Chapter Two: Painting the Wall

  "Dong, dong, dong" the evening bell of Jingci Temple echoed, the sunset shone on the small beasts at the eaves, and the clear wind chime also started to ring with a sense of melancholy.

  The price of Qing Shi Tai rose, the shadows of the two merged, Pan Yu was covered in dust beside him, and the golden red sunset outlined her facial features, which could be painted.

  "A Chinese character." A soft cry pierced the silence at this moment.

  "Huh?" Xuan turned his head around.

  "I should go." Pan Yu's eyes wandered aimlessly, avoiding Xu Xian.

  Xu Xian's face showed some confusion "Leave? Isn't tonight supposed to be spent here? You gave so much incense money, the abbot almost knelt down for you.

  Pan Yu turned her head, casually pulled out the hairpin on her head, and let her black hair flow down like a waterfall, fluttering in the evening wind, covering her cheeks. "I'll be leaving for Beijing soon." Her voice was as fleeting as her long hair in the wind.

  Xu Xian exclaimed in surprise: "So urgent? Isn't it supposed to wait for the autumnal equinox?"

  Pan Yuyao shook her head, her long hair dancing with the motion "The capital exams are no different."

  "Alas, must we part again so soon after meeting?"

  "Are you sad?"

  "Of course, we are friends!" Xuxian said with a matter-of-fact expression. "But there's no need to be too sad, after all, there will still be a time for us to meet again, and who knows how happy that will be."

  Pan Yu smiled lightly, but the smile was tinged with a hint of bitterness. She murmured, "Friend... That's all we can be from now on."

  Vaguely recalling the scene of returning home, her father's extreme joy, she was no longer in those days, and the old nun from her childhood came again, leaving behind a bottle of water, saying that as long as she drank it on her 18th birthday, her wish would come true.

  Before long, she will be eighteen years old. Her family didn't want her to come to Hangzhou again, fearing that it would delay her. But she still insisted on coming back, and what she got was just this one sentence from a friend. What else could she ask for? Even she herself is in doubt.

  The heart's worries will soon be buried, and he beside me still knows nothing.

  He turned around and said: "Stay with me for a while!"

  She was taken aback, had she realized something? Or was she just comforting herself with an illusion. She simply turned back and responded with a "Hm!"

  He also learned from her to let his hair down and flow freely

  At this time, the sunset lost its last bit of golden yellow. Their hair was tangled and scattered in the evening wind.

  He turned around, as if he saw another face through hers, seemingly similar yet more beautiful and gentle. But he quickly shook his head, sighing in his heart: It's good to be apart for a while, otherwise I'd really become glassy, starting to have hallucinations already.

  In the following days, the two of them traveled all over Hangzhou, visiting famous scenic spots such as Xixi National Wetland Park and Lingyin Temple. They enjoyed the best food and accommodations, with Pan Yuzhen taking care of everything. She would explain the history and stories behind each attraction, sharing countless anecdotes that left Xu Xian, a local, amazed and speechless, making her a better tour guide than any professional.

  It cost a lot, and Xu Xian was embarrassed at times. Pan Yu would just say "Aren't we friends?" to shut him up. Xu Xian muttered: Friends are just friends, where did this big grievance come from?

  That day, having just come down from Longjing Mountain, Pan Yu proposed: "Han Wen, let's go to Fei Lai Peak and stay at Lingyin Temple for two more days!"

  Xu Xian had a faint feeling that something was off, as if going there would lead to unpleasant things happening. But he couldn't find any reason to object, so he could only agree. When his yang spirit escaped, he had heard Fahai say that Xu Xian's body was currently hanging in Lingyin Temple.

  A stone-paved mountain path, two people picked their way up, the woods were dense and dark, a black bird sang.

  In such a quiet scene, Xu Xian always felt a little uneasy. Finally, the mountain road came to an end, and Lingyin Temple was in front of him. In the Zen room, two old monks sat opposite each other. One had white eyebrows and temples with snow, with kindness and majesty intertwined.

  Another has a withered complexion, like dead wood; even if he clearly knows that the person in front of him is a powerful Buddhist master, he sits calmly and unmovingly.

  Even with Fahai's cultivation, he couldn't help but feel a little admiration for him. This kind of temperament is not something that ordinary monks can compare to, no wonder he can be the abbot of Lingyin Temple.

  Suddenly a hurried footsteps came from the corridor outside, a little monk directly pushed the door in, panting and unable to speak for a moment.

  Lao Fangzhang said slowly: "Guang Liang, where did your usual cultivation go?"

  The little monk Guang Liang finally came back to his senses and said: "Master, two incense guests have arrived."

  The old abbot said calmly: "Which day doesn't Lingyin Temple have incense guests?"

  Guang Liang raised one hand and said: "Five, five hundred taels, that fragrant guest gave five hundred taels of fragrant money."

  The old man's half-open and half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, and he straightened up and said, "Really?" Then he sat back down. "Please ask them to wait for a moment, I'll go over after discussing the law with Master Fahai. Ah, who is it?" Upon hearing this news, his old face, which had been as dry as a withered lotus leaf, suddenly looked much more lively.

  Guang Liang said: "One with the surname Xu and one with the surname Pan, both dressed as scholars."

  The old man hesitated for a moment, just about to turn his head and continue discussing the scriptures with Fahai, when suddenly he jumped down from the eastern couch, grabbed Guangliang and asked urgently: "One surnamed Pan, one surnamed Xu?"

  The broad shoulders were caught in a painful grip, secretly admiring the strong and vigorous Master Fang. He tried hard to recall, "Yes, one was extremely handsome, one was somewhat ordinary, but very easy-going."

  The old monk clapped his hands and laughed, saying: "Wonderful! Wonderful! You can be considered a member of our monk group!" He then turned to Guang Liang and said, "What are you still dazed about? Hurry up and help me put on my clothes!" As he spoke, he opened the trunk and took out his yellow and red embroidered monk's robe. The old monk's withered face was now radiant like a withered tree in spring.

  Fa Hai was stunned by the thousand-year-old cultivation, and he hastily blocked the way to ask: "Master, why is this so?"

  The old man, amidst his busy schedule, took a moment to explain: "The Zen master is unaware that these two individuals are quite remarkable. One of them is the number one scholar from Jiangnan and also the nephew of the governor-general. The other is extremely skilled at composing poetry and has recently written several famous pieces that have been widely circulated throughout the land. If we can persuade him to leave behind a few masterpieces, it will undoubtedly attract many more pilgrims this year."

  "What's the point of saying it?" Fahai's face was unsympathetic, with a tone of reprimand.

  The old monk laughed and said, "Buddhist teachings are to be discussed, but food is also to be eaten. One can only discuss well after eating one's fill. Even if you and I don't eat, the nearly hundred monks in this temple still need to eat. These Buddha statues and murals, which year doesn't require maintenance? Ah, you're a person who eats your fill, but doesn't know the hardships of the whole family not going hungry. Not being the head of the household, one doesn't know the difficulties of firewood, rice, oil, and salt."

  The old man spoke fluently, with one colloquialism following another. He was completely unlike his slow and deliberate manner of a moment before. As soon as he finished speaking, he hastily rushed out.

  In the quiet room, Fahai sighed softly, Ah, how desolate! If even those in the Buddhist community are like this, when will all living beings be able to cross over?

  The master stood at the gate of the hall, calmed down and adjusted his Buddhist robe. Then he walked in slowly and said: "Two donors are kind, poor monks have passed by here."

  Xu Xian couldn't help but admire the grand monk's calm demeanor, thinking to himself that this was a truly enlightened monk. Unlike the small temple he visited the other day, where the abbot was also quite old. In front of them, he still called himself "young monk, young monk".

  After exchanging a few words, the abbot personally acted as their guide and led them to take a stroll around the temple. However, Pan Yuyuan declined, saying she didn't dare trouble him, and they just walked casually. As they passed by the corridor, Xu Xian saw a monk staring at her from afar, feeling somewhat familiar, yet couldn't recall where she had seen him before.

  Fa Hai saw that Xu Xian was not moved by his words, and looking at Pan Yu beside him, he frowned and said: "You are obstinately ignorant, let me help you cross over." If it were an ordinary person, it would not be worth his effort to say anything more. But that night, seeing the golden light on Xu Xian's body, it was clear that he had a great foundation, and his heart was full of compassion and kindness, with a connection to Buddhism, truly a good candidate for becoming a monk.

  Xu Xian would have immediately escaped if he knew that someone here had already recognized him as a genius at being a monk. But now he just felt a little puzzled and turned to chat with Pan Yu.

  Tianwang Temple. Yaoshi Temple, Daxiong Treasure Hall. One by one, although they are old and fragrant, there is nothing special about them. Xu Xian has seen many ancient temples in recent days, but he didn't feel any surprise or excitement.

  Until they moved to the back room, there was a mural on one side that attracted both of them to take a closer look. What was painted on it wasn't some ordinary heavenly maiden scattering flowers or a Buddhist deity. Instead, it depicted scenes from everyday life, seemingly in this ancient city of Hangzhou itself. The walls and houses were rendered in exquisite detail, with small bridges, willows, and bustling streets filled with people - nothing was left out.

  This painting seems to have a magical charm, Xu Xian looked carefully at one corner of the painting, that corner was extremely lively, as if it were a wedding procession. The sound of blowing trumpets and cracking whips seemed to be in his ears, the groom officer rode a tall horse in front, although his face was blurry, but there was a kind of majestic and powerful aura.

  Xu Xian smiled and said to Pan Yu: "Mingyu, don't you think that new official looks like me?"

  Pan Yubai gave him a glance: "Want to marry a daughter-in-law and go crazy?" As he said, he also looked at that corner. The painting was extremely exquisite. After carefully scanning the back of the painting, the flower bridge, the bride was secretly lifting the curtain to peek outside. Although only a little face was exposed, it felt just like herself.

  Two people each looked at themselves in the painting, their spirits shaken and stolen, dazed and lost in thought, their bodies suddenly floating, like misty clouds, already on the wall.

  Xu Xian looked around, the sound of people's voices was deafening, and the trumpets were blowing non-stop. In his heart, a joyful feeling also emerged, and he couldn't help but want to dance with joy. For a moment, everything about past lives and present lives was completely forgotten.

  In a moment of introspection, I realize that today is my own wedding day, and what I desire is a lovely wife and beautiful children. There's no greater joy in life than this moment.

  Pan Yu secretly lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and looked out, only to see Xu Xian sitting high on his horse, her heart full of joy, this was indeed a good man who could be entrusted with her life!

  In the entrance hall, three knocks and three bows, from then on they became husband and wife.

  The candlelight shines brightly, a glance from the beautiful woman, and a blush rises to her cheeks.

  Waiting for daylight, sitting in front of the red sandalwood dressing table, facing the same mirror to dress up, smiling at each other in the mirror, from then on, they fell deeply in love and never parted.

  The poem reads by night with red sleeves adding fragrance, next year Xu Xian's golden list is named, and the imperial scholar comes first.

  Again he was appointed as an official and achieved great success in his career. His family became wealthy and prosperous, a perfect harmony.

  But then youth is fleeting, and good times are short-lived. After several years of marriage, Pan Yu had no children, and praying to gods and Buddhas was also useless. The family relied entirely on Xu Xian's incense offerings, and the matter of taking a concubine often entered his ears.

  At this time, in front of the painting wall, two people stood still. A gust of wind blew through the house, and a woman appeared in front of the painting, furrowed her brow, covered her mouth with a smile, and threw herself into the painting.