Долина Дикого Человека на Зеленой Горе

Глава 3

This day is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion; we must make the most of it.

When I went to express my gratitude, I learned that the scholar who had given me the tea was named Shao Xian. He was staying at the temple, copying scriptures for the temple while studying for the imperial examinations.

Shao Xian was polite and poised, and did not look down on me in the slightest because of my status as a maid. However, since women were not allowed to stay in the temple, I could not find a reason to linger by his side.

"I'll give you a magnolia tree as a token of my gratitude for your cup of tea." With a wave of my hand, I transformed a jade hairpin from my hair into a magnolia tree and handed it to him.

As he watched my solitary figure descend the mountain, a deep longing appeared in his eyes. That longing made me feel as light as smoke, and I felt inexplicably proud. Little did he know that my true form had already transformed into the magnolia in his hand, and the one descending the mountain was merely my substitute.

Shao Xian planted me under his window, watering me with clean water every day and taking meticulous care of me.

The following year, the tree grew taller than a person, and a silver flower the size of a bowl bloomed on its branch.

Shao Xian was overjoyed. When he was reading late at night, he would often open the window and whisper to me.

"Are you the incarnation of the fairy from that day?" he asked.

I smiled silently, gently shaking the branches and sprinkling the dew on him. He became even more infatuated, and even went so far as to say that he would take the tree as his wife.

The abbot of the temple was a highly accomplished monk who saw through me at a glance. He shook his head and sighed, “Foolish child, emotions are like a vast sea of clouds, swirling around the heart and pulling at it. If you cannot see through them, I fear that demons will dwell in your heart forever, and your thousand years of cultivation will be in vain.”

I was speechless with sadness.

Undefiled, undefiled, truly undefiled? The Undefiled Temple is said to be named so because "its location is far from the countryside, and those who live there attain purity of the six senses and achieve great liberation." How come I am so tainted by the six senses, unable to attain liberation?

A day in heaven is a year on earth. The year is up; should one stay or leave?

That night, a sudden storm arose, and torrential rain poured down. The wind god and the rain goddess unleashed their power, warning me of the storm.

Shao Xian rushed out with an umbrella, using his clothes to protect my branches and the oil-paper umbrella to shield me from the wind and rain, while he himself was exposed to the wind and rain. My tears rolled down from the petals, falling on his face and body.

Shao Xian, how can you not be infatuated?

The next day, the wind stopped and the rain ceased, and the sun shone brightly. However, Shao Xian remained bedridden with a persistent high fever.

The abbot sighed repeatedly, "Foolish child, now that your term is up, why don't you return?"

I left in my reverie, ascended to the Jade Pool, and bowed deeply, pleading, "I beg the Queen Mother to remember my past service and bestow upon me celestial dew and nectar to save Shao Lang. This humble immortal is willing to relinquish my celestial status and descend to the mortal realm as a tree to endure the wind and rain."

I stood outside the window, watching the abbot drip the nectar from the petals into Shao Xian's mouth. Shao Xian slowly opened his eyes and suddenly asked urgently, "Is the magnolia flower damaged?"

The abbot smiled and opened the window.

Outside the window, a tree stands in silvery white, its blossoms more beautiful than snow, filling the temple with a delicate fragrance.

Despite the wind and rain overnight, the flowers bloom even more profusely.

Shao Xian didn't know that I was banished to the mortal realm because of him, and was reborn as a tree—a white magnolia tree in Wuran Temple whose blossoms are as beautiful as snow.

*Note: Wuran Temple, also known as Wuran Chan Monastery, is located at the foot of Wuran Mountain, south of Taiboding, the main peak of Kunyu Mountain. According to the "Ninghai Prefecture Annals," the temple was founded in the first year of the Yongkang era of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The temple grounds contain many ancient trees, including a white magnolia tree in the courtyard that is 11 meters tall, has a trunk diameter of 35 centimeters, a crown spread of 8 meters, and is over 300 years old, making it the "most magnificent magnolia in northern China."

[Ancient Era: 004 Qingfeng]

Sunlight streamed through the carved window frames, casting a slanted glow into the spacious study.

Wearing a green shirt, Qingfeng rolled up her sleeves and went in and out of the study tidying up the books that were laid out to dry. In the blink of an eye, she saw Xiao'er standing by the door with her hands clasped together and hurriedly called out, "Xiao'er, help your sister tidy up the books."

Xiao'er lazily walked over, picked up the scattered books on the table, flipped through them haphazardly, and hurriedly fanned her nose with her hand, "Stinky, sister, what's the use of having so many stinky books?"

Qingfeng picked it up and sniffed it in confusion. "No, there's only the scent of ink."

"You're so pedantic! I really don't understand you. What's the point of a girl studying so much? Didn't the sages say that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent? Besides, scholars study to go to the capital to take the imperial examinations, become the top scholar, and enjoy wealth and honor. What do you want to do? Become a female top scholar too?"

Qingfeng paused slightly. She had never thought about the purpose of reading so many books; she simply enjoyed it. These books, whether new or old, either recorded the crystallization of human wisdom throughout history or depicted the tender love stories of talented men and beautiful women. "There are houses of gold in books, and beauties like jade in books?"

What about love in a fox? Could anyone truly fall in love with a fox, beyond that beautiful illusion?

Qingfeng's fingers gently caressed the book "The Legend of the White Snake," which she had read countless times. The story tells of Bai Suzhen, a snake demon who had cultivated for a thousand years, who met Xu Xian, a man from the human world, and through the matchmaking of an umbrella, rain, and West Lake, they formed a marriage alliance. Later, she used magic to give Xu Xian a large fortune and a life of luxury, all in order to find someone to love her. However, once her identity was exposed, no matter how much she agonized over her feelings or how much she was tempted by the flood, she could not forgive and forget her past and could never go back to the way things were.

What about their kind? Some wander around like Xiao'er? Others pretend to be ghosts and spirits like their uncle?

Qingfeng shook her head with a wry smile, recalling the sun-loving fox she had met on West Mountain. The fox had said it already knew the taste of love, so what did it matter if it couldn't become an immortal? Before she could ask what kind of love it would encounter, the fox stretched out its limbs comfortably and fell asleep.

The huge mansion was empty. Leaves blown down from the trees by the wind flew from one corner of the wall to another like butterflies, falling in places where the wind could not reach, piling up into mounds of leaves.

"How about I cook some good dishes today and invite Uncle and Aunt to have a few drinks together?" Qingfeng shook her head, banishing those uncomfortable thoughts, and suddenly turned to Xiao'er and said.

"Great! Great! Sister, you must bring out the plum wine you brewed last year!" Xiao'er danced with joy, no longer caring whether the ink smelled or not, and quickly packed up the books.

As dusk fell, Qingfeng lit a few candles, laid out her signature dishes on the table, and took out her homemade wine to drink and chat with her uncle and aunt.

The family was enjoying their drinks when a man suddenly burst in, shouting, "An uninvited guest has arrived!"

Qingfeng and her aunt hurriedly hid in the inner room. Her uncle stood up and angrily questioned him: "Who are you, daring to break into someone else's boudoir!"

The man laughed loudly, "This is my boudoir, and you've forcibly occupied it. You're drinking here without even inviting the host; aren't you being a bit stingy?"

Upon hearing this, his uncle squinted and looked him up and down, then shook his head and laughed, "You're not the owner of this place either."

"Haha, I am the madman Geng Qubing, the master's nephew."

"Oh, it's an honor to meet you."

My uncle is a cunning old fox. This mansion originally belonged to the wealthy Geng family of Taiyuan. However, the Geng family declined, their numbers dwindled, and the buildings became vacant. Over time, strange things began to happen: the main room door would open and close by itself at night; the fire in the stove would suddenly ignite; and the furniture would move around on its own. The Geng family was constantly terrified, unable to find peace day or night. Left with no other choice, the Geng family moved out of the mansion, leaving only their elderly servant, Lao An, to guard it. The whole affair stemmed from my uncle's desire for the house; he used some clever tricks to acquire the large estate. So when the owner's nephew came knocking, my uncle had little to say but "I've heard so much about you."

The uncle stroked his beard, slightly embarrassed, and invited Geng Sheng to take his seat. He then set out new cups and called Xiao'er to join them.

Geng Sheng was naturally forthright and easygoing, and Xiao Er was also cheerful and dashing. The two got along very well.

The uncle asked Geng Sheng, "I heard that your grandfather wrote 'The Legend of Tushan,' do you know that?"

Geng Sheng said, "I know."

The uncle then said, “I am a descendant of the Tushan clan. I can still remember the family genealogy after the Tang Dynasty, but the genealogy of more than five generations has not been passed down. Please enlighten me, young master.”

Geng Sheng briefly recounted the merits of the Tu Shan clan in helping Yu the Great control the floods. He deliberately exaggerated, which pleased his uncle greatly. The uncle then said to Xiao'er, "Today I am honored to hear many things that I did not know before. Young Master Geng is not an outsider. Go and invite your mother and sister to come, so that they may also know about the merits of our ancestors."

Xiao'er then went into the bedchamber and soon brought out his mother and Qingfeng.

Geng Sheng looked Qing Feng up and down and saw that she had eyes like autumn waves, a graceful figure, and an elegant demeanor. He couldn't help but feel admiration for her.

The uncle coughed heavily and introduced, "This is my wife and my niece Qingfeng. Qingfeng is well-read, intelligent, and has a good memory, so we invited her to listen as well."

Geng Sheng snapped out of his daze, cleared his throat, and told some more historical stories. After he finished, he picked up his wine glass but stared blankly at Qing Feng.

Seeing that Geng Sheng was staring intently at her with a wine cup in his hand, Qingfeng fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, and a blush crept onto her face.

Geng Sheng, slightly drunk, exclaimed loudly, "If I could have such a beauty as my wife, I wouldn't even want to be emperor!"

Seeing that he was already drunk, his aunt quickly pulled Qingfeng up and led her into the house.

Wine doesn't intoxicate, people intoxicate themselves. In the middle of the night, Geng Shengfang staggered and bid farewell to Xiao'er and his son.

The next day, after sobering up, he remembered the beautiful woman named Qingfeng from the previous night, so he got up and asked Old An, the gatekeeper, "Who lives in this backyard?"

Old An rubbed his sleepy eyes and said in surprise, "There's no one here, young master. Did you run into something unclean?"

"Haha, I want to see what kind of enchantress is so elegant and beautiful." Geng Qubing ignored Lao An's advice and strode to the backyard, heading straight for the embroidery room he had visited the night before. However, apart from the faint fragrance filling the room, it was quiet and empty.

Geng Sheng picked up a discarded book from the table, opened it, and saw that it was the widely circulated "Legend of the White Snake." Was it deliberately left behind by that woman?

In order to see Qingfeng again, Geng Sheng lived downstairs alone and studied.

On the first night, Geng Sheng encountered a black-faced evil spirit. Geng Sheng was not afraid. He smeared ink all over his face and held a candlestick in his hand. The ghost was scared away by him.

The next night, just as he was about to turn off the lights and go to sleep, he suddenly heard the sound of a door opening and closing behind him. Geng Sheng rushed over to check and found candlelight in the room. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that Qing Feng was inside.

When Qingfeng saw Geng Sheng, she was so frightened that she quickly closed the door.

Geng Sheng knelt outside the door and said, "I am not afraid of danger, but I want to see you again."

Qingfeng slowly opened the door and sighed softly, "My uncle was afraid you would be too wild, so he turned into a ghost last night to scare you, but you weren't afraid at all. Therefore, they have already found a new place to live and are moving their things, leaving me alone to guard it. They will leave tomorrow. Although I am destined to meet you, after tonight, I'm afraid my longing will be useless."

Geng Sheng couldn't help but step forward and grab Qingfeng's hand. Suddenly, his uncle pushed the door open and entered, pointing at Qingfeng and shouting, "You slut! He's a human, and you're a fox! Yet you're here having an affair with him, ruining my reputation! Get out of here!"

Qingfeng lowered her head in shame, covered her face, and wept as she left.

Hearing his uncle's repeated insults towards Qingfeng, Geng Sheng felt very sad. He straightened his back, stepped forward, and said loudly, "The fault lies with me, not Qingfeng! Punish me if you must!"

But there was no response to him for a long time.

From then on, no more strange things happened in the building. Uncle Geng Sheng was puzzled when he heard about it, so he sold the house to Geng Sheng for a very low price.

On Qingming Festival that year, Geng Sheng finished sweeping the tombs and was about to go home when two foxes suddenly darted out from the distant wasteland. A hunting dog chased after them closely. Just as they were about to catch up, one fox suddenly ran into the woods, while the other ran towards Geng Sheng.

Just as Geng Sheng was about to dodge, he saw tears welling up in the fox's eyes as it whimpered and begged for help. Geng Sheng couldn't help but bend down and hug it, gently stroking its dust-covered fur and saying softly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Back home, Geng Sheng held the fox on his lap and carefully bandaged its wounds. Looking into its bright black eyes, he couldn't help but murmur, "Sigh, if only you were Qingfeng, even if you were a fox, I would still love you the same."

"I am Qingfeng," the fox blinked and suddenly spoke.

Geng Sheng was surprised, and his hand loosened, causing the fox to fall to the ground.

"Ouch!" Qingfeng cried out in pain and slowly sat up from the ground.

"Heavens! You really are Qingfeng?!" Geng Sheng rushed over, hurriedly carried her to the bed, and gently blew on her sore spots with his mouth, his eyes filled with tears of heartache.

Love is such a strange thing. It can be separated by mountains and rivers, but suddenly it comes knocking on your door one day. What else can you do but feel excited?

Qingfeng looked at Geng Sheng with teary eyes and wiped away his tears with her finger. "You don't mind that I'm a fox."

With tears in his eyes, Geng Sheng smiled and shook his head, then took out the "Legend of the White Snake" from his pocket and handed it to Qing Feng, saying, "I am not Xu Xian."

"But, but, can you grant me a request?" Qingfeng asked cautiously.

Geng Sheng lovingly placed her hand on his face. "A thousand, ten thousand, I'll agree, as long as I can do it."

"You can do it, please save my uncle." As he spoke, he suddenly knelt on the bed, ignoring the bleeding wound, and bowed to Geng Sheng.

Geng Sheng hurriedly hugged her, "What are you doing? Your uncle is my uncle, how can I stand idly by?"

"Do you know Mo Sanlang?"

"Who? Mo Sanlang? That's my sworn brother. He invited me to go hunting with him a few days ago, but I didn't go because I had to wait for you here."

"He hunted my uncle, please save him."

The next day, Mo Sanlang indeed arrived and excitedly pointed out the prey to Geng Qubing. Among the bloodstained prey was indeed a black fox.

Geng Sheng asked Qingfeng to come out and meet him, but Qingfeng kept her distance from Mo Sanlang and covered her face with her sleeve.

"I have a rough appearance, so don't scare your sister-in-law." Mo Sanlang laughed and pointed to the black fox. "This fox can be given to your sister-in-law as a vest, as a greeting gift."

Qingfeng hurriedly bowed in thanks, picked up the black fox, and carried it to the backyard.

"Is it Uncle?" Geng Sheng rushed over to see after seeing Mo Sanlang off.

Qingfeng's uncle was seen leaning against the couch, his face flushed with embarrassment, his arms wrapped in bandages.