Chapter - 457 Will the Encounter While Lion-slaying Cause a Calamity? (13)

The Du couple deliberately walked slow, huffing and puffing along the way, until at last they arrived at a pavilion just outside the Shaolin Temple, where they put down their loads and took a rest. There were two monks chatting idly in the pavilion. They did not think much of seeing these three people.

Yi Sanniang took off her head scarf to wipe her perspiration. She also reached out to wipe the sweats on Zhang Wuji's head while asking, "Child, are you tired?"

At first Zhang Wuji was embarrassed, but then he realized that she said those words with genuine affection; he could not help but look in her eyes. He saw tears were forming on her eyes, so he knew she must be thinking of the son Xie Xun had killed. He saw she was looking at him with lingering emotion, apparently she was expecting a reply. He was touched, and said, "Ma, I am not tired. You are tired."

When he said, 'Ma,' he was remembering his own mother, hence, his voice was full of emotion too. As Yisanniang heard him call her 'Ma,' the dam broke and tears streamed down her cheeks. Instead of wiping the sweat off her head, she used the head scarf to wipe her tears away.

Du Baidang stood up, heaved the firewood and waved his left hand while walking out of the pavilion. Even though he could not hear the two people's conversation, he knew that his wife was overwhelmed with the memory of their perished child. He was afraid she would expose some weakness and the two monks would see through their scheme.

Zhang Wuji went to Yi Sanniang's pile of firewood, took two bunches and added them to his own pile, and said, "Ma, let us go."

Seeing him showing this much consideration, Yi Sanniang thought, "If my child were still alive today, he would be several years older than this young man, and I would have had several grandchildren." For a moment she was only staring blankly and unable to move. Then, seeing Zhang Wuji walking out of the pavilion carrying his load, she stood up to follow. But because she was still excited, she slightly staggered.

Zhang Wuji turned around to help her, thinking, "If my Mama were still in this world, I would hold her like this …"

One of the monks said, "This young man is actually very filial, which is rare nowadays."

The other monk said, "Popo, are you going to sell this bunch of firewood to the Temple? These past several days Fangzhang [abbot] has issued an order that no outsiders will be allowed to enter the Temple. You'd better come back."

Yi Sanniang was quite disappointed; she thought, "Shaolin Temple has indeed elevated their security, then it won't be easy to go in."

Du Baidang had already proceeded several 'zhang's ahead, but realizing the other two did not follow, he stopped and wait.

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 …"

The monk in charge of the kitchen laughed and said, "It's a deal! Six silver coins a month it is."

After repeatedly exhorting Zhang Wuji to work diligently, Yi Sanniang slowly went down the mountain with Du Baidang. Zhang Wuji ran after them and said, "Ma, please take a good care of my wife."

"I know," Yi Sanniang replied, "Don't you worry."

In the kitchen, Zhang Wuji was extremely busy with chopping firewood and removing the ashes, lighting fire and fetching water. He deliberately let the ashes smeared onto his face, and let the ashes fell on his hair, so that when he looked at his own reflection in the water jar, he could not recognize his own face. That night he slept with numerous kitchen helpers in a little cabin next to the kitchen. He knew the Shaolin Temple was full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Oftentimes there were martial art masters hidden among the kitchen helpers. Thereupon, he was very cautious in all aspects, he did not even dare to speak half a sentence more than necessary.