Chapter 85 Dharma Assembly
In the next few days, the capital city appeared calm on the surface, but in secret, invisible threads were quietly tightening.
Chen He lives a secluded life and spends most of his time in his own yard.
Sometimes he would flip through ancient books, his fingertips carefully running over the records of the royal ceremony of Putuo Temple, his eyes deep.
Sometimes she would practice some complicated needlework in front of a piece of silk scarf with a focused look on her face.
She is making final preparations for the upcoming "performance".
Zhou Yan'an would occasionally pass on some sporadic information through secret channels.
About the movements of certain officials in the court, about the deployment of the imperial guards, and about some unknown details inside Putuo Temple.
He was fulfilling the unspoken covenant in his own way.
Smart people always have their own way of survival.
On this day, the setting sun shines obliquely, and golden light fills the courtyard.
Chen He was leaning on the railing, gazing into the distance, thinking over every aspect of the plan.
Suddenly, a figure, like a ghost, appeared under the moon cave door not far away.
He was wearing dark brocade clothes, with a stern face and complicated eyes.
It’s Xue Minglan.
There is no way to avoid it. Some people are like the ropes of fate, which cannot be broken free.
He walked slowly towards me and stopped a few steps away.
"You..." Chen He said, his voice slightly hoarse. "Are you okay?"
Her tone was polite, yet distant.
Xue Minglan looked at her, his eyes wandering over her calm face.
"Are you going to Putuo Temple too?"
His voice was very soft, as if he was confirming something.
Chen He nodded slightly.
"As the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, how could I be absent from the royal ceremony?"
She answered calmly, as if it was a matter of course.
Xue Minglan's brows knitted slightly.
He paused, as if weighing his words.
"Be careful in everything."
Chen He looked at him quietly, seeing the struggle and pain in his eyes that were difficult to conceal.
She suddenly spoke softly.
"Brother Minglan."
Her voice was very faint.
"Some things are beyond our control."
She paused, her eyes cold, yet filled with a kind of understanding that seemed to see through everything.
“But once you choose a path, you have no choice but to keep going.”
Her gaze fell on his heart, where the poison needle had pierced.
"Take care of yourself too."
She understood his helplessness and the despair he felt when he was controlled by poison and threats.
But this understanding does not change anything.
Xue Minglan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
His Adam's apple rolled, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing.
Those eyes that were once as sharp as an eagle now only contained an obscure struggle.
He looked at Shen He deeply, as if he wanted to carve her appearance into his heart.
Then he turned around suddenly and his figure quickly disappeared in the afterglow of the sunset.
Chen He looked at the direction where he disappeared, without moving for a long time.
His eyes were complex, filled with pity, understanding, but more than that, cold determination.
***
In the blink of an eye, it was twenty days later.
The sixth day of the sixth lunar month is the Kung Festival.
On this day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle, but it was destined to be an extraordinary day in the capital.
The once-in-three-years Royal Blessing Ceremony of Putuo Temple officially opens today.
The entire capital city seemed to be shrouded in a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
On the official road leading to Putuo Temple outside the city, there were continuous ceremonial guards and canopies like clouds.
The entire palace had started preparing several months ago and was waiting for the occasion with great fanfare.
This ceremony is not only for praying for blessings, but also an important ceremony to demonstrate the royal majesty and consolidate the rule.
There are many strict rules regarding this Dharma Assembly.
First, the ceremony must begin on the Tianfu Festival and last for nine consecutive days before it ends, which is in line with the Taoist number "nine nines return to one", implying the cycle of heaven and the longevity of the country.
The second is the almost harsh iron law of prohibition.
All the ladies who are going to participate in the Dharma Assembly, regardless of their rank, must abstain from meat and fish, stop sexual desire, fast and bathe three full months in advance to show their utmost piety to the gods and Buddhas.
Any slight mistake would be regarded as insincerity, which would be a great disrespect to the royal family and the gods and Buddhas. The person would be reprimanded at the very least and punished at the worst.
Not only that, the rules are even stricter during the Dharma Assembly.
The Great Hall of the Buddha is a strategically important place. All royal males, including princes, are not allowed to enter without permission and can only stay in designated areas outside the hall.
Only the current Queen Mother can, with the Phoenix Seal, a symbol of her status, bring a few of her trusted female relatives into the inner palace to hold a more private blessing ceremony.
It is both a symbol of respect and a symbol of power.
All the royal family members, noble ladies and noble ladies who participated in the ceremony, no matter what they felt in their hearts, had to complete a ritual passed down from generation to generation:
Prick your fingers to draw blood and copy Buddhist scriptures.
To show piety and seek protection.
At this moment, in the huge square in front of the main hall of Putuo Temple, incense smoke was curling and Buddhist chants were softly heard.
The palace maids had already made preparations. On the long tables covered with bright yellow brocade were rows of snow-white silk, exquisite ink discs, and golden needles that gleamed with a cold light.
Hundreds of noble ladies in gorgeous clothes stood in order of rank, with their faces restrained and their breath held.
The atmosphere was so solemn that it was almost stagnant.
Following the eunuch's "Please", everyone stretched out their well-maintained jade fingers.
A silver light flashed, and a tiny golden needle pierced the fingertip.
"hiss……"
There was a barely audible gasp from the crowd.
Bright red blood beads rushed out and dripped into the dish of pine soot ink in front of him.
Using his own blood as ink, he copied the Golden Light Sutra on a plain piece of silk, stroke by stroke, and offered it before the Buddha. This was a ritual and also a sacrifice.
A strange smell gradually filled the air.
The faint smell of blood, mixed with the rich sandalwood and the scent of precious perfume from the ladies, formed a strange fusion.
The copied scriptures would not be kept as treasures. What awaited them was another grand ceremony.
In front of the main hall, a huge three-legged bronze tripod has already been erected. The body of the tripod is carved with intricate patterns of exotic beasts, exuding simplicity and majesty.
This tripod is called "Karma Fire Tripod".
All completed copies of the Blood Sutra will be thrown into this cauldron of karma and burned. The blazing flames symbolize the burning away of past karma and the prayer for a brighter and more prosperous future.
The ashes after burning were carefully collected by dedicated eunuchs and palace maids. After special processing, they were mixed into the "longevity soup" that had been carefully brewed long ago, which was said to have miraculous effects in prolonging life and washing away sins.
This "longevity soup" is slightly turbid and you can't see what's inside.
But every woman who participates in this ceremony must drink a bowl respectfully before the end of the ceremony.
Chen He stood among the crowd.
She was wearing a simple and elegant palace dress that conformed to the regulations. She did not wear too many gorgeous hairpins or rings on her head, but only a few white jade hairpins of excellent quality.
His expression was calm, even with a touch of just the right amount of piety.
The moment the golden needle pierced the fingertip, a slight stinging pain was felt.
But she seemed unaware of it and didn't even frown.
She lowered her eyelids and watched the bright red blood dripping, staining the black ink red.
Then she picked up the pen and dipped it in the ink mixed with her own blood.
He began to carefully copy the scriptures on the plain silk, stroke by stroke.
Her movements were meticulous, smooth and graceful, as if she were truly a noble lady devoted to worshipping Buddha.
The person accompanying her was not Guyu, but Chuyue.
The corner of his eye lightly swept across the distance.
Chen Jiao and her daughter Shan Zhuyu were also "devoutly" copying scriptures with their fingers.
Chen Jiao had her usual delicate and innocent look on her face, and when she looked in the direction of the Queen Mother and the Empress, her eyes were full of admiration and respect.
Shan Zhuyu acted like a dignified and virtuous stepmother, moving very cautiously, as if she was afraid of making a mistake.
Chen He withdrew his gaze, and a cold smile appeared at the corner of his lips that no one noticed.
She picked up the cold golden needle, seemingly intending to prick her fingertip again to draw blood, but her movements paused slightly.
In his eyes, there was a calmness as still as an ancient well, and a hint of icy determination.
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