Chapter 115 Porcelain White Tea Fragrance
The aroma of tea wafts through the air, and white steam rises in the air.
The temple was extremely quiet, and the moon was high in the sky.
The hot cup warmed Xiao Qing's palms. Unconsciously, she held the teacup, her eyes glazed over, gazing at the moonlight near and far through the steamy aroma of the tea. She felt as if time and space were shifting.
If it weren't for this time, if it weren't for this place, she would surely be smiling in this gray and white space. She would certainly have gifts prepared for her by her family in her hands, and she would certainly be surrounded by the warmth of her family.
However, all of this seems to be too distant a thing of the past.
She knew very well that even if she were no longer in this world, it would be difficult for her to see them again.
Jueyin once asked her: "If you are separated and become a soul, without encountering old friends, you will be alone and restless in the wilderness. Is this something to fear?"
She was focused on getting away from it, so she wasn't afraid.
But now, sitting quietly under the moon, warming my hands with warm tea, how could I be inferior to a lonely ghost, who has no old friends to meet?
Death and departure are sometimes too easy; choosing to live and persevere are much more difficult. But what makes humans so precious is precisely these difficulties.
"A toast to the Abbot." Xiao Qing gently raised his cup, using tea instead of wine, but his eyes were still hazy, as if he were not yet fully awake.
Jueyin's eyes seemed drunk even in the hazy moonlight. He slowly raised his cup and said, "Jueyin will suffice."
Xiao Qing followed the good advice and said, "Respect Jueyin."
Ma Hong waited ten paces away from them, occasionally glancing at them from the side. He saw the young emperor resting his chin on his hand and leaning on his elbow, looking bewildered as he sat opposite the tall and upright monk, drinking tea. When he looked away, he suppressed the doubts and confusion in his heart.
"Respectfully, benefactor."
Jueyin poured Xiao Qing another half cup of tea.
"Xiao Qing".
Jueyin smiled and said, "Your name is too heavy."
"Do monks care about these things?"
Jueyin laughed and said, "The monks don't care, but Tianyin Temple does."
Xiao Qing was silent for a moment, "You're right. Perhaps one day, I too will find this name too heavy. So before it becomes even heavier, I..."
"How is it?" a deep male voice interrupted.
Xiao Qing realized, a beat late, that this was not Jueyin's voice.
Her clothes fluttered around her, and her breath wafted around her.
Xiao Qing turned her head and was startled.
"Grand Tutor!" What's Fu Mingyi doing here?
Thank goodness I didn't say it.
Jueyin nodded and said, "It is truly an honor to have such distinguished guests at our door today."
Fu Mingyi said indifferently, "Abbot Jueyin is renowned throughout the country. Even if a commoner like me came to his door, it would be difficult to see him. He is hardly a distinguished guest."
Jueyin knew that Fu Mingyi was referring to the day he was stopped by his senior brother Jueyan outside the Great Buddha Hall.
He didn't explain, he just smiled and poured Fu Mingyi a cup of hot tea.
Fu Mingyi was clearly knowledgeable about tea. He picked up the teacup, turned it around, and said, "I never expected that the abbot would have a complete set of the lost art of Langci porcelain."
Jueyin took a small sip and said slowly, "This humble monk dislikes being restrained. Since my late master passed away, I have spent most of my time traveling. Fortunately, I have acquired a set of Langci tea set, which I consider very lucky."
Fu Mingyi smiled and said, "Although it is a famous porcelain, it is not suitable for the abbot's 'Fairy in the Mist'."
He sniffed the rim of the glass, then took a small sip and rolled it on his tongue, saying softly, "It's pure enough, but not sweet enough."
Xiao Qing glanced at him, feeling a pang of jealousy.
She drank like a cow, gulping down several cups and only thought they tasted good. Unexpectedly, Fu Mingyi smelled and tasted them, but in the end, he was still not satisfied.
As a result, she felt like an illiterate person.
Jueyin laughed heartily, “Benefactor, you are always knowledgeable about refined matters and appreciate elegant music. My humble tea skills are nothing but a joke to you, esteemed guest.”
Xiao Qing curled her lip, unconvinced, and said, "I just think it tastes great, I don't care about all that. You don't need to worry about it."
Fu Mingyi smiled, put down his teacup, and said, "The best is not necessarily the most suitable. Abbot Jueyin has been immersed in Buddhism for many years, and every word and action of his is full of profound meaning. I am really just showing off my limited skills."
Xiao Qing watched the two of them talking back and forth, and although she felt something was a little strange, she couldn't quite make out what they were talking about.
She raised the teacup with both hands to Jueyin and said, "I am very grateful to Jueyin for your help today. I will offer you this cup of tea instead of wine."
Jueyin accepted the offer and then smiled, saying, "Actually, it wasn't just my doing. This benefactor has many capable and extraordinary people around him. Even if I hadn't intervened, you would have been safe and sound."
Xiao Qing felt a tremor in her heart when she thought of that bird, but remained noncommittal.
Her intuition told her that Jueyin was much kinder than the bird.
"However, you are destined to face this calamity, so you must not let your guard down."
Fu Mingyi's heart skipped a beat.
"We can't let our guard down?" Xiao Qing also realized something was wrong. "Does that mean she'll come back?"
She blurted it out without thinking, but then she remembered that Fu Mingyi was beside her and realized that she had said the wrong thing.
She was an outsider, but Fu Mingyi was not. She had taken over the body of someone else's little princess, and even though Jueyin had said that the return of a vengeful spirit would only lead to evil deeds and wouldn't last long, she still felt a little guilty and in the wrong.
Fu Mingyi would definitely want the original owner to come back.
Jueyin smiled and said, "Good and evil will eventually be rewarded, and cause and effect will naturally cycle. Although demons and monsters may roam the human world, as long as you are steadfast in your heart and do not forget your original intention, all evil will have difficulty getting close to you."
Fu Mingyi seemed to be deep in thought, simply picking up his teacup and sipping his tea without offering any opinion.
Xiao Qing felt that Jueyin's gaze was becoming increasingly unfocused in the moonlight. Just as he was about to take a closer look, someone approached from afar and said, "Junior Brother."
Xiao Qing looked towards the person who had come and gone, and saw that it was Abbot Jueyan.
Xiao Qing and Fu Mingyi stood up, and Jueyan hurriedly said, "I am ashamed to say that. It's just that Junior Brother has been too exhausted these past few days, and I'm afraid he has damaged his foundation, so I was just arranging for him to go into seclusion..." He looked at Jueyin, a hint of worry showing in his serious expression.
Xiao Qing thought of what Jueyin had said about divine retribution, but now he didn't mention it at all, so his heart, which had been at ease, started to race again.
"How are you? Were you injured because of what happened during the day? Where are you injured?"
Jueyin smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, benefactor. I am just a little tired, but it's nothing serious. I will be fine after a few days of seclusion."
He rose, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said, “Though I am reluctant to leave, I must take my leave. You may continue to enjoy your tea here. I regret that I cannot see you off, but there will be plenty of time in the future, and we will meet again when the time is right.”
Xiao Qing wanted to ask him about the people he was going to save, but he didn't mention it at all, and now he was really leaving.
Jueyan said, “It’s getting late. You two can stay in the side rooms of the temple and come down the mountain tomorrow morning. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the temple is usually quiet. If you two would like to see the festive celebrations, I can arrange for you to come down the mountain.”
Fu Mingyi looked at Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing also looked at Fu Mingyi.
"Is the Grand Tutor going back?"
Fu Mingyi smiled and said, "It depends on Your Majesty's decision."
Xiao Qing thought for a moment. The bustling world was not her world. It would be better to think of her family in the quiet night. So she said, "Grand Tutor, you can go home and reunite with your family. I can stay in the temple."
She pulled her cloak tighter and heard Fu Mingyi say, "Then we'll go down the mountain tomorrow."
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