After dinner, a few men stayed in the private room to play cards, while Sisi and the other women went to the front hall to worship the Bodhisattva, incense and draw lots to make wishes. Originally, Sisi didn’t really believe in these things, but having experienced rebirth herself, she figured the whole reincarnation concept might actually hold some weight.
Rong Zishan didn’t go because her daughter was sleeping, and naturally, Rong Ziqi didn’t want to go either. However, Mo Liu went along. Although he was a Christian, he wanted to see the statues of the Eighteen Arhats in the main hall, which were handed down from the Tang Dynasty and were very famous.
Sisi and the other three women devoutly burned incense and prayed to Buddha. Sisi even donated 1000 yuan. If she didn’t mind the money fattening up the monks in the temple, she would have donated even more.
Sure enough, after donating the money, the welcoming monk in the hall looked at Sisi with significantly more enthusiasm and even personally started talking to her about Buddhist teachings.
However, Sisi couldn’t stand such a worldly monk. Someone who can’t even curb their own greed, and yet has the face to preach to others?
Don’t disgrace the word "Buddhism"!
Sisi listened impatiently for a while and gradually understood that the welcoming monk was trying to persuade her to donate more money, promising that if the amount reached over ten thousand, her name would be inscribed on the Merit Stele in the temple—an act of boundless virtue!
The welcoming monk spoke with enthusiasm as if he had successfully talked tourists into donations many times before; such sales tactics were truly a waste not to be used in commerce.
"May I ask the master’s Dharma name?" Sisi interrupted and asked.
"I am known as Jiechen!" The welcoming monk clasped his hands and bowed. At this moment, he had a bit of a high monk’s demeanor.
Sisi smirked and said, "Master, you haven’t completely renounced the worldly dust, have you? You need to cultivate well!"
Mo Liu and Shi Zhenzhen couldn’t help but laugh; other tourists also smiled, having been annoyed by this Jiechen monk. If they weren’t in a temple, they would have lost their tempers long ago.
One would expect this Master Jiechen to become furious out of embarrassment, but surprisingly, he maintained his composure with a smile that was both compassionate and worldly, continuously chanting the Buddha’s name.
"The lady benefactor is right; my cultivation is indeed unfinished!" The welcoming monk said sincerely, causing Sisi to feel a bit embarrassed. This monk was probably doing his job; it wasn’t right of her to sarcastically mock him.
Feeling awkward, Sisi’s fingers started itching, and she pulled out another 1000 yuan from her bag, tossing it into the merit box amidst the monk’s eager little glances.
"Doesn’t the lady benefactor want her name remembered for a hundred generations? For just over ten thousand..." The welcoming monk began to pester again.
Sisi smirked bitterly at the welcoming monk, opened her purse for him to see, and said, "Master, the bag’s empty. I don’t need my name remembered for a hundred generations; once is more than enough. If you’re genuinely interested, inscribe my name on a bedside table and recite a passage of the Peace Scripture for me before bed each night, for ten days, okay?"
Sisi’s words carried a hint of teasing. Unexpectedly, the welcoming monk seriously asked Sisi to write her name on a piece of paper, assuring her he would indeed recite a passage of the Peace Scripture for her before bed every night for a month.
This left Sisi dumbfounded; this monk wasn’t playing by the rules!
Mo Liu and Shi Zhenzhen giggled incessantly, while the welcoming monk gave Sisi a profound look and chanted, "The lady benefactor has an extraordinary appearance, deep fortune, one that enhances family, husband, and children, beyond words!"
Saying that, he turned to greet another middle-aged woman, spouting saliva and persuasion. Judging by the woman’s appearance, she would likely be moved by the monk’s words to make a fair donation!
Sisi dumbfoundedly turned around, seeing Shi Zhenzhen and Mo Liu still snickering away, she responded with a five-finger pancake slapping each one.
"When that old monk tricked me out of my money, why didn’t you come to stop me? Now look, two thousand yuan is gone!"
Shi Zhenzhen held back her laughter with difficulty, saying, "Sisi, that two thousand yuan wasn’t exactly tricked away; Master Jiechen is a nationally famous monk. Many temples invite him to lecture on Buddhism."
This seemingly worldly old monk was actually a great monk?
Are the thresholds for being a great monk that low?
Sisi looked skeptical. Mo Liu laughingly added, "It’s true, Master Jiechen is quite famous. He has a good relationship with my grandfathers and father."
"Then why is he here in this temple doing lowly welcoming work? Isn’t that beneath him?" Sisi blurted out.
"Master Jiechen said his cultivation wasn’t complete. Since he came from the secular world, he naturally must understand it too, so he requested himself to be a welcoming monk." Mo Liu explained with a smile.
Shi Zhenzhen added, "Also, when Master Jiechen asked you for money, he wasn’t deceiving you. He made a great vow two years ago to build a Scripture Pavilion behind the temple with the money he personally collected, which is why he asks for donations in the main hall every day."
Mo Liu continued, "The master isn’t asking just anyone. He told my grandfather that he only solicits from wealthy people who don’t miss a small amount of money. Oh, and the master has a kind appearance."
Sisi looked carefully and saw that the tourists the old monk targeted were indeed dressed glamorously or with understated luxury.
Understanding the reason behind it, Sisi let go of her grudge and found Master Jiechen rather interesting.
Turning to the two who had cooperated seamlessly earlier, she said casually, "When did you two become so in sync?"
Mo Liu quickly jumped a meter away, declaring he had nothing to do with a certain someone.
Shi Zhenzhen, on the other hand, smiled brightly, showing all her white teeth.
Sisi couldn’t be bothered with these two and leisurely wandered over to where Master Jiechen was trying to persuade a young woman who looked impatient.
She motioned for him to come over with a hook of her finger.
Master Jiechen’s eyes lit up, abandoning the stingy woman and heading over to the generous "big lamb" that was Sisi.
"Ten thousand gets your name on the Merit Stele. You’re not lying to me, right?" Sisi asked.
"Monks do not lie!" The master said, eyes shining, almost drooling.
She grandly pulled out five bundles of money bricks from her bag, handed them to the master with her back turned, and said, "Fifty thousand, five names. I’ll write them down for you in a moment."
The master was first taken aback, then delighted, and then skeptical.
"Weren’t you just saying your bag was empty?" The master was curious.
"Haven’t you heard of the wily rabbit having three burrows?" Sisi gave him a contemptuous small-eyed look.
"The lady benefactor is as clever as ice and snow!" The master complimented her with a small flattery.
Sisi wrote down the names Mr. Yun, the Old Man, Granny Zhao, Luo Datou, and Niu Erniu. Each of them had committed offenses; putting their names on the Merit Stele might help atone.
Turning away amidst the master’s compassionate chanting of Buddha’s name, Sisi remembered something and turned back to remind him, "Master, don’t forget my month’s worth of Peace Scripture readings!"
"The lady benefactor’s orders will not be forgotten by this humble monk!"
Only then did Sisi walk away satisfied. Spending fifty thousand yuan felt good, didn’t it!
The master: Slaughtering a fat lamb, it’s so great, isn’t it!