“What do you mean by ‘devilish ideas’?” Mei Qing, feeling somewhat dissatisfied with Bi Zhen’s belittlement, replied, “Isn’t this me sharing the burden for you? According to what you said, this young Master Guo needs a place where the work isn’t tiring and where someone can keep an eye on him, right?”
Bi Zhen nodded, “Exactly. Can you find such a place?”
Mei Qing chuckled, “What’s so hard about that? As the saying goes, what’s far away might actually be right before your eyes. Can’t you think of a place in this Dongyue Temple specially prepared for him? Look where I’m pointing…”
Bi Zhen followed the direction Mei Qing pointed and exclaimed, “You mean… the Sutra Pavilion?”
“Precisely!” Mei Qing nodded, “That place is as tranquil as it gets. I’d wager a decade might pass before any studious old Taoist monk comes looking for a book. The venerable Yu Zhen who watches over the pavilion will surely keep young Master Guo in check, guaranteeing no deviation whatsoever.”
Bi Zhen couldn’t help but laugh, “I wonder how you come up with these ideas.” Then she frowned, “Though that place is indeed quiet, wouldn’t it be inappropriate to place a man there, under the supervision of a female Taoist?”
“Oh, come on,” Mei Qing exclaimed, placing his hand on his forehead, “Yu Zhen is more manly than most men. Especially our young Master Guo, standing before her, it’s hard to say who’s more of a ‘real man.'”
Bi Zhen laughed until she doubled over, “You’re such a troublemaker, never holding back with your words. Well, since we have no other place for him, we’ll go with your plan. Yu Zhen always listens to you, so see it through. Do me a favor and send him off.”
As Mei Qing unhappily led the bewildered young Master Guo up the stairs to the Sutra Pavilion, he couldn’t help but recall the minor embarrassment he had encountered when he first arrived there. It had already been over half a year since he last visited. He wondered what Yu Zhen would be like now.
Turning the corner and reaching the upper floor, Mei Qing immediately spotted Yu Zhen sitting cross-legged on the floor, moving a small cushion with her legs, engrossed in a scroll.
So absorbed was Yu Zhen that she didn’t notice anyone coming upstairs. It wasn’t until Mei Qing coughed twice that she was startled.
“Can’t you get your own book—ah!” Yu Zhen started speaking, then looked up. Suddenly, she saw the very person who had frightened her out of her wits—Mei Qing. She dropped the book in her hand with a clatter and let out a piercing scream.
“Stop screaming!” Mei Qing hissed.
At his words, Yu Zhen immediately shut her mouth, quickly picking up the fallen book with lightning speed. She stood obediently in front of Mei Qing like a little cat.
“Listen,” Mei Qing pointed at the young Master Guo behind him, “Bi Zhen says he’ll be helping you here from now on. You can give him any task, but you must keep a close eye on him and not let him wander off. Got it?”
Yu Zhen nodded vigorously.
“Good. If he misbehaves and you can’t handle him, just call me to straighten him out.” Mei Qing said nonchalantly before leaving the young Master Guo there and heading downstairs.
After Mei Qing’s footsteps faded at the foot of the stairs, Yu Zhen’s expression suddenly became lively. She furrowed her brows and glared fiercely at young Master Guo with her large eyes, snarling, “Kid, what’s your name—yes, you! Are you dead? Why won’t you answer me?”
Young Master Guo shrank back timidly, “I… I’m surnamed Guo…”
“You, Guo! You were a decent person, so why did you provoke this demon star and get brought here? If it weren’t for you, I was reading peacefully, and now my mood is completely ruined. What do you have to say for yourself?” Yu Zhen tapped the rolled book in her palm as she spoke.
Looking at the fierce expression on the black-robed nun’s face, young Master Guo was at a loss for what to do and could only stammer, “I’ll obey… I’ll obey whatever the immortal maiden commands.”
“Good, at least you’re reasonable. Listen up, from now on, this place is under my command. If I tell you to go east, you don’t dare go west; if I tell you to chase the dog, you don’t dare to shoo the chicken. If you say even half a word of refusal, I’ll beat you half to death! Now go wash up in the pond at the back garden first. Did you crawl out of a dung heap? You stink so badly, it’s unbearable!” Yu Zhen’s voice grew louder and louder, finally turning into a roar.
Young Master Guo was so frightened that he trembled all over, stuttering, “Mercy, immortal maiden! It’s so cold today…”
“Look at you, what a coward!” Yu Zhen shouted angrily, “Are you scared to death? Hurry up and wash! If you delay any longer, my fists won’t recognize you!”
Young Master Guo was driven downstairs by Yu Zhen’s fierce glare, trembling all over. He stumbled down the stairs, gritted his teeth for a while, and then washed and wiped himself roughly by the pond, using his hands to rub his face until it was no longer greasy. Then he shakily returned like a living corpse.
When he returned upstairs, he discovered that Yu Zhen had actually gone to the back to get him some clothes. The old Taoist robe had previously belonged to a fire-handling Taoist. Although not new, the thick cotton robe was intact. Yu Zhen forced him to take the clothes and change in the room at the corner. Then she brought out a food box.
Although Yu Zhen looked terrifying, she was still a nun and a woman at heart, naturally soft-hearted. After scolding young Master Guo for a while and seeing how frightened he was, she felt a bit sorry for him. Thus, under the guise of Bi Zhen, she went to get him clothes and also found some food. However, seeing his timid appearance again, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Therefore, she threw the food box at him, saying, “Go eat in the corner. As if you’re still a young master, expecting me to bring you food!”
Although the food was somewhat cold, it was still a proper meal with rice and dishes. Young Master Guo had initially hesitated a bit, but after seeing Yu Zhen scold him again and again, and being extremely hungry, he no longer cared much. He grabbed the box, squatted in the corner, took out a bowl, and regardless of the food, stuffed it into his mouth frantically.
Before long, the small amount of food was completely devoured. Although he still felt a bit hungry, he dared not say much. With some food in his stomach and warmth returning to his body, young Master Guo sat there呆呆地, staring blankly at the food box in front of him. Thinking back to these past few days, this was the only meal he had truly enjoyed. Reflecting on his previous visits to the Dongyue Temple in pursuit of Bi Zhen, he never imagined he would end up in such a state. Looking at his tattered cotton coat and the cold steamed bun he had just eaten, he couldn’t help but feel they were worth more than the luxurious clothes and delicacies he once enjoyed.
Though he had once been dressed in gold and silk, feasting on delicacies, now, compared to a torn robe and half a box of cold rice, it all felt like a fleeting spring dream.
Seeing young Master Guo’s gloomy expression, Yu Zhen didn’t look at him and continued reading for a while. When she looked up again, she noticed him sitting in the corner, head bowed motionless. She called him a couple of times, but he didn’t respond, which made her worry that this guy might have accidentally choked to death.
At this thought, Yu Zhen could no longer sit still and hurried over. When she got closer, she found that the guy was actually leaning against the wall with tears streaming down his face, lost in thought. Seeing this, Yu Zhen immediately felt tricked by this annoying guy, her anger rising. She stepped forward and kicked him onto the floor, roaring, “What are you pretending to be dead for! You almost scared me to death!”
Unexpectedly, as she scolded and kicked him, young Master Guo didn’t feel any pain but instead felt a warmth in his heart. He had endured various hardships in prison, and Yu Zhen, being a woman, didn’t kick very hard. Thus, the physical pain was nothing to him. However, hearing her say something like “I was scared to death seeing you like this,” he felt that this rough female Taoist was the only one who truly cared about him. Thinking about how she had found him clothes, food, and was still concerned about him, compared to the days when his former friends ignored him while he was wandering the streets, he felt even more grateful towards Yu Zhen.
Seeing him as unresponsive as a piece of wood, not dodging her kicks and even making her hand hurt from the force, Yu Zhen grew even angrier. She kept scolding him verbally while stomping on him a couple more times. But seeing that the guy didn’t show any sign of discomfort and even had an expression of enjoyment on his face, she felt a bit scared, thinking, “Could it be that I hit him too hard and he’s gone mad?” She quickly stopped and asked, “Are you okay?”
Young Master Guo mumbled a couple of sounds but was too afraid to look at her, merely nodding lightly.
Seeing this, Yu Zhen felt that although this guy was annoying, he was also somewhat pitiable. She softened her tone and said, “You don’t have to be afraid. As long as you obey me, I won’t hit you anymore.”
Seeing her speak to him gently, young Master Guo was deeply moved, tears streaming from his eyes as he nodded vigorously.
From then on, young Master Guo settled down in the Sutra Pavilion. Every morning, he would fetch water and sweep the floor, keeping the place spotless, waiting for Yu Zhen to bring him meals. He took care of every task assigned to him. If he made any mistakes, Yu Zhen would scold him verbally and hit him physically, but he accepted it gladly. Once he got used to it, if Yu Zhen happened to be lazy for a few days and didn’t scold or hit him, he would feel restless and uncomfortable. He would try to make some mistakes on purpose to provoke Yu Zhen into scolding and hitting him again, which would finally make him feel relaxed and happy.
Thus, one was willing to hit, and the other was willing to be hit, and they both found their own happiness in life. As time passed, Yu Zhen, when bored, would tell young Master Guo stories of legends and oddities she had read in books. This sparked young Master Guo’s interest in reading. The two searched high and low for all kinds of novels—immortal warriors, martial arts, fantasy, history, military, etc.—not caring about elegance, only seeking entertainment. They exchanged ideas daily, motivating each other, and eventually became reading companions.
For several decades afterward, the two lived in seclusion in the Sutra Pavilion, reading, scolding, and hitting each other daily, spending the rest of their lives together. It wasn’t until the end of the Wanli era that they both passed away. Because they had read extensively over a long period, seeking only entertainment without regard for anything else, they fully experienced the true joy of reading. Thus, they were later referred to as the “happiest readers in history,” a remarkable and unique bond indeed.
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