Records of the Lost Cases of Helaitang in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 15 Visiting Cuiping Nunnery at Night

After two rounds of deliberation, Zhuge Xian, a young and good-hearted member of the Sixth Order, volunteered to take four villagers and accompany Mr. Wei and others to the nunnery overnight.

Zhuge Bojun was in weak health and was not suitable for traveling at night. Everyone advised him not to go there in person, so he sent a housekeeper from his family to go with him. This Xiang mother was about fifty, well behaved, spoke very fluently, and was quite healthy. Mr. Wei felt that the presence of an elderly woman would be helpful for their group to successfully go to the nunnery to meet Miss Zhang, so he readily agreed to let her join the team.

When a group of people were lingering on the Cuiping Mountain Road, the night had completely fallen, and the surroundings were completely black.

The two villagers each held an oil lamp in front of the battle, and they could still vaguely recognize it under their feet. Mother Xiang held a small glazed palace lantern in her hand. I don’t know what kind of lighting it was used for, but it was much brighter than those two oil lamps. , Mr. Wei knew that it was a secret method of his Zhuge family, so he didn't ask much.

Wang Cai cheered up, crossed his hands to support his elbows, and said, "It's quite cold at night in the mountains. This is my first time climbing a mountain road at night. It's very interesting."

Wang Heng said: "No, I feel nervous and excited at the same time. I feel that the mystery is about to be solved."

Zhuge Xian smiled and said: "Brother Xiaocai, if you walk around for a while, your body will be active and you won't be cold anymore. But you have to pay attention to your steps. Although the stone steps on the mountain road are pretty good, you city people are no better than us." Country people walk a lot at night, so you have to take your time."

Only then did Wang realize that he had good intentions, and he was more careful in his approach.

Just after climbing over a steep slope, Zhuge Xian called out: "Everyone, be careful, there is a big pool ahead."

Seven or eight three-foot-square bluestones lie across the large pool, forming a stone road. After crossing these large stones, there are stone steps leading up the mountain.

When we walked here, there was no trace of the heavy rain in the afternoon. The bluestone was very dry, with no traces of water or mud.

It was vaguely visible that the gurgling water only covered less than half of the bluestone, and everyone stepped over it.

The mountain road is rugged and the climb is tiring, especially for the three city dwellers mentioned in Zhuge Xian's mouth.

Once the freshness wore off, Wang Cai was simply exhausted.

"How high is this Cuiping Mountain?" Wang Cai gasped. Seeing that Zhuge Xian and the others looked at ease, and even the oldest Xiang Mama was walking as usual, he couldn't complain.

Zhuge Xian heard the elegant meaning of Xiange and comforted him: "Brother Xiaocai, we'll get there in a little while. Cuiping Nunnery is already halfway up the mountain, so there's no need to climb to the top."

Wang Cai and the other two were overjoyed. Wang Heng's physical strength was about the same as that of Xiao Cai. He was out of breath for a long time. Everyone was here to help him, so he could barely hold on.

Mr. Wei is a little older and taller. He only holds a pen all year round and has little strength in his hands and feet. This climb almost exhausted his energy.

After hearing this, Mr. Wei became very energetic and spoke to the two disciples in a Taicang folk talk: "How shameful!" Everyone tried their best to move forward.

After walking a little further, bean-like lights emerged among the rocks, and the faint scent of Buddha spread into the mouths and noses of everyone.

"This is it." Xiang's mother said.

The dark mountain gate stands on the hill. The cold wind of autumn night blows, and the rustle of dead leaves falling to the ground is infinitely lonely.

Mother Xiang walked up the steps and clicked the door knocker several times.

Thinking that the cultivators in the mountain had gone to bed early, Mother Xiang shouted several times into the nunnery, and then there was some movement at the mountain gate, the sound of soft footsteps, and then a dim firelight lit up in the crack of the door.

"Who is it?" An old and vague voice sounded from the door.

"The Zhuge family in Gaolong Village at the foot of the mountain would like to see the head of the family, Jingxu."

With a creak, the mountain door opened a crack, and a Buddha-like person stuck out half of his face and looked at the group of people suspiciously.

Mother Xiang stepped forward and said, "Ah Li, I am A Xiang from the Zhuge family."

She pointed at Zhuge Xian and said, "My sixth master would like to see Mr. Jingxu to discuss important matters."

"Oh, it's Axiang." Seeing that he was a regular customer, Buddha's expression became much more relaxed, and he opened the mountain door and invited everyone in.

Because it was a nunnery and it was night, Mother Xiang whispered to Zhuge Xian, and Zhuge Xian ordered four villagers to guard the mountain gate. "Exceptor Zhuge, please come here and sit for a while." The old Buddha asked them to the guest room, poured a cup of tea with them, and then turned around to report to Master Jingxu.

Although the pottery is rough, the tea is very useful to travelers.

Mr. Wei glanced around the room lightly. The furnishings were simple and clean. On the wall hung a fish basket statue of Guanyin, with ink stains dripping from the dust.

It seems like a place for spiritual cultivation.

After a while, the Buddha came back following an old nun in Ziyi. Mother Xiang stood up and blessed her, saying, "Sorry to bother you, Mr. Jingxu, my sixth master has something important to tell you."

When the old nun saw that it was Zhuge Xian, he was confused and couldn't help but look sideways for a long time. "Almsgiver Zhuge, I came to visit you at night. What do you want to teach me?"

Zhuge Xian bowed and saluted, pretending to be mature and said: "Master Tai, I shouldn't have visited at night. I'll offend you so much. I also want to ask Miss Zhang, who is practicing in the nunnery, to come out. If I have anything important to do, I can see her."

"Miss Zhang." Old nun Jingxu frowned, stopped talking, paused, and told the Buddha, "Please invite her to come."

After waiting for a long time, Miss Zhang didn't come.

The old Buddhist woman came to reply: "Miss Zhang has been settled. She has been feeling a little uncomfortable since the weather has been cold and dry. Please ask the donors to come back after a while."

Zhuge Xian then gave a brief introduction to Mr. Wei and the other three: "These three are all sent by the county government. Because they are involved in an important case in the county, Miss Zhang must come out for questioning."

Master Jingxu was so shocked that she almost dropped the futon from the teacup in her hand.

Although Cuiping Nunnery is said to be a place of ascetic cultivation in the mountains, it is also supported by the secular world, so it is naturally not completely isolated from worldly affairs.

Youdao is the magistrate of the exterminated family. She knew the seriousness of the matter. She stood up and said to everyone: "Donor, please wait a moment. I will go and call Miss Zhang."

After a while, the sound of walking came, two slightly heavier footsteps stopped outside Zhi Ke Hall, and another light voice pushed open the wooden door.

What came in was a smart and pretty girl. She was dressed in a purple dress, lowering her head and sitting on the futon silently.

Mr. Wei was the first to break the silence and said: "Miss Zhang, let me ask you, on the afternoon of August [-]th last month, have you seen a young scholar wearing a lake blue silk shirt? He should have been in your hometown at that time. At home."

The girl raised her head, was silent for a long time, and then said coldly: "Speaking of which, there was such a thing. That day when I went home to worship my ancestors, I met a scholar who got lost. It seemed that he was wearing lake blue clothes."

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Sure enough, they were connected.

Mr. Wei asked: "That scholar, did you see where he went?"

The girl's eyes were filled with frost, and she said: "On the evening of August [-]th, when I returned to my old house in Zhuanhuan, I saw the scholar following me. I just thought that the scholar was lost, and I didn't know where he wanted to go. That day suddenly It rained heavily, and the water in the big pool on the hillside was flowing rapidly. I heard the scholar in front of me scream in surprise, and when I turned around, I saw him missing his foot and being swept away by the current. "

"Ah." Everyone was surprised.

Wang Cai always had a sense of justice and said: "You girl has such a hard heart. If a big living person falls into the water, you don't dare to save him. You should call the village man to save him, or sue Master Jingxu." Arrange manpower, but everyone ran away like nothing happened."

The girl showed a hint of sarcasm and said: "I am just like a prisoner in the village. I have too much time to take care of myself, so how can I help others." She glanced at Zhuge Xian, showing an endless sense of alienation.

Zhuge Xianchi was still young and ignorant. Mr. Wei watched with cold eyes and only remembered it secretly.

"You." Xiaocai was speechless for a moment and was speechless.

The girl's face was cold, she pulled back her crotch as a courtesy and left.

I'm afraid no one has ever seen such a cold-hearted person. Mr. Wei exchanged opinions with everyone. If Miss Zhang's words were true, there was no need to ask further, so he said goodbye to Master Jingxu and left the nunnery.

(End of this chapter)