I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 265 The Monk and the Crown Prince

The morning sun shone on the roof tiles, and birds chirped on the branches.

Just as dawn was breaking, the families in the neighborhood had already begun their day. Hearing the dawn drumbeats, they yawned as they crawled out of their blankets, put on their clothes, and waded through the puddles to fetch water for washing.

People gradually gathered around the well, chatting as they queued up.

A man rubbed his eyes and flicked away the eye discharge. He mentioned the terrifying thunder from the previous night.

"The thunder last night last night lasted all night long, making people's ears ring."

"I wonder which unlucky person got struck by lightning."

"It's been so loud all night long. My kid asked me this morning why the thunder stopped. How would I know?"

When the thunder from last night was mentioned, a woman nearby complained.

"The thunder was terrifying. I urged my husband to hold the melon trellis down firmly so it wouldn't be blown away by the wind. But he acted like he didn't hear me. In the end, I had to move a few stones to weigh it down."

Seeing that it was almost her turn to fetch water, the woman quickly stepped forward and took a few quick steps.

The other neighbors nodded in agreement.

"You bet it's creepy..."

"The thunder was so real, it was as if it were exploding right next to my ear, it was frighteningly close."

"I thought this rain would last for days, but luckily it only lasted one night. The rain stopped before dawn, so it didn't interfere with our work. God is really kind."

The neighbors chatted amongst themselves.

As dawn broke, more and more people came to fetch water, all talking about the thunder and the heavy rain of the previous night.

A neighbor's gaze swept across the neighborhood and streets. He looked mysteriously at an old house in the distance and suddenly said:

"Hey, did you guys see that?"

"It seems that someone has moved into that house again."

The murmurs immediately subsided.

Someone said, "I saw it yesterday. In the afternoon, some workers from the East Market came in to move things. They moved things very quickly, and they finished moving everything in less than half an hour."

"You said..."

"How many days can this family stay?"

The neighbors started gossiping about it.

Some people who didn't quite understand were dragged along and told in detail how haunted the house was. Two families had lived in that house before; one died, and the other went insane. It had been vacant for several years. It's unclear whether the new residents were deceived by a broker or simply incredibly brave.

"I remember the wealthy family. They went mad after living there for less than two months. I heard that the scholar originally wanted to take the imperial examinations in Chang'an, and maybe he could even pass the exams for four subjects!"

"It's a pity."

The neighbors sighed.

They were a mix of curiosity, sympathy, and a desire to see what would happen.

The family living in the haunted house remained quiet throughout.

Some people like to inquire, so they deliberately waited a while longer by the well, but even after a quarter of an hour, they still didn't see the family get up to draw water.

The man pondered to himself.

Could it be that the negative energy in the house has taken effect and caused the new neighbor to fall ill?

He shook his head, swaying as he carried the water buckets on his shoulder pole back home. As he passed the house, he quickened his pace and didn't dare to look inside too much, for fear of being tainted by the evil energy.

It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky, around 9 AM.

Then one person pushed open the door and slowly walked out.

The man was young, handsome, and dressed like a scholar.

He found a steamed bun stall and sat down. It was the end of July, and there were still plenty of vegetables for sale. He ordered a bowl of meat steamed buns, a plate of amaranth, and a plate of eggplant with sauce.

The surrounding stall owners had been watching for a while, and finally, one of them became curious and started asking around.

"Is this a newly moved-in family, young master?"

Jiang She nodded.

The crowd looked at him strangely. The stall owner paused, then deliberately served the man a larger portion of amaranth, handing it to him and asking with a smile:

"Have you been staying comfortably these past two days, my lord?"

Jiang She thought back for a moment.

"is acceptable."

The stall owner added, "The thunder was quite loud last night. Did you hear anything else, sir?"

"No."

The stall owner hesitated, looking the young man up and down. He paused, unsure whether to speak or not, worried the young man might not believe him. After much deliberation, he could only repeat, "Young master, please eat more."

Someone nearby tentatively asked.

"Does the young master live alone?"

"A few more people." Jiang She smiled, a hint of pride that others couldn't see. "I was the first one up."

Everyone was surprised.

It's already past 9 AM, and you're still the first one up? How lazy must this new neighbor be?

Lazy people might be blessed; they might even live a decade or two longer.

……

……

Over here in Shengpingfang, some people are eating steamed buns and chatting with their new neighbors.

In the distant imperial city, some people were already drinking bitter tea, sitting on prayer cushions, and being invited to preach to dignitaries.

The prince treated the monks with great courtesy.

During this time, there have been many rumors in the capital that Master Yan's destiny is very precious and that he is a true master, so his lifespan is difficult to see. That is why the sorcerer Xing Hepu vomited blood when he tried to predict his fate.

The prince and the monk discussed the matter and were impressed by the monk's profound understanding of Buddhism. They had a very pleasant conversation.

He has been feeling down lately.

there are many reasons.

First, with the emperor's birthday approaching, the palace banquet was extremely extravagant, which was not a sign of a clean and upright country. Second, the banquet was organized by Consort Wu Hui, while his birth mother was increasingly neglected.

Furthermore, his father increasingly favored Consort Wu Hui's son, showering him with far more affection than the Crown Prince himself…

Even if he is the crown prince, enjoying all the riches and honors in the world.

Living in this world also has many troubles.

It was only when discussing Buddhist or Taoist teachings with monks, people who seemed to live outside the world, that the prince felt lighter and less burdened.

Crown Prince Li Ying slowly exhaled.

He said with emotion:

"It's so good to be like a monk, free from all attachments and desires, and naturally free from all worries."

The monk couldn't help but smile.

"Life begins with crying and lamenting. Even a monk cannot be without worries."

The prince was curious.

What are the monk's troubles?

He observed that this eminent monk was not someone who desired wealth and luxury.

The emperor bestowed upon him a luxurious house, but he rarely went there, spending most of his time in the Buddhist hall. Now, some people respect and honor him, calling him a Dharma Master, but the high monk remains unchanged. He would even give up his own steamed bun to the most lowly beggar.

Buddhism is profound, and many sons of powerful and wealthy families are willing to treat it with the respect due to a teacher.

How could someone like that have worries?
The monk thought of the Buddhist proclamation in front of the temple.

He had been copying for many years, but he had not grasped even a fraction of the essentials. Compared to the true Dao, what he had comprehended was less than one ten-thousandth.

The monk lowered his eyes and sighed.

"It is a pity that the Great Dao is profound and far away. I wonder if someone like me will ever be able to get close to the Great Dao."

The crown prince was even stranger.

Not only the Crown Prince, but also the officials and guards of the Eastern Palace nearby, as well as the eunuchs and servants, all looked over in confusion. They had long heard of Master Yan's formidable abilities.

"What kind of path is so difficult that even a monk cannot approach it?"

The monk remained silent.

The prince was not annoyed, but suddenly remembered the wondrous tales surrounding this eminent monk, and couldn't help but ask:

"What the monk cannot obtain, is it perhaps supernatural power like that of Zhang Guolao?"

The monk thought for a moment.

He finally answered:
"It's just words on paper."

Seeing his distress, and knowing he himself had something he wanted to ask a high monk for help, the prince earnestly asked, "Is it a rare and precious copy of the Dharma? I can send someone to search for it for the Dharma Master."

The monk shook his head.

"Could those be Buddhist scriptures or Taoist texts?" the prince asked again.

The monk shook his head again and sighed:

“There are still aspects of Buddhism and Taoism that can be studied, followed, and understood.”

"And that piece of paper..."

"It's just something someone wrote down casually, yet we've devoted our entire lives to studying it."

The crown prince was taken aback.

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)