A ray of hope appears after a dark cloud

The moonlight shone coldly on the ground, as if missing a stick of incense in the incense burner, and the curling green smoke curled up the beams. The deer beside him bowed its head, imitated the human's bow, and tugged at the corner of his clothes.

"Is she awake?"

Ruo Que followed Lu to the wing room. Looking at Fei Chun lying on the bed, he could only mutter to himself, "Second brother is going to owe me another favor."

"Was it Liu Qingbai who brought me here?" Fei Chun just opened his eyes and saw a deer in the dim room. The deer brought Liu San here, so he thought he was saved.

"It was Miss Wei who brought you to Fengqing Temple."

"What about Liu Qingbai?"

"Never seen him before." Liu San said as he lowered his head. His expression could not be seen clearly in the moonlight, but his figure looked very similar to Liu Qingbai.

"What about Miss Wei? I'll go and thank her."

"Leave."

"Where did you go?"

Liu San took a deep breath and gazed at the mountain gate, only remembering his resolute figure, staring from afar on that snowy day. The Wei family was full of loyal and valiant men, tragically killed by the sword. Miss Wei couldn't let go, and Liu San knew he couldn't let go either. Liu San wanted to see her off the mountain, but was rejected. He left behind only the folding fan they'd shared when they first met, and departed.

He lowered his head, touching his folding fan, and replied in a deep voice, "She went with your friend from Hanxiang County to seek revenge on Marquis Tongyi."

"You didn't go with them?" Feichun had vaguely guessed what was going on between Liu San and Miss Wei, so he asked.

"Everyone has his own destiny."

After Liu San finished speaking, he turned around and was about to leave. Only then did Fei Chun notice the empty right sleeve of Liu San.

"Your hand...?"

"It's okay, just take care of yourself." Liu San just reached the door and seemed to remember something before turning back. He handed Feichun a red cloth bag and said, "Your friend in Hanxiang County asked me to leave this for you."

The red cloth was unfolded, and inside was a red agate and gold hairpin.

I'm afraid this farewell may be forever.

Feichun realized she couldn't cry anymore. She just lowered her eyes and muttered to herself, "Don't you think red is vulgar?"

She looked at Liu San walking away. He was standing in the snow in a thin Taoist robe, as thin as a piece of iron.

Fengqing Temple was no longer what it once was. Only a few dilapidated houses and the Sanqing Hall remained. Feichun didn't understand why Liu San was still there, nor did he know what had happened here.

Her legs seemed broken, and there were wounds tearing at her body. Before she lost consciousness, she vaguely remembered Liu Qingbai's frail body blocking her way.

How is Liu Qingbai?

Feichun tried to get down from the bed but it was very difficult. Fortunately, Xiaolu arrived in time and blocked her from falling to the ground.

She touched the deer's head, thinking of Nie Qing, Yinghua, Haitang, Mingyue Village, and Beiyuan. She sniffed, probably because she was cold.

In short, no news is the best news.

Life was not easy at Fengqing Temple either. Amidst the ruins, Liu San served only watery porridge with some side dishes.

"When spring comes and the ice and snow melt, we can go down the mountain and buy some meat."

"Don't bother. I'll go to the woods and get some when I'm healed."

As soon as Feichun finished speaking, the deer "beat its chest and stamped its feet" as if it had a spirit, and angrily butted Feichun's chest with its head.

"Mei'er is the mountain goddess. You should be glad that she is a female deer without horns." Liu San laughed when he saw this. He had never seen Mei'er so angry.

Feichun had injured his leg and was having difficulty moving, so Liu San went to the mountains to hire a farmer's mother-in-law to help him. The mother-in-law was very pious and, upon hearing that she was a Taoist priest from Fengqing Temple, she refused to accept any money, so Liu San had no choice but to give up.

It took him ten days to half a month to recover from this injury, and it was only at the end of the year that he was able to walk a few steps.

A few wisps of green smoke filled the Sanqing Hall of Fengqing Temple, which were not Chundian. She clasped her hands together and muttered to herself.

Liu San asked her, "Do you believe it?"

"You, a Taoist priest, are asking this question?"

Liu San was silent for a moment, then lit a few incense sticks himself. He replied, "Sometimes I don't believe in it either, but I do believe in karma, reincarnation, and the law of nature."

Feichun didn't say anything, she felt she couldn't get a word in.

"A letter is good too, it gives you something to rely on." Liu San added a few more words.

Fengqing Temple is very quiet, so quiet that even the snow falling on the ground can make a sound.

Perhaps it was because they had been quiet for too long, and Liu San also saw someone familiar. He touched Mei'er's head and spoke slowly:

"Not long after the Liu family was burned, the barbarians arrived. On the day the city was captured, my master and fellow apprentices all went down the mountain to fight the enemy, and no one survived. They thought I was in poor health and stayed on the mountain, so they wanted to spare my life."

Liu San made a pot of tea with snow water. Even though he was in such a miserable state, he still couldn't change his young master's manners, even though the tea was aged.

"But Ruchu went down the mountain. She wanted to fight alongside her father and brothers, and I was worried. That's why I lost one of my hands and became separated from Ruchu."

Thinking of Wei Ruchu, Liu San's nose felt sore, and he stroked the folding fan hanging at his waist. It was the one she dropped when they first met, and the one she left behind after they parted. She left behind more than just the folding fan, but also this relic of his.

"Then I met my second brother, and he came to perform a ritual."

"Hasn't he always disbelieved in ghosts and gods?"

"Who knows? When people encounter difficulties, they have to believe it even if they don't want to." Liu San spread his hands and explained helplessly.

"For whom?"

"Bao Fu."

Feichun's heart sank. Bao Fu was on his way when he passed away, and the funeral was hastily arranged. He always felt indebted to the annual memorial service...

"My second brother came here many times, always for Bao Fu. Later, one time, the fire from burning talismans was so strong that it set the entire Fengqing Temple on fire. It became what it is today. My second brother said that Bao Fu probably didn't want to see him."

"Brother Fu is kind and honest by nature, how could he not want to see him?" Feichun sighed.

"It's a coincidence. It was a windy day, so my second brother figured it out on his own."

"I think Brother Fu was afraid that he would be sad, so he drove him away." She drank the bowl of tea in her hand dejectedly. The taste of the tea was not as good as that of Mingyue Village.

"I also went to see the eldest sister. Guess what?"

"how?"

"She didn't want to see me and didn't even open the door. But come to think of it, we weren't exactly siblings in the past, and now we have nothing to do with each other. I still got the news about Ruyan and Ruqing from Huaxiu."

"Fourth Miss, how are Fifth Miss?" Although Mr. Liu is a bad person, the child is innocent after all.

"A few years ago, there was an epidemic, and Ruyan didn't survive. Although Ruqing also had a serious illness, he was lucky and recovered."

Liu San looked down at Mei'er and asked again:

"Do you know how she got here?"

"I don't know."

"When a person is alone for too long, they lose the desire to live. I used to wonder why they had to save a sickly person like me. Why not let me die of illness in the Liu family? Why not let me watch all the sufferings of the world helplessly? Could this be my fate? I wanted to ask the heavens, so I stood on the edge of the cliff to ask for clarification. Turning around, I met Mei'er tugging at the corner of my clothes. She seemed afraid I would jump."

"And you brought her back?"

"Well, she must have gotten separated from her tribe. Until she finds her family, she has no choice but to rely on me for survival."

"That's great." Feichun seemed a little envious. He tilted his head and leaned against the door frame to look at the two of them.

She recalled that it was the same as before at Fengqing Temple, where she would sit on the long steps, sipping tea and appreciating the moon. However, things were different now, and everything and everyone had changed.

"It's all about karma. Back then, my father prioritized having children and carrying on the family line. But now, all of us except my second brother have become monks, and the Liu family's prosperity has vanished in an instant. None of his wishes have come true."

Even dynasties that have existed for thousands of years can change at a moment's notice. Liu San swallowed the last sentence and said nothing more.

I don’t know if it’s because Feichun is a person who attracts people wherever he goes and makes things lively, but the next day an abandoned baby was found at the gate of Fengqing Temple.

It was my mother-in-law who first discovered the baby and brought it in. It was a baby girl who was less than a month old.

The mother-in-law felt sorry for the baby girl and said, "How can such a fool be reborn in this world? Isn't this just suffering? I wonder what kind of cruel parents would abandon such a young child in the snow and ice."

The sight of the tiny, frail child made Feichun's eyes well up. Perhaps because she had seen so many deaths, she began to long for life. Suddenly, she remembered the child who had died along with Wu Rou, and her heart burned even hotter. She carefully took the child, cradling it to her chest, and bent down to kiss her forehead, as if she were truly her mother.

Feichun himself didn't know why he was so reluctant, and he turned a deaf ear to the advice of Liu San and his mother-in-law.

“It’s hard to make a living in this world.”

If I just sit back and do nothing, I'll have no chance of survival. Feichun knew her mother-in-law was being kind and didn't say anything, but the child wouldn't let go.

"Don't think I'm nagging. I've lost all five children. The fact that I'm still alive is a blessing from my ancestors, not to mention this little baby. I'm just worried that the girl will be sad in the future." The mother-in-law advised earnestly. Despite her miserable life, Feichun had already decided to take in the child.

She had been fatherless since childhood and entered the Liu family at the age of nine. Her mother sold her without even giving her a name. Although it was for her own good, she had never felt as peaceful as she did now after wandering around for so long.

"I'm going to give her a name."

"What's your name?"

Feichun lowered his head and fed the rice soup drop by drop into the child's mouth.

Her name was given by Liu Qingbai, and she liked it very much.

After a long silence, she said, "I haven't read much. I hope she's healthy, safe, and worry-free. I also hope she has the courage to travel across mountains and rivers, the ability to see them all, a lofty ambition, and a compassionate heart."

"So what's the name?"

"Call me Ye Lingyun." She lowered her head and stroked the little baby's hair.

Have lofty ambitions.

Spring arrived, the snow melted. Miraculously, the child survived, and Feichun's leg healed. She was leaving Fengqing Temple to find Liu Qingbai. She had lost Liu Qingbai the last time, but she wouldn't do that again. They had worshipped Yue Lao and paid respect to the gods.

"What about Lingyun?" Liu San looked at the child, who was only a few months old. "Are you going to take her with you on this journey?"

"Yeah." Feichun nodded.

Everyone has their own destiny. Liu San did not try to persuade her, but watched Mei'er escort Feichun down the mountain.