Volume 4 Chapter 4 The Old Friend Arrives (Part 1)

  In early November, the weather gradually turned cold, and there was often thick fog in the mountains. It was mostly cloudy and rainy, with little sunshine. The low houses were damp and chilly, making people feel like a dark green moss growing in a shaded corner, dripping with water. Charcoal was naturally available, but what we got was of very poor quality - black charcoal that smoked and flared when burned, making it impossible for people to stay inside, irritating the eyes so much they couldn't be opened.

  Qingbai smiled and dismissed him with a sentence, "May I ask, is Mo Xiu here to cultivate under imperial edict or to enjoy herself?" This one sentence shut up Cui Tao.

  Moreover, a little nun beside her smiled and said: "We can't tell whether black charcoal or silver charcoal is good charcoal. Your family's daughter has seen more of the world, it's better to do it yourself, it's better than asking for it from elsewhere."

  Although she tried her best to be patient and tolerant, she couldn't help but speak up, her face flushing with anger: "But that black coal is truly unusable. The young mistress has just given birth, I don't know if Master Qingbai can take extra care of her. After all, the young mistress is also cultivating under imperial decree."

  Jingbai's voice was sharp and didn't match her stature, saying: "Imperial order to cultivate? That's just something to make outsiders feel good. We people in the temple don't need to say such things, do we, Auntie? As the saying goes, 'don't deceive those above, but don't deceive those below either.' Do they really think we're all fools? Who doesn't know that Mo Chou was kicked out of the palace?" After she finished speaking, a group of people burst into laughter.

  Jingbai's voice was originally loud, and when she spoke up, it was like a drumbeat. Qianyue endured and endured, knowing that they couldn't communicate with them. Just as she was about to leave, a little girl grabbed her and said with a smile: "I have another good idea to tell you, there are many trees on the back mountain, you can go cut some to burn firewood, it's the same." As she spoke, she covered her mouth and giggled.

  In such weather, with steep mountain roads, how can you still go chop firewood? This is clearly a sarcastic remark.

  He didn't want to talk to them anymore and turned around to leave.

  However, Jingbai's words were even more piercing and still entered her ears, "Please forgive me for speaking one more sentence, this is not the palace where you can take what you want, and you are no longer the princess of the past. You should know your own identity."

  These words were extremely severe, and Yu Tong's face changed slightly as he walked back straight away.

  She came back when I was lying in bed, half asleep and only lazily getting up. Huai Bi was washing clothes alone in the courtyard outside the door, saw Xun Yu coming back with empty hands, and couldn't help but ask: "Have you been bullied by them again?"

  Yan didn't speak either, just sat beside her washing clothes together. After a moment, she leaned in and asked, "Where's the mistress?"

  "Miss is still asleep and hasn't woken up yet."

  Xiao Wei let out a soft sigh and said, "If it's just teasing, then that's fine. You don't know how hard it is to listen to those people talk."

  The blue-green sleeves were about to fall, and she shook her head: "It's even harder to hear that in the past when Miss was not favored after entering the palace, Huang Guiquan and others said so many unpleasant words in the inner government office, didn't we bear it?"

  "That's nothing, after all it's the palace, flattering and fawning on those in power is a common occurrence. But this is a Buddhist temple, a place of quiet contemplation and spiritual practice, you don't know how many hurtful and unpleasant words those nuns have spoken." They thought I was asleep, so Qianyu told everything that had happened to Huanbi.

  Bing'er listened and couldn't help but be shocked and angry, saying: "Is this something that even nuns would say? It's not even as good as what a woman from the streets would say. The young lady has already fallen to such a state, why must you still want to add insult to injury? What benefit do you get from kicking someone when they're down?"

  She let out a sigh and said sorrowfully: "It's already like this just after arriving, how are we going to get through the days ahead?"

  I quietly listened, inch by inch shrinking into the quilt, wrapping myself up bit by bit. The November weather had already entered winter. As soon as I spoke, a thin white mist overflowed from my mouth. But no matter how cold the weather was, it couldn't compare to the complexity and chill of human hearts.

  Wherever you go, can't escape right and wrong and entanglements?

  Ganlu Temple is already the last resort, where can I escape to? Not even a place to settle down and survive.

  I bit the quilt tightly. The quilt in the temple, of course, can't be compared with the soft cloud silk quilt in the palace, it's hard and heavy on my body, not warm at all. My teeth ached from biting, and tears still fell down uncontrollably.

  Only one drop fell, but I no longer want to shed tears for this. I knew long ago that even if I came to the Temple of Ganlu, it wasn't to enjoy good fortune. Since I already know I have to suffer, why bother being sad and suffering more?

  I wiped away my tears and quietly got up to walk outside. Fen Bi and Xi Zhen heard the footsteps, both of whom were startled, and hurriedly used a smile to cover up the worried look on their faces from just now, saying: "Young Mistress has woken up, why didn't you sleep for a while longer before getting up?"

  I smiled and pulled their hands, saying: "Don't worry, I've slept enough to wake up." The weather outside was colder than inside, and my clothes were a bit thin. I said slowly: "It's better to rely on oneself than others. It's just some charcoal, it can't be used, we'll go up the mountain ourselves tomorrow to cut some. We have hands and feet, we won't starve or freeze to death."

  Xiao knew that I had heard him and smiled, saying: "With these words from the mother, what are we afraid of? It's precisely this, asking others is not as good as asking oneself."

  "Miss hasn't even finished her month of confinement, how can she exert herself like this? Besides, Miss has always been used to a life of luxury and pampering."

  I smiled and said, "Living a life of luxury is also a thing of the past. What's the difference between us now?"

  Miss, when you say such things, it really hurts people's feelings.

  I pulled them down to sit, rolled up my sleeves and said: "Although I am in confinement and cannot touch water, it is harmless for me to starch clothes. Can't always see you working hard and enjoy the fruits of others' labor."

  Yulan smiled and said, "Since the mistress has spoken, we can't say anything. Just one thing, the mistress is still not fully recovered from childbirth, if she gets sick again it won't be good. So if the mistress can move around, go pick some firewood, leave the heavy work of chopping wood to me and Huibi."

  I know that Xiang Liu and Huan Bi are of one heart and mind in their efforts to protect me, and I am even more grateful in my heart.

  The next day, I got up early and went to the mountain to collect firewood. I happened to meet Jingbai bringing two girls out, seeing me going to collect firewood, she loudly said: "Help me cut a basketful from our temple too."

  She was right, and I didn't want to conflict with her either, so I just nodded in agreement.

  I went for the first time, I went early, and there was no one on the mountain yet. I was excited to cut a big bunch of firewood and took it back, first sending it to Jingbai's residence. She only looked at it twice, suddenly stretched out her hand and pinched my arm, laughing: "I think you're lazy, cutting these to make up for your incompetence? Look at this grass, where can it be used?" She pointed to the stem of the grass with a pinch, and the green juice immediately flowed out. She slanted her eyes and sneered: "Look at your silly appearance, the firewood you picked must be from the back slope, only looking tall, but with high water content, not good for burning. I thought you had an intelligent face, but you're actually a fool, can't even pick firewood. After all, it's the princess who came out of the palace, doesn't know the difference between grains and isn't diligent in her work, has a life of luxury."

  She spoke sharply, I felt a stinging pain on my arm, didn't dare to dodge or retort, could only grit my teeth and endure it silently.

  Next to a nun named Mo Jue, who was actually Jingbai's apprentice, hastily set up the bridge and flattered: "Master said it. Look at her fox-like appearance, where can she pick firewood? She only knows how to pretend to be pitiful, deceiving people. She thinks she is still in the palace, I suppose she was also a fox-like saint in the palace."

  I just silently listened, a sour feeling rose to my throat. Silently thinking, aren't monks supposed to be compassionate? Why do they also go and poke at people's wounds without mercy? What did I do to offend them?

  It's just human nature being cold and I've seen it too many times, so I'm too lazy to argue about anything.

  Jingbai saw me staring blankly, didn't argue back, and felt even more disgusted. "Get out! Just looking at you makes my heart troubled! Go pick two more bundles of firewood, or else you're not allowed to eat dinner."

  I mechanically went up the mountain, this time remembering the lesson and only picking towards the front slope. Just cut twice, but saw Mo Yan walking up with his head down.

  She looked me up and down, her eyes settling on the hay, and asked: "Is this the firewood you picked?"

  I couldn't see anything wrong with it and had no choice but to reply: "Yes."

  She didn't say another word, turned the entire basket over, and poured all the firewood I had just picked up onto the ground. She glared at me and said, "Don't be surprised! The ones you picked will have to go back and suffer Jingbai's scolding again."

  I looked down in slight embarrassment and said: "I didn't know what to pick. No one told me."

  Mo Yan didn't even lift his head and said, "The people at Ganlu Temple deliberately want to make a fool of you, how would they tell you which ones to pick?" She just kept her head down, walking up the path, stopping from time to time, picking and saying, "Picking firewood sounds like an easy job, but it's not that simple." She broke off a few branches of grass and showed them to me, "This kind of wild rice is the best, straight and durable. Then there's white cotton wool. And another one called 'turtle egg' looks like small bamboo shoots, crackling when burned."

  She said many things that I had never seen before, and could only silently remember them in my heart, so that I could distinguish them for myself in the future.

  Mo Yan continued, "Just now Jingbai said something that wasn't wrong. When cutting grass, you have to look at the location. Grass is divided into front and back slopes. The back slope is humid, the grass grows tall and thick, but it has too much moisture and isn't good for burning. Cutting the grass on the front slope is because the front slope gets sunlight and is dry, the wild grass grows short and sturdy, the quantity is also light, and it's durable when burned."

  She was quick with her hands and feet, and before long she had cut a large bunch of grasses, all of which were put into my basket. I followed behind her, busy and flustered, trying to learn from her, but I only managed to cut less than a handful, and couldn't help but smile wryly: "I really am useless, even with you teaching me how to cut the grass, I'm still so clumsy."

  She gave me a glance, her face cold and said: "You've never done such hard work before, learn it slowly. I think your embroidery skills are difficult to learn, if you hand it over to me, at most I can embroider an egg for her."

  Although she appears cold and unsociable, she is actually a kind-hearted person who is willing to lend a helping hand. I am truly grateful for her assistance.

  As the sun gradually turned towards noon, I had been busy for a whole morning, and two bundles of firewood were piled up high. Although it was winter, I had also broken out in a sweat. Mo Yan helped me trample them down, saying: "These will be enough for you to burn for two days, and it's also good that you can go and report back to Jing Bai."

  I wiped the sweat from my forehead, looked around and saw that the yellow grass was withered, so I smiled and said: "Why don't you go back first, I'll pick some more."

  Jingbai's face turned pale with anger, her eyebrows furrowed as she said: "You've just recovered from your illness and you're already putting on a show for who knows who. You haven't even finished your confinement period yet, be careful not to catch some kind of disease, or you'll have a lifetime of troubles ahead of you." Her originally delicate eyebrows were now scrunched up in anger, making her look even more intimidating.

  I smiled and said, "Alright, I'll listen." I was grateful and said, "When I first arrived, I was ill, thank you for bringing me brown sugar to help me recover. Now I must thank you again."

  She patted my arm and burst out laughing, saying: "What are you talking about, being so polite?" Mo Yan's strength was great, and this slap landed on the same spot where Jing Bai had pinched me earlier. I couldn't help but let out a cry of "Ah!" Mo Yan heard something was wrong, and quickly rolled up my sleeve to reveal a dark bruise left by Jing Bai's pinch.

  Mo Yan was furious and slapped his thigh heavily, saying: "I'll go tell the abbot."

  I hastily grabbed her, "Don't worry, just go back and apply some medicinal wine."

  Mo Yan said: "It's just a mistake in picking up firewood, what's the big deal? You're pinching me like this?" She glared at me, "Are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid? She humiliates you like this and you don't even know how to fight back? Don't you know to tell the abbot?"

  I looked at her and said, "Then what if I still have a hand or tell the abbot?"

  She blurted out, "The abbot will naturally take good care of her!"

  I bowed my head and walked a few steps in silence, saying: "Yes. If I tell the abbot, the abbot will naturally handle it impartially. However, this way, I would offend them even more deeply. The abbot is just one person, he can protect me for a while but not forever. If they harbor resentment and secretly do something to harm me, I really won't be able to guard against it. So I can only endure this for the time being, hoping that things will get better in the future."

  Mo Yan indignantly said: "You really are too good-tempered, if it were me, I would definitely immediately give them two big ear slaps, let them know the severity of being a lady."

  She spoke straightforwardly and vigorously, really not like a nun at all. I just smiled: "Yes, if I had your great strength, I wouldn't have to compromise either."

  She smiled proudly, "This is natural. Look at Ganlu Temple, who dares to bully Mo Yan?"

  I smiled and nodded, "Of course no one dares to, unless she has eaten bear heart and leopard gall." I thought for a moment with some melancholy, "Just don't know where I offended them, always so picky about me."

  Mo Yan curled her lip in disdain and said, "What else? You're just young and beautiful, and you came from the palace. You were once favored by the emperor. They naturally wouldn't be pleased." She let out a low snort of laughter and said, "How many of them are old maids who have never even seen a man properly in their lives?"

  Her words were straightforward, and my face turned red. I pretended not to hear and followed her. However, she had a lot of energy, carrying two baskets of firewood, still walking briskly. If it weren't for considering my weak body and slowing down my pace, we would have arrived at Ganlu Temple long ago.

  As expected, Jingbai saw the firewood I brought back and didn't say a word of criticism, only furrowing her brow and saying, "From now on, bring two loads of firewood every day." Seeing me turn to leave silently, she said in a loud voice, "Go wash up properly, someone from the palace is coming to see you, don't look like we've wronged you or anything."

  My heart skipped a beat, who in the palace would come to see me? I am an unlucky person who was expelled from the palace! My heart suddenly warmed up, could it be Mei Zhuang? Ah, only Mei Zhuang would think of me like this.

  Nor did I know how she had been doing for these dozens of days, whether her complexion had become even more sallow.

  But imperial consorts are not allowed to leave the palace easily, so how can Mei Zhuang come out to see me?

  Thinking so, his footsteps quickened a lot, and his heart thumped as he rushed straight to his residence.

  The wooden door opened at the touch of his hand, and he saw the abbot accompanied by a woman in her forties dressed in palace attire. On her head was a plain white silver hairpin, with a dark red velvet flower tucked to one side. She wore a dress of light green silk with golden embroidery, over which she had put on a stone-blue satin jacket with a high collar and double buttons down the front. Her eyebrows and eyes were so familiar - could it be anyone but Fragrance?

  My foot hesitated for a moment, but I didn't expect it was her. Before I knew it, I blurted out: "Aunt Fangruo!"

  She nodded twice, saying "good good", and grabbed my hand, her voice already choked with emotion. "You've lost a lot of weight." She touched my wrist bone, regretfully saying: "How did you become so thin?" Before she could finish speaking, she looked at the abbot with discontent in the corner of her eye.

  I knew that she was innocent and had devoted her heart to Buddhism, rarely dealing with other matters. So I said: "It's my own body that's not good, the monks and nuns at Ganlu Temple have been exceptionally kind to me."

  Fang Ruo didn't stop there, she invited the abbot to leave and then turned around with a smile, pulling me down to sit, saying warmly: "There are many things that need your approval, wife."

  I was slightly puzzled, but she opened her package and took out one thing after another, saying: "These food and medicine were given by the Empress Dowager, specifically for you to nourish your body. As a new mother, you should eat some nourishing foods like black chicken and bird's nest, but this is a Buddhist temple after all, so we can't have meat dishes, and it's not convenient to send in expensive things." She laid out each item one by one: "This is the prescription for postpartum recovery written by the imperial physician, which was specially requested by Concubine Shen from Mr. Wen. Mr. Wen has always been your doctor, so this prescription is tailored to your physical condition. The medicine is already prepared, and you just need to take it according to the instructions. There are also some beneficial herbs like motherwort, Chinese yam, longan, and lychee, all given by the Empress Dowager. And there are a few silk padded jackets and cotton-padded clothes for you to keep warm in winter, as well as some charcoal fire, which is not as good as those in the palace but still usable." Fangruo looked around the room, "Your place is quite simple, and the bedding isn't warm enough. I'm afraid it won't be enough to get through the winter, especially in this mountainous area. I'll send some more things over later."

  I bowed and said: "I am a guilty person, but Your Majesty is still so kind to me, I really don't dare to accept it."

  "Fang Ruo sighed and said, 'The empress's grievances, how could the empress dowager not know? The empress dowager has a hundred tender spots for the empress in her heart, but it's just hard to say it out loud. After all, the emperor is the empress dowager's own son, and the empress is the empress dowager's niece. If there's any fault, the empress dowager can't not protect them.' Fang Ruo glanced at me and whispered, 'Although the palm of one's hand is flesh and the back of one's hand is also flesh, you are a clever person with seven apertures, naturally knowing that the palm and back of one's hand have different thicknesses. Don't blame the empress dowager!' She pressed my hand firmly, using some force, seemingly to comfort me, but also to remind me."

  It was as if a cold wind had brushed against the corner of my eyes, and I felt a stinging sensation. I gritted my teeth to hold back tears and said, "I don't dare blame the Empress Dowager."