Lotus sat in a corner, licking her chapped lips.
Wang Jinghong came over and handed over the water bag: "Miss Lian, take a sip." Lianhua looked at the scouts around, shook her head, and smiled brightly at Wang Jinghong: "I'm not thirsty, let's give it to everyone to drink."
Lianhua said, taking out the glazed pagoda from her arms and placing it in front of her, lowering her eyes and closing her eyes, and silently began to chant sutras.
Heart Sutra/Diamond Sutra/Perfect Enlightenment Sutra/Surangama Sutra/Surangama Sutra/Vimalakirti Sutra/Tan Sutra, these seven Zen sutras have been familiar to me since I was a child, and they naturally drifted slowly through my mind one by one. While reciting silently, saliva gradually formed in the back of the tongue, and the spiritual platform became clear, as if one were on a lotus platform or in a world of glass, forgetting both things and myself, and feeling completely empty of mind and body.
After an unknown amount of time, Lianhua finished reciting the sutra and opened her eyes, only to see all the scouts looking curiously at herself and the glazed tower in front of her. There is confusion and hope on the young face. The lotus holds the pagoda with both hands, and the colored glass shines through and flows in seven colors under the dazzling sunlight, as if it has something to say.
Lotus smiled and looked at the soldier: "Want to recite sutras with me? Come, let's start from the Heart Sutra and recite after me: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, walking in the deep Prajna Paramita for a long time, saw that the five aggregates are empty, and survived all hardships ..." The voice, as warm and soft as glass, floated on the yellow sand of the desert. It was pleasant to the ears and refreshing to the heart.
The scouts gradually gathered around, and some people began to chant along with them. Slowly, more and more people followed the chanting, and finally all the scouts started chanting together.
Zhu Di was leaning not far away, watching quietly, his face as casual as usual, half smiling but not smiling. His eyes were changing and he didn't know what he was thinking.
Wang Jinghong stood aside with his hands down, silent, but in fact he was extremely worried: the Lord of Hell was already waiting at the gate of hell to welcome these dozens of people, but this little pity girl was leading everyone to chant sutras in a daze!
Wang Jinghong's eyes were like the scorching sun in the desert, burning with despair.
****************
In the vast desert, this already ragged team continued to walk.
Lianhua insisted on giving up her horse to the two scouts who had injured their legs. She hung her left arm and walked crookedly in the middle of the team.
The bright sun shines in the sky, and everything is still golden. The sun in the sky is dazzling, and the yellow sand on the ground is also scorching.
Everyone lowered their heads and tried to look at their own clothes in front of them, at least they were blue. The procession moved slowly and quietly. Only the green horses occasionally raised their drooped heads, snorted and made some noise.
Zhu Di looked at the team and felt worried. Even though he is a prince, he is as small as a grain of sand under his feet in the desert, and can only be kicked by nature at will.
The procession moved extremely slowly.
Lianhua was already dizzy, thirsty and exhausted to the extreme. I really want to lie down here and never get up or leave again. Let me sleep for a while, let me sleep, a voice in my heart kept shouting.
A big hand stretched out and took Lotus's little hand. The palm was huge and rough, with hard cocoons, just like his father's hand. Lianhua felt relieved, raised her head and smiled at King Yan, letting him lead her forward. In this desperate situation in the desert, everything is very natural.
The heat wave hit her face, mixed with the body odor of King Yan, and the lotus gradually walked in a trance. It seems like when he was very young, his father led him to the market; it also seems like when he was young, Amin and Li Fangyuan dragged him to play; and it even seems like not long ago, Asiu dragged him to bake cakes. . They are all such rough hands, holding them so firmly.
The sun was still shining brightly, but there was a slight breeze blowing, and the wind carried a moist smell. The green horse was the first to notice it, raised its head, shook it, and stopped.
Zhu Di also stopped, relaxed his hand, and sniffed hard. Lianhua stopped and looked at it with some confusion.
Suddenly, at the far end of the desert, a green tree appeared.
No, it's a row, a neat row of green trees. Pines, cypresses and willows are lush green surrounding the high walls that are neatly aligned in all directions. In front are five consecutive cornices, each one taller and more majestic than the last, and wide steps connect them, making it extremely majestic. With yellow walls, black tiles, and mist, it turned out to be a temple in Nuo Da.
What's in the middle? Standing majestic and towering into the clouds, with its aura of aura flowing in precious colors, it is the Glazed Pagoda!
Everyone stopped and looked up motionless, as if they had been immobilized.
Lian Hua's whole body trembled, her legs became weak, and she knelt down on the ground. She opened her mouth wide and stared up at him. Wang Jinghong and the scouts were stunned and could not blink their eyes. Even Zhu Di was surprised and looked at it in disbelief.
Time stopped at this moment, the sun, sand, and even the wind were all motionless. Only the Glazed Pagoda stands proudly, overlooking the world.
Lianhua suddenly cheered, jumped up and ran straight to the Glazed Pagoda.
Zhu Di was stunned, and immediately shouted from behind: "Don't run! That's a mirage! It's fake!".
Lotus seemed to ignore it and continued to run. His left arm could not move, and his thin figure was swaying and limping.
Zhu Di sighed and waved his hand gently. The scouts who were watching eagerly from the side immediately ran away together. Two soldiers with injured legs sighed and looked around on their horses.
It's so far away, it's always right in front of me, but I can't reach it. Lotus was a little out of breath. There was a large amount of blood on his arm.
The scouts immediately rushed to Lianhua's side. Someone asked: "Miss Lian, is that a pagoda? The prince said it was fake." Lianhua kept walking and gasped: "It must be true! I want to go and see!". A soldier running next to him stretched out his left hand and put it on Lianhua's back, pushing her as he ran: "Let's all go and see!" Lianhua turned her head and smiled: "Okay!"
Just like that, in the endless golden desert, dozens of scouts and a little girl were running on the vast yellow sand, running towards the mirage and the glazed pagoda in their hearts. In the distance behind, green horses were walking slowly carrying two wounded men. Wang Jinghong frowned and looked at a group of lunatics.
Zhu Di was pacing at the end, looking at the running group of people from a distance, shaking his head and sighing in his heart: "This little pity, are you stupid?"
A group of people ran in the desert for an unknown amount of time. The breeze blew and the temple and pagoda gradually began to dissipate. First the spire disappeared, then the tower body, then the temple, high walls, trees... slowly disappeared bit by bit, half revealing the original sky.
Lianhua was anxious and shouted: "Wait! Wait!", but found that the scouts beside him had stopped at some point, standing quietly and listening. Someone was lying on the ground, his ears pressed to the sand, and his face looked happy.
Lianhua stopped and looked at everyone in confusion.
At the end of the sky, the temple trees gradually disappeared, leaving only a patch of yellow sand under the orange sunset. Suddenly a flag flashed, what was it
Slowly, a big flag fluttered out, and the big word "明" fluttered in the wind.
The earthquake shook the sand and the sound of horse hooves sounded. It was the Ming army's brigade!
The scouts cheered in unison, throwing their helmets and hats in the air and falling down one after another. Everyone didn't pick it up and ran to and fro. Lotus stood still, smiling from a distance, and tears welled up again. But this time, it was tears of joy.
The young man riding at the front had a bright smile on his face.
"Sambo!"
Lotus recognized it immediately and couldn't help but cheered and waved her right hand high.
The black horse rushed to the front in three or two steps. Ma Sanbao flew off the horse and raised the lotus: "Little pity girl!"
There were smiles and tears, and laughter filled the entire desert. Zhu Di took a long breath. This time, he passed by the Lord of Hell at the gate of hell again.
****************
Zhu Di led the team and drove for two days and two nights, and finally arrived at Cheche'er Mountain.
The cavalry chasing Xiao Lian did not return to camp. Thorin Timur must have become suspicious. The only way to win by surprise was to arrive quickly and catch him off guard. Therefore, the cavalry army of five thousand people actually ran without sleep for two days, two nights and twenty-four hours.
This time they came from the Daning Prefecture garrison. The leader was Deputy General Chen. He was a little short and fat but had been stationed at the border for many years. He had a weathered calmness that perfectly complemented Wang Jinghong's maturity and poise.
When Zhu Di and the other scouts encountered a large army that day, they felt lucky and thought it was a miracle. The scouts surrounded Ma Sanbao and curiously asked him how he found this place.
Ma Sanbao smiled and said: "Well, it's that temple, that pagoda! When we saw the pagoda, we ran towards it."
Everyone continued to ask, and Ma Sanbao hesitated: "Miss Lian is a Buddhist, and I thought maybe this temple and pagoda have something to do with it."
Hou Xian came out from behind, another chamberlain of the palace. He was short and thin, with a red-black face unique to Tibetans. He said loudly: "You haven't seen what Sanbao looked like at that time. His face was pale. It was the first time I saw him." The horse was riding so fast that Xiao Hei was almost maimed by him.”
Xiaohei is the name of Ma Sanbao's black horse. Ma Sanbao treasures his horse very much. He never lets anyone touch it. He always feeds and washes it by himself. He would rather let Xiaohei go first if he even has some delicious food.
Ma Sanbao blushed a little and said sarcastically: "No way, don't listen to his nonsense."
Deputy General Chen smiled and smoothed things over: "Fortunately, everyone followed Mr. Ma and ran here."
"Yes!" All the scouts agreed in unison.
Someone turned to Lianhua and said, "Miss Lian, show them your pagoda. It's really exactly the same."
Lianhua was moved in her heart and was looking at Ma Sanbao in a daze. Hearing this, he took out the glazed pagoda from his arms and held it in his palm.
Ma Sanbao, Hou Xian and Deputy General Chen looked up and were both stunned.
Hou Xian is a Tibetan who has believed in Buddhism since he was a child. He immediately knelt down and knelt down, muttering something. Vice General Chen muttered: "Amitabha, Amitabha"; Ma Sanbao was a Muslim, and he opened his mouth wide and shouted: :"Allah!".
Zhu Di couldn't help but smile as he recalled the scene that day.
This thing is so unbelievable that it cannot be explained. Now, headed by Hou Xian, the scouts all look at Xiao Lian like a god, no, they worship him like a Bodhisattva. Is it really the Buddha’s power that empowers the Dharma to be boundless? Did this little pity really come down from the sky
Zhu Di shook his head vigorously to get rid of this ridiculous idea from his mind.
It was evening, the sun was setting, and Lotus gradually felt that the scenery in front of her looked familiar, and the smell in the air seemed familiar. That's right, when Zheng Zongze was escorted through here more than ten days ago, he was still wearing a mask, with only two long and thin phoenix eyes exposed. .
Lianhua hesitated to say, but before she could speak, Ma Sanbao beside her seemed to have noticed and asked: "Have you been here?" Lianhua nodded lightly: "This is it. Sorin Timur's residence should be far away from here. Not far away, and further ahead is the big lake.”
Ma Sanbao hurriedly urged his horse and galloped to the front of Zhu Di: "Your Majesty! Miss Lian said it was not far ahead." Zhu Di raised his right hand and the army slowly stopped.
Zhu Di looked at the sky, twirled the air with his left fingers, and took a strong sniff. After thinking for a while, he said: "Yes, the water vapor has thickened obviously, and there are various smells of food and animals. The Mongolian camp should not be far away. Give me my order, rest on the spot, bury the pots and cook the food, and follow my orders to attack at midnight!"
The sky is slowly turning dark, and the days are long in the summer in the desert. Even though the sun has set, it is still early before dark. In order to prevent the Mongols from discovering it, the army dug pits in the sand to bury smoke and ate their meals. The soldiers were so exhausted after running for two days and two nights that they fell asleep and slept in a mess on the ground.
Zhu Di brought Deputy General Chen, three personal servants Ma Sanbao, Wang Jinghong, Hou Xian and several guerrilla generals together to discuss in a low voice. Lianhua leaned aside, feeling extremely tired and fell asleep in a daze.
The cavalry army of five thousand men was silent in the dark night.