Bo Qinghuan

Kapitel 12

Those watching the spectacle couldn't help but burst into laughter. Yang Huan, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, opened his mouth to scold those who were laughing, but suddenly noticed that the person standing at the very edge, watching coldly, was none other than his second uncle, Yang Hao. He immediately closed his mouth, lowered his head, and went to Yang Hao, saying awkwardly, "Second Uncle, what are you doing here?"

Yang Hao had just met up with an old friend from the capital at Huixianlou Restaurant nearby. Seeing the bustling crowds at Zhouqiao Bridge, he impulsively tossed his horse to his servant and strolled over. He happened to spot his nephew's figure dressed in bright green and, fearing he might cause trouble again, followed him. Little did he know that Gu Erjie had opened a noodle stall here, and the entire scene he had just witnessed had already been seen by him.

When Yang Huan asked him a question, he didn't answer, but just glanced at Gu Zao inside. Gu Zao then noticed him, but only paused for a moment before looking away, a smile on her face, but not for him, as she invited the other guests to come in and eat noodles.

Yang Hao then looked at Yang Huan and snorted, saying, "I heard your father mention to me yesterday that if any more trouble arises, after the celebrations at the manor are over, he will send you to Brunei and the Philippines to gain experience. I happen to have a merchant ship going there next month, so it's convenient."

Yang Huan turned pale with fright. While going on voyages overseas was no longer a rare occurrence, he hadn't understood the dangers before. He'd insisted on going once, only to find it novel for a few days before enduring months of scorching sun and wind at sea, a monotonous and tedious existence. He'd even contracted malaria, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, nearly losing his life. Hearing this, he dared not say another word, shrinking back and hastily departing.

Yang Hao stood there, glancing again in Gu Zao's direction. Her stall was already packed with customers, and she was busy cutting noodles. A patch of white grime clung to her nose, likely from an accidental smear of noodles, making her look even more adorable. He barely managed to resist going over. As he hesitated, he saw a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old smilingly reach out to wipe it off for her. Yang Hao smiled back at the girl, and the smile seemed to penetrate his very heart, causing a slight tremor within him.

I'll send someone to inquire about this Second Sister Gu tomorrow...

As he walked back, a thought vaguely flashed through his mind.

Gu Zao had been seemingly busy attending to guests, but her eyes were actually fixed on the couple. She saw the little tyrant, having been told something, leave dejectedly. She also saw the bearded man stand there, seemingly watching her for a while, before finally leaving. Gu Zao breathed a sigh of relief, secretly praying she would never again encounter these two or the Grand Commandant's mansion. Liu Zao, too, only turned around at this moment, her face still showing fear. Her third sister went over and comforted her, and she seemed to calm down a little.

But things never go as planned.

The next day, with nothing to do, Fang went out for a stroll. Her second sister and Liu Zao were sent to buy some things, while Gu Zao stayed home alone, preparing the soup ingredients for the evening. Business had been booming lately; not only were the noodles sold out every day, but many customers also bought pickled radishes and vegetables after their noodles, so she had stocked up on extra supplies. While she was busy, she heard a clear, bright voice outside her courtyard calling her name. Looking up, she saw it was Hui Xin from the Grand Commandant's residence, though she was wearing a veil.

Gu Zao had been here for nearly half a year and knew that women at this time were not bound by the rule of staying at home. Especially during festivals such as the Lantern Festival, the Winter Solstice, and the Cold Food Festival, when the government stipulated a three-day holiday, women from noble families and ordinary households would go out to play with friends. Even in ordinary taverns and restaurants, women would often go alone and order a small cup of wine to drink slowly, and no one would look at them with disdain.

However, Huixin was a trusted servant of the old lady of the Grand Commandant's mansion. Normally, she was not needed for any tasks. But this time, she came in person. Although she did not speak, Gu Zao already understood. Although she was somewhat unwilling, she had no choice. Moreover, she had some goodwill towards Huixin, so she greeted her with a smile.

As soon as Huixin spoke, she indeed brought up the matter of the old lady's birthday banquet. She said it would be on November 20th, two days before the winter solstice, which was only seven or eight days away. She told Gu to go there early to make preparations.

Gu had long intended to resign, but he had already agreed at the Grand Commandant's residence that day because he couldn't refuse. He thought that Madam Jiang was just saying it and might forget about it later, but to his surprise, she sent Huixin over to invite him today. Helpless, he could only nod and agree to go to the Grand Commandant's residence tomorrow to explain the details.

Seeing that Gu Zao had agreed, Hui Xin walked out with a smile. As she passed the row of pickling jars, she wrinkled her nose and looked at Gu Zao, laughing, "The sour smell is so mouthwatering. It smells like pickled radishes and turnips."

Gu Zao laughed and said, "It's just something I made up, all rough stuff."

Huixin stood still and smiled, "This smell reminds me of the pickled food my old mother used to make when I was little. No wonder I miss it. Second Sister, since you're a good cook, your pickled food must be pretty good too. The old lady has been complaining these past few days that she can't eat greasy food. The Grand Commandant's mansion doesn't have any of this, and I'm afraid the ones sold outside aren't clean. I hope you can give me some radishes to eat with porridge; it should whet her appetite."

Seeing that Huixin had said so, Gu Zao stopped refusing. He picked out a clean and elegant new basin, gathered some of each of the following: radish, cabbage, and pickled cucumber, and handed it to Huixin.

Huixin didn't refuse, smilingly accepting the thanks before heading towards the alley entrance. Gu Zao saw her off, then saw a carriage from the Grand Commandant's mansion parked at the alley entrance. After watching her get into the carriage and drive away, he turned and went home without saying anything more.

Second Master's Hidden Illness

Gu Zao did not mention to Fang Shi that Huixin from the Grand Commandant's residence had come that day. The next day, after finishing her work, it was past noon. She tidied herself up a bit, then called a carriage and went to the Grand Commandant's residence at Zheng Gate, naturally going to the northeastern side gate she had passed through before. As soon as she got out of the carriage, she saw a little maid waiting inside the gate. Seeing her arrive, the maid smiled and said, "Sister, you've come so slowly. Sister Huixin told me to wait here, but I've been waiting for half a day."

Gu Zao quickly apologized before following her inside. The little maid, named Zhenxin, usually only ran errands for the old lady in her room, but she was quite the chatterbox. Seeing Gu Zao's amiable demeanor, she chattered incessantly the whole way, which Gu Zao didn't pay much attention to. She was led to the north-facing warm pavilion where they had visited the day before. The maid at the door, seeing that someone had arrived, didn't announce their arrival but simply lifted the curtain and let them in.

When Gu Zao entered the warm pavilion, the first thing she saw was Madam Jiang chatting and laughing with the old lady. Hui Xin and several other maids whose names she did not know were serving her. Among them was one who was the most outstanding in appearance, even more outstanding than Hui Xin, but her face looked a little gloomy.

After exchanging greetings, Gu Zao said, "I had intended to arrive earlier today, but I still had to personally prepare the ingredients for the noodle stall tonight, so I'm a little late. Please forgive me, Madam and Madam."

Jiang asked in surprise, "You opened a noodle stall?"

Gu Zao laughed and said, "It's just a small stall at the Zhouqiao Night Market, selling nothing more than noodles and homemade pickled vegetables."

The old lady nodded and praised, "She is diligent. Yesterday, Huixin brought back some pickled vegetables, saying they were from your family. This morning, when she was making porridge, she mixed some sesame oil and vinegar in it, and she ate half a bowl more than usual."

Gu Zao smiled slightly and said, "They're all homemade, and the taste is just average, but they're clean. If the old lady can eat them, I'll send some more over."

Huixin interjected, "Why don't you tell me the recipe for pickling it? I'll make it myself someday so that the old lady will be happy with it, and I can take the opportunity to ask for a reward, instead of you getting all the benefits."

After Huixin finished speaking, everyone in the room laughed. The old lady pointed at her and poked her, laughing, "This girl's mouth is never serious. I see those thin radishes, they smell a bit like wine, and they're a bit chewy, which is exactly what I like. Second Sister Gu, you should teach her how to make them. I want to see what she can come up with."

Gu Zao laughed and said, "That's cheap too. Just pick thin, white radishes, cut them into long strips, and let them dry until they're seven-tenths dry. Then add two ounces of salt per pound and let them marinate for three days. Take them out and dry them until they're nine-tenths dry. Pack them tightly into a bottle, pour in some liquor, and don't seal it. After a few days, they'll have a good aroma. When they turn apricot yellow, wrap some of the liquor's lees in gauze and seal the bottle. When you want to eat them, take some out, soak them in boiling water, let them sit for a while, drain them, and then mix them with sesame oil and vinegar. The taste is exceptionally sweet."

After Gu Zao finished speaking, Hui Xin shook her head: "This is cheap, but it's a difficult job. I'd better give up on this idea as soon as possible, lest I fail to get a reward and the old lady punishes me by making me eat all the things I pickled by myself, which would be terrible."

The old lady couldn't help but point at her and laugh again, Jiang Shi laughed along, and Gu Zao couldn't help but chuckle as well. For a moment, the room was filled with laughter and chatter, and it was quite lively.

After she finished laughing, Madam Jiang rubbed her cheeks and looked at Gu Zao with a smile, saying, "Second Sister Gu, my old lady is so kind that she spoils all these maids, who are all so ill-mannered. You've made a fool of yourself."

Knowing that she was about to get to the point, Gu smiled slightly and listened attentively. Jiang then continued, "The old lady's birthday is just around the corner. I called you here because I've encountered a rather thorny issue."

Gu Zao smiled and said, "Please tell me, Madam. As long as it is within my power, I will do my best to do it."

Then Madam Jiang looked at her and asked, "How are your vegetarian dishes?"

Gu Zao thought for a moment and said, "It's worth a try, though."

Madam Jiang looked at the old lady and said with a smile, "Mother, I told you that the second sister of the Gu family was capable, but you didn't believe me. If I had known, I would have made a bet with you, and I would have made some money in my pocket by now."

The old lady laughed and scolded, "You're always eyeing my meager savings."

Madam Jiang smiled and then said to Gu Zao, "The Empress Dowager and my old lady have been old friends for decades. Yesterday, we received news from the palace that the Empress Dowager would also be coming to join in the fun. However, it was also mentioned that the Empress Dowager is now devoted to Buddhism and has abstained from meat. On that day, a simple vegetarian meal will suffice. Although that's what the palace says, it's a great favor, and my family will do our best to prepare it well. My sixth sister-in-law is a heavy oil cook, so we dare not let her cook vegetarian dishes. We've asked all the other top chefs in the capital—Zhang Xiu from Xizhou Lane, Li Qing from Baokang Gate, Chef Guo from Dongji Lane, and even the Huang family's chef—but they all only specialize in meat dishes. When they heard that it would be a vegetarian feast for the Empress Dowager, none of them dared to agree. That's why we called you here, hoping to get some confirmation."

When Gu Zao heard that the food was to be prepared for the current Empress Dowager, he immediately understood why none of the famous chefs in the capital dared to accept the task. Firstly, the Empress Dowager was of good health, and if she ate something that didn't suit her, it would be a serious offense; secondly, the Empress Dowager had tasted all kinds of delicacies in the palace, and even the famous chefs probably couldn't match the skills of the imperial chefs. If they frowned after eating it, it would damage their reputation.

After thinking for a moment, he hesitated and said, "I should be grateful for your high regard, but as I said before, I only know how to cook simple country dishes, which are hardly suitable for a refined meal. Moreover, I am serving a noble person like the Empress Dowager, so I really dare not accept. Please forgive me, Madam."

As soon as Gu Zao finished speaking, the old lady shook her head and said, "Don't be so modest. Although I've never seen you cook a full meal, the mutton head skewers last time and the pickled radishes you brought yesterday show that you are quite shrewd. Although the Empress Dowager is of noble birth, she is not picky. She is used to eating such elaborate dishes every day, so a simple country dish is fine with her, as long as it is not too unappetizing."

Gu Zao still wouldn't budge, but Hui Xin beside her laughed and said, "Speaking of vegetarian banquets, I remember last year when I went with the old lady to burn incense at the Chanlin Temple on the northern slope of Bochi Mountain outside the city. Didn't the old lady praise it highly back then? I heard it's become even more famous now, and the price of a vegetarian meal is no cheaper than a grand banquet in a big restaurant in the capital. Many people go there just to spend a lot of money on a vegetarian banquet."

Hearing Huixin say this, Madam Jiang's eyes lit up. Ignoring Gu Zao's continued refusals, she smiled and said, "Second Sister Gu, I know you are capable, so don't refuse anymore. If you are worried, I will have the steward personally take you to Chanlin Temple for a meal tomorrow morning. If there are any dishes you like, just learn them. As for the money you wasted at your noodle stall, my household will make up for it."

Seeing that things had already gone this far, Gu Zao had no choice but to agree. After saying a few more words and seeing that there was nothing else to discuss, he took his leave.

When they came out, it was Huixin and the young maid Zhenxin who had just arrived who saw them off. After walking a few steps, Gu Zao asked Huixin to stay. Huixin gave Zhenxin a few instructions before they stopped.

Zhenxin and Gu were already somewhat acquainted, and they chatted incessantly along the way. First, she mentioned that since Sixth Sister-in-law had lost face that day, she hadn't been walking as briskly as before; then she said that Huixin was of marriageable age, yet the Old Madam still kept her by her side, wondering what her plans were; when they passed the wall of a courtyard where the green branches of pine and cypress trees peeked out, Zhenxin lowered her voice and said, "Sister Gu, this is the Second Master's residence. Just now, there was a Sister Xiuxin in the Old Madam's room, the one with the most outstanding looks. Before, the Young Master wanted to ask the Old Madam for her, but she refused. This time, when the Second Master came back, the Old Madam sent her over to serve him, intending to make her a concubine, but who would have thought..."

As Zhenxin spoke, she covered her mouth and secretly laughed.

Gu Zao wasn't particularly interested in these things, but when the little girl mentioned that person, she became curious and couldn't help but ask, "How is he?"

Zhenxin looked around to make sure no one was watching before leaning closer and saying, "Yesterday, the old lady scolded Sister Xiuxin, saying she was useless. Sister Xiuxin came out feeling very wronged, and secretly said that Second Master was useless. The old lady didn't know the truth, but she kept blaming her..."

Gu Zao was taken aback, and the image of that person being useless flashed before her eyes, making her unable to help but chuckle.

Zhenxin didn't laugh, but shook her head and sighed, "If you ask me, it's because Second Master has high standards and looks down on the people in this mansion. Sister Xiuxin is just afraid of losing face, so she said this in private in front of us. I've been the eldest in the mansion since I was little. He used to be quite handsome, but these past few years he went abroad, and when he came back, I don't know why he grew a big beard. He hasn't mentioned marriage, and the Old Madam is quite anxious about it. I heard that she has already taken a liking to a Hanlin scholar's family, and she's going to propose marriage during the mansion's birthday celebration..."

As Zhenxin spoke, they had already reached the doorway. Gu Zao thanked her with a smile before leaving. By the time she returned home, it was almost time to set up her stall. When Fang asked about it, Gu Zao finally mentioned that she was going to cook for someone, but didn't mention that it was the Grand Commandant's residence.

The next day, Gu got up early, prepared the soup ingredients and noodles, and instructed his third sister, Liu Zao, to watch the fire. He also asked Fang to go and buy some dried goods that were running low. Just as he finished tidying up, he saw someone coming to the door. It was the same servant who had come to call him when Fang and his sixth sister-in-law had fought that day.

Gu Zao followed the servant out of the alley and saw a carriage from the Grand Commandant's mansion parked in front of her, next to which was a large, shiny black horse. It looked somewhat familiar, but when she looked closer, she was truly stunned.

The one sitting on the horse, isn't that the second master of the Grand Commandant's mansion?

Yesterday, Yang Hao received a report from his servant that Gu Erjie had moved her entire family to a rented alley near Ranyuan Bridge in the north of the city. Her parents were both shrewish, and she herself was a widowed concubine. Because of her delicious pickled radishes, she was known as the "Radish Beauty" and was quite famous in the area. The servant, being a gossip, knew his master's thoughts and also mentioned that Gu Erjie had been invited to the old lady's birthday banquet.

When Yang Hao heard that this Second Sister Gu was a widow, he felt a secret joy. When he heard that Steward Lu was going to take her to Chanlin Temple to eat vegetarian food the next day, he thought for a moment and then called Steward Lu over, saying that he was going there the next day and that he would take Second Sister Gu there on the way.

Although Steward Lu was somewhat puzzled and didn't know why the usually cold-faced Second Master was acting so strangely today, he didn't dare to say anything and nodded in agreement. He only instructed the boy who had been to Sister Gu's house to bring the Second Master there tomorrow.

Yang Hao got up early that day, rode his horse, and called a carriage from the manor. Led by a servant, he headed towards Ranyuan Bridge. As he traveled, he saw increasingly dilapidated houses and filthy roads. Finally, he arrived at the entrance of the alley. He watched the servant go inside to call for someone, and then waited at the alley entrance. After a while, he saw a figure slowly emerging from the end of the alley in the distance. He perked up and looked closely.

Gu Zao was dressed very smartly today. Her skillful third sister had styled her hair into a fashionable bun, with a unique emerald green velvet flower inserted in her hair. Although she was wearing a light green floral jacket that was neither new nor old, it was well-proportioned and made her face look even more rosy.

Seeing that the second master was staring blankly at him, Gu Zao felt slightly displeased and looked at the servant boy, saying, "Didn't you say that Steward Lu from your household was coming?"

vegetarian meals at Chanlin Temple

The servant boy, named Liu Shun, glanced at his master, who was sitting on his horse staring intently at Gu Zaomeng. He muttered to himself, but stammered out what he couldn't say.

“I happen to be going to that area today, so I’ll take you with me.”

Yang Hao finally said that, but his eyes remained fixed on Gu Zao's face.

The uncle and nephew in this family are exactly the same.

Gu Zao silently grumbled to herself, then gave him a slight nod before lifting her skirt slightly, stepping onto a small stool that Liu Shun had laid out, and boarding the carriage. As she lifted her foot, a pair of green embroidered shoes adorned with pink twin lotus blossoms were revealed, the flowers on the shoes being exceptionally exquisitely embroidered.

While Yang Hao was still watching, Gu Zao had already lowered her skirt, crouched down and entered the carriage. Once the door closed, nothing could be seen anymore.

Gu Zao sat in the carriage and looked at the dark green interior. It didn't look like anything from the outside, but the interior was decorated very luxuriously. Even the floor underfoot was covered with a thick carpet, which was even softer than Gu Zao's own bed.

The carriage soon entered West Street and headed south along the straight road. Gu Zao looked through the two lattice windows on the side of the carriage and watched as they passed Baihu Bridge, Xingguo Temple, and Taiping Bridge, all bustling places. Finally, the carriage turned east and entered Imperial Street, eventually exiting through Nanxun Gate and reaching the outskirts of the city.

During the months she had been in Tokyo, she had been busy making a living and hadn't even gone out for a stroll once. Now that she had nothing to do, she looked around and saw endless prosperity and elegance, which made her feel quite pleased with herself.

Yang Hao rode ahead, sometimes slowing down, and Gu Zao could see his back and meet his gaze when he turned around. After a few times, she lowered the curtain in the lattice window, retreated, and stopped looking, waiting to reach the Chanlin Temple.

The carriage left the city and traveled for nearly an hour before finally stopping near noon. Gu Zao pushed open the carriage door and peeked out, only to see that they had arrived at the foot of a mountain, which must be Bochi Mountain.

"Chanlin Temple is located on this mountain. Although it's not high, the path is made of paved steps, so carriages can't go up; you have to stop here and walk."

When Yang Hao saw her peek out, he rode up and pointed to the mountain path ahead with his bent whip.

Gu Zao looked up and saw a stone staircase winding its way up the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, on the flat ground, several carriages and mule carts were already parked, with groups of servants standing nearby. Presumably, their masters were also going up the mountain. The carts were decorated with jewels and carvings, as well as plain silk and felt, reflecting the masters' social standing and preferences. Without saying much, Gu Zao was about to jump down from the carriage when Liu Shun deftly placed a small stool in front of him. Gu Zao stepped down and smiled slightly at him, saying, "Thank you."

As soon as Gu Zao finished speaking, Liu Shun hurriedly waved her hands, while Yang Hao, standing to the side, raised his eyebrows slightly to look at her. Only then did she realize that she had unconsciously brought out her old habits, and she just stood there with a faint smile.

Yang Hao turned and instructed the driver and Liu Shun to wait there while he fetched the food he had brought from the carriage. He then raised his eyebrows at Gu Zao and headed towards the mountain road first, with Gu Zao quickly following behind.

The mountain slope was relatively gentle, and the steps weren't very high. However, Gu Zao was busy until the wee hours of the morning almost every day before going to bed to rest, and then she would get up early the next day. Although she was much slimmer than before, her stamina had also declined. At first, she could keep up, but after climbing about a hundred steps, she was already feeling anxious and short of breath. Gradually, she fell behind Yang Hao, who was ahead of her. Just as she stopped and gasped for breath, she looked up and saw that he had stopped and was standing on the stone steps looking at her from above, with a hint of a smile on his face. Annoyed, she didn't know where the strength came from, but she overtook him in one breath and continued climbing. As she passed by Yang Hao, he saw that her forehead was covered with a fine layer of sweat, her cheeks and lips were bright red, and her full chest was rising and falling slightly. His heart skipped a beat. He looked at her back and shook his head slightly.

After navigating several mountain bends, the mountain gate finally came into view in the distance. Gu Zao held her breath and climbed to the mountain gate at the end of the steps.

Yang Hao whispered something to the monk at the door, and then the monk clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and led them inside.

This Chanlin Temple, in the transition from spring to summer, must be a place where trees cover the red cliffs and springs murmur in the clear streams. Although it is winter now and the dense greenery is absent, it is still built against the mountain and has its own unique scenery. The guest monk led them inside, explaining that the temple has two halls, the Great Buddha Hall and the Heavenly King Hall, two halls, the Sangharama Hall and the Patriarch Hall, the Vairocana Pavilion, the Bell and Drum Tower, as well as lecture halls, monks' quarters, a storeroom, and a kitchen. Everything a Chanlin Temple needs is complete. Finally, they arrived at a row of gray-walled, black-tiled side rooms, which turned out to be the place where the Chanlin Temple would provide meals.

Having been here for several months, Gu Zao had already noticed the growing trend of everyone engaging in commerce, even the monks and nuns were joining the fray. She had heard from her neighbor, Madam Shen, that the most famous temple in the city, the Great Xiangguo Temple, opened its doors to the public for trade five times a month, and many of those who had secured their spots were actually nuns from the temple, selling embroidery, flowers, jewelry, and other colorful and intricately patterned items. This Chanlin Temple, she thought, was no exception.

The monk who was in charge of receiving guests led Yang Hao and Gu Zao into a private room, put his palms together in a gesture of respect, and then went out, presumably to order vegetarian dishes.

Gu Zao glanced around the room and saw that the table in the middle was already laid out with seasonal fruits, decorated quite elegantly. However, one of the original snow-white south walls was covered with various poems and paintings, each with a different signature. It seemed that at this time, literati were in power, and the Chanlin Temple had specially set aside such a wall for diners to express themselves, which could be considered a graffiti wall.

Gu Zao glanced at the poems and found most of them to be nothing more than praise and flattery, lacking any real interest. Just as he was about to look away, he suddenly noticed a signature in the corner that read "Liu Qi, the White-Robed Minister." His heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't resist leaning closer to examine it. He saw it was a regulated poem: "Climbing vines and treading rocks, descending the towering peaks, a Buddhist chamber opens amidst countless peaks. The monk faces the sky as his world, watching as wind and thunder rise from the flat ground." Just as he was wondering if this Liu Qi who wrote the poem was the same Liu Yong from the Huajian school, who was ordered to compose lyrics, he felt a dark shadow loom behind him, and heard Yang Hao ask, "Are you literate too?"

Yang Hao was close enough to smell a faint fragrance, and just as he was feeling a little smitten, Gu Zao glanced back at him, turned around and walked away, sitting down at the table. She looked at him and said indifferently, "I just recognize a name."

The fragrance was simply from the soap. It turned out that there were already shops specializing in soap balls, made by crushing and grinding natural soap pods, adding spices and honey, and shaping them into small balls the size of oranges, specifically for washing the face and body. Although the high-quality soap was expensive, Gu Zao, considering her daily cooking duties, didn't want to have an oily smell on her clothes, so she secretly bought it without Fang Shi's knowledge.

Seeing her leave, Yang Hao felt a little disappointed. He glanced at the poem on the wall and smiled, "She does have great ambitions, but her handwriting is rather feminine. I'm afraid she won't achieve great things."

Gu Zao glanced at him and casually said, "Of course, this person can't accomplish worldly great things. But so many people here who have accomplished worldly great things end up as nothing more than a pile of yellow dust, while he has gained eternal fame. What is there to regret?"

Yang Hao was stunned. He looked at her silently, but his eyes held a hint of inquiry. Gu Zao then realized that she had let something slip. She coughed, stood up, and went to the door. There, she saw several young monks carrying trays of food, which filled the table.

Yang Hao had ordered the most expensive meal at the Chanlin Temple today. Gu Zao went over and saw that it consisted of two desserts, two dried fruits, and eight hot dishes. He carefully examined the ingredients: walnuts, pine nuts, cashews, fresh lily bulbs, abalone mushrooms, yams, shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, bell peppers, snow peas, tofu skin, broccoli, barley, bamboo fungus, spinach, bean sprouts, cabbage, agar-agar mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Although they were all vegetarian dishes, the colors were carefully arranged, making them pleasing to the eye.