Siniang sighed,

picked up the third account book again.

...

"Master, this is Snow Sea Pass. Look, they are busy with construction, and the people are living in hardship!"

"Slap!"

The old monk gave his disciple a flick on the head.

The young monk covered his bald head, feeling very wronged.

"Liaofan, I've told you to read more books, but not to believe everything you read."

"But it's clear here that…"

"Just because they're building doesn't mean the people are suffering. Look, the people here are working hard, but there's no sign of despair on their faces. It's a clear manifestation of hope within them."

Hope within, the Buddha here, can be understood as hope.

"But all people suffer. How can you drive them to labor like this…"

Upon hearing this, Kongyuan Monk intended to give another flick, but seeing his disciple still covering his head, he had no choice but to bend down and give a hard slap on the disciple's butt.

"Ow!"

Liaofan, the young monk, covered his buttocks, feeling even more wronged.

"What's the point of arguing with your master? If everyone were to practice and worship Buddha, who would farm for us? Who would build the Buddha halls? Who would sculpt the Buddha statues?

The Buddhist path is austere, but when you precede hardship with 'austere,' it doesn't seem so hard; rather, it becomes a kind of sentiment."

"Master, you're distorting Buddhist teachings."

"You and I are both Buddhas; all living beings are Buddhas. Where is the one true Buddha?"

"Master, I can't out-talk you."

"Then mind your words. Look at those armored soldiers patrolling there, and over there, the tents of the barbarians, and at the mountain foot over there, all wild people slaves.

This Lord Pingye is destined to be a fierce character. Once inside, if you speak recklessly, don't think they'll excuse you because you're young and cute."

"Master, your disciple understands."

"Good, now go deliver the Certificate of Ordination."

"But there's no temple here?"

"Since we're here, the temple arrives with us."

"But the Certificate of Ordination is issued by the Chu State's government office. We're recognized as monks by them, taking their certificate to Yan lands, aren't you afraid…"

"This means we represent Chu region monks, coming to seek refuge in the true Yan."

"…" Liaofan, the young monk.

"Why aren't you going yet?"

"Master, you're really shameless."

"Go for your master!"

Kongyuan Monk kicked him forward.

...

"Master."

"Back so soon?"

"Yes, your disciple asked, that government servant said, Earl's Mansion here indeed accepts people like us spiritual types."

"Spiritual types, huh? Spiritual types, huh!"

Another two flicks to Liaofan's head, visible red marks appeared.

"Master, that's what they said."

"Is there vegetarian food?"

"Meals and accommodations are provided."

"Where is it?"

"A place called Temple Terrace in the city."

"Let's go."

"But they called us spiritual types."

"But master is hungry!"

Kongyuan Monk led the young monk to enter Snow Sea Pass. They faced no obstruction entering the city gate, and after entering, smelling the scents wafting from the shops around, the bellies of the two monks started reciting scriptures.

However, the government office called Temple Terrace is near the north gate, so the master and disciple had quite a distance to walk. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

At this time,

a group of children ran past in formation, about eight hundred of them, all boys aged thirteen or fourteen, wearing uniform gray training suits, with identical boots on their feet.

Leading them was a captain dressed in armor, leading this group of boys in their run.

Witnessing the scene, Kongyuan Monk instinctively stopped, watching the children run past one by one.

"Master, I'm hungry."

Liaofan, the young monk, urged the old monk to hurry to eat vegetarian food.

Kongyuan Monk smacked his lips, saying:

"That's interesting, those eight hundred kids who just passed, do you see anything about them?"

"See what?"

"They carry an air of hostility."

"Silly and foolish?"

"Bang!"

Another flick was made.

"Ouch!"

"It's hostility, hostility! Ancestors have spirits; descendants offer blood sacrifices to their ancestors; ancestors protect their descendants. It's the essential relationship between yin and yang."

"What's so unusual about that, Master? Everyone has ancestors."

"This is different. These children are different. You should study more, look more, all you do is eat, look at your lack of ambition."

"What mysterious talk." At this time, a laborer pushing a cart passed by and laughed with the monk: "Those kids earlier are from the study society's charity hall. They were all orphans taken in by Earl's Mansion before. Later, soldiers died without heirs, so the compensation money was donated to schools, picking a child from the orphans to change their surname and be adopted.

You're right that they are orphans, indeed with no parents, but in their homes, they all have ancestral tablets."

Hearing this, Kongyuan Monk pondered: "No wonder, no wonder."

"Hehe, you two monks heading to Temple Terrace?" The laborer asked.

"Exactly."

"You can only go to Temple Terrace. Elsewhere in Snow Sea Pass, you won't get a meal. We don't feed idle people in Snow Sea Pass; if you want to be idle, there's no food for you.

Earl's Mansion allows paper burning and memorial service but doesn't allow monks and Taoists to manage affairs. Catch one, and they'll arrest one, saying it's to eradicate feudal superstitions."