The person who spoke was none other than Qiu Yizhi. He walked a few steps closer and said, "Do you want to wake up all the neighbors by speaking in a lower voice?"
Although the martial arts skills of the soldier who spoke were ordinary, he had a loud voice and a black birthmark on his neck, so he got the nickname "Black-necked Toad".
Seeing that Qiu Yi was followed by a few people, this "black-necked toad" tried his best to lower his voice: "Are you here to watch the night, sir? You brought so many people with you."
Qiu Yizhi didn't answer, but asked: "I remember it seems that you weren't on night watch. Could it be that I remembered wrongly?"
"Black-necked Toad" replied: "Your Excellency, you are indeed a scholar. You really have a good memory. It wasn't me tonight, but Mr. Zhao was having a happy event. We brothers thought that each of us would be worth one more day, so that Mr. Zhao would not be wasted. It’s been a good few days.”
After hearing this, Qiu Yizhi smiled and praised: "Okay, although this matter is not big, I can see that you guys are affectionate and righteous. I know your heart, and I will reward you with ten taels of silver each when I go back."
"Black-necked Toad" heard that there was a reward, and immediately said excitedly: "Then I will thank you first!" He was so happy that he forgot to speak quietly, and his voice became louder again.
After hearing this, Qiu Yizhi hurriedly made a "silence" gesture with his finger on his lips, and said: "Didn't I tell you to speak in a low voice? Let me ask you, are the little Taoist nuns in the 'Liaochen Palace' still closed? Is it inside?"
"Black-necked Toad" nodded and whispered: "Yes, yes. Sir, do you want to go in and see them?"
Qiu Yi said: "That's right, I have something to ask them. You give me the key to the cell and then stand guard outside. No one is allowed to come near. Do you understand?"
"Black-necked Toad" hurriedly replied: "Yes, I understand. It's just very dark inside. Let the little one go in and light some candles for the adults, and then the adults can ask questions inside." After that, he turned around and ran to the cell. Go inside.
Qiu Yiyi grabbed him and said, "No need, what I want is that it's dark and no one can be seen inside. Just stay here." After that, he led a few people behind him and pushed the door open and entered the cell.
In the cell, as the "Black-necked Toad" said, there were only two small oil lamps lit in total in the huge space. The weak light emitted by the large flames was completely unable to penetrate the turbid air in the cell. , as if it was going to go out immediately.
Immediately following Qiu Yi, in addition to Lin Shuhan and Yuchi Jiming, there were also Wen Lingjiao and He'er.
Qiu Yizhi calmed down, called Wen Lingjiao softly, raised her hand and pointed forward, and said: "Miss Wen, the few little Taoist nuns in the 'Liaochen Palace' are locked up over there, you just follow the plan. Let's go." After saying that, he handed the key in his hand to Wen Lingjiao.
Wen Lingjiao took the key and nodded. Just as she was about to step forward, she saw pitch black ahead, so she said to He'er, "He'er, didn't you bring a lantern with you? If you don't light it now, why should you still bring it with you as it is? Can’t go back?”
He'er quickly took out the fire medium, lit the lantern, walked up to Wen Lingjiao, and slowly walked forward relying on the weak light emitted by the lantern.
The two of them walked for about ten steps, and they saw a rather large cell. Inside, there were about ten little Taoist nuns sleeping in various directions. These little Taoist nuns were all unkempt and disheveled. snore.
Qiu Yizhi stayed where she was and did not follow closely. She heard Wen Lingjiao take a deep breath and cough a few times as if she was choked by the dull and dirty air in the cell. Then she heard her murmuring:
The light is universally pure, the ever-lasting joy is silent and motionless;
He enjoys happiness without worries, and there is no point in suffering.
If anyone can live in that country, he will eventually have no worries.
Always in the light of happiness, if you are sick, it is of no use.
The solemnity of the place is all pure, and all evil things are not pure, and their origin is nothing;
Happiness fills the air and is always lenient. Words that are harmful to others are of no use.
Qiu Yizhi has heard this mantra countless times. It is what the Tianzun sect must recite before every prayer or worship. It can be said that all Tianzun believers cannot do it.
Lin Shuhan, who was next to Qiu Yizhi, whispered softly: "Sir, Lin has seen this passage in a book, but unexpectedly it was actually recited by someone, and it actually moved people's hearts. No wonder Tianzun Sect can confuse people's hearts. ”
Qiu Yizhi didn't answer, just nodded, and then heard Wen Lingjiao say: "What? Are you still not a disciple of the Holy Cult? Or maybe you were confused by your sleep, and you have even forgotten the teachings of Tianzun and the teachings of your ancestors. ? Do you want to go to hell after death? "
The group of little nuns had actually woken up a long time ago, and they were all familiar with the incantation recited by Wen Lingjiao. However, when they suddenly heard someone reciting this incantation in the official prison, they were stunned for a moment, thinking that He was hallucinating, and no one dared to talk to him.
Seeing this, Wen Lingjiao sighed softly and deliberately raised her voice: "It's such a pity. I spent so much effort and walked through so many paths before I sneaked in. I wanted to rescue my Holy Cult disciples, but I didn't want to go astray. Yamen, what a pity. He'er, let's go back!" After that, he turned around and walked out of the cell.
Unexpectedly, before Wen Lingjiao even took a step, the little Taoist nuns in the cell started to commotion. Not long after, a bold one among them summoned up the courage to ask: "Are you... are you really from the Holy Sect here to save us?"
Wen Lingjiao did not answer, but recited again: "The light is universally pure, the ever-lasting joy is silent, and there is no curse; he enjoys joy without trouble, and there is no point in saying there is suffering..."
Halfway through her recitation, the Taoist nuns in the cell began to recite: "If anyone can live in that country, he will be free from sorrow. He will always be in the light of happiness, and if he is sick, it will be of no use. The solemnity everywhere will be pure, All evils are not purified, and their origin is nothing; happiness is filled with peace and tranquility, and there is no point in saying anything."
They recited this medium-long mantra seven or eight times before Wen Lingjiao stopped and said, "This is the first secret word in my holy religion. No believer in the holy religion can chant it." If you don't know it, it will be unheard of by outsiders. Is it still fake?"
It was the same Taoist nun who spoke just now, with tears in her eyes: "It turns out it's really the Holy Angel who finally came to save us..." After saying that, she started sobbing.
It didn't matter that she cried, all the little Taoist nuns started crying together, and the whole cell was immediately noisy - if Qiu Yi hadn't made arrangements early, it would have attracted the attention of the guards inside and outside the cell.
But Wen Lingjiao said sternly: "Stop crying, now is not the time to cry!"
What she said was so majestic that the dozen or so Taoist nuns immediately lowered their voices. Although a few were still choking, they were much quieter.
So Wen Lingjiao said coldly in the darkness: "Can you finally believe that I am the Holy Religion here to save you this time?"
"I believe it, I believe it, I believe it." The group of little Taoist nuns replied in a hurry.
"However, I can't believe that you are indeed disciples of the Holy Cult! Everyone knows that our Tianzun Cult is widely spread in the north, but has declined somewhat in the south. The appearance of so many of your disciples for no reason will inevitably make people suspicious. Let me ask you, you You keep saying that you are a disciple of the Holy Cult, do you have any proof?" Wen Lingjiao asked again.
The group of little Taoist nuns looked at each other in confusion for a while, and then replied: "The ascetics have the ultimatum, and the Taoists have the ultimatum, but I have never heard that the Tianzun sect has any evidence."
"Hmph!" Wen Lingjiao sneered and said, "He'er, show your things to these guys."
In the darkness, Qiu Yizhi vaguely saw He'er taking out something from his arms through the dim light, and showed it to the many Taoist nuns inside through the bars of the cell.
"So this is the evidence of the Tianzun Sect!" One of the Taoist nuns suddenly realized, "But...but we have never seen such a thing...even...even Master Miaozhen doesn't seem to have it."
"Are you serious?" Wen Lingjiao asked.
Another Taoist nun said: "Indeed not. I just serve the master in daily life, and I have never seen such a thing."
After hearing this, Wen Lingjiao knew what she was doing and said, "I don't blame you. Maybe you have only been in the religion for a short time. You haven't seen Miaozhen's secrets, so it's nothing special. Then let me ask you, please introduce me." Which divine messenger in the religion did you join?”
The group of Taoist nuns whispered again and replied: "No one introduced me. One day, Master Miaozhen said that in the future we would no longer read the Tao Te Ching and the Nan Hua Sutra, but would instead read the Tianzun Sect classics. In fact, I didn’t even read anything else, I just memorized the mantra we just recited.”
"Then when did Miaozhen ask you to change your religion? Do you still remember what signs there were before?" Wen Lingjiao asked.
"It probably happened more than half a year ago... Do you want to talk about signs? I don't seem to remember clearly." One of the Taoist nuns said.
But I heard another Taoist nun say: "There are signs, there are signs. At that time, a poor wandering scholar came and talked with Master Miaozhen for a long time. I thought he was dead, but unexpectedly he was in the palace. After staying there for three days, the master sent him back completely and respectfully. It seems that after this man left, the master asked us to change to reciting the Tianzun Divine Mantra... "
"Oh?" This was a very important message. Wen Lingjiao immediately became energetic and said, "It seems that this person is the only one who can prove your identity as a believer of the Holy Religion. I wonder if you can still contact him?"
The group of Taoist nuns whispered again, and one of them said: "This person came here several times later, and Master Miaozhen personally received him. We don't even know his name, so how can we know how to contact him?" Where is he?"
But I heard another Taoist nun say in surprise: "By the way, Master Miaozhen seems to have a locked secret box. I don't know if it is hidden in her bedroom or study. There may be correspondence or documents with that person in it. . If the divine messenger can be found, our identity can be proven."
At this point, a clear clue has emerged in front of Wen Lingjiao and Qiu Yi.
So Wen Lingjiao secretly wrote down the Taoist nun's words, and then said: "What you said is confusing and difficult to confirm. Only after I go to the Chen Palace to find out the truth can I rescue you."
She paused and then said, "Also, have you ever told others about the fact that you are disciples of my Tianzun Holy Cult?"
"No, no. Master Miaozhen has told us that we are all accomplices in murders, and we can be released after a few beatings at most. Becoming a cultist is a serious crime of treason, and if you are caught, you will be beheaded. Therefore, we never agree with others. I talked about it..."
"That's good!" Wen Lingjiao said, "When I find out the truth, I will naturally rescue you."
When the group of Taoist nuns saw Wen Lingjiao turning around and about to leave, they couldn't help but feel anxious and said hurriedly: "The envoy will stay. I heard that the new county magistrate here is very powerful. He is famous for not taking soft and hard things. I don't know what the envoy has." Is there any way to get us out?"
"Hahaha!" Wen Lingjiao suddenly laughed, "What a soft-hearted person!"
She didn't know whether she was speaking to the group of Taoist nuns in the cell, to Qiu Yizhi hiding in the dark, or to herself. In short, Wen Lingjiao did not slow down even a step. Left the prison. (To be continued)