Chapter 43 Ineffably Precious
Master Chen was speechless for a moment. After a pause, he waved his whisk and adopted a proper posture, saying, "With the governor's abilities, spiritual herbs and immortal plants are naturally beyond your reach. However, the two special medicinal ingredients are not commonly obtained. I have been traveling for decades and have only managed to obtain one or two by chance."
Before Meng Qingci could reply, Madam Cheng interrupted with a laugh, "Ordinary people may have limited abilities, but what kind of status does the Governor have? He is the sky over Fujian and Guangdong! Is there anything the Governor cannot do? Daoist, please stop being mysterious and speak freely."
Grandma Cheng lightly covered her lips with a handkerchief, concealing a hint of mockery. Everyone said that the governor's soon-to-be bride was originally a maidservant to his niece, of humble origins, yet obsessed with gold and silver. She spent her days only knowing how to wear fine clothes and adornments, indulging in vanity. While she spoke grandly to outsiders, she had actually seized the Zhu family's property through trickery and coercion, causing the once-great Zhu family to wither and fall into ruin in an instant.
Unfortunately, the governor was so infatuated with this woman that he lost his mind and wanted to punish the Cheng family for a trivial matter. Her fifth sister-in-law, who had recently become a widow, was sent back to her parents' home. Her parents' home knew that she had offended the governor's family, so they dared not keep her. Despite her being a widow, they married her off to an elderly wealthy merchant as a second wife a few days later.
Ultimately, it's just a common male flaw. This governor, nearing thirty, had always been averse to women, but now, having stumbled upon a woman of even a little beauty, he was like parched land receiving rain, unable to resist, indulging in her without restraint.
She had assumed this woman would possess some cunning and shrewdness, but to her surprise, she was someone who couldn't even understand the nuances of a voice, possessing only an ethereal and otherworldly face. Indeed, fate is fair; it bestows some beauty but not all cunning.
Thinking about it this way, Grandma Cheng's contempt for Meng Qingci deepened even further. She, the dignified matriarch of the Cheng family, now had to bow down and fawn over such a young girl; the more she thought about it, the more resentful she felt.
In recent days, Mo Song has been busy with wedding preparations, so the task of escorting Meng Qingci out has been handed over to Mo Bai. At this moment, Mo Bai stands quietly outside the pavilion, his gaze sharp as a blade. After listening for only a moment, he has already determined that this so-called Taoist Chen is nothing but another fraudster.
To be honest, Miss Meng initially came to Qingyun Temple simply to listen to the sermons and discussions, but somehow she became obsessed with alchemy. In recent days, she has met many Taoist priests, most of whom are charlatans who have come to curry favor with Miss Meng and try to gain some benefits from her.
Mo Bai couldn't help but feel a strong aversion to these Taoist priests.
According to Mo Song, Miss Meng is no ordinary woman and Mo Bai is to serve her with care. However, in Mo Bai's eyes, she is no different from ordinary superstitious women.
You should know that the master has always advocated the philosophy of mind, which emphasizes understanding one's own mind and nature, and investigating things to gain knowledge. How could he possibly encourage people to indulge in the ethereal art of alchemy? Miss Meng's actions are completely contrary to the master's principles.
A man of such extraordinary talent as his master deserves to be paired with a virtuous and intelligent woman from a noble family. Yet, his master is utterly infatuated with this Miss Meng. Although Mo Bai felt resentful, he dared not show it at all, suppressing all his thoughts deep within his heart.
Meng Qingci lightly twirled her slender fingers, casually tracing the intricate patterns on the kesi fan. Her eyes flickered slightly, and a faint smile played on her lips as she softly echoed, "As the Daoist Master said, if such miraculous effects can truly be achieved, what does difficulty matter!"
When Granny Cheng saw the round fan in Meng Qingci's hand, she noticed the pale pink pearl tassels adorning the tassel. Each pearl was of uniform size and shimmered with a faint iridescence in the light. A round fan of such quality could easily be worth a hundred taels of silver.
She couldn't help but marvel again at the governor's extreme favor towards this woman. It seemed that this Taoist priest Chen would surely reap a huge profit this time, and the Cheng family would likely take advantage of this opportunity to climb the social ladder by associating with the governor.
Master Chen smiled slightly, his robes fluttering, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance. He slowly said, "Speaking of these two medicinal ingredients, the one worth a thousand gold pieces is naturally hard to come by for ordinary people, but it is nothing to the governor. Only the other ingredient depends on fate; it cannot be obtained by those who are not destined to receive it."
When Meng Qingci heard him mention "a thousand pieces of gold," he chuckled knowingly and said dismissively, "A thousand pieces of gold is nothing, why bother the governor? Please enlighten me, Daoist, what exactly is the other ingredient?"
Master Chen then solemnly replied, "To refine this elixir, one must obtain ten pairs of boys and girls born in the yin year and yin month, using their heart's blood as a guide. Without the help of Heaven, it is extremely difficult to gather all of them."
Grandma Cheng frowned slightly upon hearing this. This statement was different from what they had agreed upon earlier. She couldn't help but complain about the old Taoist priest. Moreover, upon hearing that the child's heart's blood was required, she felt a vague unease in her heart.
Mo Bai, standing outside the pavilion, his knuckles white, silently gripped the hilt of his knife, a chill running through him: This is clearly a sorcerer! But without Meng Qingci's orders, he cannot act rashly.
Xia Guang felt a chill run down her spine, finding the matter utterly cruel. She quietly took Meng Qingci's arm, intending to offer a warning.
Meng Qingci seemed oblivious, instead her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she asked with a smile, "Such a medicinal ingredient truly depends on fate. However, from what you just said, Daoist, you've obtained a few by chance. I wonder if you've already refined them into elixirs? Could you perhaps broaden the horizons of a mortal like myself? If it is indeed truly effective, I will certainly treat you as an honored guest and introduce you to my master."
When Master Chen saw that Meng Qingci had indeed taken the bait step by step, just as he had expected, he sneered inwardly: Indeed, no one in this world can resist the temptation of eternal youth.
Although this woman is young, she knows how to put on an act. Does he think he can't see through her? She keeps saying she's seeking medicine for the governor, but in reality, she's using the governor as a pretext. She's just after his elixir for her own selfish desires.
Master Chen feigned difficulty, pondering for a moment before saying, "This is a secret treasure of our sect, which we never show to outsiders. However, meeting you today, young lady, is a predestined encounter for me. It is all the will of Heaven and cannot be defied."
Meng Qingci's eyes brightened slightly, and he asked in a slightly urgent tone, "Then please let us see for ourselves."
Having achieved his goal, Master Chen stopped rambling and took out a palm-sized brocade box from his sleeve. The box was intricately embroidered and exuded a mysterious aura.
Meng Qingci gestured for Xia Guang to step forward and take it. Xia Guang's heart trembled with fear at the thought that the box contained pills made from the blood of young boys and girls, but she could only obey and gently placed the brocade box on the stone table in front of Meng Qingci.
The Cheng family were wealthy merchants from Jiangnan, and Madam Cheng was naturally well-informed. She tried to calm herself, but couldn't suppress her curiosity; her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the brocade box, wanting to see what was inside. She wondered to herself, could this elixir truly grant eternal youth? Could it even bring the dead back to life?
Meng Qingci's gaze fell on the brocade box, her expression suddenly turning cold. Her eyes, which had been as gentle as spring water, suddenly hardened with icy glints as she shouted sharply, "Mo Bai! Seize this sorcerer who is spreading heresy!"
Although Mo Bai was surprised, he acted without hesitation. He stepped into the pavilion, tied Chen Laodao's hands behind his back, and quickly bound them with ropes, forcing him to kneel on the ground.
The shout was like a thunderclap, startling Grandma Cheng so much that she trembled all over, clutching her chest, her face pale, still unable to calm down.
Old Master Chen struggled and cried out his innocence: "Since you are a person of destiny and wish to obtain the elixir, I, this humble Taoist, shall naturally offer it to you. Why do you accuse me of forcibly taking the elixir?"
Grandma Cheng steadied herself and softly echoed, "Yes, why should you make things difficult for someone from outside the secular world, young lady?"
Meng Qingci glanced coldly at Madam Cheng, her eyes filled with disdain. She lightly tapped the brocade box on the stone table with her fan, her voice icy as she instructed Mo Bai:
"Take him to the prefect's prison and interrogate him thoroughly—what school he studied under, how many accomplices he had, where he is currently hiding, how many times he has used his heart's blood to refine elixirs, where the child came from, how he succeeded, and who else was involved? If he remains stubborn and refuses to confess, cut off one finger every half hour, and if all the fingers are gone, cut off the toes; tell the jailers to be quick and not let him die easily. Once all the crimes have been investigated, all of them will be executed together at Caishikou to set an example."
She paused slightly, then said sternly, "It's also to let the people know that Your Excellency promotes the philosophy of mind to enlighten and enlighten people, not to encourage such ignorance and the loss of humanity!"
Upon hearing this, Old Chen was so frightened he nearly drowned. He never expected this young woman to suddenly turn on him, and with such ruthless methods. In desperation, he hurriedly cried out, "Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! Young lady, please let me explain! Those so-called elixirs of mine are actually all..." fake.
Mo Bai bowed respectfully and accepted the order. Before the old Taoist could finish speaking, he immediately summoned his bodyguards, gagged him, and dragged him away swiftly.
Grandma Cheng sat opposite Meng Qingci, her face pale with fright. Her fingers trembled, and the handkerchief fell silently to the ground. She had initially thought this young woman was merely relying on the governor's favor to act arrogantly, a mere facade masking a hollow inside, and easily manipulated.
Who would have thought that she was a ruthless character who was hiding her true strength and pretending to be weak? Even in all the years she had managed the household affairs of the Cheng family and dealt with several unruly maids, she had never spoken of various cruel punishments as calmly as Miss Meng, her words chilling and making people's hearts tremble.
Grandma Cheng couldn't believe it. Did the governor really like this girl? She looked like a peony with dew on her petals, exquisitely beautiful, but beneath that gentle appearance lay a ruthless character who could hide a knife in a smile and devour hearts without drawing blood.
Her throat bobbed slightly, and she hesitated to speak, fearing that a slip of the tongue might provoke trouble. She thought to herself, "Today I've really messed things up. I hope I don't drag the Cheng family down with me. Thank goodness."
Meng Qingci blinked her two crescent-shaped eyes, which seemed to be smiling but not smiling, and still held the expensive round fan, as if she could see through Madam Cheng's thoughts: "I wonder what the Cheng family's intention is in specially introducing this evil Taoist? I thought that I had given the Cheng family enough face regarding Madam Cheng's matter, but I did not expect the Cheng family to repay kindness with ingratitude?"
Her voice was soft, yet each word was like an ice needle piercing the bone: "Or perhaps, the Cheng family is unhappy that I married into the governor's mansion, and they're using this sorcerer to smear me, trying to spread rumors that I'm a cruel and ruthless woman? Or perhaps..."
She paused slightly, her gaze suddenly turning sharp: "The Cheng family wasn't after me in the first place, but rather intended to use me to tarnish my master's reputation?"
These words were tantamount to implying that the Cheng family harbored disloyal intentions towards the governor. Madam Cheng was so frightened that her body went limp, and she slipped and fell off the stone bench. Disregarding her dignity, she knelt down and pleaded in a trembling voice, "Young lady, please be wise! The Cheng family was also deceived by that evil Taoist priest. How could we have known that he harbored such wicked intentions! If we had known earlier, we would never have dared to bring him before you!"
"You can't even distinguish between a demonic cultivator and a sorcerer." Meng Qingci scoffed, her tone full of sarcasm. "How can you rely on the Cheng family in the future, sir? This time, we'll let it go and not consider your Cheng family as an accomplice. You may leave."
Grandma Cheng dared not utter another word and hurriedly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you for your mercy, Miss. The Cheng family will be more careful in the future and will never dare to make any more mistakes."
Xia Guang, who had been standing by, could no longer contain herself. She stepped forward and sternly rebuked, "Now that you've been pardoned by the young lady, why aren't you getting out of here? Staying here will only defile the tranquility of Qingyun Temple!" In recent days, most of the so-called Taoist priests she had been introduced to were frauds, and this sorcerer was particularly cruel and vicious. In her opinion, the Cheng family, who had introduced her, was no better.
Grandma Cheng nodded repeatedly, not daring to utter a word of rebuttal. Supported by her personal maid, she staggered backward.
Xia Guang watched Grandma Cheng's departing figure, still feeling resentful: "The young lady is truly kind-hearted, so easily forgiving the Cheng family."
Meng Qingci gently traced the delicate silk tapestry on the round fan with her fingertips, a faint smile curving her lips: "If the Cheng family has the guts, your master will naturally not let them off easily, so why should I bother?"
She lowered her head and gently stroked her lower abdomen, her expression calm and serene, a faint smile playing on her lips: "I also want to accumulate good fortune for the one in my belly."
Master Xuanming of Qingyun Temple had quietly appeared outside the pavilion, holding a whisk. He gracefully bowed and said with a smile, "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. Young lady, you are kind and virtuous, and this time you are acting on behalf of Heaven."
Meng Qingci had heard Master Xuanming preach before and knew that he had a genuine understanding of philosophy and the mind, making him a person with a solid foundation. So he politely rose and curtsied, saying, "Master, you flatter me. Although my knowledge is shallow, I have listened to your preaching for several days. The stories of bringing the dead back to life and acting perversely are truly nonsense. If that evil Taoist only wanted to swindle money, that would be one thing, but he dared to play with the lives of young children, which is truly intolerable. However, I am just an ordinary person and I am afraid that I cannot attain enlightenment. I only know how to use some crude methods to fight violence with violence."
Master Xuanming waved his hand, exuding an air of otherworldly grace and warmth: "Young lady, there is no need to belittle yourself. Your virtue matches that of heaven and earth, your compassion is boundless, and you have accumulated merit and virtue. It is truly a blessing that Your Excellency, the governor, has met you. This is a connection with the Great Dao, a profound blessing that will benefit the people of Fujian and Guangdong. This is not comparable to worldly connections, but rather a result of the benevolent response of Heaven and the natural fulfillment of your destiny."
Meng Qingci smiled faintly upon hearing this, her round fan swaying gently in her hand: "You flatter me, Master. It was just a simple good deed I did on a whim."
Master Xuanming smiled and nodded, his eyes revealing approval: "Young lady, your understanding of alchemy is extraordinary. I can introduce you to a fellow Daoist who may lead you to this path, and perhaps you can discuss the Dao together and benefit each other."
Upon closer examination of the woman's destiny, he saw an auspicious sign of a phoenix soaring through the heavens, indicating immeasurable nobility. Furthermore, her celestial bodies were in harmony with those of the governor, their fortunes intertwined, truly a sign of mutual support and complementarity. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly: Fu Heng's acquisition of such a worthy match was indeed ordained by Heaven, a perfect match of fortunes.
Meng Qingci smiled and curtsied, "Then I'll trouble you, Master." But in his heart he thought: Master Xuanming is always prudent, so the person he recommends must be extraordinary.
Upon hearing this, Mo Bai's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. His gaze lingered on Xuanming Zhenren for a moment, and he thought to himself: I wonder what this old Taoist priest is up to this time. However, since he had a close relationship with his master, it was not appropriate for him to say anything.
As the wedding date drew near, Meng Qingci learned through various channels that news of Marquis Anyi Fu Jizong's death had already reached Minzhou, but had been quietly suppressed by Fu Heng. He even wrote to the eldest master, Fu Chenghuai, asking him to wait until a month after their wedding before escorting Marquis Anyi Fu Jizong's coffin back south.
Upon hearing this, Meng Qingci was momentarily stunned, then shook her head and chuckled—she had truly never seen the Fu family act so absurdly and abnormally. Those unaware of the inside story might think they were not brothers of the same lineage, but some irreconcilable enemy.
The wedding ceremony between Meng Qingci and Fu Heng required a respected elder from the clan to preside over it.
It wasn't until Fu Yixian's eldest daughter-in-law came to preside that Meng Qingci learned that Old Madam Xiao had become completely paralyzed after returning from her courtyard that day.
After that day, Meng Qingci stopped caring about the matter. She didn't even care about Fu Heng, and in her eyes, Fu Heng's relatives and family were insignificant and fleeting. None of the servants in her courtyard dared to mention to her how Fu Heng had dealt with things that day.
Neither of them had any elders, so the wedding ceremony was not complicated. Fu Heng was even more afraid that Meng Qingci would be tired, so he simplified the entire ceremony, leaving only the dressing ceremony, the wedding procession, the saddle-mounting ceremony, and the bowing ceremony between the two. The memorial tablets of Fu Heng's grandparents and father were placed in the hall. After the ceremony was completed, they were sent to the bridal chamber.
All the women in the Fu family's inner quarters knew Meng Qingci. Most of her peers were on good terms with her. Given the precedent of Madam Xiao, no one dared to give her a hard time or cause her any trouble. The young ladies and wives treated her with even more kindness and consideration, their words and actions full of flattery and warmth.
Some even teased her mischievously: "Look at our bride, she looks so beautiful dressed up, I almost didn't recognize her."
Immediately someone chimed in: "Yes, we used to say that who would be lucky enough to marry her in the future. Who would have thought that our third cousin would be the luckiest? No wonder he looked down on everyone before; he wanted to marry a wife as beautiful as a fairy."
Someone else jokingly said, "It's all because we're all such blockheads, lacking any understanding of Third Master's thoughts."
Meng Qingci was originally just dealing with Fu Heng and didn't really care about the marriage. But now, as they talked back and forth, she felt her ears burning and became embarrassed. Fortunately, she held up her wedding fan to cover her flushed face.
As the group was making a ruckus, a young maidservant announced from outside the door, "Third Master is here."
Upon hearing this, the women in the room burst into laughter, pushing and shoving each other, and all looked towards the door, teasing, "Oh, the groom can't wait to go into the bridal chamber!"
Another bolder person teased, "Third Uncle, look! Third Aunt is so ashamed she won't see anyone!"
"Third brother, hurry up and coax your new wife! Otherwise, she'll be too shy to drink the nuptial wine with you!"
Fu Heng was in an exceptionally good mood today, even more so than when he passed the imperial examination with flying colors. He felt an extraordinary sense of joy. So, when faced with the teasing and jokes of the crowd, he was not annoyed at all; instead, a gentle smile remained on his lips.
He bowed to the group of women and said, "Thank you all for taking such good care of me today, sisters-in-law and sisters."
His words drew giggles from the women. He was usually stern and rarely smiled, so when they saw him like this, they were very perceptive and stopped making things difficult for him. Instead, they all smiled and urged him, "Hurry up and perform the nuptial ceremony. Don't keep the bride waiting and make her angry."
Someone chimed in, "The bride isn't angry at all. Right now, she's clearly too ashamed to see us. Who would have thought she'd be in this situation?"
This remark drew another round of low laughter, with someone jokingly saying, "You laugh at her like that today, just wait and see what she'll do to you in the future."
The woman raised her eyebrows and smiled: "Hmph, I accept it then. After today, she will be my third aunt, and I will have no more chances to tease her."
Meng Qingci was speechless for a moment. She hadn't expected her wedding with Fu Heng to be such a lively and joyous occasion, which even dispelled some of her reluctance.
After the couple completed their wedding ceremony in front of everyone, their cousin, who was blessed with good fortune, scattered the bed curtains and recited auspicious words. Then, red dates and longans were scattered all over the wedding bed.
Laughter and chatter rose and fell, and after another round of merriment, everyone finally left, satisfied.
For a moment, only the two of them remained in the bridal chamber, sitting side by side on the edge of the bed, with thick, red wedding candles adorned with dragons and phoenixes illuminating the red silk that filled the room.
Fu Heng raised his hand, his slender fingers slowly reaching into her temples to carefully remove the heavy phoenix crown from her head. He said softly, "Are you tired? You've had a hard day."
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Author's Note: Fu Heng: From now on, I have a wife.
Meng Qingci: Hehe
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