Chapter 809 The Traitor Curses Me

"Mr. Jing actually has a Taoist master?!"

Everyone exclaimed, they really didn't expect that Master Jing had such a master.

"Sir, what is the name of your Taoist master? In which Taoist temple did he serve the Three Pure Ones? Is he still alive?"

The students of Taizhou Academy asked curiously, because this was the first time they heard about a Taoist master.

Lao Qiong was silent, lost in memories, with a look of melancholy and regret on his face.

After a moment, he burst into laughter again. His laughter was so heroic that all the students present were stunned.

"Sir, you are obviously sad, so why are you laughing?" Zilin asked.

"My sadness is because of my master, and my laughter is also because of my master." Lao Qiong said, sighed, and seriously talked about this childhood experience: "Before I was eight years old, I grew up in my relatives' hometown in Zhongyuan Prefecture... My relatives were poor, and I often went hungry, let alone learn to read and write."

"Fortunately, there is a Taoist temple in the suburbs of the county, which often has offerings. I stole the offerings and was able to fill my stomach and survive."

"Once, I was caught by my master, but he didn't punish me. He just scolded me for being stupid... He said that taking something without asking is stealing. I was acting like a thief. He asked me if I wanted to be a thief?"

"I shook my head and said no, but I wanted to live, so I said I would come and eat the offerings next time."

"Master is kind-hearted. He didn't beat me. Instead, he taught me a trick. He told me to ask for divination before taking the offerings. That way, I would be rewarded by the ancestors. If I eat the offerings, I would not be considered a thief."

"For more than a year, I ate the offerings from the Taoist temple in this way...I later realized that I was eating my master's food rations."

"Our old master is truly a kind and wise man." Zilin said sincerely, with emotion in his eyes.

Originally, Master Jing was touched by the Master's kindness in providing food, but when he heard Zi Lin's words, he was a little choked... Tsk, the way Zi Lin and the others spoke made people feel that it was hard to put into words.

Lao Qiong added: "Master's kindness is not only in giving me food, but also in teaching me to read."

“If I hadn’t learned Chinese characters and read scriptures with my master for more than a year, I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today.”

"Everything I have achieved today is thanks to my master."

Isn’t this too harsh?

The students disagreed.

After all, I only taught Mr. Jing for more than a year, and my child might have just learned to read and write, which had little to do with Mr. Jing's later achievements.

But the students did not know that if the master had not taught Master Jing to read and write and recite scriptures, Master Jing would not have been taken seriously after being taken back to his family.

It was because of his beautiful handwriting and his ability to recite several Taoist scriptures that Mr. Jing caught the attention of the ancestor of his family and was given special training.

Otherwise, he would be like other children, being stuffed into the clan school, taught haphazardly, and finally failing the exam and returning to his ancestral home to live the life of a small landlord.

"It's a pity that Master has been so kind to me, but I lost contact with him when I was seven and a half years old and have not met him since then... I wonder if Master is still alive?"

“Perhaps, Master has gone to that wonderful gate and is living in another world.”

The old poor master who is nowhere to be found but is still alive: Curse me to death on the Dragon Boat Festival, you traitor!

"Sir, please don't be sad." Xue Ming saw Lao Qiong's eyes turn red, and he felt a little sorry for him, so he comforted him, "Sir, do you know the Taoist name and taboo of your master? Or maybe there is a portrait? I want the clerks of the company to help you find your master."

Flatterer!

Zilin was very dissatisfied with what he heard, and with a sad face he suggested: "Sir, our master is more than ten years older than you. I'm afraid... why don't you paint a portrait of our master, and then choose a temple to offer a perpetual lamp for him to illuminate his reincarnation path, so as to fulfill your filial piety."

After hearing this, Lao Qiong thought it made sense: "Okay, I will paint a picture and send it to the temple for use as a lamp."

"Hurry up and prepare the painting materials for the master!" Zilin ordered loudly.

Many students immediately got busy, all wanting Master Jing to use their own brushes, ink, paper, inkstone and pigments to paint, which would then increase their own fame.

The student who asked the question earlier became anxious and shouted: "Student Su Yeming still has something unclear... Since you have such a deep connection with the master, why did you never explain it? And why are you answering my questions today?"

Hahahaha, it’s done, he did it.

From this moment on, his name, Su Yeming, will be famous in the scholar world. Even if he fails to pass the imperial examination, he can still be noticed by the nobles in the capital because of this matter, and he doesn't have to stay in this bitter cold place for the rest of his life, and endure for generations!

Mr. Jing was a little annoyed with him.

But Lao Qiong was a man who saw things through to the end, so he replied, "The reason why I didn't explain it before was because the reputation of the Ancient Capital of Taizhou was too great, and I was afraid that if I explained it, it would help those charlatans deceive more innocent people and cause tragedies."

"Although I have a connection with Taoism, all the things about power and gods are false, and wandering in the void is also false. The human world is real. When we live in this world, we must focus on practical matters and think less about fantasy."

Master Jing looked at the students present and said solemnly: "From my experience, you should know that fame is a double-edged sword. If a famous person has no moral integrity and abuses his fame, then this fame will become a disaster and bring endless troubles!"

After saying that, his gaze finally fell on Su Yeming.

Boy, I'm targeting you.

Please cherish what I say.

If my master hadn't asked me to accumulate merit, I would have slapped you in the face long ago!

Su Yeming was stared at by Master Jing's cold eyes, and his whole body seemed to be frozen. However, he was also smart, so he quickly bowed and promised: "Student Su Yeming, I will remember your teachings."

Ugh, Laoqiong wants to scold him.

What do you mean by remembering the teachings? If you have the guts, just shout it out: I, Su Yeming, will never be a person who is held hostage by fame in my life!

Those who dare not say anything definitive still have delusions.

"Sir, the brushes, ink, paper, inkstone, and pigments are ready. The rice paper is a special pure rice paper, and the pigments are mineral dyes. They will not deteriorate or fade for hundreds of years. Please feel free to use them."

"The incense table is ready. Please burn incense and worship, then start painting." Zilin took three incense sticks and handed them respectfully to Mr. Jing.

Old Jing took the incense and pointed at the paint and rice paper and said, "Take down these extravagant things and replace them with cheaper ones... Mineral dyes are good, but one serving of mineral dyes is enough for a soldier's family to eat and drink for a lifetime."

The purpose of Yan State hosting this Dragon Boat Festival event was to raise money for the war, but why are they slapping themselves in the face by adopting such an extravagant style?

This?

Zilin advised: "If you want to preserve your paintings for future generations to admire, you should use mineral dyes..."

Old Master Jing raised his hand, interrupted him, and said to Xue Mingyi: "Use the Qin family's new pigments. I heard that there are thirty-six colors now. I really want to use them to paint."

Xue Mingyi smiled and handed over a wooden box: "I am ready. I will mix the new paint for you."

He is indeed a busy businessman!

Zilin was so angry that he cursed Xue Mingyi in his heart and himself at the same time... It was not good to be jealous of his fellow disciples like this.

But Xue Mingyi is so hateful that I want to scold him!

Old Jing took the time to look at him and laughed in his heart... Zilin had to be trained like this, otherwise he might be ruined by his excessive respect for literature and Taoism.

Zeng Tongzhi, Fei Zhifu, Qian Fuwen and others who passed by the banquet place on the river bank were more and more envious. They wished they could put down their official duties and talk about the past and present with Mr. Jing.

But Xu Xiaoqi kept urging him, so he had to leave.