Late night at Chenghuang Temple!
Total silence!
Lin Ye looked at the deep and secluded City God Temple, and had a vague bad feeling in his heart.
Before he started practicing, Lin Ye didn’t care, but after embarking on the path of practice, the practitioner’s intuition often represents a sign.
"We can't just ignore it. If we really encounter danger, we can just hide back in reality."
After looking at the quiet City God Temple, Lin Ye finally walked in with gritted teeth. This time he did not climb over the wall, but directly pushed open the door of the City God Temple.
When the temple door opened, Lin Ye's expression instantly became awkward.
Compared to the darkness and silence outside the temple, the moment the door was opened, the lights came on brightly.
Eight ghost messengers were holding spears and standing on both sides. In front of the City God Hall, Yang Chenghuang was sitting on a chair and looking at him with a smile. Behind Yang Chenghuang, two ghost messengers were holding the tied Daohai.
Dao Hai was tied up with iron chains, and he stood there blankly, as if he had lost his soul.
No matter how thick-skinned Lin Ye was, his face turned a little red at this moment. It was too embarrassing. He could even make a villa with his thumb.
Yang Cheng Huang looked at Lin Ye with a playful expression, holding a cup of fragrant tea in his hand, and said: "When you moved my statue, I had already sensed it. I was about to come back, but I met Master Daoyuan, who invited me to visit Miaoying Temple. I didn't quite understand the situation at first, but when Master Daoyuan told me about the Cheng Huang Book, my mind became clear as a mirror."
Damn!
Lin Ye looked at Yang Chenghuang and couldn't help cursing in his heart. He and Senior Brother Daoyuan felt a little sorry for this man, but it turned out that this man knew everything and was just acting in the temple.
Why can't he help himself when talking about the case? He must be having so much fun making a fool of himself that he doesn't want to stop.
"Master Yang, please tell me, how should this matter be resolved?"
In a flash, Lin Ye also thought a lot.
If this person is in the mood to act in the temple, then it means that this matter can still be discussed. Otherwise, if he is really furious, he could just point it out in the temple and turn against him directly.
"You broke into my City God Temple, injured my subordinates, and even attempted to steal the City God Book. If I hadn't left a backup plan, the loss of the City God Book would be a serious crime. What do you think I should do to you? "
Yang Cheng Huang shouted: "According to the law, I can send your souls to the underworld to be punished!"
Facing the stern look of Yang Chenghuang, Lin Ye felt very calm. This was the negotiation skill, first scare him and then make demands.
"Sir, tell me what you want us to do?"
Yang Chenghuang: ...
Yang Chenghuang didn't expect Lin Ye to be so smart and react so quickly.
But it doesn’t matter, after all, it is still under his control.
"You are given two choices. The first is that you and your brother will be taken to the underworld by my soul-stealing..."
"Sir, please tell me the second one based on your instinct."
Lin Ye interrupted the City God. He had heard too many such negotiations. He was given two choices : life and death. He didn't want to be accused of writing too many words.
"The second way, I know exactly why you two took the City God's Book. I have already summoned Ye Zhiyuan's spirit for you. I have only one request, that you must handle this matter to the end and report it to the gods!"
Hearing what the City God said, Lin Ye laughed. He suddenly felt like he was being plotted against.
From what Yang Chenghuang said, it seemed that he knew a lot about Ye Zhiyuan's affairs.
It seems that I am involved in the infighting in the officialdom and the dispute over the City God.
The most important thing is that I seem to have no other choice.
"You are curious about Ye Zhiyuan's affairs, which has already touched this cause and effect. The path I am asking you to choose now is also to let you understand this cause and effect. There is no loss to you at all."
What you said makes a lot of sense.
If that's the case, why not just say it directly instead of beating around the bush?
Lin Ye curled his lips. He originally thought that the city was full of tricks and the people in this other world were simple and honest, but he didn't expect that the roads in this other world were even more slippery.
"What secrets does Ye Zhiyuan have? My Lord, please speak frankly."
"I don't know either. You can handle this matter on your own. Now you can leave with your brother and Ye Zhiyuan's soul."
Yang Chenghuang's figure disappeared, including those ghost messengers. The only ones left in the entire Chenghuang Temple were Daohai and Ye Zhiyuan who walked out from behind the statue.
"Please give me justice, sir."
Ye Zhiyuan walked out and bowed to Lin Ye. Lin Ye's mouth twitched, and he looked at the statue of the City God and secretly raised his middle finger.
…
…
"Dawu, bring a few bundles of straw over there. The floor is a bit hard."
At the foot of the mountain, in the abandoned land temple.
The old Taoist priest instructed the young Taoist priest to hold the straw, and then he lay down on it and stretched comfortably.
"Master, since it's uncomfortable to sleep here, why did you refuse the invitation of the City God to stay? The City God invited us to stay overnight in the City God Temple."
Daogu was very puzzled. The City God Temple looked very nice, but his master was unwilling to go. He left the city overnight and finally chose to spend the night in this deserted temple.
"Dawu, I will teach you one more trick today. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. These city gods were also human beings when they were alive, and they are more shrewd than ordinary people. Be careful of being tricked when dealing with city gods. Do you remember Ye Sheng who came to burn incense in our Taoist temple?"
"I remember that Mr. Ye opened a private school in the county and taught many students. He would come to our Taoist temple every time to burn incense and pray for the son of his hometown."
Daogu still had an impression of Mr. Ye, because every time Mr. Ye came to the Taoist temple to burn incense, he would ask Daogu if he needed to read at such a young age, and he even gave him several books to read.
"That Ye Sheng has a great karma. He went to the Taoist temple to burn incense. There was a ghost messenger from the underworld behind him pushing him. He thought that I would be curious and get involved in this karma. But who am I, my master? How could I be fooled? I will accept the incense money and will not ask about Ye Sheng's affairs."
The old Taoist was very proud. No matter which ghost from the underworld was behind this, he would not take any action.
I don’t know which nosy person will be dragged into the pit later.
…
…
"Master Lin, I only know what happened to me after being enlightened by the City God. I hope Master Lin can help me."
Lin Ye brought Dao Hai and Ye Zhiyuan back to his house. Ye Zhiyuan had a sad and angry look on his face as he told them what had happened to him.
Ye Zhiyuan was successful at a young age and had great literary talent. He was famous throughout Poyang County. Many dignitaries often invited him to banquets. Later, he met a Mr. Li.
Mr. Li was also a scholar, and every time he entertained him, he would serve fine wine and delicious food. As time went by, Ye Zhiyuan became familiar with Mr. Li and would often visit Mr. Li's house.
When Ye Zhiyuan entered the county government for the first time to take the imperial examination, he did not expect to meet Li Yuanwai in the county city. That night, Li Yuanwai invited him to a banquet, and Ye Zhiyuan did not refuse, because he was confident in his literary talent and the mere provincial examination was no problem.
"Mr. Lin, it was only after Lord Chenghuang's enlightenment that I remembered what happened after the banquet that day. After the banquet, Mr. Li said he wanted to test my literary talent and gave me a few questions. I answered them on the spot, and those questions were exactly the questions of that imperial examination."
Lin Ye's eyes sank, Dao Hai opened his mouth slightly...
"Unfortunately, when I took the imperial examination the next day, I was faced with the same questions, but I couldn't write down the answers I had that day. Now it seems that my memory of that day was sealed, and the exam was also affected."
"After failing the exam, I returned to Poyang County. Mr. Li was very kind to me and even more enthusiastic than before. He entertained me with delicious food every day..."
When he said this, Ye Zhiyuan felt a little embarrassed. Lin Ye's expression didn't change. It was normal for a young man to be flattered and forget himself when he was successful.
During the three years, Ye Zhiyuan stayed mostly in Li Yuanwai's house. Li Yuanwai persuaded him, saying that among the real great writers, few were officials in the court, and most of them were devoted to mountains and rivers. He was willing to provide Ye Zhiyuan with travel expenses as long as Ye Zhiyuan did not take the imperial examination, but Ye Zhiyuan refused.
Then history repeated itself. Ye Zhiyuan failed the second imperial examination.
"Mr. Lin, I just learned today that Mr. Li is the City God of Poyang County. I beg you to do me justice."
I'm hosting the show, fuck you.
Lin Ye really wanted to slap himself twice. Since it involved the City God, why was he so curious in the first place? He thought he would gain merit and so he jumped in. Is it so difficult to gain merit?
It is obvious that Ye Zhiyuan should have passed the imperial examination, but Li Chenghuang did something about it. I just don’t know why Li Chenghuang did that?
"Junior brother, Li Chenghuang is a ghost. These things in the world of the living have nothing to do with him."
Dao Hai was a little confused, but Lin Ye had a guess in his mind.
At the same time, he also understood why Yang Chenghuang set up this trap. This was a trap aimed at Li Chenghuang.
"Let's go find Brother Daoyuan first."
Lin Ye took Dao Hai and Ye Zhiyuan's soul to Miaoying Temple. A quarter of an hour later, Dao Yuan, who knew what had happened, frowned. The matter at hand involved two city gods, which was definitely not simple.
"Brother Daoyuan, Junior Brother, no matter what conspiracy they have, what Li Chenghuang did was wrong first. We just want to seek justice for Ye Zhiyuan."
Dao Hai couldn't figure it out so he simply gave up thinking about it. Lin Ye and Dao Yuan looked at each other. Things couldn't be that simple.
"Brother, this time I will..."
"Stop, Brother Dao Ji, this City God does not belong to our Buddhist system. If you want to file a complaint, it has nothing to do with Miaoying Temple."
Daoyuan interrupted Lin Ye as soon as he saw him speak. Lin Ye smiled and said, "Actually, I also know a little bit about Taoism. I can also do this."
Daoyuan: ...
Dao Hai listened to this and looked at Lin Ye in shock .
"My studies are a bit mixed. Before I became a lay disciple of Miaoying Temple, I was a registered disciple of Qingfeng Temple."
Daoyuan looked up at the sky, wondering what had blinded the abbot in the first place that he accepted such a person.