Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 519 All were devout believers
When Zhang Dai arrived at Bodhi Temple again, he was unsurprisingly stopped outside by Pei's servants and was unable to see Wu, who was still furious with him. Since he was already there, he decided to go to the pigsty to see the long-lived pig.

This longevity pig is quite famous. When Zhang Dai arrived, the pigpen was surrounded by people coming to see it. Bodhi Temple also gave this rather Buddhist-like pig preferential treatment, not only setting up the pigpen near the scripture hall, but also making the pigpen itself a full two or three hundred square meters.

In modern terms, this is the core business district within the second ring road of the capital. Those who live here must be the young masters and princesses of the elite. Now, a pig can enjoy a large, private apartment here all to himself. What kind of treatment is this?
So, are kings and nobles born with a special destiny? Whether you're human or pig, just focus on your own hard work and leave the rest to time. With enough accumulation, even a pig can defy fate.

And to be honest, this pig has managed to live a life of such extraordinary achievement, and the value it has created is not to be underestimated. The Tianlong family, however, is not lacking in useless brats, such as those from the Ten Kings' Mansion, who can only be parasites who steal wealth and produce waste; their contributions may not be as great as this pig's.

Of course, pigs living a long time is merely something to be amazed and curious about. But for humans, living too long is not necessarily a good thing, especially for emperors who dedicate the entire world to serving one person; they can easily become a liability as they live.

Zhang Dai stood on the platform watching the pigs rooting in the ground for a while when Zhi Yong, the temple's chief monk, hurriedly came over, bowed to Zhang Dai, and said, "Sixth Brother, we are sorry for not welcoming you properly. This place is messy and dirty. Please move to the Buddha Hall, and we, the old monks, will serve you tea and treat you with courtesy."

"There's no need for tea, but there are a few things I need to tell the Master."

Zhang Dai gestured for the monk to lead the way, and he followed behind. Once they entered the quiet Buddhist hall, he spoke again: "You must know who Madam Wu was who stayed at the temple last night. Did she often come here to worship Buddha before?"

Upon hearing this, the monk Navina replied somewhat awkwardly, "I am ashamed, my disciples are only good at cultivation and not good at spreading the Dharma. Although we live in the same neighborhood, this year is the first time that Madam Wu has been sent to the temple for cultivation."

This is understandable. Bodhi Temple is not among the top-tier temples in the capital, and the area north of the city is frequented by courtesans, so noble ladies rarely patronize it. Furthermore, the temple is right under the Pei family's nose, so Wu Shi wouldn't dare to be so presumptuous under normal circumstances.

“In that case, there are some things I need to remind the Master of.”

Zhang Dai then said solemnly, “Master, you must not treat Madam Wu as an ordinary believer. Now that Prime Minister Pei is in power, there are many sycophants in the capital. If they hear that Madam Wu is here to worship Buddha, they may inevitably come to the temple to disturb her and go against her pure intentions. Or some may spread evil rumors and tarnish Prime Minister Pei’s virtuous reputation. You monks must be careful to guard the gate. Carefully examine the background of anyone who comes to visit, and inform them one by one when Pei arrives!”

He himself was not qualified to examine Wu's daily social interactions, but that did not prevent him from using the names of Pei Guangting and his son as a pretext. Upon hearing this, the wise and brave monk hurriedly nodded in agreement, naturally not daring to disobey these high-ranking officials.

"Is the monastery where Madam is staying dilapidated? We moved in hastily last night and didn't have time to carefully inspect it. Madam is used to a life of luxury. If her living conditions don't meet your expectations, you'll be in for a beating!"

Zhang Dai then looked at the monk official and said sternly, "If there is a better monastery in the temple, you must clean it carefully and wait until the lady is in a good mood to ask if she wants to move there. I see that the monastery is right next to a house outside the temple, and that house is currently under construction. Wouldn't that be too noisy?"

"Please rest assured, Sixth Brother, the temple and its monasteries have all been thoroughly cleaned and meticulously repaired, making them all suitable places to live. Last night, Madam Wu sent a servant to select a particular monastery for us to stay in. This morning, some monks came in to inquire whether we were comfortable. Madam Wu instructed the servant to report that everything was fine and ordered that we not to disturb them with our eagerness."

Upon hearing this, the monk bowed again and said, "As for the noise from the neighbor's ramming, I will immediately arrange for my disciples to go and tell the craftsmen and slaves to postpone their work for the time being. The owner of the eastern neighbor, Mr. Li, is also a devout believer. Because he is fond of the fact that our temple is close to the imperial palace, he occasionally stays at the temple for a few days during the imperial court sessions. I believe he will be willing to make this arrangement."

"In that case, there's nothing more to say. You monks should serve her diligently. After Madam Wu leaves the temple, I will send a servant with gifts to present to her."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai nodded in satisfaction and waved goodbye to the monk official.

He had just stepped out of the temple when he was met by Pei Zhen, who was hurrying towards him, followed by several servants carrying various items.

"I happened to have nothing to do today, so I came to see if my aunt needed anything, but I didn't get to see her. I can only remind the monks in the temple to take good care of her and to let me know immediately if anything happens."

Zhang Dai approached Pei Zhen and said with a somber expression.

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Are you considering leaving? If you're still in the neighborhood, I'll come back to talk to you after I've delivered these items."

Pei Zhen nodded slightly to him first, then asked. Zhang Dai pointed to his own villa and said to Pei Zhen, "I'll be waiting for you at home."

He had just settled down on the platform in front of the main hall of his villa when Pei Zhen, who had delivered the gifts, arrived shortly after. As he walked, he looked around and said to Zhang Dai with a hint of envy, "At the beginning of the year, it was just a desolate corner of a house, but now it has become quite impressive. No wonder I praised you for your talent in establishing things. The house is all built. When are you going to move in?"

"The paint smells terrible, but we'll have to wait until autumn. Then it will be easier for neighbors to get together."

Zhang Dai gestured for Pei Zhen to sit in the seat opposite him, then asked, "How is Aunt's condition?"

"It's a bit better than yesterday; I'm not as manic anymore."

Pei Zhen spoke first, then said to Zhang Dai, "Last night I heard my father explain what happened, and I know the fault wasn't yours. I apologize to you first, and I hope you won't hold a grudge. Alas, I don't know how to say it, but my mother's temperament has changed quite a bit lately. She used to often tell me to learn from you, praising your youthful wisdom and outstanding good looks, but now..."

When Zhang Dai heard Pei Zhen express his doubts, he knew that all his efforts had not been in vain. He had not only determined the means by which Wu Shi and Li Linfu communicated, but also effectively aroused the suspicion of Pei Zhen and his son.

When the secret is revealed in the future, they will be somewhat prepared and will not be caught off guard and suffer too severe a blow.

“I find this very strange as well. I don’t know why my aunt suddenly acted this way. The only thing I can think of is that my aunt resents me for favoring her over Consort Hui. But, but that seems to be too disrespectful to an elder.”

Zhang Dai first sighed helplessly, then pointed to the property of his neighbor Li Linfu to the east and said, "Besides this, there's this dispute between me and Li Linfu. My aunt has given me a lot of good advice, but I've ignored it. But this is just a grudge between me and Li Linfu, what does it have to do with my aunt... Pei Lang, you might as well think about it carefully, is there really no connection between your family and Li Linfu's family?"

"To say there is none would certainly be wrong. These families in Kansai are all more or less connected in some way. But as for deep-rooted friendships, I really don't know."

Upon hearing Zhang Dai's question, Pei Zhen shook his head with a troubled expression and said, then sighed, "Father is also very angry about this. He said that even if one is angry with a junior, one should not tell outsiders. He also told me to send a letter to the Duke of Bohai's house this morning to explain. If Mother is still not appeased, she may have to stay away for a while longer..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai was secretly delighted. He was also having a bit of a headache dealing with this adulterous couple. Now that he had determined the location and method of their secret meeting, he might as well take this opportunity to catch them and expose them!
"Sigh, when you have some free time, you should ask your aunt why she's so angry."

Upon seeing this, Zhang Dai pointed to the houses built by Li Linfu's family and said viciously, "If this scoundrel is causing trouble and my aunt is resentful of me, I will lead people to demolish his house frame. How can I live next to this villain!"

"Don't rashly take your anger out on others, lest you deepen the enmity. I think it's probably Wu Wenshen who's up to something. My mother is idle all day long, what kind of interaction could she possibly have with Li Linfu? It's Wu Wenshen who has been visiting my house frequently lately. He also secretly colluded with Li Linfu before, so he's slandering you in front of my mother, making her believe him and harbor resentment."

Pei Zhen frowned and pondered for a moment, recalling the scene when he saw Wu Wenshen conspiring with Li Linfu at Wu Wenshen's house, and then reminded Zhang Dai again.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai sighed. Pei Zhen had indeed connected these three elements, but the positions were wrong. Wu Wenshen was not the link between the Wu clan and Li Linfu; on the contrary, the Wu clan was the middleman between the other two!
There's no need to be too blunt right now. With this groundwork laid, whatever happens next will be logical and natural.

After discussing for a while, the two tacitly ended the topic. After a moment of silence, Pei Zhen said somewhat awkwardly, "Are you staying in the neighborhood tonight? Should we invite Li Xia over for a get-together in Sanqu?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai looked at the man with some surprise, wondering if he had misheard. Pei Zhen had actually suggested going to a brothel together.
He quickly realized that it wasn't Pei Zhen who was having an addiction, but rather his father, Pei Guangting, who wanted to deepen the understanding between his sons through their interactions. This also showed that Pei Guangting was eager and impatient to get rid of Yuwen Rong.

Zhang Dai had no problem with this; after all, it was just a handsome face, which could be used for a night anywhere. Moreover, this matter was in his interest. After Yuwen Rong lost power, how to deal with the money and silk that Li Linfu and others had invested in the "flying money" scheme was up to him!
Before he could even respond, a family member rushed in from the mansion and said anxiously, "Our lord has ordered Sixth Brother to return home immediately. Wang Duan Gong has come to cause trouble at home, and it seems someone intends to harm Sixth Brother!"

(End of this chapter)