Chapter 29: Visiting Hanshan Temple and Maple Bridge to Appreciate Spring (Part 1)

  The next morning, after breakfast, Zhiyuan sent off Hanying to prepare the carriage and horses. He left Yan Rong and Chun Xian to take care of Xue Qi and his siblings at home, and also invited Bai Niang and Qian Niang, two elderly ladies, to visit Meigui Ge more often to keep them company, before Daiyu felt at ease to set off.

  Daiyu and Madame Wang, accompanied by Xiangyun, rode in a luxurious carriage with a jade-green canopy and pearl tassels. Bihua, Xueyan, and Chunlai sat in the rear carriage with a bamboo curtain. Behind them were over a dozen servants on horseback guarding the procession, while Zhiyuan and the young attendants rode ahead. As they passed through the crowded streets, people couldn't help but gaze at them, and someone whispered that it was the Lin family's young master and his sister going to Hanshan Temple to offer incense for their father. The crowd praised the siblings' filial piety. However, among the onlookers was a young man named Wei Huan, who happened to be Zhiyuan's junior fellow apprentice. Having heard that many of this year's examination candidates from the academy had gone to the Lin family mansion to seek advice from Jianyu, he couldn't help but feel envious. Taking advantage of his free time, he asked for leave from the academy and rushed into the city, only to find out that the Lin family was heading to Hanshan Temple. Wei Huan wanted to approach them and greet Zhiyuan, but seeing that there were women present, he could only stand aside and wait for another opportunity to meet with his fellow apprentice the next day.

  Hanshan Temple is located in Fengqiao Town, five kilometers west of Xuanmen Gate in Suzhou City, and is one of the top ten famous temples along with Baima Temple, Shaolin Temple, Lingyin Temple, and Qixia Temple. From Lin's mansion to Hanshan Temple was less than an hour away, so Zhiyuan and Shen Xiu suggested that everyone meet at the bell tower of Hanshan Temple instead.

  Daiyu and others arrived at noon, when the Hanshan Temple was crowded with incense guests, people coming and going, and good men and believing women were everywhere.

  Zhiyuan accompanied Daiyu and others into the main hall, where they added oil to the longevity lamp for the late Lin family elders, donated incense money, placed several dishes of food on the offering table, and sincerely bowed to the Buddha several times.

  Today is the fifteenth, and there are not a few people worshiping in the temple. Although it's not crowded, Lin Daiyu can't stand it, so Zhen Shiyin sees this and hastily leads everyone to move back.

  Zhiyuan said: "Let's go to the clock tower in the back, there are many people on the main hall, I'm afraid it's the few young ladies of the Rui family waiting for you."

  Daiyu hastily asked: "Brother, is it the bell tower of 'the midnight bell rings on a guest ship'?"

  "It's a pity if you don't go to the Bell Tower when you arrive at Hanshan Temple."

  Before long, Daiyu saw a six-sided pavilion with double eaves in front of her. The ancient camphor trees on both sides were already half-exposing their green buds. On the left and right sides of the main gate was a couplet that read:

  The bell declares wisdom and insight.

  The moonlight shines on the Zen mind.

  Daiyu silently recited the couplet twice in her mind, and felt more and more that it was delicious. She couldn't help but smile at Zhiyuan and say: "Brother always says that this place is good at home, and sister thinks about what kind of thing it is? Today, I really saw it, and the scenery is secondary. I'm afraid the inner charm of the thousand-year-old ancient temple is the most important."

  "Spoken so well!" A burst of laughter came from behind Daiyu and the others, it was none other than her brother's close friend, Shen Xiu Jie, the son of Duke Dongping.

  "Didn't you say you'd be waiting in the bell tower? Why did you run all the way back here to us?"

  Shen Xiujie smiled helplessly: "It's not my sisters, seeing Lin girl is still far away, anxious to death, urging me to come and welcome you, didn't expect we still took a detour, if it wasn't for just meeting Wu Hong, I'm afraid I'd still be searching hard in the Great Hero Treasure Hall!"

  A few people chatted and laughed as they entered the bell tower.

  The Dongpinghou family's housekeeper had already asked the idle people in the clock tower to leave, and the three girls inside were all fourteen or fifteen years old, wearing a set of light yellow spring shirts with different patterns, which was quite interesting compared to Daiyu's bean green spring shirt today.

  In the Hou Mansion, the eldest daughter was named Shen Yanran, and the other two were called Su Jia and Bing Qi. They were all rare beauties, and Daiyu guessed that the Seventh Princess must also be a stunning beauty. She heard her brother say that the Duke of East Ping never took concubines, and his relationship with the princess was enviable.

  Yanran smiled the most, and when she saw Daiyu, she held her hand and said: "Today can be considered as seeing my sister," then turned her head and laughed at her two sisters: "Usually several aunts always praise you, now how about it? Have you seen someone more likable than you two?"

  Su Jia and Jing Qi, although young in age, were kind-hearted and smiled as they surrounded her: "Lin sister mustn't listen to my sister's nonsense. We're young and there are only a few sisters at home, so we always think about getting to know more famous ladies from Jiangnan. Now that we've met Lin sister, we realize that Jiangnan indeed produces talented women."

  Daiyu felt a bit embarrassed and kept glancing at her brother Zhiyuan.

  Everyone laughed and entered the bell tower. In fact, the bell tower of Hanshan Temple is not tall and magnificent, it's almost like a pavilion, two stories high, with yellow walls and green tiles, surrounded by misty fragrance, faintly revealing the Buddhist Zen atmosphere.

  Daiyu couldn't help but walk forward and carefully examine the famous large bell inside the clock tower, which was thick and heavy, made of bronze, with exquisite Buddhist patterns on top. Daiyu curiously asked Zhiyuan: "Zhang Ji said 'The midnight bell rings to the guest boat', could it be that the bell is only rung at midnight?"

  "Yes, the bell of Hanshan Temple can be heard by people in the surrounding villages when it is rung. Moreover, on New Year's Eve every year, the temple will ring the bell 108 times, first to recall the old year and welcome the new spring; second to commemorate the Buddhist elders; as for the third...". Zhiyuan turned his head and smiled at Shen Yanran: "As for the third one, please let Sister Shen say it!"

  Yanran and others were all familiar with Zhiyuan, and when they were young, they didn't hesitate to play pranks on him. Zhiyuan was close friends with his own brother, and when he had nothing better to do, he would take them to the garden to enjoy the spring scenery. The Marquis and Princess thought it was fine for the children to play together as long as they didn't lose their manners, so they didn't stop them either. The three sisters of the Dongping Marquis naturally treated Zhiyuan like a second older brother. Yanran smiled and said to Daiyu, "This is because Buddhist scriptures say that people have 108 kinds of troubles in a year. It's written in the sutras that 'when you hear the bell ringing, your troubles will be cleared, your wisdom will grow, and Bodhi will arise.' So if you ring the bell 108 times, you can eliminate all your troubles."

  Daiyu sighed and said: "Unfortunately, our house is far away, and we didn't hear a single sound."

  "No wonder sister didn't hear it. On New Year's Eve, every household sets off firecrackers, the outside noise is deafening, even we couldn't hear it!" Jie Qi was the youngest, but very lively, and when she saw Dai Yu, she treated her like a close relative.

  Yanran saw Daiyu's appearance and knew that this girl was meticulous, so she quickly led her out of the bell tower. "Sister, don't worry, although we can't hear the bell this time, we can still see the maple bridge. Brother has already booked a seat at Su Zhai Hall by the maple bridge. Let's not be as sentimental as Zhang Ji. Sister will take you to see the beautiful scenery of Suzhou."

  She then led the way with Daiyu, and soon there were guards in front to clear the path, lest the pilgrims who came to worship would collide with several delicate guests. Su Jia and Bing Qi closely followed behind, and it turned out that Shen Xiu Jie and Zhi Yuan were leisurely following at the end.

  Out of the mountain gate, after walking more than 100 steps, a single-arch stone bridge spanning the canal comes into view. The shape is simple and elegant. When everyone arrives on the bridge, the shadows of boats in the canal are bustling with activity.

  "Lin Daiyu had never seen such a scene before, and couldn't help but exclaim: 'Three hundred painted bridges reflect the river city, in poetry only Maple Bridge is famous', the ancients were indeed not deceiving me!"

  Yanran saw Daiyu liked it, so she said: "Isn't that right? This Maple Bridge Town is amazing! It's still okay now, but when the grain harvest comes, this Maple Bridge Town will be bustling. Our family has a little girl from here, and they have a saying called 'Listening to rice prices on Maple Bridge Pond', which refers to the prosperity of this place."

  Jingqi listened to her sister's words, pouted and turned back to look at her brother Shen Xiu Jie, saying unhappily: "Unfortunately, Brother always refuses to bring us here to experience it when collecting grain. Such a great view, we can't even see it once, what a pity."

  Shen Xiu Jie and Zhi Yuan couldn't help but smile wryly. Even if they were bold, they couldn't possibly bring out a few sisters at such a chaotic time, could they?

  Daiyu gazed out from the bridge, and the Temple of Cold Mountain was right before her eyes. With its lush green pines and cypresses, accompanied by a thriving incense smoke, it seemed like an otherworldly realm.

  Zhiyuan said to Shen Xiu, "I remember last time we came here, there was a painter with exceptional brushwork who painted a 'Sixth Month Snowy Mountain' for you. I'm going to have to muster up the courage to ask you for it as a gift for my sister!"

  "What's difficult about it? If I had known earlier that Lin Daiyu liked Zhang Ji's poem, I would have brought the painting today."

  In March, Suzhou's weather warmed up, and all things revived. However, every spring and autumn, Daiyu's body was still unwell. Although she had been recuperating for some time, she still didn't dare to overexert herself. It wasn't until noon that Zhiyuan and the others went downstairs and found a very famous vegetarian restaurant to rest in. The men and women occupied separate rooms on the second floor with windows overlooking the view. There were guards standing outside the door and maids serving inside. The scenery was beautiful, the room was warm, and the sunlight shining in made people feel comfortable and at ease.

  Yanran and others called the maid beside them to take out the prepared food box, and said to Daiyu: "This is a little snack made by us sisters at home, please try it, sister, it's also our intention."

  Before long, the maids had arranged everything. There were steamed buns, sponge cakes, honey cakes, fruit cakes, lard cakes, rice flour cakes, toasted cakes, three-layer jade belt cakes, wine-steeped cakes, snowflake cakes, thin mint cakes, and green bean cakes. The table was filled with all sorts of delicious pastries, a feast for the eyes as well as the nose.

  Daiyu then knew why Madame Wang had instructed her in this way. Indeed, the sisters of the Duke of East Ping were all extraordinary women. She hastily said: "Daiyu has also made some small pastries to ask sister and younger sisters to taste, but they are not well-made, please don't laugh."

  Zi Juan quickly took out the plum blossom cake from the food box, and the three daughters of the Shen family tasted it and praised it highly.

  Four people were chatting and laughing, when they heard a noisy sound coming from downstairs. Jingqi curiously looked out of the window, but was suddenly pulled back by Yanran, "Bad girl, how dare you stick your head out to take a peek? If someone sees you, just wait till mom gets home."

  Jing Qi ignored her sister's scolding and said loudly, "Sister, sister, I just saw what looked like Du sister's carriage? How did she get here?"

  As soon as she heard, it might be her good friend Du Wan, so she sent Ya Huan to take a look downstairs. Not long after, the little girl ran up and said, "Miss, it's Miss Du who came to Hanshan Temple to burn incense and have lunch at the vegetarian restaurant. However, there is no room in the elegant room, so I can only go find another one."

  "You silly girl, if that's the case, then you should invite Miss Du to come upstairs. Alright, go next door and ask Young Master to go welcome Miss Du." Yanran waited for the little maid to leave before saying to Daiyu: "Sister, don't be offended, this Miss Du from the Du family is a good friend of ours, and she's also very kind-hearted. Why not meet her? It would be lovely for everyone to chat together."

  Daiyu gladly agreed, and just then they heard footsteps outside, and the door was opened.

  The PK list is finally open, I hope everyone can vote for Jing He~~~~ O(∩_∩)O haha ~ waiting for the first person to send votes!!!! Benefactor ah ~~