Chapter 25: Playing Tricks (Seeking Recommendations~~)

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  Thank '2541' for his generosity, thank you.

  Recommended!

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  Chen Zhuo was smiling, but the resentment in his eyes was extremely intense. Wei Zhao not only snatched away his chance to enter the Ink Empty Master's Zen room, but also accompanied his heart's desire in and out, whispering together. This made him so angry that he wanted to grind his teeth into powder and swallow Wei Zhao whole. Originally, he had been thinking of humiliating Wei Zhao at the Buddhist conference, but Feng Youli's words made him regain his confidence and determine that Wei Zhao was an imposter, a plagiarist!

  Now he has been waiting here for two hours! He is smiling with a happy face, but the resentment in his eyes is overwhelming.

  Rumors and discussions surrounding it have been rising one after another, surging forward in waves, boiling like a cauldron.

  Wei Zhao looked at Chen Zhuo's rippling smile and also smiled.

  Wei Zhao turned his head to look at Lian Wei's gloomy face and said calmly, "Sir, do you need a referee?"

  With a cold laugh, he suddenly raised his arms and shouted loudly: "So many people, are all our judges, do you think it's still necessary?"

  At once, the crowd around shouted: "No need, no need..." The voices were loud and far-reaching.

  At this time, many people appeared on the attic not far away, men and women, monks and Taoists, officials and civilians, all casting their eyes over.

  According to the rhyme, Master Yin Kong, that middle-aged man who appeared in the teahouse, was among them. There were also some strangers, all of whom were gazing at the few people surrounded in the center with a curious expression.

  Lian Wei raised his hands, and with a gentle press, the murmurs suddenly subsided. Lian Wei looked around with a satisfied expression, his eyes coldly fixed on Wei Zhao, and said in a loud voice: "I, Lian Wei, failed to pass the imperial examination three years ago, but this year I was recommended by Lord Wang Feng of the Ministry of Rites, and without going through the usual competition, I directly participated in the palace examination. Today, Wei Zhao provoked me first on the grounds of discussing Buddhism, please everyone bear witness."

  As soon as the words were spoken, there was an immediate thunderous response all around. The eyes that looked at Wei Zhao were unfriendly, and there were even cold sneers and sarcastic remarks pouring in.

  He stood there calmly and unmoving, letting people's words fill the air, without refuting or responding, just smiling lightly.

  Lian Wei saw that Wei Zhao didn't react, slightly furrowed his brow, and immediately also gave up on using the crowd's anger for this little trick. He waved his hand once more, and the noisy crowd immediately stopped.

  With a slight vent of the evil air in his heart, he smiled again with a gentle and elegant smile, looking at Wei Zhao, and said magnanimously: "This way, Brother Wei, how about you?"

  Wei Zhao nodded and said with a smile, "Alright, let's do it this way. Each of us will ask one question, up to three questions in total. Whoever answers the most correctly wins. How about that?"

  With a slight curl of the corners of his mouth and a self-satisfied glance around, he smiled and said, "Although I'm not a learned scholar, I've read some books. Let's start with you, Wei."

  Wei Zhao smiled faintly and said, "Alright then, please recite the 'Lotus Sutra' for me, Mr. Lian."

  As soon as the question was raised, everyone burst into loud ridicule again. The question spread far and wide, directly reaching the top of a distant pavilion. The people on the pavilion who were watching the commotion also began to discuss it in confusion. Buddhism had been flourishing for nearly twenty years, so much so that even three-year-old children could recite some scriptures, let alone this Buddhist scripture among scriptures, the Lotus Sutra.

  Chen Zhuo's face was cold and smiling, his eyes flashing with a hint of pleasure.

  Fu Yan's eyebrows slightly furrowed as he gazed at the surging crowd around him, his small face turning pale. He whispered to Xiang Qiang: "Xiang Qiang, Teacher...".

  The little girl's big eyes also shone with confusion, looking at Wei Xiao's back and softly shaking her head, firmly saying "uh-huh".

  Lian Wei couldn't help but burst out laughing, and after suppressing it for half a day, he took a step forward without thinking. With a flick of his fan, he strode elegantly. As he paced back and forth, he loudly recited: "As I have heard, at one time the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Rajagriha, on Mount Gridhrakuta, with a large assembly of bhikshus, numbering twenty-five hundred. All were arhats, their outflows extinguished, without further afflictions, having attained their own benefit, and having ended all bonds, their minds liberated..."

  Wei Zuo's mouth corner flashed a smile, and his fingers began to flip through the beads. This "Miaofa Lianhua Jing" is a Buddhist classic, and it's normal for even a layman like him to recite it from memory. However, the text is too long-winded; even if he could recite it all, the crowd would probably fall asleep.

  Everyone listened to Lian Yu's recitation of the scriptures, initially with great enthusiasm, but as time went on, they began to nod their heads and doze off.

  Carrying it on his back, his face suddenly turned gloomy. This "Miaofa Lianhua Jing" has 8 volumes and 28 chapters, when should he finish carrying it?

  Wei Zhu closed his eyes, his lips opening and closing, his fingers constantly flipping the rosary in his hand. Lian Mo looked at him very carefully, and Wei Zhu was actually reciting scriptures along with him!

  Lian Wei only felt a suffocating air stuck in his chest, his throat was dry, and his face turned bright red.

  Half a time later, everyone woke up one after another, looking at Wei Zhao standing there muttering to himself in a low voice, looking at his mouth shape, and staring blankly.

  "Alright, I give up!" Half an hour later, the anger that had been pent up in his chest could no longer be contained and burst forth violently. His face dark as coal, he glared at Wei Zhao and let out a shrill bellow.

  Wei Xiao was taken aback, opened his eyes, nodded slightly and said: "Good, it's Lian Gongzi's turn to ask a question now."

  His face was gloomy, his chest heaved up and down, and he sneered repeatedly: "I want you to recite the Lotus Sutra!"

  Use his own way to deal with him, and many people are coldly laughing at Wei Zhao, feeling a sense of camaraderie.

  Wei Xiao helplessly spread out his hands and said: "I haven't learned it all yet, sorry. I admit defeat."

  "Haven't learned it all yet, sorry. I give up."

  One sentence was like pouring a bucket of oil into boiling water, and immediately there was a loud explosion all around.

  At this time everyone understood, Wei Zhao was intentionally fooling people, and it was a group of people!

  He was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes were filled with bloodshot, his mouth twitching violently.

  Chen Zhuo's chest was also suffocating with a surge of pent-up energy, but his mouth kept reminding himself to be patient, to endure, yet his chest still couldn't help but heave up and down.

  Jiang You furrowed his brow tightly, his eyes gleaming with determination. He had made up his mind that after the Buddhist ceremony, no matter what, he would go to the Wei residence for a visit.

  "Xiangliang......" Fu Yang suddenly realized and looked at the back figure in front of him with some incredulity, his mouth agape and tongue dry.

  Xianglian quietly stretched out her head, and indeed saw the expected gaze, chuckled and pulled Fu Yang's ear to whisper.

  Fu Xiang had a sullen face at first, but as soon as Xianglian spoke, he listened obediently. After Xianglian finished speaking, he patted his chest and guaranteed: 'A small matter, it won't be difficult for him.'

  "Okay, I'll ask again..."

  "Wait a minute!" Just as Wei Zhao was about to speak, Lian Bu suddenly interrupted him in a cold voice. His eyes gleamed with a sharp light as he stared at Wei Zhao and said in a low tone, "This time I'll ask the questions."

  Wei Zhuo opened his mouth, raised his right hand, and seemed very hesitant.

  The people around quickly saw Lian Wei's purpose and immediately shouted loudly.

  "It's Lian Gongzi's turn this time!"

  "Right, one asks and one answers, taking turns!"

  "This time it's Lian Gongzi, next time it will be you who asks!"

  Wei Zhuo looked like he was intimidated by the people around him shouting at him, his mouth dry and tongue-tied as he nodded slightly, afterwards even wiping his forehead with his hand as if to wipe away sweat.

  Only when the people around him were satisfied did he look at Lian Yue with a face full of expectation.

  Lian Wei looked at Wei Xiao coldly and said loudly: "I want you to recite the names of all the books you've read!"

  This sentence is extremely vicious. If Wei Zuo answers less, he is not reading books and pretending to be a bookworm; if he reads more, it's greedy and can't chew thoroughly, seeking fame and fortune. If he reads Confucianism, he will be criticized for forgetting Buddhism; if he reads Buddhism, he will be criticized for lacking the heart of a saint. If he reads both Buddhism and Confucianism, he can easily pick up an unread classic and criticize Wei Zuo severely, citing classics and scriptures, until he becomes a street rat!