Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 5: Quiet Practice Place

Carrying the two sacks of rice, flour, sugar, salt, meat and other items he bought, they were all good things to survive the famine. Xu Yuanchang found it too strenuous.

After several days of nourishing and training with plenty of fish and meat, his strength increased significantly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Following the winding and steep path trodden by the villagers, Xu Yuanchang climbed up to the mountain pass. The mountain breeze was whistling. Looking down from the top, there were clusters of houses dotted among the trees and rocks in the middle of the mountain below, extending to the valley basin several miles away. The streets are lush with crops.

The original owner came back once two years ago and stayed for only five days.

At that time, my money was tight and my resources were shabby, so I did not receive any warm reception.

According to the impression in my memory, I walked towards the small fork road to the east.

Going down the hillside, I met many villagers bending over to hoe the fields. They were all tanned and wearing bamboo hats.

Xu Yuanchang nodded and smiled and greeted the villagers who came over from time to time. He didn't know any of them, but he couldn't break the courtesy. This was the second time he went home in ten years, and he might stay there for a long time in the future.

After walking a long way, I heard comments coming from behind.

"Looks like the brother from the Dazhu family who is studying Dharma in the mountains?"

"It seems so. I came back once the year before last and I grew taller and thinner."

"If it weren't for the clothes, I would almost not be able to recognize him."

The mountain road was winding and rugged. Xu Yuanchang passed through many houses and yards on the hillside and stopped in front of a dilapidated mudstone courtyard wall. Behind him were a group of dirty children, chattering and barking.

There were noises and "squeaks" inside, and the wooden door with its mottled paint opened a gap.

A skinny boy with messy hair and a runny nose stuck his head out, followed by a short girl. The veins on the bridge of her nose were clearly visible. She was so frightened by the battle in front of her that she almost closed the door.

"Gouwa, it's your third uncle who has come home. You are stupid."

"Gouwa, Meiwa no longer recognizes his uncle."

"Why don't you go to the fields and call you daddy and mommy? Uncle You is back."

Many children were chattering and making noises. It was rare for a stranger to come to the village. Everyone was staring at the two sacks carried by Uncle Gouwa, guessing that they contained delicious food. Many children could not help but drool.

Gouwa's eyes suddenly lit up, he called out "Uncle" and opened the firewood door completely.

Xu Yuanchang walked in and asked a few words casually, touched Meiwa's little head, put down the things in the main room, took out a pack of jelly beans bought in the town from his sleeve pocket, gave one to each of the little ones, and left the rest A few pills and paper packets were all stuffed into Gouwa, and the yard was filled with happy laughter.

There is no need for the dog to call his parents. The grown-up who listens can hold on to the hoe and trot home with the basket in hand.

Gou Wa Niang was carrying a tightly wrapped milk baby on her back, and she was still eating her fingers while she was asleep.

Xu Yuanchang greeted, took the hoe from his brother's hand and put it in the utility room.

"Uncle, what are you going to buy when you go back to your home? It's too expensive, isn't it? You have to stay longer this time, and it's rare to come back."

Gouwa Niang kicked out the other children who were still in the yard, closed the yard door, walked into the main room and saw two sacks of items against the wall, with a smile on her face and said warmly.

Xu Yuanchang untied a sack and took out a hanging bag of fat and fresh meat wrapped in dried lotus leaves, which weighed ten kilograms. He then took out a bag of frosting sugar and coarse salt, a cloth bag of thirty kilograms of brown rice and twenty kilograms of brown rice. Jin of flour, he said: "I'm going down the mountain, and I have to go back to the village to live permanently."

Gou Wa Niang was stunned for a moment, and then quickly said: "It's better to come back and find a mother-in-law to spend a happy birthday."

With so much rice and flour, mixed with wild vegetables is more than enough to tide over the current famine.

This time it cost his uncle a lot of money.

Dazhu carried the fresh meat, removed the lotus leaves, swallowed his saliva and asked, "Have you studied to become a Taoist priest?"

It is said that those Taoist priests who have completed the examination and are issued certificates by the government can be exempted from the tax on ten acres of land and the corvee labor of four people. This is a great blessing for a small family.

Xu Yuanchang shook his head and said: "Not yet, go home and continue studying."

He glanced at Gouwa, who was looking at the fresh meat, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, you cook first. Gouwa and the others are hungry. My eldest brother and I will go to the second uncle's house with some gifts, and then we will go to the clan leader's house. .”

Most of the people in the village are related by relatives. There is no need to visit other families. The second uncle and the patriarch's family must visit. He opened another sack and took out a hanging bag of fresh meat and a bag of brown rice, which were gifts for his second uncle's family. The other sack contained longan, Hericium and other slightly valuable items, suitable for giving to the clan leader.

Gou Wa Niang watched the two people carrying gifts and going out, feeling a little lost.

His uncle is very agile in what he says and does. Compared with the submissive person he was two years ago, he looks like two different people.

You are so generous with your money. Could it be that you made a fortune outside?

"Mom, you're hungry. Do you want to cook something?"

Gouwa raised his head and shouted.

"Okay, okay. Let's eat dry rice today and make large pieces of braised pork. The remaining fresh meat will be marinated and smoked to eat slowly."

Gou Wa Niang smiled from ear to ear. She put the baby on her back into the cradle and covered it. She rolled up her sleeves and carried the rice and noodles. The two little ones helped to carry sugar, salt and meat to the kitchen.

Xu Yuanchang and Dazhu went to the second uncle's house to give gifts, and then walked eastward without sitting for more.

The patriarch's family is a big family in Shipan Village. 30% of the land in the village belongs to the patriarch's house. It has a shop business in Qingshi Town. This generation also has two scholars who can read and have extensive connections.

Hearing the news from the servants, the patriarch Xu Wenchang received the two brothers Xu Yuanchang in the front hall who came to bring gifts.

What made him secretly amazed was that Xu Yuanchang's nephew came down the mountain. He seemed to be enlightened. He spoke generously, had a calm demeanor, and acted appropriately and well. He looked like he had seen the world.

"Currently, there is no spare fertile land in the village. If we open up wasteland to mature the land, it will cost a lot of money. We will not see any profit in three or two years. Your eldest brother's few acres of mountain land are only enough for them to make a living. What are you going to do to make a living?"

The patriarch asked with a smile.

There are many families in the village who rent the fields of the clan leader, village chief, or clan leader, or work as long-term or part-time laborers to subsidize their families.

Xu Yuanchang bowed slightly and replied: "In these years, my nephew has not only practiced Buddhism in the mountains, but also learned some techniques to exorcise evil spirits. On his way back, he stayed in Qianshan Town for three days and helped Yu De, a financial officer, perform a ritual at his foreign residence, which was a blessing. The evil ghost who made trouble for half a month has returned to Jingning."

He means what he says, and what he does cannot be false.

The clan leader was immediately impressed. This skill was quite big. No wonder he looked different and raised a cup to invite him for tea.

Of course, it will not be difficult to check it in the future, so that you can be sure.

He already understood that his nephew, who had just graduated from the fifth level of service, would no longer have to rely on farming to earn a living.

Xu Yuanchang held tea in both hands in greeting. After putting down the tea cup, he said: "My nephew wants to find a quiet place to stay without being disturbed. I also ask the clan leader to allow my nephew to build a house."

The imperial power did not go to the countryside, and no house could be built on the vacant land on the mountain without the approval of the clan leader, the village leader.

Dazhu was sitting beside him with only half his buttocks. Hearing what he said, he hurriedly interrupted: "Lao San, what nonsense are you talking about? We can't live in our house, or is your sister-in-law driving you away?"

Xu Yuanchang smiled and said: "Brother, don't be surprised. I practice in a quiet way, and I don't like living in crowded places."

The patriarch waved his hand to stop Dazhu from saying more. He had heard that Taoist priests who could exorcise ghosts should not be close to popular people, otherwise they would hinder their relatives. After thinking for a moment, he said: "There is a ready-made house, on the Gushi slope in the northwest of the village. The village guard passed away the year before last, and it has been vacant and abandoned. If you don't have any taboos, ask some people to help repair it. Even if you live in it, the open space in front of and behind the house will be taken care of by you."

Xu Yuanchang knew where it was, so he didn't hold back any taboos. He smiled and clasped his fists in thanks.

After talking about the matter and achieving the purpose of coming here today, Xu Yuanchang stood up and said goodbye.

On the way home, Dazhu complained to his brother a lot, but he couldn't change his mind. He had to agree to take the lead and hire some people to build the courtyard wall of the house and renovate it carefully.

The place was too remote and quiet, almost outside the village.

It is only a few miles away from the tombs in the village. At night, you can occasionally see faint ghost fires floating in the tombs opposite.

Unless necessary, few people go to Gushipo.

……

(End of this chapter)