Records of the Lost Cases of Helaitang in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 259: Cloud and Water Demeanor
Meng Dalang's eyes narrowed, then his expression returned to normal, and he said, "I'm glad that you still remember what I said a few days ago. The old people in the village said that the lake was very evil, as if it could swallow things. In the past, chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs often disappeared there, and even several idle people were lost. So people in Cuihua Village basically don't go there. Over time, many people don't even know what the place is."

Xiaocai was puzzled and asked: "Why do the Li family dare to live there?"

Meng Dalang smiled mysteriously, "Lord Li is a man of great fortune, and only his family can suppress that evil spirit. Ordinary people like us should avoid it. If my father hadn't asked me to bring a gift and a few farmhands, I wouldn't dare to come to his house rashly."

Unexpectedly, Meng Dalang said this. In Wang Heng's opinion, Meng Dalang was a kind person and would not talk nonsense for no reason. Moreover, he was very attentive to the Wang brothers.

The ox cart moved slowly forward, more steadily than horse or mule carts.

Meng Dalang also asked about the progress of the murder case of Monk Guangheng and how the county government dealt with Qiu Erlang.

Wang Heng thought that the court was currently holding the trial and that he would know the verdict next month, by which time both Jubao Temple and the Qiu family in Cuihua Village would be notified.

As the sun was setting, the ox cart arrived at the foot of the mountain behind Jubao Temple. After thanking Meng Dalang for driving them there, Wang Heng and Xiaocai climbed the stairs.

The hustle and bustle of the world is gone, the trees are lush and green, and you feel cool and comfortable when you go deep into the mountains.

Xiaocai walked briskly and said with emotion: "Last month, I couldn't imagine that I could climb the mountain without breathing hard."

Wang Heng teased, "When a scholar has been away for three days, he should be looked at with new eyes."

After a while, we arrived in front of the waterfall, meandered around it, and looked up to see the waterfall viewing pavilion.

The two of them hurried forward, and two young monks appeared from nowhere. They turned out to be Wufa and Wuding. They put their hands together and said, "Donor."

"Two young masters, what are you waiting for us for?" Wang Heng said with a smile.

Wu Fa said, "My fellow monk is now working for the abbot. The abbot asked about the two donors today and said that he had not seen you two for a few days."

Xiaocai asked, "Did Mr. Zhang ask you to come and call for help?"

Wu Ding said hurriedly: "No, no, I just had nothing to do, so I came here to take a look."

I guess the two young monks were afraid that Mr. Zhang would blame them for wandering around, so they came to inform them.

Wang Heng asked, "Where is Mr. Zhang studying now?"

Wufa said, "Before I left, the abbot was reading in the Sutra Library."

Zhang Xiru is a top-notch bookworm who won't stop reading until the lights are on.

When the Wang brothers arrived, Wufa and Wuding no longer looked at them and followed them back to the temple.

Xiaocai said: "Where were the two young masters just now? How come I turned around and saw you two?"

Wu Ding said, "No, no, I was standing in the waterfall viewing pavilion when I saw the donor coming from the foot of the mountain from a distance."

Wang Heng turned around and went back to the waterfall viewing pavilion to take a closer look. The pavilion was surrounded by green shade, and one could clearly see the mountain below, but the pedestrians at the foot of the mountain could hardly see what was going on in the pavilion.

Arriving at the pavilion from the waterfall, the path was winding, and there were many pines and cypresses planted on the hillside, so that you could reach the pavilion right after turning around the bend. Wang Heng was thinking deeply, and his brows were knitted unconsciously.

Xiaocai wanted to say something but stopped himself. Seeing Wufa and Wuding following behind him, he held back and remained silent.

As he stepped into the mountain gate, he just saw Jinyang Jun Li Fu coming out from the direction of the Sutra Repository. He greeted him and said that he would go to pay his respects to Mr. Zhang first and would have something to say to him when he returned to the villa. Then Li Fu left.

Not far to the east from the mountain gate, the Sutra Repository comes into view.

The young monk Wuming was meditating on the first floor. When he saw everyone coming, he said that Mr. Zhang was reading alone on the third floor of the Sutra Repository. Wang Heng and Xiaocai walked up the stairs, while Wufa and Wuding stayed downstairs with Wuming.

The light on the third floor of the Sutra Repository was dim. Zhang Xiru sat upright, reading the sutra intently.

Seeing the two young men coming upstairs, Zhang Xiru waved his hand to signal them to sit on both sides. He respectfully flipped through the last two pages, put the scripture back in its place, and then said, "Today, Zhu Ting sent someone to deliver a letter to me. He has recruited many students to join the Xing Society in Zhejiang, and feels that the time has come to hold a Xing Society meeting in Zhejiang. He plans to host a few days in his newly built villa in Yuanhu, Xiuzhou, and asked me to go over to boost morale. Da Zun, Chongguang and the others are all going to Yuanhu, so I think I should still take you two with me. You can be my book boys and help me with some chores. What do you think?"

Wu Zhuting, Chen Dazun and Zhang Xiru are known as the Three Phoenixes of Wumen. The poet Wen Chongguang also met them in Yunjian. I wonder if he found Xiao Cuibao later.

Wang Heng thought for a moment and said, "The holiday has already passed for more than ten days. Will we have enough time to go to Xiuzhou?"

Xiaocai made his attitude clear: "I am an idle person, I will follow the arrangements of Brother Qi."

Zhang Xiru said, "We will go down the mountain in three days, return to our residence, rest for one night, and board a ship at Longjiangguan Wharf the next morning. We will reach Xiuzhou in five or six days at most, stay in Yuanhu Villa for four or five days, and then buy a boat to return to Nanjing. There will definitely be enough time. If you are determined, I will take a message to Lao Zhang and ask him to hire a passenger ship to go south in four days."

Wang Heng knew that transportation between the north and the south was inconvenient, and it was common for students of the Imperial College to go back to their hometowns for more than ten days or half a month. He smiled and said, "Then let's go and experience the misty rain of Yuanhu Lake. I heard that the rice dumplings in Xiuzhou are unique, and Mr. Zhuting's villa is another unique one."

Zhang Xiru also smiled and said, "Zhu Ting's family is wealthy, and his cook is famous for his good food. We are in for a treat."

Wang Heng added, "There is one more thing I want to report. Xiaocai and I just returned to the temple from Cuihua Village at the foot of the mountain. Mr. Li, the father of Li Shanmin, a classmate of Zhengyi Hall, is celebrating his birthday tomorrow. He has invited Xiaocai and I to a banquet. We will go there before noon tomorrow."

"Is it the famous Li Dushi?" Zhang Xiru thought carefully: "When you went to Jubao Mountain, you didn't bring much luggage. Do you have any birthday gifts?"

The two brothers looked at each other and forgot about it. They couldn't find a suitable gift for a while.

Zhang Xiru thought for a moment and said, "How about this? I'll write a calligraphy for you, and then ask the monks in the kitchen to make twenty birthday peaches tomorrow morning. That's acceptable."

The pens, ink, paper and inkstone were all ready. Zhang Xiru wrote a banner, which was not original, but used the auspicious words "the elegance of clouds and water, the integrity of pine and cypress".

As Xiaocai put away the banner, he casually said, "Mr. Zhang, Mrs. Liu who performed a ritual at Jubao Temple a few days ago is a cousin of the Li family. I heard Li Shanmin call her Miss Xu. Mrs. Liu's maiden name is Xu."

Speaking of the beautiful widow, Zhang Xiru's face turned a little embarrassed, and he nodded and said, "Mother Le's maiden name seems to be Xu."

Xiaocai said, "Mrs. Liu will also go to the Li residence to celebrate the birthday tomorrow."

Mr. Zhang hesitated for a few words, called Wuming upstairs, and told him to go to the kitchen and ask the cook to make twenty birthday peaches the next morning and put them in a basket for the Wang brothers.

When the dinner bell rang, Wang Heng and Xiaocai said they were having lunch in another courtyard, so they said goodbye to Mr. Zhang and went downstairs.