Seeing that he noticed Gan Li, Gan Min was delighted: "Li'er, why don't you thank Uncle Master for the compliment!"
Gan Li stepped forward and said respectfully, "Thank you, uncle-master." Although he was the great-grandson of Gan Min, after joining the Lingxin Sect, he should call Gu Pinglin "uncle-master" according to the sect's seniority.
Gu Pinglin glanced at him, drank a sip of tea slowly, and then asked, "Have you learned any of our martial arts?"
Gan Min answered on his behalf, "I have been a disciple for many years, but due to my limited aptitude, I have never achieved anything. I thought I could find a way out for my descendants, but none of them had any affinity with the Dao. Only this great-grandson has decent aptitude. Five years ago, I asked Manager Zhang to intercede for him, and only then was he allowed to join the outer sect. The superiors allowed me to pass on some simple techniques to him."
Leng Xu was surprised and said, "Since he is your descendant, he should be sent back to the sect to practice. I think he has good aptitude, so it won't be difficult for him to enter the inner sect."
Gan Min didn't dare to tell the truth, so he shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying implicitly: "The steward promised to help with this matter, but the higher-ups were too busy and there was no news from them. I didn't dare to send him to the sect rashly... I can only blame myself for not being good at business and spending half my life dealing with worldly affairs. Now that my life is coming to an end, I have nothing left. Alas, the next two generations were not good enough and delayed this child."
Leng Xu was still confused, but Gu Pinglin knew the inside story. The Taoist temple was not like other industries. The income was all earthly money, which was not in the eyes of the monks. He thought it was because he could not take out the feather coins to bribe the manager. This was the case in most sects.
Gu Pinglin stopped Leng Xu from asking any more questions and asked Gan Li: "After five years of cultivation, what is your realm?"
The person in front of him looked about the same age as himself, but he didn't dare to be disrespectful. Gan Li answered cautiously: "My disciple is dull, and I have only reached the second level of Na Yuan after five years of cultivation."
He joined the outer sect and practiced the lowest level of skills. It was rare for him to reach the second level of Na Yuan. Gu Pinglin nodded and changed the subject: "It's getting late, let's talk about it tomorrow."
Gan Min hurriedly said, "I was not thoughtful enough. Brother, you have come from afar, so you should rest early. Li'er, take the three uncles to their rooms and settle them down. We will hold a banquet for them later."
Gan Li understood: "Uncle Master, please."
"There's no need to hold a banquet," Gu Pinglin waved his hand and secretly used the sound transmission technique to tell him, "An old Taoist priest just came to hang up a sign. Please arrange for me to sit next to him." He paused and said, "Don't let him notice."
According to rumors, this uncle-master is likely to be the future leader. The opportunity is right before his eyes. How can Gan Li not be fully alert? He quickly replied, "I understand. Don't worry, uncle-master."
He immediately walked outside the screen, called a little Taoist boy and told him, "Go to the room and get the book. There will be a group of guests coming to the temple the next day, and I need to count the guest rooms."
Gu Pinglin nodded after hearing this.
Why did he care about Gan Li? It turned out that after Gu Pinglin became the head of the Taoist temple in his previous life, he had to review all the letters from all over the country. The letter submitted by the head of the Yecheng Taoist temple was concise and clear. Gu Pinglin asked the steward by the way, and found out that he was the great-grandson of the deceased old master, acting as the master for the time being. Gu Pinglin simply rejected the steward's request to send someone else to take over the Taoist temple, and directly let this person take the position of the master. Unexpectedly, after meeting him today, he found that this person really had some talent. Unfortunately, Gu Pinglin was so focused on dealing with Duan Qingming at that time that he didn't pay much attention to him. It is estimated that Gan Li was trapped in this small Taoist temple for life and was really delayed.
Not long after, the Taoist boy brought the registration book. Gan Li flipped through it briefly and threw it back to him, then took the three of them to the guest room.
The guest house in the temple is not big, with only six or seven rooms. There is a well in the courtyard for water. The floor is paved with bluestone slabs and there is almost no dust. It is estimated that it is washed with water frequently.
Gan Li first settled Jiang Ruoxu and Leng Xu down, and then took Gu Pinglin away.
Leng Xu was surprised: "Junior Brother Gu doesn't live here?"
Gan Li said apologetically, "We are short of staff in our small temple, and we don't have many visitors on weekdays. Many rooms are not cleaned up. There are two clean empty rooms in the yard over there, so I have to inquire Uncle Gu to move there." He glanced at Gu Pinglin cautiously, seeming a little frightened.
The two of them really believed it. Jiang Ruoxu smiled and patted his shoulder, comforting him: "Although your uncle Gu is serious, he is not a picky person. Don't be nervous."
Gan Li answered "yes" politely, and led Gu Pinglin out of the courtyard. As they walked, he introduced in a low voice: "There are four guest houses in the east, south, west and north. This is the west courtyard. The guest lives in the east courtyard. He is the only one in the east courtyard. I think he requested it when he registered his room. If you move in rashly, it might attract his attention."
Gu Pinglin observed the surrounding environment while walking and asked casually: "What do you think?"
Seeing that he had no objection, Gan Li tried to probe: "Master, why don't you live in the South Courtyard? The South Courtyard is adjacent to the East Courtyard, separated by only a wall. There is only one guest inside, and he looks like a scholar. It would be more convenient for Master to do things there."
Sure enough, he was cautious. Gu Pinglin said, "Well," and said, "That's it."
The layout of the South Courtyard is similar to that of the West Courtyard, except that there is an ancient tree outside the wall, with its branches extending into the courtyard. Occasionally, dead leaves fall in the wind, creating a quite quiet atmosphere.
"Uncle Master, take a look. Are you satisfied?" Gan Li pushed open a door and stepped back.
Just as he said, this room was only separated from the East Courtyard by a wall, so it was very convenient to observe what was happening next door. Gu Pinglin glanced around the room and nodded, "Very good."
Gan Li breathed a sigh of relief: "Master uncle has come from afar, so I won't disturb you. There is a small lamp on each side of the courtyard gate. If Master uncle has something to tell you, just turn off one and I will know."
Gu Pinglin nodded and was about to speak when suddenly, a burst of laughter came from the room in the corner of the yard, and one of the voices sounded quite familiar.
Sure enough, it came.
Gu Pinglin hummed.
Gan Li thought he was unhappy and immediately became nervous: "This is the scholar, surnamed Lin, who has lived here for several days. He doesn't look like a Taoist. Judging from his behavior and conversation, he should be from a prominent family. He is walking alone, probably traveling to study. Don't worry, Master Lin rarely goes out, so it's okay."
It was not surprising that he was deceived. Gu Pinglin did not correct them and just listened to the two men continue talking.
"Brother Lin, the word 'hide' is really clever!"
"No, in my opinion, the word 'hidden' is more appropriate."
"No, no, Brother Lin is too modest."
…
Gu Pinglin frowned: "Who is the other person?"
Gan Li carefully identified him and said, "It should be the fifth son of the Sun family. His poems are the best in Yecheng. Master Lin invited him to drink and talk about learning."
Why are you looking for these sour-looking people to discuss academic matters for no reason? Gu Pinglin sneered and raised his hand: "Got it, you can go down."
Seeing that he had no intention of blaming him, Gan Li finally felt relieved. He took two steps back, bowed slightly to him, and then turned and left.
Gu Pinglin stood at the steps with his hands behind his back and listened for a while, then walked down the steps slowly and walked to the center of the courtyard. This position was just right to see what was happening in the room. The window was wide open, and two young men were sitting opposite each other in front of the window. The man on the right was wearing brocade clothes, had a square face, was a little dark, and his eyebrows and eyes revealed the arrogance of a scholar; the man on the left was usually dressed in white clothes, tied a white hairband with gold edges, was gentle and elegant, talked and laughed freely, and there was no trace of evil in his eyebrows. At first glance, he really was a young man from a scholarly family.
After a moment, he picked up the pen and wrote two lines. Mr. Sun opposite him picked up the paper with the wet writing on it, took a look at it, clapped his hands and praised him. He then put down the pen with a smile, spoke humbly, and looked towards Gu Pinglin as if inadvertently.
Gu Pinglin put his hands behind his back and looked into those eyes without dodging. His narrow eyes were filled with a smile that was bewitching.
Young Master Sun noticed Gu Pinglin in the courtyard and frowned, "It's really a pity that a vulgar guest came in to disturb us!"
Duan Qingming retracted his gaze: "Hey, living in the secular world, it is inevitable to meet vulgar guests."
Hearing this, Gu Pinglin was not angry, but he was secretly calculating it in his heart.
"That's right. Compared to this mundane world, Taoism is ultimately a quiet place. If one is lucky enough to reach the place where the gods reside..." Young Master Sun sighed, and thinking of his lack of fate with Taoism, he could not help but feel dejected, and picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.
Duan Qingming picked up the pot and filled it with wine for him: "Brother Sun, isn't there someone from your mother's family who has joined the Taoist sect?"
After chatting for half a day, the two of them had nothing to talk about. Young Master Sun smiled and said, "To be honest, my maternal uncle is not a Taoist disciple. He just learned a little from a casual cultivator in his early years. Now he manages a shop in Haishi, specializing in renting boats and mounts."
"Rent a boat? There shouldn't be many people going out to sea at this time of year."
"Who goes to Haishi? They are all rented to the great masters of the Dao Sect. I heard that there are many great masters going out to sea recently. The shop has received hundreds of orders, and people from more than 20 sects have come."
Gu Pinglin was about to go back to his room, but stopped immediately after hearing this.
There are so many people going out to sea, most of them are going to the sea. However, according to the time, the news of Haiyun Country should have only been sold about ten copies. Who would easily tell others the news that they bought at a high price? Moreover, the big sects and the noble families all have mounts and magic tools. The one who rented the boat must be a second- or third-rate sect. So many sects know about it, so someone is deliberately spreading the news
Duan Qingming did not ask any further questions, but picked up his wine glass and said, "It is getting late, and it is inconvenient to keep you here as a common guest. Let's talk with Brother Sun another day."
Young Master Sun looked at the sky and said, "Alright, it's time to say goodbye."
The two drank their cups, and Young Master Sun stood up to say goodbye. Duan Qingming saw him out of the courtyard and stood for a moment. When Young Master Sun was far away, he turned around and smiled at Gu Pinglin: "It's been a long time since we last met. Junior Brother Gu, how are you?"
Gu Pinglin said calmly: "Brother Lin, how are you?"
Duan Qingming walked up to him and stood still: "It's just a pseudonym, what's so strange about that?"
Gu Pinglin said: "I just wonder what you did secretly to avoid a common guest like me?"
"I didn't hide the news from you," Duan Qingming stopped laughing and said gently, "You just don't trust me. You took the initiative to invite me to go with you before. Wasn't it to monitor me nearby? How can I let you do what you want every time?"
Seeing that he was about to go back to his room, Gu Pinglin said, "Wait a minute."
Duan Qingming ignored him, walked straight up the stairs, entered the room, and turned around to close the door.
Gu Pinglin followed to the door and held it open with his hand.
Duan Qingming asked with a half-smile: "What are you following?"
"Discuss." Gu Pinglin remained calm.
"What are you discussing?"
"cooperate."
"This vulgar guest is really disturbing," Duan Qingming looked at him for a moment and sighed helplessly, "Please come in."