Chapter 14 [14] Trip to Xuandu Temple
【14】/First release
Yun Ran has been practicing martial arts for many years and has a good foundation. After just a slight cold, he was full of energy in just two days.
As soon as she recovered from her illness, she couldn't wait to visit Xuandu Temple.
But Nanny Lan Gui restrained her, "Young lady, you have just recovered and are now in the process of restoring your vitality. How can you go out rashly? If you catch a cold again, who will take care of you?"
"Mammy, good Mammy, no."
Yun Ran grabbed hold of Nanny Lan Gui's sleeve and shook it. "I'm as strong as an ox. If you don't believe me, I'll do ten somersaults for you to see."
Aunt Lan Gui: “…”
She didn't know if she was really afraid that the future Princess Jing would do a somersault, or if her pitiful eyes softened her heart, but Nanny Lan Gui finally relented: "Just rest and recuperate for another half month. It won't be too late to go after half a month."
After some bargaining by Yun Ran, half a month was finally reduced to seven days, and everyone was happy.
During this period, the palace also officially sent the imperial edict granting the marriage, including the auspicious wedding date set by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory -
November 11th.
"This is too rushed! It's already late August, less than three months away. How are we going to plan a wedding?"
When Zheng heard that the wedding date was set before the New Year, her eyes turned black and she almost fainted again.
Fortunately, Li Wanrong was quick to support her mother-in-law in time and said to the eunuch who announced the decree, "Eunuch, the wedding date is too close, it's too hasty. I don't know..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by the eunuch announcing the imperial decree: "This marriage was decided by the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. The auspicious date was also determined by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory and chosen by the nobles. I am only one eunuch announcing the imperial decree, and I am here to carry out your orders. If the Marquis's wife and the Young Madam have any opinions, why not go to the palace and explain them to the nobles in person?"
The eunuch who announced the decree smiled politely yet respectfully, leaving Zheng and Li Wanrong speechless.
After receiving the imperial edict and sending the person away, the whole family stared at the glaring wedding date on the edict and felt worried.
It's too rushed.
In less than three months, it was not known whether the dowry could be fully prepared.
Seeing his family worried about his marriage again, Yun Ran felt a little guilty. "Dad, Mom, don't worry. I'll get married sooner or later anyway, it doesn't matter."
Yun Ran curled his eyes at them and said, "Besides, this date is quite good. November 11th is the birthday of Lord Jiuku Tianzun. Every year when he celebrates his birthday, our temple is very lively. There are incense burning continuously for six or seven days in a row!"
Throughout the year, the shabby little Taoist temple relies on the birthdays of a few immortals to attract more incense and save some money for food.
Therefore, Yun Ran looked forward to the birthday of the Lord of Rescue every year, and was even happier than when she celebrated her own birthday.
Although she didn't know her real birthday over the years, she always calculated it based on the day her master picked her up.
Seeing that the wedding date was also set for November 11th, Yun Ran felt that this was the Lord of Rescue comforting her: "My little disciple, you married the wrong man, don't panic, the Grandmaster is protecting you."
Everyone in the Marquis of Changxin's mansion was originally worried about the wedding date, but after hearing Yun Ran's explanation, they suddenly felt that the clouds had cleared and the moon was shining, and it didn't seem so bad after all?
In any case, the wedding date has been set, and the royal family and the marquisate are busy preparing for it.
One is the Empress Dowager's most beloved youngest son, and the other is the Marquis's most beloved youngest daughter. Both parties are determined to make this marriage a grand occasion and will never let their son/daughter suffer any loss.
Compared to the busyness of his family, Yun Ran was looking forward to visiting Xuandu Temple.
Finally, after seven days, she was able to go out.
That morning, after Yun Ran finished her boxing and morning lessons, she changed into a simple light blue dress and waited in the yard for her sister-in-law to send someone.
Seeing the young lady dressed so simply, Nanny Guilan wanted to persuade her to wear two bright hairpins, but when she thought about how the young lady had tried to put on her old Taoist robe in the morning, and that being able to wear ordinary skirts now was a big improvement, she kept her mouth shut.
"Here she comes! Sister Xia Zhi from the eldest young lady's side is here."
Qingling saw a figure through the window and hurriedly turned around to report.
Yun Ran sat up from the couch and saw Xia Zhi: "Are you ready to go out?"
Xia Zhiying bowed and smiled, "That's right. The carriage is waiting outside. The eldest young lady's wife said that once you have packed, you can go out."
"It's already been done."
Yun Ran straightened her dark blue dress in the mirror, making sure she looked neat, then said hello to Nanny Lan Gui: "Nanny, I'm going out to play! Don't worry, I'll stay warm and come back early. If I come across anything delicious or fun on the way, I'll bring some back for you."
Nanny Lan Gui moved her lips twice, wanting to correct the young lady for some of her mistakes, but the child was so honest and well-behaved that she couldn't open her mouth.
Forget it, let’s talk about it when I get back in the evening. There’s no need to spoil the fun now.
"Just take care of yourself, young lady, and don't worry about me."
After saying that, Nanny Lan Gui pulled Qing Ling aside and gave her some earnest instructions before she watched the master and servant leave the yard.
**
Yun Ran, who had been forced to stay at home for almost half a month due to a minor cold, was as excited as a bird out of its cage as soon as he left the house.
"Finally, I'm out. I've been stuck in the yard studying and learning etiquette all day. I'm almost bored to death!"
She lifted a corner of the car curtain and looked out the window at the bustling Suzaku Street, and she felt her breathing became much easier.
"Mother wanted to come too, but she was still worried about your dowry list and had no time to spare, so she asked your third sister-in-law to come along."
Li Wanrong said, "Since my sister is so excited, let's go shopping at Xuandu Temple today."
Qian Sijin ignored her sister-in-law's words about "keeping me company" and just smiled and said, "Although it's autumn now and I won't have the chance to see the magnificent sight of peach blossoms in full bloom in March, there is a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree on the hill behind Lingguan Temple. It's said that when its leaves turn golden yellow, it looks like a tree full of gold ingots. It's really beautiful."
Li Wanrong: "..."
Qian has been married to my third brother for a year, why does she still speak in such a vulgar way?
Yun Ran exclaimed in a very supportive tone, "It's not even September yet, I wonder if the leaves have turned yellow yet."
The two of them discussed whether the leaves had turned yellow for a while. Li Wanrong finally got a chance to interrupt and quickly turned the conversation back to business: "Last night, your eldest brother received a reply letter from Yuzhou. The second brother and his wife said they would rush back before Ranran's wedding."
After hearing this, no one cared whether the leaves turned yellow or not.
Yun Ran asked curiously about her second brother and sister-in-law, whom she had not met yet.
Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin were responsible for answering the main questions and supplementing them respectively. The three sisters-in-law talked happily all the way.
Even when the carriage stopped at the gate of Xuandu Temple, the three of them were still reluctant to leave and agreed to talk in detail on their way back about how their second brother Wu Fu had married his second sister-in-law, who was known as the most talented woman in Chang'an.
As a royal Taoist temple that has served three dynasties, Xuandu Temple is located in Chongyefang next to the imperial palace, and is just across Zhuque Street from Daxingshan Temple in Jingshanfang.
One temple, one viewpoint, one Taoism, one Buddha statue, standing opposite each other, are particularly harmonious.
Before arriving, the Marquis' Mansion had sent someone to greet them, so as soon as the three of them got out of the car, a receptionist came to greet them, "May the Blessings of Heavenly Venerable be born infinitely, and please come in, distinguished guests."
After so many days, Yun Ran felt particularly cordial when he saw his Taoist friend again. He also returned the Taoist courtesy: "Senior Brother, may you be blessed with infinite happiness."
The receptionist saw her clear eyes and lucid mind, and a look of surprise flashed across his face: "Could it be that the lady is from my sect?"
Yun Ran waved his hand: "I used to be, but now I have returned to secular life. I no longer stay in the Taoist temple, but only practice in seclusion at home."
The receptionist suddenly realized: "No wonder."
There was a touch of intimacy in his words. "Since you've come to our temple, you should take a good look around today. The Taiqing Hall, the Jinxian Hall, and the Lingguan Hall in our temple are all very well built."
"Of course, of course."
Yun Ran responded with a smile, while looking at the architecture and layout of this magnificent Taoist temple, he chatted with his senior brother about his own teachers and the situation of local Taoist temples in Yangzhou. The two of them got along well and walked side by side in front without realizing it.
The two sisters-in-law walking behind: "..."
Isn't this her first time here? Why does my sister-in-law look so relaxed as if she's back home?
"My sister is really not shy about strangers." Qian Sijin couldn't help but say.
Li Wanrong: "...Yeah."
In order to make it seem like she wasn't being snubbed, she added, "That's very nice, open and honest."
Qian Sijin: “Yeah.”
Oh my God, why did she have to chat with this Leng Guanyin? It would be better not to chat at all.
Yun Ran, who was walking ahead, was already chatting animatedly with the receptionist. He had heard that their temple provided eight dishes, a soup, a snack, and a piece of fruit for three meals a day, and Yun Ran was eager to register right there and stay for seven days and seven nights.
But she also remembered her identity and knew that she couldn't and didn't need to do this anymore, so she had to secretly make a note in her heart that she would write a letter to her master and senior sisters when she returned home tonight, telling them how good the welfare of the Dadao Temple in Chang'an City was. If she had the chance to come to Chang'an, she must come to Xuandu Temple to register!
Under the guidance of the receptionist, the three sisters-in-law toured the royal Taoist temple from bottom to top, which faced south and was backed by a high slope.
Whenever he arrived at a temple, Yun Ran would bow down and straighten his clothes, and worship with utmost piety.
After each worship, she would not forget to introduce to her two sisters-in-law who this immortal king was, who that god was, and their origins and stories.
After the trip, the receptionist looked at the little sister with eyes full of admiration: "It's a pity that you have returned to secular life. Otherwise, with your piety and wisdom, if we could practice Taoism together..."
"cough!"
Li Wanrong put her handkerchief to her lips and coughed, "It's getting late. I don't know when I can see your abbot, Taoist Master Ziqing."
The receptionist also realized that he had overstepped the bounds and bowed his head in apology, adding, "The abbot is currently editing the sutras and can only see guests at 3 p.m."
Li Wanrong frowned, and Yun Ran quickly smiled and took her arm, "Don't worry, don't worry. I'm hungry after walking around all morning. Sister-in-law, let's go to the dining hall to eat first."
"After lunch, you and sister-in-law can go to the quiet room to rest for a while. I'll go around and look around. It will be afternoon soon."
Seeing that she had arranged everything for them clearly in just two sentences, Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin looked at each other and sighed helplessly: "Okay, today we will listen to our little aunt."
Yun Ran's ears burned when she heard the word "little aunt". She was shy for once and went straight to the dining hall with her two sisters-in-law on each side.
***
The vegetarian meals at Xuandu Temple were indeed as sumptuous as Brother Zhike had said.
Today's main courses include Jade Melon Strips, Braised Vegetarian Chicken, Tai Chi Vegetarian Meat, Four Vegetarian Treasures of Xianshan, Ruyi Vegetable Rolls, Braised Mushrooms and Tremella, Stir-fried Cabbage, and Sweet and Sour Tofu. The soup is Tai Chi Tofu Soup, a smooth, steamed yam and pumpkin puree cooked in vegetarian broth. For dessert, there are coin-shaped soybean sweet rice cakes. As for the fruit after the meal, the seasonal Autumn Moon Pear is available.
Yun Ran ate with a sigh on his face.
Although Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin thought the vegetarian food tasted good, it was not to the point of being amazing.
Yun Ran saw their confusion and put the last piece of the soft and delicious soybean sweet rice cake into his mouth before explaining, "In the past, our Taoist temple had three dishes and a bowl of soup every day, which were shared by the six of us, including my master and my sisters. The vegetables we ate were all cabbage, radish, and shepherd's purse that we grew ourselves. These were the only dishes we had every day..."
Seeing the sympathetic expressions on his sisters-in-law's faces, Yun Ran hurriedly said, "Of course, we also eat other things occasionally. For example, in spring, there are many fresh bamboo shoots in the mountains. In summer, there are many mushrooms growing in the mountains behind. In autumn, there are water chestnuts and amaranth. In winter... winter... Oh, yes, in winter, you can pick plum blossoms to make wine and plum cakes!"
Her eyes were smiling, showing no resentment for her past poverty. Instead, her dark eyes sparkled with memories and joy. "The plum blossom cakes my senior sister makes are so delicious. They're fragrant and sticky, with the aroma of rice mixed with the fragrance of flowers. They're sweet but not greasy, and even leave a sweet taste in your mouth. She makes them for us every Chinese New Year. So every time the New Year passes, I look forward to the coming year."
Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin originally wanted to say a few words of comfort out of concern, but now hearing her say this, the pity in their hearts turned into an indescribable warmth that flowed through their hearts.
The meal ended with the audience recalling the good and bad times. Li Wanrong and Qian Sijin were taken to the quiet room by the young Taoist priest to rest for a while, while Yun Ran took Qingling to stroll around the major temples.
In the afternoon, the number of people in Xuandu Temple decreased a lot, so Yun Ran did not have to worry about disturbing his fellow brothers who were on duty in the temple.
After chatting with the fifth senior brother, Yun Ran learned that there was a little-known statue of Laozi in the bamboo forest behind their mountain. Yun Ran thought that since he was already here, it would be a shame not to see it.
What's more, that image was the work of Wuyazi, the great painter of the previous dynasty!
Seeing his young lady finish her meal, climb from the fifth staircase to the first staircase to chat and discuss, and now she was about to climb from the first staircase back to the bamboo forest behind the fifth staircase, Qingling, who was following behind her, couldn't help but wipe the sweat off her face and said, "Young lady, why don't we take a break?"
Yun Ran turned around and saw Qing Ling sweating profusely. He couldn't help but sigh, "I always ask you to practice boxing and martial arts with me, but you always refuse. Now you're already panting like this after only climbing to the third floor. Your physical condition is too weak."
Qingling couldn't refute. After all, as the first-class maids in the Marquis's Mansion, they didn't have to do any physical work, and their lives could be said to be easier than those of some ladies from small families.
What's more, the person in front of her now is Yun Ran, who can fetch water, grow vegetables and dig bamboo shoots all over the mountain.
"Well, I'll go up first."
Yun Ran was not the kind of person who would force others to do things against their will. "Rest here for a while, and climb again when you have recovered your strength."
Qing Ling looked worried: "But..."
Yun Ran: "Don't worry, maybe I'll come back after a while and you'll be able to breathe more smoothly."
As she said this, she waved her hand and climbed up in one breath.
Looking at the petite figure that climbed more than a dozen stairs in the blink of an eye, Qingling: "......!"
The young lady is really full of energy!
Maybe I can start boxing with her starting tomorrow morning?
Yun Ran climbed up the five steps in one breath. She had visited the Lingguan Temple before, so she bypassed the temple and headed straight for the bamboo forest behind it.
Although this place is called Green Bamboo Forest, it is not just green bamboo. There are lush green trees all around, with thick shades blocking the sun. The most eye-catching one is a tall and straight ginkgo tree, which is the one mentioned by my third sister-in-law Qian Sijin.
Unfortunately, it was still early and the leaves were not yet green, which was a bit boring.
Yun Ran was just thinking that it was a good thing that her third sister-in-law didn't come, otherwise she would have been disappointed, when suddenly a familiar and gentle voice came from behind her: "Fifth sister Yun."
Yun Ran paused, and when he turned around and saw the person coming, he was surprised: "Brother Cui, why are you here?"
The blue-robed man who was walking slowly along the bluestone path was none other than Cui Boxu, whom he had not seen for some time.
"I heard you were visiting Xuandu Temple today... so I just came here."
Cui Boxu walked to the tree, kept a certain distance from Yun Ran, and bowed: "I apologize for disturbing my sister's leisure."
Yun Ran wondered if all the people in Chang'an spoke in such a refined manner. He politely returned the greeting, "Brother Cui, you're too polite. This bamboo forest isn't mine, and no one else is allowed to wander in. But..."
She paused and looked at him doubtfully: "Did you come here specifically to look for me today?"
Upon hearing this, Cui Boxu's fair and handsome face flushed slightly with shame. "I know that following a young lady is not a gentleman's behavior, but... thinking of Sister Yun Wu's engagement to Prince Jing, I decided to come find you."
Yun Ran was even more confused now. She was engaged to King Jing, so what did it have to do with him?
The next moment, Cui Boxu took a big step forward.
She was startled: "Brother Cui?"
"Run."
Cui Boxu looked around, then at the innocent young lady in front of him: "Prince Jing is definitely not a good match. He will kill you. Sister Yun Wu, don't follow in my sister's footsteps. Find a way to escape quickly."
In the bamboo grove pavilion not far away, Chang Chun observed his Highness's expression and said, "Your Highness, this Cui Boxu is truly audacious. He wants this servant to..."
"Shut up."
A young man in a black robe stood beside the corridor pillar, staring at the man and woman under the ginkgo tree, who were also wearing blue robes and looked like a perfect couple, his eyes dark.
He wanted to hear how she would answer.
The author has something to say:
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Someone is crawling in the dark... [melted]
A small red envelope dropped, by the way, it’s the end of the month and I’m looking for some irrigation, thank you everyone [poor]
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