Chapter 13: Lantern Festival This fortune stick is enshrined here, and only one person can ask for one...
The case was closed much faster than Shen Zhiwei expected.
As confessions were presented one after another, cracks began to appear in the case that had been so solid, and it subsequently involved officials from the Grand Canal Administration, the Ministry of Revenue, and even Huai'an prefect Zhou Maonian himself.
The Jiangnan officials who were trapped in the cabinet went from being panicked at first to blaming each other and eventually turning into chaos.
Shen Zhiwei sat in the government office, reading through files and interrogating criminals, almost without sleep.
Xie Mingxu became the sharpest knife in her hand. Carrying the power and arrogance of Prince Xiang's Mansion, he took the shadow guards to arrest people everywhere and search the houses of merchants. Piles of solid evidence were presented to the desk like water.
Those eight thousand inferior wooden stakes are just the tip of the iceberg.
The treasury was empty, relief funds were wasted, and under layers of exploitation and embezzlement, a thousand-mile-long dike collapsed in a tragic disaster overnight.
Shen Zhiwei's face became uglier day by day. The fatigue of paperwork was secondary. The most terrible thing was the continuous rain in Jianghuai after the spring came, and the damp and cold air penetrated every pore.
Every late night, he would feel chest tightness and shortness of breath, and cough heart-wrenchingly. He had to swallow double the dose of pills prepared by Xu Shu to barely calm down for a while. His face was so pale that even Xie Mingxu didn't dare to laugh anymore.
That afternoon, Shen Zhiwei managed to finish reviewing the last case file. His vision went dark and the familiar fishy-sweet taste in his throat surged up again.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to suppress her emotions. She put down her red brush and said to Xie Mingxu, who was pouring tea, "The accounts have been basically checked, and the stolen money and the people involved have been roughly sorted out. The remaining details will be left to the officials to deal with later."
He paused and looked at Xiao Wangqing, who had been sitting quietly listening nearby. A thin blanket draped across his lap, his handsome profile illuminated by the thin spring rain. On his desk lay several scrolls he had read.
"Your Highness, we have arrived in Huai'an now. You no longer need to stay at the government office. It would be more appropriate to move to the posthouse to recuperate."
This statement was equivalent to declaring that he no longer needed to participate in the follow-up of this case.
Xiao Wangqing raised his eyes, his dark pupils were bottomless, and he looked at her silently for a moment, then lowered his eyelids, and his fingers on the thin blanket curled up slightly.
"...Mr. Shen, are you going back to the inn too?" He asked in a low voice, his voice dry from not speaking for a long time.
"…The case is closed. The government office is too noisy to rest here," she said, her voice slightly hoarse from coughing, avoiding his question. "The inn is quiet and well-stocked with medicine. It will be beneficial to your injury."
She paused as she watched his curled fingertips, then added, his voice even slower, "I need to sort out the files and report them to Your Highness. I'll be back later."
It wasn't much of a promise, but it did make Xiao Wangqing's tense shoulders relax ever so slightly. Still keeping his eyes down, he murmured, "...Okay."
Xie Mingxu came over with a teacup. His peach blossom eyes flickered over Shen Zhiwei's pale face, then glanced at Xiao Wangqing. The smile on his lips faded a little. He gently placed the warm teacup next to Shen Zhiwei's hand: "Little Master Shen, you don't look well. You have to be busy all the time. This rain has been falling for a long time and the humidity is very high. Have some hot tea to warm yourself up."
"Third Prince, the same goes for this. This leg injury is most vulnerable to cold and dampness. I've had a few more heaters prepared at the inn, and the mattresses are thicker. I'll take Your Highness there later."
Xiao Wangqing didn't even raise his eyelids, and said in a cold voice: "No need to trouble you, my lord."
Xie Mingxu shrugged, pretending he hadn't asked that question. He smiled at Shen Zhi and said, "That's fine. I'll take the Third Prince over there to settle down first. Little Master Shen, don't stay up too late. There's a lantern festival in Huai'an later. I heard it's even more lively than the one in the capital. Why don't we go and see it together? It'll be a way to relax and avoid getting moldy from staying cooped up in the house."
Lantern Festival.
Shen Zhiwei rubbed his fingertips on the warm wall of the cup, and the red corners of Jingshu's eyes appeared in his mind, and then he remembered this matter.
"Okay." After adding a few words to Xie Mingxu in her heart, she rubbed her forehead, lowered her eyes, and accepted his invitation.
The posthouse was indeed much quieter than the government office. Xiao Wangqing was placed in a small courtyard by the water. He could see the canal tributary winding by when he opened the window.
Xie Mingxu said that he would personally send the person off, but in fact he only sent the person to the gate of the courtyard, gave a few instructions to the eunuchs, and then left like a gust of wind, saying that he was going to arrange the evening schedule.
Shen Zhiwei worked in the government office until dusk fell, then he sealed the last clearly copied case file and handed it to the Eastern Palace Shadow Guard to be sent back to Kyoto on horseback.
When I stood up, my vision went dark. I held on to the table for a long time before I could suppress the dizziness.
It was already dark when she returned to the inn. As soon as she entered the courtyard where she was temporarily staying, she saw Xie Mingxu directing a servant to spread a thick brocade quilt on a brand new wheelchair. The wheelchair's armrests were covered in velvet, making it look much more comfortable than usual.
"Master Shen is finally back," Xie Mingxu turned around upon hearing the voice, his face undisguised with joy. "Everything is arranged, shall we go now? The Lantern Festival isn't far away, and this wheelchair will save effort and be more stable."
Shen Zhiwei glanced at the wheelchair and said nothing. Xie Mingxu immediately understood and said with a smile, "I know you don't need it. Since the Third Prince has difficulty walking, it's just right for him to use it so he doesn't have to walk so hard."
He found a way out for himself very skillfully.
As he was speaking, Xiao Wangqing's door opened.
He had changed into plain, casual clothes. The dark blue material looked calm in the twilight, and the hem of his robe carefully concealed his injured leg. He leaned against the door frame, his eyes fixed on Shen Zhiwei.
"Let's go." Shen Zhiwei nodded to him, without saying anything, and turned around.
Xie Mingxu pushed the wheelchair with thick and soft cushions and attentively brought it to Xiao Wangqing.
The Third Prince looked at it silently, but did not refuse. He was helped by the eunuch to sit on it. Prince Xie naturally took over the task of pushing and supporting him.
As dusk fell, Huai'an City seemed to have just woken up.
The lanterns on both sides of the bluestone road lit up one after another, and the warm yellow light spread in the moist air, forming two winding rivers of light, illuminating the gray streets as if it were daytime.
The place was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder.
Shen Zhiwei was not used to such noisy occasions. His fingers unconsciously tightened the fox fur. The thick fur at the collar almost buried his chin, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed.
The noisy sound waves wrapped in the damp and cold air rushed towards her, and her throat felt slightly itchy. She suppressed the urge to cough lightly.
Xie Mingxu pushed Xiao Wangqing's wheelchair and led the way. The prince was wearing a royal blue brocade robe today, embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread, which sparkled brightly under the lights. The small mole at the corner of his eye looked even more bright red under the light, making him look like a charming ghost that could captivate people's hearts.
He was in great spirits, and from time to time he pointed at the exquisite lanterns on the roadside or the strange things sold by vendors, introducing them in a clear voice, attracting the attention of passers-by.
"Master Shen, look at that glazed revolving lantern. It depicts the Legend of the White Snake, and its craftsmanship is comparable to that of the skilled craftsmen in the capital. Go a little further, there are river lanterns by the river ahead. I saw them a few years ago, and they were truly beautiful."
Shen Zhiwei followed his gaze and saw colorful lanterns hanging high on bamboo frames, shining brightly and looking extremely exquisite.
She nodded in support, wondering what kind of lanterns the little girl would like as she followed them.
The closer you get to the canal, the more crowded it gets.
Countless boats lit up the river, their candlelight flickering, reflected in the inky black water, drifting with the current. The shore was crowded with people lighting lanterns and praying for blessings, their laughter and chatter mingling with the murmuring of prayers.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of incense and candles, mixed with the fishy smell of water and the sweat of the crowd, weighing down heavily.
Shen Zhiwei felt a tightness in her chest and her breathing became short. She stopped and tried to find a place to breathe, away from the crowd.
However, there were too many people, and in the blink of an eye, Xie Mingxu didn't know which direction he was pushing Xiao Wangqing.
You will always meet them if you keep going forward, so it is not a very urgent matter. Shen Zhiwei was just looking for a place to rest, so he simply followed the pilgrims into the temple in Huai'an.
The temple was small, but the incense was abundant. The courtyard was crowded with devout men and women praying for blessings. The candlelight flickered, and the incense smoke was thick, more suffocating than the air by the river.
…
broken.
Shen Bandu, who had miscalculated, was smoked by the smoke and her mind was not clear. She frowned and avoided the crowd, just wanting to find a quiet corner to take a breath, but her steps were a little unsteady.
"Is the donor feeling unwell?"
Shen Zhiwei raised his eyes and saw a young monk with a clear voice, about twenty years old, wearing a blue-gray monk robe and with a handsome face.
He clasped his hands together, bowed slightly, and his clear eyes fell on her pale face.
"It's okay, it's just a bit suffocating when there are so many people around." Shen Zhiwei forced herself to suppress her cough. She didn't often go to ancestral temples, so she returned the greeting as he had done.
The monk smiled, stepped aside, and pointed to a quiet corridor deep in the courtyard. "There are many pilgrims here, so the air is inevitably heavy. If you don't mind, you can come with me to the side hall and sit for a while. It's quieter there, and there's tea."
Shen Zhiwei was about to decline when the monk turned around and led the way, walking slowly. She hesitated for a moment, then finally followed him.
Walking along the corridor towards the side hall, the foul air indeed became lighter. In the corner of the corridor, an old plum tree leaned forward, its blossoms all fallen. Its branches were as black as ink in the twilight, and several red silks, used for prayers, were hung on them.
The side hall is not big and is simply furnished, with only an unknown clay statue of Bodhisattva, a perpetual lamp, a low table and a few cushions.
The hall was empty.
Shen Zhiwei felt uneasy, but then he thought that it didn't matter if something happened. If he died here, he might be reborn into a good family, so he gradually calmed down.
"Please sit down, benefactor." The monk led her to sit on the cushion, and then walked to the low table, picked up a coarse earthenware teapot, and poured in hot water.
Hot water rushed into the coarse earthenware cup, and a few green tea leaves unfolded, with a lingering fragrance.
“This cold temple is simple, and I only have a cup of tea to relieve my worries.” The monk gently pushed the teacup in front of Shen Zhiwei.
Shen Zhiwei thanked him and picked up the teacup, the warm walls of the cup caressing his cold fingertips. The tea was slightly bitter at first, then sweet, strangely soothing the dryness and itchiness in his throat.
She raised her eyes to look at the monk and saw him standing quietly with his eyes downcast, his brows calm, like a jade sculpture in meditation.
It is really beautiful.
"Young Master, are you practicing in seclusion here?" Shen Zhiwei put down the teacup and spoke in a much more polite voice.
"I, Huiming, am here to practice cultivation," the monk said, his gaze bright. "There's a hint of depression between your brows, and your breath is weak, as if you're suffering from a serious illness. Although this isn't a famous temple, the Bodhisattva in the side hall is quite effective, especially at clearing the confusion in people's hearts and predicting their future fortunes."
He paused, his eyes settling on an antique bamboo skewer holder on the corner of the low table. Made of aged bamboo, it had a deep, glossy luster, clearly showing its age.
"This fortune stick is enshrined here, and only one person can draw once," Huiming's voice was tinged with laughter. The side hall was silent and empty, and Shen Zhiwei felt as if three of them were speaking to her ears simultaneously. "The words on the fortune stick are half heavenly secrets, half human nature."
"If you have any doubts, why not give it a try? It's just a simple gesture. Sincerity will work. You'll need to offer incense and candles first to show your sincerity."
Shen Zhiwei followed his gaze to the fortune stick tube, and something moved in his heart.
The road ahead was uncertain, and she no longer had the energy to search.
But that was a draw.
Shen Zhiwei has always been unable to refuse things that have possibilities. Anyway, it's just for fun, and he won't suffer any loss regardless of whether it's true or not.
She rubbed her fingertips in her sleeve pocket for a while, rummaged through her purse, took out five or six copper coins, and placed them on the table with a clang.
It was indeed a bit shabby, but Shen Zhiwei never cared about it and just pushed it in front of him.
"Thank you, Master Huiming."
Monk Huiming's gaze lingered on the copper coins for a moment, then dropped. The smile on his lips deepened, and he clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha's name softly.
He picked up the lottery box and handed it to Shen Zhiwei solemnly.
The fortune stick holder felt slightly heavy in the hand, carrying the warmth of years of incense burning. Shen Zhiwei took it, weighed it, and shook his wrist lightly.
“Pah.”
A bamboo stick fell to the ground.
Huiming leaned over to pick it up and was silent for a long time, so long that Shen Zhiwei narrowed her eyes in confusion before she heard him speak again.
"Donor... have you ever thought about coming here to practice in seclusion?"
The author has something to say:
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Here Xiao Shen promised to achieve: Green lamp ancient Buddha "he"
The side story will be written in the extra chapter
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