It was getting dark, and Changqing led his horse to the refugee camp.
It's said to be a camp, but in fact these refugees don't even have proper tents. They just use a few wooden sticks to set up curtains and sleep directly in them. If they have a roll of straw mats to spread the floor, they are considered wealthy.
Fortunately, it is midsummer now, and it is still hot at night, so even if there is a lack of bedding, you will not get cold.
Leading the horse through the camp, Chang Qing was even more shocked. Each of these refugees had shabby clothes and sallow complexions. A woman's baby was crying loudly because of hunger. She ignored others and opened her clothes to feed the baby, but no milk came out. The woman
Her hair is withered. It seems that it is not only the long-term hunger, but also the labor in the past that has exhausted her youthful vitality.
As for other skinny, skeleton-like men, women, and children, they can be seen everywhere. Changqing finds it hard to believe that they are also ordinary people. The appearance of the Hebei area and the East and West Beijing are completely different. p>
Changqing was now wearing the clothes of a noble traveler, so he was naturally incompatible with the surrounding refugees. He immediately attracted the attention of men and women nearby, and most of them had evil eyes. If Changqing hadn't carried a sword at his waist, had a long body, and had an extraordinary bearing, he would have been afraid of the people around him.
The refugees will swarm up and commit murder and looting.
"This immortal master is too courageous."
Outside the refugee camp, a green-shirted civil servant exclaimed: "With the way he is dressed, he dares to break in alone without a few guards. Aren't he afraid of being torn into pieces by hungry refugees?"
Magistrate Zhang was also secretly nervous for Chang Qing, but he just pretended to be calm: "What are you afraid of? This Immortal Master Chang Qing seems to have magical power at first glance, so he dared to go in alone."
Seeing that the refugees in the camp were gradually moving, a middle-aged monk came to Changqing, put his hands together and saluted: "Tan Yue is polite, the poor monk is enlightened."
"I am the son of Chang Qing of Songyue Fu Zang Palace. After traveling here, I just saw you summoning the Nagas to spread clouds and rain to relieve drought and eliminate disasters. Therefore, I am curious about which master is here and come here to pay a visit." Chang Qing said with cupped hands. "It turns out that I am a guest from Songyue. I am disrespectful and disrespectful." Qijue is quite old. He only wears a dusty old monk's robe. The hem and cuffs are chipped in many places. His face is thin and he looks even older. p>
When Qijue came out to greet him, the refugees naturally did not dare to act randomly. Changqing followed him to the center of the camp, where a group of monks dug a stove to light a fire and cook gruel.
Changqing glanced at them and saw that most of these monks looked hungry and thin. Some of them didn't even have shoes on their feet. They walked barefoot, leaving many scars on their feet.
Such a determination to practice asceticism would be difficult to support without a firm will. This may also explain why a group of refugees followed them instead of staying in the rich places of the warehouse to eat and avoid disasters.
"This is the Heavenly Lady of Great Cloud Pure Light." Qijue came to the side of the crooked withered tree. A woman in white was sitting on the root of the tree, with her eyebrows lowered and her eyes lowered. Her whole body was faintly glowing, illuminating the surrounding area. It was really like a mural in a Buddhist temple.
The Buddha and Bodhisattva in the world are like Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
What's even more miraculous is that Changqing can see two guardian ghosts and gods standing next to the woman in white. They are tall and powerful with green faces and fangs, each holding an iron rod. If there is any external evil intrusion, they will definitely kill her.
These kind of guardian ghosts and gods cannot be seen or touched by ordinary people, but they can actually hurt the flesh and blood of living people. If they practice the right way, they can even order the guardian ghosts and gods to capture people.
Changqing bowed lightly, and the Pure Light Goddess raised her eyes, smiled and nodded, and did not get up. She just lowered one leg and sat down freely.
The actions of Pure Light Goddess did not appear rude, but revealed a sense of detachment. Her hair was covered with black hair, which was casually gathered up and placed on one shoulder and neck. There was no makeup on her face, and she looked like a hibiscus emerging from water.
She is beautiful, but does not arouse desire. The white clothes on her body seem to be made of ramie, but they are draped on her body, but they show a sense of purity. Her feet without shoes are spotless, completely different from those monks who practice barefoot asceticism. p>
Chang Qing originally had a suspicion that perhaps Pure Light Goddess herself was just an ordinary woman, just a puppet used by the Sangha to attract people's hearts.
But when he witnessed it with his own eyes, he knew that this woman indeed had profound Buddhist cultivation. The Buddhist power around her followed her every move, naturally infecting others. Without concentration, their minds would unknowingly obey her.
The power of dyeing is not limited to the pollution and poison caused by demons and evil spirits. Demons and demons can also be guided to the right path, just like the mortals in the world who are educated and know right from wrong, good and evil.
It’s just that Changqing vaguely feels something is wrong. Around this Pure Light Goddess, the monks practice asceticism and the people suffer from hunger, almost all of them willingly. Is this kind of dyeing power really a good thing?
"Master Jingguang has great supernatural powers and has great merits in helping people. He can be called a role model for practitioners of our generation." Changqing learned this compliment during his time in Chang'an. He then asked for advice: "I don't know where Master received the ordination in the sandalwood forest.
?"
In today's world, not only those who study and serve as officials pay attention to their family background, but those who practice Taoism and Buddhism also value the disciples of their successors. If you are a disciple of a famous sect, you will naturally be respected by others, and when you are outside, young people will not dare to offend. Even if there is a dispute,
Being from a famous family can also make people fearful.
But the Pure Light Goddess just shook her head slightly, smiling and saying nothing.
Changqing couldn't figure out the other party's intention and looked at Qijue, who replied: "Jinguang Heavenly Lady has stopped talking since she heard the Buddhist teachings. If Tan Yue has any questions, the poor monk can answer them for her."
Chang Qing has heard about this situation for a long time, and he also knows that Buddhism has always been famous for its clear rules and precepts. This Pure Light Goddess may be observing the precept of silence. Once she speaks, her practice will be broken, and her magical powers will be unproven.
"Excuse my ignorance, but in Buddhism, the title of Heavenly Lady seems to be uncommon." Chang Qing came up and pointed directly to the point: "Could it be that the title was granted by the imperial court?"
"No, Pure Light Goddess is the hanging trace of the Great Cloud Secret Treasure Bodhisattva. In order to transform sentient beings, she appears in the female body." Qijue put his hands together and smiled, with a sincere face and said: "The Bodhisattva benefits living beings. His form has no definite shape and responds to things at will, so he appears as a female."
Body. This is a convenient method, not a real female body."
When Changqing heard this, she felt weird. A woman is a woman, so why do she have to talk about the method of manifesting beings and convenient methods? It seems like she has done something bad, but she insists on using lip service and explaining sophistry, lest others question her. p>
This is also one of the reasons why Changqing does not like Buddhism. Buddhism regards women as having an impeding and filthy body. According to Buddhist scriptures, it is said that the reincarnation will not be reborn in a lowly manner or the three evil realms, and will not be treated as a female body. This is a destiny merit, and even
There is also a saying that "give up the female form to obtain a male body, and quickly obtain the supreme true path".
The Taoist sect is not so paranoid. Since ancient times, there have been many successful female immortals. In the Southern Dynasties, there was a trend of Jurchens teaching the Dharma. The first generation master of the famous Shangqing Taoist, Mrs. Wei, is a woman, and no one in the Taoist sect finds it difficult.
Accept it, it is even more fashionable for princesses in this dynasty to enter Taoism.
But looking at Qijue's sincere face, without any pretense, Changqing probably understood that they might really believe that the Pure Light Goddess is the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva.
Changqing has heard Afu talk about the relationship between Dayun Jingguang and the heroine Emperor Zhao before. In the eyes of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, this matter is of course tantamount to treason, but now this Jingguang is eating everything with her
What can homeless people do if they don’t have enough to eat?
"Then I wonder why Master Jingguang came here?" Changqing looked at the refugees in the distance waiting to give porridge: "If you want to use magical powers to cast magic, you shouldn't need to bring many people with you, right?"
Qijue glanced at the Pure Light Goddess and saw her nodding with a smile, and then said: "These people have all vowed to follow the Goddess. They listen to the Dharma every day and are definitely not driven by force. If Tan Yue doesn't believe it, you can ask him personally. We won't do it."
Obstruction."
"That's it." Chang Qing's face was noncommittal, but she was shocked in her heart. If this group of monks coerces the refugees and uses them for their own purposes, it will be easier to deal with.
But in this situation, the refugees who have been influenced by Buddhism may have become addicted to it. Even if they are hungry and tired, they have to follow the Pure Light Goddess. This is the trouble!
"Using magical powers to bring rain to eliminate disasters is certainly a meritorious deed, but has this been approved by the government?" Changqing looked for another excuse: "It's not that I'm criticizing Master Jingguang, but thunder and rain are related to the destiny of the country, and it seems that it's not appropriate for us to act recklessly.
Pray for yourself?"
Changqing's words are ambiguous if you look closely. Praying for sunshine and rain has been practiced in all dynasties. Either the emperor himself took a bath, fasted, went to the altar to offer sacrifices, or the imperial court ordered the clan officials to offer sacrifices, or like today, they sent Buddhist and Taoist rituals.
People follow the law. In short, this power belongs to the emperor and is not allowed to be interfered with by ordinary people.
But in reality, when there is a flood or drought, it is not unusual for ordinary people to spontaneously pray to gods and Buddhas, offer sacrifices and pray, and ask monks and Taoists to perform rituals. If the government really wants to pursue everything, then there is nothing it can do.
Therefore, the biggest sin of Pure Light Goddess and her group is not to do anything without permission, but to gather refugees.
"Tan Yue is also a man of virtue. How can he turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people when he sees it?" Qijue retorted: "We, Buddhists, are compassionate. If this action really violates the law, we are willing to take the sword and axe.
, to prove your original intention!"
These words are impassioned, and if they are just pretentious, they can deceive many people.
However, in the current situation, if the Jingguang Sangha is rashly captured, these refugees will immediately rebel.
Changqing thought of County Magistrate Zhang and Weizhou Governor Xue Yongnian. They were all serving as officials and doing perfunctory tasks to avoid being impeached and losing their positions. They certainly did not want to see the refugees causing trouble in their own territories.
Something big happened.
In addition, the imperial court also had laws that allowed immigrants to work for millet, so they were allowed to go back and forth. A quick glance at the situation revealed that all the prefectures and counties in Hebei Province had adopted this strategy. In the future, when the imperial court asked about it, everyone would do the same.
The law does not hold everyone accountable.
"Having said that, I see these people are suffering from hunger, but they still have to trek around. Wouldn't it make the misery worse?" Chang Qing simply discussed the matter: "It is best to settle them somewhere first and let the government raise food for relief.
.When this year's drought is over, everyone can return to his hometown and resume his own business. This will be the right way."
"Tan Yue, does he know why we are trekking around?" Qijue sighed softly: "Every time we go to a prefecture or county, the local governor says that the warehouses are empty and there is no food relief. It is not the harvest season yet, and ordinary people have food in their homes.
There are too few, so we have no choice but to lead the people wandering around."
"It is not that grain is not available everywhere in Hebei Province." Chang Qing said: "Weizhou in the south is adjacent to the canal and has abundant warehouses. The imperial envoy will be arriving in the near future. I came along and found many people going south to eat. You
Why not go?"
Qijue said: "Tan Yue has never fled famine before. You need to know that there are three, six or nine categories of people who are fleeing for food. Some people have food in their households. Seeing that the drought is serious, this year's harvest has been greatly reduced, so some family members have to go far away to eat. On the way
They also have to pack their own food and travel. However, some poor people cannot even go far for food and can only wait to die. Although the goddess has magical powers, she cannot conjure food out of thin air. All she can do is to eat food every day.
He went to one place and begged the government for help, and was rewarded with magical rain."
"This reason is too far-fetched," Changqing said.
Qijue was silent for a moment and looked at the Jingguang Goddess. She raised her palm and saluted Changqing. Qijue seemed to understand something and asked, "Is Tan Yue sent by the imperial court?"
Changqing raised his eyebrows slightly, thinking that he had just been talking to Magistrate Zhang and was noticed by the guardian ghosts and gods beside Jingguang Tiannu.
In this case, Chang Qing no longer deliberately concealed it, nodded and admitted: "Yes, the saint learned that Hebei was suffering from drought, so he sent an order to dispatch us to build an altar to pray for rain to calm the people's hearts, so Master Jingguang no longer has to go around.
Busy."
Even if the origin is revealed, Changqing still hopes to stabilize the Pure Light Goddess and others as long as the affected people can be settled, it will be easier to deal with the isolated monk group.
"Tan Yue is joking, we are not running around here specially, but we are just looking for food to satisfy the people." Qijue said: "And it is already midsummer, and more than half of the food in the fields has withered, and some counties and counties have almost no harvest.
, how can a few rains save it?"
Chang Qing frowned slightly. He found that the monk could no longer persuade with words. They already had a set of principles in their hearts and could not listen to the well-intentioned advice from outsiders. They always used their own ideas to deal with and resolve the problem.
"If I say that enough food can be raised to help these people survive the disaster years, there will be no need for Master Jingguang to take them wandering around, right?" Changqing came up with a plan and asked.
Pure Light Goddess did not answer, but her expression was not without any thoughts. After a moment of silence, she nodded proactively.
Qijue continued: "Tan Yue, the food we are carrying right now is only enough for a few days. Anping County has been unwilling to provide relief, and we will leave tomorrow."
"Three days, I will get the food within three days, and you will stay here." Changqing said firmly.
"Okay." Qijue thought about it again and again, and nodded heavily: "Tan Yue is a man of the Tao, and I don't think he will lie. We will stay here for three days."
After saying this, Changqing said goodbye and immediately led the yellow gelding to leave the refugee camp.
Magistrate Zhang, who had been waiting outside the camp for a long time, saw this and was about to ask, but he saw Changqing getting on his horse and galloping away to the southeast. His little donkey couldn't catch up.
Changqing galloped for a moment and saw Cheng Sanwu and Afu in an uninhabited farmhouse.
"How's it going? Those monks didn't make things difficult for you, right?" Cheng Sanwu asked as he came up.
Changqing shook his head and then said: "I will stabilize that group of monks for the time being and prevent them from taking the refugees to other places. But the condition is that within three days, we will provide enough food to enable this group of refugees to survive this year."<
/p>
Cheng Sanwu was stunned when he heard this, and Afu next to him sneered and said: "Thousands of refugees can get enough food for half a year in three days? What are you crazy about?"
"No! I have a way!" Changqing said immediately: "The Anpingfang of the Boling Cui family is here. They have worked hard for generations and the warehouses will be abundant, so I asked them to borrow grain!"