Chapter 159 Becoming a Monk and Leaving...
The scene became quite awkward. The child nervously clutched his schoolbag and asked in a childish voice, "Dad, did I come back at the wrong time?"
Qingxuan was completely stunned. Yan Wuxin quickly said, "Child, you've come back just in time. Your mother has come to see you."
The child watched her take a few steps forward, then looked up and called out, "Mother."
Yan Wuxin was startled and quickly pointed at Lu Jinlan, saying, "That's your mother."
The child muttered, "I don't think you look like it either."
She jogged a few steps and ran up to Lu Jinlan, who was already smiling and squatting down.
The child wasn't shy at all and called out again, "Mother."
"Good child, what's your name?"
"Forget the dust."
Lu Jinlan glanced at Qingxuan, seemingly determined to forget that absurd affair. If he was so resolute, why did he give birth to the child in the first place?
Lu Jinlan picked up Wangchen and said to the few people who were standing there in the yard, "You guys go hunting, the three of us will talk for a while."
Everyone had wanted to leave for a long time, and now they felt as if they had been granted a pardon, squeezing out one by one.
Lu Jinlan, holding the child, said to Qingxuan, "Look, this is the natural bond between mother and daughter. This child isn't afraid of me at all."
Qingxuan said, "She's not afraid of anyone."
He glanced at the child, "Wangchen, go inside and do your homework first. Dad and... will talk to her about some adult matters."
Wang Chen finally had a mother, and although she was reluctant to part with her, she still tactfully slipped off Lu Jinlan when she saw her father's cold face.
She looked around, then took Lu Jinlan's hand and said, "Mother, don't go. I need to talk to you about something later."
Lu Jinlan patted her head, "Mother isn't leaving, Mother is staying here tonight."
A hint of joy appeared in Wang Chen's eyes, and he finally agreed to go inside.
Qingxuan closed the door tightly and whispered, "Your Majesty..."
Lu Jinlan: "This isn't the palace, just call me Lu Er."
“Benefactor Lu.”
"you say."
"What happened back then was a moment of anger on your part, and a moment of confusion on my part. Looking back, it was truly absurd. It was a mistake, and we really shouldn't have brought it up again."
Lu Jinlan sighed, "Do you think Wangchen was a mistake?"
"Of course not," Qingxuan quickly denied. "She's wonderful. She's an exceptionally intelligent and considerate child, the only happiness I've had in the past few years. It's me, her father, who hasn't taken good care of her. But... but there shouldn't be anything between you and me. I'm a monk..."
Lu Jinlan said urgently, "You can return to secular life, and I'll marry you. Becoming a nun is almost the same as getting married. Come to the palace to keep me company, and I'll make it up to you and your father."
She grasped Qingxuan's hand, and Qingxuan was startled. His unusually rapid heartbeat made him eager to break free.
However, Lu Jinlan hugged him tightly without saying a word. "Don't be afraid, I know what you're thinking. You're afraid of gossip, you're afraid people will say you're a monk and not pure of heart. You're afraid Buddha will blame you, you're afraid the people in the temple who raised you will be disappointed in you."
"But Qingxuan, this is our life. Stop thinking about those unimportant people. Think about me, think about the children. Are you going to hide in the mountains forever because you're afraid of this and that?"
"I admit I acted out of spite back then and deliberately got you pregnant. But I don't regret it, and I don't think it was a mistake. What about you? Do you regret it?"
Qingxuan lay in her arms, two tears silently rolling down her cheeks, refusing to utter a sound.
Lu Jinlan gently wiped away the tears on his face with her fingertips and said softly, "I knew you didn't regret it after you gave birth to the child. You still have me in your heart, don't you?"
Qingxuan turned his head away and whispered, "I just... I just don't want to kill."
Lu Jinlan was so angry she laughed. "Nonsense, do you think I'm that easy to fool?"
Lu Jinlan took his hand again and gently rubbed his rough palm. "I know it's hard for you to get through this. I'll give you time. Take it slow. I won't force you."
"But you have to promise me that you'll discard the ideas instilled in you since childhood and rethink your future. You had no choice in becoming a monk before, but now you need to rethink what kind of life you want to live and make a new choice, okay?"
Qingxuan lowered his head, looking at her holding his hand, and caught a glimpse of her expectant gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.
She was the Empress, the Son of Heaven, yet she condescended to come to such a place, so gently and patiently coaxing him. She said she had no regrets, that she wanted to marry him and make it up to him; no man could resist such charm.
Men who have renounced worldly life are no exception.
Qingxuan finally nodded slightly, "Let me think about it carefully."
Lu Jinlan smiled and readily agreed, "Okay."
Qingxuan said again, "You...you let me go, I need to go cook."
Lu Jinlan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll help you."
Qingxuan lowered her eyes and said softly, "I don't need your help. I can handle these trivial matters by myself. Besides, this isn't something you women should be doing. You go about your business. I'll call you when the food is ready."
Lu Jinlan smiled and rolled up her sleeves. "I don't have anything to do, so I'll fetch you two buckets of water."
Lu Jinlan fetched water, while Qingxuan washed the fish beside her.
Lu Jinlan couldn't help but ask curiously, "When did you first experience sexual intercourse?"
Qingxuan thought for a moment, "After I became pregnant with Wangchen, I vomited a lot for a while. The doctor said that I was too weak from eating vegetarian food for a long time, and that if it continued, I might not be able to keep the baby. So I started eating meat again, and after giving birth to Wangchen, I went back to eating vegetarian food."
“This fish and meat are for her. She’s growing, and I’m worried she’s not getting enough nutrition. Although monks are said to eat meat and kill animals and will go to hell after death, I can’t worry about that for my daughter’s sake. Anyway, I’ve broken the precepts and should have gone to hell long ago.”
Lu Jinlan caught a glimpse of the sorrow in his eyes and couldn't help but feel sorry for him, saying, "Don't be afraid. My life has been far more bloody than yours. I'll go to hell with you. I am the emperor, and when we get to hell, I will transform into a giant dragon to protect you."
Qingxuan shook his head and said seriously, "When the emperor dies, he naturally returns to heaven. You can't accompany me."
Lu Jinlan laughed, "Are you stupid? If I were in heaven, you wouldn't have to be afraid at all. You have connections in heaven, would the little devils in hell dare to bully you? Your mistress is watching from heaven, and those little devils will have to serve you obediently."
Your wife—he'd never even dared to dream of such a thing. But because of those four words, a strange feeling welled up in his heart, his face flushed slightly, and he didn't say anything more.
Lu Jinlan sat beside him, watching him skillfully prepare the ingredients, and the two chatted casually.
A little while later, Wangchen came out after finishing his homework. Seeing that the two of them were there, he smiled and sidled over from the corner of the wall.
"mother."
"Why."
"father."
"What's wrong"
"It's nothing, hehe."
Wang Chen smiled and leaned against Lu Jinlan.
Lu Jinlan touched her bones and muscles. Compared to her peers, the five-year-old child was not thin, but compared to the children in the palace, she was noticeably darker and not strong enough.
Lu Jinlan asked, "Does the school teach martial arts?"
Qingxuan said, "This school was just opened this year. It's a new system from the imperial court. Every village must have a school. And it's free, so I sent Wangchen there. I heard there's only one teacher. She doesn't know martial arts, but she can teach them to read without any problem."
Lu Jinlan nodded. "This is a new decree implemented by the Ministry of Rites. I'm afraid that children in remote areas won't have access to education. But Chen'er should also learn martial arts. It'll be good for his health."
Wangchen hurriedly said, "Mother, please teach me."
Lu Jinlan pulled her into the yard. "Come on, give me a punch. Let me see if you have any strength."
Wang Chen threw a punch, and Lu Jinlan didn't comment. He then said, "Kick me again, let me see."
Wang Chen thought: I'm afraid that punch wasn't delivered well. I'll have to do my best with this kick.
She mustered all her strength and kicked out, the shoe flying off with a whoosh and landing with a thud in the vegetable basin.
"Oh dear!" Wang Chen stood there, barefoot on one foot, stunned.
Lu Jinlan laughed and said, "Luckily, the food hasn't been cooked yet, otherwise we wouldn't have anything to eat tonight."
Qingxuan smiled and said, "You should go inside quickly, otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to cook this meal."
Lu Jinlan carried Wangchen into the house and began to discuss with the child, "Starting tomorrow, you don't need to go to that school anymore. When your mother returns to the capital, she will take you and your father to the capital to find the best teachers to teach you."
"Ah," Wangchen said with some disappointment, "but I still want to go tomorrow."
Why can't you bear to leave this place?
Wang Chen shook her head. "I finally have a mother, but I haven't even met my classmates yet. They don't believe me when I tell them I have a mother. I was hoping you would take me to school tomorrow; I want them to see her..."
Wang Chen spoke softer and softer, glancing at Lu Jinlan's expression, "But it's okay if I don't go, they don't like me anyway. No matter how great the good news is, I won't tell them, hmph."
Lu Jinlan's eyes reddened with heartache. "Do the people at school often bully you?"
"No, they're just bored and love to gossip."
"say what"
"Just say I was raised by a monk."
Lu Jinlan's heart sank. "Have you told your father about this?"
Wang Chen shook his head. "Telling him will only hurt him. He's already had enough to do. There's always trouble around a widow's door. It's not easy for a man to raise a child alone."
Lu Jinlan frowned. "Who said that?"
“That’s what Uncle Guo from the village said. He’s talking about himself, but I think my dad is the same way. Uncle Guo’s wife passed away a few years ago, and he raised his daughter alone. Before I went to school, Uncle Guo would help take care of me when my dad went to perform religious rites in faraway places. But he remarried and moved to town this year.”
"What will you do if your father goes to a faraway place to perform rituals?"
“I live in the school, and my master takes care of me.”
Lu Jinlan felt even more distressed upon hearing this, "So young, and already has to live in the schoolhouse."
"The school is great. My master likes me very much and even boils eggs for me."
The child's casual, unintentional narration moved Lu Jinlan to tears.
She held Wangchen in her arms and said gently, "Mother will take you to school tomorrow, and then we'll thank your master properly."
Wangchen hugged her neck and said happily, "It's so good to have a mother. Mother, although this is the first time I've met you, I've missed you for so long."
Lu Jinlan smiled and patted her back, "Mother misses you too."
Wang Chen said, "Father misses you too."
Lu Jinlan was taken aback. "How did you know?"
Wang Chen laughed and said, "Father often spaces out. When asked what he's thinking about, he says he's contemplating Buddhism. Liar! I don't believe him. He doesn't blush when he's thinking about Buddhism."
Lu Jinlan smiled and nodded, "Your father is having a disagreement with your mother. Later, you can help your mother persuade him to come back to the capital with her."
Wangchen thought for a moment, "Then you can sleep with your father for one night."
"Hmm?" Lu Jinlan was stunned for a moment, somewhat doubting her ears.
Wang Chen said, "You can sleep with him and give him a good talking-to tonight. Anyway, I've noticed that Aunt Huang hasn't been home for many days. Her husband is arguing with her. I heard her standing in the yard saying, 'Young men are always so temperamental. He'll behave after one night's sleep.'"
Lu Jinlan: "..."
-----------------------
Author's Note: I'm so late! Writing this chapter almost made me cry; my heart ached for the author. I heard that changing the title can prevent theft, so I'll give it a try.
Tip: Come here to find good novels to read!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com