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Chapter 21: Seeking a Master in the Mountains
The most shocked by the case of Buddhist Master Guang Hong were the nobles in the city.
Ordinary folks had minimal contact with Buddhist Master Guang Hong. At most, they might have seen him when they went to the Temple of Peace and Tranquility to offer incense. They knew there was such an eminent monk at the temple. However, most of the nobles in the city who aspired to the path of immortality had quite close dealings with this eminent monk. They either frequently invited Buddhist Master Guang Hong to their mansions for tea and scripture lectures or visited him at the Temple of Peace and Tranquility. They even confided their worries to him.
They never expected this eminent monk to be such a person.
But what shocked them the most was the death of this eminent monk.
They had witnessed the abilities of Buddhist Master Guang Hong: turning paper into soldiers, getting into other people's dreams in the dead of night, and even having yakshas as protectors. Coupled with various miraculous arts, it could be said that even if he claimed to be a bodhisattva incarnate, they would believe it. However, now they had witnessed firsthand the saying "No matter how good one thinks they are, there is always someone out there that is better."
The Governor of Yizhou, named Yu Jianbai(俞坚白), was the second-place scholar in the Imperial Examination of the second year of the Beginning of Prosperity(昌元). He also longed for the path of immortality, but he had little contact with Buddhist Master Guang Hong.
It wasn't that he foresaw today's events or knew that Buddhist Master Guang Hong's intentions were not upright. It was just that Governor Yu was discerning, with high standards. Upon hearing about Buddhist Master Guang Hong's interactions with other nobles in the city, including significant financial transactions, it was difficult for him to associate Buddhist Master Guang Hong with the true immortals he envisioned.
Such a person couldn't even cultivate his own character, so how could he possibly lead others onto the path of immortality?
Some time ago, when he heard the detailed account of Buddhist Master Guang Hong's case from County Magistrate Yi, he became interested in the Master from Sweetwater Alley. After summoning the Head Constable of the case and questioning him in detail about the master, he felt that although the image of the master was somewhat different from that of the immortals he had imagined, he was still a rare skilled master in the world.
At least, he was above Buddhist Master Guang Hong.
So, he had the intention of making an acquaintance and paying a visit.
However, for those whom he admired and looked up to, whether they were esteemed practitioners, masters of music, or talented painters, he naturally had to lower himself and not take advantage of his status.
He also heard that the master preferred tranquility, which indeed troubled him for quite some time.
Eventually, he finally found an opportunity to meet him, after learning that the master often frequented the entertainment district in the north of the city to listen to stories and had recently been spending time outside Master Yang's residence listening to the guqin.
He rarely went to listen to stories at the entertainment district, but he enjoyed listening to the guqin. Even when busy with official duties, he often invited friends to play the guqin in his mansion. Yang Jinsheng(杨锦声), as a famous master of elegant music in Yizhou, was someone Governor Yu had naturally visited. He had some acquaintance with him, which could serve as a starting point.
Governor Yu even thought ahead that if they met and felt that the master was indeed as described by Head Constable Luo, he could seize the opportunity and invite the master to Yang Jinsheng's house as a guest, introducing him to Yang Jinsheng and catering to his interests.
"Saddle the horse."
"Master, where to?"
"Pine Pavilion."
"Alright."
Governor Yu went out and looked at the sky, feeling quite satisfied, then happily rode off.
...
Today was a cloudy day.
"The crisp autumn air makes it a good time to go out and visit people," Song You murmured as he stared at the sky.
Outside was a blue sky with white clouds, but it didn't feel scorching because a cloud happened to cover the sun at that moment, making the world neither gloomy nor hot but rather cool and refreshing.
These past few days had such weather.
It was the perfect weather for going out.
Lady Calico was chasing insects in the yard, hearing voices but not understanding, very curious. "What are you saying?"
"We should go out for a walk."
Upon hearing this, Lady Calico stopped what she was doing and stared straight at him. "Where to?"
"To visit famous local people."
"Where to?"
"Yesterday, I heard from Head Constable Luo that there is a county called Siyuan County(思远县) to the west of the city. In Siyuan County's Xinzhuang village(新庄), there is a mountain called Old Eagle Mountain(老鹰山), where a remarkable person resides. How about we pay him a visit?"
"Where to?"
"To the west of the city."
"Oh."
Lady Calico sat down and waited for him.
Lady Calico knew that humans were not like cats; going out would require a bit of preparation.
But she was ready to go at any time.
Song You changed into the Daoist robe that would bring him convenience. He didn't bring much else, just a bag, bought some dry food before leaving, and then went straight out of the city to the west.
Only a cat accompanied him.
Luckily, there was a thoroughfare to walk on.
After crossing several mountains along the thoroughfare, passing two bridges, from morning to afternoon, he finally saw Siyuan County. He found an inn to stay in the county, and before it got dark, he asked around the small county to find out how to get to Xinzhuang village and then to Old Eagle Mountain. The next morning, he set out.
The road was dozens of miles long, with pavilions here and there, and more than ten inhabited villages.
Xinzhuang village was a beautiful place.
With towering mountains in the background, thick white clouds, winding rivers, flowing streams, and fog enveloping the houses in the village, the scene looked like something straight out of a painting when observed from the mountain.
It did look like the place where extraordinary people lived.
After asking around in the village, he headed towards the end of the village.
"So far." Song You couldn't help but sigh.
Visiting friends or acquaintances was indeed difficult in this era, no wonder there were so many excellent farewell poems.
Then he heard Lady Calico quietly imitating his speech from behind, seeming to think the mountains and rivers were too long, so Song You turned his head and asked, "Where is the farthest place you've been, Lady Calico?"
"It's the homes of people who came to offer incense."
"That's not far."
"Not far compared to here."
"If only we had a mule."
"If only we had a mule."
Lady Calico also had a bit of longing in her eyes.
"We're here." Song You stopped.
Lady Calico looked up with him.
In front of them was a bamboo courtyard, with bamboo walls, a thatched roof, and a fence enclosing the courtyard. In the courtyard, several chickens were pecking around freely.
After Song You lightly knocked on the door, a child came to open it.
"Who are you looking for, sir?"
"My name is Song You, with the courtesy name Dreamcaster, a mountain dweller from Spiritual Spring County(灵泉县). I've come to visit Master Kong(孔大师). Is the master at home?"
"Are you an old friend of my master, sir?" The child looked Song You up and down, frowned, and felt he didn't look like it. "Or did you come to buy wood carvings because you heard of his reputation?"
"I came because of his reputation."
"You've come at the wrong time. My master isn't at home."
"Oh?"
What bad luck.
Song You paused for a moment, then bowed respectfully again. "May I ask where your master went and when he'll be back?"
"My master went to chop wood deep in the mountain. I only know he's somewhere in this mountain, but I don't know exactly where." The child looked up at the sky and then back at Song You. "He'll be back before dark."
Song You turned around, following the child's gaze.
The clouds were thick around the mountain, making it difficult to discern a direction.
"Thank you." Song You thanked the child with a bow, saw him turn back into the house, thought for a moment, and then went towards the big mountain with Lady Calico.
He seeks the path where flowers sway,
Into the depths of clouds, he'll stray.
The mountain stood majestic and unyielding, its summit shrouded in an ever-shifting veil of fog, rendering it elusive except for its midsection. The swirling clouds danced with the wind, imbuing the landscape with an otherworldly allure, as if immortals dwelled within. Against the backdrop of this towering peak, a pair of figures quickly diminished to mere specks in the vast expanse.
The mountain trail wound steeply, challenging to navigate, yet amidst it, a woodcutter sang with gusto. His melody resonated through the mountain, accompanied by the clear, haunting calls of unfamiliar birds. Their songs, pure and transcendent, seemed to cleanse the very soul.
Song You walked up the woodcutters' path towards the mountain. Before he realized it, he had entered the clouds. At this moment, his vision was obstructed, and anything beyond a few yards was invisible. Nearby, beasts prowled, their movements reminiscent of Yaoguais. When the layers of white fog gradually cleared, Song You knew he had passed through the clouds.
So he took a few quick steps forward, and sure enough, the scenery cleared up.
The sky stretched out in an incomparably pure blue, resembling a vast half-circle canopy. Behind him, the sea of clouds surged and rolled. The afternoon sun hung low, casting its radiant light, its halo gleaming with a dazzling and sacred brilliance.
Lady Calico widened her eyes as she gazed at the scenery, and Song You stopped for a long while.
Unfortunately, after Song You asked the woodcutter in the mountain and the beasts, all he gained was a sight of the scenery, not the skilled woodcarver Master Kong.
Master Kong hailed from a lineage of woodcarvers that stretched back through countless generations, lost to the annals of time by the time he inherited the craft. His passion for woodcarving was evident from childhood, as if it were his destined path. By the time he reached maturity, his skill had reached extraordinary heights; there were tales saying that when he was forty years old, one of his creations came to life as soon as he completed the carving, running amok in the house and frightening many people.
This story was widely circulated in Siyuan County.
Therefore, there were always people from out of town coming to visit, seeking to purchase wood carvings from Master Kong. However, there were no more stories of wood carvings coming to life after that.
As soon as Song You heard about it from Head Constable Luo, he made up his mind to visit Master Kong, prioritizing this over his planned visit to Mount Qingcheng(青成山), a renowned Daoist mountain in Yidu and even the entire Dayan region.
He just wanted to see how wood carvings came to life.
He thought he might meet him in the mountain and have more opportunities to get acquainted, but unfortunately, he didn't meet him on the way up or down.
Maybe he was in another mountain.
Despite that, every mountain path he took, every stream he crossed, and every step he made on this trip constituted progress in his cultivation; none of it hampered his journey.
When he was going down the mountain, it was already dusk, and Master Kong had already returned home.
This time, he finally got to meet the real person.
"Greetings, Master Kong. My name is Song You, with the courtesy name Dreamcaster, a mountain dweller from Spiritual Spring County(灵泉县). I've come to visit you out of admiration." Song You bowed respectfully. "I heard this morning that Master went deep into the mountain to cut wood. I also went up the mountain to look for you, but unfortunately, our paths didn't cross."
"Haha, this mountain is so vast. How are you going to find me, Young Master?"
Master Kong, nearly sixty years old, had grey hairs on his head, but his face was still rosy, and he was in excellent health.
Presumably, he had already heard about it from the child.
There had been many visitors over the years, including high-ranking officials and famous scholars, but he had never seen anyone come to look for him in the mountain.
The clouds enveloped the mountain like an ocean, how could one possibly find someone within them?
"Please have a seat inside."
"It would be impolite not to."
The bamboo house was cool, with wood chips scattered all over the floor.
Lady Calico followed Song You in, looking left and right until Song You sat down on a long bench. Only then did she withdraw her gaze and sit down next to him.
When Song You looked at Master Kong, she looked at Master Kong too.
When Song You looked at the child, she also looked at the child.
Master Kong exchanged a few pleasantries with Song You, but his gaze was quickly drawn to Lady Calico.
Seeing Lady Calico's sleek and evenly proportioned body, with a variety of colors but not chaotic, he found her to be more pleasing to look at than most calico cats. But as he continued to gaze upon her, he felt that there was an indescribable beauty in Lady Calico's figure. Every part of her seemed just right; any more would be excessive, and any less would be insufficient.
If it were just that, it would be fine.
But somehow, Master Kong felt that this cat was extraordinary. Its expression was lively, as if it had intelligence. Every change in its eyes was worth pondering, far from being comparable to ordinary animals.
"This cat..."
"I forgot to introduce her to Master."
Song You held a cup of tea, his tone casual but his words direct. "This is Lady Calico from Nanhua County Cat Temple. I met her after I came down the mountain, and we agreed to travel the world together. Master, you may treat her as you would treat a person."
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