Chapter 163: Brahma Sound Tests Gods and Demons (6k)

Maybe it was because they hadn't seen each other for a long time, and both of them had changed a lot. The man stood there in a daze, staring at them, and forgot to answer for a moment.

Wu invited the two to sit around the table and hurriedly explained, "Captain Ma came to Xinzhou on official business, which is related to Sanlang's killing of the Hu man last time. Sit down first and then reminisce about the past."

"Oh"

Yang Chang picked up a stool and sat down. He suddenly realized something was wrong and immediately looked at the person who came and asked, "Captain Ma? Aren't you called Yun?"

"Yun Zhao, right? That's a pseudonym in Ouchi. My real name is Ma Baoguo."

"Ma is a good name."

Yang Chang felt a little out of place, but he quickly adjusted himself.

The man in front of him was tall and mighty. He was the guard following Zhao Fujin. Although his martial arts skills were far from those of Yang Chang and Wu Song, he was a real master of the palace.

Ma Baoguo had just adjusted his mentality. Who could have thought that the young boy from the past would suddenly become a powerful general who wiped out Tian Hu? It's really frustrating to compare yourself with others.

"I heard from General Shi that you came to Xinzhou in August to suppress bandits, and you also rode alone into Daizhou to hunt down the Hu people?"

"That's what happened. That group of barbarians killed many of my brothers, so I chased them to Daizhou alone to take revenge."

"So those fifty or sixty people were all killed by Yang Xianfeng alone?"

"Isn't this very common?" Yang Chang said with a matter-of-fact expression, which made him pretend to be successful. He then asked, "Has this matter spread to the palace?"

"No." Ma Baoguo frowned and shook his head, explaining solemnly: "I am now affiliated with the Daizhou Border Army, serving as a lieutenant of Jinyi, and was ordered to investigate the case of the Hu people's annihilation. I didn't expect that you really did it alone. It's really as powerful as the rumors say."

"hehe."

Yang Chang looked at Wu Song and smiled leisurely, thinking that 'Teacher Ma' had never seen the world. Buddy has picked up attribute skills for several years. Is it difficult to fight a hundred alone?
Wu Song had communicated with Ma Baoguo in advance and already knew that the identity of the Hu man was not simple. At this time, he stared at Yang Changzhi solemnly and shook his head, as if persuading him not to be so frivolous.

"By the way, why don't you stay in the palace? Go to the border areas to make achievements?"

"I guess so. Taifu Yang passed away last year, and Li Yan took over the affairs of the palace. Many places have been adjusted."

Yang Chang was the type who brought up irrelevant issues and asked directly about Ma Baoguo's pain points, but this fellow had used the excuse so many times in Daizhou that he once again brought out Li Yan to shield himself.

In fact, Li Yan's succession to Yang Jian in charge of the Imperial Palace had little impact on the ordinary imperial guards.

Staying in the palace to work would provide good treatment and many opportunities, and normally one would be assigned to be a military officer with a certain rank. However, Ma Baoguo was given a non-ranking position of Wei Yong. Now that he has been put on the list by the emperor, it would be difficult for him to be promoted in the future even if he relies on his military merits.

Doesn't he want to? He can't.

Ma Baoguo was afraid that Yang Chang would ask too many questions, so he moved forward and added seriously, "The Jin people have been frequently passing through Daizhou in the name of trade recently, but they are actually looking for someone secretly. The Hu people killed by Yang Xianfeng in August are very likely to be a nobleman from the Jin Kingdom!"

"so what?"

After Yang Changyan finished speaking, he spread his hands, with an expression that showed that he didn't take the Jin Kingdom seriously.

Wu Song took over the conversation and reminded Yang Chang: "Captain Ma said that the Kingdom of Jin and the Song Dynasty are allies and are currently working together to attack Yanjing. If something happens at this critical moment, it may affect the diplomatic relations between the two countries."

"Ah"

Yang Chang sneered disdainfully, thinking that if history did not change drastically, the Jin people would attack sooner or later, so why would he worry about diplomatic relations?
Seeing that he did not take it seriously, Ma Baoguo continued to add: "Yang Xianfeng, don't be so proud of your achievements that you can do whatever you want. The annihilation of Tian Hu and the recovery of Yanyun cannot be treated equally. If this matter gets out of hand and cannot be resolved, it will be very disadvantageous to you."

"so what?"

Yang Chang frowned. He knew what Ma Baoguo wanted to say. It was nothing more than that the court was getting rid of him. Unfortunately, Yang Chang did not seek advancement in the officialdom, so he was not afraid of the so-called disadvantages.

After defeating Wang Qing, Gongsun Sheng and others will leave, and I will follow them to practice Taoism, and stay away from the hustle and bustle of the world.

This indifferent attitude made Ma Baoguo very angry, and he said in a deep voice: "It can be a big thing or a small thing, but you have a bright future, so you still have to think about the long-term. I have an idea here, and I hope you will consider it carefully."

"please say."

"Yang Xianfeng, you'd better forget about killing the Jin people. Daizhou will also help you cover it up. Didn't the bandit chief Tian Bao get caught? Put the blame on him. This way, all parties will have an explanation. The key is to discuss it with Song Xianfeng and don't let the brothers below talk nonsense."

"Is this also possible?" Seeing Ma Baoguo nod in agreement, Yang Chang turned around and asked Wu Song: "Where is Song Xianfeng now?"

"We held a memorial ceremony for Zhou Tong in Xiurong yesterday. The troops should have passed Dingxiang by now and are probably heading towards Mount Wutai. If we hurry, we can still catch up with them."

"Oh, General Shi from Xinzhou."

"Don't worry, Yang Xianfeng. I will talk to General Shi. Xinzhou and Daizhou will also jointly report to the court and push the blame to Tian Bao with a unified voice."

"Will the Jin people believe it?"

Hearing this, Yang Chang looked at Ma Baoguo with admiration, thinking that Ma Baoguo was worthy of having been to the capital, as he had mastered the ways of being an official to perfection. He could not have thought of such an outrageous way of handling things even if he had scratched his head.

Ma Baoguo smiled and said, "It doesn't matter whether they believe it or not. What's important is to get rid of the conflict. Besides, the Jin people secretly stayed in Daizhou, so they were in the wrong first. As long as we can successfully take back Yanjing, we can talk about the rest later."

"Okay, I'll forget about it and I'll talk to Song Xianfeng about it."

Yang Chang had no reason to refuse, and after finishing his business, Wu Song invited the two men to have wine and food, and got to know Ma Baoguo again.

Chitangguan Town is located on the border of Xinzhou. Previously, because Tian Hu's forces were entrenched in Taiyuan and continued to infiltrate Xinzhou in the north, few people dared to do business here.

Although the bandits had been eliminated at this time, the vitality of the area had not yet recovered, so supplies were relatively scarce.

Although the food and wine were average, it did not affect the group's enjoyment of eating and drinking.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to sit at the same table, Yang Chang asked in detail about the situation of the noble lady from the Kingdom of Jin.

Ma Baoguo did not know the identity of the nobleman, but he had heard in detail that the officials of Gang County had handled the matter properly, so he thought the matter would be left unresolved.

Unexpectedly, the Jin people continued to send people across the border to search for him. It was estimated that the man was quite important in the Jin Kingdom. The Daizhou border army discovered the abnormality and reported it urgently, and then followed the clues to the territory of Xinzhou.

If Xiurong had not recognized Wu Song, Ma Baoguo might have returned directly to Daizhou and reported the results of the investigation to the provincial government.

As for how the court will deal with the situation at that time, it is not something Ma Baoguo can control. This may be the best outcome now.

Wu Song listened with a serious expression on his face, thinking that if he had not followed Yang Chang to Xinzhou, Yang Chang might have gotten into big trouble, so he kept urging Ma Baoguo to drink and express his gratitude.

Maochai liquor tastes bad and is easy to get drunk. Ma Baoguo said he had to go back to Xiurong to negotiate with Shiban, so he didn't want to drink any more after drinking two bowls.

Before leaving, Ma Baoguo suddenly leaned over to Yang Chang's ear and whispered, "If it weren't for the Emperor's sake, I wouldn't have meddled in your business. I heard that the Emperor's wife has been practicing Taoism and never got married. Can't the Vanguard guess the reason? You take care of yourself. I'm leaving."

"Uh, walk slowly."

Yang Chang stood up and waved goodbye.

To be able to make a living in the imperial palace, you must have some foresight.

Yang Chang's face was bitter after hearing this. He thought, what's the point of guessing? It's impossible for me to divorce my wife and marry another one. I can only find time to sneak the princess out. But the palace is like a maze. How many [Disguise Feathers] do I have to brush to get enough?
hiss.
Ma Baoguo used to be a palace guard. He must be familiar with the layout of the imperial palace. If we ask him to draw a sketch in advance, wouldn't it be much easier?
Snapped.

Yang Chang clapped his hands excitedly when he thought of something wonderful, which attracted Wu Song's curiosity and he walked over to him and asked, "What did he say just now? Sanlang seemed very happy."

"He said that he would help me because we knew each other. Otherwise, he would never help me."

"Yes." Wu Song nodded heavily and sighed: "The court is full of treacherous officials. I am very worried about being in the officialdom. I am so worried that it will be bad for you. I don't know why there are so many brothers in Liangshan who are still so yearning for it."

"Who doesn't love fame, wealth and status? Come on, let's go too."

"Ah."

Wu Song paid for the wine and immediately mounted his horse to go look for Song Jiang with Yang Chang.

He was not good at riding horses, but was forced to go because of the situation. On the way, he was like a novice who was learning to drive. He was extremely nervous when he sat on the horse.

Yang Chang rode on a fast horse, so he could only slow down the pace to hurry Wu Song along, hoping that Wu Song would slowly get used to it. However, he made no progress after riding for a whole day.

The two men stayed in Dingxiang at night. When Wu Song arrived at the inn, he collapsed on the couch and said that he would never ride again after catching up with Song Jiang. Compared with riding for a long time and getting pain in his hips, he would rather walk on his own two legs.

After comparing the before and after, it is clear how powerful [Born as a Martial Girl] is. No wonder Qiu Qiongying learns so quickly.

In early October, Song Jiang led his troops to Mount Wutai. He first set up camp and sent someone to pass the message. Later, he left Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, Fan Rui and several others to guard the camp, while the remaining nearly 100 leaders walked up the mountain.

Lu Zhishen returned to the mountain in August without seeing his master, fortunately Elder Zhizhen did not go out this time.

Everyone waited in front of the hall for a while, and then a waiter came to invite them to meet.

After a while, the group entered the abbot's room in order of seniority to pay homage to the elders.

Yang Changben was ranked fifteenth in Liangshan, but was appointed deputy vanguard after being recruited, so no one thought there was anything wrong with him standing at the front of the crowd at this moment.

Song Jiang led the crowd in saluting, and the elders bowed in unison in response.

Yang Chang stood up and sat down. He saw Zhizhen, who was about sixty years old, with white hair and eyebrows, a strange bone structure, and a pair of wise eyes like the starry sky, deep and unfathomable.

This person is obviously a hermit, but he gives people the feeling of a kind elder next door, which is in sharp contrast with Gongsun Sheng and Qiao Daoqing.

Is he in the Qi Refining Realm? It doesn't seem likely.

Yang Chang didn't dare to use the [Eye of Insight] to spy, and silently longed for Luo Zhen's appearance in his heart.

Just then, he heard the old monk teasing Lu Zhishen.

"It's not easy to kill or burn people when my apprentice is gone for several years."

"I have long heard of the elder's virtue. Song Jiang has little worldly connection and has no way to meet his lord. When Monk Zhishen was a brother to Song Jiang, although he killed people and set fires, he was compassionate and did not harm the good."

Yang Chang came to his senses, looked at Lu Zhishen with his head down and remained silent, while Song Jiang stepped forward to excuse him.

Elder Zhizhen replied, "There are often great monks coming here, and they have discussed the cycle of worldly affairs. I have heard that you are a man of justice and loyalty. I believe that my disciple Zhishen will follow you and make no mistake."

"I won this reward for my meritorious service in the previous attack and destruction of Tian Hu. It would be useless for me to keep it, so I came to offer it to my master for public use."

Lu Zhishen offered a bag of gold and silver, but Elder Zhizhen shook his head and refused to accept it.

"Last time when Xinzhou asked for merit, Donor Shi paid a generous amount of money for the sutras and donated a lot of incense to the mountain gate. Was it all because of you?"

"Oh no."

Lu Zhishen scratched his head with an embarrassed look on his face. Seeing this, Yang Chang stood up and bowed, then said, "Master, please allow me to report. This was my idea. It is mainly to do good deeds for the brothers who died in the battle."

"you"

Elder Zhizhen looked at it carefully, and suddenly a look of surprise appeared in his eyes, and he did not continue speaking.

Lu Zhishen waved his hand and introduced: "This is the deputy vanguard Yang Chang. This time, I am going to fight Tian Hu and work under him. Following him, I often gain something."

"Good."

Elder Zhizhen bowed with one hand, took out a Buddhist scripture from the side, handed it to Lu Zhishen and said, "In this case, I will accept it and give you a collection of scriptures to eliminate your sins and achieve good results sooner."

Song Jiang also offered gold and silver as gifts, but the old monk refused to accept them.

As the two chatted and pushed each other around, the sky outside was gradually darkening.

The elder invited everyone to stay overnight in the temple and later provided vegetarian meals for them.

It is not very cold in October at the foot of the mountain, but there is a strong northerly wind on the mountain.

After everyone had a vegetarian meal at night, Song Jiang ordered that no one should disturb the monks and guests, and they all returned to their guest rooms to rest early, waiting for the elders to preach and practice the Dharma the next day.

The last time Lu Zhishen returned to the mountain, he did not feel restrained because Elder Zhizhen was not in the temple. After receiving the admonition in the afternoon, he behaved more properly than before in the temple. At night, he did not fall asleep directly when he returned to his residence, but sat cross-legged on the couch and learned to enter meditation.

dong dong dong.

My body and mind gradually relaxed, and I had just begun to feel a sense of meditation when I was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.

"Which bird disturbed my home?"

Lu Zhishen opened his eyes reluctantly, thinking that it was one of the Liangshan brothers who wanted to talk to him, so he turned over with a dark face, got off the bed and put on his shoes. When he opened the door, he saw the little monk beside the elder. The anger in his heart was instantly blown away by the wind.

"busy?"

"The elder asks Master to go over there."

"Now?"

"Now."

The young monk put his hands together, bowed, and then turned and left.

Lu Zhishen scratched his head and thought about it, then followed with big strides. He wanted to shout to stop but was afraid of disturbing others, so he had to quicken his pace himself.

Not long after, Lu Zhishen came to the Zen room to pay a visit.

Elder Zhizhen looked at him again, then stroked his snow-white beard and murmured, "There were many people talking in the abbot's room this afternoon, and we haven't had a good chat yet. Tonight there is no moon or stars, and everyone has gone to bed early. Would you like to chat with me for a while?"

"The disciple is willing to be taught."

"It's not easy to say that you committed murder and arson. I'm not being harsh, nor is it wrong to say that murder and arson are all wrong. You have been suppressing rebellion for the country in the past few months, which is a good deed to eliminate evil and benefit the people."

"I am a dull-witted person, and I act according to my heart, especially when I was recruited to fight in Hebei, I couldn't tell who was good and who was evil."

"Killing on the battlefield is the most difficult to discern."

Elder Zhizhen shook his head slightly and suddenly changed the subject, asking, "By the way, you work under General Yang. I am not familiar with this person. Can you tell me more about him?"

"Brother Yang? Where should I start?"

"Let me start from the beginning."

"Oh"

Lu Zhishen swallowed and started from the story of how they met in Qingzhou, then talked about how they got along in Liangshan, and then the experience of fighting against Tian Hu after they were recruited.

Elder Zhizhen nodded repeatedly as he listened, but did not make any comments afterwards.

After finishing Yang Chang's topic, Elder Zhizhen encouraged Lu Zhishen to study Buddhism diligently and taught him how to practice Zen and enter into a state of concentration. He did not send him away until late at night.

He asked Lu Zhishen to talk at night, mainly to understand Yang Chang's situation.

Elder Zhizhen had the ability to read faces. He took a close look at Yang Chang in the abbot's room in the afternoon and saw at a glance that Yang Chang should die young, but at this moment he was full of vitality. He immediately suspected that his body had been taken away by an evil spirit.

He is kind, free and easy, has outstanding martial arts and great strength.
He can say that my heart is bright and is nicknamed the Venerable Bright, which makes him stand out from the crowd in Liangshan.

After listening to Lu Zhishen's detailed introduction, Elder Zhizhen became more and more confused and was not sure whether Yang Chang was a god or a demon.

Before going to sleep, Elder Zhizhen made a decision. He planned to test Yang Chang with his magical powers by giving lectures, meditating, and chanting sutras the next day.

Whether it is a human, a god or a demon, no one can escape the eyes of the law.

The next day, after breakfast, bells and drums were rung in the Dharma Hall.

All the monks in the temple put on their robes and took their seats in order. Nearly a hundred Liangshan leaders stood on both sides of the Fa Hall, with Song Jiang and Lu Junyi leading the team on the left and Lu Zhishen and Yang Chang leading the team on the right.

After everyone gathered, Elder Zhizhen ascended the throne.

He started by lighting incense and praying, then he led the monks in the hall to chant for the salvation of the souls, and personally did good deeds for Zhou Tong and the other two.

"The sublime Dharma is profound and subtle, and is hard to encounter in a hundred thousand aeons. I now see and hear it and am able to uphold it. I wish to understand the true meaning of the Tathagata."

"The Tathagata is merciful and spreads the Dharma."

Zhizhen opened the sutra and the monks followed suit.

There were bursts of Zen sounds in the Dharma Hall.

When the people of Liangshan heard the music, they felt bored and sleepy.

After a while, the head monk in the hall took over and led the recitation.

Elder Zhizhen observed secretly and saw that Yang Chang was standing straight, his eyes were clear and bright, and he did not show any sign of fatigue.

This young man has determination!
Ordinary Buddhist words seem to have no effect.

"Manjusri, this is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, in the distant past, incalculable, incalculable kalpas ago."

"There are also iron eagles that eat the eyes of sinners. There are also iron snakes that grab the necks of sinners. Long nails are driven into the joints of all the limbs, and the tongues are pulled out and plowed."

Elder Zhizhen used his magical powers to recite, and everyone in Liangshan immediately felt something different. The sound was like a pen drawing a picture in their minds, and their bodies unconsciously felt a chill.

"Om, Prajnaparamita, Svaha."

The images in my mind switched like a revolving lantern until the mantra was chanted repeatedly. My ears felt like they were being bombarded by a subwoofer, as if it was going to fill my little head.

The leaders who couldn't bear to listen any longer left the hall one after another, but none of the leaders in the front row left.

It was the first time that Yang Chang listened to the sutra continuously. Instead of finding it boring or uncomfortable, he enjoyed it as if it were a song, which made the elder marvel at it.

This person is not a demon, he must be the reincarnation of a god or Buddha.

Afterwards, Song Jiang went to meditate and ask questions about verses, and Elder Yuntang invited him to a vegetarian feast.

Since they had to go down the mountain the next day, Song Jiang knew that the elder was very wise, so he called Lu Zhishen to Zhizhen's Zen room at night to ask about his future.

The elder wrote four verses as a gift to him, using them as Zen riddles and allowing him to ponder them on his own.

Song Jiang had no choice but to thank him. Seeing that Lu Zhishen was hesitant to speak, he bowed and asked on his behalf: "My disciple has been enlightened. It was not easy for Lu Zhishen to come here. Does my master have any verses to give him?"

Seeing the elder shaking his head and waving his hands, the two had no choice but to give up and say goodbye.

On the way back, Song Jiang saw that Lu Zhishen was unhappy, so he patted his arm to comfort him: "Master, don't be disappointed. Maybe the verses that the elder gave me are actually for all the brothers. Let's study them together."

"I'm not disappointed, I just feel strange." Lu Zhishen frowned and shook his head slowly.

"Where does the strangeness come from?"

"I don't know."

"Don't let your imagination run wild. Go back and rest early. We have a bright future ahead of us."

Song Jiang first sent Lu Zhishen back, then went to his own bedroom, closed the door, and took out the verse to study: When the wind blows, the wild geese's shadows turn, and the East Palace is not reunited. One eye is enough for merit, and the two forests are blessed with longevity.

What does this mean?
I don’t understand the first two sentences at all, but I can understand the last two sentences quite well.

Full of merits, good fortune and longevity.

You want me to save enough money and work hard to finally enjoy a happy and long life?
My teacher's good advice coincides with my thoughts.

Song Jiang grasped the two key words and fell asleep contentedly holding the verse.

He soon began to snore. Lu Zhishen, with his dark eyes, couldn't fall asleep as he stared at the dark roof.

Why is my teacher’s recitation of the “Earth Store Sutra” today so different from before?
dong dong dong.
Around three o'clock in the morning, the door knocked three times.

The voice was very faint, but Lu Zhishen heard it clearly. He couldn't sleep, so he got out of bed and opened the door.

"Who?"

"it's me!"

"division"

When Elder Zhizhen came to visit in the middle of the night, Lu Zhishen was shocked and hurriedly welcomed him in using the light of the stars.

Just as he was about to light the lamp, the elder grabbed his sleeve.

"The teacher will say one word."

"Teacher, please speak."

"This time, my disciple will go down the mountain and follow Dingtian Qixing. You will definitely achieve the great path of righteousness."

"Tianqixing? Brother Yang Chang?"

When Lu Zhishen came to his senses, Elder Zhizhen had turned around and left, disappearing into the night, as if he had never been there.

He closed the door, lay on the bed and slept until dawn.

The next day, he said goodbye to the elder, went down the mountain to meet up with Wu Yong and others, and urged the troops to set off.

When they were almost reaching Dingxiang after two days' journey, Bao Xu, the God of Death, suddenly fell off his horse. Fortunately, he was thick-skinned and not injured, but after treatment by An Daoquan, he was found to have caught a cold and was not suitable to travel long distances with the army.

There was a slight shortage of medicine in Dingxiang County, so Song Jiang rushed to Taiyuan to get it. On the way, the judge Li Li also caught a cold.

They traveled day and night to Yangqu, Taiyuan. Bao Xu was feeling hot and cold and was in a daze, while Li Li was shivering all over and unable to get out of bed. An Daoquan then prescribed medicine to treat them in time, and Song Jiang and others were forced to stay in Taiyuan to rest.

An Daoquan was treated for several days until late October.

Bao Xu and Li Li felt better after taking the medicine, and the cold and heat symptoms gradually disappeared, but they needed to rest for half a month before they could recover.

Song Jiang was concerned about the court's response and did not want all the people to be wasted in Taiyuan by the two of them, so he left An Daoquan, Xue Yong and Hou Jian to take care of them, and took the rest of the troops back to Qinzhou.

As the army passed Qi County, heavy snow suddenly began to fall from the sky.

We will have to cross the mountains soon, and the heavy snow will inevitably slow down the march. The journey that would take seven or eight days will take half a month, and all this is delayed by the two patients.

Thinking of these troubles, Wu Yong asked Song Jiang in a sarcastic tone: "Brother, we all live together when we go out. Bao Xu and Li Li are both good people. How could they catch a cold for no reason? What did they do in Mount Wutai?"

"Buddhism is a pure land. What can they do?"

Song Jiang frowned and shook his head, then stroked his beard and guessed, "There was a strong northerly wind on the mountain at night. Perhaps they caught a cold. As the saying goes, illness can be as severe as a mountain falling. Who can tell for sure? Why should the military advisor be blamed?"

"How could that be? I was just saying it casually." Wu Yong refused to admit it and quickly changed the subject: "Our journey will definitely be delayed. I guess by the time we get to Tongdi, the imperial court will have given us the appointment. What position do you think Yang Chang will get?"

“Who knows?”

Song Jiang knew the truth, but he just didn't dare to guess.

He was afraid that Yang Chang would be given a high-ranking official title, but he was also afraid that the court would just give him a small official title as a perfunctory reward. After all, Yang Chang was his reference point, and it would be difficult for him to climb up if his starting point was too low.

In mid-November, on the third day after everyone returned to Tongdi, the imperial edict arrived.

Yang Chang was conferred the title of Xiuwu Lang and was appointed as the deputy general manager of Qinzhou's army. (The Northern Song Dynasty emphasized civil officials over military officials, and military posts were held concurrently by civil officials.)
Song Jiang felt mixed emotions after hearing this, thinking that Yang Chang was only ranked eighth with such achievements, it seemed that I had to make greater contributions.

(End of this chapter)