Chapter 658: Buying Peace

Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

“Ah?” Jing Yulong was pushed close to tears. Building a school, especially one that involved a technical skill, was not something that cost only a few hundred thousand. But the moment he realized that Jing Yan was not going to snitch on him, he heaved a sigh of relief. If he obtained the bell, he believed that with its preciousness, he would definitely not be faulted for his meritorious deeds. But now that he had failed to obtain anything, if the patriarch got wind of this, he would probably be banished from the family. He would then be a scion who could only idle his time and await his living allowance. That would be a worse feeling than death.

Therefore, although Jing Yulong was highly unwilling to do it and felt the pinch, he still nodded in agreement.

However, Jing Yulong still couldn’t figure out why. He asked, “Sis, is there a need to do this? Must you treat me like that for an outsider?”

Jing Yan sneered. “I’m doing this to save you!”

Jing Yulong rolled his eyes, completely showing no signs of grat.i.tude.

Jing Yan said, “Besides, Abbot Fangzheng is my best friend par none! He is also an accomplished monk and the one I respect the most! By offending him, you are offending me! Are you satisfied now?”

Jing Yulong looked at Jing Yan and then at the handsome Fangzheng before coming to a realization.

Jing Yan immediately knew that his thoughts were going astray from the look in his eyes. Peeved, she stamped her feet and said, “I’m giving you three seconds. Take your men and vanish from my sight. In the future, if the morning bell of One Finger Monastery is lost, it doesn’t matter who steals it, but I’ll first skin you!”

Jing Yulong exclaimed in aggrievement, “Even… if it wasn’t me?”

“Three!” Jing Yan raised her head and simply chose to be unreasonable. So what? She was even beginning to count down!

Jing Yulong knew his Sis’s temper. Without saying another word, he called out to Ah He and immediately ran with his tail between his legs despite how domineering they had been when they first came.

After Jing Yulong ran off, Jing Yan clapped her hands and looked at Jing Yuhang. “Do you need me to send you off?”

Jing Yuhang hurriedly smiled. “There’s no need. Eh, Sis, I’ll wait for you at the foot of the mountain. Shall we have dinner together?”

“Depends on my mood.” Jing Yan smiled and said a number, “Three!”

Jing Yuhang instantly lost his composure and hurriedly ran off.

As for Lin Tai, Lin Tiancheng, Song Tianqiao, and company, they had long fled with Jing Yulong.

Fangzheng looked at their backs and silently planted an Inner Lion Seal on each of them. This was karma. Since they had come to cause trouble today, their punishment was a matter of karma! Since the heavens didn’t do a thing, Fangzheng took the honors.

Of course, Fangzheng remained calm the entire time. However, he felt a bit sad because he wanted to say that perhaps something could be donated to One Finger Monastery since Jing Yan made Jing Yulong donate a school to One Finger Village.

Unfortunately, Fangzheng needed to uphold his image. He couldn’t bring himself to say that. Therefore, all he could do was feel the pinch, puzzled why Jing Yan wasn’t being thoughtful enough.

However, he didn’t realize that his mighty image in Jing Yan’s heart was otherworldly. He was an accomplished monk, a miraculous person with divine powers who did good deeds anonymously and didn’t show any signs of posturing. Jing Yan had originally planned on getting Jing Yulong to donate a few buildings to One Finger Monastery, but on second thought, Fangzheng taking up residence in such a small temple definitely implied that he wasn’t the kind of person who wished to invite attention to himself. He liked to shut himself off from the world and had no need for material pleasures. Otherwise, with Fangzheng’s abilities, he could go to any big monastery and be welcomed there.

Therefore Jing Yan was one, afraid that he would distance himself from her from her stink of money, and two, she felt that it was too base to talk to Fangzheng about money. Therefore, she simply made Jing Yulong donate to One Finger Village. After all, Fangzheng had a very good relations.h.i.+p with the village. Donating in a roundabout manner would appear a lot more astute. Jing Yan was even proud of how clever she was!

When everyone left, Jing Yan came in front of Fangzheng and said in embarra.s.sment, “Abbot Fangzheng, I’m sorry. These brothers of mine are all spoiled. They are used to such arrogance and enjoy causing trouble.”

When Fangzheng saw that the benefactor who could have donated some money to him had fled, his heart was feeling the pinch. Yet, he couldn’t show it. All he could do was try hard to maintain his smile as he said, “Amitabha. Patron, there’s no need to apologize. This Penniless Monk isn’t a petty person.” He then added inwardly. “This Penniless Monk is the pettiest person! My money!”

“Abbot Fangzheng, would you dislike me because of them?” Jing Yan approached and asked, a little fearful.

Jing Yan always knew that Fangzheng was no ordinary person for he had divine powers. After coming in contact with him, she felt that status in her family clan was unimportant… Of course, more importantly, she was destined not to have many friends because of her background. And the only one who could converse with her without any qualms with her status was Fangzheng. Therefore, she deeply cherished this simple friends.h.i.+p.

Fangzheng looked up into the sky as though he was in thought. “Patron, now that you have said so, This Penniless Monk does need to consider this problem…”

Jing Yan’s heart tightened as the look in her eyes dimmed. Indeed, the moment her status was exposed, the only friends.h.i.+p she had was destroyed…

Then, she heard Fangzheng say, “But This Penniless Monk can’t think of a reason for disliking you, Patron. What should be done about this? Maybe you can wait for me to post on WeChat Moments and ask if anyone has an answer?”

Jing Yan was startled when she heard Fangzheng’s words. She snapped to her senses and realized that this sneaky monk was pulling her leg! She immediately rolled her eyes at Fangzheng and said, “Abbot Fangzheng, doing such things will destroy my image of you as an accomplished monk.”

Fangzheng rolled his eyes and said, “This Penniless Monk is This Penniless Monk, so nothing of that sort, accomplished monk or not. Just treat This Penniless Monk as an ordinary person.” Fangzheng wasn’t being humble because he never treated himself as an accomplished monk. From his point of view, he was someone who would one day renounce asceticism, that was all.

Although Fangzheng said that, Jing Yan did not agree with it. On the contrary, Jing Yan felt that such a powerful master who could calm his state of mind so well definitely had an impressive heart for cultivation. Of course, this was what Jing Yan liked about Fangzheng. Otherwise, someone who kept people at bay would truly be discomforting.

After leading Jing Yan into One Finger Monastery, they sat under the bodhi tree. Jing Yan recounted her recent experiences. As a reporter, she knew a lot of things. Besides, with her powerful background, many people would give her first-hand news. Therefore, Jing Yan had many stories on hand.

As such, since she was without any friends she could confide in, she naturally had the urge to spill all the stories in her heart having gotten an opportunity to meet the ever patient Fangzheng again. Instantly, Jing Yan’s chattering filled the air around the bodhi tree.

As for Fangzheng, the pitiful monk who faced almost nothing but animals and a child every day, he was naturally happy to hear stories about the outside world. Life was good as he looked at this beauty and drank Frost Bamboo tea…

Some people were overjoyed, but there were also people wallowing in sadness.

On the way down…

“Why am I crawling again!?” Lin Tai’s sharp shrills echoed on the mountain trail.

“You crawled down the entire time like this the last time? Didn’t you say you fell?” Lin Tiancheng’s angry roar sounded. “Ouch… It hurts. Can anyone help me up!?”

“Shut up! If not for you, would we be on this mountain? Would we need to crawl down?” Jing Yulong was roaring as well.

“Cousin, take your time. I’ll wait for you down the mountain.” Jing Yuhang quickly led the two antique experts down the mountain with his hands behind his back.

Song Tianqiao silently followed behind, his eyes filled with tears. He yelled angrily in his heart, “I didn’t do anything!? Why am I crawling as well?”

…

After the previous experience of crawling down the mountain, Lin Tai immediately felt his knees hurt when he looked back at Mt. One Finger. He subconsciously felt dejected and desolate. The first time was a coincidence, but a second time? He no longer had the courage to visit a third time. His instincts told him that it definitely had something to do with that monk! At the very least, it was related to the monastery.

It wasn’t only him. When Song Tianqiao, Jing Yulong, and company heard of Lin Tai’s past experience, they also knew that things weren’t that simple. Furthermore, Jing Yulong was no ordinary person. After getting people to investigate One Finger Monastery carefully, the results only alarmed them even more! There were a few astounding headlines. For his supposed crossing of a river on a reed, they first thought that computer effects had been used, a magical illusion.

But after thinking back to what Jing Yan had said to Fangzheng, as well as her saying “I’m doing this to save you” afterwards, they realized that the situation was not as simple as it seemed.

Furthermore, they also learned that Jing Yan would occasionally pay Mt. One Finger a visit. Her relations.h.i.+p with Fangzheng appeared to be extremely good. Upon hearing that, they completely wiped off the thought of causing Fangzheng trouble. They even sent people to watch the bell on the mountain to prevent anyone else from causing trouble.

Jing Yuhang was different from Jing Yulong. Since he knew Jing Yan and Fangzheng had a good relations.h.i.+p, he came back the second day. But this time, he only burned incense and paid his respects to Buddha. He also stuffed a hundred thousand yuan into the Merit Box.

“Young Master Jing, you stuffed in so much money. Is this monastery that efficacious?” his secretary that had come the first time asked curiously.

“Yes, very. At least this hundred thousand yuan can buy peace.” Jing Yuhang smiled ruefully and went down the mountain.

Others might not know, but Jing Yuhang knew that Jing Yulong had no peace after he returned. He couldn’t get up after crawling on the ground for three days. Furthermore, although Jing Yan didn’t snitch on him, she would pay him a visit from time to time and pick on him, nearly driving Jing Yulong mad.

Lin Tiancheng suffered even more. Jing Yan did some investigations and exposed the numerous undertable transactions his company did. He was audited by numerous governmental organizations and together with the Jing family’s pressure, the Lin family suffered tremendous losses. Although they didn’t end up bankrupt, it was already impossible for the Lin family to return to its original state. Towards this, Lin Tiancheng and Lin Tai could only grit their teeth and suffer in silence.

Of course, the person worst off was Lin Tai. He was nearly beaten to death by Lin Tiancheng. Lin Tiancheng even gave an order that no one was to visit Mt. One Finger again!

As such, Jing Yuhang came here to give money to buy peace, afraid that Fangzheng would remember him.

However, Jing Yuhang had been overly imaginative. Although Fangzheng was a little petty, Jing Yuhang had not done anything after coming up the mountain, so why would Fangzheng find trouble with him?

However, since he had given the money, there was no way Fangzheng would return it.