There are several bright windows in the main hall of Zixiao Palace. Lu Zhitang and Lin Qingxuan are sitting at the top of the hall, while Taoist Master Jingci is sitting at the bottom.
At this time, several days had passed since Lu Zhitang returned to the mountain. On this day, he summoned Lin Qingxuan and Lu Zhitang to discuss matters in the main hall. When Lin Qingxuan and Taoist Jingci arrived, Lu Zhitang had already arrived. Originally, Lin Qingxuan also wanted to sit at the bottom, but
However, Lu Zhitang insisted that Lin Qingxuan sit with him.
Lin Qingxuan couldn't resist him, so he had to accept the order. After sitting down, Lu Zhitang took out a piece of silver from his arms and put it on the table, saying: "I heard that the disciples in the palace relied on you to help them eat and drink in the past few days. This piece of silver
If there are more than five taels, you can take them first. If there are more, it will be considered as my intention as the conservator. You can use them to buy some supplements to nourish your body. Traveling through the mountains and forests for half a year will definitely take a huge toll on your vitality."
Lin Qingxuan knew Lu Zhitang's character and did not refuse when he heard the words. After standing up and saluting, he picked up the silver and sat down again.
Lu Zhitang picked up the tea cup and took a sip, and said: "This time I went down the mountain and walked around the nearby state capitals. I served as a security guard for three escort agencies and also helped to pick a cottage. It can be considered as a place for our Quanzhen Sect within a radius of Wudang Mountain.
He has become famous for hundreds of miles."
"The Palace Master is superb in Xuan Gong. As soon as he takes action, people will know that our Quanzhen Sect is taking control of Wudang. From now on, there will be no shortage of donations from good men and women on the mountain, and our life will be easier."
Taoist Jingci started to praise, and Lin Qingxuan also agreed: "That's true. The high disciple who is in charge of the real person is certainly not a trivial matter, but if the palace master can heal a few more high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen, the results will be even greater."
Lu Zhitang let out a light sigh and said: "You guessed it right. When I was in Xiangyang City, I diagnosed and cured the heartache of Master Lu Wende's mother. Master Lu has personally given me a plaque and is going to raise money in the city to rebuild it."
Zixiao Palace."
When Lin Qingxuan rushed to Xiangyang City a few days ago, he heard rumors in the market that Quanzhen Taoism had cured Mr. Lu's mother's illness. Mr. Lu summoned the rich people in the city to repair the palace for Wudang Mountain. He chuckled and said: "I am here
A few days before I went up the mountain, I heard passers-by mention this matter, and at that time I guessed it was you, the palace master."
Lu Zhitang was about to speak when he suddenly heard three cannon shots outside. A Taoist man came quickly and said, "Palace Master, the pacifier of Xiangyang City, Lord Lu Wende and the squires outside the Yuan Dynasty have come to pay homage to the mountain."
"Okay, Qingxuan quickly summons the disciples and opens the middle door. We want to receive you well."
Lu Zhitang stood up as he spoke. Just as Lin Qingxuan was about to go out, Taoist Jingci had already walked out quickly and said as he walked: "I'll go to the back hall to call Ling Ming, Qi Zhong and the others."
Lin Qingxuan walked to the front hall and shouted for someone. A moment later, three more cannon shots were fired. When the sound was very close, he knew that Lu Wende and others had already gone up the mountain.
All three doors of Zixiao Palace in Wudang Mountain were pushed open. Lu Zhitang and Lin Qingxuan, wearing apricot-yellow Taoist robes, led eight gray-robed Taoists to the bluestone square outside the door and stood there.
Not far away, hundreds of people in Chinese uniforms came slowly, led by a sturdy general. Lin Qingxuan guessed that it was Lu Wende. There were several soldiers beside him, and behind him were dozens of wealthy businessmen and foreigners wearing robes.
, behind the group of people there was a group of Song soldiers carrying artillery, and a group of silk and bamboo players followed at the end carrying a plaque covered with red cloth.
When Lu Wende and others approached, Lu Zhitang and Lin Qingxuan led the crowd to greet them. After some greetings, Lu Wende and Lu Zhitang walked into the main hall of Zixiao Palace and sat down.
The rest of the people also sat in this row. Lin Qingxuan didn't need to give any instructions. Taoist Jingci had already led the other disciples down to serve tea.
After chatting for a while, Lu Wende asked his soldiers to carry a large box over. When he put it down, a soft thump made Lin Qingxuan and Lu Zhitang know that it was very heavy.
Lu Wende pointed to the box and said: "Dao Zhang Lu, this is a little thought from us young and old men in Xiangyang City. Brother Liu, Brother Zhu, Brother Zheng... who donated money are all here. We all donated a total of 8,000 taels of silver. This is for
You use it to rebuild Zixiao Palace."
Lin Qingxuan's expression changed when he heard this, and he thought: When I was in Xiangyang City, I heard a rumor in the market that every household in the city had donated money. If I just calculated, there were two to thirty thousand taels of silver at least. Why is it only eight thousand? Could it be that all of these people are geese?
Big bosses in the city?
Lu Zhitang stood up with a smile and made a bow, and then he preached the name of Taoism, saying: "My heart is kind and I live in a kind place. I am a poor Taoist who comes to your country. I didn't expect that our elders in Xiangyang are so respectful to Taoism. It is really a blessing from God...
…”
After the conversation was over, several more members presented rice, flour, sesame oil, etc. one by one, which represented their personal feelings.
Both Lu Zhitang and Lin Qingxuan knew that these people were truly religious, so they ordered the banquet to begin. Because there were so many people, the palace had no preparations in advance, so the Taoists could only bring some green vegetables, mushrooms and rice with meat sauce. Everyone didn't care and started talking.
Thank you and eat.
After eating tea and talking for a long time, Lu Wende and others watched the Taoist priest from Zixiao Palace hang the plaque in the main hall, and then personally picked up the red cloth, revealing the four words "Qingxu Zhide", which was a tribute to Lu Zhitang
and praise from Quanzhen Taoists.
After Lu Zhitang, Lin Qingxuan and others thanked them, everyone talked for a while and then Lu Wende and others said goodbye and left.
After bidding farewell to everyone in Xiangyang, Lu Zhitang and Lin Qingxuan returned to the Zixiao Palace. They first looked at the boxes full of silver coins, and then Lu Zhitang frowned and thought for a moment and said: "Jingci and I have been calculating for a long time and want to rebuild the Zixiao Palace.
It costs 10,000 taels to buy bricks, tiles, lime and other materials, as well as repairing the real bodies of the ancestors and gods, plus labor, it costs 25,000 taels. Now we only have more than 8,000 taels, what about the remaining gap?
To make up for it?”
Lin Qingxuan's heart moved and he said: "Palace Master, don't be anxious, this matter needs to be discussed in the long term. Eight thousand taels is enough to renovate the Zixiao Palace. We can repair the front hall first. Maybe one day we will receive a gift from the Lord."
Fortunately, it doesn't matter if believers come to send money."
Lu Zhitang nodded and said: "That's all I have to do. I have to practice Xuan Gong in seclusion these days, and also open a furnace to refine elixirs. Maybe I can sell a few thousand taels of Jiuzhuan Lingbao pills after practicing a few furnaces. Zixiao Palace is under renovation
I’ll leave the matter to you.”
After Lin Qingxuan agreed, Lu Zhitang turned around and left.
Lin Qingxuan first took several hundred bags and packed them, then locked the silver box, asked Taoist Jingci to take care of it, and then went down the mountain with the Jiuzhen Sword.
Naturally, Lin Qingxuan could not go to Xiangyang. Although Xiangyang was the main city on the southwestern road of Beijing, the materials and manpower needed to rebuild the Zixiao Palace could also be found in Junzhou down the mountain.
After walking around Junzhou City, Lin Qingxuan looked at the supplies needed by Zixiao Palace one by one, then each paid a deposit and asked them to deliver the goods up the mountain. Then he found a team of dozens of masons and signed
He left Junzhou after signing the contract, but instead of returning to Wudang Mountain, he went to Xiangyang.
Lin Qingxuan put on the Yaksha mask again during this trip to Xiangyang, and then talked about Lu's house at night. The next night, he visited all the houses of wealthy households in Xiangyang.
A few days later, Lin Qingxuan hired a carriage and headed to Wudang Mountain with three large boxes.
That night, Lu Zhitang was working in the house when he suddenly heard three loud bangs in the courtyard. He hurriedly opened the door and rushed out. However, under the moonlight, three piles of silver suddenly appeared in the courtyard, which was very eye-catching.
Lu Zhitang frowned, looked around the courtyard, and then used Qing Kung Fu to jump up to the beam, but found nothing.
Lu Zhitang jumped down and walked to three piles of silver. He saw a large ingot of silver pressed on a piece of paper. He picked up the letter and found a crooked line on it:
"Quanzhen Zixiao Palace Taoist Teaching: I learned that the Zixiao Palace was being renovated without any silver, so I took some ill-gotten gains and offered it - Mu Shiba's tribute"