"That day, the master himself said..." Xin Jiuwei deliberately imitated his aloof tone, "'If it's a lie, why bother to cover it up?'"
"Quick-tongued," Jueming said, picking up the scroll of the Heart Sutra. "Well copied, but lacking sincerity."
Xin Jiuwei retorted, "How does the master know I'm not sincere?"
"A person who sincerely worships the Buddha," Jueming slowly unfolded the scripture, "would not draw a little turtle next to 'no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind.'"
Xin Jiuwei blushed instantly—she had indeed unintentionally drawn a small turtle in the footer of the page while she was distracted while copying the scriptures.
"I...that was..."
"It's alright." Jueming closed the scroll, surprisingly not pursuing the matter further. "More than that, I'd like to know..."
Seemingly to get a better look at her expression, he leaned down slightly. "How long do you intend to use my name?"
"Use...use it until the master retracts his claim of Buddhist affinity." Xin Jiuwei tried to remain calm, but couldn't control the slight tremor in her voice at the end.
Jueming straightened up, a flicker of emotion she couldn't decipher passing through his eyes: "That will probably take a long time."
The mountain wind suddenly became noisy, blowing the stray hairs on Xin Jiuwei's forehead into disarray.
She instinctively reached out to brush it away, but Jueming raised his hand first, then stopped just before touching it, instead picking up a bamboo leaf that had fallen on her shoulder.
"Falling leaves herald autumn." His tone returned to its usual indifference, as if the intimacy just moments before had never occurred.
Xin Jiuwei's heart pounded like a drum, and she hurriedly took a step back: "If Master has no other instructions..."
"Seven days later," Jueming suddenly said, "Bring the remaining half of the antidote."
Xin Jiuwei's heart tightened: "Why?"
"Because," Jueming turned to look at the distant mountains, his back to him a solitary figure, "someone is coming."
After Xin Jiuwei left, a dark figure appeared silently outside the pavilion.
"Your Highness, I just received a message by carrier pigeon." Liu Ya knelt on one knee. "The Second Prince's troops have arrived in Qingzhou and will reach Yingzhou in ten days at the latest."
Xiao Xun's lips curled slightly as he tucked the scroll into his sleeve: "Prepare the horses; we'll return to Chongwu Mountain tomorrow."
"Your Highness wants to..."
"Since Xin Jiuwei likes to use my name," a deeper meaning flashed in Xiao Xun's eyes, "why not confirm this 'Buddhist affinity'?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
