Chapter 54 After Marriage
"No one in the world can be freed."
Jialuo didn't mind sitting on the futon where the man had just sat, and casually sat cross-legged on it.
Mingjue, as if used to it, withdrew his gaze and casually opened the scripture.
There are some old sayings about sitting cross-legged.
When Jialu first came to the temple two years ago, the first thing she saw was the word "Heaven and Earth". After a moment's thought, she did not kneel down, but instead sat cross-legged on the prayer mat in a casual posture.
Mingjue, who came out of the next cubicle, was taken aback and looked at Jialuo, saying, "What is this, benefactor?"
It was only then that Jialuo noticed the monk Jueming.
The monk stood in the shadows, tall and wearing a long blue robe.
Even if you can't see his face clearly, you can still make out his handsome features.
Jialuo stood up, bowed to him in Buddhist salutation, and said with a smile, "I have come uninvited today and have disturbed the holy monk."
The monk emerged from the shadows and stopped at the right spot.
"What disturbance is there? We have brought incense with us as our honored guest."
Jialuo was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to be so blunt about incense money.
But just as she was at a loss for words, the monk asked her again, "This humble monk is not asking why you have come to the temple, but rather why you are sitting cross-legged."
Jialuo raised her head, glanced at the monk, and discovered that he was incredibly handsome.
The monk was slightly thin, with a clear and sharp facial contour, sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and clear pupils.
She raised an eyebrow in slight surprise, then turned to look at the inscription on the altar that read "Heaven and Earth".
"I think that your temple does not enshrine gods or Buddhas, so there is no need to make it appear as if it were."
"When you pray to gods and Buddhas, the first word is 'pray.' If your posture is respectful and your heart is filled with reverence and expectation, then you should kneel."
"The words 'heaven and earth' inherently carry the meaning of going with the flow and having a clear conscience, so we can face heaven and earth in the most natural and comfortable way."
"Heaven and earth give birth to all things. My presence here today is the will of heaven and earth, and also my own will. Heaven and earth follow their natural course, so why should I put on airs?"
Upon hearing this, the monk suddenly burst into loud laughter.
Jialuo and the others were startled by him, but then they saw him looking leisurely at the two characters "Heaven and Earth," and then he said with emotion, "When I was your age, I couldn't find a way out and struggled bitterly. When I was on the verge of death and in despair, I wrote the two characters "Heaven and Earth" and worshipped them every day, praying for peace of mind."
“You are living in wealth and honor, yet you never become deeply entangled in it.”
Jialu smiled, then sat back down, looked up at the sky and said, "No, I cannot do without wealth and honor."
The monk shook his head and said, "You are different from many people in this world."
“Those who come here are destined to meet you. You may come to the vegetarian room for a meal in the afternoon, but you need to take a bath and change your clothes to wash away the chaos and restlessness.”
Jade and Agate were naturally reluctant to agree, but for some reason, Gallo felt that he was kind-hearted and agreed.
Every few months thereafter, Jialuo would come here for a vegetarian meal.
Two years have passed since then.
She and Mingjue were already old acquaintances.
Sometimes, the two would play chess, or he would talk about the scriptures he carried, which were filled with countless "miscellaneous writings".
As Jialu listened to his stories of ghosts and monsters in Jiangnan, Emerald and Agate behind him were startled. Only Jialu found his stories of Jiangnan folk customs much more interesting than the ghost stories.
Only after he finished speaking did Jialuo ask, "Judging from Master Mingjue, it seems he has been to Jiangnan?"
Mingjue glanced outside the temple, then looked away and turned to the curious woman in front of him, smiling as he said, "This humble monk has traveled the world and has naturally been to Jiangnan."
Jialuo immediately became interested and asked, "How is it? Is it really extremely prosperous? Are there really scholars and poets everywhere? Are there singers and dancers?"
Mingjue Dao didn't feel that Jialuo was asking too many questions; on the contrary, he answered them one by one with great patience.
Time flowed slowly through the stories told by the monk.
What was originally a sunny day can change in an instant on this mountainside.
A clap of thunder rolled across the distant sky, followed by the slowly spreading and encroaching dark clouds.
Although there were few people in the temple, it was built in a very orderly and safe manner.
When the lightning flashed again, the thunder seemed to roar overhead like a giant thunderclap. Emerald and Agate, having just heard the ghost story, were so frightened that they huddled together in fear.
"Don't be afraid, we are in a temple that worships heaven and earth."
Jialuo looked at the two of them and said with amusement.
Mingjue's gaze was leisurely, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. He said, "You are always the most composed person."
"Such people are born into wealth and have a smooth life. They spend the first half of their lives enjoying the company of their parents, and the second half of their lives will surely be filled with love and happiness with their spouse, growing old together."
Jialuo: "…………"
The jade and agate, which they had originally thought would protect them from the elements, now stood close together again, looking terrified.
Mingjue glanced at the two of them and asked, "Are you two feeling cold?"
Jialuo chuckled and said, "They just think that you, Master, seem to be a fake monk, and that what you say is not accurate at all."
Now it was Mingjue's turn to be surprised. He asked, "Is there a problem with that part? Please enlighten me, benefactor?"
Jialu shook her head and said, "What in this world is perfect? Being loved by one's parents in one's youth is a blessing that will last a lifetime."
She spoke with such ease, but unexpectedly, Mingjue frowned slightly. After a long while, he said, "This humble monk has always been extremely accurate in judging people."
"oh?"
Jialuo looked at him mockingly and said, "Let's hear your master's excuses."
"If a couple's love is not guaranteed, let alone growing old together, how can you be so sure?"
Nagatoku, however, said with a serious expression, "Humans are connected to all things in the world."
“You see, it’s like the trees outside the house. If they don’t get enough nutrients in the shade, they will grow vigorously when transplanted to a sunny place.”
Jade and Agate's expressions changed drastically, while Jialuo looked thoughtfully at the monk before him.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After an unknown amount of time, a girl's soft voice could be heard coming from the quiet room.
“A monk who can make offerings to heaven and earth is naturally at odds with the mundane things of heaven and earth.”
Outside, spring rain fell softly, dripping from the eaves and instantly dividing the world into two distinct areas, one dry and one wet.
The mountain path was muddy, and a little squirrel frantically scurried about. In a moment of carelessness, it bumped into a pair of black boots that shouldn't have been there.
It rolled backward twice, then, not daring to look at what it had bumped into, it fled in a panic in the opposite direction.
The security guard's heart pounded like a drum, and a chill ran down his spine. He didn't know if it was the cold weather or the scene at that moment.
After finishing his affairs of state, the Emperor hurriedly left the palace in the afternoon, only to hear that the Empress had gone to a temple in the capital region.
Despite the impending rain, the group rushed over, only to find the Empress and the monk sitting opposite each other in casual postures.
He wanted to make an announcement, but the emperor stopped him. He then took a step back and whispered to everyone to step back so that they wouldn't be seen or noticed by the people inside the room.
Meanwhile, the people inside the room, oblivious to everything, were chatting familiarly about Jiangnan, even going so far as to discuss...
The security guard was so afraid that he would end his life in this place that he didn't even dare to breathe too heavily.
At this moment, Fulin no longer felt the joy he had when he left the palace. His face was gloomy as he listened to the voices of a man and a woman inside the room.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
