The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 152 Sweeping Monk

The ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

An Ziyang left the An Mansion and rode on his horse.

Quanzhou Prefecture is not far from Shaolin. That afternoon, An Ziyang arrived outside the Shaolin gate.

After tying up his horse, An Ziyang walked forward and knocked on the mountain gate.

After a while, a monk in charge of reception came over and bowed to him.

"I'm really sorry, benefactor. Our temple has suffered a disaster recently. Many buildings in the temple have been damaged. It is currently under repair and is not convenient for receiving pilgrims. If you want to burn incense and worship Buddha, please turn back and come back later."

The news that the Ming Cult had breached the Shaolin Temple had already spread after Xingchi passed away and the people in the martial arts world had dispersed. Shaolin had no intention of hiding the news.

An Ziyang said to the monk in charge of reception.

"Master, I am not a pilgrim. I am here to look for someone on someone's behalf."

"Oh?"

The monk in charge of reception looked An Ziyang up and down.

Being able to be the monk who knows guests at Shaolin Temple, he must have good martial arts skills and excellent eyesight. He could tell at a glance that An Ziyang had a solid foundation in martial arts, and judging from his clothes, he came from a wealthy family.

Just looking at his face, he looks like a playboy who lingers among the flowers, and his essence and blood are more or less deficient - commonly known as kidney deficiency.

What is this kind of person looking for in Shaolin?

"I wonder who the donor was entrusted by and who he is looking for?"

"It's not that I'm asking too many questions, it's just my duty. If I don't ask clearly, it's not easy to report it."

An Ziyang pondered for a while.

He was a little unsure. Li Miao was a Jinyiwei, so why was he asked to look for the new Shaolin master? Was he planning to cause trouble and using him as a scout?
After thinking about it, he decided to tell the truth: "I am here to look for the abbot of your temple, Master Yongjie, at the request of the great hero Li Miao."

Who would have known that as soon as he said this, the monk in charge of reception changed his expression instantly.

"Hero Li!?"

"Where is he now? Didn't he come with you?"

"Why didn't he come in person, but what trouble is there?"

"Do you need my help from Shaolin?"

The monk in charge of reception spoke so suddenly that An Ziyang was a little stumped.

"No, it's just that Master Li has some things to do and can't get away, so let me pass on a message to Master Yongjie. If it's not convenient for your temple, I can come back in a few days..."

"Convenient! Convenient!"

The monk in charge of reception had a smile on his face that was so enthusiastic that it seemed to violate the rules of Buddhism.

"Hero Li's business is our Shaolin's business. It's convenient anytime!"

"Didn't ask for advice?"

"An Ziyang."

"Mr. An, since you are a friend of Hero Li, how can we in Shaolin treat you with disrespect? Please follow me inside."

After saying that, the monk in charge of reception reached out and held An Ziyang's wrist, and led him into the temple with great enthusiasm.

An Ziyang had a sense of déjà vu.

Whenever he went to brothels, the madam would pull him like this.

But this is Shaolin, and the person pulling him is a monk!
No matter how kind the Shaolin monks are, when facing the people of the martial arts world, they will still reveal a kind of arrogance in their bones, intentionally or unintentionally.

For a person like him who had suffered from kidney deficiency due to prostitution, even the monks in ordinary temples might not look kindly upon him. Being welcomed into Shaolin Temple with such enthusiasm really made him feel a bit nervous, similar to the first time he experienced human affairs.

Walking into the temple, An Ziyang looked around and couldn't help but sigh.

This Shaolin had indeed suffered a great disaster, with ruins everywhere, and was now being rebuilt with great fanfare.

When the monk in charge of reception led An Ziyang halfway there, they heard a low voice coming from the side.

"Hengshu, who is this donor? Where are we going?"

As he was speaking, a tall monk came over. He was dressed neatly and meticulously, with broad shoulders and a big waist. His face was serious, and two lines on his forehead outlined his strong chin.

An Ziyang recognized him immediately. This person was none other than the head monk of Shaolin Discipline Institute, Heng Chang.

"Something bad has happened. This person is the most serious and rigid, and he is also the most loyal to Shaolin. If he finds out that the Jinyiwei has sent people to look for the new abbot, I'm afraid there will be trouble!"

The monk in charge of reception smiled and said, "Master, this donor An is a friend of Hero Li, and he is here to see the abbot."

"Hero Li?"

Heng Chang asked in surprise.

"Where is he now? Why didn't he come here by himself, but got into trouble..."

The monk in charge of reception smiled and said, "Master, I have already asked these questions. Hero Li just couldn't spare the time."

"in this way."

Hengchang nodded and said, "You go and do your work. The abbot is in the Sutra Library in the back mountain now, and you can't go in. Since you are a friend of Mr. Li, I will take you there."

The monk in charge of reception nodded, turned and left.

"Master An, please follow me."

--------

Shaolin, Sutra Repository.

Yongjie was sitting cross-legged on the cushion, his face covered in cold sweat and his whole body trembling.

He had been able to endure being "changed" by Li Miao that day, but now he was in a miserable state, as if he was undergoing unimaginable torture.

An old monk came over from the bookshelf, holding a tattered broom in his hand, and walked behind Yongjie while sweeping.

"Or not."

"Although my Shaolin method doesn't require you to sever worldly ties, it still requires you to be pure when practicing. How can you practice when your mind is so chaotic?"

Yongjie suddenly opened his eyes, panting, with beads of sweat the size of soybeans dripping down his face.

After a while, he gritted his teeth and spoke.

"I am unwilling, confused, and resentful. The five elements are burning fiercely... I find it difficult to resolve this."

The old monk shook his head.

"My Buddhist martial arts are the easiest to get possessed by demons, so you need to have a good command of the corresponding scriptures before you can practice them. The way you practice is like rushing to get possessed by demons."

He sighed.

"Well, if you have anything to ask, just tell me."

Yongjie suddenly turned his head to look at the old monk, as if hesitating. But after a while, he gritted his teeth and asked hurriedly.

"Why didn't you take action when the Ming Cult attacked the mountain gate that day?"

"With you here...why would my master need to use up all the resources in the temple, exhaust himself, and die?"

The old monk replied calmly.

"Because I dare not."

"Don't dare!?" Yongjie was shocked.

"You... don't dare to fight with Ji Tianrui? So... just sit back and watch my master die!?"

"No."

The old monk waved his hand.

"I'm not afraid of Ji Tianrui, and my Shaolin is not afraid of the Ming Cult."

"But..."

He raised his hand and pointed to the sky.

"The Ming Cult just wants a few things, not to destroy our Shanlin Sect."

"Xing Chi didn't have to die, but he couldn't bear to see my Shaolin disciples dying or getting hurt, so he used his own life so that more of my Shaolin disciples could live."

"He's also a fool."

At this point, the old monk let out a long sigh.

“I am a person who must exist, but shouldn’t exist.”

"If I take action and get seen by others, my Shaolin will truly suffer a devastating disaster."

(End of this chapter)