Chapter 85: Beauty

For the next two days, Xie Yu dutifully showed up at the herb garden three times a day to check in.

He didn’t do much—just came to deliver meals, sometimes speaking a few quiet words, sometimes merely glancing from outside the courtyard gate.

When he occasionally had free time, he would enter the courtyard, sit under the shade of a tree reading with Ma Bing, who was gradually recovering, and occasionally exchange a smile with her.

Neither of them mentioned anything about what had happened outside, as though they had both forgotten.

But they both understood it was merely the calm before the storm, and they cherished every moment they could steal.

Watching too much of this, Wang Heng felt increasingly awkward.

Damn it, are you two mocking me for being alone now?

“Just move into my place already!”

One day, when Xie Yu came again carrying a large food container, Wang Heng snapped at him.

Xie Yu was startled and looked seriously toward his house.

Wang Heng grew irate. Did you really take me seriously?

I was just cursing, cursing! Don’t you understand?

Xie Yu pondered thoughtfully for a moment before apologizing, “Thank you for the kind offer, but that would be inappropriate.”

Wang Heng: “…”

After a moment of silence, Wang Heng, leaning on his identity as a physician, lowered his face and chased Xie Yu away, “…The patient needs peace and quiet. Leave after you drop off the food!”

Inappropriate? What inappropriate!

Thank you for the kind offer? Kind offer indeed!

Xie Yu: “…”

Ma Bing, who walked out with a rosy complexion: “…”

Come on, aren’t you a bit old to be lying with your eyes wide open?

But Wang Heng still got his way.

Watching Xie Yu’s slightly dejected back as he left, Wang Heng suddenly felt a bit of the joy legendary of the Queen Mother who separated lovers by drawing a river across the sky with her hairpin.

Ah, pah, responsibility!

Before long, the fifteenth of June arrived. Early that morning, Lady Zhao had someone prepare carriages and luggage, and together with Ma Bing, headed toward Fuyun Temple.

Tomorrow, the eminent monk would formally begin his sermon, and to show respect, many people arrived a day early.

“After so many days of continuous rain, it’s finally cleared up.”

Gazing at the high blue sky and white clouds, Lady Zhao felt refreshed.

Originally from Jiangnan, she had lived with her husband in various other regions for so long that she had somewhat lost her tolerance for prolonged cloudy weather.

Ma Bing stretched her arms and hopped onto her horse, “Yes.”

After being confined to the courtyard for four or five days by Wang Heng, she was nearly going moldy.

It was good to get out for a ride.

Lady Zhao waved at her, “Child, you’ve only just recovered from a serious illness. Why are you riding a horse again? Once we leave the city, the wind will be strong, and you might catch a chill. Come down quickly, let’s ride in the carriage together, mother and daughter.”

A couple of days ago, when she learned that Ma Bing had a fever, she was quite startled. Later, she went to check in person, but ran into Xie Yu delivering meals, understood everything, and since then had only sent someone occasionally to inquire about her condition.

“I’m already fine,” Ma Bing stretched her arms and legs, doing her best to show she was healthy, “Look at me. On such a hot day, how strong could the wind be? Let me enjoy myself a bit.”

“Then at least wear a cloak.”

There’s a kind of cold only elders think you feel.

Later, when Xie Yu saw Ma Bing wrapped in a cloak on such a hot summer day, his expression was extremely complicated.

Yuanpei behind them was already laughing uncontrollably, bent over his horse.

“Hahaha, after getting sick, did you burn your head?”

Ma Bing was frowning, thinking hard about an excuse to get rid of this ridiculous cloak, when she vaguely sensed two familiar gazes.

She turned her head. Xie Yu?

Is he going too?!

Xie Yu rode over, glancing at her cloak, “Governor Tu gave me leave, so I’m here to escort Lady Zhao.”

Ma Bing looked at him sideways, not entirely believing that was his only purpose.

But before this, she had imagined many scenarios. If Xie Yu didn’t notice, everything would be fine. But if he did notice… the outcome wouldn’t change.

As the sun climbed higher, the blazing sunlight poured down, and Ma Bing instantly felt as if she were carrying a turtle shell on her back, with sweat forming on her forehead.

Xie Yu frowned, directly reaching out to untie the bow at her neck and taking the cloak away, “Where’s that sharp edge you used to have against me?”

Lady Zhao was overly concerned, giving you a cloak on such a hot day, and you actually wore it obediently.

In the past, when I said something, why didn’t you ever comply like this?

Ma Bing also felt a bit silly and slightly guilty.

“You and Lady Zhao… are different, aren’t you?”

Xie Yu almost laughed at her.

So you only listen to other people’s words?

Don’t I deserve your compliance?

What a messed-up logic!

Hmph!

Ma Bing glanced at him.

Xie Yu turned his face away, his lips tightly pressed.

Is he angry?

The two horses were familiar with each other, walking side by side and even bumping into each other, naturally bringing their riders very close.

When no one was looking, Ma Bing stretched out her finger and gently tugged at Xie Yu’s robe hem.

Xie Yu looked down, watching her finger twirl around his hem, and all his anger melted away.

Meanwhile, Lady Zhao sent someone over with a message, saying, “It’s getting hot, and Lady Zhao is worried you’ll overheat, so the maid will take the cloak back.”

Then the maid saw the smoke-purple cloak embroidered with dragonfly and lotus patterns being handed over by Minister Xie.

The maid: “…”

How did it end up with you?

There were carriages in the procession, and they weren’t in a hurry, so the pace was slow.

It would take at least another hour to reach Fuyun Temple, so naturally, they needed to find things to talk about.

Ma Bing asked how the case of Wang He was going, and Xie Yu shook his head, pausing slightly, “It might become a cold case.”

The people of Baishi Town were too tight-lipped. So far, not a single inconsistency had emerged. The yamen had yet to find new, solid evidence, and the case had stalled.

Most people inherently feared the authorities and often couldn’t withstand a few rounds of questioning before revealing the truth.

But if they realized there were others standing with them, the difficulty of uncovering the truth would multiply.

To preserve the hard-won peace and quiet, not only would they remain silent themselves, but they would also warn and supervise others not to speak.

Xie Yu felt that perhaps outsiders would never know exactly what happened on the day Wang He was killed.

Ma Bing wasn’t surprised by this outcome, “It’s just fate.”

Come to think of it, that case was indeed a bit mysterious.

If not for having experienced it firsthand, who could imagine that a corpse buried not long ago would just happen to be devoured entirely by rats?

With this, even if there were originally clues, they would all end up in the rats’ stomachs.

And those rats were mostly eaten by cats, layer upon layer, making it impossible to trace blame.

One could only wonder how Yu the Butcher would feel upon learning that the little cats he usually tried to befriend had eaten rats that had feasted on human flesh?

Xie Yu originally didn’t believe in fate or destiny, but in the face of Ma Bing’s words, he found himself unable to argue.

The Kaifeng Prefecture had indeed done their best. Alas, without evidence, even the most capable woman couldn’t cook a meal without rice. Unless the killer couldn’t bear it and turned himself in, there was little they could do.

The summer sun was scorching. The nobles of Kaifeng Prefecture were lazy about going out, so having an excuse to leave the city for a cool retreat was a rare opportunity, and they all came out.

They had traveled less than half an hour when the Kaifeng Prefecture convoy met several groups at various intersections, all using the excuse of listening to scriptures to come out for vegetarian meals and sightseeing.

A casual glance revealed carriages bearing the family crests and emblems of various households.

Masters, guards, servants, luggage, carriages, and mounts formed a long procession, stretching endlessly with no visible beginning or end, only rolling clouds of dust in sight.

The large willow trees by the roadside grew extremely lush, their long branches trailing to the ground, swaying in the wind like the flowing hair of a beautiful woman.

Ma Bing casually grabbed a branch, snapped off a piece, and held it gently between her fingers. Her gaze shifted back from those luxurious carriages as she asked seemingly offhandedly, “What do you think about the saying that the emperor should be punished like a commoner if he breaks the law?”

Xie Yu looked at her, “That is the foundation of governing a country.”

If high officials and nobles acted recklessly based on their status, the world would surely fall into chaos.

That was why the emperor had appointed him as the military inspector of Kaifeng Prefecture, to suppress those arrogant nobles.

As she rolled it between her fingers, Ma Bing’s fingertips gradually turned a light green from the tree sap, the strong scent of plants filling her nose.

She carefully peeled out the core of the branch, leaving only a soft bark tube, and put it to her lips for a gentle blow.

“Di~”

The loud whistle of the willow branch traveled far, even making her black horse instinctively lift its head, blinking its large eyes, looking around.

What made that sound?

“The imperial relatives, are they also held to this standard? Would anyone really sacrifice their own family for justice?” Ma Bing tilted her head to look at Xie Yu.

Even without her speaking, Xie Yu had thought about this question countless times over the past days and nights, and the answer was clear.

“If they indeed did something wrong, they should face the consequences, regardless of their status.”

Leaders set the example for those below. If those above evade responsibility when they err, how can they have the face to admonish officials and citizens to abide by the law? The saying “the emperor should be punished like a commoner if he breaks the law” would become a joke.

As he spoke, his eyes were open and honest, without the slightest hesitation or guilt.

Ma Bing looked at him, her heart filled with emotion.

“Then Miss Ma,” she hadn’t spoken, but Xie Yu turned to ask, “if you suffered misfortune, would you blame the descendants of the culprit?”

This question had troubled him for a long time, and the answer was crucial to him.

Ma Bing didn’t answer immediately.

After a long silence, she spoke with a complex tone, “At first, yes.”

This question had also troubled her for a long time, otherwise she wouldn’t have had so many hesitations when facing Xie Yu.

A few years ago, when she left the northwest, the late emperor had already died. At that time, she had thought of the idea of avenging her family’s blood debt by assassinating the current emperor, following the example of legendary heroes.

But the more places she traveled and the more she saw, the more Ma Bing realized her thoughts were too simplistic.

The current emperor was truly a good ruler.

Since his ascension, he had reduced taxes, built water conservancy projects, and appointed virtuous ministers. The people had more to eat and warmer clothes…

Regardless of whether a lone assassination attempt could succeed, if it did, with the young princes not yet grown, the empress’s relatives and several princes left by the late emperor would surely seize the opportunity, leading to chaos once again.

And she, would she become a villain in history?

She had seen too much death and suffering, and truly did not want to see more innocent lives lost and people displaced.

After arriving in Kaifeng, Ma Bing learned that most of her past enemies had lost their former glory, either sidelined or suppressed.

This stirred feelings within her.

Perhaps it was a result of a new emperor bringing in new officials, and the current emperor taking control of power naturally led to these outcomes, but regardless, his actions had somewhat made up for the late emperor’s mistakes.

At least one thing was certain:

The current emperor, at least so far, was indeed different from the late emperor.

Xie Yu looked at her.

At first?

So does that mean now…

But such deep pain couldn’t be explained in just a few words.

If it were that simple, there wouldn’t be the old saying about endless cycles of revenge.

Sensing his gaze, Ma Bing also turned to look at him, her eyes deep and silent.

Xie Yu felt as if she were looking at him, yet also as if she were looking through him, at something or someone else.

With the concern in Xie Yu’s eyes, Ma Bing’s gaze gradually became distant, as if passing through his body, drifting toward some unknown place far away.

Throughout countless nights of sleepless introspection, she often questioned herself:

Are the things I’m doing now right?

If my family knew from beyond the grave, would they feel proud, or something else?

The hatred had lasted until now, spanning three generations. Should it continue?

Would it continue?

They always say one person’s actions should only affect that person. Xie Yu was the grandson of my enemy, and objectively speaking, the events of those years had nothing to do with him. Yet others would say the sins of the father should be borne by the son, and Ma Bing found it hard not to hold some resentment, hard not to blame him at all.

Why should your family commit such heinous crimes yet remain high and mighty, allowing their descendants to live comfortably and enjoy wealth and honor?

But there was another saying in the world, “To love someone is to love all that belongs to them.”

Back then, when Xie Xian, not yet the Marquis of Qingwu, first entered the imperial court, he had not yet established his footing, yet he defied pressure from all sides and, together with several ministers, spoke out in defense of the military affairs of the northwest, striving to protect their posthumous reputations…

Therefore, Xie Yu was not only the grandson of her enemy but also the son of her benefactor, truly making her feelings for him a mix of love and hate.

The late emperor was a devout Buddhist, especially in his later years. During his reign, he extensively built Buddhist temples, and within just a few years, temples filled Kaifeng, with incense smoke everywhere.

Though monks were supposed to be free from worldly concerns, those temples were grand and majestic, adorned with gold and jade, consuming untold amounts of the people’s wealth and labor.

After the current emperor ascended the throne, the national treasury was empty, so he found an excuse, arrested many prominent “masters,” and following this lead, confiscated the property of several corrupt officials, sealing many temples in the process.

Many temples registered in the records had extensive landholdings, not only exempt from taxation but also receiving daily offerings of food and money from devotees, while selling incense, candles, and prayer beads, becoming incredibly wealthy.

After thoroughly investigating and seizing the assets of several well-known temples in Kaifeng Prefecture, the national treasury quickly became prosperous. The remaining temples then realized the situation:

Ah, indeed, the master has changed.

Thus, all of them drew in their necks and simplicity quickly became the prevailing trend.

Now, the few remaining temples in the city were like frightened birds, fearing that one day the emperor might suddenly need money again and strike once more, so they dared not organize grand activities and gradually became desolate.

The emperor had long awaited another opportunity to act and, when speaking privately with Xie Yu and other close associates, expressed regret in his tone.

It must be said, gaining weight all at once is indeed very satisfying.

When those above have preferences, those below will follow even more zealously. With the emperor showing such behavior, the officials and citizens naturally followed suit, shifting their attention to the previously unremarkable temples outside the city.

Fuyun Temple was one of them.

Fuyun Temple was located deep in the mountains and wild forests, where transportation by carriage and horse was inconvenient. In the past, only the occasional villagers from nearby towns would come to worship, the temple was in disrepair, incense offerings were sparse, and the monks, few in number, were all thin and gaunt.

But these days, thanks to the misfortunes of their peers, it had unexpectedly become prosperous, and monks from various places had come to seek refuge.

People fear fame as pigs fear gaining weight. With the previous examples of their peers clearly in view, the abbot and all the monks were frightened beyond measure, becoming even more cautious with their words and actions.

Fuyun Temple usually does not accept donations of oil money for incense. When it was truly unavoidable, the monks used the funds solely for repairing Buddha statues and repainting them. Any remaining money was used to repair dilapidated buildings. If there was still money left, they dared not keep it themselves. During festivals, they would distribute porridge and medicine, partly to show their loyalty to the court and partly to accumulate good karma through charitable deeds.

After several years, the emperor indeed became pleased and even praised the temple personally. As a result, outsiders naturally became increasingly eager to visit. However, some privately complained that the location was too remote and inconvenient.

Still, there were advantages to its remoteness. Several large mountains surrounded the area, and there was only one temple across all of them, so space was not an issue. As the number of worshippers increased, Fuyun Temple reluctantly expanded, adding many courtyards divided into eastern and western sections—men staying in the east and women in the west. Though the Buddha taught equality among all beings, the courtyards were all modest two-courtyard compounds, without distinction of rank or privilege. Guests could choose to stay or not as they pleased.

Upon arrival, the abbot did not personally greet the visitors. Only a dozen or so young novice monks waited at the entrance. Madam Zhao and others disembarked from their carriages and horse-drawn carts at the mountain gate, following instructions to their assigned courtyards. Xie Yu and others first helped the female guests carry their luggage and settle into their accommodations.

Though referred to as female guests, there were only Madam Zhao, Ma Bing, and a few maids and elderly servants, altogether fewer than ten people. Thus, their luggage was relatively simple. However, the neighboring courtyards were far from quiet. Despite the distance between courtyards, one could hear all sorts of shouting—sometimes scolding servants for clumsy hands that damaged trunks, sometimes complaining about misplaced items. It was a chaotic mess.

Madam Zhao frowned. “Though they may not be truly devout, at least they are on holy ground now. Even if only for show, they should try to act the part.”

Ma Bing knew Madam Zhao preferred quietude. If things continued like this, she would hardly have peace for the next few days. She stood up and said, “I’ll go check.”

Madam Zhao quickly held her back. “Oh, you child, don’t rush in recklessly.”

Those staying nearby were surely people of some background. Offending them was a small matter, but she worried the young girl might suffer some disadvantage.

Xie Yu, outside, said, “I’ll go with her.”

Madam Zhao smiled and released her hand. “Alright then.”

After a pause, she added, “Though we do not seek trouble, we are not afraid of it either. If you encounter any mistreatment, just come back and tell me.”

In truth, she naturally knew that with Xie Yu by her side, there would hardly be anyone foolish enough to provoke them, but as an elder, she couldn’t help but worry.

Ma Bing and Xie Yu both obediently agreed and went outside together. Yuanpei, feeling bored, jumped up from the ground. “Take me along!”

Xie Yu glanced at him, thinking, You’re such an extra!

The left courtyard was quiet, and they couldn’t tell whether anyone had moved in. The three of them merely glanced at it and went first to the right. There, servants bustled in and out, and inside was a cacophony of voices, so noisy that it seemed to unsettle even the birds and dogs.

As the trio approached, they heard a “crash” from inside—something had been smashed. “This coarse tea is all you dare serve me?”

It was a young woman, around twenty years old. Her voice wasn’t unpleasant, but her tone was spoiled, making her hard to like.

Immediately afterward, a young novice monk came out holding broken porcelain shards. He lowered his head, his lips pouting, looking as if he were about to cry.

Seeing them, the young monk quickly wiped his face with his sleeve and earnestly bowed. “Greetings, benefactors.”

Ma Bing saw how young he was—probably no more than ten years old—with soft, chubby cheeks. She felt sympathy and stepped forward to ask, “What happened?”

Half of the young monk’s robe hem was soaked, with several tiny shards of porcelain stuck to it, likely splashed when the teapot shattered.

He had been holding back tears, but Ma Bing’s gentle tone made his eyes well up. He whispered, “The guest inside complained the tea was too coarse and the teaware unacceptable…”

He had arrived at Fuyun Temple only last year and this was his first time serving noble guests. He felt wronged by how difficult they had been.

Yuanpei, upon hearing this, became indignant. “Everyone knows Fuyun Temple is austere. If they can’t endure a little hardship, they shouldn’t have come here in the first place!”

What kind of nerve was it, bullying a child like this?

Apparently, someone inside realized the impropriety, for just as they were talking, an old nurse emerged from the courtyard, holding a sachet in her hand.

She had been chasing after the young monk but, upon stepping out and seeing three people standing beside him, was momentarily startled. Then she quickly bowed and greeted them, “Greetings, Young Marquis, Master Yuan.”

Oh, an acquaintance?

However, Xie Yu and Yuanpei usually worked outside and were not particularly sociable by nature. They certainly had no intention of engaging with the female attendants of another household, so they showed no reaction.

The nurse felt awkward.

Her young mistress had just thrown a tantrum. Now, the young noble had witnessed it all. When her mistress found out, she might well regret it deeply.

Smiling apologetically, she said, “My young mistress just suffered from motion sickness and was feeling quite unwell. She spoke harshly to this young monk and I must apologize.”

Because Xie Yu was present, she gritted her teeth and switched to a more generous sachet, pretending to press it into the young monk’s hand.

But the young monk, frightened, quickly stepped back. “No, no! My master said we must not accept anything from guests!”

He thought to himself: Was there something wrong with this family?

That young lady had seemed perfectly lively and energetic. Where was this motion sickness?

One moment throwing a fit, the next apologizing—were all people outside the Buddhist life this moody?

Indeed, his master was right. It really was better to become a monk.

The nurse’s hand froze in midair. She couldn’t very well grab the boy and stuff the sachet into his pocket. She felt extremely embarrassed.

The young monk looked at her like she was a tiger and hurriedly bowed before dashing off.

The nurse felt even more awkward.

“Madam Zhang, why haven’t you come in yet?” The young woman who had thrown the teapot earlier, now impatient, came out herself.

Ma Bing looked up and saw, indeed, a delicate beauty dressed in a pink gauze robe. Her hair was elaborately styled, her skin smooth and fair, her lips red, her eyes large and bright, her cheeks rosy. She was undeniably beautiful.

But there was an air of arrogance in her expression that somewhat diminished her beauty.

Seeing Xie Yu and the others, the young lady was momentarily startled, then showed a hint of bashful delight.

She walked forward gracefully, as if her eyes saw only one person. “Young Marquis.”

Oh my.

Ma Bing raised her eyebrows high, folded her arms, and turned her face to look at Xie Yu.

Xie Yu wore a completely blank expression:

Who is she?

The young lady seemed a bit disappointed by Xie Yu’s reaction. She clutched her handkerchief and introduced herself, saying her name was Tian Shu. “My father is Tian Song, and my elder brother is Tian Bin. We used to play polo together with the Young Marquis.”

Tian Song?!

Ma Bing’s eyes widened slightly.

A member of his family was staying next door?

What kind of… fate was this!

Meanwhile, Xie Yu and Yuanpei were also surprised.

Tian Bin?

Wasn’t he the guy who had tried to show off on the polo field and ended up being scolded?

Speak of the devil. As the three of them were astonished at this coincidence, a group of people approached from the east.

One of them, upon seeing Ma Bing, was delighted, his eyes lighting up as he ran over to greet her. “Miss Ma, what a coincidence!”

What a reunion! The Buddha himself is witness to our fated connection!

Ma Bing felt a slight headache at the sight of him. “Master Ji.”

Indeed, it was none other than Tian Bin and Ji Fang.

Tian Bin, a few steps behind, also felt shocked at the scene before him.

A few years ago, his younger sister had come to watch him play polo and, by chance, laid eyes on Xie Yu. Since then, she had been smitten and secretly declared she would marry no one else.

Though the Tian family, including Tian Bin, had not discouraged her feelings, they thought the chances were slim.

Xie Yu came from a noble family, was handsome, and was especially favored by the emperor. At such a young age, his future was already promising. If he truly married into the Tian family, it would ensure their family’s stability for at least fifty years. It might even elevate their status beyond its former glory.

But the problem was:

Every noble family with a daughter thought the same way.

Moreover, the current emperor had a tendency to go against convention. Princess Nanding and Xie Xian were also unpredictable, clearly signaling, “We are already noble enough; we don’t need marriage alliances to enhance our status,” leaving those families with no way in.

After several years, Tian Song and others had more or less given up on the hope of a royal marriage alliance and had begun privately considering other potential sons-in-law, and Tian Bin himself thought the same.

But now, what was going on?

A tiny spark of greedy hope arose in his heart. If—just if—

“Imagine meeting the Young Marquis here. What a coincidence.”

Tian Bin quickly stepped forward to greet him.

It was only at this point that Ji Fang finally regained his senses and realized that the scene wasn’t only about Ma Bing.

Since the previous polo match, Ji Fang had been somewhat traumatized, avoiding touching a polo mallet ever since.

Now, facing the “culprit” again, he instinctively felt weak in the knees and wished never to see him again.

But Ma Bing was also here. He couldn’t bear to leave.

Ji Fang forced himself to bow to Xie Yu, who remained expressionless and gave no response.

Ma Bing felt the atmosphere was becoming too strange. Instinctively, she looked toward Tian Shu and found the girl staring fixedly at Xie Yu, eyes unblinking.

She then followed Tian Shu’s gaze to Xie Yu and saw that he was glaring darkly at Ji Fang, as if he wanted to grab a polo mallet from somewhere and give him a good whack.

Ma Bing: “…”

What was going on here!

Only Yuanpei, looking from one to another, occasionally let out a few ambiguous, sinister chuckles.

Tian Bin also sensed the awkwardness and tried to smooth things over. “What a rare chance to meet the Young Marquis here. Why don’t we go out for some tea? I hear the pastries here are exceptional.”

Because of past experiences, he dared not use Xie Yu’s courtesy name to feign closeness.

As he spoke, Tian Bin instinctively glanced at Ma Bing.

This young lady looked somewhat familiar. Judging from her appearance, she seemed to have come with the Young Marquis. He wondered who she was exactly and what relationship she had with the Young Marquis.

From what Ji Fang had just said, it seemed he not only knew her but was even deeply infatuated with her. Yet judging from the Young Marquis’s expression…

He hoped it wasn’t what he thought.

But then Xie Yu coldly replied, “This is no chance meeting. It is because your sister is so noisy that the neighbors cannot find peace.”

At these words, from Tian Bin and his sister to the nurse who had followed them out, all their faces turned pale.