An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

Jing Chunxi suddenly looked over, his eyes lit up: "That's right! Let's go back and ask Chengrui and Chengzhi to pick a few people who know martial arts..." Before he finished speaking, Xu Zize's face suddenly darkened.

"If they can't even take care of their own safety..." The young man sneered halfway, but suddenly saw his aunt frowning, and immediately changed his tone, "But more manpower is always a bargain." His thumb unconsciously stroked the sword tassel, which was given by Jing Chunxi last year and is now a little faded.

Aunt Wei suppressed her laughter and coughed lightly: "They brought twenty people back to the capital."

Jing Chunxi recalled that when they first arrived in Jiujiang County, the two brothers brought Ah Heng with them and were able to command the beggars in the entire city, post notices for them, and do a lot of other things.

She chuckled and nodded, feeling her worries were unnecessary. The two brothers had already been planning for her, and they probably had more than just the twenty people they brought back. Why would they ask for her favor for nothing?

When she looked at Aunt Wei again, she smiled brightly, "Don't worry, Aunt Wei, Brother Xiaokang and I will visit them often when we get to the capital."

Xu Zize's face was filled with black lines. "I can go by myself. You should go back and worry about your aunt's belly. Maybe she's pregnant with twins!"

"Oh! Are you afraid that we'll worry outside? Daddy didn't let my brother tell us. Pu Ge'er said that mom's belly is unusually big." These words successfully made Jing Chunxi ignore Xu Zize's dark face, and he didn't notice that he was jealous at all.

Unfortunately, someone was counting on his fingers: "It's half a month since I returned, and my mother's due date is in September..."

"When your highness returns to the capital, please tell your father in time that you need to visit Xi'er's residence more often..." Aunt Wei suppressed her laughter and raised her voice, specifically addressing Xu Zize's stiff body, "Please give your regards to the Prince and Young Lady of Prince Jing's residence on my behalf."

The tips of Xu Zize's ears turned red instantly, and he suddenly heard a muffled voice saying, "I know. Xiaokang, check on them to see if they're ready." Seeing Kuaijiao directing the guards to tie boxes and packages onto the horses' backs, he strode over, and a sour smell still emanated from his back.

The sound of a distant Buddhist bell startled birds from the mountain. Quickfoot was tying the last wicker basket securely, while sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face.

"Shugang Mountain is actually not a big deal. My father specially wrote a letter, asking my brother to come and visit Master Huitong when he is free..." Xu Zize stayed by Jing Chunxi's side all the way, so he had time to talk about the connection he had with Master Huitong.

It takes only three-quarters of an hour to walk around the halfway point of the West Peak to the slightly higher Middle Peak.

The mountains along the way are relatively flat, like a gently rising fold of the earth.

The gravel path is lined with old pines and cypresses, with lush green vines entwined on the branches, and sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves casts mottled shadows.

After walking a while, Ah Yue started complaining about her legs being sore. Xiao Yu, though still a child, already knew how to support her, her thin arms tensed. Seeing this, Xu Zize simply carried both girls onto the horse's back, with Chuyi and Zhengyue carefully guarding them while he led the horse.

The chestnut horse snorted meekly as it carried the two little girls slowly forward, the copper bells hanging on the saddle jingling with its steps.

Everyone put on a padded jacket. It was early summer, and the mountain breeze still brought a bit of spring chill when it blew across the neck.

Jing Chunxi and Ah Heng were the restless ones. They started to compete with each other while walking. Xu Zize hurriedly caught up with Jing Chunxi, while Xiao Man, July and September Lvying followed slowly but also closely.

Jing Chunxi's pomegranate-red skirt swept through the wildflowers beside the path, startling a few colorful butterflies; Xu Zize hurried after her. His dark sleeves fluttered, and the jade pendant at his waist clashed with his sword sheath, making a clear sound like a chime.

Tang Shuang was hurrying with a food box in her hand, sweat oozing from the tip of her nose, but she couldn't keep up with their fast pace.

Aunt Wei watched from behind and shook her head, but a smile played on her lips and the Buddhist beads in her hand were spinning rapidly.

After turning a corner of a moss-covered rock, the outline of Qiling Temple suddenly came into view.

It was an ancient temple built against the mountain. The ochre-yellow walls were stained with marks of varying depths by the years, and the beasts squatting on the eaves looked somewhat majestic in the twilight.

The most eye-catching thing is the winding bluestone steps in front of the mountain gate - a total of 108 steps, each step is polished as smooth as a mirror, and the edges are covered with lush moss.

However, there were not many pilgrims along the way. However, not far from the steps, there were still a few people coming from the wider road on the other side.

"Every step brings a calamity, and every step brings a lotus." Aunt Wei whispered softly and was the first to step onto the stone steps.

Jing Chunxi imitated her, lifted her skirt, and counted the steps. When her toes landed on the stone slabs, she felt a slight tremor under her feet, as if the entire mountain was chanting scriptures.

Zhengyue knew that he had suddenly become the lady's man, but he did not resist and did his duty to protect her.

Seeing Xiaoman protecting Ah Heng, Chuyi automatically switched positions and protected the two little girls with Qiyue.

Xu Zize quietly approached Jing Chunxi, observing etiquette while preventing her from stepping on air.

Xiaoyu lost count after counting to twenty, so Ayue began to teach her again by counting on her fingers. The shadows of the two little girls overlapped on the stone steps.

When I reached the 73rd step, I suddenly heard the sound of a bell echoing from afar. The sound was so deep and long that it startled the birds in the forest. The fluttering of their wings mixed with the sound of the bell, and it sounded like Buddhist chanting.

Jing Chunxi looked up and saw an old monk with white eyebrows standing at the highest point. His brown robe was blown by the mountain wind, like an autumn leaf, but he stood as straight as a pine tree.

"Master Hui Tong." Xu Zize took a few quick steps and saluted with his hands together, and everyone followed suit.

The old monk stared at the two people walking in front, put his hands together and returned the greeting to Xu Zize. He didn't speak for a long time, but looked past her and fixed his eyes on Jing Chunxi's eyebrows.

At that moment, Jing Chunxi had the illusion that his soul was seen through. He suddenly felt his body burning and he felt like he was in another world.

"I was observing the stars last night and saw that Wenqu had moved, so I knew that a distinguished guest had arrived. It was indeed the eldest young master." The mage's voice was like pebbles soaked in mountain spring water, and every word was round and cool.

As he stepped aside to open the temple door, a wisp of sandalwood floated out from his sleeves and mingled with the mountain mist.

Crossing the mottled threshold, the view opens up. The front yard is paved with blue-gray marble, with a few stubborn clumps of plantain sprouting from the cracks.

The bronze incense burner in the middle is half a person's height, with the entire text of the Diamond Sutra cast on the body of the burner, and the incense ash accumulated is only an inch thick.

Several young monks were sweeping fallen leaves. The rustling sound of the bamboo brooms scraping across the brick surface was inexplicably harmonious with the tinkling of wind chimes on the eaves.

"Liaokong, quickly take the donors to the backyard to clean up." Master Huitong pointed at a little monk and asked Chuntao and the others to follow him.

Then, he led the three of them through the corridor and continued forward.

When passing by an old plum tree, Jing Chunxi exclaimed "Ah" - the plum tree was clearly past its flowering period, but now it was suddenly blooming with white plum blossoms, the petals so thin that light could pass through.

The master did not stop walking and said, "The branches that were broken by the heavy snow last year are blooming this spring."