These past few days, every three sentences Peng Fei spoke with Zhuang Rui inevitably led to him mentioning Zhuang Rui's child, whose gender was still unknown. Peng Fei was so tired of hearing it that he stubbed out his cigarette and went upstairs.
Having just arrived in the high-altitude environment, Peng Fei also needs to rest and adapt. Only by maintaining his best condition can he protect Zhuang Rui. As Zhuang Rui's personal assistant (bodyguard), Peng Fei is very professional.
"What are you saying, brother? I've already got my marriage certificate, okay..."
Zhuang Rui shouted at Peng Fei's back in frustration, "Why are all Chinese people like this? If you don't have a wedding banquet, it feels like you're not married at all. Not only Peng Fei is mocking him, but even Ouyang Jun keeps bringing it up."
Zhuang Rui wasn't tired at all. After taking the white lion for a walk around the villa, he went back to his room, went online for a while, and had a video chat with Qin Xuanbing. Around 5 o'clock, Yang Kaiwen called.
The restaurant was located in Lhasa. Yang Kaiwen was worried that Zhuang Rui wouldn't be used to Tibetan cuisine, so he specially took him to a Shandong cuisine restaurant.
The Shandong cuisine restaurant wasn't large, but it was very clean, and the food suited Zhuang Rui's taste perfectly. Besides Yang Kaiwen, another person, Deputy Director Zhang, accompanied him. After the three of them drank a bottle of Moutai, Zhuang Rui stopped Yang Kaiwen and didn't let him get any more alcohol.
"Mr. Zhuang, please forgive me for the poor hospitality..."
After dinner, Yang Kaiwen made a polite remark, and Zhuang Rui knew it was time to get down to business.
Chapter 720 Guardian
"Director Yang, you're too kind. Just let me know how you plan to arrange things for the next few days..."
Zhuang Rui had a phone call with Ouyang Jun in the afternoon and learned that Yang Kaiwen, who was sitting opposite him, was not of a low rank and seemed to have a hidden position in another department.
After all, the Tibet issue is quite complex and involves many foreign forces. Anyone who can handle Tibet affairs with full authority is definitely not an ordinary person. Even Peng Fei later said that this Director Yang definitely has a military background. Zhuang Rui did not dare to be arrogant and was very polite in his words.
"That's right, the ceremony will be held over two days. Tomorrow, high-ranking Tibetan monks will chant sutras and pray to receive the sacred teachings left by Jampa Lodro Rinpoche, thereby narrowing down the search for the reincarnated child... The day after tomorrow, the 11th Panchen Lama will personally bestow blessings and empowerments upon those who are searching for the Living Buddha. Mr. Zhuang, you..."
Yang Kaiwen paused here, and seeing that Zhuang Rui had no reaction, continued, "According to the Panchen Lama, the fact that the Living Buddha Jampa Lodro bestowed the dzi beads upon you must have some causal connection in the unseen world. This string of dzi beads is still in your hands, but..."
Zhuang Rui noticed that Yang Kaiwen paused twice during his speech, knowing he was afraid of bringing up something that would upset him, so he quickly said, "Director Yang, it's alright, please go ahead..."
"The 11th Panchen Lama's intention is to involve you in this search for the reincarnation. The Panchen Lama has a feeling that the reincarnation of Jampa Lodro might fall to you..."
Yang Kaiwen already knew Zhuang Rui's background. He had worked in the General Staff Department and naturally knew the reputation of Old Master Ouyang. As for that old man's grandson, if he hadn't made any mistakes, probably few people in China would dare to use force against him; they could only try to reason with him.
"The responsibility falls on me? The Panchen Lama thinks too highly of me, doesn't he?"
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment. Back at the Jokhang Temple, the Living Buddha bestowed upon him a dzi bead bracelet. Zhuang Rui was certain that it was because of the White Lion. If there was any cause and effect relationship, it was related to the White Lion.
However, upon further reflection, Zhuang Rui wouldn't mind participating in the search if the White Lion could find the reincarnation of the Living Buddha. Just as his wife said, finding the reincarnation of the Living Buddha would be a meritorious deed.
"Ahem, Mr. Zhuang, this... the 11th Panchen Lama is only sixteen years old. If you don't follow Tibetan Buddhism, you don't need to address him that way..."
When Yang Kaiwen heard Zhuang Rui address the Panchen Lama as "old man," a black line appeared on his forehead. He had met the Panchen Lama many times, and although the Panchen Lama was like a god in the hearts of Tibetans, Yang Kaiwen simply couldn't connect the boy's address with that of an old man.
"Huh? Only sixteen?"
Zhuang Rui was taken aback when he heard this. The Panchen Lama's status in Tibet was even higher than that of the Jampa Lodro Living Buddha. Zhuang Rui had thought that he should be an old man who was even older than the Living Buddha. He did not expect that he was just a sixteen-year-old child.
Zhuang Rui was unaware that in January 1989, the 10th Panchen Lama passed away in Tibet. After a long and arduous six-year search, Gyaltsen Norbu (the 11th Panchen Lama's secular name), who was only 5 years old at the time, was identified by Dharma as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama and succeeded him as the 11th Panchen Lama. This year, the 11th Panchen Lama has just turned sixteen.
“Uh, Mr. Zhuang, the Panchen Lama holds an extremely high position in Tibet, so we must show him respect when we are out in public…”
When Yang Kaiwen saw that Zhuang Rui seemed a little dismissive, he quickly reminded him that even the 16-year-old 11th Panchen Lama was personally received and treated as an equal by the country's top leader when he went to Beijing.
"Yes, I know, Director Yang, don't worry. Besides, I don't have much interaction with him. We should only meet once a day after tomorrow, right?"
Zhuang Rui nodded in agreement. In this world, the most fervent belief is faith, and he wouldn't be so idle as to offend someone who is like a totem in the eyes of Tibetans and many Buddhists.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui had agreed, Yang Kaiwen then reminded him, "Mr. Zhuang, the search cannot be completed in a short time. It may take three to five months to a year to find the reincarnated child, or it may take three to five years or even more than 10 years. You should be prepared for that..."
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui couldn't sit still any longer. He immediately jumped up from his chair, shouting, "Three to five years? Sorry, I don't have that kind of time. I can only stay here for three to five weeks at most..."
What kind of international joke is this? If this continues for three to five years, your own son or daughter might be calling someone else "Dad."
Besides, staying in Tibet for ten days or half a month is fine, but if you stay longer and get altitude sickness, you'll just die unjustly.
"Director Yang, it's not that I'm disrespecting you, but this matter is non-negotiable. Even if I give up the dzi bead, I can't stay here for three to five years..."
When Zhuang Rui saw that Yang Kaiwen was about to speak, he quickly made his stance clear, implying that Yang Kaiwen shouldn't try to persuade him, as no one's words would make a difference in this matter.
That doesn't make sense. Even the old man from the Ouyang family wouldn't want to be unable to see his son and daughter, would he? Don't talk about national righteousness. Even if you brought up world peace, I wouldn't give a damn.
"Mr. Zhuang, if I may be so bold as to call you Brother Zhuang, please let me finish what I have to say..."
Yang Kaiwen was startled by Zhuang Rui's agitated appearance, and then he was a little amused and exasperated. Zhuang Rui wasn't a civil servant. Not to mention himself, even his superiors hadn't issued any administrative orders to Zhuang Rui. Wasn't this just a discussion?
"Please tell me, please tell me..."
Zhuang Rui knew he had overreacted. He wasn't a three-year-old who could be easily fooled into staying. He could just make a phone call and a private jet would come over. Who would dare to stop him from leaving?
"Here's what we mean. After the Panchen Lama meets you the day after tomorrow, you can first join a search team to search in one direction for a few days. Then you can go about your business. If a similar reincarnated child is found, we'll notify you to come over. It won't take more than a few days..."
Yang Kaiwen was also a little frustrated. Originally, the Jokhang Temple's intention was simply to retrieve the Living Buddha's bracelet. Who knew that after the Panchen Lama learned that Zhuang Rui had been given the dzi bead, he actually said that Zhuang Rui was a person with a predestined connection and wanted to meet him in person. He even asked Zhuang Rui to participate in the search operation. Wasn't this just creating unnecessary trouble?
However, in this world, there is always a way to deal with things. Yang Kaiwen knew that Zhuang Rui could not stay in Tibet forever, so he came up with that solution, which satisfied the Panchen Lama without putting Zhuang Rui in a difficult position.
"I see..."
After hearing Yang Kaiwen's words, Zhuang Rui calmed down, pondered for a moment, and said, "That's fine, but even if we find the reincarnated child, I can't guarantee we can come immediately. It might take a few days..."
Zhuang Rui was laying it all out in advance: if his son or daughter were to be born by the time the reincarnated child was found, Zhuang Rui wouldn't have time to worry about the reincarnated child. Taking care of his wife and child would be the priority.
"Okay, we'll do it your way..."
Yang Kaiwen readily agreed. After all, searching for a reincarnated child always takes several years, so a few more days wouldn't make a difference.
Moreover, in Yang Kaiwen's impression, these scions of noble families were all unruly and stubborn like donkeys. Forcing them would only make them back down, so he could only persuade them with kind words. Zhuang Rui was considered relatively easy to talk to.
After settling the matter, Yang Kaiwen called a car to take Zhuang Rui back. When he left, Zhuang Rui was carrying several kilograms of fresh mutton, which was from Tibet and he thought White Lion would like it.
The next morning, Zhuang Rui, along with Bai Shi and Peng Fei, arrived at Jokhang Temple in a car sent by Yang Kaiwen.
Like those ancient temples, the Jokhang Temple today is exactly the same as when Zhuang Rui visited before, without any changes. The prayer wheel street next to it was already crowded with believers early on, following the lamas who walked around the prayer wheel again and again.
There were many people, but it was unusually quiet. The only sounds were the chanting of sutras that were difficult to understand. In the morning, the Jokhang Temple was shrouded in the sound of sutras and a solemn atmosphere.
"Rinpoche, it's a pleasure to see you again..."
Led by Yang Kaiwen, Zhuang Rui entered the Jokhang Temple through a side gate and was greeted by two old friends. The first person to speak was the young lama he had met last year. It had been more than a year since they last met, and the young lama's Mandarin had improved a lot.
"Greetings, Master. I was guided here by the Living Buddha..."
This time, Zhuang Rui didn't make a fool of himself. He knew that "Rinpoche" meant a distinguished guest. After bowing to the young lama with his hands clasped together, he looked at the other person and said, "Master Gegu, how have you been?"
"Rinpoche, you shouldn't address me like that..."
Zhuang Rui was a guest invited by the Panchen Lama, so Gegu Lama dared not be presumptuous and respectfully invited Zhuang Rui into an air-conditioned room.
"Rinpoche, this... is that the Tibetan Mastiff puppy from last year?"
The young lama looked at the white lion following behind Zhuang Rui with astonishment in his eyes. Tibetans treat Tibetan mastiffs like family, and the young lama naturally knew that it was impossible for the little Tibetan mastiff to have grown so big in less than two years.
“That’s right, it’s the same white lion from last year. Come and see an old friend…”
Zhuang Rui smiled and replied. The white lion seemed to understand Zhuang Rui's words, walked to the little lama's side, and rubbed its big head against his body in a friendly manner.
"You are the king of the snow-capped mountains..."
To everyone's surprise, the young lama knelt down and bowed deeply to the white lion. He now believed the words of the Living Buddha before his death. It turned out that this Tibetan mastiff was indeed the guardian of the snowy mountains and an equal to the Living Buddha.
Chapter 721 Buddhist Chanting (Part 1)
"Basang, what are you doing?"
When Gegu Lama saw the young lama's actions, he was greatly surprised. Although the young lama was not old, he had been following the Living Buddha Jampa Lodro for six or seven years and was the Living Buddha's attendant. His status in the Jokhang Temple was much higher than his.
Among the team searching for the reincarnation of the Living Buddha is the young lama Basang. It is believed that after the Living Buddha is found, the young lama will be sent to a Buddhist academy for further study, and his future prospects will definitely be much better than those of Gegu, the law enforcement lama.
"It is the guardian deity of the Great Snow Mountain, and the protective beast of Buddha..."
Unable to express himself in Chinese, the young lama simply began to converse with Gegu in Tibetan.
If anyone at Jokhang Temple knew the true meaning behind the gift of the Zhuangrui Dzi Bead by the Living Buddha Jampa Lodro, it would probably only be this young lama Basang. He remembered every word the Living Buddha said clearly, but at the time, the white lion was too young to associate it with the guardian deity of the snow mountain.
However, now that the adult white lion was right in front of him, the young lama immediately remembered the Living Buddha's words and had no more doubts. If it wasn't the guardian deity of the snow mountain, how could it have grown to such a large size in just over a year?
"How...how is this possible?"
Gegu Lama looked at the white lion beside Zhuang Rui and muttered to himself. Although the lamas' piety towards Buddhism was beyond doubt, they had never seen the Buddha manifest. Suddenly hearing that there was a divine beast of the same level as the Buddha beside them, they were momentarily confused.
The young lama nodded firmly and said, "It's true, the Living Buddha said it himself..."
In Tibet, Living Buddhas hold a very high status, and reincarnated Living Buddhas like Jampa Lodro are extremely rare, almost like gods. Upon hearing Basang's words, Gegu Lama no longer hesitated and immediately turned over and prostrated himself before the white lion, chanting something in Tibetan.
The white lion had no interest in the man kneeling before it. After glancing at Gegu Lama, it raised its foreleg and lightly touched Gegu's bowed shoulder with its paw.
"Tujiche, Guazhenche." Seeing how intelligent the white lion was, Gegu Lama's eyes revealed a hint of fanaticism. He spoke in Tibetan, which Zhuang Rui and the others could not understand, and respectfully kowtowed three times to the white lion before carefully standing up.
The staff member from the Religious Affairs Bureau seemed to understand Gegu and Lama Basang's words. After giving the white lion a curious look, he said to Zhuang Rui, "Mr. Zhuang, there's nothing much to do today. It's mostly temple activities. You can attend the ceremony at the Jokhang Temple, or you can go out for a stroll. The three of us will accompany you..."
Zhuang Ruilai attended the ceremony personally selected by the Panchen Lama. Not only did the government attach great importance to it, but the Jokhang Temple also sent Gegu and young lama Basang to receive him.
Zhuang Rui also wanted to see how the Jokhang Temple prayed for the Living Buddha, so he said, "Let's check out the activities first, and then go out for a stroll this afternoon..."
"Okay, Mr. Zhuang, please follow me..."
The staff were very familiar with the Jokhang Temple. After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, they walked ahead with Gegu and the young lama to lead the way, while Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei followed behind.
After passing through several corridors carved with Buddhist stories, whether it was because of the staff member's status or out of respect for the young lamas, all the lamas they encountered along the way stepped aside to make way for Zhuang Rui and his group, and bowed to them with their hands clasped together.
Led by staff and Basang, Zhuang Rui arrived at the innermost circle of the corridor. In this large inner circle, thousands of monks had already gathered, all dressed in yellow lamas.
"Mr. Zhuang, please come up to the second floor to watch the ceremony..."
After hearing what the staff member said, Zhuang Rui looked up and glanced at the second floor of the corridor. There were rows of chairs there, presumably for receiving guests from all sides. Zhuang Rui nodded and went up with Peng Fei and the others.
At this time, there were already quite a few people sitting upstairs. They were all believers and lay Buddhists who had come from all over the country. Of course, these people all had certain status and had made contributions to the promotion and development of Tibetan Buddhism; otherwise, they would not be qualified to sit here.
The arrival of Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei surprised everyone, as the two were quite young. However, when the white lion appeared on the second floor, their attention was immediately drawn to it. Such a large snow mastiff would attract attention no matter where it was.
Of course, since these people were lay Buddhists of Tibetan Buddhism, they naturally knew the status of Tibetan mastiffs in Tibet. They only showed surprise in their eyes, unlike when they saw a white lion in the mainland, where the first feeling was fear.
Zhuang Rui also had the best seat, in the first row by the window, where he could clearly see the activities in the square. After leading Zhuang Rui to his seat, the young lama Basang and Gegu lama took their leave, while the white lion quietly lay at Zhuang Rui's feet.
There didn't seem to be any space for the staff member on the second floor. After saying goodbye to Zhuang Rui, he left his business card and took his leave, telling Zhuang Rui to call him whenever he wanted to go out.
The monks in the square haven't started chanting yet. In Zhuang Rui's view, the lamas dressed in different colored robes seem to be standing in order according to the color of their clothes, holding various prayer flags and umbrellas, which is quite a sight.