Chapter 119: Returning home at dusk with incense and talking about Zen, protecting the original intention under the lamp
The setting sun dyed the moat's water a honey-colored hue, its shimmering ripples gently swaying with the current, like a sprinkling of gold scattered across the surface. The weeping willows along the shore drooped in the evening breeze, their branches sweeping across the water, stirring tiny ripples. Flocks of returning birds soared across the sky, the rustle of their wings mingling with the chorus of stringed instruments from a distant restaurant, slowly spreading through the twilight.
The carriage wheels churned across the bluestone pavement, making a soft, clattering sound. As they neared the Fang residence, they gradually slowed down. Xiaoyanzi had long been peeping out the window, her nose almost touching the cold glass, her eyes sparkling. She saw Ziwei, standing on tiptoe, peering out from the vermilion lacquered gate of the Fang residence. The evening breeze lifted a corner of her aquamarine skirt, like a delicate lotus leaf. The silver tassels at her temples tinkled and swayed gently with her movements. Beside her, the maid Chuntao held a sheep-horn lantern, its light casting a small, warm circle at her feet.
"I'm back!" Little Swallow, clutching the hem of her skirt, leaped down without waiting for the carriage to stop. The toes of her shoes tapped lightly on the slate, stirring up a cloud of fine dust. In her hand, she held a plain cloth parcel high in her hand. The bandage was loosely tied, and the sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers drifted out on the wind, attracting the big yellow dog by the door, wagging its tail and panting with its tongue hanging out.
Ziwei hurried over, reaching out to hold her ankle steady as she nearly twisted it. Her fingertips felt the warmth of her palm, still slightly damp with sweat. "Run slower, be careful not to fall." Her gaze fell on the package, her eyes curved into crescents, and the corners of her mouth dimpled slightly. "It must be the osmanthus cakes from the temple, right? I was telling you this morning that the osmanthus cakes we had in Jiangnan always had a homely aroma."
"That's right!" Xiaoyanzi stuffed the package into Ziwei's arms, rubbing her ankles and sticking out her tongue. A few bodhi leaves were stuck in the folds of her skirt. "The abbot said this was made by the new master in the temple. He put candied osmanthus and southern almonds in it, and he specifically asked me to bring it back to you while it's still hot. Smell it. Isn't the fragrance fresher than the ones from the south of the Yangtze River?"
As she spoke, she saw Xiao Jian approaching from the other end of the corridor. Her brother, wearing a dark-patterned gown with light gray ink stains on the cuffs, had clearly just been practicing calligraphy in his study, his fingertips still clutching a half-eaten piece of Fuling Cake. He walked over to his sister, naturally taking the lilac-colored cape that had slipped from her shoulders. His fingertips gently brushed away the scattered leaves from her hair, his movements familiar and gentle. "You've been having a lot of fun. Look at your messy hair. You look like a little monkey who just robbed a bird's nest from a tree."
"It's not a little monkey!" Xiaoyanzi reached out and brushed the fallen leaves from her hair. She pulled the peach wood wooden fish pendant from her sleeve pocket and waved it in front of Xiao Jian's eyes. The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the patterns on the pendant, casting tiny specks of light on the back of his hand. "Look at this one, given to me by the abbot. He said it's soothing. The patterns on this wooden fish are so beautiful. Don't they resemble the ripples on the river in our Jiangnan hometown? When it rains, the water ripples in circles like this."
Xiao Jian took the pendant and examined it carefully. The peach wood had been rubbed until it was as smooth as jade. The wooden fish pattern on it was deep and shallow, and the edges were polished to a smooth and seamless state. It truly exuded a sense of tranquility. When he looked up, he met his sister's sparkling eyes. There was less of the panic she had in the past when she mentioned the palace, and more of a steady warmth, like the surface of a lake brushed by the evening breeze, clear and calm. "What did the abbot say to you in secret? You look like you've received some true teachings."
"They say you should sweep the floor in the direction of the wind. If you rush, you won't be able to sweep all the fallen leaves." Little Swallow pulled Ziwei into the courtyard. The pomegranate trees on both sides of the stone path were full of fruits that looked like red lanterns. Some of the ripe fruits had cracked open, revealing the plump seeds inside. The evening breeze blew, and the leaves rustled. Occasionally, ripe pomegranate seeds fell to the ground and were picked up by the passing maids and put into their pockets. "They also say that when you ring the bell, you should think about peaceful things. If your mind is not calm, the bell will sound drifting. Big brother, don't you think this is true? It's like when you practice swordsmanship. If your mind is disturbed, it's easy to reveal flaws."
Xiao Jian watched her bouncing back, her skirt sweeping across the pomegranate tree, lifting a few dead leaves. A smile spread from his eyes, like a spring illuminated by moonlight. He turned to the driver behind him and ordered, "Send the plain noodles and the Diamond Sutra from the temple to the study. Have the kitchen heat up the plain noodles and add two spoonfuls of sesame oil." The driver responded, and he hurried to catch up. Just as he reached the hanging flower gate, he heard Ziwei's gentle voice: "What were you thinking about when you rang the bell?"
"I miss you." Xiaoyanzi's voice was crisp, with a hint of slyness in it. She suddenly stopped, turned around, and held Ziwei's hand. Her palm was warm, with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus cakes, and her fingertips gently pinched Ziwei's fingers. "If you miss me, ring the first bell to ensure that you won't encounter any scammers on the road. Ring the second bell to ensure that your search for your relatives goes smoothly. Ring the third bell to ensure that we can always be like this now, eating osmanthus cakes and watching the moon together." She looked into Ziwei's eyes, as serious as if she were making a vow, "Ziwei, no matter where you go in the future, whether it's at the Fang Mansion or... somewhere else, I will be with you."
Ziwei's heart suddenly warmed, and her eyes instantly reddened. She clasped Xiaoyanzi's hand tightly, her fingertips so tight that the cloth wrapping the sweet-scented osmanthus cake wrinkled. She choked back a little, swallowing a sob. "With you here, I'm not afraid of anything. Even...even if I really end up in that deep palace, as long as you're by my side, I won't be afraid."
As the dusk thickened, maids carried a variety of lanterns through the corridors, some hexagonal, some round. Their orange glow cast flickering spots of light on the green bricks, like a scattering of dancing sparks. Little Swallow led Ziwei into the study in the west wing. As soon as they pushed open the bamboo door, they were greeted by the sweet aroma of lotus seed soup. Dinner was already set on the table, still steaming from a celadon bowl, sprinkled with a few bright-red goji berries. Next to it, on a white porcelain plate, lay slices of honeydew melon, translucent and shimmering, with water dripping down the flesh. There was also a dish of freshly baked plum blossom pastries, their crust layered like real plum petals.
"Try this osmanthus pastry." Xiaoyanzi unwrapped the plain cloth package, revealing twelve neatly stacked square pastries, their surfaces sprinkled with golden osmanthus petals. She held one out to Ziwei's lips, then took one herself. The sweet fragrance instantly spread across her tongue, tinged with a hint of sandalwood. The crumbs of pastry clung to the corners of her mouth, like a touch of gold dust. "How's it? Is it sweeter than the ones we make back home? The abbot said these osmanthus flowers are grown in the temple's backyard, picked in the early morning dew, so they're especially fragrant."
Ziwei took a small nibble, savoring it carefully. The sweetness of osmanthus, the fragrance of almonds, and the smoothness of honey slowly melted on her tongue, truly carrying a refreshing Zen feeling. She raised her hand to wipe the crumbs from the corner of Xiaoyanzi's mouth, and gently touched her cheek with her fingertips. "It's sweet and refreshing, with a hint of sandalwood. It's like the tranquility of the temple has been kneaded into the pastry." She put the pastry down and her eyes fell on the blue cloth-covered book "A Brief Explanation of Zen Chess" on the table. The evening breeze came in through the window, lifting a corner of the page and revealing the elegant annotations inside. "Is this your annotation? 'Chess is like life. Those who keep their hearts will win.' It's so well said."
Little Swallow scratched her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. She reached for the honeydew melon on the plate. "Grandpa Abbot taught me this. He said that when playing chess, greed is the worst thing to do. Always wanting to take your opponent's pieces only reveals your own weaknesses. The same goes for life. Stay true to your original aspiration, and you won't go astray." She stuffed the honeydew melon into her mouth and spoke vaguely, "Just like when you were looking for your relatives, your original aspiration was to find your father. When I'm here with you, my original aspiration is to protect you. That way, neither of us will get lost."
The lantern outside the window swayed gently in the wind, its light and shadow flickering on their faces, as if in silent agreement. Xiao Jian stood at the doorway, holding a cup of hot tea, the Longjing tea still steaming from the cup. He took in the determination in his sister's eyes and the tenderness on Ziwei's face, and the smile on his lips slowly settled into a reassuring warmth. In the distance, the night watchman's beat of the night watch rang out, a steady, lingering "dong—dong—," as if gently tapping the mark of witness for the agreement in this courtyard.
"Brother, try this, too." Xiaoyanzi picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and stuffed it into Xiao Jian's hand, her eyes sparkling like falling stars. "Grandpa Abbot said that if you eat sweet things, your heart won't feel bitter. No matter what happens in the future, let's eat more sweet things, and we won't be afraid of anything." She looked at her brother, then at Ziwei beside her. The evening breeze, carrying the scent of gardenias, came in through the window lattice, ruffling the loose hair on her temples. Suddenly, she felt that what the abbot said was right - if the heart is calm, the steps will naturally be steady. No matter how many storms there are on the road ahead, as long as there are these warm figures around, with this sweet fragrance lingering, there is nothing to fear.
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