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Story 30: The Legend of the Stone Box

The Legend of the Stone Box

Author: Anonymous

People in Taiqinggong Town, Luyi County all know that there is a stone box unearthed in Xiaowuzhuang, not far to the west of Taiqing Palace, with ten characters engraved on it: “For the stone box to be opened, the king of Tang has to come.” These ten words This word leads to a historical legend. }

In the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan named Li Laojun his ancestor. Later, when Li Yuan’s son Li Shimin became emperor, he rushed from Chang’an, the capital, to Laozi Temple in Qurenli to worship his ancestors and burn incense.

When Li Shimin came to Laozi Temple, the old Taoist nun sent a seventeen-year-old Taoist nun to serve him. This little Taoist nun was wearing a Taoist robe, with her hair tied into corners, and her white and tender face was set off by her black silk-like hair.

She looked so neat and tidy. The little Taoist nun brought Li Shimin a basin of face wash water and placed it on the edge of the basin. Li Shimin washed his hands with a handkerchief and thought to himself: “This little Taoist nun is so good-looking, why would she want to be a monk? Don’t think she is a monk, look at the three palaces and six courtyards, there are no neatly groomed women.”

He thought while picking at it. He dug his fingernails and flicked a drop of water onto the sister-in-law’s face. The little Taoist nun blushed, pursed her lips and left with a smile.

This little Taoist nun is a smart woman. When she returned to her house, the more she thought about it, the more she felt that King Tang was interested in her. She got up from bed in the middle of the night, quietly walked to the living room where Li Shimin lived, knelt down in front of Li Shimin’s bed and said, “Long live your Majesty, my little lady, I am here to ask for a title.”

Li Shimin asked her why she was asking for a title, and the little girl The Taoist nun recounted what happened to him and what he was thinking after returning to his room. Li Shimin pretended to say: “I really don’t mean it. You are a monk and you shouldn’t have such thoughts.”

The little Taoist nun was ashamed and resentful, so she turned around and left. She returned to her room, and the more she thought about it, the sadder she became, so she hung herself from the beam with a three-foot white silk ribbon.

Besides, Li Shimin had just closed his eyes and fell asleep in the living room when he saw an old man with a white beard coming to his bedside, pointing at him and saying: “I am Shimin, Shimin! This is your fault, little Taoist nun.”

It was unintentional, it was obviously you who fell in love with her at first sight, but you made her look angry, but said that she shouldn’t ask for a title, you two were destined in a previous life, and you should have gotten married today, so you can’t look down on people of low status because of your own status.”

When Li Shimin woke up and thought about it, he realized that it was a dream. He regretted what he had just said, and was about to send someone to call the little Taoist nun, but he heard that the little Taoist nun had hanged himself.

Li Shimin remembered that he had made Xiaodao so embarrassed that he felt like a knife was twisting his heart and he felt extremely regretful. In order to atone for his mistakes, he sealed the little Taoist nun in the palace after her death and buried the little Taoist nun with a golden tripod and jade in a large stone box.

On the cover of the stone box were engraved ten large characters: “If the stone box is to be opened, the king of Tang Dynasty must come.”

” This stone box is still placed next to the main hall of Taiqing Palace.