Chapter 219 The One Who Harms Women's Needlework (Happy Dragon Boat Festival!)
With the arrival of the summer solstice, the days are long and the nights are long, and the sun is at its strongest in the morning.
Halfway up Dagushan Mountain, two people were resting in the Zhemu Pavilion, seemingly visitors who had come to burn incense.
"Does Liu Lang truly admire this woman?"
The person who spoke at this moment was one of the men carrying a box on his back. He calmly turned to another young man in a sword-clothes and asked.
Wei Shaoxuan, fanning himself with a folding fan, dressed in a snow-white sword robe, exuding the air of a wealthy young master, gazed at the scenery on the west bank of Butterfly Creek below the mountain. Suddenly, he turned and asked:
"Does Godfather think this is inappropriate?"
Qiu Qi nodded and said, "Her family doesn't seem to give Liu Lang any face."
Wei Shaoxuan, who had just been turned down an invitation not long ago, shook his head and sighed:
"Godfather, you can't say that. After all, their family's plight was indirectly caused by our Wei family. It's only natural that they are polite and wary of us."
Wei Shaoxuan smiled, his slightly effeminate peach blossom eyes narrowing:
"Besides, we've only known each other for a short time, and it would be too presumptuous of me to invite Li Jia Da Lang and Li Xiao Niang Zi to burn incense at this temple."
Qiu Qi crossed his arms and glanced sideways at the smiling young man, as if asking, "Knowing you're being turned away, why did you still go to eat there?"
Wei Shaoxuan laughed:
"Father, you don't understand. If this were on the battlefield, it would be called feigning weakness to the enemy. Wouldn't it be good if people thought I was a naive and easily fooled young master of the Wei family? In the fictional stories in Luoyang teahouses, it would be called playing dumb to fool the enemy."
Qiu Qi shook his head, seemingly not understanding this kind of fun.
After a moment of silence, the man carrying the box said calmly, "Sixth Brother doesn't seem like the type to be fond of women."
Wei Shaoxuan paused in his enthusiastic speech, his expression softening, and sighed:
"The main thing is that she looks so much like her, but even more stunning." He paused, then turned to gaze down the mountain, muttering in a daze, "They're just too similar..."
Qiu Qi frowned, a rare sight for him, and rebuked, "Absurd!"
Wei Shaoxuan immediately stopped speaking, not continuing, and with a slight twitch of his lips, said indifferently:
"I only told my godfather about this."
Wei Shaoxuan looked down at the ground.
Qiu Qi remained silent for a moment, then glanced at the fierce mountain wind outside the pavilion.
The man carrying the box suddenly changed his position, turning his back to the outside of the pavilion as if shielding himself from something. He then turned to the young man in swordsmanship inside the pavilion and spoke succinctly:
"It's normal for young people to be impetuous, have complicated thoughts, and have some sordid desires, but don't let them interfere with important matters."
"Furthermore, do not let anyone but me know about these thoughts, understand?"
Qiu Qi's expression was unusually serious. It's no wonder he was so serious, after all, even emperors have to consider the basic principles of human relations. Although for someone of Xianbei origin like him, this transgression was nothing.
"Don't worry, godfather, I only think about it normally. I know how to speak and act appropriately."
Wei Shaoxuan suddenly raised his face, revealing three pearly white teeth in a smile:
"It's just that I accidentally dragged my godfather into this mess. The Su family has been negligent these past two days and offended my godfather. I hope that my godfather will be magnanimous and forgiving, after all... we don't have many days left."
Qiu Qi glanced at him.
Wei Shaoxuan asked with a strange expression:
"Does my godfather still think I'm going to protect her entire family?"
He shook his head:
"A sword and a beautiful woman, who doesn't love them? As for the rest, why bother with so many other things? If you can leave cleanly and easily, why bring a whole family as a burden?"
Wei Shaoxuan smiled sheepishly, gently waved his folding fan, and walked to the pavilion. He squinted at the scenery below the mountain, as if recalling the scene from that morning when he went to the Su residence to warmly invite the "Su siblings" but was rejected and never saw them.
Wei Shaoxuan sighed:
"Godfather, what do you think about making a small change to the script we agreed on before, and adding a hero rescuing a damsel in distress?"
Qiu Qi nodded slightly: "Alright. The King of Wei's orders and your personal desires will not interfere with each other."
Wei Shaoxuan laughed heartily:
“Come on, Godfather, let’s continue up the mountain.”
A short while later, Wei Shaoxuan and Qiu Qi left the Zhemu Pavilion and headed to Donglin Temple on the mountain together.
It seems that Donglin Temple is holding some kind of temple fair today. Along the way, there are a continuous stream of devout men and women, pilgrims and lay Buddhists.
Arriving at the crowded square outside the main hall, Wei Shaoxuan looked around at the worshippers with great curiosity.
Qiu Qi suddenly said, "As expected of Donglin Temple, the ancestral temple of the Lotus Pure Land School, the incense is so strong."
"Has Godfather discovered something?"
Wei Shaoxuan turned his head and looked at Qiu Qi.
Unlike him, who was observing the bustling crowds around him, Qiu Qi crossed his arms, looked up, and stared coldly at the blue sky above.
It seems that one can see something ethereal and invisible to the naked eye.
"It's nothing."
Qiu Qi shook his head, somewhat wistfully:
"It's a place full of vigor."
"This mountain is naturally blessed with good feng shui, and the location where this temple was built was also guided by a master to suppress the earth's veins, making it a natural treasure land for gathering energy."
"It is another famous temple in Jiangnan, with a large number of incense burners. The incense has been burning continuously for many years, which is why it can have such a magnificent scene."
"Upstream, Yunmeng Marsh is inherently domineering in its ability to draw in moisture from all directions, like a greedy glutton. Downstream, where yin prevails over yang, this mountain and this temple should be one of only two treasure troves for gathering qi. The other is on another mountain on the west bank of Butterfly Creek, which is also the place where that sword furnace was built..."
Qiu Qi nodded and said calmly:
"I have heard that this county is prone to floods. Besides the unpredictable nature of Yunmengze, it may also be due to the fact that it has been drained and dragged down by these two mountains. The mountains and the valleys are in accordance with the principle of yin and yang."
"It's a pity that the Donglin Temple of the Lotus Sect has lost its lineage of incense offerings. This rich incense smoke has nowhere to go, which should have been able to nurture a high-level Qi cultivator."
Upon hearing the words "superior-grade Qi cultivator," Wei Shaoxuan immediately fell silent, his attitude becoming much more serious.
He looked around, his expression no longer as flippant as when he first entered the temple, and lowered his voice to ask:
"This place is auspicious; may my godfather take it over for his own use?"
Qiu Qi shook his head:
“Different paths lead to different destinations. The lineages are different, the Qi cultivation techniques are also different, and the Qi that each person is drawn to is also different. Moreover, there may be a ‘fence’ set up by a master who once built a temple here. I am not fortunate enough to enjoy it, and neither is Liu Lang.”
With just one sentence, Wei Shaoxuan's thoughts were immediately extinguished.
Qiu Qi nodded again: "However, we can use the strong incense smoke to cover up some noise and save the need to use amulets."
The man carrying the box looked south down the mountain, towards the direction of Yunmeng Marsh: "Everything here is good, except it's a bit too close to there."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shaoxuan glanced at the wooden sword box that his adoptive father always carried on his back.
This is an item used for warding off evil spirits.
Besides the effects of the Hidden Sword.
It can also be used to hide people.
It gathers the energy of all things.
Wei Shaoxuan quietly withdrew his gaze, sighing with regret:
"It's such a pity. Otherwise, with swords, qi, and beauties all appearing, this place would truly be a blessed land for me, Wei Shaoxuan, a place where I can rise to prominence."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Qi coldly reprimanded him:
"Good fortune and misfortune are intertwined; one cannot have all good things. I advise Liu Lang not to harbor such thoughts and to act with caution."
"Yes, Godfather, I have learned a lot."
Wei Shaoxuan was filled with respect and nodded earnestly.
Seeing that he seemed to have remembered it well, Qiu Qi nodded slightly. Their relationship was that of both father and teacher.
Afterwards, Wei Shaoxuan and Qiu Qi went straight to the main hall.
Inside the hall, Wei Shaoxuan casually donated a large sum of money for incense offerings, then turned and exchanged a few words with the surprised-looking monk, casually mentioning a name.
The monk in charge of receiving guests bowed his head and flipped through the register, then respectfully asked with one palm facing forward:
"Are you a distinguished guest invited by Benefactor Li Li? Please follow me inside."
After resting for a while, the two were led by the guest monk out of the back door of the main hall, through a winding corridor, and finally arrived at a quiet bamboo forest.
Amidst the verdant bamboo grove, one can vaguely see several green-tiled eaves.
Several white-walled, black-tiled houses stand there, exuding a Zen-like atmosphere.
"This is the place. Please come in, gentlemen. I'll go and pour you some tea."
The monk who was in charge of receiving guests led Wei Shaoxuan and his companion to one of the elegant houses, then took his leave.
Looking around, I saw two people already sitting at the tea table in the hut, waiting with serious expressions.
They were a Persian merchant with a mustache and a sickly-looking young man in brocade robes.
It was Li Li and Liu Zi'an.
Upon seeing their guests finally arrive, the two quickly got up and swept the bed to welcome them.
Wei Shaoxuan and Qiu Qi glanced sideways at Liu Zian, then calmly walked past him, took off their shoes, and went inside.
The way they looked up in such perfect unison clearly indicated that they had made a secret agreement to meet here today for a private discussion.
After Boss Li introduced him, Liu Zi'an smiled at Wei Shaoxuan, his face showing a great sense of relief, and respectfully cupped his hands in greeting:
"Young Master Wei, you've finally arrived! I've been eagerly awaiting your arrival since noon."
Wei Shaoxuan chuckled and asked in return, "Does this young master have a habit of arriving early?"
Liu Zian: ...
He turned and met Boss Li's gaze, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly.
Wei Shaoxuan walked to the main seat at the table, sat down directly, picked up the kettle, and was about to pour tea when Liu Zian took it first and fawned over him, pouring tea for him.
Wei Shaoxuan released the pot and looked up at him.
"Young Master Wei," Liu Zian began to speak.
"Amitabha."
At this moment, an old monk with a white beard wearing a black robe slowly walked in from outside, followed by a guest monk serving tea and water.
"I'm sorry I'm late." Master Shandao's face showed some apology.
Liu Zian frowned slightly, "Master, please go ahead and get busy..."
Master Shandao, who had arrived uninvited, seemed not to have heard anything. The white-bearded old monk glanced at the effeminate young man with peach blossom eyes who was calmly drinking tea. Out of the corner of his eye, the guest monk beside him also nodded slightly, indicating that this person was the devout benefactor who had casually donated a large sum of money for fireworks.
As for the man carrying a box who seemed to be Wei Shaoxuan's attendant, he kept giving him strange looks for some reason. Master Shandao didn't pay any attention to him. He clasped his hands together with his luggage towards Wei Shaoxuan, smiled slightly, and said apologetically:
"You are a devout follower of Buddhism and have come from afar. I am truly sorry that I have failed to greet you properly."
"Alas, I was receiving guests in the main hall when a young friend, a friend of mine despite our age difference, suddenly came to the temple. I saw that he looked worried and confused, as if he was confused about the direction of his life. Following the principle of the Buddha's compassion and constant guidance, I chatted with him for a while and gave him some advice."
"He must have seen the light by now. He's even planning to stay at our temple for a few days and relax at the Pure Land Palace... This has caused me some delay."
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Master Shandao looked around and smiled kindly:
"You all look like people with a connection to Buddhism, so this old monk had no choice but to come."
Wei Shaoxuan turned his head and looked at the current abbot of Donglin Temple with great interest, after all, he had just been talking to someone about how extraordinary the temple was.
According to his godfather, who was knowledgeable and knew many secrets, this temple was a blessed place, but for some reason, the original lineage of Qi practitioners had been severed.
Wei Shaoxuan suddenly laughed and clapped his hands: "It's alright, Master, saving people is the most important thing. Please come in and sit down."
Liu Zian, who was looking impatient, was taken aback and hesitated before speaking.
Master Shandao stared intently, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes: "Hmm, I hope I haven't disturbed your important business?"
Liu Zian: ...
Wei Shaoxuan sipped his tea and smiled, "No rush. Master, please speak first."
Master Shandao nodded slightly, stepped forward and sat down without any ceremony, straightened his black kasaya, and adopted an air of otherworldly elegance. He clasped his hands together in prayer.
"Amitabha Buddha, judging from your appearance, will you be prone to romantic entanglements recently?"
"Oh, so accurate?"
Master Shandao smiled and said, "Does the benefactor wish to draw a divination stick? Our temple's divination sticks for marriage are always extremely accurate, and many people fulfill their vows."
Wei Shaoxuan smiled and said, "Then I'll have one. To give the master face, I'll sign it. I'll donate another five hundred taels to fulfill my vow another day."
Master Shandao was secretly pleased and immediately took out a tube of divination sticks from his robe sleeve and handed it out familiarly.
This practiced movement made Wei Shaoxuan raise an eyebrow slightly, lower his eyes to take it, and with a light shake, a bamboo skewer flew out.
Everyone looked over and saw six characters engraved on the bamboo stick:
I have met the wrong person.
Master Shandao blushed.
The meaning is so simple that he doesn't even need to interpret it flexibly; it's undoubtedly the worst possible outcome.
The white-bearded old monk quickly straightened his expression and spoke in a very serious tone:
"You may not know this, but in our small temple, the first fortune slip usually doesn't count. Please have another one."
As he spoke, he quickly reached out, grabbed the bamboo skewer from the ground, and tossed it into his sleeve.
Wei Shaoxuan glanced at the solemn old monk, nodded slightly, and shook the divination tube again, sending a bamboo stick flying out.
The group looked closely again, and this time, there were even fewer words on the bamboo sticks, only five.
"Is this what harms women's needlework?"
Boss Li frowned as he read it aloud, noticing the sudden silence in the room. He asked in confusion, "What's the meaning?"
Liu Zian, being somewhat learned, lowered his voice and said:
"The so-called 'needlework' refers to those who weave and embroider silk garments, but they are not the ones who wear them. Because needlework is so arduous, and they are always busy working without being able to enjoy the finished product, they lament its lack..."
"Isn't this just doing someone else's work for them? If it's a marriage fortune slip, it's just playing matchmaker for others..."
Boss Li paused, his eyes glancing over.
Wei Shaoxuan's face immediately hardened.
What kind of unlucky marriage fortune slip is this?
"Well... that can't be interpreted that way either. Who says that a woman who does needlework can't wear silk robes in the end? Aren't there many young women who do needlework themselves and make their own wedding dresses? ... You've won the lottery, benefactor, at least you've won the lottery!"
Liu Zian pursed his lips and muttered, "It's understandable that a woman would win the lottery, but what about a man? Why would he weave a wedding dress for himself?"
When someone exposed his mistake, Master Shandao's expression changed slightly. He suddenly turned to the guest monk and asked with a puzzled look, "Xiuse, what did you just say? That Xiufa knocked over the incense burner in the Arhat Hall again?"
The guest monk looked completely bewildered. Master Shandao turned to the crowd and said apologetically, "Amitabha, there is an urgent matter at the temple. This old monk must take his leave now. Please continue your conversation. I will not disturb you any longer..."
The white-bearded old monk swiftly picked up the fortune-telling stick bucket that had always been a surefire way to earn incense offerings, lifted the long hem of his robe, and strode out the door, his bald head never looking back.
Inside the hut, everyone's lips twitched, and they remained silent.
Junzi has been featured on the big cover! Welcome to all the new brothers (jumping up or 2). By the way, brothers who like Junzi's writing style can also check out Xiao Rong's old Xianxia novel, "I Have a Sword Immortal Wife." You might like it too; lots of water, cough cough.
(End of this chapter)
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