Chapter 840: Chapter 803: Descending the Mountain

The sun sets in the west, and everyone descends from Yelingdu Temple and returns home.

Xiao Chong and others have just finished playing polo, accompanying Lin Wanwan.

Several people from the Qin family cannot ride horses, so as usual, they are sitting in a bull cart. Others either ride horses or donkeys, depending on their social status.

Now, little Qingyu can properly ride a pony, but just in case, the Kunlun slave Ali still leads the horse by the reins beside her.

"Cousin, do those rescued women still have a way to make a living?" Lin Wanwan walks alongside Xiao Chong. She has thought a lot about today’s human trafficking incident and has something to ask.

Xiao Chong replies indifferently, "Cousin, indeed it is difficult for women in this society. After being rescued, whether they can live well depends on their families, which is hard to predict."

Even in the open Great Tang, a woman abducted by traffickers for several days would have her reputation destroyed.

Although second or third marriages are not despised in the Great Tang, a mysterious disappearance leads to too much gossip.

Not only in the Great Tang, but even in modern times, a girl experiencing such an incident would face rumors.

Lin Wanwan ponders briefly and says to Xiao Chong, "Cousin, if those women are homeless after being rescued, please pass on a message for me to them. They can try applying to work at my Lin Family’s Embroidery Workshop. If hired, we can provide food and lodging."

Women from ordinary families in the Great Tang know embroidery, with differences only in skill levels.

Working at Lin Wanwan’s Embroidery Workshop does not lead to entering a low caste, and is similar to women weaving cloth at home to earn money.

The treatment at Lin Wanwan’s Embroidery Workshop in Wanghai Town is famously good, and many decent women wish to join, but lack connections.

Now she actively proposes this solution, which catches Xiao Chong’s attention.

He turns to look at Lin Wanwan, smiles slightly, "Good, cousin has a kind heart."

Lin Wanwan returns the smile and says no more.

This area has continuous mountains, with sparse residences under the mountain gate of Yelingdu Temple. It is a small village named Wild Ridge Village.

Wild Ridge Village is not built on flat ground; it is exactly on the plateau of another small mountain.

Everyone must walk a long way downhill to reach the actual foot of the mountain.

The villagers of Wild Ridge Village mostly rely on the temple for survival, as do the monks in the temple.

Of course, "monk" is just an honorific. In the Great Tang, not many religious people can truly be called monks. Most are referred to as novice monks, Buddhist monks, shamans, and such.

Don’t assume monks must abandon all earthly desires; this varies by region and temple. At Yelingdu Temple, nine out of ten monks are married and have children.

"Becoming a monk" for them is merely a livelihood for themselves and their families, not a dedication to Buddha.

As in later generations, in the Great Tang, monks and nuns must be certified and need the official exit permit to start their vocation.

Obtaining an official certificate requires a significant investment. After receiving it, settling in a temple to work requires a Precepts proscription acknowledging you as the temple’s disciple.

Like the official certificate, the Precepts proscription requires money; the former is paid to the government, the latter to the temple.

If you think becoming a monk is a last resort for destitute people, you are mistaken.

Penniless individuals become vagrants or beggars. Desiring to join a temple as a monk is wishful thinking.

Buddha blesses those with fate, but without "currency," how can he bless you?

Once you obtain the official exit permit, it’s like passing a civil service exam; no one easily chooses to return to secular life.

After spending so much money and effort to gain recognition, allowing global travel with this identity, who would want to abandon it?

Regular citizens are bound to their local residency by the household registration system. Traveling worldwide requires documentation from officials, which needs money and has time limits.

Without proper documentation, you become a vagrant. Legitimate inns don’t dare accommodate you. Being caught and sent back home is fortunate; often, you’re directly sent to labor camps.

Therefore, many monks study Buddhist law at the temple during the day, explain quests, and tell fortunes to pilgrims, while returning to home life with family at night.

Lin Wanwan discovered this about temple monks the last time she visited Chang’an Daxingshan Temple for meditation.

Feeling idle at the time, she wandered the temple, accidentally entering a quest room, overhearing old monks chatting casually with pilgrims about children.

She then interjected in surprise, "Children? Do religious people have children?"

Then the old monks and pilgrims simply laughed loudly, not answering but making their response clear.

During her stay at the temple, Lin Wanwan realized monks could marry, serve in government, and the temple even engaged in high-interest lending.

This led her to lose respect for so-called sacred Buddhist places.

Perhaps true monks exist, but there are also many rotten ones; they are just ordinary people.

Like today, visiting Yelingdu Temple, she offered incense but donated little incense money, much less than other noble women, feeling it was not worth it.

She mostly considers this place a tourist spot, joining Qin’s family in the temple fair to enjoy the bustle.

Why is it that leisure places in the Great Tang are concentrated in Buddhist or Daoist locales? She has no alternatives.

After passing through Wild Ridge Village’s pathways, the group reaches a valley where many people excavate busily.

Lin Wanwan curiously asks, "What are they doing?"

Xiao Chong replies, "Serving labor duty."

"Oh, it’s the annual labor duty period again," Lin Wanwan sighs, then asks, "What are they doing in the valley? Could it be building a reservoir?"

Xiao Chong praises, "Cousin is as intelligent as ever, guessing correctly. This area is near the sea, with scarce freshwater. After surveying, I found this valley suitable for a reservoir, hence started construction this year, hoping to solve Wanghai Town’s water shortage problem."

Lin Wanwan thinks for a moment, then smiles, "Since the site is at Yelingdu Temple’s foot, surely the benevolent Buddha sponsored a lot?"

Xiao Chong laughs, "You understand me well, cousin." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Watching Xiao Chong’s graceful demeanor, Lin Wanwan blushes slightly and secretly pulls the reins, gradually falling behind him.

Xiao Chong seemingly oblivious, without anyone accompanying him, continues silently on his journey.

The two groups part ways at the mountain’s foot; one heads towards Lin Family Manor, the other accelerates towards Wanghai Town.

Hong Yan wonders secretly: Xiao Mingfu hasn’t come to our Lin Mansion for meals for a long time. Since the betrothal, why does he seem distant with the lady?

Not only does Hong Yan feel surprised, but everyone serving Lin Wanwan for years knows how often Xiao Chong used to drop by for meals.

Now, after the engagement, his visits have become strangely infrequent, a curious affair indeed.