Chapter 26 third chapter

At dawn, Di Gong got up to wash up.Hong Canjun brought breakfast—two bowls of rice porridge and some pickled vegetables.The rising sun shone on the sill window of the inner yamen, Hong Canjun blew out the candles, and waited for Di Gong to put on a dark crimson official robe with sea clouds holding the sun, tied with a jade belt, black hat and soap boots neatly arranged. The case of Shopkeeper Xiao’s daughter being raped and murdered has been spread all over Puyang City. This morning, the Yamen was promoted to the court. The new governor, Mr. Di, is going to retry the case. A gong sounded, the three-way drum was finished, and eight yamen servants came out in two rows.He holds a fire stick or a bamboo board in his hand, and there are iron chains and finger sticks hanging around his waist.Accompanied by Hong Canjun, Di Gong swayed up to the high seat.On the desk are seals, sticks, ink pens and books and files.

The people watching the trial stood on tiptoe and stretched their necks to look around the hall, only hoping that Mr. Di would throw the order sign and bring the murderer to the court for trial.However, there was no movement from Mr. Di. He checked the books of the state government's money and silver treasury as usual, and checked the cashier's money one by one.Finally, he patted the gavel and shouted: "Then why did the yamen's salary take more copper coins?" The trembling official of the treasury was brought up to the hall, but he hesitated and couldn't name it. Di Gong was furious: "This copper money will be deducted from your salary. In the future, if there are confusion in the accounts and mistakes in money and silver, you are the only one to ask. But in all public offices, the matter of money and silver should not be vague. If there is a mistake, even if the furniture is pawned, a penny of copper money from the public treasury must be lost."

The official Weiwei stepped back.Di Gong patted the gavel and said: "This hall is new to the Yamen. Today it is just to have a face-to-face with the people and get to know each other. In the future, all the soldiers and civilians in this state will only go to the Yamen to appeal and lodge complaints. There is no form to dictate. From today on, the three yamen directors of the hall in the morning, afternoon and evening will hardly be negligent in political affairs and cause trouble to the people of the state." Seeing that no one came out to lodge complaints and appeal for grievances, Di Gong slapped the gavel and announced his withdrawal from the hall.The yamen servants in the hall sang and drank, and filed in.The common people with good deeds in the verandah retreated from the yamen angrily, with disappointment on their faces.

Di Gong returned to the inner office, and Hong Canjun and Di Gong's three confidantes, Tao Gan, Qiao Tai, and Ma Rong hurried forward to greet him. Di Gong said with a smile: "I don't know what your impression of Puyang is? I think you have been wandering around the three streets and six cities for a whole day." Ma Rong said: "The street market in Puyang is bustling with people, and it's very lively. I saw that most of the common people eat meat and wear silk clothes, and their households are full of laughter. It's just that the world is peaceful and the harvest is happy. The restaurants and restaurants are full of water and land, and the wine is fragrant. Attractive, and the price is low. The former Master Feng managed some things well, and we seem to be able to live happily here for a few years."

Qiao Tai said: "Brother Ma Rong is right. The city of Puyang is adjacent to the canal, and the water conservancy is very developed. I heard that there are more than a dozen well-off merchants who have made a lot of money by doing business with water." Tao Gan showed a look of disapproval on his face: "It is true that those who eat water from the canal are rich, but in my opinion, the richest place in Puyang City is the Puci Temple outside the north gate. There are more than 60 monks in the temple. , the abbot is called Master Lingde. It can be said that the rich are invincible. The monks of Puci Temple are superficially pious in chanting scriptures, worshiping Buddha, doing fast, and collecting food, but secretly they are big fish and meat, spending time and drinking, and living a life of luxury and lust. "

Di Gong said: "Nowadays, the sages are good at Buddhism and Taoism, and there are countless monks, temples and Taoist temples in the world. Monks, nuns and Taoists advocate different views, mess up Confucian classics, eat without farming, and make clothes without weaving. The most are the moths of the country and the great trouble of human relations. However, the imperial court I believe that Buddhism and Taoism can transform people's nature and persuade people to be kind, which is consistent with the purpose of Confucius. Branches." Although Tao Gan nodded, he still had doubts in his heart, his bones stuck in his throat, and he couldn't vomit.He grinned and said, "I heard that the candlesticks and magic instruments in Puci Temple are all made of real gold."

Di Gongdao: "You have never seen it in person, so how can you believe it? Besides, it is common for temples to be rich, so why bother?" Tao Gan said smugly: "I also heard that the wealth of this Puci Temple is not clear." Unconsciously, Duke Di stretched his ears, and said, "Tao Gan, how do you say that?" Tao Gan said: "The source of wealth of Puci Temple is mostly due to the white sandalwood Guanyin Bodhisattva in the main hall. That Bodhisattva is extremely effective. People from all over the world came to worship and burn incense, and almost stepped on the threshold of the main hall."

Di Gong asked: "What is the efficacy of this wooden Guanyin?" "I heard that it can give people children. ——Women who are well-rounded for hundreds of miles, but those who are infertile after marriage, all come to Puci Temple to burn incense and make wishes; when they go back, there are many people who have children. Some are infertile for ten or eight years. All you need is to pray silently for one night in front of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and all your wishes will come true.” Di Gong was surprised, and asked again: "How can I pray silently all night?" "Women who come to the temple to ask for a child first go to the abbot Master Lingde to confide their true wishes and promise gifts and property. Master Lingde first informs and expresses his willingness to convey her request to Master Guanyin. Master Lingde nods, Then he led the woman to chant the Paramita Sutra in front of the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the main hall, and then asked the woman to lie down on a big bed next to the statue and meditate devoutly. ——After a night like this, Master Guanyin sent a golden body arhat to send him off. The son and her. When the girl returns home, if there is a caregiver, the whole family will be very grateful, and then choose a gift to fulfill the wish. The big family who is waiting for the son will give more gold, silver and jewels;

"Of course Master Lingde is also very careful. When the woman entered the hall, Lingde ordered her to take off her clothes and sleep on her own. He personally locked the door of the hall and pasted a cover with his seal on it. At the same time, he asked the woman's husband , servants, or family members stay in the small pavilion opposite the main hall, so that they can be monitored and avoided. In the early morning of the next day, Lingde will tear off the cover together with the woman’s husband or family members, and open the door of the hall. ——Women come out Often the face is rosy and smiling. The couple pays a few sticks of incense in front of the Avalokitesvara, and goes home happily. When the woman returns home, she is happy, so she comes to the temple to fly a report and present a gift list. Therefore, Erpuci Temple is really called "Day Day". After entering Wanjin, more than 60 monks in the temple enjoyed the wealth and honor in the world.

"Master Lingde saw that there were more and more women coming to the temple to ask for children, and a lot of gold and silver property in the temple had accumulated, so he built four incense pavilions around the outside of the main hall. The incense pavilions were antique and exquisite. Inside each An ebony bed was installed, and a portrait of Guanyin was hung for the use of women who came to the temple to seek children, and the old bed in the main hall was withdrawn. In addition, Lingde renovated the halls and pavilions of the temple one by one, and every Bodhisattva Re-install the gold, and put gold candlesticks and golden instruments on the altar table of the Guanyin Hall, the golden light is dazzling, so extravagant."

Di Gong asked: "When did Guanyin of Puci Temple send his son?" Tao Gan said: "I heard that it has been five years. Five years ago, the Puci Temple was dilapidated, and the incense was almost broken; the Guanyin Hall was crumbling. The monks in the temple fled and returned to the vulgar. Only three ascetic monks remained. I still need to go out to seek alms along the street, and only stay in the monastery at night. Later Master Lingde led a group of young monks to this Puci Monastery, and after some renovations, it got a little better, and the incense gradually prospered. Since then After the Avalokitesvara appeared, he gained a great reputation, and devout men and women admiring him from all over the world frightened him, and gradually expanded his scale. The monks who fled before also returned to the temple, and now there are more than 60 black-clothed bachelors enjoying the blessings.” Tao Gan's words really aroused Di Gong's great interest in Puci Temple.He said: "Things in the world are complicated, and I dare not rashly assert that there must be no such thing as a bodhisattva's appearance. Now that the Yamen is free, you might as well stay alert and learn more about the inside story of Puci Temple. If you see anything suspicious Please come and report to me immediately. Yes, here are all the files of the rape and murder case handed over to me by the former Mr. There are many contradictions and inconsistencies. It seems that the accused Wang Xianqiong's murder charge cannot be established. Now I want to go back to the mansion to see my family members, I don't know how they settled down."