appartement abandonné du village

Chapitre 5

"That's a lot."

I had no intention of bothering this young abbot of Longhua Temple, but I unexpectedly ran into him.

"Come over and have a cup of tea at my place," Minghui said with a smile.

He led me to the reception room next to the abbot's room. This was not my first time in this bright room.

My acquaintance with Minghui was actually due to work. Although I always say I'm a reporter without a specific line of work, I do have one: the Religious Affairs Bureau. But having this line is practically useless; because newspapers are quite cautious about religious matters, there are almost no news stories from the Religious Affairs Bureau throughout the year. Even when there are, they're just standardized drafts that have been reviewed and approved by the Propaganda Department, and I just copy them verbatim. But when I first took on this line, I still diligently visited everyone along the way. Besides meeting with the leaders of the Religious Affairs Bureau, I also visited the heads of major temples and churches in Shanghai. That's when I met Minghui. We got along quite well, so we had some contact afterward, and sometimes we would stop by Longhua Temple to visit. Normally, it's very difficult for someone under forty to become the head of a major temple or church, but in recent years there's been a trend towards younger heads. However, it's still rare for someone like Minghui to become the abbot of a major temple at the age of thirty-five.

"I know you're busy, so I didn't originally intend to contact you." I was telling the truth. The abbot of such a large temple has countless things to worry about. Let alone drinking tea, I don't think he would even have much time to calm down and study Buddhism.

Minghui smiled: "It's precisely because I haven't had time that seeing you gives me a reason to stop and have a cup of tea. But, saying I'm busy, I think you're the one who's busy, which is why you didn't have time to have tea with me, right?"

I laughed; he was right.

During the tea ceremony, I briefly told Minghui about the "three-story building." There aren't many people I can talk to about these strange things, but Minghui is one of them. His environment and position have given him a perspective and ideas that are very different from ordinary people.

"This is indeed a long-standing mystery. Once you have the results of your investigation, don't forget to come back for tea." Minghui listened with great interest.

I agreed, but then something suddenly came to mind. Although Minghui might not know either, since we'd already run into this, I might as well ask.

"By the way, do you know someone named Yuantong?"

The secret hidden underground (2)

"Yuantong?"

"Just asking casually. He's an old tenant who lived in the 'three-story building' and has now returned to secular life. Yuantong was his Buddhist name more than sixty years ago when he hadn't returned to secular life."

Minghui looked thoughtful: "If it really is him, then he must be an extraordinary person!"

"Oh?" I immediately perked up my ears when I heard there was hope.

"About seventy years ago, there was a monk at the Jade Buddha Temple named Yuantong."

"How could you know about something that happened so long ago? Are you that much of a genius?" I asked with a smile. Minghui is known as a genius in the Buddhist community. He is young, yet he is well-versed in Buddhist principles and has extremely high comprehension. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in his current position.

"Hehe, compared to Yuantong, I am nothing. When Yuantong was twelve years old, he had already thoroughly read the Buddhist scriptures in the temple. At the age of fourteen, he was praised by the abbot at the time as the number one Buddhist in the Jade Buddha Temple. When he was seventeen, he shone brightly at the Buddhist assembly at Mount Wutai. After returning from that assembly, all the eminent monks who attended praised Yuantong highly and called him the most Buddhist monk at the time. Moreover, he has an extraordinary ability."

"Oh?" I didn't expect Su Yicai to be so famous back then. It makes sense; the three people the Sun brothers invited must all be outstanding in their respective fields. I just wonder about Zhang Qing's background. And what is their purpose in inviting this young, eminent monk, Yuantong?

As I pondered, Minghui continued speaking, and my question was thus resolved.

"This is the most Buddhist manifestation of him. Legend has it that when Yuantong was in deep meditation, he could communicate with all the Buddhas. In addition to his progress in Buddhist principles, he could also foresee some things."

Foresight? So that's how it is. The four Sun brothers certainly wouldn't invite Yuantong to the "third floor" just to discuss Buddhism; they clearly needed to rely on Yuantong's precognitive abilities. It's just that this most Buddhist of monks ultimately returned to secular life; one really doesn't know what he foresaw back then.

Having learned Su Yicai's true identity from Minghui, I went to the central "three-story building" again in the afternoon. I changed my mind and went straight to the third floor, knocking on Su Yicai's door.

Su Yicai opened the door and was taken aback when he saw me, but the old man still politely led me into the house.

“Mr. Su, I have already visited Mr. Zhong Shutong. Mr. Zhong has told me about his interactions with the four Sun brothers back then. Mr. Zhong himself said that he really wants to know the truth about what happened back then, and I am also very curious, so I am bothering you again.”

“Oh…” Su Yicai remained silent.

“Master Yuantong, your brilliance at the Buddhist gathering at Mount Wutai is still admired by the seniors in the Buddhist community.” I pointed out his identity, but did not say anything more.

"Ah, I didn't expect anyone to still remember me today." Su Yicai's face showed surprise. He probably didn't expect that I would know so much in just a few days.

"Your sudden return to secular life has caused countless eminent monks to sigh with regret." I didn't ask about the Sun brothers or the Ghost Flag, but chose this topic instead. If I'm not mistaken, Yuantong's return to secular life is definitely related to the Sun brothers, and perhaps this is a better breakthrough.

Su Yicai closed his eyelids slightly and sighed, "Sixty-seven years ago, my heart was already stained with dust. Over the years, I have been reflecting on my mistakes back then, hoping to cleanse my soul anew."

Once the breakthrough was found, Su Yicai no longer held back and told me everything he knew.

In early 1937, the Sun brothers went to the Jade Buddha Temple and specifically met with Yuantong. They hoped that Yuantong could live in the "three-story building" for a year of spiritual practice. In return, they were willing to fund the gilding of the Buddha statues in the temple and the renovation of the temple.

This is a great act of merit, and since Yuantong believes that it is the same no matter where one practices, he agreed after discussing it with the abbot.

After moving into the three-story house, the Sun brothers hoped that Yuantong would meditate in his room once a day and tell them if he had any premonitions. For Yuantong, daily meditation was an essential practice, so this request was naturally agreed upon. Thus, one of the Sun brothers would go to Yuantong's room once a day to ask if he had any premonitions after entering meditation that day.

Yuantong had no particular requirements for food and lodging. Day after day, he meditated and practiced in his room. Compared to the Jade Buddha Temple, he felt that it was just a change of location, and there was actually no difference in terms of Buddhist practice.

The secret hidden underground (3)

However, despite moving into the "three-story building" with this in mind, Yuantong found that his premonitions after entering meditation were becoming less and less frequent. It was as if something here prevented him from easily entering the deepest level of meditation as he could in the Jade Buddha Temple, or perhaps some force was influencing his communication with the unknown in the dark.

As time went on, he sensed that the obstructing force came from the land he was in. Several times, while in meditation, he vaguely felt something underground that terrified him.

When he told the Sun brothers about his feeling, they didn't seem surprised. They just pressed him for details of his premonition, but he only felt a vague sense of unease.

After sensing the inexplicable pressure emanating from underground, Yuantong found it increasingly difficult to calm his mind during meditation. He felt his spiritual level gradually declining, and he even suspected that inner demons were emerging. He often asked himself whether he should return to Longhua Temple. However, bound by his promise, he ultimately did not utter the word.

One day in early September 1937, when Yuantong awoke from meditation, he was drenched in sweat, as if he had collapsed, as if he had just experienced a nightmare. Several hours later, when Sun Yaozu visited him, he still hadn't recovered.

“You will go there.” Yuantong voiced his premonition. It had been a long time since he had had a relatively clear premonition, and even so, the premonition was still obscure.

“Yes,” Sun Yaozu nodded. “And then?”

Something is going to happen.

"How is it?" The eldest brother of the Sun family had a mix of excitement, anticipation, and nervousness on his face.

Cold sweat broke out on Yuantong's forehead again. He closed his eyes and said, "I'm not feeling well. I feel really bad."

Sun Yaozu remained silent for a while before getting up to take his leave.

The next day, the Sun brothers did not visit Yuantong as usual, and they never came again. From then on, Yuantong was unable to enter a meditative state. Every time he tried to meditate, he was plagued by inner demons, let alone communicate with the unseen world or receive any omens.

The inability to enter into meditative absorption was a devastating blow to Yuantong. Reflecting on the past, he realized that ever since being lured by the Sun brothers with promises of great merit, he had developed a mind preoccupied with gain and loss. He failed to recognize his inner demons, leading him to this state, where he felt unworthy to remain in the Buddhist order. Therefore, he sadly returned to secular life. For many years, he has lived as a layperson, practicing vegetarianism, reciting Buddhist scriptures, doing good deeds, and frequently copying Buddhist sutras by hand, hoping to cleanse his soul.

I sighed inwardly. From my perspective, the ability to foresee future events isn't necessarily related to Buddhist nature. In my experience, there are people who don't believe in Buddhism but possess this ability, not to mention that most people have had the experience of "dreaming about this very scene before." While such precognition cannot be explained by current science, it doesn't necessarily have to be linked to religion. Yuantong was clearly a very persistent person. Only persistent people can achieve truly amazing success, but often, being too persistent can lead them astray.

As I was about to leave, I finally couldn't help but say to Su Yicai with some hesitation, "Master, in my opinion, aren't you being too fixated on this? In today's Buddhist community, there are very few Buddhist practitioners like you. Moreover, there are too many unclear aspects to what happened back then, and it may not necessarily be your own problem."

Su Yicai seemed to sense something and nodded slightly to me.

It seems that although the Sun brothers relied more on Master Yuantong than Zhong Shutong, this monk, who was devoted to Buddhism and detached from worldly affairs, actually provided me with less help than Zhong Shutong. The experiences Su Yicai told me only added another layer of mystery to the Sun brothers' plans.

Undoubtedly, their ambitions are far-reaching; otherwise, they wouldn't have persisted even after YTO Express issued a warning. But thinking about it, it makes sense. They've already invested so much manpower and resources in this plan, the buildings have been constructed, and the residents have been relocated. How could they possibly abandon it all because of a single sentence from YTO Express? At most, they'll just be more prepared and more vigilant.

With a sense of unease, it seemed that there was something strange about the land beneath his feet.

As I was thinking this, I had already walked down the stairs to the first floor.

I stood at the top of the stairs and looked around. Although my eyes had adjusted to the dim light on the first floor, there were still many places I couldn't see. I walked around and finally settled on the darkest place, which I had previously thought was the entrance to the communal kitchen.

Upon reaching it, I found it was indeed a narrow, downward-pointing staircase. It was pitch black below; although it was daytime, there were clearly no windows to let in sunlight. I looked around and pressed several switches, but nothing worked. I had no choice but to cautiously grope my way down in the dark.

The secret hidden underground (4)

Slowly descending the stairs, one step at a time, you reach a door at the end.

I knocked on the door, but there was no response. I then discovered that the door was ajar.

Pushing open the door, it should have been the basement, but it was still completely dark.

I walked in, and after a few steps, I kicked something. The sound was very loud in the quiet basement, and then I heard a hoarse voice behind me.

"Who are you?"

I was startled. Without even looking to see what I had kicked, I turned around. There was probably a bed there, and the person who had spoken was lying on the bed.

"Ah, Mr. Qian? Excuse me, I am Na Duo, a reporter from the Morning Star. I apologize for bothering you, but I would like to ask you some questions about this building."

There was no sound from the other end.

I waited a moment and then asked, "Mr. Qian?"

"Money, Qian Liu?"

A low chuckle came from the other side.

I felt a chill run down my spine. Had he really gone mad?

"Who are you?" Qian Liu suddenly asked after laughing.

It seems we need to take drastic measures. I steeled myself and said, "Yuantong sent me to ask you, how are Sun Yaozu and the others? Yuantong wants to go check on them."

"Sun...Sun..." The voice sounded somewhat hurried.

"And what about Sun Huaizu, Sun Huizu, and Sun Nianzu? Are they all doing well there?" I continued. If Qian Liu's mind really wasn't clear, then these names should remind him of something.

"Grandpa, Second Grandpa..."

I am now certain that the old man lying on the bed opposite me is indeed incoherent.

I moved forward slightly and asked loudly, "Where did they go? Where did the flag go?"

"Hehehe, I'm off... I'm off, hehe."

I shook my head. The atmosphere here was truly eerie, and I was already having second thoughts. It seemed there was no way I could get anything from the old man.

As I moved back to the doorway, I heard a creak from the bed. Turning around, I saw that Qian Liu seemed to have sat up.

"Go, right there, go." In the darkness, his hand waved, and his whole figure twisted and turned indistinctly.

Where to?

"He died before achieving his goal, a tragedy that often brings tears to the eyes of heroes." Qian Liu suddenly burst into tears, his voice distorted.

"Go ahead, go there, go ahead." He waved his arm a few times, then lay back down on the bed and fell silent.

I only felt a little warmer when I walked out of the central "three-story building".

"He died before his mission was accomplished, leaving heroes to weep with sorrow." Was this Qian Liu lamenting the fate of the four Sun brothers, or was it a hint given because of my question?

Even if it's a hint, it's too obscure. And even if Qian Liu intended to give a hint, judging from his expression, nobody can be sure whether the hint is related to the final answer.

Back at the newspaper office, I called Zhao Wei at the Shanghai Library and told him that I was going to look up some information the next day. The last time I did too little research, and this time I wanted to find more, especially information about the builders.

In my mind, the Sun brothers' construction of four buildings and acquisition of land in Shanghai was no small feat, and they must have had dealings with government departments. When I first researched the project, I never imagined there would be such a deep-seated secret surrounding the "three-story building." Even seeing the photos, while surprising, didn't quite elevate it to the level of my previous experiences. It wasn't until the interviews deepened that I realized what a massive mystery I was uncovering.

If I can find records about the Sun brothers, it will provide me with more clues and ideas for analyzing the whole matter.

The next day when I arrived at the Shanghai Library, Zhao Wei led me to his office.

"Try checking on our intranet. If you can't find it there, I'll figure something out."

"Such preferential treatment?" I smiled, watching Zhao Wei turn on the network, enter the password, and connect to the Shanghai Library's intranet.

The Shanghai Library's intranet project began long ago, involving the input of millions of books from its collection into computers and the development of a search program for users. The sheer scale of this project is immense. While many contemporary novels are available in electronic format, many more require manual scanning and proofreading. Therefore, despite being several years in the making, only a small portion is currently complete. Even if it is eventually finished, it will not be fully open to the public, let alone now that it is not yet fully completed.

The secret hidden underground (5)

“Actually, the system was completed a long time ago. The current work is to fill in the content little by little. Historical documents, academic works, and local chronicles were the first things to be entered, so it can be used to look up any information now.” Zhao Wei opened the interface and stood up to let me in.

I typed "three-story building" into the search bar, then left a space and typed "Sun brothers". After thinking for a moment, I changed "Sun brothers" to "Sun Yaozu".