Chapter 63 The Immortal in the Hermitage (Part Six) "Great Immortal Gray" understood. ...
A short while later, a young nun brought in tea. Yu Qi gave her some money and specifically instructed her to prepare a separate lunch. The young nun hesitated with the money in her hand. Jiu Li remembered that the vegetarian meal they had eaten last time was prepared by a steward named Liao Yi, so she instructed her again: "Hey, I know that your Master Liao Yi is a good cook. You must ask her to cook this meal. I won't eat anything else's cooking."
The little nun said in a childish voice, "Amitabha, I am truly sorry, benefactor. Sister Liaoyi will not be cooking today; the three junior sisters in the kitchen will be cooking."
Disappointed, Jiu Li asked, "Why isn't she doing it today?"
“She cooked noodles for Sister Cilian in the middle of the night yesterday and took care of her for half the night. She is too tired to get up today and is still sleeping. Master said she can sleep for half a day longer.”
"When will she get up? I can wait, we're not hungry right now anyway."
The young nun added, "Even if she gets up, she probably won't have time to do it. In the afternoon, Master will send her to deliver vegetables to an old pilgrim's house. She should leave as soon as she gets up."
Jiuli smiled and said, "Your temple sells vegetables?"
The young nun put her hands together and smiled, "It's not for sale. Our temple has several vegetable gardens. When we can't finish eating them all, the abbot will distribute them to poor pilgrims whose families can't afford to eat much."
They can't even afford food, yet they still come to burn incense. It's true that only those who are desperate turn to Buddhism. Jiuli sighed, "Your abbot is truly compassionate."
"Of course, the abbot is a highly virtuous monk who upholds a kind heart and often helps the poor. Right now, the lotus roots in the pond in front of our door have grown, and people from the surrounding area come to dig them up, but she doesn't mind at all and even asks us to help dig them up."
It turned out that it wasn't a wild lotus pond at all. Jingzhen was truly a person of Buddhist nature; she painstakingly cultivated lotus roots, and though she couldn't eat them all herself, she didn't give them to wealthy worshippers, but instead distributed them to the poor. How much could those poor people afford for incense and candles? Clearly, there were wealthy worshippers like Old Madam Wei, but she didn't give them any, showing her aversion to currying favor. No wonder that even though the two of them had brought back a whole box of things, Jingzhen had only treated them with courtesy and hadn't been overly flattering.
Yu Qi sat leisurely in his chair, listening to her and the young nun talk about many things. It was nothing more than her coveting Master Liaoyi's excellent cooking skills. Besides, she wasn't really a person who enjoyed culinary pleasures. Today, she was just picking and choosing, using this as an excuse to find fault with him. Anyway, if she was unhappy, she would make sure he was unhappy too.
He understood perfectly, smiled, and took out three taels of silver, calling the young nun to come forward and take it. "Take this money and ask Master Liaoyi for his opinion first. If it's really difficult, then forget it."
The young nun held the money in her hand and secretly calculated that she had four or five taels of silver. Although there were many wealthy worshippers in the temple, they only added incense, candles, and lamp oil. With that extra money, the temple would naturally have to prepare a good vegetarian meal, but few people would spend so much money just for a vegetarian meal. Moreover, the meal didn't need to be a feast of delicacies. After deducting the kitchen expenses, the remaining money would not be small. This should be enough to satisfy her.
Since she always worked in the kitchen, and Liao Yi was in charge of the kitchen, she naturally had to curry favor with her. So she hurriedly took the silver and went to Liao Yi's room. Liao Yi was sleeping soundly when she was suddenly woken up. Annoyed, she picked up a pillow and threw it at the little nun, "You little devil, can't you see I'm sleeping?!"
The young nun quickly took out a few pieces of silver and showed them to her, "Senior sister, don't panic, look what this is?"
Liao Yi turned her head and looked, then quickly sat up. "Who gave it to me?"
“An uncle and nephew specifically requested the vegetarian dishes you cooked, so this is for you.”
Upon hearing this, Liao Yi perked up and all traces of drowsiness vanished. He hurriedly got up, dressed, and washed, put on his monk's hat, and rushed to the guest room in a hoarse voice. He greeted them twice at the door, put his palms together in greeting, and asked Jiu Li and the other person with a smile what they wanted to eat.
Jiuli was startled when she first saw her. There was a scar the size of half a fist on her left cheek, as if it had been burned. The scar was uneven, like a crumpled piece of cloth. The wrinkles made her left eye droop downwards, but her pupils were black and bright, making her look ferocious and strange. When she smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth, she looked even more terrifying, like the "Grey Immortal" in the deep mountains and forests that Aunt Feng had told her about before.
She couldn't help but shiver, stood up and took a step back. "Are you Master Liaoyi?"
“Amitabha, it is indeed this humble nun.” Liaoyi clasped her hands in greeting again and smiled, “I heard from my junior sister that the two benefactors specifically requested to eat the food I cooked? Since I did not know your tastes, I came to inquire.”
Yu Qi was right; money makes the world go round. The little nun said she was still sleeping, but she arrived so quickly.
Jiuli, not daring to look at her directly, avoided her gaze and gave an awkward smile. "I've had your fresh pickled lotus root slices and stir-fried dried bamboo shoots. I'll have those two." She then retreated to the chair at the head of the table and glanced at Yu Qi. "Uncle, what would you like to eat?"
Yu Qi said calmly, "I don't mind. Master, just do what you're good at."
Jiuli wasn't sure if she was mistaken, but it seemed that when Liaoyi saw Yuqi, she suddenly lowered her head, appearing somewhat timid and shy, as if she were embarrassed. She agreed and went out. Jiuli stared at her back, then turned to look at Yuqi, secretly annoyed that he was so handsome. If he were uglier, she might not have been so wicked!
Yu Qi noticed her staring at him and turned his face away. She immediately remembered that she had been angry with him, her expression changed, and she got up and sat back down at the octagonal table to have some tea.
He chuckled silently behind him, took a sip of tea, and said, "You got up too early this morning. There's a couch inside, why don't you go and relax for a while? They'll come to call you when the food is ready."
"I'm not sleepy." She sat with her back to the front, still feeling resentful. She deliberately brought up Wei Hong, "The other day, I had a vegetarian meal here with Old Madam Wei and Second Brother Wei. There was a dish of crispy lotus root on the table. You'll know once you've tasted it. It's even more delicious than the vegetarian dishes in a proper restaurant."
The more she did it on purpose, the less Yu Qi felt there was anything to be unhappy about. "Really? Whether something tastes good or not is subjective. If you like it and have something to eat, that's good enough."
Hearing his calm tone, Jiu Li felt even more annoyed. "I think Brother Wei is a very good person."
Just as Yu Qi was about to say something, Madam Gu returned with her maid and son. Passing by the door, she caught sight of Jiu Li and hurriedly came in to greet her. Upon hearing that her uncle had also arrived, she quickly greeted Yu Qi and expressed her gratitude. She then invited Yu Qi and Jiu Li to the next room to examine her child.
Yu Qi carefully examined the child's pulse and found nothing seriously wrong. However, the child had been weak since birth, and his spleen and stomach were somewhat weak. He first wrote out a prescription, saying, "I will bring the medicine tomorrow. While you are staying here, take it for two days and see. If there is any improvement, I will prescribe another prescription for you to take back to Changzhou to get it. Also, his stomach and intestines are still a bit weak. I'm afraid he has abdominal pain after meals. Being young, it's difficult for him to eat, so naturally he is weak. Yu'er didn't like to eat when he was little, and he's also a bit weak now. But that's alright. I brought acupuncture needles with me, so I'll give him a few more acupuncture treatments."
Upon hearing about his situation, Jiuli sat at the table and muttered, "If you're going to see a doctor, just say so. Why are you using me as an example?"
Yu Qi walked out from behind the screen and smiled, "You really can't compare to others. Others can't eat well because of their health, but you're just picky about what you eat."
Madam Gu clapped her hands and followed, saying, "That's right, I often have stomach aches! I've had acupuncture done by doctors in Changzhou a few times, but it hasn't been very effective."
Yu Qi laughed and said, "It's probably because the doctor inserted the needle into the wrong acupoint."
Madam Gu was overjoyed. The Gu family was a wealthy family and very generous. She ordered her maid to wrap up twenty taels of silver for Yu Qi and said, "If you feel better after being treated by the doctor, I will wrap up another twenty taels of silver to thank you. Please take good care of him for the sake of your old lady."
Since there was money to be made, Yu Qi naturally agreed. Madam Gu was still a little worried that he would be perfunctory and not come in person the next day, so she asked her maid to invite the nun in charge of the guest rooms. She reserved the room next door and said politely to Yu Qi, "Sir, you must be tired from traveling here. I will reserve the room for you. When you arrive tomorrow, you can have tea and a meal in the room. After my child has taken his medicine, you can give him acupuncture."
As they spoke, they walked out of the house together with Yu Qijiu and Jiuli, heading to the dining hall for their vegetarian meal.
Coincidentally, a woman was walking not far ahead of them. Judging from her slender figure, she seemed to be young, probably not even thirty. Her hair was piled up in a bun, adorned with gold and jade ornaments. She wore a long, bright pink brocade robe with floral patterns and a half-covered orange-yellow silk skirt. The colors were so vibrant that they could not be ignored. She was accompanied by two maids on either side, so she must be a wealthy lady.
Madam Gu, holding Jiu Li's arm, muttered quietly, "I have no respect for this person. He came yesterday with several boxes of incense and candles and stayed in the same guest room where you stayed last time. Just because he has some money, he bosses the nuns in the temple around like crazy, and he smashes plates and bowls if he doesn't get his way."
Jiuli was astonished. "Huh? Such a temper in front of gods and Buddhas?" After saying that, she remembered that she had also wanted to smash a teacup just now, and felt a little embarrassed.
"Yes, if she has a temper, she should just do it at home. Why does she have to put on airs in this peaceful Buddhist temple? She started cursing first thing in the morning because the breakfast the little nun brought her didn't suit her taste. She cursed so rudely and loudly that she woke up my son. That's why I took my son and the girls out for a walk. I couldn't be bothered to listen to her throwing a tantrum in the house."
As they spoke, they entered the dining hall. It was past noon, and only a few worshippers remained, all eating from the large bowls on the tables at the front. Their meals had been prepared separately, and the young nun was setting them on an octagonal table against the wall. The bright-eyed woman in front, probably having ordered her own food, assumed it was hers and headed straight for that table.
Upon reaching the food and realizing something was wrong, she grabbed the young nun carrying the dishes and shouted, "Where's my vegetarian roast goose?! You're ignoring me again! I added all that lamp oil to your temple, and you're just trying to fool me? Call your head nun here, I want to have a serious talk with her!"
The thin, small nun was almost pulled to the ground by her, and hurriedly and timidly explained, "This is not Grandma's food, Grandma's is on the table over there."
The bright-eyed woman turned her head and looked at the table. She didn't answer, but instead walked towards the table with a sly look. She stood in front of the table and carefully examined all the dishes. Seeing that there was nothing wrong, she sat down.
The two tables were a bit far apart, so they probably couldn't hear each other. Jiuli whispered to Madam Gu, "She really has quite the airs. I wonder which family's lady she is."
Madam Gu sneered, "Look at her, what kind of proper wife do you think she is? I think she's someone's concubine who has suddenly gained power and doesn't know how to show off."
Looking around, Jiuli thought to herself, "That makes sense. Look at what she's wearing and what she's carrying. She has the air of a smug little man who's gotten ahead. She doesn't look like a well-educated and knowledgeable young lady."
At that moment, "Grand Immortal Gray" personally brought over a bowl of eight-treasure tofu, went straight to the table, put it down, and asked with a smile, "Madam, did you enjoy your meal today?"
Madam Gu had been eating her cooking for days, and because she was also very generous, she had become increasingly familiar with her. She smiled and said, "I'm troubling Master Yi again. Master Yi is so young yet has such good skills. I think you were born in the wrong place. If you were born in the mortal world and opened a vegetarian restaurant, your business would definitely be booming."
When Jiuli heard her say that Yi was young, she couldn't help but stare at Yi's face closely. It was true. The half of her face that was not injured had no wrinkles at all. It was the face of a young woman in her early twenties. Moreover, upon closer inspection, that half of her face was also quite beautiful and charming. However, the beauty of one half combined with the ferocity of the other half made her look even more like a monster.
Jiuli was startled again as she looked at it, and quickly blinked her eyes. She smiled at her and said, "I would like to eat this dish of horse-head orchid and bamboo shoots again tomorrow. Please trouble Master to make it for us again tomorrow."
Liao Yi smiled, her eyes narrowed. "Will you come again tomorrow, young lady?"
Yu Qi is coming tomorrow to deliver medicine and acupuncture for Young Master Gu, and she naturally wanted to come along. Seeing that Yu Qi didn't say anything, she happily nodded, "Come!"
Although Yu Qi did not speak, he took out some silver and placed it on the table. When Madam Gu saw him take out money, she naturally refused, took the silver and told him to put it back, and said to him in a conciliatory manner, "Master, just do as you say, I will send a maid to bring you the money in a while."
Liao Yi nodded happily in agreement, when suddenly there was a loud crash. The brightly colored woman dropped a plate on the ground, and in a high-pitched, leisurely voice, she said to whoever it was, "This kind of plate is unworthy to be placed in front of me? I can't stand such ugly things! This afternoon, go to the market and buy some bowls and plates, and give them to the temple. Tell them that from now on, my meals will be served in the bowls and plates we buy. Don't give me these cheap, shoddy things anymore. Look at the little figures painted on them, with blue faces and fangs, they're terrifying!" As she spoke, she propped herself up on the table, dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, and said, "I'm not eating. You all sit down and eat."
It turned out she was talking to her two maids, but the barbs in her words seemed to be stabbing straight at Liao Yi. Liao Yi pouted but ignored her, only exchanging a few more polite and cheerful words with Jiu Li and the others before leaving.
After dinner, Jiuli and Yuqi returned home and rested for the night. The next morning, they got medicine, took acupuncture needles, and went to Qinglian Temple. It felt like there had been a light rain last night, and the weather was cooler today. There was a gentle breeze, and the sun wasn't so scorching. Jiuli sat in the carriage and looked at Yuqi, who wasn't as angry as he had been the day before.
Yu Qi swayed with the rhythm of the carriage, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Do you still hate me today?"
Despite saying she hated him, how could she truly hate him? Thinking about his words last night, though they seemed unreasonable, she understood they were all for her sake. However, she was ultimately spoiled; unable to satisfy one of her selfish desires, she still gave him a cold shoulder, saying, "I hate you!"
He leaned against the wall, lazily furrowing his brow, feigning difficulty: "What can we do? If someone else angered you, you could just give them a dose of poison to leave them half-dead and that would be enough to vent your anger. But I'm the head of the family. If something happens to me, who will you live on? If you think about it, then forget it. What is there that you can't forgive your uncle for?"
Jiuli's heart couldn't help but flutter. It was rare for him to say such tender words. His voice penetrated her ears, making her feel weak from the roots of her ears to her heart. She quickly covered her ears and said, "I don't want to hear your sweet talk!"
Yu Qi smiled and said nothing more.
After a while, she let go of his hand and looked at him with a mixture of grievance and hatred.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving at Qinglian Temple and entering Madam Gu's room, Guan Youjun and her maid were already sitting inside. Youjun was chatting and laughing with Madam Gu, and judging from her tone, she had come specifically to deliver tea to Madam Gu today. Madam Gu had just heard from her that Yu Qi was the doctor in charge of treating the epidemic in Nanjing, and a famous miracle doctor at that. She was overjoyed to have met such a divine being. Upon seeing the uncle and nephew standing at the door, she quickly got up to greet them, showing even more warmth and respect than yesterday.
Youjun slowly stood up and smiled, "This time, Madam, you can rest assured. With the Bodhisattva's blessing and the divine doctor's treatment, the young master's health will definitely improve."
After she finished speaking, she nodded to Yu Qi in greeting, and Yu Qi nodded back.
Jiuli glanced at the two of them, feeling uneasy, and handed several packets of medicine to Madam Gu, saying that she needed to go into her room to rest for a while.
Madam Gu took the medicine and said hurriedly, "Yes, yes, you all go and rest for a while. I'll have the maid prepare the medicine first. I've already made arrangements for lunch. We can slowly do the acupuncture for the child after lunch."
After having half a bowl of tea in the next room, the young nun came to check on Madam Gu, saying that the meal was ready. Madam Gu and Youjun then came to this room and called out, and everyone went to eat. Jiuli sat down and looked at the table full of dishes. There was no horse-head orchid salad with tender bamboo shoots, which she had ordered yesterday. The dishes looked very ordinary, and it was clear that they were not made with care. Madam Gu took a bite and also sensed that something was wrong. She was annoyed and sent a maid to the kitchen to call a young nun to ask her.
The young nun said, "Sister Liaoyi went out yesterday afternoon to deliver vegetables to the old worshippers and hasn't returned yet. We can't let you all wait for her to come back hungry, so we had to cook for you. Our skills are a bit lacking, so please forgive us. When Sister Liaoyi returns, we will definitely cook a good meal for you to make up for it."
None of them were the type to make things difficult, so they let it go. But then they heard someone else in the hall sneer, "They'll have to come back first."
Jiuli and the others couldn't help but look in the direction of the voice. It turned out to be the same bright and beautiful woman from yesterday. Today, she was even more glamorous than yesterday, wearing a silver-red dress and a peach-colored skirt, and her head was still full of pearls and jade. When she spoke, she proudly twisted her neck, and the jewels on her head shone directly into people's eyes.
Not only did Jiuli find her words unpleasant, but even Jingyue, who had just entered, couldn't stand them. She walked straight to her table and said, "How can you talk like that? Ever since you came to our temple, you've been finding fault all day long. Did you come here to worship Buddha or to cause trouble for us? If you don't like what you see here, then Amitabha, go somewhere else! There are plenty of temples in Nanjing, why insist on coming here?!"
The woman glanced at me with a half-smile and said, "It's none of your business. I can worship whichever temple's bodhisattva I want. Your abbot hasn't even said he's going to kick me out yet, so who gives you the right to speak?"
Jingyue was naturally unconvinced and put her hands on her hips. "Our abbot is as magnanimous as a Bodhisattva and won't hold it against you, but I'm not so easygoing and won't tolerate you causing trouble here! I don't care how much you've donated, you're moving out of the temple today!"
Just then, the nun Jingzhen came over, frowned, and said softly, "Jingyue, speak properly."
Jingyue rushed to her side and said, "Master, she's cursing Senior Sister Yi here!"
"A monk should have a broad mind and a calm temperament. You've wasted the last two months of studying the scriptures." Jingzhen finished her reprimand softly, glanced around the hall, and indeed saw Liaoyi was nowhere to be seen. She asked, "Where is Liaoyi?"
Jingyue said, "Didn't you send her to deliver vegetables to the Wu family yesterday? She hasn't come back yet. Old Madam Wu probably let her stay at home yesterday."
Jingzhen shook her head and sighed, "That's ridiculous. I clearly told her that there would be many pilgrims eating these days, and that she should go and come back early, but she's too playful."
Jiuli listened to them silently, but gradually felt strange. Yesterday, Master Liaoyi had clearly promised to prepare a meal for them today. Considering that she was a greedy person, she should not have broken her promise, even if Yu Qi or Madam Gu were generous. Besides, sending vegetables to people is not a big deal. Why would she stay away from them and not come back?
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Author's note: Thank you for reading.
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