Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 16: Accidentally Saving the Monk
Few people come to Jia Cong's place. Today is New Year's Eve, and all the important people in the East Courtyard went to Rongqing Hall for a banquet.

Why would someone come to the door at this time? Zhishao was a little confused and went forward to open the gate.

The leading maid was holding a light pink palace lantern, and the soft light illuminated two pretty figures.

The woman in front had pretty eyes and well-shaped eyebrows, and a fierce look in her eyes. She wore a bright red gorilla felt cape, and her apricot-colored long coat embroidered with flower branches showed through the collar.

The woman following behind had plump skin, a medium build, rosy cheeks, a gentle and quiet demeanor, and wore an indigo-blue cloak embroidered with colorful gold. She walked with a calm and graceful gait.

The woman in front smiled and said, "I heard from the maid that you are Zhishao, right? What a pretty girl. Your third master is here, and we have brought guests to see him."

Zhi Shao then realized: "It's the Third Miss, please come in, the Third Master is here."

Jia Cong had already gone up to greet them and said with a smile, "So it's my second and third sisters, what rare guests you are."

Tanchun had heard that Jia Cong was detained and raised in the storehouse yard in the east courtyard since he was a child, but she had never seen him in person.

Now this small yard is bare, without even a blade of grass.

There are three bungalows next to each other in the yard. The two on the left are dark, and only the one on the right has lights on.

Tanchun heard from the maid that the two rooms were used to store sundries from the East Courtyard, and Jia Cong and the maid were squeezed into the last room.

Tanchun thought of the painting of Xizhou Ci in her room. It turned out that her third brother Cong grew up in such a place.

They are all the old lady's grandsons. Not to mention compared with the second brother Bao, even Huan'er, who was also born out of wedlock, lives a much more decent life than the third brother Cong. One can't help but feel sad for Jia Cong.

Yingchun is a slow-tempered person, but she grew up in the care of her ancestors and lived a life of luxury as a lady. She has never been to such a remote and lonely place.

Thinking about his own brother's miserable life and not wanting to have a stranger like Wang Dong following him, sadness and pity appeared on his face.

The light in the yard was dim. After greeting Tanchun and Yingchun, Jia Cong saw that there was someone following them.

Tanchun calmed down and said, "Third Brother Cong, this is Eunuch Wang from the Jiashun Palace. He is here on the order of the prince to give you a New Year's gift."

Wang Dong was really surprised when he entered this narrow and shabby courtyard.

The calligraphy genius in the eyes of the prince actually lives in such a place. It is really not easy to find such a place in the magnificent Rongguo Mansion.

He also saw that Jia Cong was thin, even a little emaciated, and his clothes were clean but worn out.

He looked closely at Jia Cong's facial features and his gentle and calm eyes, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

It seemed that Jia Cong held a low position in the Jia family and lived a very miserable life. The rumors outside were actually true.

"I am Wang Dong, the chief eunuch of the Jiashun Prince's residence. I have come here at the Prince's request to deliver a New Year's gift to Master Cong."

Jia Cong hurriedly invited Tanchun, Yingchun and Wang Dong into the house. His house was not big, and with so many people coming in at once, it seemed a bit crowded.

Wang Dong waved to the two young eunuchs who had been following behind him, each holding a brocade box.

Various gifts were placed on Jia Cong's desk, filling it up.

Wang Dong said: "The prince knew that Master Cong was a calligrapher, so he gave him some daily necessities.

There is a box of top-grade tribute Hu brushes, two top-grade exquisitely carved Duan inkstones, five boxes of silver-flake snow-patterned rice paper, ten tribute-grade Hui ink sticks with green smoke and gold-painted patterns, and some other small items for calligraphers.

Jia Cong heard that Prince Jiashun gave him writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone, but when he saw the surprise on Tanchun's face, he knew that these things must be rare and top-quality items.

Jia Cong showed gratitude on his face and said, "Your Highness is really kind. Yesterday's letter allowed me to have the honor of participating in the Nanxi Literary Society, and today he asked the governor to send me the New Year's gift. I really have no way to repay you."

Wang Dong smiled and said, "Master Cong, you are welcome. The Heart Sutra you gave him is very much liked by him.

Although the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones given by the prince are all top-quality, they are just common items, just right for Master Cong to use.”

Wang Dong paused for a moment and said, "There is one more thing I would like to ask Master Cong."

Jia Cong's face straightened and he asked, "What's the matter?"

"Your Highness has read the Heart Sutra written by Master Cong and regarded it as a divine work. Your Highness is well versed in Buddhist scriptures, but has never seen such a wonderful Buddhist classic. May I ask where Master Cong learned it from?" Jia Cong was sharp-minded. When he heard Wang Dong asking about the origin of the Heart Sutra, he knew that in the timeline here, Buddhist classics like the Heart Sutra had not been circulated, so Xuanzang must not have had it either.

After all, the history books that Tanchun read are limited and cannot cover all the details, which is understandable.

As for the origin of the Heart Sutra, let him tell it. I believe no one in this world can trace its origin.

Wang Dong was a very meticulous person. After he asked the question, he looked at Jia Cong's expression without blinking.

He believed that although Jia Cong was extremely talented, he was only a ten-year-old boy after all. If he showed any sign of deception, he would definitely reveal his hesitation, which would definitely not escape his eyes.

The prince specially sent me to deliver the New Year's gift just for this, otherwise he would have just asked a eunuch to do so.

Jia Cong answered without hesitation: "Speaking of the origin of this Heart Sutra, I find it strange now.

About two years ago, one day I was walking home from school and met a bald monk on the way. He looked very sick and had been hungry for several days. He was dying, probably because he had not been able to beg for food.

I felt sorry for him and gave him all the ten copper coins I had saved so that he could buy some steamed buns.

The monk was naturally very happy that he no longer had to go hungry. He also said that we had a connection, and to thank me, he wanted to teach me a Buddhist mantra. As long as I memorized it and recited it silently often, I would be able to avoid disasters and accumulate blessings.

But I am the worst at memorizing. That year, Master Dairu in the school taught us to memorize the "Di Zi Gui". Many of my classmates could memorize it, but I couldn't memorize it all after two months. "

Wang Dong felt strange after hearing this: The "Di Zi Gui" only has a thousand characters, and he couldn't memorize all of them in two months. His aptitude is really mediocre. How can such a person practice such exquisite calligraphy?

Jia Cong continued, "So when the bald monk asked me to recite the book, I absolutely refused. But the monk said that his teaching method was different from others, and as long as I listened to him recite it once, I would remember it forever.

At that time, I was half-believing and half-doubting, but the monk didn't care and just whispered something in my ear, which was the Heart Sutra.

It’s strange to say, but I memorized it word for word just because he read it vaguely. Even after all these years, I still can’t forget it.

What’s even more strange is that since then, my memory has suddenly improved a lot, and I no longer have to worry about memorizing books. However, my classmates at school don’t play with me much, so I have never told anyone about this, not even Master Dairu knows about it.”

These words made Wang Dong, a veteran, open his eyes wide.

He just couldn't believe that Jia Cong, a half-grown boy, could make up such a bizarre story.

Before he came, Jia Cong had no idea what he was going to ask. Under his own eyes, he could not make up something on the spot.

Moreover, the story is so bizarre and tortuous that it is impossible to make it up in the blink of an eye.

As soon as I asked the question, he answered it almost without thinking, in a calm tone without any hesitation.

Wang Dong couldn't help but believe it. He was knowledgeable and knew that some of the great masters in Buddhism had secret techniques such as initiation and heart transmission.

Even for illiterate people, they have ways to make them memorize tens of thousands of words of Buddhist scriptures and sayings overnight, and recite them by heart and not forget them for decades.

This Jia Cong is so blessed!

He must have met such a Buddhist master who passed down such a peerless classic as the Heart Sutra.

I think the reason why he was able to master superb calligraphy at such a young age might be because the bald monk opened his mind.

Tanchun and Yingchun were even more dazzled by what they heard. This Third Brother Cong (third brother) was really a strange man. Why did such incredible things always happen to him?

The shrewd Wang Dong believed 80% of Jia Cong's words. The remaining 20% ​​was because the matter was too bizarre and he needed a process of acceptance.

Wang Dong never dreamed that Jia Cong was talking nonsense.

As for why he spoke without hesitation, so smoothly and without leaving any flaws.

That’s because in the world that Jia Cong lived in, there were hundreds of thousands of people who modestly called themselves flops, working tirelessly to write narratives every day.

He had seen so many bizarre stories like this that he could tell them without any hesitation.

(End of this chapter)