Chapter 30: Thirty Years Without Sunshine, Yet Sunshine Exists
At that time, Wang Yuying trusted Xu Heng and immediately forgave Zheng Yangzhi in her heart: "Alright, I'll let it go this time, but don't let it happen again."
She was more concerned about Xu Heng himself, and asked him while resting her head on her hand, "You've befriended the son of Prime Minister Zheng, so who are you?" Wang Yuying grabbed a teacup and pretended to slam the gavel down, "Tell me the truth!"
Xu Heng loved this fiery spirit. He smiled broadly, his eyes crinkling, and stood up to bow deeply to Wang Yuying, performing a grand gesture to win her favor. He revealed his identity, saying he shouldn't have concealed it, that all his mistakes were his own, and begged for her forgiveness.
Wang Yuying then realized that the young master Xu, whom she had already developed a strong liking for, was none other than Xu Heng, the eldest son of the current emperor and the Prince of Su.
She glanced to her right unconsciously and suddenly caught a glimpse of Zheng Yangzhi, who had already left, peeking through the crack in the door. But when she looked a second time, he was gone. Wang Yuying quickly told Xu Heng, who turned around and opened the door, but saw only customers coming and going; there was no trace of Zheng Yangzhi.
Xu Heng was certain that Wang Yuying had misread it, and Wang Yuying frowned slightly, but she believed him.
Xu Heng said this was the only time Zheng Yangzhi acted abnormally, and Wang Yuying agreed not to do it again, but Zheng Yangzhi provoked her again next time.
Before Wang Yuying married Xu Hengcheng, she spoke less than ten words to Zheng Yangzhi, yet every word he uttered was filled with hostility. The two were like oil and water the moment they met, engaging in a fierce verbal battle, their arguments sharp and confrontational.
Even when they weren't together, she could overhear Zheng Yangzhi's disgraceful remarks outside the study of the Prince Su's residence, saying that she was unworthy of Xu Heng and that they should never be together. Wang Yuying was furious and couldn't stand it anymore. She kicked open the door, pointed at Zheng Yangzhi's nose, and cursed him. If Xu Heng hadn't stopped her and forcibly separated the two, she would have punched him.
It wasn't until the fourth year of the Yuanjia era that Wang Yuying entered the Yuqing Temple.
At first, she did not live in the backyard, but lived in a high place with the other female Taoist priests, but in a separate room.
She had only been there for three days when she beat up Fu Yi and Bao Yi, and from then on she was isolated.
When Wang Yuying went to the dining hall for a meal, all the female Taoist priests scattered immediately. Only one young Taoist nun with the Buddhist name Chunyi was not afraid of her and did not run away. Later, she even ate a vegetarian meal with her.
Wang Yuying considered herself intimate with Chunyi and even allowed him into her room. Until one day she discovered that fifty taels of silver notes she had brought were missing. After questioning him, she learned that Chunyi had a younger brother who needed money to get married before he became a monk, and had taken fifty taels from Wang Yuying without asking.
Wang Yuying shook her head with a wry smile: "Why didn't you tell me beforehand? Would you have refused to lend it to me?"
Why resort to stealing?
Chunyi stammered, "I...I'm scared. They all say you're very fierce, so I don't dare to borrow from you!"
Chunyi felt extremely wronged. How could the Immortal Master keep pursuing this fifty taels of silver, being so aggressive and making such a big fuss, leaving him in such an embarrassing situation!
Now everyone in the temple knows she's a thief. Is the Immortal Master satisfied?
They were right, the immortal master was indeed extremely vicious...
Chunyi covered his face and wept bitterly. Wang Yuying was stunned and felt a sense of powerlessness: how did she become the one who bullied others?
She shook her head, quickly regaining her senses. It wasn't her; it was Chunyi who wanted both practical benefits and a respectable reputation. The saying "three men can make a tiger" held true, and the young nun still took her companion's words to heart, creating a rift between them.
Afterwards, Wang Yuying distanced herself from Chunyi, partly because she was still somewhat hurt, and partly because she disliked people who did things secretly and coyly when they were supposed to be aboveboard.
Chunyi also started to run away with his bowl whenever he saw Wang Yuying during meals, avoiding her like the plague.
Later, no matter when Wang Yuying went to the dining hall for meals, she never encountered the female Taoist priest again. It was only after a long time that she unintentionally learned that the abbot had changed the dining location and informed the entire temple, but she was not informed at all.
None of the nuns in the temple came to tell Wang Yuying.
She comforted herself that this was a good thing, because now no one would care if she ate meat in the vegetarian hall.
But things were far less convenient back then than they are now. There were always people following Wang Yuying when she went up and down the mountain, so she could only buy meat from hunters. It wasn't until a year later that no one followed her anymore, but that's another story, so let's leave it at that.
It is said that during her first winter solstice at Yuqing Temple, in the depths of winter, as the old year was drawing to a close, she did not know whether the new year would be auspicious.
She bought a leg of meat from a hunter and found a long-unused earthenware pot in the temple. She washed it clean, and since it didn't leak, she made do with it. Taoist practitioners don't eat the five pungent vegetables, so she went to a general store at the foot of the mountain to buy scallions and garlic. Unfortunately, they didn't sell almonds, which was missing from her secret recipe, making the mountain-cooked mutton not tender enough.
"Just make do with what you have," Wang Yuying said, enjoying her meal in the dining hall, when suddenly someone entered through the side door.
Wang Yuying was stunned for a moment. A female Taoist priest dared to provoke her? Who was this fearless person?
Or have they teamed up again to use dirty tricks?
Wang Yuying stared warily at the doorway, her eyes sharp as knives, but she could tell that the person was not a nun from the temple. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Zheng Yangzhi, dressed as a Taoist nun!
Oh, what a rare guest!
Zheng Yangzhi wore a plain white silk jacket, her hair styled in a Miaochang bun, and she wore a Miaochang headscarf with a plain white ribbon hanging down. Her whole demeanor was elegant and ethereal. If she were to carry a jade vase with a willow leaf inserted inside, she would resemble Guanyin.
Unfortunately, what he was holding was a bowl of vegetarian food along with chopsticks and a bowl.
Wang Yuying couldn't help but sneer, "A man behaving like a woman, worshipping the Three Pure Ones, deceiving his superiors and disrespecting his inferiors—aren't you afraid of such great disrespect?"
Zheng Yangzhi immediately retorted: "Eating meat and fish in the vegetarian hall, how much respect does the immortal master have for you?"
With a cold and aloof expression, he slowly approached Wang Yuying, carrying the vegetarian meal, and sat down opposite her.
Wang Yuying suddenly lost her appetite, but she was the one who arrived first, so Zheng Yangzhi should be the one to leave! So she continued eating, deliberately chewing with relish to disgust Zheng Yangzhi.
Zheng Yangzhi didn't leave either, and with a cold face, he started eating and chewing his rice.
The atmosphere was oppressive and tense, yet both men persisted to the end, eventually finishing their winter solstice meal at the same table.
Even when leaving the dining hall, they walked side by side, showing no courtesy to each other.
Ten steps outside the temple, Zheng Yangzhi turned left and they parted ways. But this was not the way out of the temple; instead, it was the opposite direction. Wang Yuying was curious and silently followed Zheng Yangzhi. She saw him enter the Lüzu Temple, kneel on the prayer mat, and respectfully kowtow.
Wang Yuying stepped into the hall and asked in surprise, "You really came to pay your respects?"
Zheng Yangzhi pointed to the wall: "Don't be rude and noisy."
He then scolded her for being rude. Wang Yuying inhaled sharply, her eyes following Zheng Yangzhi's gaze. Besides the clay statue of Lü Zu, there were two couplets, both containing famous quotes from Lü Zu:
Do not say that a recluse has nothing to do; in his leisure time, he finds tranquility.
Know that those who dwell amidst the mists and clouds are not those who polish mirrors in the dust of the world.
Suddenly, a thought struck Wang Yuying: she didn't actually need to eat in the dining hall, nor did she need to endure the discomfort of living in a side room! She thought the back courtyard was much better; far from all the main halls, it was like an isolated island, and she could exit directly through the back gate. She could be alone, without disturbing the other cultivators. As a hermit beyond worldly concerns, she could focus on her practice, finding tranquility in her leisure time, and no longer waste her time…
When Wang Yuying came to her senses, Zheng Yangzhi had already left. There was a package on the altar, which looked like money left by Zheng Yangzhi for incense oil. She unwrapped the oil paper and found a handful of dried almonds inside.
Wang Yuying paused for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. If he really wanted to help her, there was much more he could do than just give her a few dried fruits!
Zheng Yang came again disguised as a Taoist nun, perhaps many times, but Wang Yuying only encountered her once. At that time, she had already tried to get the abbot to "invite" her to the backyard. While sweeping the yard, she forgot to close the gate. When she caught sight of Zheng Yang, she immediately took a few steps forward and closed the gate tightly.
In mid-October of the fifth year of the Yuanjia era, one morning when Wang Yuying woke up, her voice suddenly became hoarse and she coughed up phlegm. She thought it was due to autumn heat and that drinking more tea and eating a light diet would help.
To my surprise, it got worse and worse. My throat and lungs felt like they had been scraped by razor blades. I also had a dry cough, especially at night. I couldn't breathe when I lay down and could only sit up all night.
She coughed like this for a whole month. It snowed at night on Fuyou Mountain, and the temperature fluctuated. There was no charcoal in the backyard. Wang Yuying originally planned to spend the night and go down the mountain to buy some the next morning, but she couldn't get up before morning. Her limbs felt weak as if they had no bones. She pulled all the quilts and clothes to cover herself, but she still felt cold. However, when she touched her body, it was so hot that it could cook an egg.
Wang Yuying couldn't get up, couldn't even drink water, and couldn't fall asleep again. She kept shivering and coughing. She opened her eyes and stared at the top of the tent. For a moment, she felt that she would lie on this bed and slowly die.
Later, the fever became so high that the person fainted and lost all five senses.
When I opened my eyes again, I didn't know when. Although my head was still dizzy, I wasn't so cold anymore.
Wang Yuying managed to glance at the bed with difficulty; thankfully, the person was still asleep.
In her sleepy eyes, there was a blurry figure, like one soaked with water. It seemed to be Zheng Yangzhi, dressed as a Taoist nun, squatting in the house lighting a stove. Strangely, she could not see his features clearly, but she could see that the fire had burned his Taoist robe.
Was it a dream?
Why would I dream about Zheng Yangzhi?
Wang Yuying raised her hand and found a cooling towel placed on her forehead.
Later, he would wake up and fall into a daze, and in his hazy state, he could sense that the imperial physicians had come, and there was more than one.
After Wang Yuying broke out in a sweat and her fever subsided completely, everyone disappeared.
Inside the room, a copper basin was burning, and a row of black charcoal was piled up in the corner.
Several days later, Fuyou Mountain was snowed again. Was this the second or third snowfall of the winter?
On the fifth night of the twelfth lunar month, Wang Yuying woke up slowly as if she had a premonition. Although there was no lamp lit in the room, the night snow outside the window was as bright as day, allowing her to see Zheng Yangzhi sitting on the edge of the bed near the head of the bed, still wearing the Taoist robe with one corner burned by the fire.
His right hand hung down on his knee, while his left hand rested lightly on the bed. His index finger hooked a lock of Wang Yuying's hair, circling it gently again and again. The lock of hair was completely wrapped around his finger, yet his index finger continued to twirl it.
The room was warm and cozy. Wang Yuying stared at the glowing red charcoal brazier and asked, "Did you invite the imperial physician?"
A spark flew, and Zheng Yangzhi responded, "Yes."
Wang Yuying kept her lips closed and remained silent, but her eyes remained open.
Zheng Yangzhi slowly opened his lips: "He has established a new empress, and they are getting married today."
Wang Yuying immediately retorted, "Why should I tell you? Do you want my congratulatory gift?"
Zheng Yangzhi let out a sneer.
Wang Yuying calmly said, "Your Majesty and I should go our separate ways sooner or later."
Sparks flew out of the basin again, making crackling sounds. Wang Yuying and Zheng Yangzhi, one lying down and the other sitting, watched and listened silently.
After a moment, Wang Yuying snorted softly, "Zheng Yangzhi, ask yourself honestly, why did you tell me all this?"
Zheng Yangzhi did not answer. He was a civil official who did not know martial arts, yet at this moment his breathing was so light that it was almost inaudible.
“Actually, you like me, don’t you?” Wang Yuying’s voice was also very soft, like a gentle stream flowing across a plain. “When you went to the northern frontier to visit us, it happened to be the time I rescued His Majesty from the icy river. His Majesty was fine, but I caught a chill and had unbearable abdominal pain. At first, His Majesty sent you to fetch a doctor so he could take care of me, but you replied that you were unfamiliar with the area. His Majesty had no choice but to leave home in a hurry and go fetch the doctor himself, entrusting me to you. In front of His Majesty, you looked reluctant, went out and stood in the courtyard, saying that you would stand guard outside the door and call for me if anything happened to me. When His Majesty returned, you were still outside the door because I hadn’t called for you once. But actually—” Wang Yuying’s eyes blinked involuntarily, “You came into the room to check on me while I was asleep with my back turned, wiped the sweat from my forehead, and even sat on the bed like this now, playing with my hair, didn’t you?”
At that time, Wang Yuying was seriously injured and could not sleep well. She vaguely sensed something, but because she was not entirely sure, she did not confront Zheng Yangzhi to confirm it.
Wang Yuying thought Zheng Yangzhi would refute her, or at least fall into a long silence. However, almost the next instant, he raised the hand that was not playing with his hair, took out a gold hairpin from his pocket, opened his palm, and slowly handed the hairpin to Wang Yuying.
The slender double strands were inlaid with fluorite and pearls to resemble small flowers and swallows. Wang Yuying recognized it at a glance as the one she used to love the most, but unfortunately she lost it later.
Why was it lost?
She recalled for a moment that it was Zheng Yangzhi who told her that Jiang Mei and Xu Heng were betrothed since childhood, and on the day they were choosing a date to discuss the marriage, she rushed into the palace to find Xu Heng. After they reconciled, it was Xu Heng who asked why she wasn't wearing her hairpin that day, and only then did Wang Yuying belatedly realize that she had run too fast and her hairpin had fallen off without her noticing.
Xu Heng accompanied her to search along the way back, but they searched everywhere and couldn't find a trace of the hairpin. Wang Yuying was sad for several days afterward.
It turned out that Zheng Yangzhi had found it.
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