Chapter 19: Speaking of Coincidence
Exiting the Hall of Five Observances, there was a long winding wooden corridor with a blue-tiled roof and red wooden pillars. The eaves were adorned with blue and gold cloud patterns and guardian deity statues underneath, adding a touch of refinement.
Many monks and worshippers saw Master Guanghong, the most skilled senior monk of Taian Temple, walking slowly side by side with a young man in an old robe. However, what was surprising was that the usually composed Master Guanghong now looked uneasy and even trembled, while the young man smiled calmly and conversed with him.
“The paper from Wuji Paper Shop is quite good.”
“I…You found me through it?”
“More or less.”
“So many people go to Wuji Paper Shop to buy paper daily. How did you determine it was me?”
“There was a batch of paper at Wuji Paper Shop that was slightly reddish because a naughty child had accidentally spilled some dye. I don’t know if you have noticed that, Master?”
“How did you know that?” Master Guanghong's face had already turned pale.
Honestly, he really hadn't noticed.
“You and I happened to buy from that batch. That batch of paper was produced in limited quantities. I went and asked the shop owner. During that period, only a dozen people bought yellow hemp paper, and only a few bought large sheets of it. The owner could only recognize and remember three of them.”
“Have you checked them out one by one?”
“I'm very patient.” Song You said. “However, even without the yellow hemp paper, you sent a little demon to visit me last night. Just from that, I could find my way to you.”
Master Guanghong reached into his sleeves.
He had hidden a few paper archer soldiers in both sleeves that were all rolled up, ready to be transformed with a wave of his hand. Yet, thinking how the two paper Yakshas had been silently destroyed that night, he dared not act rashly.
“How did you break my Yakshas' spell?”
“I'm skilled in fire magic.”
Master Guanghong's face instantly turned deathly pale.
“What do you intend to do?”
“You have been at Taian Temple for many years, possessing both skills and cultivation. Why be alarmed?” Song You smiled and then asked, “Since you can make paper Yakshas, do you also know the technique of making paper horses or donkeys?”
“Paper horses or donkeys?”
“Yes.”
“What if I do? And what if I don't?”
“If you do, I would like to learn from you.”
“And if I don't?”
It seemed he didn't.
Song You looked disappointed.
He had thought that since the monk could make paper Yakshas, he might be able to learn the technique of making paper horses from him. He would save himself a lot of effort and add to the magic repository of Hidden Dragon Temple in the future. In that case, sparing his life wouldn't be out of the question.
It was a pity.
It seemed that courtesy demanded reciprocity.
However, if I could break your spells, that is my skill. Whether you possess such skills is your own matter. Song You thought.
Song You then answered Master Guanghong's previous question, “As a Buddhist monk, you should have a heart full of benevolence and compassion. Yet, you manipulate another to wantonly steal treasures throughout the city. Not only that, you actually bore a grudge when your art of earth-traversing was foiled and sent Yakshas to cause harm. It's hard to say you are truly a Buddhist monk... I'm very curious. Facing these golden statues of Buddhas daily, don't you feel any fear?”
“Fear?” Master Guanghong forced himself to be bold, “They are merely clay statues. You and I both know, the Buddha is not here, nor is the Bodhisattva.”
“True.” Song You nodded.
The statues of gods and Buddhas were made of clay, unable to see or hear. Even if they could manifest, the world is vast, and the energy of gods and Buddhas is limited. How could they be aware of everything happening before every clay statue?
“However, it's only because no one has reported it.”
“What do you mean?”
Song You didn't answer, and only looked at the couplets on the door. Then he cupped his hands and bowed to Master Guanghong. “Take care, Master.”
Master Guanghong frowned and watched him walk away.
Just leaving like that? Or was he playing some trick?
When he recovered, he turned his head and found that they had walked to the entrance of the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Light filtered through the cracks between the roof tiles of the hall, casting narrow beams that cut through the thick layers of blue smoke in the hall, outlining clear shapes. They shone on the floor, the altar, and the golden statues. Master Guanghong then realized suddenly that those familiar golden Buddha statues seemed to have changed.
Except for the Lord of Ten Thousand Buddhas in the center, whose eyes remained lowered and whose expression remained solemn, the other Bodhisattvas, whether kindly or compassionate, all seemed to be looking at him.
The most terrifying were the guardian deities.
Originally glowering with wide eyes, now they actually seemed to be staring directly at him.
Master Guanghong's heart pounded loudly in horror and panic, the sound suddenly resembling drum beats. With each drum beat, the glowering faces of the guardian deities in his vision grew larger and closer.
In just a few breaths, those faces were right in front of him, awe-inspiring and fearsome. They seemed to be interrogating him about all the evil deeds he had done in his life.
The chanting of scriptures entered his ears.
The scriptures he used to read, the mysteries of the Buddhist doctrine he had originally disregarded suddenly all surged up.
Is this right?
Is this right?
Have you violated religious rules?
Have you ever felt at peace?
His mind raced with these thoughts. He felt as if his chest had a ball of blazing fire. Initially, it was just itchy and scorching, making him want to scratch. However, it soon became hotter and hotter. The burning sensation spread outwards from his heart until he felt unbearable all over.
“Ah!!” Master Guanghong couldn't help but scream.
Many monks, worshippers, and even some jianghu people lodging at the temple rushed over upon hearing the sound.
They saw the highly respected Master Guanghong engulfed in flames from inside out, rolling on the ground with his face twisted in agony.
He shouted, “I am guilty!”
“I know I was wrong!”
“Buddha, spare me!”
Despite his cries, the fire did not stop.
Curiously, the fire only burned his skin and flesh, not his clothes. It was as if his whole body was coated in oil and burned fiercely. In a flash, only his clothes remained in front of the hall.
Everyone present was ineffably shocked.
Some who had seen Master Guanghong walking side by side with a young worshiper earlier quickly looked for the young worshiper. They saw someone with a calico cat following behind him with small, quick steps. He had just reached the temple gate, but was gradually getting further away.
The calico cat stopped and looked back.
***
Song You returned to Tianshui Alley and coincidentally ran into Constable Luo. Constable Luo mentioned that he just happened to be looking for him, so he invited him into the courtyard.
“Mister, your courtyard wall was badly damaged last night. Were you in danger?”
“It's nothing.”
Song You smiled and waved it off, then asked first before Constable Luo could express more concern, “How did the interrogation of the earth-traversing burglar go?”
Constable Luo's eyes glimmered.
Though he didn't know whether the courtyard intruder last night was human, ghost, or demon, just looking at the traces left on the courtyard wall and rain eaves were enough to frighten him. Yet, Mr. Song seemed not to care at all and there were actually no signs of a battle or damage within the courtyard.
Was there no battle? Or were magic battles between masters like this?
Or...
As he pondered this, Constable Luo answered, “We've been interrogating him these past few days. Some of the stolen goods have been recovered. However, speaking of it, it’s quite coincidental that all we've recovered were some gold, silver, jewels, antiques, calligraphy and paintings. As for the rare medicinal herbs stashed within the houses of the nobility, they are all missing. The burglar claims he had eaten them all for cultivating the earth-traversing technique.”
Constable Luo paused, looking at Song You again, “I don't really understand this field. I don’t know if cultivators...”
“What kind of medicinal herbs?”
“Thousand year-old lingzhi[1], old mountain ginseng that’s several hundred years old, top-grade dragon bones[2], and the like. All aged herbs.”
“Impossible.”
“Then the burglar must have hidden them, or...” Constable Luo paused, then changed the subject, “Besides questioning about the stolen goods, we also asked where he learned the art of earth-traversing. He actually said he had learned it from an ancient book he found among his late grandfather's belongings.”
Every time Constable Luo spoke, he left the sentence trailing while looking at Song You.
Whether cultivators needed so many precious herbs, whether they could consume so much in a short time, and whether they could self-study such techniques were all gaps in the knowledge of an ordinary constable like him. However, wasn't there a master in front of him?
Before it was fine, but after seeing Mr. Song's courtyard wall damage this morning, he had already more or less realized that the burglar probably had someone behind the scenes.
The person behind the burglar probably came to seek revenge last night.
Song You also knew he was consulting him.
Though the art of earth-traversing had its flaws, it wasn't simple and had many subtleties. Without a relevant foundation, an ordinary person engaged in self-study would not only progress very slowly but also face danger during practice.
But Song You didn't need to explain all this to him.
“Speaking of coincidence, I visited Taian Temple today and just happened to witness a strange event I want to share with you.”
“Oh?”
Constable Luo was surprised but cupped his hands respectfully. “I'm all ears.”
“Master Guanghong whom you consulted before actually suffered spontaneous human combustion in front of the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas today at noon. While burning, he loudly confessed his sins to the Buddha and pleaded for mercy. However, the fire consumed him completely within moments, leaving not even ashes behind.” Song You smiled, “So people really shouldn't do shameful deeds. You might as well tell this story to that burglar in jail. It might move him.”
Constable Luo's eyes immediately widened, his mind racing.
After a long time, he stood up abruptly and bowed to Song You. “I understand. Thank you for your guidance.”
“You're welcome.”
“I still have official duties to attend to, so I must take my leave.”
“Take care.”
Constable Luo turned and walked out quickly and energetically, his eyes glinting.
He suddenly recalled the scene when Master Guanghong, who was rumored to have true cultivation skills, advised him to bury manure during his visit to Taian Temple a month ago. Then he remembered the nobility in the city and even many government officials visiting Taian Temple to burn incense and worship the Buddha, as well as chatting with Master Guanghong.
No wonder someone attacked Mr. Song in the night.
No wonder the person behind the burglar found out about Mr. Song's involvement in this matter so quickly.
No wonder every burglary was so precise.
No wonder…
Constable Luo had always known Mr. Song was a true master and that coming to consult him would yield results. However, he hadn't expected such significant revelations.
Thinking of this, he suddenly gritted his teeth…
That bald donkey[3] actually dared to fool him like this! Without Mr. Song's guidance, he would have remained in the dark, while that bald donkey continued to get away with it while enjoying the hospitality of the city's nobility!
Correspondingly, he felt more and more that this Mr. Song, who lived diagonally across him, was increasingly unfathomable.
1. Prized mushroom used in Traditional Chinese medicine, reputed to promote longevity. ☜
2. Fossilized bones used in Traditional Chinese medicine. ☜
3. Derogatory term for a Buddhist monk. ☜
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