Chapter 18: Silver Dragon Temple
Translator: Translation Nation/chuchutrain Editor: - -
The unpleasant encounter went by in the blink of an eye. The poet’s gathering started becoming lively again with the presence of meat and wine. Pei Zi Yun ate a sizable portion himself. After he had eaten his fill, he started to get to know the students around him. There were ten of them and they were all scholars.
The student who had welcomed them at the entrance came from an average family background. However, because his studies were good he was accepted into the school. The teacher praised him often and allowed him to be in charge of events like these.
And the student who scolded the Daoist was called Zhu Hao. He had been known to be very rigid and inflexible, but was a good student. He was sometimes misunderstood and thus, disliked because he was tactless.
Tang Zhen, too, was among them as they drank wine and recited poems to each other, all having a good time.
Just as everyone was making merry, someone sighed loudly. They turned in the direction and noticed that it was Zhang Jie Yun who sighed.
Everyone present were surprised. Zhu Hao stepped forward and asked, "Brother Zhang, why did you sigh as if you were upset?”
Pei Zi Yun raised his head to look at Zhang Yu Jia and saw him frowning, looking unhappy, "Aiya, since the examination have ended, the results are just two days away. Although I think I performed alright, everyone who took the examinations are talented in their own ways, and I am worried that I made some mistakes and failed to reach Elementary Scholar in this examination. That is why I am feeling very vexed and stressed. Even the wine seem tasteless to me.”
His words seemed genuine and everyone could relate to this feeling. In that moment, many people felt how he was feeling as well, "Brother Zhang, these words went into my heart, tasting the wine now, it tastes bland to me as well.” said Pei Zi Yun.
“Yes, I have been edgy, unable to write any essays and cannot concentrate on any book.”
Pei Zi Yun coughed. Although he too, was confident in his abilities, he was still worried. As long as the results were not out, he could be sure that he had made it. This examination would determine his future and thus these two days, he had been unfocused and could not write any essays.
These words spoken by Zhang Jie Yun reflected the sentiments of everyone around. All the students around had good literary skills and were all confident. However, human nature meant that as long as something is uncertain, worry is inevitable.
Everyone around sighed and despaired.
Noticing that the crowd had started to despair and started sighing, Zhang Jie Yu realized he should not have said those words. He then raised his glass and stood up in front of everyone and told them, "It’s all my fault, I should not have said those words and killed the atmosphere. I will punish myself by drinking three glasses, please forgive me.”
He then proceeded to finish his first glass. Just as he was about to drink his second, the organizer of the event raised his hands and held on to Zhang Jie Yu’s second glass, "Brother Zhang, you spoilt my mood. How can we let you off so easily? At the very least for every glass you drink, you have to recite a poem. That could make things better. What do you guys think?”
All the students around began to shout in agreement, "That’s right, that’s right!”
Zhang Jie Yu looked to be in some difficulty and said, "Brother Yang, I am a very adventurous person. I can only compose good poems when inspired by beautiful scenery. Now that we are cooped here, I cannot.”
“If I am to drink and recite poems, let us take a stroll out of here and explore. Outside of the city sits Silver Dragon Temple, and the scenery there is beautiful. What’s more, the vegetarian banquet provided there is fantastic.”
“When we get there, not only me, but everyone would be so inspired they can compose good poems. Why not hurry go there?”
“It will be waste to go there when it gets dark.”
Silver Dragon Temple was known for their good scenery and vegetarian banquet, so everyone around agreed. Someone stood up and said, "Although we have agreed to go and take a stroll. The poems can wait. Brother Zhang needs to drink his punishment first before we take a stroll.”
“That’s right, he should drink first!”
Hearing this, Yang Fan did not interrupt anymore.
Pei Zi Yun heard that they were going out to explore and recalled a memory he had. He realized that this temple had a very familiar name as if he could vaguely recall hearing it somewhere before. The temple outside the city was the same temple that Ye Su'er came and asked for a blessed amulet for him!
From the county to the city would take about a day by horse cart. Ye Su'er kept the amulet to redeem a blessing and travelled by herself all the way from the county. And with the presence of bandits around, she felt that it was really unsafe…
As for this blessing, he was determined to get it. A normal person would pay a hundred and fifty coins to buy some incense, instead he paid one tael of silver.
(TL: For the Daoist man’s meal)
The entire group of them were full from their meals and content from the wine and thus began to make their way to the temple. There were more than ten of them leaving the city. Since most of them reeked of alcohol and were students, they caused some nuisance to the people who saw them. But knowing that the results would soon be out, they understood.
On the way there, the tree and flowers were all around with some of these flowers blooming. Several bees were buzzing in the vicinity and there would occasionally be some butterflies joining the fray.
A short distance after leaving the city was the temple.
The sky started to get dark as they began to walk towards the temple. Silver Dragon Temple was in the middle of a forest. Several shrubs were growing along the walls of the temples. As they got nearer, the temple took a dignified appearance with the words, "Silver Dragon Temple” written on the entrance.
Zhu Hao smiled and said, "I have long heard that Silver Dragon Temple was in the middle of a forest, where the discipline among the monks is very rigorous and they live very pure lives. Today I finally get to see it.”
Once they had reached, a red glass was placed on the door and the walls were yellow in colour. Upon entering, a huge hall greeted them. The hall was majestic and full of splendour. Two statues stood before them and in front of these statues was a donation box. A monk with several scars on his head was at the side, hands together and was chanting scriptures.
Several oxcarts pulled up abruptly in front of the temple. A few young ladies stepped out and entered the temple. Pei Zi Yun looked at them and observed that they had shapely bodies and were graceful in their movements. They were very pretty as well. Seeing the students in front of them, they giggled.
Although it is said that luck is dispersed in the open, isn’t this too much of a coincidence?
Pei Zi Yun thought to himself. He then looked at Zhang Yu Jia before taking some silver and putting it inside the donation box. The monk suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing silver, he rejoiced openly. He placed his hands inside and felt two pieces of silver and was overjoyed, "Looks like we have some special guests.”
A novice monk then came to guide them around. This novice monk looked strange and everyone laughed when they saw his appearance.
The novice monk brought them into the viewing gallery of the temple and told them about the different halls and different Buddha’s they were made in honour of. He showed them each and everyone one, not missing anything out. Pei Zi Yun then needed to use the toilet and asked the novice monk for directions, "Head towards the back, and make a right.”
Pei Zi Yun thanked the novice monk and headed towards the toilet. When inside, there were a few cubicles. He picked one and squatted. Just then, three monks entered.
Before long, he heard them speaking. This was the monk with a loud voice but trying to keep his volume down. Pei Zi Yun only heard, "Pretty women...smell good...fantastic.”
They were all in the cubicles next to each other but had to whisper. Pei Zi Yun felt something was amiss.
He then heard another voice. This time it was of a monk who did not speak in hushed tones, "Fellow brother, a few days ago I met a girl who was absolutely stunning. She was sixteen or seventeen at most and had already blossomed. Based on the way she was dressed she did not look rich. Before I could get a better look, she asked for an amulet of blessing and hurriedly left.”
“She left after asking for an amulet? Fellow younger brother, next time when you see a girl asking for an amulet you should ask her to stay the night to prove her sincerity. And then….” The monk stopped speaking and laughed.
Pei Zi Yun heard this and his heart sank. There was a serious problem with this temple. He then stood up to get a better look and saw the three monks. He got a good look at only one of them. He was taller than a normal person by an entire head. His face was tanned and had a protruding forehead and nose. Pei Zi Yun was afraid.
When he stood up to get a better look, the monk had a feeling someone was watching him and turned back. Pei Zi Yun immediately ducked back down, and was thinking, "This monk is the same as those bandits, they know martial arts.”
The poor are well versed in literature and the rich are proficient with martial arts. Any type of fighting technique cannot be learnt without meat and wine to grow. Shaolin martial arts placed a concession on meat for a reason. By the looks of this temple, they were not poor.
Hearing them leave the toilet, he left in a hurry as well. A breeze came into the temple, carrying light raindrops with it. Pei Zi Yun let out an uncontrollable sneeze as he thought. Silver Dragon Temple is so suspicious, and yet nobody knows about its secret. It’s unbelievable.
And Zhang Jie Yu still suggested coming here. He is a disciple of Holy Jail Sect. Although I do not know much about this sect, I do know that the are known for their dark arts. Most of them only gained entry into the sect by connections, "Flowers and games” is just a nice way of saying it when actually it is a ploy to rape. The three steps of Converging Lunar technique. When the insiders of the sect often have concubines. No small number of women have been defiled by them.
In the previous life, but ten years later, an entire search was conducted but there was no news about Silver Dragon Temple. Or could this be a scandal that was hidden well?
Pei Zi Yun walked out into the corridors to look for the rest of the scholars. He moved quietly and before long, he heard people. He realized that the rest of the students were in the next hall. He then relaxed and prepared to leave.
Tang Zhen saw Pei Zi Yun and laughed, "You have been gone for so long, they have started preparing the vegetarian banquet. It has been rumoured that this vegetarian banquet tastes so good, it almost tastes like meat.”
Pei Zi Yun laughed coldly and thought, That’s because meat has been added to it! This is all just a ploy.
He was about to say something further when he noticed Zhang Jie Yu praising a particular painting. Zhu Hao laughed and said, "let me take a look!”
At this, he reached out to touch it. Unaware of what he touched, there was a rumbling sound and the painting moved away to reveal a huge gaping hole. The hole led to a basement.
Just in that moment, a few monks appeared, completely naked and were hugging a few women. These women looked very familiar. Were they not the same women that bumped into them a few moment's ago. Most of them already had their outer clothes removed.
As the scene unfolded before him, Pei Zi yun was shocked and wanted to make his escape. The monk who was at the donation and holding the banquet, walked over. The second he saw what was happening he turned pale and ran inside, shutting the door.
“We’ve been discovered!” several big sized monks from the hole came out and saw about ten scholars outside, and caught them.
“Not good, we’ve fallen to the hands of evil people” Tang Zheng was shocked.
More sound could be heard and ten more monks came from the dug-out. One of the monks let out a devilish laughter, "I was just wondering why everything became quiet. Looks like the scholars have came in.”
“You could’ve eaten the vegetarian banquet. Now you can eat murder banquet.”
Pei Zi Yun looked at the monk and put his hands into his clothing, and felt his dagger. It was just that without any Dao Arts and without his sword, he was reconsidering his actions. Seeing ten monks all with weapons and more monks coming from the basement, his heart was filled with fear.
This is bad, at this point, there is no escape.
He then saw the dark skinned monk command, "Tie these scholars up.”