Read White Moonlight in a Golden Cage

Chapter 63 [VIP]

"Brother, did you hear anything in the middle of the night?" Murong Yue asked.

Lu Xuejin inquired, "Has Your Highness discovered anything?"

Murong Yue fell silent. He stared at the Water Moon Guanyin statue in the courtyard, and in the middle of the night, he seemed to hear sounds coming from underground.

After they finished their meal, the abbot and a group of monks were already waiting for them. The monks surrounded the main hall, and before the bell rang, the abbot uttered "Amitabha."

They were officials from the capital, while the monks here displayed a variety of expressions. Some were numb and empty, others were quiet and speechless, like plants encased in swollen skin. The abbot ordered two bowls to be brought over: one contained the gold and soil they had seen the day before, and the other contained cooked meat mixed with the plants.

The abbot said, “Today, the benefactor has witnessed this, and it is difficult to conceal this from you, sir. We have no other choice. About a year ago… a great man came to our temple, bringing countless gold and silver treasures, and ordered us to create a statue of the princess. Our temple originally had more than fifty monks, who would go down to the ground every night to collect the gold and silver. In less than three months, the monks contracted a strange disease that caused them to have difficulty breathing, become obese, and unable to eat vegetarian food. After we invited that great man, he brought us food and medicine. Even so, many monks left one after another in the past six months. They all died of the disease and were buried on the back mountain.”

“Our days are numbered. Since we have already broken the precepts, we should just take it as punishment from the Buddha. We will live day by day until the Buddha statue is finished, and then we will go with him.”

"Which lord is it?" Lu Xuejin couldn't help but ask.

The abbot remained silent and said to them, "You will know when you go south, sir. We are under execution. If we tell Lord Lu today, it may implicate other Buddhist temples in the future."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin looked at the young man beside her, "Has Your Highness heard of this illness?"

Murong Yue said thoughtfully, "It seems to be caused by the gold dust. When I went there yesterday, the soil was full of metal. If it is inhaled for a long time, it will be difficult to neutralize."

As he spoke, Murong Yue looked at the contents of the bowl and saw that the meat was coated with a layer of medicinal juice, which looked like it had been ground from some kind of herb. It seemed that the herb was the real remedy. That legendary master, with such a perverse sense of humor, had given them medicine only to make these monks break their vows.

“This disease used to exist in my hometown, but the symptoms were different,” Tengluo said. “In my hometown, iron and copper are smelted. People who are in constant contact with those metals will get a metal disease. Some people vomit blood, some develop blue spots on their bodies, and some lose all their hair.”

Lu Xuejin: "Yesterday I wrote to the prefect of Luzhou. If the holy monk is willing, would you like to see a doctor again? I have ordered the prefect to find another doctor for you all. The gold mine here can be put on hold for the time being, so that your lives and the peace of this temple can be guaranteed."

"This..." The monks around the abbot's expression changed slightly upon hearing this. They all looked at the abbot, awaiting his instructions. The abbot almost choked up upon hearing this. Because of their special status, breaking the precepts was already frowned upon. However, the official from the capital who came here did not blame them and patiently listened to their explanation, which was completely different from the officials they had encountered before.

“Your Excellency’s kindness and virtue are beyond my ability to repay in this lifetime. I am already old, but my disciples still have a long life ahead of them. If Your Excellency can save their lives, I will die in peace and will surely repay Your Excellency’s kindness in the next life,” the abbot said to him.

Upon hearing this, Murong Yue looked at the Water Moon Guanyin statue in the center, its image standing serenely with its eyebrows lowered. He looked at the statue and asked, "My brother is so considerate, you can no longer hide anything from us. Even if you can't tell us who that person is... you can no longer hide anything else from us."

He observed the faces of the group of monks, noticing that two of them looked at the Water Moon Guanyin statue before quickly looking away. He placed his palm on the incense burner and tapped it lightly. The object looked heavy, but it was not difficult for an adult man to push it aside.

"Is something hidden down there?" Murong Yue asked.

A sudden silence fell over the air. The group of monks looked blank. The abbot uttered "Amitabha" and said to them, "What you say is true, benefactor. We will not hide it any longer. Under the Water Moon Guanyin, there is a demoness from the south. This demoness has set up a new sect in the south. She came to our temple a month ago to ask for lodging. After we discovered her identity, we imprisoned her."

"Is that so?" Lu Xuejin asked.

The two monks skillfully pushed aside the Water Moon Guanyin statue, revealing the cellar below. The four of them approached and saw the woman beneath. The cellar still contained residual water, resembling a well with its reflection. Vines and venomous snakes hung from it, and the woman sat slumped within, seemingly unperturbed by the snakes.

The woman, dressed in a moon-white lotus gown, possessed kind and compassionate eyes, a face like that of a loving mother, and a gentle, beautiful glow. Her lowered gaze held a benevolent expression, and she remained steadfast even in the face of danger. Her compassionate demeanor was fully revealed, and when she touched the poisonous snake, she resembled a saintly figure before a holy mother. Light shone upon her, making her white lotus gown appear incomparably sacred.

The wondrous Dharma leads to the Buddha, and beneath the Bodhi leaf lies a clear and empty mind.

“Gentlemen, please do not be deceived by her appearance. This woman is eloquent and adept at bewitching people,” Ji Ming said.

Under no circumstances should a person be imprisoned underground. Lu Xuejin said to the abbot, "Thank you all for reminding us. We do not yet know the reason for this matter. We will be heading south next. Could you please hand her over to us?"

"This..." The abbot uttered "Amitabha" again. Just then, the prefect of Luzhou arrived, and a group of soldiers surrounded the place. The abbot said to them, "It seems that this is the will of Heaven. My meeting with you, sir, is an instruction from the gods and Buddhas. This woman is the godmother of the Southern Saha sect. You can make a decision after you have inquired about her."

Sun Jian, the prefect of Luzhou, met Lu Xuejin. They had met in court before. Sun Jian immediately bowed to Lu Xuejin, his face showing undisguised joy at seeing his former colleague.

"Your subject, Sun Jian, has met with Lord Lu. I received your letter yesterday and intended to come over that very evening... If Lord Lu is not in a hurry to travel, would you be willing to return to Luzhou and visit my residence?"

Lu Xuejin returned the same courtesy to Sun Jian, saying, "Thank you for the banquet, Lord Sun. Your demeanor is even more refined than before. Seeing you so energetic puts my mind at ease. I am heading to Dingzhou next, and I will definitely visit your residence when I have time in the future. I would also like to trouble you to take care of the monks here. They are suffering from a metal-related illness, and I would appreciate it if you could take them to the city to see a doctor."

Sun Jian: "Of course. Of course. It is my honor that Lord Lu has spoken. If I can meet Lord Lu after traveling a thousand miles, my transfer to Luzhou will be worthwhile. I originally thought this place was poor and not as good as the capital, but now I find the overgrown weeds and trees here quite charming."

"With Lord Sun here, Luzhou will surely be able to restore its former prosperity. I will have to trouble Lord Sun to do his best," Lu Xuejin said gently.

Murong Yue listened from the side. This Lord Sun had gone straight to Lu Xuejin upon entering. After a few words from Lu Xuejin, his expression became remarkably vivid; he almost teared up. Murong Yue sensed a certain magic in the young man; he treated everyone with a profound respect. Even with the most unremarkable person, the young man was sincere and kind, believing in others as unwaveringly as he believed in himself—a truly moving quality.

“Lord Lu flatters me,” Sun Jian said solemnly. “I do not possess Lord Lu’s talent. This place is extremely impoverished, and I fear I will never see the day when I can rise above my circumstances.”

“Those who love the people are naturally poor,” Lu Xuejin said quietly. “I was just about to discuss this matter with Lord Sun. There is a gold mine hidden beneath this temple. I haven’t yet found out the source of the gold mine. The monks here were only ordered to make statues here. Now that we have discovered it, there is no need to cast any more statues. I will leave the gold mine to Lord Sun. I will write this matter to the Emperor. The capital is not short of gold mines. Lord Sun may be able to use it. I will go south to trace the source of the gold mine. I will leave the cleanup here to Lord Sun.”

"Amitabha. Excellent. Excellent." The abbot spoke with lowered eyes, seeing that the young man before him saw mountains of gold and silver but did not take a single penny, this person was no different from a reincarnated god or Buddha.

Such a spiritual person is captivating to behold. If the true Buddha were still alive, would he be able to witness such a loyal and devoted heart? With such a virtuous person serving in the court, the Great Wei Dynasty should stand strong for a hundred years.

Sun Jian saw Lu Xuejin's image reflected in his eyes, her demeanor and figure. She helped him up and spoke gently, causing him to tremble involuntarily. Invisible blood blisters swelled in his eyes, shrouding the temple in a mist. The blood blisters turned into pustules and disappeared upon touching the person before him.

"Lord Lu trusts me so much... I am content for this lifetime." Sun Jian was about to kneel down when he whispered, "If you encounter any difficulties on your journey south, my lord, just send a letter. Even if it takes thousands of miles, I will be by your side."

"Lord Sun, there's no need for such formalities. You're already here with me, and I'm extremely grateful." Lu Xuejin helped the man up.

The two men wore official robes of the Wei dynasty, the patterns on their sleeves intertwined, seemingly connecting their hearts as well. Chen's open heart went towards the withered land, towards the dejected people, melting into the sounds and sights of the populace.

The woman at the bottom of the well was pulled up by them. Seeing that the woman's legs had been soaking in the water for over half a month, Tengluo Ziyan helped her up and led her to change her clothes. The woman, who had heard the whole thing from below, now understood who her benefactor was and bowed to Lu Xuejin.

"This humble subject, Li Miaosuo, greets Lord Lu. I am deeply grateful to Lord Lu for saving my life." Li Miaosuo was supported by others, but her posture was not humble. Her words were firm and powerful, and she smiled at Lu Xuejin.

Her gentle face naturally gave people a good impression. She noticed that Lu Xuejin was not on guard against her, but the boy beside her had sharp eyes and was silently watching her, as if looking for a flaw in her.

"No need for thanks, thank you for your hard work here. Wisteria and Purple Smoke, please take Miss Li to change her clothes. Thank you for taking care of her."

After Li Miaosuo left, Lu Xuejin asked Sun Jian, "Lord Sun, have you ever heard of the Vaisravana sect?"

Sun Jian replied, “I have heard of it. Lord Lu, Luzhou was only slightly peaceful because I was recently transferred from the capital. When I left, General Xiao sent troops from Wuling to help me. Further south to Dingzhou, the local prefect is afraid of being too cowardly. This Possa religion… originated in the south, and its name means the twin Possa trees. Their matriarch is very good at bewitching people. She is adept at altering myths and using a set of doctrines to bewitch the world.”

"Legend has it that long ago, in the south, there stood a gigantic Bodhi tree, which gave birth to humankind. Two fruits grew simultaneously on either side of it. These two fruits, identical in shape, height, orientation, and size, were male and female. The Bodhi tree symbolized equality between men and women, and that both were born towards the light, free from the constraints of social hierarchy. They were identical and equal in spirit, without any difference. Until one day, another dark tree grew from the shadow of the sun—the other side of the Bodhi tree. This other side also bore fruit, but these fruits, imbued with darkness, were baseness, envy, pride, greed, selfishness, indifference, fear, harshness, sloth, conceit, emptiness, ignorance… even birth, aging…" Disease and death descended upon the world. From then on, suffering and war filled the land. People fought for more wealth, for control of hearts, for the conquest of more land, and for domination of others. The world transformed from a paradise into scorched earth. She advocated the pursuit of the most primal tree of light, a world without slavery, power, or hierarchy. All who joined her teachings were equal. No one was respected because of noble birth, discriminated against because of physical disability, or loved because of outstanding appearance. She stripped away all external things, pursuing the most fundamental and primal substances. Because of this doctrine, she sparked a fervent zeal in the South, gaining countless followers.

Sun Jian sighed with a headache at the mention of this, “In the northern capital, there is the former Grand Princess and Wei Ning, and in the south, there is my godmother, Li Miaosuo. My sister adores her, and if she finds out that my godmother is traveling with Lord Lu right now, she’ll probably come after her.”

"This is the civilized country from mythology. This woman is a woman of unparalleled talent, truly astonishing," Lu Xuejin couldn't help but say.

Upon hearing this, Murong Yue said, "Brother, you praised me in the same way last time. Everyone is a genius in your eyes."

Sun Jian couldn't help but say, "The way Lord Lu sees others is how others see Lord Lu."

“The journey south is fraught with danger, Lord Lu must be careful. A few days ago, General Xiao wrote to me, asking if I had seen the person accompanying Lord Lu,” Sun Jian said, looking at Murong Yue beside Lu Xuejin. “I had not seen Lord Lu before, but now that I have, please rest assured and go. I will pretend I have never seen him.”

Lu Xuejin understood immediately and bowed to Sun Jian, saying, "Thank you, Lord Sun. I will always remember this kindness."

Sun Jian: "When the late emperor was alive, I had not yet been appreciated. After the new emperor came to power, I was demoted to this place. I do not know what the two emperors were like, and I cannot understand them now. I only know that the direction Lord Lu is facing... is the wise ruler we are looking for."

"This journey is arduous. Lord Sun, please use your eyes to discern the truth. Regardless of the monarch's character, the truth lies in the benefit to the people."

Lu Xuejin and her group bid farewell to Sun Jian and left Leiyin Temple. The group of monks were taken away by Sun Jian, along with the abbot. Sun Jian led his men to Luzhou, where the soldiers of Luzhou temporarily guarded the area.

After changing her clothes and resting briefly, Li Miaosuo set off with them. With an extra person in the carriage, Murong Yue felt a little uncomfortable. Looking at the woman's face, he felt that she had a very advantageous appearance. He always felt that she had a motherly quality, which reminded people of a mother's warmth.

“Young Master Lu, you only need to take me to the outskirts of the city. My home is outside the city, and someone will come to pick me up. I have already informed the children in my sect,” Li Miaosuo said.

Murong Yue couldn't help but ask, "Child? If I were to join your sect, what should I call you?"

Li Miaosuo looked over upon hearing this, her eyes remaining calm and undisturbed.

“I am much older than them. Despite my appearance, I am forty-two years old this year, and the children in my class all call me mother.”

"Brother, I will also establish a sect in the future, and everyone who joins my ranks will have to call me father," Murong Yue whispered in Lu Xuejin's ear.

Chapter 63 [VIP]

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