Legacy of the old dynasty

Chapter 36

Who knew that when the two came back, what they saw was a different scene.

After Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling went down the mountain, they didn't dare to delay, went to pick up the painting first, then went back to the inn to check out and pick up their luggage.It was already dark when we were about to go up the mountain.Fortunately, the moonlight was good, and the two of them walked up the mountain along the path, because they felt much more relaxed in their hearts, and they didn't feel tired anymore, so they had some fun.

Halfway up the mountain, there were small and noisy human voices coming along with the wind, Zhang Qiling felt that something was wrong, and couldn't help walking a few steps.It's a surprise when you turn a corner.I saw the Nine Buddha Temple on the top of the mountain was full of flames, which almost dyed half of the sky red.

The gate of the Nine Buddha Temple was wide open, and there was chaos everywhere. There were cries and shouts, and some people tried to put out the fire with buckets of water. It is a drop in the bucket.The two were extremely anxious, not to mention hearing the monks in the temple say that the fire started from the back mountain.

The back mountain seemed to be a sea of ​​flames, and the second uncle's house was completely burned, and even with the ignited mountain fire, people could not move forward at all.Wu Xie almost carried it back in one breath, and immediately rushed in to find someone regardless, but was hugged tightly by Zhang Qiling.

"I want to see people when I live, and I want to see corpses when I die. I won't go!" Wu Xie's eyes were red, and his voice was hoarse because he shouted too hard. He patted Zhang Qiling and strangled his arm, still unwilling to leave.Just hearing a "boom", the beams in the house were cut off by the fire, and the whole house completely collapsed.A heat wave hit suddenly, Zhang Qiling hurriedly protected the person in his arms, and retreated towards the gate.

The crowd now retreated to an open space outside the door, and there were also many burnt monks lying on the ground moaning in pain.Wu Xie looked at each of them carefully, but none of them were his second uncle, and his heart was almost desperate.I don't know how many thoughts passed through my mind at that moment, and then I felt a dull pain in my heart after a while, making him unable to stand still.As soon as his legs went limp, he sat on the ground and hugged Zhang Qiling's legs. He was silent at first, and finally burst into tears.

Zhang Qiling was also very sad in his heart, but he still wanted to appease Wu Xie, so he had no choice but to hold on.When the two of them were falling into grief and couldn't extricate themselves, a voice suddenly came from behind, "Xiao Xie?"

Wu Xie raised her head upon hearing the sound, and called out "Second Uncle?" in disbelief.

Wu Erbai's daily routine is very regular, monks pay attention to not eating after lunch, but he can't be regarded as a serious monk, so he still has to eat dinner, and he also has to do evening classes, and then he goes to bed and rests.But today was unusual, because Wu Xie and the others came and said those words again, which made him not very full for dinner, and he couldn't get into meditation when he was meditating.Being hungry is one thing, and thinking about painting is another, so when it was time to go to bed, I didn't stay in the house, but ran to the mountain gate and waited for Wu Xie and the others to go up the mountain.

When the cold wind blows at the mountain gate, I feel even more hungry, so I go to the dining hall to find something to eat.After rummaging through the box and chest, I only found a few rice crackers, and while I was eating, I heard someone yelling that they were on fire.

When others were in the Zhaitang, their first reaction was to carry a bucket to put out the fire, and when they rushed to the yard, they found that the direction of the fire was their own abode, and they felt cold for a while.

The fire started for no reason, if he was resting in the room at this moment, he would have already died without a place to bury him.As if in a single thought, life and death passed by.

Now the description of the three of them is in a state of embarrassment.The stewards in the temple counted the number of people, and let all those who can move go to the back mountain to fight the wildfire.The situation was urgent and there was no time to say anything more, Zhang Qiling untied the painting box on his back and handed it to Wu Erbai, leaving him to look at the painting, and Wu Xie and himself went to the back mountain to fight the fire.

It wasn't until dawn that the fire was brought under control.In the middle of the night, the person who went down the mountain to report the news came back and brought many villagers with him.Only half of the mountain was burned away, but the Nine Buddha Temple was burnt to the ground, and all four of them were empty.

In this way, Wu Erbai lost his shelter again, so he had to go down the mountain with the two of them.

After staying in the inn for a few days, Zhang Qiling rented a secluded yard in the town, bought some daily utensils, hired a fast-footed old woman to cook, and the three of them moved there.After all, there are so many people in the inn that they dare not take out the paintings, let alone imitate them.And Wu Erbai is used to being quiet, he can't sleep at night in the inn, not to mention calming down.

Gradually, there were many rumors and different opinions about the strange fire in Nine Buddha Temple.What's more, it was said that the fire was set by Widow Li's son.Wu Xie was already skeptical about this matter, but when he heard this statement again, he couldn't sit still and insisted on asking his second uncle for clarification.

After Wu Erbai sat down on the desk, he didn't feel annoyed after listening to it, his hand holding the pen didn't shake at all, and after finishing the strokes in one go, he smiled and said, "Do you believe the rumors?"

"But those people spread the word, saying that Widow Li's son hated you for ruining his mother's reputation, and lost the chastity archway that he almost got. .”

"Since that's the case, why didn't the government go to arrest people? The reward notice on the gate of the city doesn't look good."

Wu Xie said angrily: "No matter what, you can't escape the matter of Widow Li. Well, why bother to provoke the widow..."

Wu Erbai didn't argue, just smiled and said: "You only know one thing, not the other. Widow Li has worked hard to raise her children for decades, and she has worked hard without credit. Now her son has become an official, but for a memorial archway You plan to make your own mother a widow for the rest of your life, tell me, what is the reason for that?"

Where did Wu Xie know the hidden story behind these things, so he listened to his second uncle continue to talk.

"Widow Li had intended to remarry a long time ago, and she was interested in her son's husband. The husband had lost his wife for many years, and he also liked Widow Li. But this son was unwilling no matter what. He felt that women should obey three virtues and four virtues, and stick to one for the rest of their lives. , remarriage is indecent, it will shame your own face, and you will not agree with anything, and ask the court to ask for a chastity archway..."

Hearing this, Wu Xie couldn't help asking: "How did you know these things?"

"Widow Li came to the Nine Buddhas Courtyard to burn incense every meeting. She told the Bodhisattva, and I heard it."

Wu Xie sneered and said, "Then Widow Li is seeking benevolence."

Wu Erbai just shook his head and didn't care about it.