Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 57 Maggots
Taoist Priest Xuanji stood up, bowed deeply, and said with a righteous look on his face, "Second Young Master, I dare not embezzle this golden tray. When I have enough, I will definitely build a golden statue for the mountain god. The fruits and offerings will also be distributed to the villagers to accumulate good deeds."

Su Zhan chuckled lightly: "You are quite selfless, sir. After all these days of trouble, you haven't gained anything at all?"

Taoist Priest Xuanji said with a solemn expression, "I am not a worldly person. A meal and a roof over my head are enough for me. Moreover, if the mountain god does not show up, I will not accept any money for these tributes. Rest assured, my lords."

Su Zhan sneered, nodded and said, "You are honest and trustworthy!"

Taoist Xuanji said: "I dare not, I dare not..."

Yan Mingzhang stood up and asked, "The patient is unable to move and needs to be carried here. I wonder where we should place him?"

Taoist Priest Xuanji said, "Just place it in the main hall. The Mountain God will not treat ordinary illnesses! Only this kind of near-death illness will the Mountain God mercifully treat."

Yan Mingzhang apologized, "Because this matter is of great importance, I need to report it to my mother. I hope the Taoist priest will forgive me."

The god-level Taoist priest waved his hand and said, "Of course, your Excellency need not worry. However, the Mountain God cannot be invited over at any time. I hope your Excellency will make a decision soon."

Everyone bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Taoist Priest!"

Taoist Priest Xuanji escorted everyone out of the temple and watched them leave.

----

Seeing that they were walking away, Su Zhan nudged Yan Mingzhang with his elbow and said with a smile, "Brother, what do you think?"

Yan Mingzhang smiled and said to Rong Wanyin, "What does our little sister think?"

Rong Wanyin rolled her eyes at them both. "He's not even here, yet he's taking advantage of me! What can I say? He's definitely a liar. I just can't understand how he can actually heal people. If he can't, how does he make any money? How dare he stay in this mountain temple? Isn't he afraid that those scapegoats will come and cause trouble for him?"

Yan Mingzhang subconsciously touched the knife marks on the jade flute with his fingers. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "If I could see those patients who were cured, perhaps I could get some clues."

Rong Wanyin nodded in agreement and continued, "Did you smell any strange smell when you entered the main hall? It's a bit like... um... camphor wood."

Su Zhan smiled and said, "Do you think everyone's nose is like yours, as sensitive as a dog's? There are wooden statues of mountain gods in the temple, so it's not surprising that there is a scent of camphor wood!"

Rong Wanyin shook her head and said firmly, "No, it's not the mountain god statue's scent. I went around to smell it, and the scent there is lighter. It's in the main hall, like the scent of new camphor wood. I think I've smelled this scent somewhere before, but I can't remember where. ... Oh, it's a bit like the scent on that woman, but I didn't smell it clearly just now, so I can't be sure."

Yan Mingzhang thought for a moment, recalling the scene just now, and said, "I just noticed that there are some very fine sawdust on the floor of the main hall, as if it were left over from some repairs. However, the Buddha statue and pillars must have been repaired at least a year ago. How could they not be cleaned up?"

Su Zhan joked, "Do you think he would use wood to repair people?"

Yan Mingzhang didn't laugh. Instead, he thought seriously for a while and said, "Is there such a thing as using wood to repair people?" Rong Wanyin followed beside him thoughtfully, without saying a word.
-
When the group returned to the inn, they saw the old man sitting absent-mindedly on a stone bench in the yard, picking beans.

Rong Wanyin greeted him happily: "Uncle, what's for lunch today?"

The old man came back to his senses and said, "Ah, let's eat stone pancakes and stir-fry some side dishes."

Rong Wanyin tilted her head and asked, "What is a stone pancake? I've never eaten it before!"

The old man put down the beans in his hand, stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and said with a smile: "It's just to put the kneaded dough on the hot stone and bake it. It's very crispy when it's cooked! I've already kneaded the dough, and we can eat soon."

Rong Wanyin cheered and offered to help. The old man couldn't refuse and had to agree. Yan Mingzhang also stayed to help. The other three exchanged glances and quietly withdrew.

A pot full of black pebbles is washed clean and then heated in a large pot. Then the prepared cakes are placed on the stones one by one and covered with black pebbles heated in another pot. The cakes are baked with the heat of the stones. The baked cakes are crispy, salty and fragrant, with pits on them, which is different from other cakes and very unique.

The old man prepared the pancakes and stacked them on the rocks. Rong Wanyin enthusiastically took the large shovel and spread the rocks over the pancakes. Once the pancakes were cooked, she dug them out like treasure. Rong Wanyin couldn't wait to dig one out, blowing on it as she tore off a corner of the cooled pancake and popped it into her mouth. "Delicious! So crispy!"

Seeing Rong Wanyin eating so heartily, the old man smiled broadly: "If you like it, eat more... My daughter is about your age. When she was little, she loved the stone pancakes I made. Like you, she would always wait beside me while I made them and couldn't wait to eat them. I miss you so much..."

Rong Wanyin broke off a piece and put it in her mouth, then broke off another piece and put it in Yan Mingzhang's mouth. Yan Mingzhang, who was turning over stones, was caught off guard and choked, coughing a few times.

Rong Wanyin glanced at Yan Mingzhang apologetically, then quickly patted him on the back to help him calm down. She then handed him a glass of water. Seeing that Yan Mingzhang was feeling better, she started chatting with the old man again: "Old man, where's your daughter? Why don't I see her?"

The old man was a little sad, and it was obvious that he missed his daughter: "She should have married earlier, and married to the neighboring village. We country kids get married early."

Rong Wanyin stopped what she was doing and said, "Uncle, if you miss her, just go see her. Isn't she in the neighboring village?"

The old man's movements faltered, his eyes reddened, and he choked out a sob, "...I'm afraid she will never forgive me in this lifetime..."

Rong Wanyin wanted to comfort him but didn't know where to start. She opened her mouth and said, "What happened?..."

The old man muttered to himself, "It's no big deal. It's my own choice. Sometimes I wonder if I made the wrong choice..." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and forced a smile, "Forget it, let's not talk about those unhappy things. Let's call everyone to dinner. It's time to eat."

The old man went to clean the stove, turned his back to the two of them, and secretly wiped away his tears.

Rong Wanyin and Yan Mingzhang looked at each other in bewilderment. Rong Wanyin pulled Yan Mingzhang aside and whispered, "The old man also has that camphorwood scent, but it's very faint, much fainter than that woman and the temple."

Yan Mingzhang also whispered, "Are you sure?"