The Shaolin Abbot Born in the 1980s

Chapter 24: I Suspect You’re a Demoness

Huo Yuanzhen paused for a moment, then said to the hopeful Ning Wanjun, “Please follow This Humble Monk, laywoman.” Ning Wanjun nodded, pulled her veil back over her face, and followed Huo Yuanzhen down from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda. Outside the pagoda, the woman named Xiao Cui was still waiting there. Upon seeing Ning Wanjun emerge, she hurried over, looked her up and down, and asked with concern, “Miss, are you all right? Why did it take you so long to come out? That monk didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Ning Wanjun playfully tapped Xiao Cui on the arm. “You silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? The abbot is a highly virtuous monk.” Xiao Cui replied, still a bit defiant, “That’s only because he hasn’t met you yet. Otherwise, even if he were virtuous, he’d lose his virtue.” Huo Yuanzhen, standing nearby, couldn’t help but chuckle; this little maid certainly spoke her mind. Seeing Huo Yuanzhen smile, Ning Wanjun felt even more embarrassed. She said to Xiao Cui, “If you keep talking nonsense, you won’t have to accompany me anymore. Just go back on your own.” Realizing Ning Wanjun was genuinely upset, Xiao Cui finally fell silent. “You wait here. I’m going to ask the abbot about something.” Ning Wanjun left Xiao Cui behind once more and followed Huo Yuanzhen into the small temple. The two entered Huo Yuanzhen’s room and took their seats. “Lady Layperson, This Humble Monk need not ask what specifically is troubling you. Just sit here and listen as I strike the Wooden Fish for you to calm your mind. Perhaps with a fresh perspective, you’ll be able to see things more clearly.” Huo Yuanzhen took out his Wooden Fish once more, thinking to himself that this treasure was truly worth the effort—it always came in handy at critical moments. Ning Wanjun had initially been somewhat skeptical of Huo Yuanzhen’s approach—what good could tapping a Wooden Fish possibly do? But when the sound of the Wooden Fish rang out, she changed her mind. The sound of the Wooden Fish echoed—though not loud, it was like the morning bells and evening drums, shaking the heart and cleansing the soul. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, she was often able to put things into perspective; the matter concerning her father no longer seemed so insurmountable. Although she hadn’t yet come up with a solution, Ning Wanjun firmly believed there was a way out—she just needed to keep searching. Time seemed to pass both quickly and slowly. She didn’t know how long it had been when Huo Yuanzhen’s chanting with the Wooden Fish came to a halt. Ning Wanjun slowly opened her eyes, looked at Huo Yuanzhen through her veil, rose to her feet, and bowed slightly: ““Venerable Abbot, I do not know how you managed it, but this devotee believes you are a truly enlightened monk—unlike some old monks in other temples who are all show and substance. They are either helpless in the face of a devotee’s troubles or spout strange Zen teachings. Though you said nothing, I have understood your meaning. Thank you, Venerable Abbot, for your guidance; it has truly opened my eyes.” Huo Yuanzhen waved his hand: “You flatter me, laywoman. This Humble Monk has done nothing. Often, when you pursue an ideal outcome, reality falls far short of that ideal. Perhaps you should try a different approach—let go.” “Let go?” “Yes, let go. Don’t dwell on it; just let things take their natural course. When you feel that fate has closed a door for you, it has simultaneously opened a window somewhere else. Letting go is a state of mind.” Ning Wanjun pondered this blankly for a moment, then bowed to Huo Yuanzhen once more: “Thank you, Abbot. This laywoman understands now.” Huo Yuanzhen nodded with a smile, thinking to himself, You’ve understood it? I haven’t even really grasped it myself yet. It seems that Buddhist teachings are absolutely effective when it comes to fooling people. After all, you’ve got something weighing on your mind that you can’t resolve on your own—that’s why you’ve come to seek the Buddha, looking for spiritual solace. As the abbot, Huo Yuanzhen carried enough authority; by uttering a few more ambiguous words and striking his treasured Wooden Fish a few times, he could often instill trust in people, leading them to believe they’d found a solution. But whether that “solution” is effective—only Heaven knows. After Huo Yuanzhen said all this, Ning Wanjun seemed deeply moved. She hesitated for a while before speaking: “Abbot, to be honest, I’ve come to terms with it now. I don’t want to go back to my father’s side just yet. I believe my father will come to understand on his own.” “Very well,” Huo Yuanzhen nodded slightly, thinking to himself that it was time to ask for money. Unexpectedly, Ning Wanjun spoke up: “Abbot, I had originally planned to make a donation to Shaolin Temple regardless of how things turned out. Though it’s not much, it should be enough for the five of you to live on for eight or ten years.” Huo Yuanzhen smiled without speaking, but inside he was overjoyed: “Excellent, excellent! Enough for the five of us monks to get by for eight or ten years—that must be two or three thousand taels, right? Go ahead and hand it over.” But Ning Wanjun changed the subject: “However, now I dare not think of doing so.” “Why is that?” Huo Yuanzhen thought to himself, “Do you really intend to give ten thousand taels?” “Although the Abbot is not yet old, he is truly a venerable monk of great spiritual attainment. Though I am merely a woman, I know that worldly possessions like money are as fleeting as clouds to you. Even if mountains of gold and silver were piled before you, I doubt you would give them a second glance. If I were to offer these earthly treasures as a token of gratitude to the Abbot, that would truly be a desecration of the Abbot and of the pure land that is Shaolin.” ” Huo Yuanzhen remained silent, inwardly groaning: “Oh no! Oh no! This little girl really does take This Humble Monk for a great sage. She even thinks I don’t care for gold and silver—what utter nonsense! I’m still in debt to the moneylender with no way to pay it back.” But with such lavish praise heaped upon him one after another, Huo Yuanzhen really couldn’t bring himself to contradict her. If he were to say he wanted money, wouldn’t all that martial arts display from earlier have been for nothing? Enough! I’ve gone too far! Over there, Ning Wanjun continued, “But since I arrived at dusk, I feel terrible for keeping the Abbot occupied for so long. Besides, I have nothing weighing on my mind right now—I’m free to go wherever I please. I wonder…” “Please speak, female layperson.” “On my way here, I saw the notice on the temple gate recruiting disciples. I was wondering if the Abbot’s Shaolin Temple accepts female disciples—after all, I’m a layperson practicing with my hair intact. If it’s possible, I could find a place to stay at the foot of the mountain and come to Shaolin for morning chanting and martial arts training.” Huo Yuanzhen hurriedly waved her hand. “That won’t work. Shaolin Temple does not accept female disciples—it’s an ironclad rule that cannot be broken.” Although refusing such a stunningly beautiful woman was a difficult thing to do, Huo Yuanzhen still had not the slightest hesitation. The Shaolin Temple absolutely could not accommodate female disciples. With a group of young men in the prime of their youth, at a time when their hormones were running high, suddenly bringing a woman into the mix might very well cause all sorts of trouble. Hearing Huo Yuanzhen’s refusal, Ning Wanjun wasn’t particularly surprised; after all, in a temple inhabited solely by men, having an extra woman present would indeed cause many inconveniences. Nevertheless, she continued, “Since the Abbot refuses, this devotee feels deeply remorseful. Just now, hearing the sound of the Abbot’s Wooden Fish, I truly felt a desire to remain before the Buddha forever. But since the Abbot does not accept female disciples, how about this: Iron Ox is my servant and can represent me. Let him stay at Shaolin in my place as a disciple—that would count as this devotee’s contribution to the temple.” “Iron Ox? Is that the burly man who was leading the tiger just now?” “That’s right.” Huo Yuanzhen glanced at Ning Wanjun, feeling a slight hesitation. He had somewhat underestimated this woman. Although she had indeed shown genuine emotion inside the pagoda just now, once she regained her composure, it was clear she was an astute woman. Although the Wooden Fish can purify the heart, it may not be capable of such profound purification. This woman first claimed she wanted to stay at Shaolin—knowing full well it would be impossible—but she said it anyway. Her true purpose was to have Iron Ox remain at Shaolin, because since he had already refused her once, it would be difficult to refuse her a second time. This is a common negotiation tactic used in the business world of later generations. Moreover, if he wanted to refuse Iron Ox, he would need a valid reason. But why did she do this? Was it really, as she claimed, to do her part for the Shaolin Temple? Huo Yuanzhen pondered for a moment: “All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, and our Shaolin Temple has always been open to all. Iron Ox is a man; if he wishes to stay at Shaolin, there is certainly no objection, but he must first pass our trials.” “Iron Ox is a decent man. The Abbot may put him to the test as you see fit.” Huo Yuanzhen nodded slightly. After saying this, Ning Wanjun seemed to have put a weight off her mind. She bowed to Huo Yuanzhen once more and said, “In that case, this devotee has no further business here. Abbot Huo, please go ahead with the trial. If he fails, you may let him leave on his own. I shall take my leave now.” “Please take your time, Lady Lay Devotee.” Ning Wanjun took a few steps toward the door, but stopped just as she reached it. She turned back to look at Huo Yuanzhen and said, “Actually, I’ve always been curious—doesn’t the Abbot want to know Wanjun’s true identity?” Huo Yuanzhen smiled. “You’re too attached to appearances, lady. What difference does it make if one is an emperor or a beggar? In the eyes of the Buddha, all beings are equal. Perhaps your status is very noble, but in the eyes of This Humble Monk, you are no different from anyone else.” Ning Wanjun said nothing more and turned to leave. Though he could not see her face, Huo Yuanzhen could sense that, in that brief moment, Ning Wanjun had smiled. He didn’t know why she had smiled—perhaps out of gratitude that he had resolved a concern for her, or perhaps because she was pleased to have achieved some goal. However, Huo Yuanzhen sensed no ill will from her—in this regard, he remained fairly confident. She must have had a reason for acting this way. Huo Yuanzhen didn’t know what that reason was, but he still agreed to let Iron Ox stay, because he wanted to find out—and Iron Ox would be his key to uncovering the truth. Could it be that the Shaolin Temple harbors some secret? Huo Yuanzhen called Yikong over to see Ning Wanjun off; after all, as the abbot, he couldn’t personally handle every single greeting and farewell. Standing at the window, Huo Yuanzhen watched as Ning Wanjun and Xiao Cui left, while he kept Iron Ox behind. “A master!” Huo Yuanzhen muttered those two words under his breath. Both Ning Wanjun and Xiao Cui were undoubtedly skilled in martial arts; though he couldn’t be certain of their exact level, their abilities were certainly no small feat. Otherwise, it was already nighttime. The Shaolin Temple was nestled deep in the mountains; with the mountain winds howling, the atmosphere was eerie, not to mention the wild beasts lurking about. How could two young women dare to walk about so late at night? Skilled in martial arts, beautiful, with a powerful father, influence and status, and even a tiger in tow—they’re definitely not people of the righteous path! “You wanted me to guess your identity, didn’t you? I’ll take a guess—you’re… a demoness from the Cult of Evil!” Huo Yuanzhen returned to the bedside and said casually.