In the Zen room of Lumen Temple, Liu Yixuan talked to the temple's Master Zhikong. From the conversation, Liu Yixuan learned that the elder Zhikong's family was Gong. He was originally from Luoyang. When he was young, he studied poetry and books hard and was eager to take the career of the officialdom. Later, he was idle because he failed to pass the exam. At the age of 20, he was attracted by the prefect of Luoyang because of his good handwriting. He hired him to be an eighth-rank writer who drafted official documents in Luoyang Prefecture. Later, because he was tired of official communication, liked the quiet places of mountains and rivers, and was proficient in Buddhist principles, and had a high understanding, he cut his hair into a monk in Baima Temple.

In the first year of Xuanhe, the old abbot of Lumen Temple passed away. The monks in the temple invited Elder Zhizhen from Baima Temple to come to the abbot. Elder Zhizhen and Master Zhikong came out of the same school, so he also brought him to the Lumen Temple and asked him to serve as a prison in the temple. Although Master Zhikong is not a Taoist monk, he is also proficient in literature and Mo and likes to make friends with literati and scholars. He is a famous "Confucian monk". Today, he heard that the prime minister came to visit the temple and came to visit him.

Liu Yixuan originally came to visit Zhang Zeduan, but he knew that he met the temple again. The old monk's speech and behavior were all the aura of a Confucian scholar, which made Liu Yixuan feel uncomfortable for a moment. After chatting for a few words, Liu Yixuan asked: "Master Zhikong, I came here this time to visit the old husband Zhang. Do you know where he went and when will he be back?"

The old monk stroked his beard and smiled and said, "That husband Zhang is a erratic person. He was arguing with the poor monk yesterday about Buddhism, but he disappeared this morning. He likes to paint in the mountains, and likes to paint pavilions, towers, chariots, horses, cattle and sheep. He is also a weird person!" He asked again, "I wonder what the young master has to do with him?"

"This...is related...it doesn't matter much. I just heard of his reputation, so I'll come and visit him."

"Oh? So, the young master is also a proficient in calligraphy and painting?" asked the old monk.

"No, no, no, no, I can't say that I am proficient. I just like it. I have produced many famous calligraphy and painting masters. This painter Zhang is a person with a unique style. When he was working in the Hanlin Academy in the capital, he once dedicated a painting to the Supreme Emperor. I was fortunate to witness the painting. I came to visit today to ask the painter for information about the painting." He said again: "But Mr. Zhang is not in the temple now, so I have nowhere to look for him, so I wander around the temple. I have many troubles. Please forgive me."

The old monk smiled and said, "If this is the case, Mr. Liu, don't be polite. Since Mr. Liu is determined to meet this artist Zhang, it is better to stay in this temple for one night. Although this temple is located in the mountains, there are several clean rooms. If the young master doesn't dislike it, he can stay and wait."

"This?..." Liu Yixuan looked at the promotion next to him. Because when he left home in the morning, Mrs. Fan had instructed that no matter whether he could find someone, he would rush back that day and not stay outside. However, Liu Yixuan was unwilling to go back like this. Zhang Zeduan had no rules in daily life. If he was still not here in the future, what should he do? Why not stay in this temple for one night after listening to the old monk's suggestion.

"What my teacher said is reasonable, and I am just thinking about it. So, let's clean up a room for my master and servant!"

...

In the evening, Liu Yixuan and his servants had another vegetarian meal in the temple. After the meal, Elder Zhikong invited Liu Yixuan to a loft in the courtyard to enjoy the moon and drink tea. Liu Yixuan came with the host and was invited to go.

After going to the attic, Liu Yixuan found that the attic was very different from other halls in the temple. The attic was built on a high ground in the backyard. The building was brightly lit and surrounded by ancient trees. Looking at the decorations in the cabinet, it was also exquisite and elegant, and antique. There were some calligraphy and painting banners hanging on the walls of the house, and many literati poems were also written on the walls. Looking near the window, there was another pear wood book case, which was placed on the case with the best lake pen Duan inkstone and rice paper ink. When Liu Yixuan saw this posture, he felt that the old monk was coming to him to recite poems and essays, and he felt immediately relieved, but the person had already entered the door and was not able to go back, so he had to bite the bullet and go forward.

"Amitabha, please come here to Mr. Liu!" The old monk stepped forward to welcome him, and Liu Yixuan smiled and said, "I didn't expect that there is such an elegant room in this deep mountain Zen temple, which is really eye-opening."

"There is no elegant room? It's just a shabby room! Before I entered Buddhism, I was also a scholar who was studying and becoming an official. After entering Buddhism, although all four elements were empty, I could not forget this ink, calligraphy and painting. I also like to make friends with literati and poets on weekdays. Take that artist Zhang for example. He was a frustrated person in the officialdom, wandering around here and living in this temple for a long time. I missed him as a person who reads and paints, so I avoided his food and clothing. I talked about the sutras and talks with him many times on weekdays, but he had a strange temper and had a temporary disagreement and would argue with others, so... Haha, let's not talk about it."

After hearing this, Liu Yixuan realized that Zhang Zeduan was really not doing well. He stayed in this temple and was looked down upon by the monk. If the monk had not expressed his compassion, he might have been driven elsewhere. "Oh, the ancients had the difficulties of the ancients, and it would not be easy for anyone to live!"

"Oh, so that's it. I wonder why Master Zhikong asked me to come down and come, what happened?"

The old monk smiled and said, "I talked to the young master before, and I knew that the young master was a proficient in calligraphy and painting. This temple has received many Hanlin students before, including Zeng Wending, Meishan Xiaosu, and former Taishi Cai. They have kept their calligraphy treasures when they visit this temple. Mr. Liu is a descendant of the prime minister, and probably also a master of pen and ink. Why not leave calligraphy treasures for us to watch?"

"Ah? This... this is really not possible!" Liu Yixuan immediately retreated when he heard that the other party was here to ask for Mobao. He knew the best of his two brushes and did not dare to show them to others. "To be honest, I didn't even pass the Jinshi exam. I really didn't have any real talent and knowledge. Mobao or something, so I'll be exempted. If I can't do it, I can't take it out!"

"Haha, why should Mr. Liu be so humble? Don't you want to give me such a thin face to me?" The old monk said as he personally picked up a cup of incense tea toast, which made Liu Yixuan feel embarrassed. As the saying goes, "Eat people with soft mouths and short hands, this old monk treated him well. He was so enthusiastic about himself. It was a reasonable requirement to leave some poems and prose writing. But Liu Yixuan knew in his heart that his words were not considered a piece of calligraphy at all. He would not make the monk laugh after writing them. He was anxious and sweating on his forehead. He said, "I don't usually burn incense, so I hurry to hug the Buddha's feet." There are now in the Buddha's feet hall, but it's useless to hug it!

The servant was promoted to the side and saw that the old monk was treated with others with great care. Besides, the dinner was specially prepared for a good vegetarian meal, so he came out to Liu Yixuan and said, "Young Master, don't refuse. The master is a delicious meal and a good drink for a long time. You can just write a few words for them."

"Shut up! I don't know anything, I'm talking nonsense!" Liu Yixuan stared at the promotion and scolded him.

When the old monk saw that Liu Yixuan was so stingy with his pen and ink, he changed his words and said, "Since Mr. Liu doesn't want to leave the ink treasures, I will no longer be embarrassed." He asked again, "Mr. Liu, what do you think of the scenery of Lumen Mountain?"

When Liu Yixuan heard that he stopped asking for pens and ink, he immediately took a deep breath. When he saw him asking about the scenery of the mountains, he hurriedly replied: "Okay! It's great! Lumen Mountain is clear and beautiful, and it is indeed the holy realm of the human world!"

The old monk asked again: "Then what is the moonlight in Lumen Temple?"

Liu Yixuan looked up at the half-cold moon, which was bright and bright, hanging high in the night sky, and the moonlight poured down like flowing water, and couldn't help but praise: "Beauty, it's so beautiful! You can see this bright moon in this thousand-year-old ancient temple, which is indeed a beautiful thing in life!"

After hearing this, the old monk nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Since the mountains are beautiful and the moon is beautiful, why don't Mr. Liu recite a poem?"

"Damn, you still don't want to let me go? How could I recite any poems? I just can just make a few nonsense." Liu Yixuan felt nervous when he saw that he had been spared for a long time and wanted to take the exam for his own talent.

The monk Guangyuan, who was standing next to him, also walked up to persuade, "Young Master Liu, don't be too humble. Our uncle from the temple has always loved literati and elegant guests. If you ask me like this today, if Mr. Liu blindly refuses, it will seem inhumane, right? Mr. Liu is a descendant of the prime minister and a student in the Imperial College. It is not difficult to write a poem for our temple. I think, Mr. Liu doesn't have to refuse!"

After hearing this, Liu Yixuan felt that the request was not too much. Xiangyang City is remote and deserted, and his father is a high-ranking official who has walked out from here, which is somewhat of a pride of the fellow villagers. It is human nature to ask for some pens and ink to support the store. If he refuses, it will inevitably make people feel that he is too noble and does not speak human feelings, but will leave some talk. After thinking about it, he is not afraid of showing off his axe and showing off his ugly side. So he said, "Okay, since Master Zhikong looks down on me so much, then I will not refuse."

After saying that, Liu Yixuan walked to the window, looked at the thousand-year-old temple outside the window, pondered hard, thought repeatedly, racked his brains and finally recited a quatrain, saying:

Once you enter the mountain gate, everything is empty. I wish to escape from the ninth level of the mortal world.

The wind in the ancient temple is clear and cloudy, and the cold mountains are cold and the moon is warm at night!

After hearing this poem, Elder Zhikong and several monks who were a little familiar with the pen could not help but chant in a low voice, and felt that the poem was fresh and unconventional, and it was not like the usual style. Especially the second two lines were neatly matched, revealing the scene in front of you.

While everyone was talking about the poem, someone in the attic praised loudly: "What a saying, 'The wind in the ancient temple is clear and cloudy, and the moon is warm at night in the cold mountains!' Who is reciting the poem on the pavilion?"

The monk Zhikong looked down the window and recognized the person who was talking. He smiled and said, "It turns out that Painter Zhang is back. Please come upstairs and get together. Just now, a guest has been waiting for you for a long time!" It was exactly: he was still holding a pipa and half-covering his face. After all, what does this Zhang Zeduan look like and what kind of temperament are, and I will wait for the later text.
Chapter completed!