It's better to rely on yourself than on God.
They set off at sunrise. Wen Ruoshiliuniang rode in a sedan chair and arrived at Yan'an Temple before dusk. She helped Shiliuniang climb dozens of stone steps. Looking up, she could see that there were still about a hundred steps to go before reaching the Hall of Heavenly Kings.
Since Shiliu Niang had difficulty walking, it was best to settle her down first. Wen Ruo persuaded her to stop, and went around by herself to donate some incense money and ask for a quiet guesthouse.
There were no visitors in the temple, only two gray-robed monks sweeping the floor. Some of the vacant guest rooms on both sides of the temple were rented out to candidates who were going to the capital for the imperial examinations.
Wen Ruo prepared vegetarian food in advance, filled two boxes, and brought them over. Following the direction pointed out by the monk, she walked along the bluestone steps for a while before arriving at the scholar's residence. After knocking on the door, she heard the creaking of a chair, and Zhang Tingjia quickly opened the door.
A cold wind blew in. There were two beds in the room, and books were placed on both sides of one of the beds, which were obviously Zhang Tingjia's.
The bed opposite was completely covered with books and paintings, some of them old and worn with curled edges, having been turned over countless times. They were now rustling loudly. Shiliu Niang was panting heavily, and Wen Ruo helped her sit on the edge of the bed.
Because of what had happened before, Zhang Tingjia seemed a little flustered. He took the box with a red face, not knowing where to put it, and then stared blankly at the edge of the box. The chilblains on the back of his hands were cracking.
Shiliu Niang looked at him with pity, nudging Wen Ruo's side with her elbow. Wen Ruo sighed, "Don't overthink it. The exam is the most important thing. After you get to high school, it's not too much to ask you for a small favor, is it?"
Zhang Tingjia nodded hurriedly, his thin lips parted, and white breath escaped from his mouth. "It's not an exaggeration. Miss Wen is beautiful and kind-hearted. I'm the one who's bewitched."
Pomegranate Mother was relieved. She looked her over and smiled, "Early winter is here. Would you like to come over for dinner on the Cold Clothes Festival? It's so quiet at home. The more people there are, the more lively it will be."
Zhang Tingjia then put down the box, pointed to the various colored sacrificial offerings and clothing in the basket under the table, and forced a smile, "I need to burn incense and chant scriptures to commemorate my deceased loved ones, so I won't bother you."
Hearing this, Shiliu Niang closed her eyes, unable to hold back her sadness. Seeing this, Wen Ruo quickly took off her bundle, handed it to him, and said:
“This is a small token of my mother’s affection. With this cotton-padded coat, you’ll be warmer through the winter. I bought too much charcoal for the house and have some left over. It would be a waste not to use it, so I brought it to you today.”
Zhang Tingjia hesitated, unsure of what to say. Wen Ruo glanced at the old books on the bed and suddenly smiled. "If you really feel bad about it, just pick some simple and easy-to-understand books for me. I'll take them with me when I leave, so it'll be a fair exchange."
Zhang Tingjia felt a surge of warmth in his heart, quickly lowered his head, and replied with a "Okay."
Seeing that he agreed, Shiliu's mother breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Wen Ruo. Wen Ruo gently patted her shoulder and smiled, "Mother, let's go and pray for the scholar tomorrow morning, hoping that he will pass the imperial examination and rise to prominence."
There was only one person in the main hall. The abbot, wearing an earth-yellow kasaya, was meditating and chanting sutras. The clear sound of the wooden fish echoed throughout the hall, and incense wafted from the altar. Wen Ruo approached and had no choice but to break the tranquility. "Greetings, Master. My daughter and mother have come to your temple to burn incense and pray for blessings, and to listen to the teachings of Zen. We need to trouble your temple for two days."
"Greetings, young friend. My Buddhist name is Wu Hui," the abbot slowly turned around, uttering a soft "Amitabha." "Master?" Wen Ruo was startled. "Was that the master in the hall yesterday?"
I hadn't looked closely before, but it's clear that someone who can tolerate Qi Guanlan must be kind-hearted and have a deep mind. The master's earlobes look very much like those of Buddha.
"It seems that I am quite destined to meet you, young friend. Your words in the hall still ring in my ears."
Wen Ruo was truly startled. Yan'an Temple was considered quite remote in the capital. They walked and stopped frequently, and by then the clouds on the horizon had turned red, almost at dusk. Xiangguo Temple was the one with the most flourishing incense offerings. The princess had actually sent Qi Guanlan here to cultivate in seclusion.
Shiliu Niang stepped heavily into the main hall, put down her cane, and knelt on the ground with a thud. Wen Ruo felt a pain in her knees upon hearing the sound. She quickly picked up a prayer mat and placed it in front of her, but Shiliu Niang stubbornly refused to lift it even a little bit. As if deliberately punishing herself, she closed her eyes and muttered incantations.
Wen Ruo set out offerings of fruit, lit three sticks of incense, clasped her hands in prayer, and immediately went to Master Wu Hui's side, asking softly, "Master, could you please enlighten my mother?"
Wu Hui shook his head, "Good thoughts lead to good results, let nature take its course, and save yourself."
Wen Ruo looked at the prayer mat. The ground was as smooth as a mirror, obviously swept by the monks. In such cold weather, kneeling on the icy floor for several hours would chill one to the bone, and she would have to lie down for a while when she got back.
Her brows furrowed involuntarily. What self-salvation? Her mother just couldn't get over it in her heart. If it dragged on any longer, her health would collapse.
Wen Ruo sighed softly. What could she do even if she couldn't stand it? She could only wait. A heart ailment needs a heart remedy, but unfortunately, that remedy was probably already gone.
Master Wu Hui suddenly said, "Young friend, you don't believe in Buddhism?"
The main hall is solemn and majestic. No matter which temple you go to, the Buddha is the one you see most often. He always has a smile on his face, looking down on all living beings. He is revered by the world. The most Zen-like stories you hear are about the Buddha, who smiled as he held up a flower.
As for the deeper meaning behind it...
Suddenly, a pungent aroma wafted into her nostrils. Wen Ruo looked up, clasped her hands together again, and murmured, "Forgive me, forgive me. I have no intention of being disrespectful, but I have some doubts."
Wen Ruo repented for a moment, then said without looking up, "Master, where did you get the saying 'It's better to rely on yourself than on gods'?"
Wu Hui laughed, “You are quite similar to young friend Qi. Every winter, a traveling doctor carrying a medicine bag will come to the villages around Yan’an Temple. His medical skills are superb. This doctor has a rather eccentric temper. Whether you can catch his eye depends on your luck.”
Wen Ruo felt a warmth in her heart. "Thank you, Master. You are indeed compassionate."
The pattering raindrops pattered against the roof and windowsill. As dawn broke, she groggily opened her eyes. The cold night wind, carrying raindrops, seeped into the bed through the worn window paper, along with the mattress beneath her. Half-asleep, she felt enveloped in a mist.
The painful murmurs were so close, and Wen Ruo got up to add fuel to the fire, her mind also preoccupied with the wandering doctor. She didn't sleep well all night. She sat up and rubbed her arms vigorously. The gloomy weather today clearly indicated it wasn't a good day.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating. After having breakfast, she told Pomegranate's mother, picked up a bamboo broom, and quickly swept away the withered branches and fallen leaves on the stone slabs at the temple entrance.
Looking down the steps, the winter rain had soaked the area overnight, leaving two dirt paths. Walking between them would likely result in catching a cold.
Another neighing sound rang out. Wen Ruo raised an eyebrow, thinking that the sound last night was an illusion. It turned out that there really were horses in the stable. She hadn't encountered anyone yesterday and thought that they were the only pilgrims on their way.
She picked up the broom and returned to the main hall. Besides Shiliu Niang and the abbot, there was a tall, upright man in the hall, who seemed to be preparing to leave.
That won't do.
Wen Ruo ran to the door, rubbed the mud off her shoes, and complained while lifting her skirt, "Most of the roads at the mountain gate are muddy. Mother, I'm afraid we won't be able to walk there today. Based on my experience of more than ten years, I'm afraid there will be heavy rain today."
After saying that, he turned around and kindly said, "Uncle, if you leave now, you'll probably get soaked halfway there."
Shi Liu Niang put her index finger to her lips, signaling her to shut up, and then bowed shyly, saying, "My daughter is young and ignorant, please forgive her for her rudeness, General Gu."
"General Gu of the Thousand Feather Camp?" Wen Ruo covered her mouth, her round eyes filled with disbelief. She turned to look at Shi Liu Niang, who nodded silently.
“She’s right, General. Why don’t we stay another night? I’m not going anywhere.” Qi Guanlan stood at the door, looking at her with a leisurely air. “We really are destined to meet.”
Even a tragic relationship is still a relationship, Wen Ruo thought to herself, rolling her eyes. After a moment of internal monologue, she turned around with a smile and asked, "Young Master Qi, why are you with General Gu? Did you go to the Thousand Feather Camp?"
Her gaze swept over the two of them, and she suddenly snapped her fingers. "Young Master must have run away without saying a word. The Thousand Feather Camp has always been known for its strict military discipline, but I didn't expect General Gu to personally take action."
Wen Ruo lowered her head slightly, bowed, and said softly, "I have long admired General Gu's name. It is my great honor to meet you today."
Qi Guanlan's smile instantly shifted to Gu Yu's resolute face as he looked at Wu Hui, "You're right, the little girl is quite intelligent."
"Thank you for the compliment, General. I'm just a bit of a blind cat who stumbled upon a dead mouse." Wen Ruo smiled happily. Qi Guanlan looked displeased and crossed his arms, saying intimidatingly, "Who are you calling a dead mouse?"
Gu Yu glanced at him, and Qi Guanlan instantly stood up straight. Wen Ruo secretly suppressed a smile; she had heard that once someone was in General Gu's hands, even a tiger had to lie down, and it seemed that was indeed the case.
She had heard of General Gu's name; he was said to have a blue face and fangs, a man who could make children cry. While the truth was not quite that exaggerated, he seemed to be someone who couldn't tolerate any injustice.
"Miss Wen, are you sure it will rain today?"
General Gu asked, "Who dares to boast?" Wen Ruo hesitated for a moment. She had originally planned to trick the uncle into staying and renting his horse for a day, but who knew he was a general.
However, the general's horse is certainly less afraid of mud. In a daze, Wen Ruo felt a pain in her shoulder, frowned and glared at the culprit. Qi Guanlan coughed and exaggeratedly gave a thumbs up, "It's one thing to be good at seeing people, but I didn't expect you could also see the sky."
Wen Ruo's once lively and cheerful face instantly became listless, and she looked at him with a half-crying expression. Qi Guanlan awkwardly withdrew his hand, "As expected of my good friend."
As soon as the force on her shoulder subsided, Wen Ruo immediately hid beside Shi Liu Niang, keeping a distance of about ten feet from him, before replying to the general, "I was just standing at the door when I saw a large patch of dark clouds slowly approaching from the east, which is why I said that."
Gu Yu's eyes flickered slightly, and his expression turned serious as he looked at Qi Guanlan. Qi Guanlan sensed something was wrong. "It's going to rain, so don't blame me. We've been traveling all night. What if I slipped and fell on the slippery roads in the rain? Doesn't the general care about his beloved horse that has followed him for so many years? It's not worth it to punish me like this."
It really is a tragic fate. How can I borrow a horse after he said that? Wen Ruo secretly glared at him, her eyes gradually darkening. Her throat felt like it was blocked with cotton, her lips parted slightly but no sound came out. Her lowered eyelashes fluttered a few times, concealing the expectation in her eyes.
She acted impulsively just now. It's obvious that a general would lend his BMW to an ordinary person.
Gu Yu: "Young lady, you might as well speak your mind."
Her tone was gentler than she had imagined, which emboldened Wen Ruo. She thought it might be worth a try. After a moment's hesitation, the words she usually said against her will were too hot to swallow now, so she could only bite the bullet and say, "I would like to borrow a horse to travel around the surrounding villages. I would like to ask the itinerant doctor to be my mother."
Before he could finish speaking, Shiliu Niang stopped him, saying, "The general has military duties to attend to, don't listen to her nonsense."
Gu Yu remained calm, clearly not intending to hold a grudge against the young girl, but he still shook his head and refused her request.
Wen Ruo lowered her head and said softly, "I apologize, it was Wen Ruo who overstepped her bounds. Please forgive me, General."
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