Three days later, Li Li brought people to the altar to pray for rain.
Li Li walked to the square, that is, to show his devotion to God. He didn't ride a horse, sit in a sedan, or use anything. He just walked and came to the altar, which is a high earthen platform. Then, he fell down on the ground.
Facing the loess, breathing dust, his face was covered with dust, tears and nose ran down his face, and his face immediately turned into flowers. He muttered words, like reciting sacrificial inscriptions, praying for rain, etc.
Li Li's prayer did not move God. However, Li Li's purpose was not here. He took the lead and asked his subordinates to follow suit. The subordinates followed suit one after another, and one after another they walked up to the high platform, that is, to the altar, and prostrated themselves before the altar.
The ground, mumbling words, also followed Li Li in praying to God to make it rain quickly without donating money.
With this purpose, all kinds of people showed their own characteristics. Some acted exaggeratedly, some cried bitterly, and most of them felt sorry for the money and did not want to donate or lose it. They knew very well that the reason why it did not rain was because
God has nothing to do with people. Besides, this day is everyone’s God. Why should everyone donate money? If you want to donate, there should be a reason.
Besides, donating money is voluntary. You can donate if you want. You can't be forced to donate if you don't want to. Natural and man-made disasters cannot be controlled. This should be solved by the court, not by individuals. Besides, the salary given by the court is not much, so it is not possible to do so.
It doesn't make sense to go back if there are too many.
Li Li is not willing to do this, but the relief food from the court has not come yet. He doesn't know when it will come. The drought area is not small, and there are problems in many places. Food is a big problem. If there is no food, people will have to go
To rob, you will shed blood and sacrifice your life. In order to survive, people may go to extremes.
That being said, there is a problem.
Li Li couldn't get anything done because he couldn't raise money. He created such a big scene but achieved little results. People didn't realize the seriousness of the problem. They only knew that they couldn't pay if they had to. Paying money would definitely not work because they were not very wealthy.
.If you donate it, you may go hungry.
Everyone was anxiously waiting for the next order. Li Li donated the money. Everyone knew this, and it was a bit difficult for everyone to donate. However, Li Li still found a way.
As soon as the rain-seeking ceremony was over, Li Li ordered people to lay a large reed mat under the altar.
Everyone is wondering, why are we spreading reed mats? Should we hold a banquet here? Or sleep here in the open?
With different guesses, Li Li asked everyone to sit down on the reed mat. Everyone obeyed and did as he was told, as long as they didn't take money. They were always on guard and carefully protected their money bags to avoid invisible hands coming to steal.
At this time, the sun begins to show its power. No matter what you think, you must hide your evil in your heart. You cannot show it, otherwise it will affect the future.
The sun was scorching in the sky, and the sky was asleep when he prayed for rain just now. He didn't hear it, and it still couldn't wake him up. He didn't send the Dragon King to rain.
Li Li's subordinates sat on reed mats like Li Li did. Some of his subordinates were fat and could not sit down at all, so they had to sit down reluctantly. The fat men's sweat quickly flowed down their backs, and there were various stains on their bodies.
There is less white salt on the face, and the dust just now makes everyone's face look stained.
An hour passed, and many people couldn't stand it anymore. They were used to being pampered, so how could they have ever suffered like this? Everyone was thirsty, dizzy, and looked ugly, as if they were dead.
Li Liyan said: "Usually we are accustomed to enjoying happiness. We live a life where we have clothes to put out our hands and food to open our mouths. We enjoy the wealth and honor in the world. We never know that farming is difficult and people work hard. We live a life of good clothing and food every day. How can we know the heart of a farmer?
, just like boiling hot soup. So today, I would like to ask you all to taste the hard work of thousands of poor farmers and see what it feels like for people to sweat and hoe the fields under the scorching sun? I believe you all
Now that I have experienced it, I won’t say much. Think about it, if we don’t work, we are already miserable under the scorching sun. What’s more, farmers are not only scorched by the scorching sun, but also have to work. This is
What a difficult thing to do!”
Everyone nodded in agreement frequently, and some were so hot that it was difficult to even speak. They just didn't say "yes" because it would take a lot of effort to say a word.
As long as you don't take out the money, you can say anything, as long as you persist through this day, you will lose half your life in order to keep the money. As long as you don't die, you will have a chance to recover and make money again.
After about three sticks of incense, Li Li said: "It seems that people can do it without eating, but they can't do it without drinking water. On such a hot day, my throat is about to catch fire, and now my throat is smoking. I can't do it without drinking water."
Put out the fireworks! People are made of iron rice and steel. If you don't eat for one meal, you will starve, and if you don't drink water, you will die faster."
After saying that, he immediately ordered someone to bring herbal tea.
Li Li took the gourd gourd and scooped out a gourd first, then he lowered his head and began to drink. The sound of "gu dong gu dong" made everyone who watched was stunned. Those who watched were greedy and secretly swallowed their saliva. Li Li
After drinking until I was full, I finally raised my neck and drank all the water in the gourd.
After he finished drinking, it was the next person's turn.
No one doubted it, thinking that there should be no problem with the herbal tea. If there was a problem, how could they attack Li Li? Seeing that Li Li was fine after drinking it, they drank it in turn.
After a while, it was like the phenomenon of thermal expansion and contraction. First, the scorching sun was scorching, and his body was as hot as a burning fire. After drinking the herbal tea, hot and cold alternated. Li Li felt like his stomach was churning, and extraordinary power surged in his stomach.
Then, an overwhelming force came up from his stomach, and he began to vomit. Then, the people who drank the herbal tea vomited one after another.
After everyone vomited, Li Li burst out laughing.
Everyone was puzzled and looked at him blankly.
Everyone was tortured to the point of death. Just a moment ago when they were exposed to the sun, and then when they were exposed to herbal tea, even a piece of glass would break, let alone a body of flesh and blood. Everyone was dying. How could Li Li arrange it? They were already numb.
Li Li finished laughing and said: "Very good. Everyone vomited, which proves that they are all human beings. Now, if you are a human being, you have a human heart, and if you have a human heart, you have a benevolent heart. People can lie, but their stomachs are honest. Goodbye with their mouths.
You said, it is better to reflect the situation faithfully. I will record the good and bad intentions of each of you and the financial situation of your family one by one. No need to speak, just record, no explanation, just reflect the facts."
Li Li personally led people to check everyone's vomit. It looks disgusting, but the truth is that your stomach does not lie.
Then record it in the record, no one should be missing, and record everything in detail.
Li Li's own vomit can be seen by everyone. It is all coarse grains and wild vegetables, which proves that Li Li completely ate and bathed for three days to maintain his internal and external purity. What his subordinates vomited was either delicacies from the mountains and seas or meat and fish. There was no grain.
The grains and vegetables are all made from fine rice and flour.
Li Li looked serious and stared at his subordinates.
When the subordinates saw Li Li like this, they knew they were going to get angry. They all lowered their heads and prepared to face the storm.
"Today, I sincerely and sincerely pray to the sky for rain, in order to help the people relieve the drought, eliminate the drought, and allow the people to survive. However, you all received a notice three days ago to bathe and change clothes and abstain from eating meat.
, vegetarian food and plain clothes to show piety, but you turned a deaf ear and no one obeyed. It shows that you do not respect heaven and earth, have no God in your heart, only money, you are not honest enough, so it is natural that the sky does not rain. Since you have come to ask for rain,
We need to take it seriously. You people are here, but your heart is not here. Are you always thinking about how to protect your money bag? Since you are not sincere, it is understandable if the sky does not rain. What the sky values is the human heart more than the external form.
, but you claim to be so poor that you can’t even open the pot at home. When you see the benefits, you run faster than anyone else. When encountering disasters, you hide far away. Look, what are you eating? Are you lying?
Are you used to lying to people? You are duplicitous, deceive me, deceive the people, and more importantly, you actually deceive God. I believe that God is so angry and allows the disaster to spread and become more and more serious because of you.
You are dishonest and love to cheat. You have failed the heaven, the earth, and the people. You people are not considerate of the common people, so you can't even see the sky. You should be punished." Li Liyan said.
When everyone heard this, their heads drooped, like eggplants beaten by frost, wilted.
They knew they were wrong, knew they were lying, were ashamed, and were afraid of Li Li punishing them, so they voluntarily donated money, which really broke their teeth and swallowed it. Li Li successfully completed the fundraising work, was very happy, and temporarily relieved
The disaster affected the victims, and the victims who were short of food and clothing received relief and overcame the difficulties.
Li Li did not punish them. Thirty days later, the court's disaster relief food was in place, which alleviated the disaster. When the court heard that Li Li had taken the lead in donating money to fight the disaster, Long Xin was delighted and rewarded Li Li with a lot of money and an official promotion. However, Li Li
Unwilling to leave Xiangyang, he asked the emperor for a decree, and the emperor granted permission to continue to stay in Xiangyang County.
Besides, Tang Lu knew a little about antiques. One day, someone came to visit. It turned out to be a monk.
The monk said: "The young monk, whose name is Huitong, was ordered by the abbot to invite Master Tang to Chengen Temple for a talk."
"Okay!" Tang Luyan said.
Then they arrived at Chengen Temple.
The abbot greeted Master Tang and then said: "I heard that Master knows antiques. There is a vase from the Tang Dynasty in our temple. It is a rare treasure and a priceless treasure. It was stolen recently. I don't want to alarm the government about this. I am worried that the thief will jump over the wall and destroy the vase, so I invited him first."
The master came to solve the case. If the case was solved, there was no need to let the county government know. After all, it was a court, and the news of the theft of the temple would have an impact on the temple. Based on this, the master was invited to help the temple recover the stolen Guanyin. I don’t know what the master’s intention was.
how?"
"What Guanyin?" Tang Lu asked.
"It's Tang Sancai and porcelain Guanyin. The glaze is crystal clear and looks beautiful. I heard that Master Tang is very knowledgeable about antiques. I hope Master Tang can recover this antique vase," the abbot said.
"I'll try my best."
"Master, do it boldly. This temple will send Monk Huitong to go with you," the abbot said.
"This is not difficult. Huitong will go together and be responsible for getting Guanyin back." Tang Luyan said.
"So, Master is very confident?"
"Yes."
"Then how was Guanyin stolen?" Master Tang asked.
"I'm ashamed to say it. It's all because of my carelessness and negligence! One day, a donor came. It looked like he was from outside. He had blue eyes and yellow hair. I didn't know which country he was from. He could barely understand what he said.
One thing, the old monk speaks Xiangyang dialect, and he actually understands it. He is probably a foreigner who has lived in Xiangyang for a long time." The abbot said.
"What's this man's name?"
"His name is Baston."
"It's like the ones from the Western Regions."
"No, he said his home is surrounded by the sea on three sides," the abbot said.
"That must be a foreigner. Baston, well, is a foreigner, not a foreigner, but a foreigner. A name like Baston, like Blake, is a foreigner's name. What is he doing in Cheng'en Temple?" Tang
Master asked.
"He came to worship Buddha."
"Baston's people don't believe in Buddhism, and what they believe in is different from those here." Master Tang said.
"What's the difference?"
"What they believe in is not Buddha, but their gods. It is a lie that they come to worship Buddha, but it is true that they come to hunt for treasures," the master said.
"Yes, I saw that when he came, he didn't bow down very devoutly, but looked around, as if he was looking for something," the abbot said.
"Yes, he came here to hunt for treasures. Have you shown him the treasures in your temple?"
"Yes, he saw it. He saw Guanyin and praised it profusely. He said that they couldn't produce it there. Lao Na said that this is Tang Sancai. It can only be found in the Tang Dynasty and cannot be found anywhere else."
"Does he like it?"
"I like it very much. I just can't put it down. I keep looking at it and murmuring to myself, this treasure is hundreds of years old. It is exquisitely made and hard to find in the world," the abbot said.
"What happened next?"
"Then he left in a hurry, saying that he had forgotten a friend from afar and needed to pick him up, so he left. When I calmed down, I found that the person had disappeared, and Guanyin had also disappeared. Later, I
I think it was definitely Baston who stole it. He took advantage of Huitong's absence and Lao Na's poor eyesight, so he took the opportunity to leave. That's what happened. Let's see if Master can recover it?" the abbot said.
"Can it be recovered? Where does Baston live?" Tang Lu asked.
"I don't know. If I knew, Huitong would have gone looking for him long ago," the abbot said.
"Very good, I can find out that he must not have gone far yet, and his final destination must still be in Xiangyang County. I will go look for it," the master said.
Tang Lu said goodbye to the abbot, left Chengen Temple, and took monk Huitong to Xiangyang County.
He inquired about a guildhouse where foreigners happened to live.
When I went in, I saw a lot of blond and blue-eyed people coming in and out, most of them seemed to be doing business.
Based on the abbot's description, he found a place dedicated to studying Buddhism. When he looked inside, he saw a person. When Tang Lu saw it, he asked Huitong with his eyes. Huitong nodded. Tang Lu asked Huitong to leave, and then he
Going alone, Huitong went to the eaves opposite the guild hall and watched what was going on here. People coming and going thought he was begging for alms and threw copper coins at him one after another. Huitong couldn't refuse, so he accepted the money without hesitation.