Burning incense
The meal was lively, as if reminiscing about their time at Zishan Hall. It was around noon, and they left Renhe Store and headed west. Taishi Zheng rode in the same oxcart with Qi Jiami, Yi Zishi, and the others, while Xia Laowu rode alongside on horseback.
Seeing it was still early, Qi Jiami suggested, "Since we have nothing to do right now, why don't we go to Daxiangguo Temple and burn some incense to ensure that our fifth child will be the top scorer in the imperial examination? I hear that all the students taking the exam go there to burn incense."
Zheng felt like sleeping after eating. She leaned against Yi Zishi and lazily agreed, "I agree."
"Since you all agree, then - Master, please change the route to Daxiangguo Temple." Yi Zishi naturally had no objection. As long as she could stay with them, she would be willing to go fishing in Jinming Pond in the middle of winter.
But the sisters had discussed it together, but did not ask the "number one scholar" for his opinion, which made Xia Buyu follow the ox cart in confusion, wondering why they changed the route without saying a word?
-
As soon as we arrived outside Daxiangguo Temple, the rich aroma of incense filled our nostrils. A few people disembarked not far away. In front of us, vendors hawking incense and candles in the street, their thick Bianjing accents blending with the sound of passing horses' hooves. Zheng looked around and saw that the place was bustling today.
"It seems that everyone is here to cram for exams today~" Zheng looked around curiously and couldn't help but sigh.
She saw a constant stream of students, all hoping to receive the Buddha's favor today at Daxiangguo Temple, to pass the imperial examinations, and ideally, even become the top scorer.
But how many people can become the top scholar? Everyone wants to be the winner, but can they? Buddha's blessing only blesses those who are prepared.
Holding Yi Zishi's hand, Zheng walked forward, watching the wisps of green smoke drifting out of Daxiangguo Temple. She turned to Xia Buyu and said, "Old Fifth, you must kowtow a few times today and ask Manjusri Bodhisattva to bless you. Let's not talk about becoming the top scorer, but first let you pass the provincial exam. Whether you can pass the palace exam or not, let Uncle Xia see some hope. That way, he won't push you so hard."
Xia Buyu looked at Taishi Zheng and hummed, his eyes full of melancholy. How could he not know his own weight?
When he was worshipping Buddha today, the Buddha saw that his head was empty and he didn't know what to think.
-
At the corner of the Main Hall and the Manjusri Hall, Bao Nian had dragged Liu Yugeng here early to burn incense and kowtow, praying for good luck and success. It just so happened that the temple was offering free vegetarian meals today, so the two of them ate some in the backyard before leaving.
Standing among the pilgrims, Bao Nian clasped her hands together, turned left and right, and bowed. She said, "Erlang, I asked you to come today, but you didn't come. You see, we are really lucky today to have a vegetarian meal. This way, we can save the money for a meal, and even steam some extra buns for you to take to the exam. It must be the Bodhisattva's blessing, the Bodhisattva's blessing. I hope everything goes well for you this time."
Bao Nian is devoted to him and this family.
But Liu Yugeng really disliked the wife his family had arranged for him. Before he even took the exam, he was already thinking, if he were to graduate from high school in the future, wouldn't people laugh at him if he had a wife like this?
Liu Yugeng looked at the country woman beside him with disdain, a woman who looked out of place in Bianjing. He said, "Lucky? Are you so happy just to have a vegetarian meal? Money, money, money, all you think about all day is money. When you have nothing to do, don't you read more books and learn more words? You're really short-sighted."
She talked to him about life, and he told her about his ideals. The two of them had very different values and didn't get along well.
Bao Nian opened her mouth to say something in rebuttal, but out of consideration for Liu Yugeng's reputation and fear of disturbing the Buddha's purity and incurring sin, she swallowed her anger. She lowered her eyes and compromised, saying, "I understand."
Liu Yugeng scolded Baonian, but he didn't seem to be very happy. Instead, he felt even more embarrassed.
He turned his head to see more and more students pouring into the temple, and was about to part ways with Bao Nian. "Alright, alright. I still have to go back to my room to study, so you can go back by yourself. I won't be home for the next few days until the exam. You can take the things you've prepared directly to the Imperial College."
Bao Nian was surprised. Why was he in such a hurry to leave? Did she upset him again? She tried to persuade him to stay, "Huh? You can't stay for half a day?"
Liu Yugeng, however, turned away and walked out, immediately distancing himself from his wife, and then shouted, "I won't keep you," and left.
As he passed through the temple gate, he brushed shoulders with Taishi Zheng and his group. Zheng suddenly looked up and saw Liu Yugeng, but Liu Yugeng, with his head held high and angrily, didn't see her. Zheng pointed in the direction Liu Yugeng had left and said in confusion, "Hey, isn't this that—"
Yi Zishi then asked, "Which one?"
Zheng shook her head. She thought it was probably because of the crowds, or maybe she had made a mistake. In any case, she had only seen Liu Yugeng once. "Nothing. Let Lao Wu and the others buy some incense and candles outside. Let's go in first."
Unexpectedly, when Zheng followed Yi Zi Shi and passed the bell tower at the door, she saw Bao Nian sitting alone under the ancient tree in the yard, looking lost.
Zheng didn't understand what was going on, so she just said goodbye to Yi Zi Shi.
"Sister Yi, please go to the main hall and wait for us to meet up. I saw someone I know and I want to talk to her. I'll come find you shortly after."
"Okay, then I'll go first." Yi Zi Shi responded and left.
Zheng exchanged a smile and walked towards the old tree. Winter had withered, its branches drooping, so the sight of Bao Nian sitting alone beneath it seemed a bit desolate, just like her current mood.
"Sister-in-law Bao Nian, are you here to burn incense too?"
Zheng walked forward briskly, her hands behind her back. Bao Nian looked up at the familiar voice and said, "Madam Zheng, why are you here?"
Zheng smiled, as bright as the sun. "I heard that Daxiangguo Temple is very popular, so I came here with a friend to burn incense. He is taking the exam this year, just like Senior Brother Liu, so I came here to pray for good luck."
Suddenly remembering the person she had just brushed past, Zheng said, "Ah, so the person I met at the door just now was Senior Brother Liu. But he left so quickly that I didn't recognize him. But... Sister Bao Nian, why aren't you two together?"
Bao Nian raised his head, quickly concealing the disappointment in his eyes, and smiled awkwardly, "Erlang, he's in a hurry to go back to the Imperial College to study. So he just left first. I have nothing to do, so I thought I'd sit here for a while."
Don't air your dirty laundry in public.
Bao Nian secretly suppressed Liu Yugeng's criticism of her.
She seemed accustomed to Liu Yugeng's demeaning and oppressive treatment. She even felt that...this kind of interaction was normal. There was no injustice at all, and since she didn't feel it, she wouldn't argue. As long as she could get by, she could endure it.
But how could Zheng understand what she was thinking?
Zheng just nodded and sat next to Bao Nian. She vaguely sensed a hint of reluctance in her voice, so she wanted to sit with her.
Gazing at the soaring eaves and pointed corners under the bright, sunny sky, listening to the monks' devout chanting, Zheng didn't ask what had happened. She just wanted to share some happy stories with Bao Nian, to encourage this dejected man to look forward. Zheng said, "Sister-in-law, the shop is all ready. I'd like to open it after the eighth day of the first lunar month. What do you think?"
Bao Nian's eyes flashed with joy. This was great news to her, but she was still humble when she spoke, "What opinions can I have? Of course, everything is up to you, my lady. I can come to the store anytime."
Zheng hummed, and seeing Bao Nian's eyes brighten from gloomy, she responded confidently: "Since there is no problem with sister-in-law, we will open after the eighth day of the new year--"
The two smiled at each other, and this time Bao Nian didn't force it.
Because life finally had hope, it was no longer gloomy and should no longer be filled with evil-minded people. She would be able to pull herself out of the passive situation, and everything was slowly getting better.
I have been looking forward to the beautiful spring days.
At that moment, Zheng suddenly withdrew her gaze, but her friend was waving from a distance. Zheng saw the light of the sky gently falling on them. Qi Jiami and Xia Buyu, holding their arms full of incense and candles, called out loudly: "Zheng, the things are bought. Come quickly——"
"Hey, here I come!" Zheng waved in response.
She stood up and said goodbye to Bao Nian after their brief encounter, "Sister-in-law, I'll be leaving first. See you at the noodle shop later."
Bao Nian also stood up and said softly, "Go."
The two parted ways. Zheng went to her friends and looked at the various incense sticks and candles they had bought. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Did you two buy out the stall outside?"
Upon hearing this, Xia Buyu complained to Qi Jiami, "It's all Qi Shiyi's fault. Zheng, she's a prince after all. Why does she just believe whatever the small vendors say? After all the deception, she's managed to buy up all the stalls. She's even dumber than me."
"Hey? Xia Laowu, stop scolding me here. Who are we coming here to burn incense for today? Isn't it for you? Burn more incense to the Bodhisattvas so that they can bless you. Is there anything wrong with that? Don't be ungrateful--" Qi Jiami was not willing to admit defeat. For every word he said to her, she would say ten words back to him.
But this time, Zheng stood on Qi Jiami's side and chimed in, "That's right, Old Five, stop complaining. We, the prince, were deceived so that our prayers would come true. Why don't you appreciate it? It really makes us, the prince, sad."
Qi Jiami nodded in approval.
Xia Buyu jumped up and said, "Thank you, ugh. Why should I thank you? She spent my money——"
"ah?"
Zheng turned around in confusion. Qi Jiami looked at Taishi Zheng and smiled, then casually pulled out a bag of honey fried dough sticks from her bosom and stuffed it into her arms, saying, "Not only that, I also used Lao Wu's money to buy a portion of honey fried dough sticks for each of us."
-
There was a commotion in front of the courtyard.
But once they approached the main hall and joined the Yizi poem, everyone consciously quieted down.
Look at Zheng and the others outside, at the incense burner, it took them ages to finish lighting the incense. Even so, they still gave most of the incense to the surrounding pilgrims. It would be hard to light the incense even if they were alone until sunset. Then they went into the hall and bowed three times, and several people knelt in a neat row.
They all look more pious than the other.
Zheng put her palms together, thinking about what to pray for. She felt that she couldn't make the same wish for all four of them, because that would be a waste of all the incense. Zheng lowered her eyes and prayed for the store to prosper and for her to get pregnant soon.
But who knew that the three people next to him were exactly the same, and even Xia Buyu himself thought the same way.
But seeing Xia Buyu kneeling on the other side with his eyes lowered, he thought that since the three of them were praying for him alone, there was no need to repeat themselves.
He just made a wish that he would never be beaten by his father again.
Who would have thought that after three bows, this group of people spent a long time... and no one made a wish to bless Xia Buyu to go to high school... But this wish was not effective after it was said, so the four of them stood up and looked at each other, each pinning their hopes on the other's prayers.
Thus, Xia Buyu's money was wasted, and he didn't even get to see the Buddha. The Buddha didn't even hear this prayer.
As for him, he can only wish for the best.
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