Volume Two: Inheriting the Mantle, Blood on Brocade Chapter 126: Rank Must Be Respected

The monks showed varying degrees of surprise, some slightly taken aback, but most wore expressions as if they had seen it all before.

Senior Brother Zhenbi fixed his cold gaze on Yang Ning and sneered, “Are you causing trouble now? You find the meal insufficient and dare to smash your bowl on the ground? Do you know how the Five Grains Hall deals with people like you?”

Yang Ning paused for a moment, then sighed, “I thought this was a sacred place of Buddhism, but it turns out it’s just another underworld.”

“What do you mean by that?” Zhenbi demanded.

“Isn’t it said that the Great Bright Light Temple has many rules?” Yang Ning replied coldly. “So it’s all right to speak falsehoods at will and for the strong to bully the weak? Tell me, are you saying I was the one who smashed that bowl?”

“Everyone saw it,” Zhenbi said firmly. “According to temple rules, you’re banned from the Five Grains Hall for the next three days. After that, you’ll realize how precious that bowl of rice was.”

Yang Ning smiled faintly, then suddenly strode into the Five Grains Hall. Zhenbi frowned but followed. Inside, Yang Ning walked straight up to the fat monk and, without a word, kicked over a large basin of white rice. The fat monk was aghast and shouted, “What... what do you think you’re doing?”

“What do I want to do?” Yang Ning pointed to the spilled rice on the floor. “Many people can’t even get enough to eat, yet you waste this basin of rice. According to temple rules, shouldn’t you be forbidden from eating for three years?”

Zhenbi had reached Yang Ning’s side and snapped angrily, “How dare you cause a ruckus in the Five Grains Hall!” He reached out to grab Yang Ning’s shoulder, but Yang Ning didn’t hesitate—he caught Zhenbi’s hand, let out a low growl, bent down, and threw him over his head, slamming him hard onto the spilled rice.

At first, Yang Ning had thought Zhenbi would be difficult to deal with and exerted his full strength. However, Zhenbi was far less formidable than expected; he groaned a few times as he hit the ground.

Six or seven monks quickly swarmed into the hall, their hands and feet all helping to lift Zhenbi. Someone even grabbed a stick and surrounded Yang Ning.

Young Monk Zhenming hurried in, flustered. “Brothers, it’s... it’s Brother Ning... Brother Ning was wrong. I apologize on his behalf—he’s new here...!”

The monks who had been patiently waiting in line quickly gathered around.

Zhenbi was covered in rice grains, looking thoroughly embarrassed but glaring at Yang Ning with fury. “You... you dare cause trouble in the Five Grains Hall?”

“Senior Brother Zhenbi, since you’ve wasted all this rice, shouldn’t you be banned from eating for at least a year?” Yang Ning sneered. “A person in charge of the kitchen—some might even mistake you for the abbot, with all the airs you put on.”

“Seize him!” Zhenbi roared. “Take him to the Discipline Hall!”

Two monks from the Five Grains Hall immediately raised wooden sticks and struck at Yang Ning without mercy.

Yang Ning twisted his body, stepped forward, and easily dodged. Within moments, he dashed out of the dining hall onto the plaza outside.

The other monks obviously didn’t want to stir up more trouble and quickly made way. The monks from the Five Grains Hall surged out in pursuit. Young Monk Zhenming anxiously called after them, “Brothers, don’t chase him! He...!”

Before he could finish, Zhenbi pointed at Zhenming and barked, “Did you bring him here?”

“Yes, yes, I did!” Zhenming stammered.

“Zhenming, you deliberately brought this troublemaker, didn’t you?” Zhenbi accused angrily. “I know you two hold a grudge against our Five Grains Hall. You came here just to pick a fight. Zhenming, you won’t escape this time. We will send you both to the Discipline Hall and hand you over to Senior Brother Jingneng.”

Several monks from the Five Grains Hall were chasing Yang Ning across the plaza, but their martial skills seemed mediocre. Yang Ning darted through the crowd with ease, leaving them far behind.

The fat monk chased a few steps, panting heavily, and then stopped. Suddenly, he sensed a shadow flash past him and saw Yang Ning beside him. The fat monk reached out, shouting, “Here, here!” Yang Ning effortlessly dodged, weaving in front of the fat monk. The monk let out a startled yell and lunged, but Yang Ning shifted his body, causing the monk to trip and fall flat on the ground with a thud. “Ouch!” he cried, face down in the dust.

Some monks nearby suppressed their laughter, while others deliberately let Yang Ning pass but blocked the Five Grains Hall monks chasing behind, causing confusion.

What had been a quiet scene in front of the Five Grains Hall suddenly erupted into chaos and disorder.

Just then, a commanding voice rang out sharply: “Everyone stop!”

The voice was deep, powerful, and full of authority. Amidst the noise, it silenced all other sounds. Yang Ning looked up, startled, and saw a tall elder monk standing not far away. He wore purple and yellow robes, appeared to be in his fifties, with a thick black beard flowing beneath his chin, and his face was stern as he glared in their direction.

Immediately, silence fell. The monks from the Five Grains Hall quickly lowered their sticks and knelt. Zhenbi hurried forward to kneel respectfully. “Senior Brother Jingneng!”

Yang Ning was momentarily stunned. As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he appears. These people had just threatened to send him to the Discipline Hall, and now the head of that hall, Senior Brother Jingneng, had suddenly appeared.

The other monks clearly feared Jingneng and bowed their heads in silence.

Jingneng surveyed the scene and asked gravely, “Why this disturbance here?”

Zhenbi quickly reported, “Senior Brother, a new disciple with unshorn hair came up the mountain. He found the food unsatisfactory and caused trouble here. We ask you to settle this matter.”

Jingneng looked at Yang Ning. “Come here!”

His presence was imposing, his voice cold and commanding, with an aura that brooked no disobedience. Yang Ning hesitated but stepped forward. He intended to clasp his fists in respect but then remembered this was a temple and instead put his palms together. “Junior disciple Qi Ning pays respects to senior.”

He had neither shaved his head nor formally apprenticed to anyone, so he did not address Jingneng as senior brother.

Jingneng seemed indifferent to formalities and said, “So you’re the one who found the food unsatisfactory?”

Yang Ning replied, “Senior, the temple rules are strict. May I ask if speaking falsehoods violates the rules?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Then you should ask Senior Brother Zhenbi,” Yang Ning said. “He claims to be in charge of the Five Grains Hall, but the portions vary when he serves food. I’m not here to judge the quality of the meals, but I cannot accept such unfair treatment.”

Jingneng asked, “You are Qi Ning, the one here to heal your injuries?”

Yang Ning nodded, thinking that Jingneng must know him and perhaps even his identity as the son of a noble family. He wondered if Jingneng would show any leniency.

“The Five Grains Hall has its own rules,” Jingneng said sternly. “You are new here and have caused a disturbance, disrupting the temple’s order. We cannot let this slide lightly.” His voice grew firm. “Someone, bring him to the Discipline Hall.”

Two monks immediately stepped forward.

Yang Ning frowned. “Wait.” He asked, “Do you mean to punish me?”

“If you break the temple rules, punishment is inevitable.”

Yang Ning smiled. “But senior, you haven’t even heard the full story before making a judgment. Why not ask what the monks of the Five Grains Hall have done?”

“I only know you caused this disturbance,” Jingneng said. “Other matters will be investigated later.”

Yang Ning suddenly laughed loudly, a harsh sound that startled many monks. They looked horrified, thinking that within the Great Bright Light Temple, even speaking loudly in front of Senior Brother Jingneng was forbidden. This young man must be fearless indeed to be so brazen here—he was surely courting disaster.

“What are you laughing at?” Jingneng asked coldly.

Yang Ning replied calmly, “I thought since the Great Bright Light Temple claims to be the foremost temple under heaven, it would be extraordinary. But now I see it’s all gilded on the outside and rotten within.”

Jingneng’s face darkened. “What did you say?”

Zhenbi interjected, “Senior Brother, listen to what he says! This man is arrogant and ignorant. We cannot let him tarnish the temple’s reputation!”

“Enough,” Jingneng snapped at Zhenbi.

Yang Ning pointed at Zhenbi. “The one managing the Five Grains Hall is sycophantic and aggressive on the surface but cowardly inside. Others are just as quick to bully the weak. I thought you, an elder monk, would uphold justice, but now I see you cannot distinguish right from wrong. From top to bottom, it’s all like this. I don’t know what right the Great Bright Light Temple has to call itself the foremost temple under heaven!”

The crowd’s expressions changed sharply. Young Monk Zhenming hurriedly said, “Brother Ning, that’s not true...!”

“Little senior brother, don’t you see? Those few from the Five Grains Hall act arrogantly because they see you as meek and young,” Yang Ning said coldly. “Didn’t you notice how much food they served others? Some can enter the hall carrying large buckets without queuing, and their meals are far better. If even this is allowed, what equality among all beings does the Great Bright Light Temple have?”

Some monks smirked, while others laughed scornfully.

Zhenbi sneered, “Are you talking about those brothers from the Bright Pavilion?”

“I don’t care where they’re from,” Yang Ning said loudly. “If you preach equality among all beings, it should start within the Great Bright Light Temple. If you can’t even uphold this principle yourselves, how can you claim to practice it?”

“You’ve only been here a few days, and you dare lecture on Buddhist teachings?” Zhenbi mocked. “Are you jealous of those from Bright Pavilion? Ha! You’re not even worth a pinky finger to them.”

Yang Ning laughed heartily. “Just as I said, the Great Bright Light Temple is rigidly hierarchical with no true equality. You, Zhenbi, think you can’t compare to them, but I don’t see anything special about those brothers either.” He glanced at Zhenbi. “If you disdain yourselves, I don’t know what right you have to swagger in front of others.”

Jingneng looked coldly at Yang Ning and finally asked, “So you think the Great Bright Light Temple is unjust?”

“There’s nothing wrong with order and hierarchy, but don’t sell wolf’s meat under a lamb’s banner,” Yang Ning said. “If there’s such division inside the temple, then don’t preach equality to the outside world. When you can’t even serve a bowl of rice fairly, there’s no need to talk about anything else.” He added, “So, senior, do you want me to go to the Discipline Hall for punishment? Sorry, I’m not a member of the Great Bright Light Temple, so I don’t need your lectures.”

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