My filial piety has deteriorated, so I have no choice but to be a rebellious disciple

Enthusiastic passers-by also helped him point out the direction.

"Thank you very much."

Ling Xiaodong cupped his hands and thanked him, then quickly chased towards the east of the city.

As the road proceeds to the east of Pengcheng, the flow of people gradually becomes sparse, the splendid high-rise buildings on both sides turn into simple bungalows, and the clothes people wear are not as bright as those seen in the west of the city.

This becomes more apparent the farther east you go.

Ling Xiaodong's pace slowed down. He frowned and looked at the beggars in ragged clothes and the simple sheds on the side of the road, recalling the content of chatting with Aunt Yun on the road to the City Lord's Mansion.

Why is the east and west of Pengcheng like two worlds?

He walked up to a beggar and threw a few coins into the broken bowl in front of him.

The copper plate fell into the bowl, and the little beggar who was lying half dead on the ground regained his spirits with a few jingling sounds, knelt on the ground and thanked him repeatedly.

"Thank you so much, sir, thank you so much, sir, you may live a long life!"

"That's not necessary. I just want to ask you a question. Do you know why the west of Pengcheng and the east of the city are completely different?"

The beggar replied: "The east side of Pengcheng was originally a wilderness. There are more people fleeing the disaster, so it has become like this."

"Fleeing disaster, what disaster?"

Ling Xiaodong, who has been living in Mingyueguan, knows very little about the outside world.

"That's too much. Floods, locust plagues, and military disasters. The recent years of disasters have continued, and the people have been displaced. Everywhere is empty."

"There is still a military disaster? Could it be that the Huns from the north are calling?"

Beggar shook his head.

"There is the king of the northern border sitting in the battle in the north, so it is safe and sound. The court is short of money, and all the states are imposing taxes to search for people's wealth. The people's resentment is boiling, and people everywhere are raising rebellious flags."

Ling Xiaodong asked curiously: "You really know a lot. I don't think your conversation seems like you were born in a poor family. How did you end up like this?"

The beggar seemed to have been told something sad, his eyes were red, and he said sadly:

"Hey, I was originally born in a merchant family, but I was looted by those so-called rebels, and I was the only one left in the whole family to escape to Pengcheng. If it weren't for the good-hearted people in Pengcheng who gave me the porridge, I'm afraid I would have died a long time ago."

"Oh? It turns out that there are still kind people in this world. Where do they give porridge?"

The beggar looked up at the sky.

"It's almost time. I'm going to get the porridge right now. If you want to know, Master, just follow me."

The little beggar led Ling Xiaodong not far away, when he saw a group of people in tattered clothes surrounding a small makeshift hut. It's strange not to grab it.

What’s even more strange is that when receiving porridge, every disaster victim must recite this sentence devoutly:

No birth mother, a vacuum hometown.

What does it mean?

But Ling Xiaodong didn't think about it, because he saw the woman in white in the shed.

Still wearing a veil, dressed in plain white, holding a pot and spoon, skillfully scooped porridge from a wooden bucket on the side and poured it into the bowls in the hands of the victims.

Seeing that she was busy, Ling Xiaodong didn't come forward to disturb her. It wasn't until the woman in white handed the pot and spoon in her hand to another maid-looking person that Ling Xiaodong came forward to say hello when the shift was taking a break.

"Girl, we meet again!"

"It's you!"

The woman in white was very surprised, then frowned again and asked:

"What's the matter with you?"

"I'm here to pay..."

Ling Xiaodong's hand that was stretched out to take something out of his bosom stopped, his face froze.

broken!Forgot that the handkerchief was confiscated by Aunt Yun!

Seeing Ling Xiaodong standing there motionless, the woman in white frowned even more deeply, and looked at Ling Xiaodong with even more vigilance and suspicion.

Ling Xiaodong was quick to wit, and took out the silver that Aunt Yun had given him.

"It's like this. I heard that someone was giving porridge to the refugees here, so I wanted to see which living Bodhisattva was so kind-hearted, and also come and contribute a little bit."

Ling Xiaodong stretched out his hand with a heartbroken heart and handed the only ten taels of silver he had to the woman in white.

He thought that Aunt Yun was kind-hearted, and if she saw these victims, she would feel pity and would definitely not say anything about herself.

It's these ten taels of silver, which is enough for me and my master to use for a long time on weekdays!

Ling Xiaodong, who was used to being poor, only felt that his heart was bleeding.

The woman in white gave Ling Xiaodong a surprised look, but she didn't shirk it, took the money and gave a slight blessing.

"Thank you, Taoist Priest, for your kindness, but this little girl is so disrespectful."

When she lowered her head, she noticed the patches on Ling Xiaodong's clothes, and there was more approval in her eyes, and she said ashamedly:

"I see that the Taoist Priest's robes are all patched, but he is willing to donate money generously to help the victims. He is really a kind-hearted person. The little girl was rude in the inn before, please don't blame the Taoist Priest."

Ling Xiaodong waved his hand gracefully.

"It's just a trivial matter, don't take it to heart. By the way, my name is Ling Xiaodong, and I don't know the girl's name yet."

"The little girl's name is Mu Qinghe. The moon is bright and the wind is clear, the lotus that reflects the sun and the lotus."

Ling Xiaodong praised: "Good name! It's as pure as a lotus and not stained by dust, and its color is as beautiful as white clouds. It's a name that suits a girl."

Mu Qinghe nodded slightly.

"Daoist Ling is overrated."

She returned to her previous indifferent appearance, like a flower in the high mountains, with the appearance that strangers should not enter.

Seeing that she was so boring, Ling Xiaodong turned his head to look at the group of victims who were barely clothed and hungry, and felt some pity in his heart. He also forgot the heartache of losing money, and said with emotion:

"This small amount of money is just a drop in the bucket. It's easy to save these people in front of me once or twice. How can I help them again and again? How many disaster victims like this are there in the world?"

This sentence seemed to resonate with Mu Qinghe. She sighed and said, "You can only help as much as you can see. Although it is a drop in the bucket, it is better than nothing. What do you think?"

"Me? I think natural disasters like locust plagues and floods are indeed helpless, but the most serious persecution of these people is not natural disasters, but man-made disasters. If the imperial court's excessive taxation and excessive corruption of officials are not changed, these victims will never be reduced."

"Oh? Is the young master thinking the same way?"

Mu Qinghe showed a rare joy, as if she had found a bosom friend.

She opened her mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by the maid who rushed over.

"Miss...the porridge has been distributed. It's time to go back."

"Is this the time already?" Mu Qinghe was taken aback.

He raised his head and glanced at the dim sky, thought for a moment, and then said: "You guys should go back first. I have something to talk to Taoist Master Ling, and I will be back later."

The maid gave Ling Xiaodong who was standing next to Mu Qinghe a weird look, and only smiled knowingly when she saw his face.

"Yes!"

The maid responded and turned her head to call the rest to tear down the shed, pack up their things and leave.

"Dao Zhang Ling, I wonder if you are interested in telling me in detail what you think of the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

Ling Xiaodong was surprised that this iceberg-like woman took the initiative to invite him to chat, but since the beauty invited him, Ling Xiaodong couldn't refuse.

"Of course it's no problem, but it's late now, why don't we talk while we walk?"

"Okay, Daoist Ling, please."

When Ling Xiaodong and Mu Qinghe were talking happily, in a dark cave underground in Pengcheng, there was the sound of pinging, pong, pong and iron picks digging.

"What! You said His Highness was left alone to have a tryst with a man! You just left His Highness alone outside and came back by yourself?"

It was a middle-aged woman who spoke, and she looked fiercely at Xiaoqing, the maid who reported the situation to her.

Xiao Qing explained: "It's not a tryst! His Highness said we have something to discuss!"

She looked at the helmsman in front of her who was still looking bad, and excused herself:

"Your Highness is a master at a young age, so there is nothing to worry about! Just now His Highness made it clear that he wanted to drive us away, so what can I do as a little personal maid! And I saw that man, he looks really good, It's no wonder that His Majesty, who is normally cold, is moved in love."

The rudder master slapped the table and said angrily: "Absurd! Your Highness is the saint of Luojiao, how could you be tempted by ordinary men? I think you are looking for excuses to be lazy! Today's dinner is not for you. Go and share with the rest of the disciples." Let's dig dragon veins together!"

"Ah! Rudder Master! You can't treat me like this! When His Highness comes back, I will complain to her!"

Xiaoqing's wailing echoed in the cave for a long time.

Chapter 14 Warming Up

The sky was dim, and the crowds on the street became sparse. Most of the hawkers along the street packed up their things and went home. Shops along the road hung up lanterns at the entrances of the shops.

Ling Xiaodong and Mu Qinghe walked slowly side by side on the paths of Pengcheng, talking and laughing.

"So I think that a dynasty that allows the people to live and work in peace and contentment, and let everyone perform their duties is not enough to rely on the rule of virtue and filial piety. What is more important is the rule of law. It is guided by virtue and restrained by law."

"It turns out that this Dharma principle is so important in Miss Mu's eyes. No wonder she had such a big reaction when she was in Hui Inn."

"Daoist Ling was joking. There was nothing wrong with what Daoist Ling did in the inn before. It was me who was too extreme, and even demanded the people in the world according to the standards in my heart."

"No, I think Ms. Mu's idea is very good. The law can be divided into work, the public is higher than the private, the private is subordinate to the public, the public is put away from the private, the punishment is not to avoid the doctor, and the good is not to be spared. This is the way of the world. , is indeed exciting.”

"Yes! That's what I meant! Daoist Ling told me everything I thought in my heart, and it was even better than what I said!"

Mu Qinghe was extremely happy, feeling that she and Taoist Lin really felt like old friends at first sight, and they regretted meeting each other so late.I never thought there were people in the world who could understand me so well.

Although the goal of everyone in Luojiao is to overthrow the rule of the Great Zhou Dynasty, they each have their own ideas. Due to her status as a saint, Xiaoqing, the only maid who can speak, has no idea about this kind of thing.

Whenever he told her about his ideas, she would just look at him with starry eyes and say with admiration: "Your Highness is so amazing, he knows so much!"

Talking deeply with people like this and being recognized by others has never been experienced before. Although they have known each other not long ago, Mu Qinghe feels that Ling Xiaodong understands herself better than anyone else in the world.

The more she chatted, the happier she became, and she became closer to Ling Xiaodong in her heart. The two of them were so close that their shoulders were touching and they didn't even know it. .

Ling Xiaodong looked at Mu Qinghe, who was chattering endlessly, with great interest. She didn't expect this girl who looked like an iceberg to have such a side, she was so cute.

The tip of his nose lightly sniffed the summer lotus-like fragrance that was on the handkerchief, and the woman's tender and soft flesh could be felt on his right arm. Although he had discovered that Mu Qinghe was close to him, he did not take the initiative to separate, after all, he also Not some gentleman, isn't he?

As Mu Qinghe talked, she realized that something was wrong. Why was Ling Xiaodong on the side so quiet? When she turned her head and met Ling Xiaodong's eyes that seemed to be smiling but not smiling, she realized that she was so close to him.

"ah!"

Mu Qinghe jumped away quickly. The veil could not cover the flushed dimple underneath. She pretended to be calm and said:

"The little girl was excited for a while, and she was rude. Please don't take offense, Daoist Ling."

"It's okay, it's getting late, which inn is Miss Mu staying at? I'll take you back."

The sun had already set, leaving only a ray of red in the west.

Mu Qinghe nodded slightly.

"Okay, thank you Daoist Ling."

Is this about to separate?In Mu Qinghe's heart that was throbbing because of shyness, there was a deep feeling of reluctance.

But after all, he and Daoist Ling met by chance. When the dragon veins underground in Pengcheng were dug out, he would leave Pengcheng. After returning, he would still be the lonely and lonely saint of Luojiao.

I don't know if we will see each other again in the future after parting today?

The two walked towards the inn in silence, changing the lively atmosphere before.

Ling Xiaodong only thought that Mu Qinghe was still shy. How could he understand the sadness between his daughter's slightly frowning eyebrows?

Suddenly the cry of a child caught the attention of the two of them. A little girl with braids was standing beside a wine shop and crying loudly, and there was no adult around her.

Mu Qinghe walked up to the little girl, with soft eyes, squatted down and asked softly:

"Little girl, what's wrong with you? Where are your adults?"

The little girl burst into tears and sobbed:

"Woooooo... I... I can't find my mother... Mother, where are you, Tweety is so scared."

Mu Qinghe wiped the tears and snot from the little girl's face with her pure white sleeves, and comforted her without hesitation:

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, sister will take you to find A Niang?"

"No! My mother-in-law said, those who cover their faces are bad people! I don't want to go with the bad people!"