The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Fangzheng was just about to say something when he saw Dog Song running over while gasping. He was also holding a box in hand and when he arrived in front of Fangzheng, he sat at the door and stuffed the box into Red Boy’s hands. “A-Abbot Fangzheng, here’s some mooncakes for you! F**k… Chen Long… were you flying!? Ah… I’m dying from exhaustion.”

Having taken one, he needed to take the second one. It wasn’t right for him to accept Chen Long’s and reject Dog Song’s, right? Therefore, Fangzheng nodded.

Red Boy immediately took it and smiled in delight. “Although there’s no enough, there will be enough for everyone. Heh heh…”

Dog Song finally caught his breath and said, “I hired a master chef to make this manually. All the ingredients were imported. The eggs used were laid by my hen. It’s great… Uh… Eggs… Holy shit! Abbot, it seems like all of you can’t eat eggs.” Dog Song nearly cried when he said the sentence. All he thought of was to get the best, but he had forgotten about Fangzheng’s diet. He immediately felt too deep for tears.

Fangzheng was surprised. He never expected Dog Song to be that kind. Although Fangzheng had helped Dog Song turn over a new leaf, Dog Song had been helping Fangzheng quite a bit all this while. He basically trusted Fangzheng unconditionally. He did whatever was asked. By doing so, he had long repaid Fangzheng for his kindness.

Fangzheng pressed his palms together. “Patrons, thank you for your kind gesture. Patron Song, it’s fine. It’s the thought that counts. This Penniless Monk is grateful.”

“This… Hey, Abbot Fangzheng, you don’t have to stand on ceremony. There’s no need to thank me, or you might not be able to give enough thanks later,” said Dog Song as he waved his hands.

“Give enough thanks later? What do you mean?” Fangzheng was taken aback.

At that moment, a din sounded from afar. A huge group had arrived in neat rows.

“Amitabha, Patrons, what are all of you doing here?” Although Fangzheng had guessed at the reason, he found it a little unbelievable that there were so many people in front of him.

“Abbot Fangzheng, everyone takes the kindness you have shown everyone to heart. However, it’s the festive period. Everyone wishes to thank you. Each person bought some mooncake for you. It’s the mid-autumn festival after all, so we have to eat mooncakes,” said Wang Yougui with a chuckle

Then, Fangzheng saw that with each family gifting one box, a stack of mooncake boxes the height of a human soon piled up at the entrance to his monastery!

Red Boy was still vexing over the lack of mooncakes a moment ago, but the next moment, he felt vexed over the mooncake hill. How were to eat it!? The little guy’s brows creased into a bunch.

Lone Wolf was drooling in the beginning, but later on, all he did was drink water. Just the sight of so many mooncakes left him thirsty…

Monkey silently circled the mooncake hill chanting someone. People who were not in the know would think that he was chanting the Buddhist scriptures. However, Red Boy and Lone Wolf heard him clearly. The fellow was clear saying, “I haven’t eaten snowskin mooncakes. Mooncakes with sweet bean paste should be quite cheap. I should give it a try. Fillings with eggs can’t be eaten, pass. Five-seeds filling. I wonder which five seeds they are and how they taste like…” Just as Monkey’s eyes were glowing in preparation to eat the beautiful mooncakes for a year,

Fangzheng realized what Dog Song meant. Indeed, if he were to thank everyone, there was no way he could thank everyone. The people he had helped were all here, as well as the apprentices who came to One Finger Village to studying bamboo carving. Nearly every villager from One Finger Village came. Fatty, Monkey, and company came as well… Upon seeing these people, Fangzheng was already satisfied. People did not come here because his divine powers or anything else. It was because they respected him and were thankful towards him. That was why they were here and showing their gratitude. This was better than anything! It felt great!

Fangzheng said, “Amitabha. Patrons, thank you for your kind intentions. This Penniless Monk won’t be able to finish so many mooncakes. Besides, there are quite a number of them with eggs in them. This Penniless Monk can’t eat them.”

“Ah…” Everyone was stunned. When they saw the hill-like mound of mooncakes, they realized how it would be a problem for anyone to have that many mooncakes.

Tan Juguo chuckled as he looked at Fangzheng, as though he had noticed something. He asked, “Abbot Fangzheng, then what do you plan to do?”

“Today is the mid-autumn festival, the night of the full moon. It’s a day for everyone to celebrate while we enjoy the moon. This Penniless Monk believes why not everyone watch the moon tonight on the mountain?”

Everyone was stunned when this was said. Clearly, no one had such a plan. But on second thought, if they had not come up the mountain, they would likely be at home watching television, chatting, eating mooncakes, and watch the moon from their window sills before sleeping. That would be quite mundane; they might as well spend the time on the mountain and join in the bustle.

Therefore, everyone agreed to it.

Tan Juguo also revealed an expression like he had expected it. He nodded slightly as he realized how much he liked Fangzheng. He thought, “One Finger, your disciple is promising. Heh heh. In the past, he would be taking them all away even if he can’t finish the food. Now, he has learned to share and not waste. He’s really improving by the day…”

With this in mind, Tan Juguo said to everyone, “Since everyone has agreed, let’s go by the old rules. Every family will provide one table and a few stools! On the way, bring a few stools for our friends from far away. We must not maltreat them! If anyone doesn’t have a stool, I’ll have to take it personally!”

Come on, Secretary. How old are you? Who would feel fine letting you go down the mountain to get a stool!? Friends from afar, follow me! My place has many stools. Take as many as you need!” Dog Song shouted.

When Tan Juguo heard that, he took off his shoe and smashed it at Dog Song as he rebuked him jokingly, “Little bastard, you think I’m old? I’ll beat you to death!”

Dog Song ran away in fear as everyone roared with laughter.

Zhao Gang, Xue Zong, and Shao Min had been watching from the side. They were also curious how Fangzheng would handle so many mooncakes. Although they had never seen how other monasteries handled the situation, some people would choose to sell the excessive mooncakes to nearby merchant stores to earn some money. Besides, mooncake had a long use-by date. It could be eaten after being stored away for some time. But if one met someone stingy, they would rather have the mooncake mold than give it to others.

Fangzheng’s method did light up their eyes. The more they looked at him, the more embarrassed they felt for their actions. To have so many people protect him from the bottom of their hearts, could he be a selfish asshole who would sacrifice a hundred-year-old tree to put on a front?

When everyone left, Shao Min immediately ran over.

Fangzheng felt his scalp tingle when he saw the mad lass appear again. What kind of people left one the most helpless? It was the kind of people with overflowing kind intentions. It was neither right arguing with them or beating them; and even with an explanation, they would retort with a huge list of reasons… What trouble…

Just as Fangzheng was wondering how he could run, Shao Min suddenly stopped in front of Fangzheng and bowed. “Abbot Fangzheng, I’m sorry!”

Fangzheng was taken aback before he saw the smiling Zhao Gang and Xue Zong. He understood something as he pressed his palms together. “Amitabha. Patron, you are being polite.”

“I’m really sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have been presumptuous and think myself as infallible.”

“Patron, This Penniless Monk is happy that you can think in this manner. This Penniless Monk would be in quite a conundrum if you made This Penniless Monk move the bodhi tree.”