After parting with the Tian siblings, Xie Yu and Ma Bing quickly put the minor incident behind them.
Neither of them took the unexpected romantic entanglement seriously.
When a person is exceptionally talented, it’s natural to attract admiration from others, regardless of gender.
Only those who lack confidence would become anxious and suspicious.
Yuanpei, however, felt somewhat disappointed.
He had originally thought there would be an interesting drama to watch!
Seeing their safe return, Madam Zhao finally felt at ease.
Hearing that it involved the Tian family’s female members, Madam Zhao remained silent for a while before finally saying, “It’s better to keep a distance from them.”
Ma Bing nodded in agreement.
Right now, she only wanted to secretly eliminate Tian Song. Apart from that, she had no desire to have anything to do with the Tian family.
Suddenly, several “gurgling” sounds echoed.
Everyone turned toward the source. Yuanpei scratched his head, laughing sheepishly, “I’m hungry.”
They had left early in the morning without having a proper breakfast.
Later came climbing mountains and carrying luggage—it was no wonder their stomachs were empty.
Looking at the time, Madam Zhao realized the sun had already passed its zenith and laughed, “We’ve indeed delayed the important matters.”
Eating was definitely important!
Fuyun Temple had limited monks, and recently many visitors had arrived, making it impossible for meals to be delivered to each guest. Visitors either ate in the kitchen themselves or had servants bring food back.
Madam Zhao had been sitting in a carriage for the entire journey and wanted to stretch her legs.
“It’s quite cool up the mountain. I see the cypress trees growing well. Since we rarely get to visit, why not take a walk?”
Although the carefully trimmed cypress trees in the city were lovely, they often appeared artificial and stiff.
In contrast, the cypress trees in the mountains grew freely without restraint, surrounded by rugged rocks and mountain mist, exuding wildness and making people feel broad-minded.
After settling their luggage, everyone headed to the kitchen to have dinner, appreciating the unusual pines and rocks along the way. However, they encountered Princess Shouyang halfway.
Ma Bing was filled with surprise:
Have everyone been so idle lately?
A small Fuyun Temple had almost gathered everyone she had met since coming to Kaifeng.
Perhaps because Prince Shun had become the scapegoat, compared to their first meeting at the inn, Princess Shouyang’s expression was much more relaxed, and her words were no longer sharp.
After greetings, she asked Xie Yu, “How are your parents lately?”
Xie Yu routinely replied, “Are you also here to listen to the sutras?”
Princess Shouyang gently combed her hair and casually replied, “My elder brother has been ill for a long time, so I’m naturally worried. Hearing that the temple’s peace talismans are quite effective, I specially came to request one.”
It sounded convincing.
Before her words faded, a folded yellow paper packet slid out from her sleeve. Under everyone’s gaze, it spun several times and slowly fell into the roots of a roadside tree.
This area was shady, with a spring flowing nearby, making it quite damp, with moss growing under the tree.
The talisman landed in the moss, and everyone watched helplessly as one corner was quickly soaked.
Princess Shouyang: “…”
The Kaifeng officials: “…”
The atmosphere became awkward.
After what seemed like an eternity, a maid softly reminded, “Princess…”
This…
Princess Shouyang slowly blinked, frowned, and said, “Clumsy thing, why haven’t you picked it up yet?”
The maid immediately rushed forward and retrieved the soaked talisman.
Looking at the obvious moss stains on the paper, Princess Shouyang frowned, quickly withdrew her hand, and her face clearly showed disgust.
Then she said, “Sincerity is what matters. Keep it carefully and burn it later to make the prince drink the talisman water. It will definitely cure him.”
The maid: “…Yes.”
The Kaifeng officials: “…”
Wait, is this a peace talisman?
Or a death talisman!
Speaking of which, you’re so openly tripping your own brother—it’s really like no one else is around!
Because of this episode, the atmosphere became strange. Neither Princess Shouyang nor Xie Yu were good at small talk. After a few awkward greetings, they parted ways.
Watching Princess Shouyang’s procession disappear, Ma Bing felt something odd.
It seemed… something was missing.
It was mealtime, and the closer they got to the kitchen, the more people they encountered. Just stopping to talk with Princess Shouyang for a moment, they met several groups returning from their meal.
In Kaifeng, the social circle was small, and among ten people, eight were acquaintances. Since they had met, they couldn’t help but exchange greetings.
Xie Yu disliked such interactions, merely nodding in acknowledgment, speaking only briefly to those he knew well, while also keeping an eye on Ma Bing.
“What are you looking at?”
“Why isn’t the prince consort here?” Ma Bing pondered for a long while before realizing what was amiss.
The prince consort was missing!
Generally speaking, unless it was a special occasion for female members, the prince consort would often accompany the princess. Just like when Princess Ningde loved watching polo matches, Xie Xian accompanied her even though he wasn’t interested.
Even if they didn’t sit together, it was still a matter of attitude.
Back then, it seemed that Shen Xuan was quite attentive to the princess. Why wasn’t he here today?
Xie Yu slightly frowned, then quickly relaxed, “He probably came too.”
Since coming to Kaifeng, Shen Xuan often attended literary gatherings. Now, he had clearly made a name for himself. Some people even specially compiled his poems and lyrics into a collection, which was widely praised and circulated.
Under the spotlight of fame, there was no false reputation. Leaving other aspects aside, the Shen family of Ludong had a heritage spanning nearly a century, which was indeed remarkable.
Shen Xuan was elegant and refined, talented in literature, and extremely courteous and considerate to others, without any arrogance typical of noble families. It was expected that he would quickly establish himself.
In just a few dozen days, the court and officials gradually shifted their address for Shen Xuan from the original “prince consort” to his literary name, “Mr. Ruozhai.”
Mr. Ruozhai strictly adhered to etiquette, never giving others a chance to criticize him. He would certainly not do anything to offend the princess.
As they spoke, everyone arrived at the kitchen, naturally ending the conversation.
As for genuine cultivation, Fuyun Temple was indeed authentic.
Throughout the entire temple, there was only one kitchen, with long tables and benches. Inside were several large basins filled with vegetarian dishes. Guests could take whatever they wanted, adding more if needed, but leftovers were not allowed.
Ma Bing noticed many nobles’ faces were as wrinkled as the bitter melons in the basins.
They probably wouldn’t even let their third-class servants eat like this.
But the food smelled really good!
Excitedly, she escorted Madam Zhao to get food and saw a total of eight large basins filled with steaming vegetarian dishes, along with a pot of three-colored grain porridge.
Although there weren’t many varieties, the aroma was simple and tempting, easily stimulating one’s appetite.
“Good layman.”
Coincidentally, the young monk they had met before also came to get food and greeted Ma Bing upon seeing her.
Ma Bing smiled and said, “The temple’s meals are quite good. Is that vegetarian goose?”
It looked like tofu skin rolled with something, then cooked. Probably fried and colored with sugar, the outer skin was reddish-brown and glossy, sweet and fragrant, looking delicious.
The young monk swallowed, saying seriously, “This is a good dish usually reserved for festivals. The abbot said there are many distinguished guests these days, so he specially made it as an exception.”
The accounting senior was heartbroken!
It was so expensive!
Seeing him being clever, Madam Zhao smiled and said a few words, then pointed at another dish and asked, “Thank you for the monks’ efforts. What is that?”
The young monk looked and said, “That’s vegetarian chicken. It’s made by carving gourds into the shape of chickens, steaming them first, then quickly stir-frying with oil and salt…”
There were also golden tofu wrapped in batter, braised gluten with eggplant, various refreshing wild vegetables stir-fried with vinegar and oil, and a pot of jujube flower buns mixed with honey, along with oil cakes made from chopped vegetable leaves. All were delightful in color, aroma, and taste.
(Note: “枣花饽饽” is translated as “jujube flower buns,” and the original Chinese term is omitted as per the instruction.)
In folk cooking, animal oil was commonly used, but since some monks ate vegetarian, sesame oil, perilla oil, and hemp oil gradually emerged.
Later, when the situation stabilized and the economy prospered, people even tried soybean oil, which was sweet and fragrant but expensive, making it inaccessible to ordinary people.
Now, Fuyun Temple used sesame oil, which was the most fragrant.
Ma Bing especially loved the braised gluten with eggplant. It was chewy and absorbed the broth, bursting with thick juice upon biting, filling the mouth with fragrance.
She heard that Fuyun Temple had many vegetable gardens behind it, and the eggplants were homegrown. Although not as carefully selected and beautiful as those outside, they were large and thick-fleshed, with a unique flavor.
Inside the vegetarian goose was mashed yam that had been cooked beforehand. Wrapped in tofu skin and rolled up, it was first fried then boiled, with a chewy exterior and soft interior, rich in texture and sweet and delicious.
She watched helplessly as an old lady at the next table ate a large plate in one go!
Madam Zhao loved it too. After the meal, she laughed and said to Ma Bing, “I heard the temple also sells various dried vegetables. Let’s buy some when we leave and make them at home.”
Seasonal vegetables were naturally the most delicious, but vegetables like eggplants and green beans, which were thick and tender, also tasted great when dried and used in stews.
Ma Bing was also satisfied. Before leaving, she even stuffed another honey bun into her pocket.
It was mixed with honey, especially sweet!
This vegetarian meal indeed lived up to its reputation!
Although all the dishes were inexpensive vegetables and the cooking methods weren’t complicated, it was precisely because of this simplicity and boldness that the original fragrance of the vegetables was highlighted, giving a sense of returning to simplicity.
After lunch, Xie Yu and Yuanpei left, apparently having something to do.
Ma Bing accompanied Madam Zhao for a walk, going through the motions and burning a few sticks of incense.
In the middle, they spotted a stall selling peace talismans and couldn’t help but recall Princess Shouyang’s earlier incident, nearly bursting into laughter.
It had to be said that the emperor’s strategy of using others to eliminate rivals was truly insidious. It preserved the good reputation of the siblings while making the old enemy suffer worse than death…
With Princess Shouyang “attending to his illness,” it was hard to say whether Prince Shun would survive the year.
Madam Zhao, after all, came from a noble family and soon felt very tired after half a day of sightseeing. She returned to rest.
The visiting guests were also exhausted, and the row of houses was unusually quiet. Ma Bing stared blankly at the ceiling, and without realizing it, she drifted off to sleep. When she opened her eyes, dusk was already falling.
From time to time, noblewomen visited each other, and Madam Zhao had to entertain them. Ma Bing took the opportunity to slip out, leaving all the pretense behind.
There were few people around the nearby mountains, with only Fuyun Temple lit up, completely different from the brightly lit Kaifeng at night.
The mountain wind was stronger at night, cold with the fresh scent of pine and cypress trees and incense, making Ma Bing unconsciously think of another person.
She wondered what he was doing now.
She hoped he wouldn’t come out…
Because the ground lights were not bright, the stars and moonlight became more prominent, like silver splashes on a black velvet cloth.
However, after looking up for a while, Ma Bing felt that the night sky in the northwest was even more beautiful and vast.
In crowded places, even the sky seemed narrow.
She walked along, taking out various items from a small bag she carried, stuffing them here and there on her body. Soon, her shoulders and waist became thicker.
Halfway through, she even put two layers in her shoe soles, instantly increasing her height.
If only looking at her outline, she was almost a tall and sturdy young man.
After completing all this, Ma Bing nodded in satisfaction and confidently walked toward the eastern courtyard where the male guests were staying.
At lunchtime, she had casually asked the young monk a few questions and confirmed that Tian Song was staying in the third small courtyard, marked by a bamboo basket at the door.
The custom of placing baskets at the door had existed since ancient times, often seen at the gates of scholars.
They say scholars are refined, but in Ma Bing’s opinion, they valued reputation and status even more than warriors.
Scholars naturally had to take the imperial examinations, but even if they were fortunate enough to pass, they still faced a long selection process for official positions. At that time, reputation was crucial.
In short, to stand out, one must first be known by those in power!
Therefore, many scholars often tried to gain fame before the imperial examinations.
The most effective method was to rely on the help of predecessors.
If they indeed received the favor of these seasoned scholars, not only would fame come quickly, but if they later entered the court, they would naturally have a patron.
While the younger generation wanted to gain recognition, the older generation also wanted to attract talents to their camp but couldn’t meet everyone, so they had to first assess their talents.
Therefore, many well-known literary figures would place a large basket at their doorstep, and aspiring students would submit their favorite works into the basket.
Tian Song was indeed in disgrace now, but his reputation in the literary world from previous years still remained. Every year, many students still visited his door for self-recommendation, naturally requiring a large basket.
Ma Bing saw the large basket from afar and couldn’t help but sneer.
Once someone has tasted the flavor of power, it’s hard to let go.
Tian Song had been in the background for many years, but even now, he still hadn’t given up hope of recruiting talents.
“You’ve enjoyed honor and wealth for so long; it’s time to atone…” Ma Bing slowly exhaled and looked around.
The road was empty, with only the uneven shadows of trees and the howling wind through the caves, as if ghosts and monsters were emerging.
Those with weaker nerves would probably have trouble sleeping.
Good.
She pursed her lips and slowly reached into her bosom.
However, at that moment, someone slowly emerged from the shadows in the corner, “Miss Ma.”
Ma Bing’s body stiffened.
Xie Yu?!
Xie Yu wore a dark blue short robe with arrows, sitting quietly beside him, almost blending into the thick night, so much so that even Ma Bing didn’t notice.
He walked over, looking at Ma Bing’s back, “You really came.”
Ma Bing felt a bit helpless.
I’ve disguised myself like this, and you can still recognize me?!
Xie Yu was almost like a mind reader. Without waiting for her to ask, he said, “A person’s figure and voice can be disguised, but their walking posture rarely changes.”
Especially since she thought it was late at night and no one was around, she inevitably relaxed her guard. With just a glance, Xie Yu identified her.
Now that things had come to this, Ma Bing had no choice but to turn around, “When did you come?”
Xie Yu looked at her, “After lunch.”
He had a feeling that Ma Bing would definitely take action against Tian Song, so he came early to stake out.
As expected…
“Don’t do anything foolish,” Xie Yu said, looking at her hand that wasn’t visible.
The scene he least wanted to see had finally come true.
Not long ago, they were in sync, as if the sweetest and most wonderful thing in the world was nothing compared to that.
But today, they stood here with completely opposite purposes.
“Are you going to stop me?” Ma Bing looked straight at him and asked.
“Not long ago, you asked me if the emperor breaking the law would be punished like a commoner,” Xie Yu said slowly.
It seemed his guess was correct.
The hatred ran deep, and revenge was indeed necessary. But once someone was killed, the matter would be difficult to resolve.
Although Tian Song had retired, he had once held the position of Minister of Revenue. If he were assassinated in the capital, the court and the emperor would not ignore it and would certainly give an explanation to the world.
Tian Song was old and weak, just a dying force, not lasting long. But she was still young, with a bright future ahead, and should not stain her hands for him.
There were many ways to seek revenge. No matter what, Xie Yu could not watch her destroy her future.
Ma Bing sneered.
If they really punished the emperor like a commoner, these people wouldn’t be alive today!
Neither of them spoke again.
Xie Yu was thinking that if Tian Song was indeed guilty, then those who had close contact with him during his tenure would naturally be suspects.
Who would be next?
Fu Wenshan? Hu Qing? Or… Prince Su?
If it was really them, what would Ma Bing do?
Or had she already taken action without his knowledge?
After a long while, Ma Bing suddenly smiled, “I won’t dirty my hands for these people.”
Killing them would be too easy!
She wanted to see those people’s reputations destroyed, and let them watch helplessly as the honor and wealth they had painstakingly gained throughout their lives turned to nothing!
They would lose their dignity in old age, and their descendants would also be forever nailed to the pillar of shame, having their spines broken by people’s fingers, too ashamed to face their ancestors!
Xie Yu was stunned. Before he could speak, he saw her actually pull out… a letter?
Ma Bing patted the envelope in her palm and, in front of Xie Yu, threw it into the basket, “Just a letter catching up, Mr. Xie, no problem, right?”
From this distance, Xie Yu could clearly see that it was indeed a letter.
It was thin and flat, seemingly containing only a single sheet of paper.
Just a letter?
Catching up?
Just moments ago, she was talking about killing, and now she wanted to catch up?
Frankly, Xie Yu didn’t believe it.
Such deep hatred, if it were him, he would never easily give up.
Xie Yu indeed hoped that Ma Bing would calm down, but her sudden and decisive “abandonment” clearly seemed strange.
Ma Bing stood with her hands behind her back, swaying to his front, solemnly saying, “I can’t kill him, but scolding him a bit should be okay, right?”
Then she added seriously, “It’s rare to be in this holy place of Buddhism. Mr. Xie, why do you always talk about violence? Maybe I can reason with him and touch his heart, thus enlightening him!”
Xie Yu: “…”
Again, she was full of lies.
If it were really possible to enlighten him, what would be the need for laws and courts?
Suddenly, he felt that perhaps everything today was part of Ma Bing’s plan.
She had known in advance that he would be suspicious and might be followed, so… she lured him into the trap?
No, that’s not right. If that were the case, she could directly cancel and seek another opportunity.
Or, she could leave Kaifeng, evade surveillance, and then disguise herself and sneak back in, leaving even less trace.
But he had no evidence.
Xie Yu sighed.
This girl had clearly taken advantage of the fact that without evidence, he would not act rashly.
Following the law and handling matters impartially had once made him invincible.
But now, it had also become a rope binding him.
“I’m going back,” Ma Bing suddenly said. “Mr. Xie, will you continue to keep watch here?”
Xie Yu looked at her, somewhat helplessly shaking his head.
Since she knew he would be watching here, she wouldn’t use this trick again.
Still worried she might act impulsively, Xie Yu still reminded her, “I’m staying next door.”
Ma Bing pouted, “Mr. Xie, you really have deep feelings for Tian Song.”
Xie Yu: “…”
What nonsense.
But Ma Bing suddenly chuckled, “Don’t worry. I won’t come again to make things difficult for you.”
That single letter was enough.
Xie Yu looked at her for a while and nodded.
She probably wasn’t lying about that sentence.
“Haven’t you had dinner yet?” Ma Bing asked.
“Yeah.” Afraid she would bear the blame for murder, he had watched in the woods all afternoon, not only missing dinner but also getting bitten by mosquitoes all over.
It itched.
Ma Bing laughed, “Come on, I know where to get snacks now!”
That young monk was so funny, answering every question she asked, obediently scaring her.
Xie Yu looked at her with a complicated expression.
How long have you been here? You’ve even found out about this?
“Hey, the way you’re looking at me isn’t nice.”
“…Miss Ma, can’t you speak without disguising your voice?” It made him feel like he was walking side by side with a man, which was strange.
“I won’t!”
“…”
The two walked side by side, the moon casting long shadows behind them.
The shadows intertwined, occasionally overlapping when one moved ahead.
No one else was around, only the stars and moon as witnesses.
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