Chapter 31 Frosty Dawn (Part 1) It was the hand of a mature man. ...
Upon hearing the sound, Ye Mu immediately threw off the covers and got out of bed. Before she could even put on her shoes, she turned out of the screen and saw Zijing carrying a ram's horn lantern into the inner room. "Miss, you're awake? Master Wen Kong just finished the ritual in front. He heard that Third Madam had a recurring high fever, so he came to take her pulse."
"The ritual Master performed?" Ye Mu asked as he tied his belt and walked towards the outer room. "Didn't you say you invited people from Jiyun Temple? Besides, Master was supposed to be at the manor, so why did he suddenly return to the manor?"
Before she finished speaking, she had already stepped out of the house. She saw the moon rising, and Wen Kong was standing under the plum tree in the courtyard. He wore a dark gray robe with an ochre seven-piece cassock over it. The moonlight shone on it, and the night breeze made the robe flutter lightly, making his figure appear even more serene and dignified, like a banished immortal.
"Master." She choked up and felt a lump in her throat as soon as she opened her mouth, and quickly turned her head away to hold back her tears. How pathetic she was. She could argue and debate with her second aunt, but she couldn't help but shed tears in front of her loved ones.
Wen Kong turned around and looked at her, his gaze pausing slightly as it swept over her slightly reddened eyes. "The night dew is cold, put on another layer of clothing before you come out."
Zijing followed, carrying the brocade cloak. "The news reached the estate this morning; everyone knows about the old lady's situation."
She tied Ye Mu's cloak and whispered, "It turned out that the monks from Jiyun Temple were performing a ritual, but it was a mess. The cymbals were out of tune, the chanting was uneven, and even the tea offerings were spilled. When Master Wenkong came to the manor to offer his condolences, the Marquis saw him and immediately asked him to take charge of the follow-up ceremony. He also hurriedly sent people to invite the monks from Baoxiang Temple to come."
At this moment, Ye Xingjian came out of the side room carrying a food box. He nodded to Wen Kong and turned to Ye Mu, saying gently, "Fourth Sister, the eldest son's family will be keeping vigil tonight. I'll go ahead and make the arrangements."
Ye Mu nodded in agreement, then suddenly remembered something and instructed Zijing, "Ajing, go and fetch the pair of blue satin knee pads from my cabinet. They were originally intended for my brother's journey south. They are filled with freshly fluffed cotton. The mourning hall is chilly and damp, so they will be perfect for him to wear on his knees to keep him warm."
After Ye Xingjian left, Ye Mu told Zijing to go have dinner first, while he led Wen Kong to his mother's courtyard.
As we walked through the covered walkway, a sudden gust of wind blew, causing the plain white lanterns hanging under the eaves to sway back and forth.
Ye Mu raised his hand to tidy up his wind-blown hair and said, "Although it was invited by the Marquis, it is still an interruption of another temple's religious ceremony. I'm afraid that in the future, the people of Jiyun Temple will inevitably make things difficult for you when they see you, Master."
"It's alright." Wen Kong slowed his pace and walked alongside her. He glanced at her red and swollen eyes out of the corner of his eye and said with lowered eyelashes, "It is Fourth Miss who should take care of herself."
Ye Mu responded softly. She was worried about the manor and was about to ask when she heard Kong Dao say, "I have handed over the affairs of the manor to the supervisor of Dongshan Villa. Fourth Miss, don't worry. Senior Brother Huiming is a prudent person who is most skilled in farming. He is a reliable person."
Ye Mu nodded. Before she could even speak, he had already discerned her concerns.
"After Master returned to the East Mountain Villa, did he go to the kitchen to look for Ah Hu's mother?"
Wen Kong nodded. "I went there last night. She said that Sister Xia did indeed return home a few days ago and has been staying indoors all day, always drawing on a piece of paper. Ah Hu's mother is illiterate and can't understand what she's doing, but when I showed her some yellow hemp paper, she said that Sister Xia also uses this kind of paper."
"It seems that the rumors in the manor were indeed spread by Sister Xia." Ye Mu frowned. "It's just that we don't know why she would do this for the time being. Fortunately, my aunt will summon her for questioning in a few days, and then the truth will come out."
Another gust of wind swept through the corridor, and Ye Mu couldn't help but shiver.
Wen Kong moved to the outside without making a sound, shielding her from the cold wind with his body. His gaze swept over the few servants who hurriedly walked by outside the corridor, and he hesitated, as the secret about the second wife was not something that could be discussed in detail here.
Upon arriving at Liu's room, one sees a dim candlelight and a strong medicinal aroma. However, since Mother always loved to blend incense, a wisp of smoke curls from the white jade incense burner on the small table by the window, harmonizing the medicinal scent and making it smell pleasant.
"Master Ye has not yet returned," the servant said, bowing his head. "Reporting to Fourth Miss, Master Ye set off for Linzhou five days ago, saying he was searching for an ancient painting from a previous dynasty. He has already sent someone on horseback to inform us, and he should be rushing back day and night by now."
Ye Mu felt a pang of bitterness. She had long since lost all temper with this father, but when she turned to look at her mother, who was fast asleep on the bed, she sighed again.
Wen Kong sat down in front of the bed, gestured for the maid to bring Liu's wrist out from behind the curtain, and then gently touched it with his hand, placing it on the inch-long ruler.
Ye Mu stood half a step away from him, holding her breath. Her gaze involuntarily fell on Wen Kong's fingers as he took his pulse. The knuckles were distinct, the nails were very short, pinkish-white, and the edges were neat.
He has always been like this; although he grew up in poverty, he has always kept himself very clean.
She suddenly remembered the pinky promise he made to her when he was fourteen. At that time, his hands were already quite long, but they still had the thinness of a boy's. Now, his hands were stronger, and his palms were thicker. They were the hands of a mature man.
Ye Mu leaned against the railing of the couch, tilting his head and looking up. The candlelight danced on Wen Kong's lowered profile. He looked focused, as if he were meditating rather than taking a pulse.
For some reason, seeing Wen Kong doing such things makes me feel at ease. His eyes are lowered in compassion, and his appearance is pure, like a golden Buddha statue in a temple, transcending worldly affairs. It makes people want to enshrine him and not disturb or offend him.
After a moment, Wen Kong slightly adjusted the position of his fingertips, and Ye Mu's heart jumped. "How is it?"
Wen Kong raised his eyes without speaking, gesturing for her to calm down. His fingertips remained firmly pressed on her pulse, feeling the disordered pulse. After a while, he slowly withdrew his hand.
He turned to look at the untouched bowl of medicine on the small table beside the couch, picked it up, dipped his fingertip in a little, and sniffed it lightly.
Ye Mu unconsciously took a step closer to him, her plain clothes inadvertently brushing against the hem of his cassock. Wen Kong glanced at her but did not look away.
"Madam was frightened and aggravated, which caused the evil wind to enter her body, resulting in disordered heart and pulse and high fever." Wen Kong put down the medicine bowl, washed his hands with water, and said in a low and steady voice, "The prescription is not serious, but some of the calming herbs are a bit too strong, which is a burden for Madam's weak pulse at the moment."
He slowly wiped his fingertips with a plain silk handkerchief. Ye Mu's gaze followed his strong, slender fingers as he calmly wiped the water droplets from between his fingers, folded the handkerchief twice, and placed it neatly on the table.
Ye Mu lowered her eyelashes, a strange thought arising in her mind: if only her master could cleanse her hands, washing away all the impurities, so that even the fragrance of lotus could grow from the cracks in her bones.
Her mind wandered elsewhere, but she still asked, "What should we do?"
So this is what it means to be two-faced and put people in a difficult position.
Wen Kong then looked up at her. In the candlelight, her face was pale, and her almond-shaped eyes were even more shimmering with tears. She was staring at him intently, capturing his image in her eyes.
Wen Kong lowered his eyes, moved to the long table beside him, spread out paper and ground ink. "This humble monk has devised another prescription, mainly to clear the mind and relieve depression, supplemented with mild antipyretic medicine. Take it for three days and observe its effect before making any adjustments."
Since Master said so, there must be nothing seriously wrong, Ye Mu should be at ease.
Wen Kong dipped his brush in ink, his wrist suspended in the air, and his strokes were steady. Ye Mu stood beside the desk and could clearly see the knuckles of his hand as he held the brush with slight force, his wrist bones faintly visible in the sleeve of his monk's robe.
“I’ve seen the Diamond Sutra you have hanging on the wall,” Wen Kong said. “The word ‘heart’ is still a bit lacking.”
The prescription happened to contain "rush pith grass," which also has the character for "heart," so he demonstrated it to her. Ye Mu leaned forward involuntarily, and a few strands of her loose black hair fell down with the movement, gently brushing against the back of his hand holding the pen.
When Wen Kong lingered on his brush, the tip of the brush left a small ink stain on the paper. Without making a sound, he pulled his wrist back half an inch, and only after that strand of black hair slipped down did he lift his wrist again to continue writing, but the brushstrokes were a little faster than before.
“Master, didn’t you also write the character ‘heart’ with a restless and agitated expression?” Ye Mu straightened up, his lips slightly pursed.
Wen Kong looked at the messy character "heart" and did not refute it. He simply turned his attention to the next medicinal herb. Then he heard her boast, "Besides, I wrote the Diamond Sutra when I was nine years old. Over the years, I have made great progress."
She reached for another wolf-hair brush on the brush holder, and using the ink he hadn't finished, she laid out another piece of paper and picked up the brush.
But when she finished writing the seven characters “应无所住而生其心”, Wen Kong gasped for breath.
The handwriting looked as if it flowed from his own wrist, even the pauses at the end of the strokes were exactly the same.
Even as a child, her handwriting resembled his by two or three points. Now, if he hadn't seen her writing with her wrist suspended, he would have thought it was his own handwriting left behind when he was in a daze.
"Have you never copied other people's calligraphy models over the years?"
"I'm already busy enough." Ye Mu put the brush back on the jade brush holder. "Finding another calligraphy model would mean finding another teacher, why bother? Besides, I don't have the time. Teacher, do you think this calligraphy has the right style?"
"What's so great about being like me?"
"What's wrong with being like you?"
Wen Kong was rendered speechless by the rebuttal, and the room fell silent for a moment.
The conversation ended there. He lowered his head and added the last few herbs to the prescription. Ye Mu went to the bedside and wiped Liu's body again.
Once the ink had dried, the two walked out of the house, stepping on the scattered shadows on the ground, and arrived at the courtyard gate.
The moonlight, like water, spilled over the courtyard steps, and Jianwen Kong turned to leave.
"Will Master come again tomorrow?" Ye Mu stood on the threshold, her slender hand resting on the door frame as she asked softly. She always wanted to talk to him.
Wen Kong nodded, "The ritual will take two more days."
"Then come to my courtyard for breakfast tomorrow." She took a half step forward, her embroidered shoes landing precisely where the moonlight and lamplight met. "The pickled vegetables I make in my little kitchen are delicious, and the bamboo shoots that Aunt Wang makes are sweet and sour. Come and try them."
“That’s not appropriate.” Seeing her frown, Wen Kong added, “There are other fellow disciples. We should have breakfast together in the temple. It’s not good to leave me out.”
The original intention was to uphold the friendship between fellow disciples.
Ye Mu nodded slightly, then remembered something else. "Master, since you saw the Diamond Sutra, you must have been to the hut, right? Did you see anything else?"
How could we not see it?
Wen Kong lowered his gaze. The small house, which had been bare and desolate when he left, now had window frames made of fine bamboo strips, and the floor was paved with smooth blue bricks that did not stir up years of dust when stepped on. Several newly placed high chairs were covered with plain-colored soft cushions, and the cabinet was also newly made. Inside the cabinet were stacks of newly made cotton quilts, and next to them were several pairs of bamboo chopsticks neatly placed. There were also blue cotton shoes made at some unknown time. He tried them on. The soles were very thick, but they were too small for him to wear.
As soon as he entered the house, he knew that these things must have been bought by her, because only she would often go to the cottage when he was not around.
"But you are a high monk now." Seeing that he was silent, Ye Mu said with a hint of melancholy, "I suppose you don't live there anymore. Have you seen the pair of ceramic bowls in the sideboard? My third sister and I made them by hand at the pottery studio. Only three were fired in total, and one broke on the way. I didn't even use them myself, and I left them in your room for you."
A thin layer of dew had formed on the stone steps. Ye Mu stepped on them, her embroidered shoes getting wet, but she didn't notice. She was only thinking about her ceramic bowl, "If you don't use it, I'll have to go get it back."
Wen Kong lowered his head. "It came in handy."
"You used it?" Ye Mu was surprised, pursing her lips. "Did you specially go to the hut to get it? Doesn't the food taste much better now?"
"......Amitabha."
Here comes that line again. Ye Mu isn't buying it anymore. She's finally figured it out. Whenever he's at a loss for words, Wen Kong uses this Buddhist chant to brush him off. This monk is the best at fobbing people off.
Then he whispered, "I still live there."
Ye Mu suddenly froze.
She clearly remembered that in her previous life, he had a private courtyard in the backyard of Baoxiang Temple. When she was pregnant in the temple, the young novice monk said that his master had lived there since he returned from his travels in his youth. Logically speaking, he should have moved into that Zen temple by now.
"But your fellow disciples are still bullying you?" She remembered that many things were different in this life, and she took a few more steps down. Her soaked embroidered shoes were covered with a few fallen leaves. Her voice was soft, as if it had been soaked by the night dew. "You are a high monk now, so you don't need to endure it. Besides, I have grown up and can protect you better."
"No, my fellow disciples have treated me very well." Wen Kong lowered his head, his gaze falling on the damp leaves. "It's just that I'm more used to living in the hut."
It's really strange, how can that dilapidated house compare to his Zen temple?
In his previous life, Ye Mu often visited his meditation room. He remembered that the courtyard was spacious, quiet, bright, and clean, with swaying bamboo shadows outside the window. It was nothing like that simple hut, which leaked rain and let in the wind.
Two years ago, on the day of the Autumn Equinox, when she went to Baoxiang Temple, a sudden rainstorm occurred. The hut leaked even more badly than the outside, with rainwater flowing down the cracks in the walls. The next day, she ordered craftsmen to lay blue bricks and paste new window paper, gradually making the dilapidated hut look decent again.
That same year, news of his fall off a cliff with Ninth Master reached the capital, their fates unknown. But she felt he would return; in her previous life, he hadn't died so young.
Ye Mu asked, "Since you're still living there, have you used all the things I bought for you?"
"Hmm," he replied, and then said nothing more.
It's just too bland.
Ye Mu suddenly felt indignant. Over the years, she had always thought about buying things for him, but what about him? He didn't even say a word when he left.
Even if it were a Bodhisattva or Vajra, after she sincerely burned incense for eight years, surely they would have some mercy on her and grant her small wish?
"You've been wandering around for so many years, have you ever thought of sending me a keepsake?"
Ye Mu climbed a few steps, stood up, and put his hands on his hips, looking down at me. "When you were out there, did you ever think of bringing me something fun or pretty?"
Wen Kong looked up at her in silence for a long time before finally saying, "No."
"Ugh! Ugh! What an idiot!" Ye Mu was so angry his teeth itched. He's not lying now? Why is he being so honest?
Ye Mu turned around angrily, "Go back to your shabby little house."
She had misunderstood him. He was not like Buddha. Buddha could see into people's hearts, but he could not see anything. Moreover, as master and disciple, even if they were just old friends, they would still send a souvenir after traveling far away for many years.
Ye Mu walked quickly and hurriedly, and the few fallen leaves that were stuck to her shoes were trampled under her feet. Wen Kong took two steps up the steps, and seeing that she had not slipped on the wet leaves, he turned around with peace of mind after quickly turning through the moon gate.
From this high vantage point, one can see the flickering incense and candles in the mourning hall ahead.
Wen Kong's mind wavered for a moment; for a fleeting instant, he wanted to say something, he had thought about it.
The night he awoke from his severe injuries at the bottom of the cliff, he picked up a pen and ink, intending to write something. He was still alive, but in the end, he didn't write a single word.
Dewdrops cling to the fallen petals beneath the steps, while the flickering flame of the Buddha's lamp shines faintly before the hall.
Wen Kong lowered his eyes and clasped his hands together. What was so good about being like him? He was destined to be alone for the rest of his life.
Why drag her into this? Whether she's his teacher or his student, or a friend, it's all inappropriate.
-
The imperial edict arrived at the government office at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM) on the second day.
Lord Yong'an, dressed in heavy mourning clothes, knelt before the coffin, with his sons and daughters from various branches of the family arranged according to their status as legitimate and illegitimate, and white banners hanging to the ground behind them.
The eunuch who came to deliver the imperial edict first bowed three times to the memorial tablet, and then unfolded a bright yellow silk scroll. "I heard that the late Lady has passed away, and my heart is filled with sorrow. Considering the loyalty and integrity of your noble family for generations, I hereby bestow upon you one hundred bushels of pearls from the East Sea and fifty bolts of pure white silk from the Tianshan Mountains, and allow you to perform the Eight-Row Dance to show my respect and honor." [1]
As the imperial edict was placed on the table and the Marquis kowtowed to receive it, the old eunuch glanced at the women on the west side out of the corner of his eye. He saw a young lady kneeling in the second row dressed in plain silk, with only a white velvet flower in her hair. She was extremely elegant and graceful. Her slender neck, which was hanging down, revealed a slender curve from the collar of her mourning clothes, like a jade chopstick covered in frost.
He had been in charge of the palace for forty years and had seen countless beauties, yet he still found one exceptionally beautiful and refined.
When the Marquis escorted him to the hanging flower gate, the old eunuch asked, "Which young lady in your household is that young lady kneeling on the west side with the velvet flower in her hair?"
The Marquis thought for a moment, "It's my younger brother's fourth daughter."
How old are you?
"She had just passed the coming-of-age ceremony."
"What a pity," the old eunuch said, glancing at the white banner in the courtyard. "Such a beauty could easily become a concubine, but she's going to miss this year's palace selection."
The Marquis smiled and exchanged a few polite words, but a chill ran through him. The Emperor was already nearly fifty, older than him. How many more years could he afford to cause trouble? Sending his niece in would be a waste, a pointless end to her life.
“The palace selection is a regular event held every three years. Fourth Miss will miss it, but we have received kindness from the old lady in the past. Let me say a few more words to the Marquis,” the imperial eunuch stepped closer, “His Highness the Crown Prince will be coming of age next year. After the family removes the mourning clothes, it will be just in time for the Eastern Palace selection. A girl of such celestial beauty should be in the heavens.”
The Marquis didn't listen, but Master Ye, who was standing next to him, heard it clearly.
Back in their room that evening, they discussed with Madam Zhou, “The second young master of the Prince of Nan’an’s mansion said he would only come back to marry our Qing’er after he had rendered meritorious service in the army. Are we really just going to wait like this? If he still hasn’t returned by next year after the mourning period, we should find a reason to break off the engagement and let Qing’er enter the palace. That’s the proper way out.”
As Madam Zhou removed her hairpins in front of the mirror, she said, "The palace isn't something you can just enter whenever you want. And becoming the Crown Princess isn't something you can just decide to do."
"Why can't she be one?" Master Ye walked over and placed his palm on Madam Zhou's shoulder. "Today, the imperial eunuch personally praised her, saying that Mu'er was born to be an empress. As daughters of marquises, in what way is our Qing'er inferior?"
His hand slid inside his nightgown and kneaded it, his voice lewd, "Isn't it all the same once the lights are off? It all depends on the skill of these two ounces of meat."
“The difference is huge.” Madam Zhou glanced at him sideways, thinking that his two ounces of flesh were worlds apart from Mr. Chen’s. Naturally, she could not say this out loud, but only said in a low voice, “I advise you to give up this idea. The marriage with the Prince of Nan’an’s Mansion is the best that Qing’er can get.”
Zhou was self-aware, saying, "If the second young master hadn't been so dark-skinned and a martial artist, we wouldn't have been able to find this marriage."
"There's no need to rush to annul the engagement right now. I've heard that every New Year's Day, the Crown Prince accompanies the Empress Dowager to Baoxiang Temple to offer incense. If Qing'er dresses up carefully then, a chance encounter at the corner of the corridor might just win her favor."
"Do you really think your daughter is a celestial being descended to earth?" Madam Zhou scoffed. "If she were as beautiful as Fourth Sister, then there might be some chance."
Although she had always looked down on the third wife's family, she had to admit that Ye Mu was indeed strikingly beautiful. Today, seeing the girl dressed in plain clothes, her profile flickering on the window paper, it was enough to make not only men aroused, but even she, as the aunt, feel a flutter in her heart.
"That's easy to handle," said Master Ye, leading Madam Zhou to the couch. "We'll have Fourth Sister and Qing'er go together. If the Crown Prince really takes a liking to her, how will he tell the difference between Third Sister and Fourth Sister? We'll spread the word that the one at Baoxiang Temple that day was our Marquis's Third Sister."
Zhou's mind started to race after hearing his words. If they could really create a buzz and let the whole city hear that the Crown Prince favored the third daughter of the Marquis's family, then their decision to annul the marriage with the Prince of Nan'an would not be considered a breach of faith, but rather in accordance with the will of Heaven. At that time, if the news of their Qing'er's annulment due to rumors reached the Emperor, would the Emperor really sit idly by?
"I'll secretly find out what the Crown Prince likes and have Qing'er learn from him."
"Alright, alright, let's not think about it anymore. There are still three or four months until New Year's Day."
Master Ye was restless and impatient, and was about to go up to her. Madam Zhou bit her lip secretly. She had been through hardship before, how could she swallow such a hasty and crude manner? She wanted to close her eyes and endure it, but she couldn't relax no matter what she did today.
"The old lady hasn't been laid to rest yet, what's the rush? Let it wait a few days, or people will gossip."
Master Ye didn't care about any of that. "Where are the idle people? They've all gone to keep watch at the front. We'll be keeping vigil tomorrow. Can't I even have some peace and quiet tonight?"
"Then let me go and turn off the lights first." Zhou took the opportunity to leave.
Once the lights went out, she felt a little lighter and could imagine Ye Erye as any other man she liked.
Zhou suddenly remembered that the day before the old lady passed away, Xingwen brought back a down-on-his-luck scholar from the street. He said that his money had been stolen by thieves and he wanted to find a safe place to prepare for the autumn examination. Although the man was dressed simply, he had clear and bright features and a refined demeanor. When the wind blew, his clothes fluttered, as if a jade mountain was about to collapse.
She was so busy with her writing that she gave him the key to the small house on Madao Street.
At this moment, amidst the shadows, Zhou was thinking of the man in the small house. After the old lady was buried, she had to go and see him. She didn't even know his name. Such a poor scholar, though of high moral character, would probably be even more obsessed than the common people if given a little sweetness.
Unexpectedly, the shabby scholar arrived the next day.
At that moment, Ye Mu was taking advantage of the break between the maids' shifts to secretly search out the place where Granny Li had stayed. She was about to go to the nunnery to keep vigil when she suddenly heard a soft call, "Fourth Miss."
Ye Mu was startled, clutching the object in her sleeve, and turned around abruptly, even more surprised, "Jiang Si?"
Without saying a word, she grabbed a broom from the side and started hitting the other person without hesitation!
-----------------------
The author has something to say: [1] The style of the imperial edict is similar to the funeral rites bestowed by Emperor Xuan in the Biography of Huo Guang in the Book of Han, but the rites are not quite the same.
Thanks for reading and saving this post! [Thumbs up]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com