HEAVEN SWORD DRAGON SABRE Book 2 of 2

Casualties Of The Lion-Slaying Assembly Part 5

The first monk said, "This village family's mother is a loving mother, the son is filial, we must help them. Shidi [younger martial brother], take them through the back door to the kitchen. If anybody asks, just tell them they are the villagers who used to sell firewood. I don't think there will be any problem."

"Yes," the second monk said, "The Supervisor forbid the outsiders to enter the Temple to avoid casual onlookers. These people are honest and upright villagers, why would we hurt their livelihood?" Thereupon he led the Du couple and Zhang Wuji to enter the Temple through the back door. They dropped the firewood in the kitchen and the monk in charge of the kitchen counted some coins to pay them.

Yi Sanniang said, "We have some nice 'da bai cai' [bokchoy, Chinese cabbage], I will send Ah Niu to deliver several catties tomorrow. You don't have to pay, just consider it our gift to all the Shifus to taste something new."

The monk who took her there laughed and said, "Starting tomorrow, you can't come in anymore. If the Supervisor finds out, the blame we have to endure will not end for a lifetime."

The kitchen manager looked at Zhang Wuji, sizing him up, and then suddenly said, "Around the Duan Yang Festival, we are going to have more than a thousand guests in the Temple. We are going to be too busy to fetch water and chop the firewood. This Xiongdi [brother (general term)] looks healthy and strong. How about you come and help us for a couple of months, and I'll give you five silver coins per month for your wages?"

Yi Sanniang was delighted. "That's great," she hastily said, "Ah Niu does not have anything important at home to do. It will be better for him to stay and do errands for all Shifus, while earning one or two coins of silver to help the family out financially."

Zhang Wuji hesitated, he thought, "Many people in the Shaolin Temple know me. Once in a while they are bound to wander into the kitchen then I would be in trouble. If I have to live in the Temple for two months, I must avoid going out to prevent being recognized." Thereupon he said, "Ma, my wife ..."

Yi Sanniang thought it was a heaven-sent opportunity, which could never be expected but could only be accepted. "Your wife is fine at home," she hastily said, "Are you afraid your Mama will mistreat her? You just stay here and listen to the Shifu's words, don't be lazy. After several days, Mama and your wife will come to visit you here. You are a big boy now; can't you get away from Mama for even a day? Do you still want Mama to nurse you and help you urinate?" As she said that, she tussle his hair, with eyes brimming with love.

Actually, the monk in charge of the kitchen had been upset for many days. Around the Duan Yang Great Assembly, heroes from all over the world would gather there; providing rice and vegetable dishes, and preparing tea were the most difficult parts to be dealt with. Although the Temple Supervisor had allocated more manpower to help in the kitchen, these monks were not in the habit of practicing meditation and Buddhism dharma; they were more interested in training martial arts. Therefore, they were not willing to do menial kitchen works. They went to the kitchen just because the Temple Supervisor told them to; but they carried their haughty attitude in the kitchen, staring a lot at the other kitchen workers, but did not do too much work. By this time, it was still all right, but as soon as they guests arrived, they would be in big trouble. He saw Zhang Wuji was an honest, simple, hardworking villager, so he was determined to retain his service; thereupon he constantly persuaded Zhang Wuji to stay.

Zhang Wuji considered, "I can stay in the kitchen during the day to avoid seeing the Temple masters, while leisurely looking for Yifu's whereabouts in the evening." But he was still pretending to drag his feet, until the monk who took him inside also persuaded him, then he reluctantly complied by saying, "Shifu, I want to get six coins of silver per month from you; five silver coins for my Ma, and one silver coin for my wife to buy some clothes ..."