mage in the late qing dynasty

Chapter 138 Pack it up

Even in summer, the wind here in Mogao Grottoes is very strong.

Taoist Wang's homespun cotton gown was crooked by the wind.

From Zhao Chuanxin's point of view, this person's eyes were dull, and his expression was full of enthusiasm and shrinking.A great writer in later generations called him "the clown who strayed forward in a great national tragedy".

Although everyone kept saying that it would seem boring for the humble and insignificant Wang Daoist to bear this huge cultural debt.

That means, they are superior, while Taoist Wang is very humble, and he is not worthy of asking Taoist Wang to bear the sins, but he still bears all the infamy.

But in Zhao Chuanxin's view, Daoist Wang, a Taoist priest who was born as an uneducated peasant, had already done his best in the early stage.

Starting from him, all the way up, from magistrates, prefectures and counties, court officials, to the old witch, none of them are innocent.His culpability was minimal, but history almost only remembered him and nailed him to the pillar of shame.

Isn't that a funny thing?
Edward Shawan said, "I'll pick a few volumes, and you can sell them to me."

Daoist Wang refused, and finally offered a price of a few pounds, but Edward Shawan picked out many scriptures and paintings.

Zhao Chuanxin sneered.

If I come, then nothing will be left for you.

He stopped Edward Shawan: "It's getting late today, let's enjoy it for a day first, and then talk about other things tomorrow."

Outside the Mogao Grottoes, there is a gourd-shaped monk's death pagoda, the base is made of blue bricks, and the top is made of yellow mud, which shows that the monks presiding here have never been generous.

Edward Shawan is very interested in these, since Zhao Chuanxin won't let him buy them today, let's take some photos and go back.

And Zhao Chuanxin wandered back to Mogao Grottoes.

Daoist Wang originally followed, but it can be seen that Zhao Chuanxin just watched but didn't speak. After following for a while, he felt bored and left.

Zhao Chuanxin couldn't understand the dark murals on the walls that had lost their color.

It's just that I can roughly appreciate the Tang people's aesthetic pursuit of richness, which is vividly expressed here.

Turning over the yellowed scriptures, some of them have been weathered and become fragile, and slag will start to fall off with a little force.

He didn't dare to fiddle with it casually, and directly put them all into the pendant of the secret realm.

It can be said that, except for those tall Buddha statues and murals, he couldn't take them away, and he didn't let go of even a single incense burner, and put them all into the secret pendant.He also put in some small painted Bodhisattva statues of the Tang Dynasty.

According to history, this Taoist king may not be greedy for selling these precious things to foreigners. He sold a total of more than 20 taels of silver, but he didn't spend any money on himself, and he still lived a miserable life.

So where did the money go?
The money was finally used to repair the grottoes, build new statues, and use it to develop the incense here.

After Zhao Chuanxin took all the treasures into his bag, he looked at the empty Mogao Grottoes with only murals and tall Buddha statues left, and nodded in satisfaction.

He strolled out, came to Daoist Wang with his hands behind his back, patted his shoulder, and took out a bag.

There was a rattling sound in the bag, and a smart person must have guessed that it was a bag of money.

But Taoist Wang showed no expression on his numb face.

Zhao Chuanxin said: "I know you want to develop the incense here, but remember, the Mogao Grottoes cannot be moved. Come out with me."

He carried the bag in one hand and led Taoist Wang out with the other.

Outside the gate, there is a river.

On the other side of the river, there is an open space.

Zhao Chuanxin pointed to the open space and said to him: "See the open space over there. You can build pagodas and temples here, or you can build your Taoist temples. It doesn't matter. I will pay you. But you can't build Mogao Grottoes." Move, seal the gate, and no one will be allowed in."

Taoist Wang: "But..."

Zhao Chuanxin interrupted him: "No, but. If you want money, I will give it to you. The 20 yuan is the initial investment, and you can build whatever you want. However, the Buddha statues and murals in the Mogao Grottoes, if you dare Move it, see the gun in my hand? I’ll kill you with one shot. When you spend the money, if you think it’s not enough, I’ll invest more. In the future, the incense here will be yours, and it’s nothing to do with me. .Understand?"

Seeing that he was silent, Zhao Chuanxin shot directly at his feet, and the loess splashed.

"Did you hear that? Don't think I'm scaring you to play!"

Daoist Wang shuddered, and was indeed frightened by Zhao Chuanxin's appearance.

The lives of people who died at the hands of Zhao Chuanxin were countless, and when they got angry, the evil spirit would even coward Zhao Erxun, the chief official of the frontier, let alone Wang Laodao?

Edward Shawan was attracted by the gunshots. Seeing Zhao Chuanxin's expression was unkind and the gun was still in his hand, he asked, "Zhao, what happened? Don't hurt Taoist Wang, he is just a poor poor man."

Zhao Chuanxin patted Daoist Wang on the face: "Poor man? You poor man, you might be infamous forever, you know? Remember my words."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head to Edward Shawan and said, "You can play here for a few days by yourself, and I'm leaving now."

Edward Shawan, who couldn't figure it out: "Why? Did something happen to you?"

"No, I'll go out for a trip, and I'll go home after walking around."

After speaking, he threw the money to Taoist Wang, turned around and left.

When he walked away, Taoist Wang opened the bag to see that 20 silver dollars could not be carried at all. How could this be 20?
He returned to the Mogao Grottoes, opened the door and saw that the cave was empty, but there were more silver coins neatly stacked on the ground...

From the fact that Taoist Wang sold the treasure but didn't spend the money on himself, Zhao Chuanxin felt that this person was not very noble, but at least he had some vague beliefs in his heart.

Everyone values ​​things differently. For example, Lu Xun was unwilling to commit suicide to assassinate high officials of the Qing Dynasty, but Qiu Jin was willing.Just because Lu Xun is actually afraid of death, you can't think that his character is not good or bad, right?
He was afraid that this person would play the game of sticking to the belief and not being afraid of death, so he kept the money.

Since I am willing to toss you to other places, don't harm that hole.

Given the choice, Taoist Wang would not have to destroy those Buddha statues and murals in order to die.

As for Edward Shawan, it was none of his business what the old boy thought.

Qing Court?Those corpses are nothing worth mentioning.

Zhao Chuanxin came to Tianjin alone.

There was a parade in the street at this time.

There is a sign that reads: Boycott American goods!

Definitely don't use American products.

When several young people passed by Zhao Chuanxin, one of them came out and was about to pull Zhao Chuanxin's shirt with his hand.

Zhao Chuanxin "cracked" and simply opened the opponent's hand.

Anger appeared on the man's face: "Sir, are your clothes American?"

Zhao Chuanxin turned over the edge of the inner lining of the buttons, and there was a small piece of cloth embroidered on it: Loyal Tailor.

"Did you see clearly?"

The young man was embarrassed.

"Sorry! Your western clothes look like American products."

He was right, the fabric of the shirt was indeed American.

But Zhao Chuanxin would not tell him this.

"Parades are parades, boycotts are boycotts, but you have no right to destroy the property that the people already have."

No matter now or in future generations, there will always be a small group of people who, under the banner of patriotism, abuse the power that is easily obtained to make themselves famous for a while.

(End of this chapter)