Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Autumn was drawing to a close, and the leaves in the courtyard were turning yellow and falling, carrying a sense of decay and decline. The lower temperature brought a chill to the bone.
Inside the main room, incense burned, its smoke curling upwards.
“Master, this is top-quality tea transported from the capital,” Wei Pengsheng said respectfully. “Does it suit your taste? I’ll send more to Shanyuan Temple.”
“Thank you,” Wen Shu said indifferently, “No need.”
The Wei family was the largest merchant family in Jian’an City, with immense wealth and connections to many officials. Due to their influence, they had invited Wen Shu several times, sometimes to banquets, sometimes to make requests.
When asking for favors, one must always go through the motions of polite formalities. First, there would be respectful greetings, meals and tea, then generous gifts, and finally, inquiries about Buddhism, displaying a devout devotion to the Buddha. Only after making the person comfortable would one reveal their difficulties and seek a solution.
In the past, Wen Shu would always remain indifferent, coldly observing these formalities, neither caring nor concerned about wasting time.
But today was different. As soon as he sat down to drink a cup of hot tea, Wen Shu spoke up: “You must have summoned me here because you have some questions.”
Seeing that the other person had brought it up, Wei Pengsheng couldn’t hide his smile: “Indeed, may I ask if the master has a solution?”
Wen Shu spread out three copper coins in his left hand, with golden runes on them. He casually performed a divination, glanced at them, and then put the coins away.
Unable to contain his nervousness and anticipation, Wei Pengsheng asked, “Master, how is it?”
“From a feng shui perspective, there’s an arrangement in the Wei residence that’s affecting our wealth.”
“May I ask how you should rearrange it, Master?”
“Switch the positions of the willow, peach, and pine trees in the residence,” Wen Shu said calmly. “Also, your son has offended a powerful figure, which inevitably led to the Wei family’s financial path being intentionally cut off.”
Wei Pengsheng’s business had been unsuccessful lately. Either his intended partners found his rivals, or deals he’d secured have fallen through. Of his more than ten shops, a large portion were losing money. Even though the Wei family was now quite wealthy, this reversal of fortune was truly causing him great distress.
After Wen Shu’s advice, Wei Pengsheng understood what was wrong. His son, Wei Changxing, under his tutelage, had a good business sense, but he was also obsessed with women, having had countless concubines and maids. Some time ago, he had found a beautiful woman from somewhere and was doting on her.
Wei Pengsheng thought Wei Changxing had changed his ways and was less prone to foolish behavior, so he was relieved and let him be, not investigating further. He assumed the woman had no background, but it seemed Wei Changxing, being lustful, had snatched her from some nobleman, thus offending someone without realizing it.
Suddenly, Wei Pengsheng’s anger flared, but he couldn’t show it in front of the master, so he suppressed his rage and said with a smile, “Thank you, Master. If you won’t accept gold or silver, I’ll donate it to Shanyuan Temple as incense money.”
Wen Shu still coldly refused and got up to leave.
Wei Pengsheng naturally tried to persuade him to stay, “Master, the meal will be ready soon. Why don’t you stay for a meal? I haven’t yet fulfilled my duty as host.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, but I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.” Wen Shu’s face was calm, but he himself was already showing a hint of impatience.
“You Shu, hurry up and see the master off.”
The man next to Wei Pengsheng stepped forward, bowing and scraping to Wen Shu with a smile, “Master, please take care this way.”
Once the man was out of sight, Wei Pengsheng’s smiling face instantly darkened, and he said in a deep voice, “Someone, bring that rebellious son here!”
….
Wen Shu stepped out of the Wei residence gate, unexpectedly not seeing the familiar face.
For some reason, Buddhist and Taoist teachings seemed to have a hypnotic effect on You Xu; after listening for even a short while, she would become drowsy, and her sleep quality would significantly improve.
Previously, when Wen Shu listened to Master Xuanjing’s sermons, You Xu had also come to listen, ostensibly for self-cultivation. At that time, Wen Shu noticed out of the corner of his eye that she was nodding frequently, presumably listening very attentively. However, when he turned his head, he saw that she had her eyes closed, pecking at the ground like a chick pecking at rice, causing Master Xuanjing to chuckle and shake his head.
After that, You Xu stopped listening in to his lectures. Once, she even asked him, “Having practiced Buddhism for so many years, have you ever felt bored or dull?”
His answer then was, “I don’t know.”
It wasn’t that he was unaware, but rather that he didn’t feel anything. Perhaps there were too few interesting things; his life had always been monotonous and dull, like a persistent, unyielding cloud. He had long since become accustomed to it, as natural as breathing, and had even forgotten what boredom meant.
Looking back, he thought that there had been interesting moments in his life, but those were ten years ago, long since faded, like a few vibrant petals unintentionally falling onto a muddy pond, decaying, leaving the pond still lifeless.
Later, You Xu rarely listened to Buddhist scriptures or read them. She followed him all the way to the Wei residence, and hearing that he was going to have his fortune told and give a sermon, she waved him inside, telling him to handle it while she waited for him outside.
But when he went out, he didn’t see anyone.
Wen Shu walked a short distance, then turned right into another street. There he saw a girl in a light pink dress squatting on the ground, asking a clay sculptor for advice. Her hands were covered in clay.
You Xu had a beautiful profile, and the silver butterfly hair ornaments embedded in her dark hair were lifelike. Her eyebrows were curved, and her eyes were full of laughter.
She seemed quite interesting, Wen Shu thought.
“You’ve come, so quickly.” You Xu tucked the things she was carrying into her clothes and stood up to look at him.
“Yes.” Wen Shu nodded and continued walking. You Xu followed beside him, returning to Shanyuan Temple together.
Passing a tavern, neither of them noticed a gaze fixed on them, watching them until they disappeared into the distance.
“Boss lady, don’t look anymore,” the tavern manager sighed. He had been managing Ye Lingling’s tavern for over a year and knew her temperament well, so he couldn’t help but offer this advice.
Ye Lingling clenched her fingers. When exactly did Wen Shu begin allowing a woman to frequently accompany him? And when did his gaze soften towards that woman, leaving her with absolutely no chance?
He clearly loved her first.
He clearly hated You Xu the most.
When did things start to change?
Before, the neighbors teased her, treating her like Madam Wen, their tone and gazes all flattering. Now, they were the ones mocking her, saying she was delusional, that she had been daydreaming.
Ye Lingling, having single-handedly built a tavern, naturally didn’t care about those words, but she did care about Wen Shu’s change in attitude towards others.
You Xu chatted with the young monks at the temple for a few moments before entering Guili Garden, a few steps behind Wen Shu.
By now, the vegetation in Guili Garden had turned yellow, and large amounts of golden ginkgo leaves lay on the ground, like layers of yellow paint irregularly layered, quite beautiful.
Under the ginkgo tree was a soft couch, clearly cleaned, without a single leaf, and a red hand warmer.
Whenever possible, You Xu, dedicated to improving her quality of life, would go up the mountain after breakfast, have lunch with Wen Shu in the dining hall, and rest in the courtyard in the afternoon. However, the bamboo chair was too hard and she couldn’t stretch out comfortably, so she shamelessly asked Wen Shu to bring her a couch. She even complained about the glaring sunlight and had a ginkgo tree moved.
But her activities were confined to the courtyard; she didn’t go inside. Firstly, she didn’t want to overstep her bounds, and secondly, being on someone else’s turf and taking advantage would seem like being difficult.
Moreover, since practicing Buddhism was good for Wen Shu, she didn’t bother him too much. While Wen Shu read and wrote scriptures, she brought her own fruits and snacks and read storybooks. When he wasn’t doing anything, she would initiate conversation.
Their relationship was very harmonious, like close friends next door in a retirement home.
May was already halfway over, but You Xu was in no hurry. Like water dripping on a stone, it wore away slowly and steadily.
You Xu walked slowly to the soft couch and sat down, picking up her hand warmer to check; it was warm.
She smiled and looked at Wen Shu, who was sweeping leaves not far away. His eyelids were lowered, his expression focused and indifferent, and he had already swept the leaves into a pile.
“Swish—” Looking at his straight back and the repetitive motion of his hands, she inexplicably thought of an old monk wandering the world, suffering in his spiritual practice.
“Master.”
His movements continued unabated.
You Xu had long since mastered the skill of talking to herself: “Do you like me?”
She shook the hand warmer in her hand, drawing out her words, “Otherwise, why would you be worried I’m cold?”
Wen Shu, of course, ignored her.
You Xu glanced at the pile of ginkgo leaves behind him, her eyes darting around. She put down the hand warmer, picked up a bamboo basket, and quietly walked behind him.
Wen Shu noticed her movement and turned around.
She swiftly scooped up a pile of ginkgo leaves with her bamboo basket, tossed them into the air, and the leaves fluttered down like butterflies, landing on the two of them.
Her mischievous smile and crescent-shaped eyes, reflecting the yellow rain of leaves and his slightly dazed expression, were captivating.
….
The night was deep, the stars and moon hidden. The usually quiet Guili Garden was now utterly still, save for the faint chirping of insects.
Wen Shu put down his brush with his left hand, and after the ink dried, closed the scripture.
Master Xuanjing hadn’t just lectured, nor had he merely listened; he had him write reflections and copy scriptures.
As it was time to prepare for bed, Wen Shu slowly loosened his belt with his left hand.
Many things were inconvenient to do with only one hand, especially for a right-handed person left with only their left. But he got used to it after a while; it just made things a little slower, but he felt it was a good way to pass the time.
Some people wanted to live a long and healthy life, but Wen Shu felt he had already lived enough; the extra years were meant to be wasted.
He took off his clothes, spread them flat on the bed, and then folded each sleeve carefully, placing them in the corner.
As Wen Shu’s left hand brushed against one sleeve, it touched something slightly raised and cold to the touch.
He lifted the right sleeve of his robe and found that the sleeve inside was tied up, and the object seemed to be bound inside.
Wen Shu untied the sleeve and took out an object— a pair of clay figures, only the size of the knuckles of his index and middle fingers. No wonder they were so light; he hadn’t noticed them.
The clay figures were a man and a woman; the man wore a blue robe, and the woman wore a pink robe. They were roughly sculpted, and their faces were smeared together.
Wen Shu suddenly remembered You Xu squatting by the clay figure stall on the street earlier that day, noticing him instinctively hiding the object, and how she had slipped and fallen while climbing the mountain, then smiled and said, “Master, the stone steps are slippery today. I won’t touch you, but how about I hold onto one of your sleeves?”
He didn’t think much of it and nodded in agreement, assuming that she had hidden the clay figures in his sleeve then.
The man was missing his right hand, and the woman was missing her left hand; their severed arms were tightly joined together.
Just like their blue and pink robes touching each other as they climbed the mountain today.
The author has something to say:
I repent, I cried, I drank myself into oblivion. Second update tomorrow, and another second update tomorrow! I’ll try harder to write more chubby chapters from now on, sob sob.
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