Chapter 67: There’s a Wolf on the Mountain
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Jing Yan smirked and said, “I wasn’t just making haphazard guesses. It’s just that I have seen many such cases. Regardless, it’s good that there are more of such people. They provide quite an endless source of news for us. If not for people like that, wouldn’t the world appear too calm?”
“Teacher Cai, I think what Jing Yan says makes sense. Look at this temple. It’s in such a poor rural area. Who would come here to offer incense and pray to Buddha? If it didn’t have a way to get rich, how could this temple look so new? I have also seen remote temples. All of them were in dilapidated conditions, waiting to collapse at any time,” Chen Jing corroborated Jing Yan.
Cai Fang gaped and was unable to answer them. He nodded and said, “Let’s go in and take a look.”
“That’s right. The star of the show isn’t here yet. Let’s go in and take a look, familiarizing ourselves with the area. We can also choose a good spot,” after Chen Jing said that, he immediately and attentively invited Jing Yan to enter together with him.
Jing Yan did not reject him and quickened her pace toward the temple with Chen Jing. Behind them were the cameramen who shook their heads slightly. They could not be bothered with the arguments the group was having. They just needed to do their job of filming.
A group of six quickly arrived at the temple’s entrance.
Cai Fang looked up at One Finger Temple’s plaque and said, “Ignoring the calligraphy text on the Internet, just the text on this One Finger Temple plaque is already good. The characters are squarely angled, and it exudes an awe-inspiring righteousness.”
“Teacher Cai, I don’t know how to appreciate it. I also can’t be bothered with this text. Only the outcome of the compet.i.tion is what matters to me. If the little monk lacks ability, hehe. So what if this plaque is a true calligraphic treasure?” Jing Yan said.
Cai Fang shook his head. He was truly helpless when it came to Jing Yan, the best new beautiful female reporter. She had a powerful family backing her, and she was indeed talented. She had managed to make several huge exposés ahead of others. Now, she was a very popular person in Black Mountain City.
“Amitabha. Patrons, might This Penniless Monk ask what you are here for?” at that moment, a just and moderate voice sounded beside the group.
Jing Yan was given a fright. She had been criticizing the temple but in fact, she was quite adept at appreciating calligraphy. If she weren’t able to appreciate it, she would not have been sent there. She had been entranced by the text on the plaque, so she had not been paying attention to the surroundings. With a voice suddenly booming beside her, she had truly jumped in fright.
As the saying went, ‘a clear conscience sleeps unperturbed in thunder’. Having criticized the temple, she was still a little jittery. Furthermore, she had been speaking behind his back, yet it must have been heard by him…
Jing Yan traced the source of the sound and saw a clean-looking monk standing by the entrance. He was dressed in white robes and had a s.h.i.+ny bald head. His fingers were long and slender without any excessive fingernails. His entire being exuded cleanliness! This was a clean monk that made others feel refreshed.
The monk looked up slightly and beamed warmly. His demeanor felt like a refres.h.i.+ng wind in the spring. His smile was not like a typical old amiable monk’s that, yet it was also dignified. It simply made people feel that the monk was a very warm person.
“What a beautiful monk,” Jing Yan mumbled inwardly. It was obviously inappropriate to use the term ‘beautiful’ to describe a man, but that was the first term Jing Yan thought of. However, Jing Yan immediately realized that the monk in front of her was that monk who had appeared in Wu Changxi’s Weibo photos!
After confirming her target, Jing Yan’s favorable impression of him instantly turned chilly. She thought to herself, “What a young sham monk. Ignoring everything else, just his acting alone deserves a nomination for The Oscars. He nearly fooled me! Proficiency in calligraphy is something one hones through diligent hard work together with talent and guidance from experts. How can a monk at such a young age have that ability? The calligraphy text in the pictures was definitely not written by him! But to think he used it in a bid to fool others. What a refined ruffian with such deceitful appearances!”
With that thought in mind, Jing Yan was just about to speak, but Cai Fang beat her to it, “Greetings, Little Monk. We are reporters from Black Mountain City. We heard that you will be having a calligraphy showdown with famous calligraphy master, Ouyang Huazai, from Black Mountain City. We came specially to witness the match to record it and report about it.”
Fangzheng was stumped the moment he heard that. He said in surprise, “Black Mountain City? That’s a very far away place. All of you are reporters from Black Mountain City? Also, This Penniless Monk is having a calligraphy showdown with a calligraphy master? About that, are you sure you haven’t gotten the wrong place?” Fangzheng searched through his memory but could not recall any moment when he scheduled a showdown with others! As a monk, he could not court fame and fortune. He could not go down the mountain, so even if he wanted to show off, he could not do so. How could he beguile others to compete with him? Was that possible?
Cai Fang said surprised, “Little Monk, this matter is no small joke. The media has already made a big thing out of this piece of news three days ago. Mr Ouyang Huazai’s match with you has been scheduled to be today. As for the time, Mr Ouyang Huazai should be arriving soon. Furthermore, the president of Black Mountain City’s Calligraphy a.s.sociation, as well as other calligraphy aficionados, will be coming.”
“I understand already. Little Monk, you must be having cold feet now that this matter has become too major and serious, right?” at that moment, Jing Yan said eccentrically.
Fangzheng shook his head and said, “Amitabha. A monk doesn’t lie. This Penniless Monk does not know anything about this match.”
“You do not know? Do you not know that you got Wu Changxi to make those pictures to advertise it to the whole world? Do you not know that Wu Changxi ran to Black Mountain City’s Calligraphy a.s.sociation to stir up trouble? Do you not know that you agreed to a bet worth a million bucks? Little Monk, fess up if you still dare. You can still be considered a man if you do. If not, don’t be a monk anymore. You might as well go tend to the palaces. Perhaps they are still hiring eunuchs,” mocked Jing Yan.
Chen Jing, who was with her, immediately echoed her, “Even a eunuch has to be honest for him to be hired, right?”
Upon hearing that, Fangzheng was infuriated. The woman in front of him was pretty, but why were her words so nasty? Who did he offend? Why was she targeting him? Furthermore, he really did not know anything! Feeling aggrieved, Fangzheng turned angry. “Amitabha,” said Fangzheng with his Buddhist proclamation, “Patrons, if you are here to offer incense and pray, please come on in. If it’s for other things, This Penniless Monk will not continue entertaining you.”
With that said, Fangzheng turned and left! Who cares who you are? This Penniless Monk isn’t going to entertain you!
“Stop! Little Monk, was all that smack talk from before farts?” Jing Yan said angrily.
Fangzheng frowned and waved his hands, saying, “How can This Penniless Monk admit to words he didn’t say? Patron, Buddhist places of wors.h.i.+p are meant to be tranquil. Please do not shout. Furthermore, there’s a wolf on the mountain. Please be careful.”
“There’s a wolf? Hahaha, are you trying to frighten me? What sort of beasts have I not seen? I have hunted lions in Africa and fought bears in Russia. So what if it’s a wolf? As for you, you aren’t free from human desires and pa.s.sions. You still want to become famous as a monk. Even if there’s a wolf, it’s probably a perverted youth like you that preys on women, right?” Jing Yan exclaimed.
When Fangzheng heard that, he lamented to himself, “d.a.m.n it, I’ve met a shrew. Since I can’t beat her, I’ll hide!”
Fangzheng quickly strode into the backyard and kicked Lone Wolf who was sprawled on the ground sunbathing. “Your abbot is being bullied. How can you, the guardian of this Buddhist temple, not do a thing? Hurry up and get to work! If not, there will be no dinner for you!”
When Lone Wolf heard the first half of the statement, he continued lying lazily on the ground. However, when he heard that he would not receive his meals, his eyes immediately turned red! The heavens and earth were immense, so why did he become a monk as a wolf? First, he was afraid of being beaten and second, it was because of that mouthful of fragrant rice! Who dared to stop him from eating his rice? He was ready to fight it out!
At that moment, noisy footsteps could be heard coming from outside. Following that, Jing Yan’s voice was heard, “Little Monk, where’s that wolf you mentioned? Where’s the wolf? Why don’t I see it? Let it come out! Hmph, a mouth full of lies. A cheat that speaks nonsense…”