The sky was getting late, and the sudden new wind blew away with a "swish-swish" sound. The wormwood was dense and strong, but it was also bent by the wind. Guan Dashi, Yang Sanlang, and Niu Chong cried over Ma Zhong , they put him on a horse, and the three of them led the horse silently and climbed hard into the depths of Mang Mountain. Although it was a military horse, the mountain road was rugged. After walking for a while, the military horse snorted and scratched the ground with its front legs. , unwilling to go any further. The three of them had no choice but to tie up their horses and stop to rest against a tree.
"Guan Hu'er" in Guan Dashi's arms woke up twice during this period, and he repeated his old tricks, biting the tips of his fingers and squeezing the blood to feed him. Later, he squeezed his fingers until his heart hurt, but he could no longer squeeze out a few drops of blood. Come, Yang Sanlang went over to help, bit his own fingers to feed... until "Guan Hu'er" was full and fell asleep silently.
The three of them walked and walked, and at about the end of Haishi, they returned to the valley where the sun sets. Several huts were waiting quietly by the stream. Guan Dashi first settled "Guan Hu'er" in his hut, and then found The iron hoes and shovels were given to Yang Sanlang and Niu Chong. The three of them found a high ground away from the stream and dug a grave properly. Niu Chong took some things from Ma Zhong's thatched cottage. , but the animal skins, mattresses, etc. that Ma Zhong usually used in daily life were spread out in the grave pit, and then Ma Zhong’s body was placed in it and covered with animal skins. Yang Sanlang took the handle that Ma Zhong had brought with him. The dagger was also put in. The three stood at the edge of the grave for a while, looked at it, sighed for a while, and then filled up the grave. Niu Chong found a thick wooden stake and drove it hard in front of the grave.
The three of them bowed several times to Ma Zhong's grave, and Guan Dashi solemnly said: "Brothers, bury you here today so that we can avenge you. If I fail your trust, I will no longer be a human being in the next life!" Yang Sanlang and Niu Chong said in unison: "Just like Brother Da Shi said, I will risk my life to avenge this!"
Shuofeng hunts and blood oaths are sworn. Guan Dashi and the others do not know at this moment that since this oath was made, they and their descendants have been inextricably involved in the changes of the troubled times and become pawns in the movement of heaven. .After Ma Zhong was buried, the three of them slept hastily with their thoughts in mind.
Early the next morning, the three of them met at Guan Dashi's hut as promised last night. Guan Dashi's hut was in the middle of several huts and was slightly larger. In the middle was the main room, with an inner room on each side, just like a large household. Yang Sanlang, the person's aide, pulled Lu Qiuniang over, which made Guan Dashi's eyes light up and he was greatly surprised: "It's so hard for Brother Sanlang to hide it from his brother! When did he marry such a fair and pure woman?"
Lu Qiuniang's cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Yang Sanlang was embarrassed: "Brother, please don't misunderstand! I rescued Qiuniang sister at the foot of the mountain a few days ago. Because she was afraid of being chased by the bandit soldiers, she stayed with me temporarily... We two You are innocent, don't ruin the reputation of Miss Qiuniang!" Guan Dashi smiled and said nothing.
Niu Chong also smiled and said: "I met 'sister-in-law' yesterday, but things were urgent at that time, so I didn't bother to pay attention to 'sister-in-law'. Forgive me!" After saying that, he hugged his fist.
Yang Sanlang said anxiously: "Brother Niu also came to entertain me! Brother Da Shi, please don't make fun of me anymore. I invited Sister Qiuniang here just to explain it to me, lest my brother ask about it later. Unexpectedly, I got ridiculed instead." "After saying that, Yang Sanlang pretended to be angry.
Guan Dashi smoothed his beard and said with a smile: "It's all a joke. Sister Qiuniang, don't be surprised. Since we, Brother Ansanlang, have rescued you, we are no longer outsiders. Let's sit down and talk first." The few of them sat down at the table. , they talked about Nian Geng with each other, but it was Lu Qiuniang who was the youngest. The three brothers talked about what they had seen and heard in Yangliu Village, and then lamented for a while. Lu Qiuniang did not say anything, and listened quietly with red eyes.
Guan Dashi suddenly said to Lu Qiuniang: "Today we brothers are going to Cuiyun Peak. There are a few old Taoists in Shangqing Temple there that I recognize. They are familiar with them and their words are quite insightful, so we will pay a visit."
It’s just that my tiger is still young, and... he has just lost his mother... so I have to ask Sister Qiuniang to take care of her." After saying that, he stood up and bowed respectfully.
Lu Qiuniang hurriedly stood up and returned the gift: "Brother Da Shi, please don't do this. Since we are not outsiders, this Hu'er is our biological child. It's not too late to spoil him!" After saying that, she hugged Guan Hu'er from the inner room. The little guy came out.
Already awake, her dark eyes were fixed on Lu Qiuniang without crying.
Guan Dashi smiled and said: "I, Guan Hu'er, are really well-behaved. There were a lot of bumps yesterday, but I actually slept like a normal person. I only woke up and cried twice when I was hungry, and went to sleep again when I was full, just like when I was a child."
After hearing this, everyone laughed and teased Guan Huer a little. Then the three brothers got up and said goodbye to Lu Qiuniang and went to Cuiyun Peak.
The weather was not very clear that day. The fog in the mountains was thick, and the wind blew it away and gathered again. The three of them were familiar with the road, sometimes riding horses, sometimes walking, walking among the mountains and deep valleys without any anxiety. In the afternoon, the fog dispersed slightly, and the top of the mountain was covered with fog.
The last round of blue sky and white sun illuminated the outline of the front mountain much more clearly. There are many pointed eaves and corners on the top of the mountain, which are faintly discernible through the trees. Guan Dashi said: "In front of you is Cuiyun Peak!" The three of them said
Encouraged, he quickened his pace.
Walking to the foot of the peak, they saw a stone step leading up the mountain, leading directly to Shangqing Temple. The three people dismounted, tied their horses to a tree on the side, and climbed up the steps. There were some sparsely planted pines and cypresses on both sides of the stone steps.
There are mostly wild miscellaneous trees, but the Taoist priests are diligent. After a while, they will cut off some of the branches that are leaning out to prevent them from blocking the stone steps. Now in winter, the leaves of the miscellaneous trees have fallen, and they have been chopped down by knives and axes.
The traces become more and more obvious.
The three of them arrived in front of the temple in a short time, and saw a majestic gate made of bricks and stones. The two characters "Tianmen" on the forehead of the gate have a simple and powerful charm.
Fei. On both sides of the gate are tall turrets, with bells and drums hanging in the turrets. On both sides of the turrets are courtyard walls. The walls are plastered with lime, white and yellowish. The three of them took a cursory look, and Guan Dashi stepped forward.
Knock on the door.
The person who opened the door was a little Taoist boy, about ten years old, who asked cautiously: "A foreigner has come from afar, and I don't know why?" Guan Dashi answered: "My name is Guan Dashi, and I have always been in the temple. My brother.
The three of them have something to pay a visit to Master Gongsun, and I would like to ask the Taoist Master to report to you." The Taoist boy responded and turned back to report. After a while, he returned to the gate and said, "Master, I'd like to invite you!"
Guan Dashi and the others entered the Shangqing Temple. Inside the temple was paved with blue bricks, the buildings on both sides were neat, the corridors were dust-free, and a faint sound of chanting came out through the door. Directly in front of the temple was the large main hall, with a plaque saying
"Ziji Palace", the Taoist boy led the three people into the main hall "Ziji Palace". Inside the palace is a statue of the Great Saint Ancestor Gaoshang Jinque Xuanyuan Emperor Li Erdao Zun. Under the statue sits an old Taoist, black
Wearing a yellow turban and wearing cloud shoes, he is Gongsun Zhenren.
When Master Gongsun heard that the guests were coming, he stood up from his round seat, saluted Guan Dashi and the others, and said with a smile: "Donor Guan has not been here for some time, so there must be a reason for his visit today. But I don't know what I can do to help?"
After saying this, he nodded to the Taoist boy. The Taoist boy understood and took a few round seats and put them away.
Guan Dashi and the others returned the gift, just like Master Sun, and sat down on the round seats respectively. Guan Dashi pondered for a moment, and then slowly told Master Gongsun about the fall of Luoyang City, the massacre of Yangliuzhuang by bandits, and other events.
When he talked about the tragic death of his brother when he was young, Guan Dashi was so sad that he couldn't talk anymore. Yang Sanlang took over and told the following things one by one. Guan Dashi came back from his grief and asked
: "Master, we don't know much about the righteousness of our family and country. We only think about revenge. But we also know the four words 'beating an egg against a stone'. We should not act recklessly. I ask for your guidance!"
After hearing this, Gongsun Zhenren let out a long sigh: "The prosperous age suffered a great calamity. Although it was said that it was a man-made disaster, it was ultimately a man-made disaster. We have learned about the fall of Luoyang City a few days ago. As cultivators of our generation, we should obey the way of heaven and be quiet and do nothing.
, We welcome them in prosperous times, and avoid them when they are in chaos. However, when we realize the Tao in the world of mortals, we see the country is in turmoil and the people are in trouble, but we cannot ignore it. These days, some refugees temporarily take refuge in the temple, but the temple
The rations are small, and I feel quite powerless... Now that the general situation is unclear, and many parts of Zhongzhou are scorched, saving the common people and benefiting the way of heaven is the right way. Although revenge is a pleasure, it is not in a hurry."
After hearing this, Guan Dashi, with tears in his eyes, thanked him again: "Disciple, I understand. If the real person has any mission in the future, he can send a Taoist boy to tell him, and he will die without hesitation."
Gongsun Zhenren nodded: "Even if you die, you still have a lot of words. Donor Guan has both martial arts and spiritual roots. As long as he remembers the eight words 'act according to the situation and act according to his ability', he can open up a way for the people in the world to live."
." After Guang Dashi heard these words, he started to care about it, so he took Yang Sanlang and Niu and rushed out of the main hall and went down the mountain. Zhenren Gongsun didn't stay much and only watched the three people go out.
After watching the door, he returned to Ziji Palace.