Painting Doctor Jinhua

At the moment of Chenshi, when the red sun was rising and the rosy clouds were shining, there was originally a large empty area on Fahua Mountain, but now it was filled with elegant scholars in white with long sleeves. Since these young men were all from noble families in the north and south, although they talked and laughed, they did not lose their noble and elegant demeanor. It can be said that this is a place of great natural beauty and talented people, so this event seemed more solemn and prosperous.

"I am honored that you have taken the time to come here! Today we are gathered here, and there will surely be a lot of witty remarks, and we can also meet the noble scholars in person. Today's banquet of elegant discussion will begin from here, and you can all speak freely!

How about starting with the argument that a white horse is not a horse? What do you think?"

"I think that saying a white horse is not a horse is just a trick of sophistry!"

Starting with Xu Ling, the other scholars began to express their opinions and debate. However, Xiao Xian looked around Fahua Mountain anxiously, but did not see Xiao Jinyu coming.

"Strange, why is His Royal Highness Prince Lanling not here? It's such an unprecedented gathering, and yet Prince Lanling is so late. Doesn't he really look down on us southerners?"

Someone said this, and Yuwen Hui continued, "Prince Lanling is such a handsome man, so he is naturally a little arrogant. What's the harm in waiting a little longer?"

Using the term "peerless" to describe a man, the sarcasm in the tone is hard to conceal.

"Some people compare him to Han Zigao, the most handsome man in our southern land. I wonder if his appearance is really outstanding?"

"Tsk, the beauty of a man is just for show, what's there to praise?"

As soon as this discussion started, it immediately attracted the interest of many scholars, and someone even said:

"Speaking of this, why don't we discuss Han Zigao and other such elves today?"

……

When Xiao Jinyu arrived at Fahua Mountain, she just happened to hear that Lanling Wang was not there. She became even more worried and turned to look for him elsewhere. On the way, she met Lu Yu who came rushing over. She asked, "Lanling Wang is not in Qingtan Yaji. Where is he now?"

Lu Yu was surprised: "Ah? Not here? My dear, didn't he accept your invitation and go to see you?"

"Find me?"

Lu Yu took out a piece of silk and showed it to Xiao Jinyu.

"Here, look, it says, 'Come to the temple and see me, I have something to ask you.' It was you, Xiao Jinyu, who wrote this letter! I was wondering, you clearly said you couldn't come today, so why did you write this letter to my prince? As soon as my prince received the letter, he left immediately, leaving this thing for me, and wouldn't let me follow him!"

Xiao Jinyu took the silk and read the words on it, then immediately shook her head.

"This is not my handwriting. I can't possibly write a letter to your prince. Lu Yu, why don't you think about it? We just met today. I said I was going to Xinghua Yanyu Tower. Why would I suddenly write a letter to your prince?"

"But my prince believes in him, and I can't do anything about it!"

Lu Yu said, and then he changed his mind and seemed to have a bad premonition.

"Oh no, nothing will happen to my prince, right? But today is a grand gathering for discussion, and this is also a holy place for Buddhism, right?"

Xiao Jinyu no longer had time to argue with him, and quickly asked Fenghuang to go with her to look for him. Fenghuang didn't understand why she was so nervous about Lanling Wang's matter, so she asked: "Brother Qing, why do you have to look for him? Isn't the most important thing for us today..."

Xiao Jinyu didn't know how to explain the uneasiness that the original owner brought to her, so she just said, "Phoenix, he saved us and helped us many times. If I didn't know he was in danger, it would be fine, but now that I know, I can't just sit there and do nothing!"

"It says come to the temple to meet, so we must have gone to a temple. There are two temples on Fahua Mountain, one is Hanshan Temple and the other is Tiantai Temple. Fenghuang, why don't you go to Hanshan Temple and I go to Tiantai Temple..."

"How can that be possible? I can't be separated from you, Brother Qing. If something happens to you, who will protect you?"

Xiao Jinyu originally wanted to say, I don't need anyone's protection anymore, but she didn't say it out loud for fear of hurting Fenghuang's heart, so she had to look for the most likely destination based on the traces on the road.

Laying out traps was her forte. The last time Princess Yunyin sent assassins to hunt her down, it was she and Fenghuang who had set up the trap in advance, waiting to lure those dozen assassins into the trap.

Therefore, the traps set by others cannot escape her eyes.

"It should be Tiantai Temple. There are a lot of weeds on this road, but they are in a mess. It should be caused by many people walking on it. Moreover... there are even traces of knife blades on some trees, as if someone left them intentionally..."

"Then let's go to Tiantai Temple!"

There was no one else in Tiantai Temple at that time. As it was still under construction, it had not yet attracted pilgrims to worship Buddha. In front of the temple gate, there was only a senior monk sitting on a cushion and chanting scriptures, as if he was talking about Zen.

When Gao Changgong arrived here, he listened to a passage from the Lotus Sutra. After the monk finished reciting, he opened his eyes and saw a man coming to the temple gate. He asked:

"Why did you come to my Tiantai Temple instead of attending the grand gathering of elegant conversation?"

Gao Changgong smiled and said, "I heard that you southerners believe in Buddhism very much and even believe that gods are immortal. Is that true?"

"That's true!"

"Then why is God immortal?"

"It is like the transmission of fire to different firewood, just as the transmission of spirit to different forms. If the previous firewood is different from the next firewood, then we will know the wonderful art of pointing out the limit; if the previous form is different from the next form, then we will understand the deep feeling of emotion and number."

What he meant was that the human spirit is like fire, and the human body is like firewood. Firewood burns and becomes ashes, but the fire is passed from one firewood to another, forever and ever. Similarly, after a person dies, the soul can also pass from the previous body to the next body, forever and ever.

This is the "immortality of God" theory that has been widely believed since the Southern Liang Dynasty.

"Since, as you said, after a person dies, the soul will pass from the previous body to the next body, then, Master, can you tell me where my father Gao Cheng's soul is now?"

When Gao Changgong was only eight years old, his father Gao Cheng was killed by the assassin Lan Jing. Before his death, Gao Cheng was conspiring with his favorite ministers to abdicate to the Eastern Wei Dynasty, but the plan was exposed. An assassin pretended to deliver food to Gao Cheng and assassinated him. Although his uncle Gao Yang arrived in time and killed Lan Jing and others, Gao Cheng had already died at the hands of the assassin and could not be saved.

This period of Northern Qi history was not a secret, but Gao Changgong's question made the monk's face change drastically.

"Amitabha, it turns out to be His Royal Highness Prince Lanling!"

The monk was about to stand up when he heard a clear female voice shouting:

"Gao Changgong, be careful!"

At the same time, Gao Changgong already felt the sound of wind in his ears and an arrow shot from high up on the left. He subconsciously dodged to the side and at the same time saw another sleeve arrow passing by like a meteor in front of him.

With a "bang", a figure staggered and fell from the eaves of the temple.

Gao Changgong looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Xiao Jinyu rushing over with the Phoenix. At this time, Xiao Jinyu was still dressed in white and had a curtain covering her head.

But after just one glance, Xiao Jinyu's expression changed drastically again.

"Get out of the way!"

She stretched out her hand again and shot out an arrow from her sleeve, which went straight towards the monk. Gao Changgong also felt a cold and vicious aura approaching, but he only had time to block it with his fist.

It turned out to be a brown and green snake with its mouth wide open spitting apricots at him!

At the same time as his fist blade cut off the snake's body, another snake head bit the back of his hand fiercely.

Seeing that he was bitten by a snake, the monk who had originally had a kind face actually smiled strangely, but he only had time to smile for a moment before he spit out blood and fell to the ground.

"Phoenix, go kill the assassin hiding in the dark!"

"Yes!"

Fenghuang followed the order and quickly chased after the assassin who was hiding behind the temple and trying to escape. Xiao Jinyu hurried over and supported Gao Changgong.

"Do not move!"

As she spoke, two silver needles on her fingertips quickly pierced into the Shenmen and Shaofu acupoints on Gao Changgong's arm. Then she opened the door and took the back of his hand, which was swollen from the snake bite, into her mouth, sucked out a mouthful of black blood and spat it on the ground.

Gao Changgong was slightly startled and was about to stop her, but he heard her say:

"This is a five-step snake. Don't move. I have sealed your meridian points, but if the venom is not removed, it will endanger your life!"

Having said that, she no longer looked at his surprised expression, but continued to suck out blood mouthful by mouthful until the blood turned its normal bright red color.

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with relief.

But Gao Changgong became nervous. He had been paralyzed and unable to move just now, but when he regained consciousness, he immediately held her shoulders.

"Are you OK?"

Xiao Jinyu shook her head: "You gave me an anti-poison pill, have you forgotten? If you had taken this anti-poison pill yourself, you wouldn't have to go through so much trouble."

She smiled as she spoke, and her true face revealed from beneath the veil was like a blooming flower, emitting brilliant colors all over the sky.

Gao Changgong was slightly startled and absent-minded for a moment, especially when he thought of the touch of her soft cherry lips on the back of his hand just now, his heart seemed to be filled with ripples like a feather touching the water.

"I never thought that the eminent monk in this temple is actually a killer. Buddhism does not allow killing. This is really ridiculous!"