Chapter 412: 412
After exchanging pleasantries, Fangzheng went straight to the point . "Zen Master Sunglow, please tell me something . "
"Abbot Fangzheng, feel free to ask . This Penniless Monk won't hide it from you if he knows . "
Fangzheng thought for a moment before asking, "Southwest of this mountain, there's a very wide river . What is its name?"
"That's the Dong River . The river source begins in the Changbai mountain range and is formed from several tributaries . That spot you saw is where it's at its widest . However it eventually joins the Songhua River . Abbot Fangzheng, why do you ask?" Zen Master Sunglow was somewhat puzzled .
Fangzheng asked again, "Did the Dong River flood in recent years?"
"Flood?" Zen Master Sunglow fell into deep thought before looking up after some time . "There haven't been any floods in recent years . However about twenty years ago there was a flood . It swept away several villages . Back then, the government had given a precautionary alert and had moved the masses away, so the damages weren't huge . "
"Did anyone drown?" pressed Fangzheng .
"There were many who did . There are people who do not heed the advice of others and enter the river to swim every year . It causes many people to pass away as a result . Amitabha . " Mid-sentence, Zen Master Sunglow could not help but give a Buddhist proclamation .
Fangzheng nodded . "Zen Master Sunglow, take a look at this . "
Fangzheng handed the pamphlet to Zen Master Sunglow before recounting what he had seen . Finally he asked, "Zen Master, do you have any impression of this person? If This Penniless Monk isn't wrong, he likely lives somewhere nearby . "
However what left Fangzheng helpless was when Zen Master Sunglow shook his head . "This Penniless Monk usually spends time contemplating the Buddhist Dharma, so he seldom goes out . This Penniless Monk does not have an impression of the person you mentioned . Furthermore, news of how Patron Yuan Hai caused a stir has long spread; yet it appears no one knows him . Perhaps he never came to this monastery in the past . As for the girl in the portrait, This Penniless Monk has no impression of her either . "
Fangzheng felt a little stumped when he heard that . The most recent flood was twenty years ago . For it to be so long ago, there was no reason for Yuan Hai to continue searching for twenty years even if he had relatives who perished in that flood . Based on the math, Fangzheng guessed that Yuan Hai's daughter had likely drowned while playing by the riverbank, but her body had never been found .
Therefore Yuan Hai was constantly entering the water to search for her while handing out pamphlets . This explanation seemed to make sense .
Fangzheng scratched his bald head when he came out of Zen Master Sunglow's abbot quarters . He realized that the matter was quite troublesome . He knew little about Yuan Hai, and Yuan Hai could hardly express much . It was truly a problem .
At that moment, Red Boy ran over and pointed to the sky . "Master, look! It isn't early anymore . Didn't you promise to give me a good meal?"
Only then did Fangzheng recall that he had promised Red Boy yesterday about treating him to a proper Buddhist vegetarian meal . Fangzheng was interested to know if the little rascal would really enjoy such dishes with that picky palate of his . If he liked it, he could save quite a sizable amount of food for One Finger Monastery every year . Therefore Fangzheng smiled . "That's simple . Let's go . Time for a feast!"
With that said, Fangzheng could not help but laugh .
When they arrived at the vegetarian hall, there were already many monks present who were silently eating lunch .
Fangzheng let Red Boy take his seat and personally scooped two dishes, a bowl of soup, and a big bowl of rice for Red Boy . Then he set it in front of Red Boy with a beaming smile .
Red Boy said unhappily, "Master, don't you know how capable I am? How can this bit of food be enough?"
With an air of extreme benevolence and affability, Fangzheng said, "Jingxin, eat it . If there's not enough, I'll get you more . "
Red Boy looked suspiciously at Fangzheng . "Master, that expression of yours reminds me of an animal . "
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