Chapter 31: Reunion As soon as I saw you, all my anger disappeared.
"You are quite merry."
Monk Yu was enjoying a vegetarian meal served by the eunuchs. He looked up at the words and saw Zhou Shan approaching, a trace of worry between his brows. Zhou Shan had changed back into women's clothing: a lilac bodice, a dark purple gown, and a dark satin skirt embroidered with cloud pythons. Her hair was styled in a fashionable bun, just as Monk Yu had first seen her.
"Namo Amitabha, I didn't lose my life and money, which is the best result. I would like to thank you for speaking well in front of the factory owner and sparing my life." Monk Yu put down the bowl in his hand, clasped his hands together, drooped his eyelids, and chanted the Buddha's name.
Zhou Xian asked, "Are you injured?"
Monk Yu smiled and said, "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious. Thank you for your concern."
He was just smiling when Zhou Xian pulled a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve and pushed it in front of him. "Take this medicine. It's said to treat internal injuries. Consider it... consider it my apology."
"Thank you, benefactor." Monk Yu didn't refuse. He took the porcelain bottle, opened it, and sniffed it briefly. Suddenly, he felt the urge to sigh—as expected. This medicine was a recipe that Sixth Prince Zhou Heng had asked him to bring back from the sea. It had taken a long time to prepare the herbs, and it had taken several years to get this small bottle. After all this time, he finally had to use it.
He didn't take too much, tilted the bottle slightly, tapped the bottle with his fingertips, shook out some powder and put it into the tofu soup, stirred it with chopsticks, and it was done. He closed the porcelain bottle and handed it back to Zhou Shan.
Zhou Xian was stunned: "That's all?"
Monk Yu said, "This medicine is very strong. Just take a small amount each time. This is fine for me. Your body is weak. If you want to use it in the future, it is best to take it with the medicine soup. This way it will not hurt your body too much." After saying that, the monk picked up the soup bowl and drank it in one gulp.
As for medicine, Zhou Xian hated it. He simply hoped he wouldn't have to use it. It smelled odd, so he knew it wouldn't taste good. He put the porcelain bottle back into his sleeve, frowned, and said nothing more.
Monk Yu took the medicine, and the pent-up anger in his chest improved considerably. He gazed intently at Zhou Xian, seeing him burdened with sorrow. His lively, cat-like eyes drooped, his usual spirited energy gone, replaced by something heavy, nothing more than a dead heart.
"Donor, you are not happy," Monk Yu sighed. "Life is full of suffering. The truth of suffering stems from worries and sorrows. Excessive attachment to what is called 'love' and 'taking' leads to the accumulation of karma and endless reincarnation. As a result, Donor suffers from suffering and sorrow, and cannot escape from it, life after life. I don't know where your sorrow comes from, but I can only say that by letting go of attachment, you can find happiness again."
Zhou Xian scoffed, "You bald donkey, you say it so easily, but do you know the depth of my sorrow, my suffering, and my persistence?" He was silent for a moment, tears welling in his eyes. He wrinkled his nose and cried, "My suffering comes from the persistence of others. Bald donkey, you said, if he doesn't bear the debt of our parents' sins himself, why should he let his children bear it? He seems to be enjoying himself as if it is only natural, but he has caused my mother and I to be at his mercy for the rest of our lives. How can I not be obsessed?"
Monk Yu was not allowed to speak of the secrets of the imperial palace. He simply gazed deeply at the sobbing Zhou Shan, tears dripping onto his lotus-like heart, burning it. Monk Yu wanted to wipe away the tears, but he remembered that he had long since left the mortal world and no longer had any marital connection. He was afraid he could not touch Zhou Shan casually. Still, the monk felt a little unwilling to accept this, and after a few struggles, he finally said, "If the donor is unhappy, I don't think I'll be happy either."
They are about to separate. When will they meet again and meet again? When will they meet again?
Zhou Xian said angrily, "You bald donkey!" Knowing that it was not good to stay any longer, he left.
Monk Yu sat upright on the chair, watching Zhou Shan's figure going away. The Buddhist beads in his hand suddenly broke, and the Bodhi seeds rolled all over the floor. He stared blankly at the beads rolling around, and remembered that he had not fulfilled his duty and forgot to return the salary to Zhou Shan.
…
When the boat reached Anqing Prefecture, the eunuchs sent Monk Yu away and changed to a spacious and stable cruise ship, sailing downstream.
Zhou Xian didn't want to talk to Wang Xiang. Every day after dinner, he would retreat to his room, spread out a piece of paper, and write the words "Sixth Brother." He hesitated for a long time, not daring to write any more. If he had rashly escaped, his Sixth Brother would have known and would have been furious. When he arrived in Nanzhili, he would receive a letter from his Sixth Brother, which would have been filled with harsh criticism of him.
Unable to write, Zhou Xian tossed her brush aside and picked up the half-embroidered purse. She stared at the bird's eyes, pitch black, not yet finished with white thread. A titmouse sat plump among the flowers, unable to escape the confines of the embroidery frame. It was clearly a vibrant object, yet now, for no apparent reason, it exuded a chilling aura.
Zhou Xian wasn't paying attention, and the needle tip slipped, pricking his fingertip. Blood, like red beans, rolled onto the silk. Seeing the blood spread across the white silk, he took a deep breath and looked out at the vast river. Water birds came and went freely, leaving traces of their water on the emerald green of autumn. He was filled with both envy and jealousy.
The boat moved slowly, probably to give Zhou Shan some time to relax. The more Zhou Shan looked at the river view, the more bored he became, so he urged them to go faster. So in just seven days, the cruise ship arrived at the ferry in Yingtian Prefecture. The shore was full of the East Factory and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. There were several people standing in front of the ferry, all wearing official robes and of high rank.
Zhou Xian glanced at the people on the shore indifferently, then raised his eyes and looked towards the prosperous Yingtian Prefecture. The wind in Nanzhili was so thick that it almost made him cry.
He saw Zhang Jinwei in the crowd.
The man had become thinner and darker. He was not wearing an official robe, but an indigo-colored robe. From the distance, it was difficult to see his expression.
Zhou Xian lowered his head, not knowing how to face this person.
The boat docked, and Zhou Shan stepped off, her skirt lifted, her cloak swaying in the wind. He was met by an old eunuch, a man with a red patch and a golden tiger patch, a white, beardless face, and an eager smile. He hurried forward, bowed deeply, and said, "Your servant, Feng Gui, greets Her Royal Highness the Princess."
After the ceremony, Feng Gui stood up, his face full of emotion, almost crying, and said, "The princess ran out without a word. His Majesty was so worried that he lost his appetite. I was also very anxious. Finally, I brought the princess back! I wonder if the princess is having fun outside? If the princess is happy, I will be relieved!"
Zhou Xian glanced at Feng Gui indifferently and said, "Don't worry, Governor Feng, I had a lot of fun." He felt like vomiting after hearing this.
But everyone around him looked at him. Feng Gui had committed a minor offense and was sent to Yingtian Prefecture for retirement, but he still held considerable power. Standing beside him was Guo Yue, the Right Censor-in-Chief and Yingtian Governor. Next to him stood Li Changqing, the newly appointed governor-general of Zhejiang Province, who had replaced Shen Wen. Prominent figures in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions scrutinized Zhou Shan.
After hearing this, Feng Gui's smile suddenly became more genuine: "Princess, you are sensible. This is good. The children of His Majesty are all good children who know how to share worries." As he spoke, Feng Gui glanced at Wang Xiang behind Zhou Shan, and the smile on his lips faded.
"Lord Feng." Zhou Xian looked across the crowd and exchanged glances with Zhang Jinwei from afar. "I'm tired. Let me... let me and my husband go back and rest."
Feng Gui immediately slapped himself and said, "I am so careless! The princess has come a long way and must miss her husband terribly. I was blind. Princess, go quickly and have a few private words with her husband."
A line parted the crowd, and at the end stood Zhang Jinwei. Zhou Xian looked at him, took a deep breath, and then, as he approached, felt a sense of guilt. He didn't dare to look him in the eye.
"It's good that Shanshan is back." Zhang Jinwei said this calmly. He stretched out his hand and placed it in front of Zhou Shan, indicating Zhou Shan to hold his hand.
Zhou Xian asked, "Aren't you angry?"
Zhang Jinwei didn't answer, but sighed. He ignored the looks from the others, grabbed Zhou Xian's hand, and led her to the sedan chair that had been prepared. He then led the horse himself and said, "Let's talk about it when we get back."
Let’s talk about it when we get back.
Arriving at the courtyard Feng Gui had prepared for them, Zhou Shan was surrounded by a group of maids and eunuchs, who said they wanted to bathe and dress him. Zhou Shan panicked, remembering that no one here knew he was a man. He was a little flustered and looked to Zhang Jinwei for help with an extremely pitiful look.
Zhang Jinwei understood and said to the servants, "Please leave first. I have something to say to the princess."
The maids and eunuchs looked around, hesitant. One of the leaders said, "Since the prince consort has spoken, we will withdraw for now. If you need anything, just give us a shout." After that, a large group of people retreated in a black crowd.
Zhou Xian and Zhang Jin were the only two people left in the room. The room was luxuriously furnished, with huanghuali wood tables and chairs. A rare piece of agarwood, fragrant with fragrance, sat on a bookshelf by the wall. A large screen was entirely embroidered with Suzhou embroidery, depicting flowers, birds, fish, insects, and a splendid landscape, all arranged in a single pattern.
Zhou Xian lifted the bead curtain with her hand and was about to go to the inner room, but she saw Zhang Jinwei standing between the light and shadow without saying a word, wondering what he was thinking.
"What are you standing there for?" Zhou Xian was a little annoyed. He didn't want to guess what others were thinking. He was filled with sorrow and felt a surge of grievance when he saw Zhang Jinwei, but this enemy ignored him. He couldn't help but get angry and said, "I asked you if you were angry, and you didn't answer. If you don't answer again, I'm going to get angry!"
Zhang Jinwei came to his senses and walked straight to him. Suddenly, he hugged him in his arms, his lips touching his temples, and sighed softly, "How can I not be angry? But when I saw you at the ferry just now, my anger disappeared. Now that you're back, why should I be angry?"
"Are you serious?" Zhou Shan buried his face in Zhang Jinwei's neck. He was hugged tightly by the man, and his face couldn't help but turn red.
Zhang Jinwei asked, "Where did you go?"
Zhou Xian hesitated: "From Yan'an Prefecture all the way to Luoyang, and then from Luoyang to Wuchang. I originally wanted to take a boat directly to the south of the Yangtze River..." But as soon as he got on the boat, he was discovered.
Zhang Jinwei smiled: "Luoyang... I haven't been to Luoyang yet! Is Luoyang fun?"
Zhou Xian was hugged tightly, her voice muffled. "There are temples everywhere, all kinds of temples. But there are also gatherings of scholars, discussing things like the Cheng brothers and Yangming. I live in the White Horse Temple, where incense is very popular, eminent monks gather, and there are lectures every day."
Zhang Jinwei asked, "Was it that monk who took you there?"
Zhou Xian: ...
It turns out he's jealous again!
He suddenly felt embarrassed and raised his head. Just as he was about to explain, his eyes suddenly widened and his whole body stiffened in Zhang Jinwei's arms.
Zhang Jinwei kissed him on the lips.
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