Chapter 26 Like a Dream (Part Six) Who are you going to give it to?
Seeing that Kong was standing still, the child asked again, "Is your hair also like the seedlings in the field that have been eaten by locusts? Are you also here to see the fairy sister cure the insects?"
"Little Bao, how dare you be so rude!" Zhao Tieniu hurriedly stepped forward, gently pulled the child behind him, and ruffled his hair with his rough hands. With the honesty of a farmer, he rubbed his hands together and smiled apologetically at Wen Kong, "The little boy is ignorant and has offended his master. Please don't be offended."
As he spoke, he gently nudged the child's back, "Go quickly, go home and fetch a long bench so that Master can rest his feet."
After the boy ran away in response, he turned to Wen Kong and respectfully asked, "Master, are you passing by our village and would like some alms?"
“Amitabha, thank you for asking. This humble monk is not here to beg for alms.” Wen Kong put his hands together and said, “I have come specifically to find the person in charge of your manor, the fourth daughter of the Ye family.”
The candles inside were not lit, and the dim light filtering through the gauze curtains cast indistinct shadows on Ye Mu's figure.
She leaned against the cold wooden wall. Although the courtyard was filled with the sounds of people, pots and pans, and children's laughter, strangely enough, only that clear, quiet voice, neither too loud nor too soft, neither too fast nor too slow, clearly penetrated through the window and entered her ears.
snort.
At Baoxiang Temple, the female benefactors who spoke one after another, have now come to this manor and are willing to call her "Fourth Miss Ye".
The busy villagers in the courtyard gradually quieted down, curiously observing the handsome monk who had suddenly appeared, and then stealing glances at the Fourth Sister's tightly closed windows, whispering among themselves.
Zijing had just come out of the kitchen with a food tray when she saw this and hurriedly stepped forward, curtsying, "Master, what business do you have with my young lady?"
She felt that the monk in front of her was extremely handsome, with a refined and otherworldly appearance, and resembled a familiar figure from an old friend, but she dared not recognize him rashly.
“Benefactor Zijing,” Wen Kong turned to her, “this humble monk is Wen Kong.”
"It really is Master Wen Kong." Zijing realized, and gently wiped her hands on her apron. "What brings you to the estate?"
She was puzzled. The girl had been acting strangely since returning from Baoxiang Temple a few days ago, which seemed to be related to Master Wenkong.
Wen Kongdao said, "I heard that Dongji Mountain Villa is infested with insects. It just so happens that the temple has an ancient book containing an ancient prescription for expelling insects that can eradicate the insect infestation and prevent it from recurring in the future. I have copied it down and sent it to you."
Wen Kong took out a piece of plain paper from his sleeve. “In addition, the other day when I was reciting scriptures for the old lady in the manor, I smelled the medicinal aroma and felt that one or two of the ingredients seemed to need some consideration. If the fourth young lady has time to return to the manor, could you please let this humble monk take a look at the prescription?”
Ye Mu heard everything clearly from inside the room.
Sending a prescription? Looking at a medicine prescription? How grandly he puts it! He acted all detached and aloof at the temple, as if he didn't know her at all, and now he's eagerly sending her a prescription? Who knows what he's up to!
But Grandmother's medicine... Ye Mu's thoughts raced. She recalled carefully that the old lady's condition had indeed been fluctuating since the Dragon Boat Festival eight years ago. The imperial physicians had come several times, and the prescriptions had been changed repeatedly. They all said that she was old and should be taken good care of, but they just couldn't find the source.
She never considered the possibility that the prescription was wrong...
While she was lost in thought, Zijing outside had already received the prescription, but she dared not make any promises on Ye Mu's behalf. She only said, "Thank you for your concern, Master. Our young lady has been working hard these past few days to deal with the insect infestation and has just rested. I will present the prescription to her later. As for the old lady's prescription, we will definitely inform her when she returns to the manor."
Wen Kong nodded slightly, not insisting, "In that case, I'll trouble you, young lady. The farmers are working hard, and this humble monk shouldn't bother you any further."
Having said that, he turned to leave.
He left just like that?
"stop!"
The gauze curtain was suddenly flung open with a "whoosh," and the window sash was pushed open as well. Ye Mu stood in front of the window with a taut, plain face and wide-open almond eyes. "You monk, you come and go as you please?"
She stepped out of the house, but didn't look at Wen Kong. Instead, she reached out to Zijing and said, "Zijing, give me the prescription."
Zijing handed over the plain paper.
Ye Mu glanced down at the paper and saw that the handwriting was neat and strong. It contained an ancient prescription for "fumigating Tripterygium wilfordii with Acorus calamus root". She had been worried that although the pests were under control, they could not be eradicated and would only cause more trouble. This prescription was timely.
Upon hearing that it was related to the farm, Li Zhuangtou also came over to take a look, frowning. "Fourth Miss, this prescription has never been used on the farm before. The rice seedlings have just started to show signs of improvement. What if it's used incorrectly..."
Ye Mu trusted Wen Kong at heart. She knew from her past life that this man never spoke recklessly, and the divination slip he had given her had indeed come true. However, at this moment, she insisted on being stubborn and went along with the head of the manor, saying to Wen Kong, "Yes, how do we know if your prescription is safe? If it damages the roots of the seedlings, and then you don't say a word and go traveling far away for another ten or eight years, are we supposed to search for you at the ends of the earth?"
These words sounded somewhat resentful, both for his abrupt departure eight years ago and for his feigned unfamiliarity upon his return.
Wen Kong stood still, his monk's robes fluttering gently in the evening breeze. He looked at her for a moment, then sighed softly and called her name, "Ye Mu."
It was nothing short of a thunderclap.
Was he being affectionate? Or trying to please her? Or did she remember their promise from years ago that he should call her Ye Mu next time they met?
Ye Mu's heart pounded. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His monk's robe was sparse, and his features were serene. He was not good at acting coquettishly. He was just not good with words and was surrounded by the burning gazes of everyone, so he had no choice.
“Very well,” Ye Mu’s tone softened unconsciously. “Since you’ve brought this prescription, why don’t we stay at the manor for a couple more days, administer the first batch of medicine, observe its effects, and then make adjustments? If it’s ineffective or damages the crops, then we can go to Baoxiang Temple to complain, okay?”
"It is up to you to decide what to do."
With that settled, Zijing brought out some hot tea and handed it to Wenkong, saying with a smile, "The meal is ready. If Master doesn't mind, would you like to have some vegetarian food with us?"
"He doesn't eat dinner."
"This humble monk need not."
Ye Mu and Wen Kong spoke in unison. As soon as they finished speaking, Ye Mu pursed her lips and fell silent. Wen Kong glanced at her and, seeing that she turned her head away and remained silent, continued to explain, "That's the temple rule. Monks don't eat after noon."
Ye Mu knew this in his previous life.
At that time, she had just taken refuge in the temple. To repay the kindness of being taken in, she would always pack vegetarian food into a celadon food box and quietly place it on the stone steps outside the meditation room before the evening drum sounded.
Sometimes the food box contained stir-fried lotus root slices, and sometimes it contained stewed tofu with tender mushrooms. She always thought that monks lived a simple life, so she made the dishes more exquisite.
For several days in a row, the food box looked exactly the same when it was delivered and when it was retrieved.
At first, she thought it just didn't suit his taste, so she tried making it in different ways. Until that night, when the moonlight was as clear as water, she was carrying a food box and walking along a mossy path when she met a young novice monk carrying the untouched food box as he came out of the monastery.
The young novice monk clasped his hands in prayer, his childish voice tinged with a hint of helplessness, "Female benefactor, you need not trouble yourself any further. My master is very strict in observing the precepts; he no longer accepts food after midday."
At that time, she thought it was his innate strict discipline. Although she felt a little disappointed, she also felt more respect for him.
It wasn't until this lifetime that she glimpsed the truth beneath these strict rules and regulations.
Once, he wrote slowly and missed the appointed time. It was snowing outside, and his mother, Liu, was worried that he would not be able to find food until midnight when he returned to the temple. She insisted that he stay for dinner, but Wen Kong repeatedly declined.
"Master, please don't be so polite. It's just a matter of adding a bowl and chopsticks." Madam Liu smiled and instructed the maid to serve the dishes.
Just as the dish of vegetarian stewed delicacies was served, Wen Kong suddenly turned pale. He abruptly stood up to take his leave, but unexpectedly bent over and began to retch, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Quickly, summon the physician!" Madam Liu hurriedly supported his swaying body, and Ye Mu followed suit, feeling a jolt when she touched his shoulder blade.
After taking the pulse, the old doctor shook his head repeatedly. "This young monk's stomach is extremely weak, caused by months of irregular eating habits. Suddenly seeing this greasy food caused his stomach qi to rise, which triggered the vomiting."
His precepts initially stemmed from hunger during times of hardship, but later became a deeply ingrained habit of austerity and self-imposed poverty.
“Since Master doesn’t eat, it would be right for him to sit down and have a cup of hot tea.” Zijing’s eyes flickered across Ye Mu’s face, and she smiled slightly. “Did Master come here today specifically to bring our young lady a prescription?”
"It's on my way." Wen Kong lowered his eyes and took the teacup.
"Oh?" Zijing raised an eyebrow. "Where was Master originally going?"
Ye Mu sat down to eat and was just picking up a piece of steamed fish with his chopsticks when he heard this. His chopsticks paused slightly, and although he didn't look up, his ears perked up.
“The scriptures were delivered to the Dongshan Villa.”
"Dongshan Villa?" Zhao Tieniu, who was squatting in the corner of the courtyard eating, looked up and said in a rough voice, "Master, have you taken the wrong road? The villa is in the northeast, at least six miles away from our village. You're going the wrong way!"
Zijing chuckled, and Ye Mu placed the fish into her bowl. "Don't ask anymore, just eat your food."
The corners of her lips involuntarily turned up slightly.
After the meal, Wen Kong still had to leave. "Fourth Miss, this humble monk still needs to deliver scriptures to the other courtyard. The monks in the temple need them for their morning prayers tomorrow, so I cannot delay."
He clasped his hands in prayer and said, "I will be there tomorrow at 3:45 AM."
Ye Mu looked up, the outline of the distant mountains blurred into ink in the deepening night. "It's already dark. If you rush over now, you probably won't be able to knock on the mountain gate until midnight. Then you'll have to turn back before dawn tomorrow. Won't you waste the whole night on the road?"
She turned to him, "Don't you need to rest?"
"It's alright." Wen Kong said, turning to leave.
"Wait a minute." Ye Mu hurriedly called out to him, "I have a carriage, I'll take you there."
Seeing him hesitate, she took a half step forward, somewhat shamelessly, "Since you've been working so hard for my estate, how can I let you travel alone at night? Besides, what if you encounter wild beasts and never return? Who will I ask for a cure tomorrow?"
“Amitabha,” Wen Kong said, lowering his eyes. “This route is mostly farmland and fields. Shaolin Temple is not a place for wild animals. Don’t worry too much.”
"However, my carriage is always faster than your walking speed; the round trip takes only the time it takes to burn two incense sticks."
Ye Mu called Zijing to bring her a trench coat, picked up the lantern under the eaves, and walked out of the courtyard. "You can calculate whether it's more worthwhile for Kuhao to travel in the middle of the night, or to save time by riding with me for a while?"
"Why are you coming along too?" Wen Kong frowned.
"The carriage is mine, of course I can go." Ye Mu lifted her skirt and was about to board the carriage. "What? You're allowed to go, but I'm not?"
"Sophistry." Wen Kong quickly chased after her to the door. "It's late and the dew is heavy. What kind of behavior is it for a young lady to go out in the middle of the night?"
"Traveling with monks, what's there to be afraid of?" Ye Mu laughed, leaning against the car door. "It's Master who's worried about what I'll do to you..."
"Nonsense." Wen Kong interrupted abruptly, her ears turning slightly red. Seeing that she had already bent down and crawled into the carriage, she could only sigh softly and follow.
As soon as he sat down on the brocade cushion, Ye Mu went straight to the point and asked, "Why did you pretend not to recognize me at Baoxiang Temple that day?"
She wasn't going to keep the problem to herself.
"They don't call each other 'Master' anymore?"
"When I called you Master, you called me Female Benefactor." Ye Mu was quite dissatisfied. "And when have you ever treated me as a disciple?"
Silence fell inside the car.
The lanterns swayed under the eaves, the candlelight flickered, and the warm yellow light flowed through the gaps in the carriage curtains, making everyone's features appear softer.
“That day, the temple was filled with worshippers,” Wen Kong finally spoke, “and the abbot and all the fellow disciples were there. As the daughter of a marquis, you shouldn’t appear too familiar with everyone, lest you attract unnecessary criticism.”
Ye Mu snorted lightly, "I'm not afraid of criticism, but you, a monk, are? Or is it that now that you've become a renowned monk, you feel that getting involved with a secular person like me would damage your reputation?"
"It's not that I'm afraid of harming myself."
Wen Kong said, “A good reputation is nothing but an empty name to me, not worth mentioning. But for you, you are already past the age of marriage, waiting to be married. Living in a noble household, every word and action is under the watchful eyes of everyone. How can you not be careful?”
Ye Mu's heart skipped a beat; it turned out that he had this in mind when he pretended not to know him.
"Then let me ask you, Master, if an ordinary man were to speak with you, would you think twice and consider all these rules and customs?"
"Won't."
"Then let me ask you another question: if a stranger is talking to a young lady, and people are pointing and whispering, who is it that people are talking about, the man or the woman?"
Wen Kong pursed his thin lips and silently met her gaze.
“Yes, the answer is self-evident,” Ye Mu said. “This is how things have always been. Men’s words and actions are often taken for granted, and it’s okay for them to be unrestrained and romantic. But if a woman has even the slightest interaction with outsiders, she will be scrutinized and disciplined.”
Ye Mu scoffed, “From childhood, we have lived under the scrutinizing eyes of everyone. We learn the precepts and teachings for women, embroider phoenixes and dragons, and follow strict rules for every movement, sitting, lying down and standing. We cannot show our teeth when we laugh, and we cannot speak loudly. It is as if we were born to be molded in a porcelain kiln, which must be exquisite and perfect, and cannot tolerate the slightest flaw.”
"As they grow up, they are like jade artifacts displayed in a jewel pavilion, weighed and appraised by all eyes. Every word and action is magnified and scrutinized. If they are not careful, they will be considered morally deficient. When they get married, it is just jumping from one cage to another. From then on, they have to watch their parents-in-law's expressions and guess their husband's intentions. When will they ever live for themselves?"
A moment of silence fell over the car.
“When I was traveling, I once visited the southwestern border region,” Wen Kongdao said. “There was a village nestled against the mountains and beside the water, where the women did not wear their hair in high buns, but instead braided their hair into long braids, adorned with wildflowers.”
As the cart tracks rolled across the night road, his narration slowly unfolded another world. His voice was deep, like the lingering echo of distant bells and chimes: "They farmed and hunted alongside the men, walking barefoot through streams and muddy fields. In the market, if a girl took a fancy to a young man, she would throw a colorful tassel that she had dyed herself. If the man who received the tassel also liked him, he would pick it up and tie it around his waist."
Ye Mu slightly opened her eyes, even softening her breathing.
"In the village, girls don't care about social status when it comes to marriage; they only care whether the two people are compatible. If they don't get along, the woman can propose a divorce and return home with her dowry. No one will criticize her. They don't know what 'Admonitions for Women' is, but they know how to respect elders and care for children."
“It is clear that in this world,” Wen Kong said slowly, glancing at her, “not every place is a treasure trove, and not all women need to live like porcelain.”
Inside the carriage, only the wheels were still rolling.
Ye Mu gazed at the flowing night outside the window, as if she could see the girls in the mountain village under the moon, wearing wildflowers and colorful tassels, singing and dancing barefoot. After a long while, a genuine smile finally appeared on her lips, "So this is how vast the world is."
The carriage stopped at Dongshan Villa.
Ye Mu gently lifted the carriage curtain with her slender hand, gazing at Wen Kong's serene figure as he ascended the steps, and softly called out, "Master."
Seeing him stop and look back, she said, "Tomorrow at 3:45 AM, I will have Uncle Wen drive to pick you up. The mountain road is covered in morning dew, so you should rest well and get plenty of rest. You don't need to walk back and forth."
Wen Kong stood at the foot of the stone steps, his gray monk's robe fluttering gently in the night breeze. He looked at Ye Mu, whose face was half-peeking out from the carriage. Knowing her stubbornness, he hesitated before speaking, "Thank you for your trouble."
As he stepped through the mountain gate, Ye Mu's carriage slowly drove away.
After Wen Kong arranged the scriptures in the scripture pavilion, he opened the window and looked out. He saw that the distant mountains were as dark as ink, and the path leading back to the village meandered like a snake under the moonlight, disappearing into the endless fields.
What if there really are wolves? What if?
He stood quietly by the window for a moment, then finally went downstairs. After giving a few instructions to the monk on night watch, he lifted his robe and strode out of the mountain gate, heading back towards the village.
The monk Liuye watched him leave, puzzled. "Brother, you're really strange. Coming to deliver several scriptures in the middle of the night. We have these Buddhist scriptures in our monastery too."
-
Wen Kong chose a forest path and hurried along. After several turns, the view suddenly opened up, revealing the Jade Belt Official Road leading to the manor.
Wen Kong stopped by the roadside, carefully examining the road surface by the moonlight. The newly rolled ruts should still be damp, indicating that they had not yet arrived here. He calmed himself down and stood by the stone, the night wind carrying the faint sound of distant bells.
Before long, the sound of horses' hooves came from the depths of the night, and a lantern swayed as it approached. Wen Kong straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, stepped out from the shadows, and raised his hand to block the way.
Wen Bo tightened the reins with a "whoosh," and only after seeing the monk's robe clearly in the moonlight did he breathe a sigh of relief and wipe his brow. "So it's Master Wen Kong..."
"Master?" The carriage curtain was lifted in response, letting in a sliver of moonlight. Ye Mu peeked out, the moonlight shimmering in her surprised eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"This humble monk will return with the Fourth Miss." Wen Kong lifted his robe and said to the carriage, "It would be too much trouble for Uncle Wen to come again tomorrow."
Ye Mu was slightly taken aback. Seeing him return, her heart felt as if it had been scalded by the moonlight. After he sat down, she deliberately imitated him by pressing her palms together and raising the corners of her eyes slightly, "Amitabha."
The tone was quite sarcastic.
The moonlight streamed through the car window, dancing on her slightly upturned lips, making them even more radiant, and her mischievousness almost overflowed.
Wen Kongjing looked at her with a hint of helplessness and sighed, "Ye Mu."
That sound seemed to indulge her little temper.
Ye Mu's smile deepened, and she was about to tease him a bit more when she heard him say, "To chant Buddhist mantras while harboring a playful attitude is disrespectful. Disrespect breeds contempt, and contempt obstructs the root of wisdom."
The moonlight outlined his lowered brows. "Don't imitate these superficial appearances."
After being spoken to seriously, Ye Mu dared not tease him anymore. "Yes, Master."
Perhaps it was the hard work of the past few days, or perhaps the weight on his heart had been lifted, but the sound of the wheels rolling was like a lullaby. At first, Ye Mu tried to stay awake and talked to Wen Kong about trivial matters on the estate, but as he talked, his voice gradually lowered, became softer and softer, and finally his head tilted to the side, leaning against the constantly shaking carriage wall, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Wen Kong, who had been sitting quietly with his eyes down, suddenly noticed that the carriage was much quieter. He looked up and saw this scene. The girl's hair was slightly disheveled, and her long eyelashes cast two dark shadows on her fair face. The cleverness she had during the day was completely gone, and she was as serene as a baby.
The lantern flickered, casting shadows on his serene face.
He gazed at her for a long time before finally closing his eyes again. Then, he moved his lips slightly and began to chant sutras to help her fall asleep.
“Shariputra, in that Buddha-land, heavenly music is constantly played, and the ground is made of gold.”
At six times of day and night, it rains mandarava flowers, and a gentle breeze stirs the jeweled trees and jeweled nets, producing subtle sounds. [1]
-
The next day, the morning sun shone through the window, and birds chirped.
Ye Mu awoke from a deep sleep, feeling refreshed all over, the fatigue that had accumulated over the past few months largely dissipating. She sat up, clutching the worn-out quilt, and stared at the slightly peeling ceiling above her, lost in thought for a moment. It had been a long time since she had slept so soundly.
Hearing the commotion inside, Zijing quietly entered with a copper basin of hot water. Seeing that she was already awake, she smiled and said, "Miss, you're awake? You slept so soundly, you hardly even turned over."
Ye Mu slipped off the bed and sat by the window, letting Zijing comb her long hair, but her gaze involuntarily drifted out the window. "What time is it? Where is Master?"
“Master Wenkong went to the fields before dawn.” Zijing picked up the jade comb and combed her cloud-like black hair. “Li Zhuangtou and the others followed. They said they wanted to first set aside a small plot of land and, before the midday sun was too strong, arrange the thunder vine and calamus roots according to the ancient method to test the effect.”
Ye Mu hummed in agreement, casually picked up a plain silver hairpin from her vanity case, and asked the mirror, "I don't know what time I got back last night. I was completely dazed and have no recollection of it at all."
In the bronze mirror, Zijing paused slightly. "You're telling me, young lady! Last night you slept soundly in the carriage, completely oblivious to the time. No matter how we called you, we couldn't wake you. It was Master Wenkong who carried you back to your room."
With a soft "clatter," the silver hairpin slipped from Ye Mu's fingers, rolled twice on the wooden table, and then came to a stop.
Ye Mu suddenly turned around, his eyes filled with astonishment, "What did you say?"
“Uncle Wen is getting on in years and his strength is failing.” Zijing picked up the hairpin, her tone as usual. “I saw that Master Wenkong is a monk, free from worldly desires and without so many worldly taboos and formalities, so I dared to ask him for help. At first, Master refused, saying, ‘It is against propriety, it cannot be done.’ It was I who persuaded him repeatedly, ‘If Fourth Miss stays in the carriage all night, her muscles and bones will surely ache tomorrow, how will she manage the affairs of the manor?’”
Ye Mu was turned around by Zi Jing, who was supporting his shoulder. He looked at himself in the mirror, but his gaze was fixed on Zi Jing's eyes in the mirror. He asked, "So he agreed later?"
"Although Master still seemed very troubled and remained at a stalemate for a while, he couldn't resist the persuasion of this servant and Wenbo. He couldn't just watch the young lady suffer, so he said, 'Amitabha, I'm sorry,' and then agreed."
Hearing this, Ye Mu felt a strange mix of shame and anger welling up inside her. She muttered under her breath, "He's still unwilling? What has he lost out on?"
Zijing laughed, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her eyes. "Yes, yes, how could a monk have the chance to embrace a beauty? Besides, our Fourth Miss is as beautiful as any other beauty."
She tied up the last strand of Ye Mu's hair. Ye Mu looked at herself in the mirror from left to right, and suddenly remembered something important. "Did I say anything nonsense?"
Since her rebirth, she has had this problem: when she falls into a deep sleep, she is prone to talking in her sleep and saying nonsensical things.
Zijing pondered for a moment, "From the moment you got off the carriage until you were carried into the room and placed on the couch, the young lady slept very soundly and didn't say a word. But just as Master had settled you in and was about to sit up, the young lady suddenly mumbled something..."
"What sentence?"
“It seems to be saying…” Zijing tried hard to recall, “'One day, I will also dye a tassel.'”
A tassel? Ye Mu's heart skipped a beat as he recalled the custom in the southwestern village that Wen Kong had mentioned in the carriage last night: if a woman took a fancy to a man, she would throw a tassel that she had dyed herself.
Ye Mu turned to the side, "And then?"
“Then…” Zijing recalled the events of last night. At that time, Master Wenkong was about to leave, but stopped in his tracks upon hearing this.
He stood silently by the couch, gazing at her for a moment, then asked softly, "Who are you going to give it to?"
-----------------------
The author says: "Shariputra, in that Buddha-land, heavenly music is constantly played, and the ground is made of gold."
At six times of day and night, it rains Mandarava flowers, and a gentle breeze blows through the rows of jeweled trees and jeweled nets, producing subtle sounds. "[1] From the Amitabha Sutra.
This is a passage from Shakyamuni Buddha's description of the beautiful scenery of the Western Paradise to his disciple Shariputra. It shows a perfect world far removed from all suffering, afflictions, and defilement through heavenly music, golden ground, rain of flowers, and jeweled trees.
This also expresses Wen Kong's hope that Si Niang will be free from pain and troubles in her dreams. [Go for it!]
The next chapter will be updated around 10 PM tomorrow night, after which the update time will return to normal, updating every day at 3 PM.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com