Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Rainy Night_1
The sounds of thunder echoed across a thousand ridges, and a blanket of rain enshrouded ten thousand peaks, veiling the entire Wan’en Temple in mist and drizzle.
In the Chenjing Garden of Wan’en Temple, the sound of bells trickled continuously.
Due to the multitude of pilgrims, Wan’en Temple renovated many lodgings, so requiring less silver coin and others more. Yet, no amount of silver coin could buy a stay in Chenjing Garden, situated behind the temple near the mountain.
Here, only mbers of the royal family or dignitaries from scholarly official backgrounds were received.
Indistinct chanting of scriptures drifted from Xiaguang Hall, with tendrils of fragrant incense lingering around the grand hall—ancient lanterns glowing softly, the temple tranquil in the rainy night, appearing like a secluded realm of the world.
Amidst the gentle rain, a figure gradually beca visible, disrupting this quietude.
The person braved the rain, crossing the bamboo bridge to reach the front of the hall.
It was a handso young man with hair bound in a golden crown, his clothing slightly dampened by the rain. He had just reached the hall when another tall man in green clothes erged, his waist adorned with a long sword and his expression stern.
Pei Yunng brushed away the droplets of rain on his body, about to enter when he was stopped by Xiao Zhufeng.
Xiao Zhufeng said, "His Highness is currently engaged in a religious debate with Master Jingchen."
Pei Yunng sighed, "An hour has passed, and they still haven’t finished?"
Xiao Zhufeng spoke, face as wooden and handso as ever, "The Buddhist scriptures are profound, and the Dharma is solemn. Prince Ning, Your Highness, is virtuous and benevolent..."
"Enough, Xiao Er," Pei Yunng interrupted his friend with no courtesy, scoffing, "Good deeds often fail, and good people often get slandered. You’re also saying that to ."
Xiao Zhufeng fell silent for a mont, then lowered his voice, "The Empress Dowager has been indisposed lately, His Highness personally requested to transcribe scriptures to pray for the Empress Dowager’s blessing..."
Pei Yunng uttered an "Oh," realizing, "I see." He glanced again at the door of the hall and sighed deeply, "Being the emperor’s brother is indeed not easy."
The two stood in front of the hall, with the downpour pouring off the eaves like hemp—mournful and rustling. At a glance, they appeared like two black stone statues erect in front of the hall.
Pei Yunng watched the rain for a while, then suddenly asked, "Are you going to light a lamp at tomorrow’s Blue Lotus Dharma Assembly?"
"I have to accompany Prince Ning down the mountain early tomorrow."
Pei Yunng kept gazing at the rain curtain, "I thought you would light a lamp for her, to pray for blessings."
At those words, Xiao Zhufeng’s expression shifted slightly, and after a mont, he spoke, "I heard you went to see her last night. Is she well?"
Pei Yunng was silent, then after a while, he let out a sigh and said earnestly, "Xiao Er, why don’t you just kill Mu Sheng? That way, you might still have a chance to beco my brother-in-law in this lifeti."
Xiao Zhufeng replied calmly, "She wouldn’t be happy."
"Indeed." Pei Yunng finished speaking, then fell silent again. After a while, he smiled, patted his friend’s shoulder, and said nothing more.
The lonely night rain never ceased.
...
Rain at night in the temple always seed a bit desolate.
But desolation was better than eeriness.
In a room of Wuhuai Garden, Ke Chengxing felt a chill on his shoulder and got up to close the window.
The servant Wan Fu crouched on the floor, organizing the handwritten scriptures for him.
Whether it was a fignt of his imagination or there was so real effect, ever since Ke Chengxing arrived at Wan’en Temple, he truly hadn’t encountered the ghost of the Lu Family again.
In fact, from the day he decided to co to the Blue Lotus Assembly, the ghost of the Lu Family also seed to recognize the severity of the situation, becoming less rampant than before, no longer haunting his dreams every night. Rarely, he had managed to get a few good nights of sleep.
Therefore, Ke Chengxing regarded Wan’en Temple as a life-saving straw.
Even the most fierce ghosts, upon seeing the gods and Buddha, were like mice seeing a cat. Ke Chengxing sat down at the table where the monks had brought exquisite vegetarian dishes. He had been anxious for so days, growing quite thin, but now feeling sowhat relieved, his long-lost appetite returned. He simply picked up a bowl and chopsticks and began to eat heartily.
While eating, Ke Chengxing found himself thinking of the Lu Family.
Ever since the ghost of the Lu family appeared, he had forced himself not to think about his deceased wife. The nightmares had been scary enough, and Ke Chengxing had no desire to torture himself with mories. But now, in the ancient temple, under the protection of the Bodhisattva, in such a solemn and clean place, he finally dared to clearly recall in his mind the appearance of the woman from the Lu family.
Ke Chengxing’s feelings for Mrs. Lu were actually love at first sight.
He was in the county to collect an old debt on pottery left by his father. While on the road, he encountered bandits who robbed his carriage. The coachman was grievously injured trying to save him and did not survive, and after he fled for several miles, he suddenly found himself in a strange wilderness, with no one to turn to for help.
It was nearing evening and no one passed by; incidents of wild animals attacking people were common in the wilderness. Just when Ke Chengxing was beginning to despair, Lu Qian, who had been studying away from ho and was returning to Changwu County, ca upon him. Seeing his plight, Lu Qian offered assistance and took him back to Changwu County.
It was then that Ke Chengxing t Lu Rou.
Lu Qian took him back to the Lu Family, who, seeing Ke Chengxing’s pitiable state—robbed of his money and penniless—welcod him to stay. Ke Chengxing wrote a letter to Shengjing asking his mother to send soone to fetch him. During the days he waited for soone from the Ke Family to co, he got along quite well with the Lu Family.
Ke Chengxing still rembered the day he first saw Lu Rou.
He had just narrowly escaped death, his body covered in mud, looking utterly wretched. Lu Qian led him to the front of a building, and Ke Chengxing frowned at the shabby door before him.
The county town was already small, and the houses on the street also looked quite shabby—roofs made of mud and straw might be fine when it didn’t rain, but they were sure to leak when it rained.
As he was thinking this, Lu Qian had already shouted into the house, "Father, Mother, Sister!"
A clear female voice ca from inside, and then a young woman erged from the dimly lit room.
The woman had her hair done up in a cloud bun, with a carved wooden hairpin inserted among her locks. She wore a lotus-colored cotton dress with flowers, her long eyebrows enhancing her already delicate features. Though dressed in simple clothes, her beauty could not be hidden. The dilapidated little house suddenly seed radiant because of this beauty.
Ke Chengxing was so stunned by Lu Rou’s beauty that he couldn’t speak.
He didn’t expect to find such a beauty in such a small town.
He fell in love with Lu Rou at first sight and, during his ti at the Lu Family’s ho, constantly paid attention to her. Lu Rou’s father was a teacher, with only one son and one daughter. Lu Rou’s brother, Lu Qian, was studying in the academy and would be eligible to take the imperial examinations in two years. Although Lu Rou was a girl, her father taught her as others would teach their sons. She was literate and well-versed in poetry, rituals, and manners, no less learned than the scholars of Shengjing.
Ke Chengxing grew even more affectionate, and after the Ke Family sent soone to bring him back to Shengjing, he told Madam Ke that he wished to marry Lu Rou. At first, Madam Ke did not agree, believing that the Lu Family’s poor background was not a good match for their family.
Ke Chengxing insisted in front of Madam Ke, kneeling, "Mother, though the Lu Family is poor now, the second son of the Lu Family, Lu Qian, studied in the academy and is quite accomplished. There is a great possibility he will pass the imperial examinations in the future. Once he does, the Lu Family will also have official status."
"For us rchants, it is not easy to connect with a governnt family. If we sought a girl from a better family background, she would most likely be spoiled. I stayed in the Lu Family for more than half a month. The Lu Family’s daughter is gentle and considerate, acts thoughtfully, and has read books; she knows a bit about being decent. Once she enters our household, she surely won’t cause any trouble. And with her humble family background, she will inevitably hold so respect for us, wouldn’t that be good?"
Madam Ke found his words sensible and was sowhat swayed. Therefore, she sent soone to Changwu County to inquire about the Lu Family’s reputation and heard they were upright people. Unable to withstand her son’s persistence, she finally sent a go-between to the Lu Family with a proposal.
The marriage was arranged very smoothly.
Although Ke Chengxing ca from a rchant family, he was handso and elegant, charming and refined—just by appearances, he could be mistaken for a scholar-official. During his days at the Lu Family’s ho, he made an effort to show his best side, behaving gently and courteously, and the Lu Family had a good impression of him.
Furthermore, the fourteen sedan chairs carrying the betrothal gifts were enough to express the sincerity of the Ke Family.
In the end, Lu Rou smoothly entered the doors of the Ke Family.
Ke Chengxing found a wife as lovely as Lu Rou, and what more could he want? Moreover, Lu Rou was not only beautiful but also sensible and knowing how to behave, making the young n in the clan secretly envious that he had married such a virtuous wife.
Until that day at the Fengle Building...
A gust of wind outside struck the window with a loud smack, awakening him from his reverie.
The night was quiet in the distance, and the mountain temple seed like a huge beast coiled beneath the pattering rain.
Ke Chengxing lifted his head and shivered, asking Wan Fu, who was tidying up by his side, "What ti is it now?"
Wan Fu glanced at the water clock in the room and answered, "It’s almost midnight."
"So soon?"
Ke Chengxing’s expression grew stern as he stood up, "Pack everything, we set off right now."
Reviews
All reviews (0)