Seeing him slowly walk away and pace back and forth, Zhenshu subtly moved a step to a more spacious area and patiently said, "Buddhism was introduced to China in the late pre-Qin period. Through the Wei and Jin dynasties and the Sui and Tang dynasties, Buddhist teachings gradually flourished, and the scriptures became more diverse. Naturally, there were many eminent monks and virtuous masters, such as the Fourth Patriarch Daoxin, the Fifth Patriarch Hongren, and the Sixth Patriarch Huineng. However, there were also some who did not understand Buddhism but still misinterpreted the meaning of the scriptures. Furthermore, some shallow people privately altered the meaning of the scriptures and changed the scriptures, resulting in half-true and half-false scriptures in the world. Those who sincerely seek the Buddha are often misled astray by false scriptures. Such examples are countless."
The holy monk, deeply aware of its evil and suffering, made a great vow to travel to India to seek the true scriptures, hoping to use them to enlighten the world and prevent people from being deceived by false scriptures.
Yu Yichen stopped in front of Zhen Shu and saw her speaking eloquently, looking every bit like a little scholar. She recalled all the women she had ever met in her life, but found that she had never met anyone who could speak like this, nor had she met anyone who could be so humble and arrogant in front of her, nor be swayed by her appearance. So he smiled and asked, "Did the holy monk finally obtain the true scriptures?"
Zhenshu said, “Of course. The holy monk brought back the true scriptures from India and spent the rest of his life translating most of them into Chinese. Later, his disciple Bianji also inherited his legacy and translated scriptures. From then on, most of the scriptures we read and recited were based on the translations of the holy monk.”
Yu Yichen approached Zhenshu again. Seeing that she was holding the book and there was no way to avoid her, he still took a step closer and said, "The young shopkeeper's words have made me even more eager to hear what is written in this book. Therefore, the young shopkeeper must come to my residence to read it."
Zhen Shu had been deceived by a man before, so she became wary and handed the box of books to Yu Yichen, saying, "There are many talented people in Eunuch Yu's mansion. Please have them read it."
Yu Yichen stood with his hands behind his back, not taking the book: "I'm afraid I'll never forget the little shopkeeper's curse that I would have many children and much happiness."
Zhenshu helplessly comforted her, "You have many godchildren and godgrandchildren, so why should you fear a word from my daughter?"
Yu Yichen said, "Those were just my pretexts. Do you even know what a pretext is?"
Zhen Shu shook her head: "I don't know."
Yu Yichen said, "It's something you don't actually have, but you deliberately put it out for others to see."
Zhenshu, seeing that he wasn't paying attention, walked around him, left the bookshelf, quickly placed the book on the counter, and called out, "Shopkeeper, let's settle the bill."
Suddenly, a fierce-looking middle-aged man emerged from the inner room and stood behind the counter, saying, "Two taels of silver in total."
Zhenshu picked up the book box and looked at it, saying, "It's too expensive. Where did the shopkeeper go?"
The man waved his hand and said, "Hurry up, hurry up, we're closing."
After seeing Yu Yichen and Zhenshu off and removing the door panel, the man went into the inner room. A trail of blood followed him, and inside lay several freshly dead men, covered in wounds, lying haphazardly. The bookstore owner was bound like a dumpling and thrown on the ground. He walked to the owner, bent down, and said, "Looks like you can enjoy yourself for a while longer. The eunuch probably won't have time to deal with you right now."
The shopkeeper's face had lost all its previous friendly smile. A naturally cheerful person, if truly frightened away, would have a contorted and ferocious expression that could truly terrify someone.
Outside the bookstore, Zhen Shu was chased out by someone and stood outside the door carrying a stack of books. Seeing that Yu Yichen had also been chased out and was standing outside, Zhen Shu waved the books in her hand and said, "This must not be the shopkeeper. Normally, when I take books, he would give me a rope to string them together."
Seeing that Yu Yichen remained silent, Zhenshu continued, "Even if he doesn't do it, I can do it myself, which is better than holding him like this."
Yu Yichen pointed to the surging tide of people and said, "They're going to release lotus lanterns in the moat. Shall we go take a look?"
Seeing the huge crowds rushing towards the moat, Zhen Shu, being a young woman, also became curious and said, "I should come back here and wait, otherwise my father might get anxious."
Yu Yichen smiled without saying a word and walked ahead. Zhenshu followed behind. The two walked upstream until they reached a spot on the river where there were few lanterns and not many people. Looking down from the railing, they saw lotus lanterns floating on the water, shimmering in the sunlight. She felt a little disappointed, unlike the other girls around her who exclaimed and screamed in surprise.
"Do you dislike it?" Yu Yichen asked from his side.
The place was bustling with noise, and Zhen Shu didn't know if Yu Yichen could hear her: "I grew up in the countryside of Zheng County, and the Wei River was not far from my home. Every year on the fifteenth of the lunar month, the moonlight would spill onto the river, creating shimmering ripples as it flowed slowly downstream. Lying on the sandy bank amidst the vast sky and earth, listening to the long cries of the night gulls, was truly a beautiful sight. It's strange that a few dim lights on this small river could cause such a commotion throughout the whole city."
Yu Yichen, seemingly out of nowhere, took out a lotus lantern from his robes and placed it on the book Zhenshu was holding, saying, "The shimmering waves on the Wei River are a natural wonder created by heaven and earth. The lotus lanterns in the moat are the charm created by human effort. How can human effort compare to nature? But why don't you, little shopkeeper, light one up and pray for a perfect husband for yourself?"
Zhen Shu held the book in one arm and picked up the small lotus lantern with the other. She saw that it was a well-made little lotus flower with a tiny, exquisitely crafted candle inside. She gently tucked it into her bosom and said to Yu Yichen, "My father is probably already waiting at the bookstore entrance. I will take my leave now."
Yu Yichen said, "If you want to study for me, you must come to my residence on the third and eighteenth of each month. Don't forget."
Zhenshu found his words incoherent and thought to herself that this eunuch was incredibly foolish. Even if he had many adopted sons and grandsons, she had no connection with him, so why should she listen to him? She quickly walked a few steps, pretending not to hear him, and hurried towards the bookstore. When she arrived at the bookstore entrance, she saw Song Anrong pacing anxiously.
Such joy amidst the cold winter days would likely continue for many more days. A warmth seeped into Yu Yichen's heart, seeping from his chilled bones. He turned and saw Mei Xun standing not far away with his men, and called out, "Where is Dou Hong now?"
Mei Xun said, "Sun Wu has already been tied up and taken to the mansion."
Yu Yichen nodded slightly, then asked again, "Were the rest of them killed?"
Mei Xun said, "Kill him."
Yu Yichen strode into the carriage. The warm comfort inside made him feel as if he had come back to life. He held up the curtain and said, "Put the prepared things inside, and then notify the people of Yingtian Prefecture to go and investigate the case."
The carriage traveled along the Imperial Street to the back gate of the Yu residence. Passing through the desolate courtyard overgrown with weeds, Yu Yichen reached out, closed his eyes, and raised his eyebrows. A young eunuch came forward to help him remove his fur coat. He tightened his sleeves, then pushed open two heavy doors and strode inside. He walked through a terracotta warrior path, then pushed open two more doors and continued walking. Soon, he found himself in a spacious room that was dark and deep, like the underworld.
The bookstore owner lay sprawled on the ground like a dead pig. Yu Yichen went inside and found a secluded, dark corner to sit down. He waved for the eunuchs to splash water on him to wake him. Once the bookstore owner was awake, shivering all over, Yu Yichen signaled for the eunuchs to go and question him. One of the eunuchs stepped forward, kicked the bookstore owner twice, and asked, "Dou Hong, when did your bookstore become a hideout for spies from Liangzhou?"
Dou Hong rubbed her hands together and kowtowed on the ground, saying, "Father-in-law, I truly only wanted to use Wang Canzhi's name to resell some exam questions. As for the claim of spies from Liangzhou, there really was none of that."
Yu Yichen listened with his eyes closed and brows furrowed for a long time. He then stretched out his palms and made a finger gesture in front of the table, looking at the confession of the bookstore owner, Dou Hong. He shook his head and said, "No, he must be made to rewrite it."
Two other eunuchs brought over the confession and threw it to Dou Hong, saying, "If you're not satisfied, sir, rewrite it."
Dou Hong said, "This is the truth, absolutely true. I am guilty, but I only sold some exam questions."
He suddenly realized what was happening and shook his head, saying, "You can't force me to confess. I'd rather die than write anything more."
Yu Yichen watched coldly from the shadows. He was in a rare good mood today, but the coldness of the room made him restless. He waved his hand and said, "Take him up and torture him. Don't let him dirty my room. If he can't take it anymore, hang him up with ginseng soup. If he's really stubborn and won't talk, use the old method. You write it yourselves and then put your fingerprints on it."
Emperor Chengfeng is nearing his end, but he still lacks a drastic measure to hasten his demise. Emperor Chengfeng was a wise and capable ruler throughout his life, and he was able to take things in stride, except for Li Xucheng.
Li Xucheng's rebellion enraged Emperor Chengfeng. Each time he was summoned, he refused to come; each time he defied imperial orders. Time and again, Emperor Chengfeng realized that he had been tricked by his seemingly honest but actually treacherous son. Li Xucheng had asked for Liangzhou, a region important for military deployment, as his fiefdom, and within a year or two, he had taken control of the entire region. Now, Emperor Chengfeng could not even summon him back under the pretext of being seriously ill, which showed his rebellious intentions.
Now, what Yu Yichen needs to do is to address the root of the problem, letting Emperor Chengfeng know that Li Xucheng is not only disobeying the imperial decree, but also harbors rebellious intentions. Not against Li Xuze, but against his father, Emperor Chengfeng himself.
After the people of Yingtian Prefecture search the bookstore tomorrow, he will then order the Ministry of War to present Dou Hong's confession, and mobilize some officials to submit several memorials. Perhaps then Emperor Chengfeng will be able to settle the matter.
☆, Chapter 47: Great Filial Piety
He returned to the small building in the backyard, sighing deeply as he walked. Such things happening in winter always made him feel sad and miserable, but the situation was what it was, and he, the one who pushed the tide, had to rise to the challenge.
After the night of the fifteenth, the Lantern Festival will last for five days. Officials will not hold court and all markets will be closed. Unmarried men and women from all over the country can meet with each other. If a woman is not engaged and a man wants to choose a wife, he must go to Kaibao Temple in the city on the sixteenth to offer incense and look around to see if there is anyone he likes.
Grandma Su was an imperial inspector, and the Lantern Festival was her busiest time. Moreover, her family lived near Kaibao Temple, which gave her a perfect advantage. Seeing this excellent opportunity, Madam Su specially summoned Zhenxiu from the Song residence and sent Zhenyuan and several others, dressed in their finest attire, to Kaibao Temple.
Seeing Zhenshu watching the carpenter work in the backyard, Zhenxiu came in with a smile and pretended to be mysterious, saying, "Second Sister's lover is also at Kaibao Temple today. How can Second Sister not go?"
Zhenshu ignored her, but since she had a guilty conscience, she asked, "What little lover?"
Zhenxiu exclaimed, "It's Tong Qisheng! He came to the capital before the New Year, why didn't he come to see you?"
Ever since that night when Tong Qisheng waved a white handkerchief in the night sky, Zhenshu not only felt disgusted by him as a person, but also by his name. She held up a basket of wood chips high and forced Zhenxiu back, saying, "This room is full of wood chips. Be careful, they might get on your hair oil and you won't be able to wash them off."
Jung-soo covered her head and ran away.
Su took her daughters to Kaibao Temple. When they returned home in the evening, they were exhausted and rubbed their thin feet, sighing, "My aunt really has two iron legs. She went in and out of Kaibao Temple all day without feeling any pain in her legs. I can't take it anymore."
Zhenyuan and the others were also exhausted and lay on the bed, unwilling to move. Zhenshu was finding it too much to do, as she had to assist the carpenter by planing wood and also cook and wash dishes. So she hired an old woman surnamed Wang to cook, wash dishes, and serve Su and the others. After eating, Su lay listlessly, and the next day she had no heart to go to Kaibao Temple to offer incense and choose a husband. She only asked Zhao He to hire a carriage to take them to Su's aunt's house and bring them back in the evening.
After the five-day Lantern Festival, all the women of the second branch of the Song family fell seriously ill, some coughing and others vomiting. They needed doctors and medicine, and Wang Mama and Zhenshu were exhausted from taking care of them. As for Aunt Su, she was as tough as iron. Every day, she would walk with her bound feet from her home near Kaibao Temple in the north of the city to the East Market to see Su Shi and tell her about the latest happenings before leaving.
That day, Zhenshu brought in a bowl of medicine to check on Madam Su, when she heard the old lady Su say, "I heard that the emperor died in the palace last night. Before he died, he had a quarrel with Consort Rong, who was from your household. As a result, Consort Rong has been ordered by the empress to be locked up."
Although Madam Su was gradually realizing that her great-aunt, the Imperial Censor, knew a lot, she could still add nine parts sensationalism to a single fact and then say it, so she didn't completely believe her. She replied, "If the emperor is dead, why doesn't the Crown Prince ascend the throne?"
Grandma Su waved her hand and said, "Prince Cheng is leading a large army and is on his way. How dare the Crown Prince ascend the throne?"
Zhenshu, hearing the increasingly alarming story, put down the medicine and went downstairs. A while later, she cooked some hot porridge and snacks and brought them to Madam Su and her aunt. From afar, she overheard her aunt saying, "The Crown Princess and Prince Ping have been lovers since childhood, and now they're even exchanging secret messages. The girl exchanging these messages is the daughter of Huang Dalang from the neighborhood. Huang Dalang's wife had an affair with a monk from Kaibao Temple, which is how she got pregnant… That monk from Kaibao Temple has performed miracles on many infertile women in the capital; his miracles are incredibly effective, they can make them pregnant on the first try…"
Every day, Aunt Su would go to the mounting shop to tell these petty thieves and scoundrels of the capital. Madam Su, who was already ill and loved to gossip, became even more reluctant to get up and walk after hearing these stories. Fortunately, they had been moved to the small building in the backyard, so as not to disturb the mess in the mounting shop in the front.
In early February, news indeed spread from the palace that the emperor had passed away. The palace would be closed for five days before the crown prince could ascend the throne, and all weddings and funerals in the common people's homes were to be suspended. Even festive clothing was forbidden, and couples of good standing were not allowed to consummate their marriages, but had to observe mourning for the emperor. Upon hearing this, Madam Su sat up in shock in bed, exclaiming, "This is terrible! I'm afraid what Auntie said about the palace detaining our Consort Rong is true. If our household finds out about this, and if the old matriarch were to pass away, wouldn't Zhenyuan have to observe three more years of mourning before she can marry?"
She removed the plaster from her forehead, got up, tiptoed around to dress herself, and then, with Zhenyuan and Zhenyi, swayed and staggered towards the Song residence.
Zhong had only just learned of Consort Rong's detention and was weeping uncontrollably on the heated kang bed in the main room. Zhenxiu, disheveled and with her hair in disarray, comforted Zhong. Fearing she might be in the wrong place at night, Su winked at Zhenxiu from the outer room and asked, "Do you think she can hold on for much longer?"
Zhenxiu shook her head and said, "She hasn't had a bowel movement for more than ten days. She's probably burning to death."
Looking through the beaded curtain, Madam Su saw that Madam Zhong's face was also ashen. She pointed to her cheeks and said, "Look at her cheeks, the deathly aura is slowly rising."
Zhenxiu had been taking care of her grandmother, Zhong, for the past few months, and she was exhausted, even losing some weight. She nestled next to Su and said, "Mother, I'm the one who stays with her on the kang (heated brick bed) every night. Sometimes she doesn't breathe for a long time, and my heart is pounding in my chest."
Su said angrily, "Where is your fourth aunt? She occupies this big courtyard by herself and also takes the rest of the land. These things should be done by her."
Zhenxiu sighed and said, "Now Grandmother is afraid that she is too confused to recognize people and will give the money to the wrong person. Fourth Aunt is unwilling to accept the money she has."
Madam Su said, "My good child, although you value money, you should also consider it carefully. Among all your grandchildren, you are the only one who will serve her until the end of her life. She needs to give you a promise in person, otherwise wouldn't your filial piety be in vain?"
Zhenxiu pushed Su Shi away, saying, "Now she's in my hands, and that money can't escape my grasp."
Su hurriedly bid farewell to Shen and returned to the East Market with Zhenyuan and Zhenyi. She then secretly took a twenty-tael silver note from under Zhenshu's bed and ran to Kaibao Temple in the north of the city to find Aunt Su. She wanted Aunt Su to find a good prospect for Zhenyuan so that Zhenyuan could avoid the mourning period and get married directly.
Once Granny Su received the silver notes, she took the matter very seriously. It was early spring, still chilly, and she personally carried a small basket to the mounting shop to dress Zhenyuan up. For several days in a row, she arranged for the young man to come to her home for a meeting. Over the course of the days, she met countless young men and women. Zhenyi and Zhenshu were also somewhat expectant, and every time they returned, they would pester her with questions. Zhenyuan, however, remained silent, staying only in her room.
Seven or eight days later, one day Su stopped taking Zhenyuan with her, and the two of them sat in the small building in a daze. Since the tung oil on the furniture was still drying, and Zhenshu was also idle, she went into the room and asked Zhenyuan, "Did you run into anyone?"
Zhenyuan sighed deeply, still burying her head in her embroidery and refusing to speak. Zhenshu went to Su's place again and, seeing her still lying in bed, asked, "Still nothing to your liking?"
Madam Su sighed, "My great-aunt was a bit scatterbrained when she was young, and now that she's old, she's getting more and more confused."
Zhenshu sensed a hint of resentment in her words, and then heard Madam Su continue, "She said the Minister's son was eighteen, but after questioning him for a long time, I found out he was just the son of the Minister's steward, and only sixteen years old. He has enough maids from the inner courtyard to choose from, and he was indifferent to this matter. I suppose he was forced to come by you, Miss. As for the eldest son of the Vice Minister, he was originally a servant boy by the eldest son's side, slippery and greasy as can be. And then there's the son of Prefect Zhou, who turned out to be two menial servants from Yingtian Prefecture. My Zhenyuan is such a talented person, where can't she find these kinds of people?"
I see.
Madam Su was so anxious that blisters appeared around her mouth. She shook Zhenshu and said, "You often entertain distinguished guests who come to buy calligraphy and paintings in the shop. If you see any handsome young men, ask them a few questions and arrange to meet them in the back. Your sister is good-looking, so it will surely work out."
Zhenshu shook off Su Shi and said, "Mother is really going crazy. If I'm like this, I might as well become a matchmaker or madam."
Madam Su spread her hands and said, "What do you suggest we do? The person in the manor is in critical condition. If she dies, Zhenyuan will have to observe three years of mourning."
Zhenshu advised, "She is a young woman, and a year of mourning is acceptable. You have a year to slowly inquire about her situation; there will surely be good results."
Su pushed Zhenshu and said, "I knew you were unreliable."
March had arrived in the blink of an eye, and Zhong was still clinging to life on the kang (a heated brick bed), while Su was so anxious that her mouth was practically spitting fire. The mounting shop had now become a calligraphy and painting shop, both buying and selling, and although business was not as good as before the New Year, it was still quite prosperous.
That day, Song Anrong went out of the mansion to visit his old friend's calligraphy and paintings. Zhao He was framing calligraphy and paintings in the back room. Zhenshu was sitting in front of the counter when she saw a boy walk in, slap a piece of paper on the counter, and then quickly leave.
Zhen picked up the paper and saw that it only had four words written on it: "Left hand when leaving the house".
The characters were in the cursive script of Xue Ji from the previous dynasty. People say that Xue Ji's cursive script is like "the wind startling the flowers in the garden, the snow staining the mountain cypress." These four simple characters are written with poetic and picturesque beauty, showing the writer's profound skill. Zhen Shu put away the note and went out. After walking a few steps to the left, she saw a carriage parked beside her. Even the carriage shafts were silver-plated, and the canopy was thick and airtight, clearly indicating its luxury.
Zhen Shu walked over slowly and saw the carriage curtain lifted, revealing a face—it was Yu Yichen. He frowned and said, "Young manager, why do you always fail to keep your appointments?"
Zhenshu was puzzled by his seemingly nonsensical question. It took her a while to realize that he must be asking about the reading they had discussed on the Lantern Festival. So she straightened her robes and replied, "My daughter's shop is in a lot of turmoil, and I don't have the spare time to read for you, sir. Perhaps you should ask someone else to read for you."
Yu Yichen lowered the curtain and said, "Start the carriage."
The coachman pulled on the reins, and the carriage slowly drove away.
Chapter 48 Life and Death
Yu Yichen sat cross-legged in the carriage, a gentle smile on his face as he savored the words his youngest daughter had just uttered. Though only a few words, they had unexpectedly brought him to a good mood. This winter was finally over. Whether it was the seemingly endless cold or the death of the late emperor and the ascension of the crown prince, all these momentous events had occurred during winter.
What is the perplexity of being born as a human being?
The greatest thing is life and death, the alternation of two emperors, the old one dies, and the new one takes over.