricate a story: "Let's first separate these two words. In Buddhism, 'wisdom' is divided into worldly wisdom and eloquence, and Prajna wisdom. The former is worldly intelligence and wit, being eloquent and insightful; the latter is the wisdom of enlightenment, which can break through attachments and realize emptiness. Placing 'wisdom' before 'obstacles' precisely reflects that true wisdom is not used to show off or compete, but to illuminate one's own ignorance and recognize the true nature of all beings."

Xu Ziyin had entered from outside without anyone noticing.

“The ‘obstacle’ is ignorance and affliction, which all sentient beings have. One of the most important concepts of ‘obstacle’ in Buddhism is the afflictive obstacle and the cognitive obstacle. All sentient beings have ‘obstacles’, which are formed by karma and are the basis for practice. Without obstacles, there is no practice. Therefore, ‘intellectual obstacle’ is not a derogatory term, but a reminder: wisdom is not perfect, and there is still a path to practice. Buddhism teaches ‘to reveal the path through obstacles’, meaning that there is enlightenment only through obstacles.”

"Therefore, the name 'mentally disabled' is actually a mirror reflecting all beings."

"From a Zen perspective, it's also an ironic enlightenment. It reminds us: don't be proud of your intelligence, true enlightenment begins with 'foolishness'; don't be ashamed of 'intellectual disability,' all beings have obstacles, and cultivation is the removal of those obstacles; don't judge people by their names, sometimes it is precisely those who are 'foolish' who are closer to the state of 'non-attachment'..."

As Luo Zijun spoke, she noticed that there were a few more people in the room, but the entire room was silent.

The waiter, carrying tea, also stood at the back door, not daring to come in.

The only sound could be the fluttering of flags outside.

Luo Zijun didn't dare to continue making things up and concluded: "As the saying goes: great wisdom appears as foolishness, great sound is silent, and great form is formless. The two characters '智障' (Zhizhang) are precisely the glimmer of light in this 'foolishness within wisdom, and enlightenment within obstruction.' Therefore, I feel that the name your master chose is very Buddhist in meaning, and other names are too straightforward and cannot compare."

After he finished speaking, everyone in the room looked thoughtful.

The mentally challenged master stood with his mouth agape and his eyes glazed over, seemingly deep in thought and processing what he was doing.

Just then, a clear voice suddenly came from outside: "Young Master Hua's interpretation is excellent. 'Wisdom is found within foolishness, and the Way is seen within obstacles. The two words 'wisdom and obstacle' are indeed very profound."

An old Taoist priest with gray hair, a long beard, and a whisk in his hand walked in from the doorway, his robes fluttering, exuding an air of otherworldly wisdom.

At this moment, Master Zhizhang finally came to his senses, his face flushed with excitement, and said, "Excellent! Young Master Hua's explanation is excellent! Brilliant! Although this humble monk didn't understand a single word, seeing how many words Young Master Hua spoke, it must be extremely good! Zhizhang, Zhizhang... Master truly loves me the most!"

(End of this chapter)