C136 (2/2)
Farmer went inside and sat down, while the young monk hurried to make tea. Sikong said happily, ”Old Na has long heard of the great name of the Temple of National Protection. I am very glad to see you today. We have received a visit from a high monk, and our presence brings light to our humble dwelling. ” Farmer laughed, ”Old Holy Monk, you've really overestimated me. Embarrassed! ”I'm ashamed!”
Sikong shook his head and said: ”One hundred and twenty years ago, this old monk visited the Guardian Temple in Beijing, but he didn't expect that there would be a tall monk visiting the temple one hundred and twenty years later. How can I not be happy? ”
Fa Ming was secretly surprised. He thought to himself, ”Is this old monk in a state of delirium?” Otherwise, how old would he be? ” So he asked, ”Holy Monk, how old are you now?”
When Sikong heard that, he waved his hand and laughed: ”Not at all. This old monk has wasted one hundred and fifty-three spring and autumn this year. Today, he was just half a year old. It was only when the High Monk asked that I told him the truth. Normally, when someone asked me how old I was, I would only say that I was in my nineties. ” Then he laughed.
Fa Ming was pleasantly surprised. Looking at him carefully, his complexion was rosy and there were few wrinkles; his teeth were still there, his eyes were still focused; he had a deep and powerful tone; his back was not bent, and his waist was not bent; only his eyebrows and eyebrows were whiter than those of an ordinary man. ”According to what our abbot told us in his spare time, the Elder, Song Desheng, had a close friend who lived a long life. Could it be you?”
Sikong Qing laughed: ”This old monk is indeed Song Desheng.” He then counted with his fingers and said, ”Taotie is a good friend of mine. He has lived for eighty-nine years, and this man has not been here for more than sixty years. ”
”You really are a living Buddha!” In terms of seniority, what should I call you? ” Four Hells said, ”What are you weighing? If you call me master, you're still too young. Forget it, this old monk has just grown over a hundred years old. Let's address him as fellow Daoist. ” Farmer said, ”That would be disrespectful!”
Si Kong said, ”What disrespect? Don't ask for a title. In terms of seniority, my young monk is still a few generations older than you. ”Then it's not easy to say.”
Fa Ming said, ”That's true too.” Laughing, he said, ”Old Xing is a man of virtue and prestige. He is easy to get along with. If you don't find him young, then I shall address you as my birthday. ” Sikong Qing chuckled and nodded his head in satisfaction.
Not long after, the young monk served tea. Four Air added, ”There are four people my age. One of them was Jin Chan, the first monk of Mount Emei; one was the old Daoist Qing Ming of Mount Luojia; one was the monk of Mount Anti Aishan, Gobi Khan; and the other was the Master Hunchbacked Dragon of the Monolith Temple on the island of Kuipui. The five of us had known each other since we were young. The year Lin Zexu banned smoking and burning of opium, we were all curious and went to the scene together. We all saw the smoke with our own eyes.
Speaking of smoke, it was a very satisfying thing. At that time, Lord Lin wore a flower plume over his head. He was dressed neatly, sitting in the middle of the hall with a colored awning above his head. On both sides of him stood more than a hundred civil and military officials. In front of him knelt a hundred or so opium dealers. The westerners were on the right, with Britain and France the most populous. The local cigarette dealers were on the left, and there were a lot of Southerners among them. All of them were very dejected. There were over 10,000 people participating in the meeting, and over 10,000 people watching from the sidelines. Over a thousand armed soldiers were guarding the venue. The scene was grand and imposing.
Lord Lin was truly selfless in doing things for the country and for the people. He was extremely serious in doing things. Holding the register in his hand, he called on the cigarette dealers himself and ordered them to hand over their hidden opium, warning the foreigners not to engage in any more opium business in China. Once found later, the goods will be confiscated, and the person will be brought to justice. There are no restrictions on trade other than drugs. Most of the foreigners were convinced and did not dare to disobey. At the time, they reported the number of cigarettes turned in and said they were no longer in the opium business.
Lord Lin then had the number of cigarettes exchanged by the foreigners announced loudly that they were no longer in the opium business. Some of the foreigners were not convinced and threatened Lord Lin. Lord Lin criticized him severely and immediately ordered people to seal off his business. In the end they all confessed, gave up opium, and promised not to engage in the opium business.
When it came time to turn in the cigarettes, it was even more lively. Those cigarette dealers had tasted the majesty of the Chinese government and dared not refuse to hand it over. Some carried boxes of opium to the smoking scene in wagons and ox-carts that employed the people. The opium in front of the colored shed was piled up like a mountain.
The British business leaders looked at the opium, hated Lord Lin, and gnashed their teeth. He shook his head and sighed for a moment. Then he went to Lord Lin and tried to reason with him, saying, 'How much economic damage are we going to suffer now that all these opium have been destroyed by you? Do you know? ' Lord Lin said: ”Once these drugs enter our market, do you know how many Li Shu we will be poisoned?” The Englishman was right.
After Lord Lin finished collecting the opium, he sent troops to guard the scene and let everyone watch. After the demonstration, Lord Lin lectured the audience again. They ordered the opium to be stored in batches in pre-prepared smoke ponds, and it was all destroyed. Lord Lin's actions have vented the anger of the Chinese nation and bolstered China's national might.
Actually, the ban on smoking was ordered by His Majesty. He didn't expect the emperor to have a minister named Qi Shan, who was used to being bribed by foreigners. He got the money from the foreigners, worked for them, and vented his anger on them. He had repeatedly slandered Lord Lin and falsely accused the Emperor. The emperor was really dizzy. He really believed what he said.
Soon after, the British, together with Kishan, fired a few shots at sea. The Emperor was so frightened that he cast down Lord Lin in the eyes of the foreigners, as Qishan had said, and threw Lord Lin out of office for a crime. Lord Lin was truly wronged.