Chapter 120 Autumn Water Nunnery
After everything was packed, early the next morning, Madam Min Qiao, along with several maids including Ayi and Ajiu, and more than twenty bodyguards, headed to Cuiping Mountain.
Because Min Qiaoshi and Qiao Yuanyao had never met before, and it was feared that the aunt and niece wouldn't recognize each other when they met, and also because Qiao Qingping was worried about Min Qiaoshi's safety on the journey, he specifically sent Qiao Jingyao to accompany her.
Xincheng County is about 70 or 80 miles away from Qiushui Temple. Because the mountain road is rugged, the group walked from morning to afternoon. By the time they reached the top of the mountain and entered Qiushui Temple, the sun was already setting.
Abbess Huijing of Qiushui Nunnery was a kind and warm-hearted person. When Min Qiao's group was still halfway up the mountain, she and her people were already waiting at the entrance of Qiushui Nunnery.
When she saw Madam Min approaching, she quickly stepped forward, bowed, loudly chanted a Buddhist prayer, and smiled as she ushered Madam Min and the others inside.
However, the bodyguards were all kept outside the door.
Qiao Jingyao was originally supposed to be stopped outside, but Min Qiaoshi gave Aqi a wink, and Aqi, despite the pain, stuffed a purse containing fifty taels of silver into Abbess Huijing's hand, which finally allowed Qiao Jingyao to enter Qiushui Nunnery with her.
Upon entering, Min Qiaoshi followed the rules and went to the main hall with Abbess Huijing to burn incense, worship the Bodhisattva, and donate money for incense oil before explaining her purpose.
Upon hearing that Madam Min Qiao had come to take Qiao Yuanyao home, Abbess Huijing was not surprised. The Qiao family would make this request every year or two, but they had never been able to successfully take her away.
I believe this time will be no exception.
With a kind smile, Abbess Huijing said in a calm tone, "Amitabha, I am afraid I cannot grant the Madam's request. This matter must be decided by the benefactor from afar. I have no right to interfere."
Madam Min Qiao did not make things difficult for her. "What the nun says is true. I will talk to Yuan Yao about this matter myself."
“Yuanyao has been practicing meditation at Qiushui Nunnery for many years and has received a lot of care. When I came, I asked someone to prepare some supplies for Qiushui Nunnery. Please accept them on my behalf, Abbess.”
As he spoke, he instructed Ayi behind him, "Go and have someone bring all the things in."
Ayi responded and stepped forward. Aqi then took out a gift list from his pocket and handed it to Madam Min Qiao.
Min Qiaoshi took the gift list and handed it to Huijing.
Hui Jing calmly accepted the gift list and casually handed it to Hui An beside her, saying gratefully, "On behalf of everyone at Qiushui Nunnery, I thank the Madam for her generous donation."
"This humble nun will immediately send someone to take the old lady to find the benefactor from afar."
He then pointed to another young nun beside him and instructed, "Zhixing, take the old lady and the others to the back mountain to see Benefactor Yuanyao."
Zhi Xing frowned almost imperceptibly before respectfully replying, "Yes."
"Madam, this way please."
"Thank you for your help, young master."
Min Qiaoshi and her entourage left with Zhixing.
After everyone left, Huijing quickly snatched the gift list that Min Qiaoshi had handed her from Hui'an's hand and opened it to read it.
Hui'an quickly joined in to look.
When they saw the items on the gift list, the two of them couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
Ten shi (1200 jin) of rice, ten shi of wheat flour, one hundred jin of vegetable oil, twenty bolts of cotton cloth... five hundred taels of silver.
"The Dowager Lady of the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion is truly generous!" Huian couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
Hui Jing smiled meaningfully, "The Qiao family is not short of money now. You know how many families in Hangzhou were carrying money to the Qiao family's old mansion the other day."
Huian's eyes gleamed with intense greed. "Qiao Yuanyao is truly a goddess of wealth! With her around, our Qiushui Nunnery will never have to worry about food and drink!"
At this point, Hui'an couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Senior Sister, do you think Qiao Yuanyao will leave with Madam Qiao this time?"
"Oh dear, what if she really leaves?" Hui'an became more and more worried as she spoke. "No, I have to think of a way to keep her here."
Hui Jing gave Hui An a warning look, "Madam Qiao is not a fool, and she brought so many people with her. Don't go looking for trouble or do anything unnecessary."
"Yes," Hui'an agreed, but still said unwillingly, "But are we just going to watch Qiao Yuanyao leave like this?"
"Senior sister, don't forget that because our Qiushui Nunnery is located in a remote area with difficult mountain roads, there are very few worshippers. In the past, the people in the nunnery rarely had a full meal all year round!"
"In the past few years, our lives have become a little easier since Qiao Yuanyao moved in."
"Now that the Qiao family has become wealthy again, they will send us more money and valuables in the future. If Qiao Yuanyao leaves now, forget about benefiting from the Qiao family; we'll probably have trouble even making a living in Qiushui Nunnery!"
"Senior sister, do you still want to go back to those miserable days of going hungry three times a day?"
Huijing seemed to recall the past along with Hui'an's words, and a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.
However, Huijing was ultimately more composed than Hui'an.
She pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "Let's not do anything. Let Qiao Yuanyao decide whether to stay or leave."
Although she didn't want Qiao Yuanyao to leave either, if they did something that Madam Qiao found out, then Qiushui Nunnery would not only be unable to keep Qiao Yuanyao, but would also likely get into trouble.
Seeing that Hui'an wanted to say something, Hui Jing raised her hand to interrupt, "Don't worry, Qiao Yuanyao won't leave. When her uncle, the patriarch of the Qiao family, came in person, she didn't leave. The matriarch of the Qiao family who came this time is just her aunt, and I believe she won't leave this time either."
Hui'an was still somewhat uneasy.
Hui Jing said with a confident expression, "Qiao Yuanyao was only fourteen years old when she came here, which is the perfect age for marriage. Back then, she was burdened by her reputation and couldn't get married, so she came to our Qiushui Nunnery to hide."
"Now that she's twenty, there's even less chance she'll get married. So why is she still coming down the mountain?"
Hui'an was delighted to hear this and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Senior Sister is right. Going down the mountain now will only bring her gossip and nothing good. If it were me, I wouldn't go down the mountain either."
“Exactly.” Huijing smiled. “So, we just need to wait for the results.”
With that, he walked outside.
"Let's go see what the old lady sent."
"Good. The things the Grand Madam sent are enough for us to eat and use for a long time!"
***
Meanwhile, Min Qiaoshi and her group followed Zhixing to the place where everyone lived in the back mountain.
From afar, Madam Min Qiao could hear people talking.
"Ha, does she think she's some kind of noble lady? What's with the pretense of being high and mighty?"
"Exactly! You live in our Qiushui Nunnery, eat at our Qiushui Nunnery, and when we ask you to help with some chores, you make all sorts of excuses! Do you really think you're a distinguished guest of Qiushui Nunnery?"
"Exactly! Why is it that we have to jump into the water, gather firewood, do laundry and cook every day, and do our homework morning and night, while she doesn't have to do anything?"
"Hmph! Qiao Yuanyao, you're going to wash these clothes today, whether you like it or not! Otherwise, you'll be in for a world of hurt!"
...
As Min Qiaoshi and her entourage drew closer, they were able to hear the young nuns' conversation more and more clearly.
Upon hearing what the young nuns were saying, Madam Min's face immediately darkened.
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