Chapter 23: Connected Fates (III)

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.
In the military camp of Longyou, Li Kuo sat at his desk, studying a dispatch.
Since the battle at Great Wall Fort, his Zhuque Regiment had suffered heavy losses—only half of its original 300 soldiers remained. Fortunately, General Geshu Han allocated over 400 elite troops from the Longyou garrison, bringing the total to exactly 600.
Although no official rewards from the imperial court had arrived yet, General Geshu Han had already appointed him as the Left Fruitful Valor Officer of the Copper Warrior Camp. Though not officially recognized by the court, commanding over 600 men filled the young man with joy.
Uncle Gao said that General Geshu Han would vouch for him to reach the rank of Zhenwei Officer, thereby solidifying his position as Left Fruitful Valor Officer. Li Kuo wasn’t a sage—he certainly had desires. A higher position meant more opportunities to control his own destiny. Only by controlling his destiny could he seek revenge for his fallen comrades! Li Kuo clenched his fist and banged it on the desk.
“Brother Kuo, that girl with the round face asked me to give you a letter.”
Zhang Yanji rushed to the general’s desk and handed Li Kuo a letter.
“Her?”
The young man was slightly stunned. He instinctively took the letter and unfolded it.
“After a hundred days together, we must part. That night, I was drugged and lost consciousness. I’ll always remember your kindness in saving my life… That slap—I owe it to you. There must be a traitor in the army. Be careful!”
The handwriting was hurried, with obvious signs of revisions.
For some reason, Li Kuo’s heart trembled slightly. She left? She just left like that? Ever since he learned about Ni Xin’s daughter, he had deliberately kept his distance from her. Even while defending Great Wall Fort, their conversations were limited to routine exchanges. Perhaps it was because of that slap on the rainy night? Or maybe it was an attempt to repair their once-too-close relationship? He couldn’t explain exactly why. In any case, he feared meeting her eyes. Whenever he did, what reflected back in those bright eyes was always A Tian’s face with dimples.
“Brother Kuo, what’s wrong?”
Seeing Li Kuo distracted, Zhang Yanji waved his hand in front of his face. “Surely you didn’t fall for that girl with the round face?”
“Huh? What are you talking about, you brat? How could I possibly like her?”
Li Kuo casually pressed the letter under the documents and glared at Zhang Yanji.

“I’m just saying, you get annoyed right away—that’s admitting fault without even trying. In my opinion, that girl with the big face is actually quite nice. She’s just like frozen ice; someone needs to be willing to act as a furnace to melt her heart!”
Zhang Xiaolangjun shrugged, showing complete indifference.
“You little brat!”
Li Kuo stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Yanji by the neck, finally silencing Zhang Xiaolangjun’s chatter.
“What’s so funny?”
General Gui De, Zhang Shouyu, had somehow entered the tent and sat down on a stool, smiling as he watched the two of them.
“My lord general!”
“Brother Zhang!”
The two youths bowed to Zhang Shouyu and saluted him militarily.
“Sometimes I really envy you. You fight and bicker, yet your brotherly bond remains strong. Unlike me—if I played around like that with my subordinates, people would call me an old madman.”
“That’s not true, Brother Zhang! You’re just teasing us again!”
“Alright, alright, no more jokes. Actually, I’m not here for any serious matter. I heard that a master is preaching Buddhism in the Tulou Mountains on the outskirts of the city these days. Do you want to come with me? Who knows, we might even rid ourselves of some negative energy.”
Zhang Shouyu waved his hand and made a suggestion.
“If my brother gives an order, how could we dare not obey?”
The two youths laughed heartily.
On the outskirts of Shanzhou City, outside a ruined temple in the Tulou Mountains, two men dressed as hunters moved slowly forward.
One was tall and the other short; the shorter one was clearly seriously injured. Although his wound was wrapped in white cloth, blood still seeped from his chest. The taller man supported his companion as they slowly reached the ruined temple. Pushing open the broken wooden door, dust rose into the air.
Just by looking at the mottled wooden door, it was clear that the temple had been in ruins for some time—its colors faded, its ink worn away, evoking thoughts of how time flies and the past is gone.
But he had no time for such reflections. He helped his companion into the main hall of the temple, gathered some weeds, gently laid him down, then sat down on the ground.
Looking around, he realized this temple was no different from an ordinary house. Just as time takes away all glory, once the mystique of this sacred place fades and its pretensions are washed away, all that remains is an empty shell.
The taller hunter, impatient, got up and walked around. He slowly made his way to the back of the hall, lifted the dusty canvas curtain, and entered a small courtyard filled with miscellaneous items.
Though covered in dust, he could still see many neatly stacked scrolls through the mottled wooden frames. Even if time had taken away the glory of the past, these precious scrolls would not lose their value over time.

He was utterly astonished—how could a seemingly ordinary, dilapidated temple house so many scriptures and classics? Though he wasn’t particularly interested in Buddhism, seeing such a large collection still filled him with wonder.

“Donor, have you come to make a wish or to fulfill one?”

The hunter was still lost in thought when he heard an aged voice behind him.

Turning slightly, he saw an old monk with white beard and robes standing before him. The hunter clasped his hands in greeting and said, “Venerable master, you are truly kind. I am neither here to make a wish nor to fulfill one.”

“Oh? Then why have you come to this small temple?”

The old monk’s gaze toward the hunter carried a hint of mockery, with not a trace of the solemnity expected of a monk.

“Venerable master, please allow me to explain. My elder brother was unfortunately scratched by a wild animal while hunting bears. I want to take him to Shanzhou City to find a doctor. But after traveling all day and night, we haven’t seen a single household. Could you please let my brother and I rest for a while?”

The old monk clasped his hands and bowed to the hunter, saying, “Thank you for your courtesy. This small temple rarely sees visitors, so you may stay here. It’s not too late to leave once he’s recovered. But you’ll need to provide your own food and shelter.”

Hearing this, the hunter was puzzled and frowned. “Venerable master, where can we find food in this desolate place? My brother is injured, and how can I leave him unattended? I’ll give you the money—please prepare two meals for us.”

The old monk shook his head gently and sighed. “Young master, do you understand Buddhism?”

Already frustrated, the hunter grew even angrier at the monk’s demands.

“I may not be an expert in Buddhism, but I do understand it to some extent.”

“Oh? Then perhaps you can explain to me what compassion means?”

“What’s so difficult about that?”

Once determined, the hunter insisted, “The Buddha taught us to do more good deeds. Removing harm from all beings is compassion. When beings suffer, we should save them, care for them, help the poor, support the sick, and assist those in need so they can reach a state of happiness.”

After a brief pause, he continued, “The Buddha taught us about boundless compassion—not only loving those who are related to us but also caring for those who are not. As it is said in the Confucian text ‘The Great Harmony,’ we should not only care for our own family but also extend that care to others’ families. Elderly people should be treated as our own elders, and children as our own children. Isn’t your behavior contrary to Buddhist teachings? How can it be called compassion?”

The old monk sighed softly and said, “Young donor, you are mistaken. The Buddha taught us to practice boundless compassion, but do you not realize that He also taught us to cultivate profound compassion for all beings? (Note 3) All things in the universe are one; we should share weal and woe and be closely connected. Yet even I have no food to ask for—how can I then practice such profound compassion? In that case, all I can do is share in others’ hunger and suffering.”

The hunter, seeing his smooth words, felt his anger flare up completely. “If that’s the case, I truly don’t understand. The Buddhist teachings say that the Buddha is nature, and nature is the Buddha. People are within the Buddha, and thus naturally become Buddhas. If everyone can become a Buddha, then why is there a situation where no one gives alms?”

After hearing the hunter speak, the old monk sat cross-legged on the dark red cushion, closed his eyes, and said softly, “Although everyone can become a Buddha, one must have a mind as calm as water, free from distractions. To achieve such calmness, one must overcome the three poisons—greed, hatred, and delusion. Only then can one naturally and effortlessly become a Buddha. But today, people are constantly striving for fame and wealth, using Buddhism merely as a cover to seek safety. How can they possibly become Buddhas under such circumstances?”

Though angry, the hunter saw that his words made sense and did not know how to refute them. After thinking for a moment, he changed his tone and said loudly, “If it’s difficult for people to become Buddhas, then why do the masters still spread Buddhism? If Buddhism lacks the appeal to guide people toward goodness, why do they claim to save all beings?”

The old monk sighed again and said loudly, “Well said, well said. Young donor, be careful with your words. It’s not that Buddhism is not profound, but that people fail to let go of egoism. (Note 4) Everything they consider theirs is actually for their use, not truly theirs. If there truly were an ‘I,’ why would one’s emotions and life and death not be under one’s control? Egoism is a common problem among all beings. Only by letting go of egoism can one find the true self and instantly become a Buddha.”

The hunter still refused to back down and asked, “Then, in your opinion, if my brother and I want some alms, do we have to wait until everyone has let go of egoism and become Buddhas?”

The old monk kept his eyes closed and replied gently, “Young donor, it seems you still have lingering grievances, which prevent you from fully understanding Buddhism. The Buddhist teachings say that form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. Causes and conditions are temporary aggregates; there is no permanent essence. Although people are trapped by fame and wealth today, it doesn’t mean they won’t understand the true nature of life and become Buddhas tomorrow. Buddhism teaches us to follow nature. If you push too hard, you go against the fundamental laws of all things.”

The hunter saw that the old monk’s words were quite reasonable and sincere, and his heart calmed down a bit. He replied gently, “Then, according to the master’s view, how can we make people turn to goodness?”
The old monk, with an unchanging expression, spoke softly, “The Buddha’s teachings say that time governs all things. Sorrow is merely joy in disguise; by bestowing blessings upon all beings and using profound methods to cut off the roots of affliction, one attains ultimate happiness. By giving wealth, the Dharma liberates all; by inspiring courage, it brings peace to their hearts. Only then will all beings be filled with joy through the Dharma.”
Hearing this, the hunter slapped his thigh in delight and said, “Master, I understand. You mean that as long as we help each other in daily life, the goodness of the Buddha’s Dharma will take root in every person’s heart. This way, when we need help, we won’t be in a predicament with no one to assist us. Are you telling me that before asking for help, we should first consider what we have given to others, so that we can develop boundless compassion and get closer to the Dharma?”
Upon hearing this, the old monk’s eyes instantly opened, and he said softly, “Young benefactor, you possess great wisdom—truly a blessing for the Buddha. The meal is already prepared. Wait until your elder brother wakes up and serve him some food.”
With that, he got up and headed toward the outer room.
“Thank you, master.”
The hunter bowed to the old monk, his worries completely gone, feeling relieved and at peace.