Volume Two, Step by Step to Victory, Chapter 19: Retreating to Advance
Ruan Bi bowed to Master Ziying and left through the door.
The First Madam and Baozhen were still standing under the eaves when they heard the noise and turned around.
Ruan Bi walked up to the First Madam and knelt down with a thud. The ground was paved with bluestone, and the force of the kneeling was so great that tears streamed down her face from the pain.
"Please allow me, Mother, to become a monk at Yuxu Temple."
The First Madam looked at her with surprise and a hint of wariness, and said, "What are you saying?"
“I used to be timid and disliked by others. After my serious illness, I tried my best, but I am still disliked by others… I am disheartened. Please allow me to become a nun, Mother.” After Ruan Bi finished speaking, she bowed to the First Madam and prostrated herself on the ground.
The First Madam frowned slightly and said, "You child, what nonsense are you talking about? Get up quickly. This isn't home; don't let people laugh at us." As she spoke, she winked at Baozhen.
Baozhen squatted down to help Ruan Bi up, saying, "Fifth Miss, get up first. We can discuss things slowly. Why did you suddenly say something like that? Weren't you trying to scare the First Madam?"
Ruan Bi didn't really want to become a nun, so she stood up without thinking.
Seeing the tear stains on her eyes, the First Madam assumed she was truly heartbroken and said in a slightly gentler tone, "Stop talking such nonsense. Master Ziying is a highly accomplished Taoist. I noticed that your health has been somewhat poor ever since you recovered from your illness. I was afraid you had been affected by some kind of filth, so I brought you here to see him. Why are you thinking such things?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened, and Master Ziying came out with a whisk in his hand. He said, "Madam Ruan, the Fifth Miss was seriously ill. Now the illness has subsided, but the remaining poison has not been cleared. Therefore, the Fifth Miss's health is not as good as before. Fortunately, she is still young. With careful recuperation, she will surely recover to normal."
"Thank you, Master."
"As for the fact that the young lady's behavior is different from before, I have already seen it just now." Master Ziying glanced at Ruan Bi meaningfully, and said to the First Madam in a serious tone, "The Great Jade Scripture says that all mortals have seven orifices. The Fifth Young Lady only had six orifices open before, and her spiritual wisdom was not yet open, so she lived a muddled life. This serious illness was originally her tribulation, but also her opportunity. After the disaster, she was blessed. All seven orifices were opened, and her behavior and demeanor are completely different from before."
These words stunned Ruan Bi.
The First Madam had always respected Master Ziying. Hearing her say this, she felt relieved. She then pulled Ruan Bi to bow to Master Ziying and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Master. My daughter and I are extremely grateful."
"Madam Ruan, you're too kind." Master Ziying returned the greeting by making the Three Pure Ones Incantation with his hands.
After exchanging a few more polite words, the First Madam took Ruan Bi's leave, offering a few more gentle words along the way. She spoke of how after misfortune comes good fortune, and how one should cherish it. She also spoke of how a young lady should be beautiful in her weakness and gentleness, and how one should be patient and patient, and not act like a shrewish woman from the marketplace who shouts and fights.
No matter what she said, Ruan Bi nodded and agreed.
Leaving "Fushu Abode" and returning to "Xichen Mountain Residence," the first thing they saw upon entering was the Second Miss standing under the eaves with Chunyun, craning their necks and looking around with undisguised curiosity and anxiety. The First Madam dismissed Ruan Bi and went to the Second Miss, saying, "Why aren't you resting inside?"
The second daughter watched Ruan Bi enter her room and asked in a low voice, "Mother, what did the real person say?"
The First Madam pulled her into the room and said, "The Master said that she used to only have six orifices open, so she was confused and ignorant. After a serious illness, all seven orifices opened, and her behavior became different from before."
The second young lady frowned and said, "Even though her behavior is different from before, how could she have forgotten the people and things from the past? She used to get indignant every time she heard Shen Hua's name. Yesterday, I introduced Shen Hua to her, but she was completely unmoved..."
"Perhaps it's true, as she herself said, that she's delirious from the fever and has forgotten most of what happened before." The First Madam interrupted her casually. Since Master Ziying said that Ruan Bi wasn't possessed by evil spirits, she didn't want to waste any more time thinking about it. "Master Ziying is a highly accomplished Taoist. Since she says she's not possessed by evil spirits, then she isn't. You shouldn't overthink it anymore. She's an insignificant person, why bother spending so much time on her? As for you, how did you behave at the Marquis of Yanping's residence yesterday? Did you satisfy the Marquis's wife?"
The second daughter said awkwardly, "Why are you bringing up my daughter again? Don't you know how I behaved? No one can find fault with me. But yesterday, the Lady of Yanping Marquis only came for a short while and left after saying only a few words."
The First Madam nodded and said, "In terms of looks, you are one of the best among these young ladies. In terms of background, although our Ruan family in Jingxi has not been granted a title, we are a renowned family of scholars and poets. Since our ancestor assisted Emperor Taizong in unifying the country, our family has served as officials in the court for generations. In the past hundred years, we have produced no fewer than ten officials of the third rank or above. Our family background is no less than that of others. After your grandmother recovers, I will ask the Lady of Dongping Marquis to sound her out."
The second daughter blushed and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Mother, how annoying! Every time I try to talk to you about serious matters, you drag me into it. I'm not talking to you anymore." She turned and ran out of the room, sat under the eaves, looked at the rose trellis in the corner, and laughed to herself.
Later that evening, the young nun brought over a vegetarian meal, and after everyone ate, they all went to rest.
The next morning, they got up early and went to the main hall to attend classes with the Taoist nuns. After lunch, they went to the Hall of Longevity to ask the old nun to prepare the longevity elixir. After finishing, it was just past noon, and the group returned to Xichen Mountain Residence. The First Madam said, "I will go and thank Master Ziying first. After you have packed your things, wait for me here."
Everyone agreed.
Ruan Bi quickly stepped forward and said softly, "Mother, I have a request."
The First Madam raised her delicate eyebrows slightly and asked, "What is it? Tell me."
"Please allow me, Mother, to pray for my grandmother at the Jade Void Temple until she recovers."
Everyone was stunned by these words.
Before the First Madam could speak, the Second Madam spoke first: "Fifth Girl is very filial, Sister-in-law, please grant her permission."
The First Madam hesitated for a moment, then said, "Very well, it's rare that you have such filial piety, so I'll grant your request. I'll send a few more maids and servants to serve you." As she spoke, she glanced around. All the maids and servants lowered their heads. Life at Yuxu Temple was austere, with limited food and drink, and the Fifth Miss wasn't a wealthy patron, so none of them wanted to stay.
Ruan Bi didn't want anyone to stay and watch over her, so she quickly said, "Xiuzhi can serve you, Mother, there's no need for anyone else to stay. Since we're praying for Grandmother's well-being, we should do it ourselves and live like the Taoist priests to show our sincerity."
The First Madam thought it made sense and said, "Then let's do it your way. You must be careful. If anything happens, you can go to our family's estate at the mountain villa and find the manager."
Suppressing her joy, Ruan Bi nodded and said, "Yes, Mother."
The First Madam waved her hand, summoned the head of Yuxu Temple, and explained the situation to him, also donating some silver. The head of the temple readily agreed and arranged for Ruan Bi to stay at Xichen Mountain Residence.
At 3:15 PM, the group headed back home. Ruan Bi saw them off at the mountain gate, watching them descend the mountain in sedan chairs, and couldn't help but smile happily. Finally, she could temporarily leave the suffocating Ruan mansion, free from the intrigue and hustle…
Life at Yuxu Temple was quite austere, but Ruan Bi lived it comfortably. She would rise early to do morning prayers with the nuns, and after her midday nap, she would go to the scripture pavilion to read. After three days of this, she became familiar with the young nun who guarded the Xichen Mountain Residence, and borrowed a blue Taoist robe from her. She then styled her hair into a simple nun's updo, holding it up with only a silver hairpin. Looking in the mirror, she saw that she looked exactly like a young nun and couldn't help but smile.
Xiuzhi, however, disagreed, saying, "Young lady, you're really strange. Why would you dress up like a nun?"
"Dressed up like this, I can walk around the temple freely."
Xiuzhi frowned and said, "Miss, you are, after all, a lady from a respectable family. It is not appropriate for you to show your face in public."
Ruan Bi bowed to her and said, "Amitabha, there are no girls here, only the Daoist nun Bai Shi."
Xiuzhi gave her a push and called out reproachfully, "Miss."
Ruan Bi straightened up, stopped laughing, and said seriously, "Xiuzhi, I'm just wandering around. You don't need to follow me."
Xiuzhi hurriedly said, "No, no, young lady."
"Don't worry, I won't leave the temple. Besides, with my attire, everyone will just think of me as a little Taoist nun from the temple. Nothing will happen," Ruan Bi said patiently.
Xiuzhi knew that she was very stubborn, so she could only nod reluctantly.
Stepping out of Xichen Mountain Residence, Ruan Bi took a deep breath, feeling an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. She didn't care which way she went, just wandering into scenic spots. Occasionally, she encountered a few Taoist nuns along the way, but they assumed she was a junior nun from the temple and didn't give her a second glance.
Walking deeper inside, there was a courtyard with high walls and two tightly closed black doors. The plaque above the door read "Wanmiaoju" (meaning "Ten Thousand Wonders Abode"). Ruan Bi looked at the mottled moss on the bluestone platform, then at the closed doors, and couldn't help but sigh. These women spent the first half of their lives locked in the palace and the second half locked in the Taoist temple. They enjoyed temporary glory, but were lonely for a hundred years.
Suddenly, she heard a faint rustling of wind. Looking up, she saw a figure leap out of the wall and land not far from her—it was a man. Ruan Bi sensed something was wrong. She dared not utter a sound, nor run, and stood there dumbfounded. The man was about twenty years old, wearing an ordinary blue robe. He was tall and slender, with a handsome face and bright eyes. He frowned at Ruan Bi for a moment, then hissed, "Youde."
The voice sounded familiar, and Ruan Bi's heart skipped a beat.
"Here." A figure leaped down from the large locust tree beside him. It was a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a short beard and a knife hanging at his waist.
The man in blue pointed at Ruan Bi.
Youde let out a soft "Oh dear," and said, "How did she get here? I didn't see her at all. It's alright, I'll just kill her." As he spoke, he drew his knife and walked towards Ruan Bi.
The man in blue frowned, seemingly reluctant, but he did not object.
There was no way to escape. After considering the situation, Ruan Bi said, "Wait, I don't know who you are. Even if I told others, I wouldn't know. If you kill me, people will become suspicious."
Youde said, "Fine, I'll kill you and bury you somewhere. People will just think you, a little Taoist nun, ran away because you were lovesick. Who will suspect anything?"
Ruan Bi shouted, "I am from the Ruan family in Jingxi. I came to the temple to pray for my grandmother. You will only ruin things if you kill me."
Youde paused for a moment, then said, "That's a lie. What kind of official's daughter would dress up as a Taoist nun?"
The man in blue looked Ruan Bi up and down but said nothing.
“I was praying for my grandmother in the temple with a sincere heart, so of course I had to dress up as a Taoist nun. If you don’t believe me, just ask around. I am indeed the daughter of the Ruan family. My father’s name is Ruan Hong, and he is a third-rank official in the Ministry of Rites. If you kill me, you will definitely report it to the authorities, which will only cause endless trouble. It would be better to let me go…” After a pause, Ruan Bi raised her hand and said, “I swear to God that if I reveal what I just saw, may I die a horrible death.”
Youde chuckled and said, "This little Taoist nun is quite interesting." He turned to the man in blue and asked, "Should we kill her or not?"
The man in blue shook his head and said, "Let's go." He turned and leaped onto the big locust tree, then leaped over the high wall.
Youde pretended to slash Ruan Bi's head with his knife, laughed, leaped up the locust tree, and then jumped over the wall.
Ruan Bi breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't felt scared at first, but her back was already soaked with sweat.
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