Chapter 276: Copying Sutras
Li Xiaonan, Wan Jing, and Yu Ting, from the Maitreya Buddha at the mountain gate, paid respects to all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats one by one.
A Wu naturally refused to do the same bowing and scraping as these women. When they entered the hall, he stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, looking around.
Li Xiaonan was curious about everything. She wanted to peek into every hall and room. If the door was closed, she would look through the window. If the window was also closed, she would crouch by the door crack and peek inside.
Entering through the moon gate, she was met by a very large ginkgo tree. Li Xiaonan tilted her head back to look at the ginkgo tree.
“Such a big ginkgo tree! How beautiful it must be in autumn. Wan Jing, is this ginkgo tree a famous sight in Jianle City?” Li Xiaonan imagined the tree covered in golden splendor.
“This is the first time I’ve known there was a ginkgo tree here. This is nothing. There are three ginkgo trees by Yingxiang Pond, much larger than this. That’s the real scenic spot of Jianle City.” Wan Jing was dismissive of the ginkgo tree Li Xiaonan was admiring.
Yu Ting and A Wu, having traveled extensively and seen much, were even more dismissive of a single ginkgo tree. A Wu stood with his hands behind his back, smirking at Li Xiaonan’s fuss, while Yu Ting craned his neck to look into the rooms on both sides.
“Huh! There’s a schoolroom here? Temples have schoolrooms too?” Yu Ting asked Wan Jing loudly.
“That’s a place for copying sutras. How could a temple have a schoolroom!” Wan Jing sighed.
Including her young lady, all three of them were so ignorant; she was truly exhausted.
“There’s a place for copying sutras here too!” Li Xiaonan exclaimed in surprise and rushed into the room.
She had copied sutras at Jing’an Temple before, and the layout here was similar to Jing’an Temple.
So, the practice of copying sutras in temples had a long history!
“Are there any rules for copying sutras here?” Li Xiaonan turned to ask Wan Jing.
“I don’t know. Who would come here to copy sutras?” Wan Jing was very disdainful.
“I want to come here to copy sutras. Shall we go ask? Who should we ask?” Li Xiaonan asked Wan Jing.
“Let A Wu ask. Just find any young monk,” Wan Jing stopped Li Xiaonan and gestured to A Wu.
“I, along with… Young Lady, listen to me. This place is bustling with people. With your status, how can you come here to copy sutras?” Wan Jing pulled Li Xiaonan out and said in a low voice.
“I have an idea!” Li Xiaonan said with a beaming smile, also in a low voice. Yu Ting quickly leaned in to overhear.
“The matter of the Young Lord wanting to marry me is known to all the prominent families in Jianle City, isn’t it? Tell me, do they think it’s more likely that I’ll marry into the Prince’s Estate, or less likely?”
“They definitely think you can marry into the Prince’s Estate. I also think you will surely marry the Young Lord.” Wan Jing answered quickly. “From the time the Young Lord could speak, he was the one who decided things before the Prince and Princess Consort!”
“Then, if everyone else thinks so too, what will they think of me, the current me, who hasn’t married into the Prince’s Estate yet? What if they have a chance to get to know me, to become friends with me? What do you think they’ll do?” Li Xiaonan asked with a smile.
“Fishing?” Yu Ting understood.
“Here?” Wan Jing bowed and leaned in to look into the room.
“Right here. You don’t have to come every day, just come every other day for an hour.” Li Xiaonan said, her eyes curving into smiles.
“Yes, yes! Let’s go early. Going early makes the young lady seem diligent,” Wan Jing clapped her hands in agreement.
……………………
When Li Xiaonan went to Da Xiangguo Temple to copy sutras for the second time, Gu Family’s Eldest Great Aunt, Gu Niang, couldn’t sit still. She sent word to Gu Family’s Second Great Aunt, Gu Li, and they both rushed to Prince Rui’s Mansion. Gu Li arrived only half an hour later.
As soon as Eldest Madam Gu saw her sister, she began waving to shoo away all the maidservants and maids in the room.
“Make me a bowl of tea!” Gu Li hurriedly ordered.
She had been busy all morning and had just brewed a bowl of tea, but she rushed over before she could drink it.
Xue Li quickly brewed a bowl of tea, then placed a pot on the low table, and retreated to guard the second gate.
“Is it about that person who went to Da Xiangguo Temple to copy sutras?” Second Great Aunt Gu Li, holding a bowl of scalding tea she couldn’t drink, spoke first.
“This is too embarrassing!” Eldest Madam Gu said, looking at her mother.
“I sent someone to see what sutras she copied. They didn’t have it and said it had already been taken. When they asked who took it, they were told they would know after asking.” Princess Consort Wei’s complexion was not good.
“What does that mean? Did my brother take it back? Why would he take the sutras? Is he afraid the writing brush and ink would fall into the wrong hands?” Eldest Madam Gu reacted quickly.
“The idea of copying sutras might also have come from my brother,” Gu Li added.
“My brother wouldn’t do something so embarrassing!” Eldest Madam Gu shot her sister a sideways glance.
“The first day I heard she went to copy sutras, I asked your brother. It seems it wasn’t your brother’s idea,” Princess Consort Wei sighed with annoyance.
“Then ask your brother to tell her: Don’t let her go, it’s too embarrassing.” Eldest Madam Gu frowned.
“Your brother said that when Miss Li was in Pingjiang Prefecture, she often set up stalls to sell weaving machines wherever there were many people,” Princess Consort Wei rubbed her temples forcefully.
What gave her a headache wasn’t the young lady selling weaving machines, but the smugness in her son’s voice when he said these things!
“If Mother doesn’t intend to let her into the family, then whether she’s embarrassed or not is none of our business, right?” Gu Li probed.
“Look at what you’re saying. If Mother could control her brother’s decisions, would we be in this situation today?” Eldest Madam Gu gave her sister another sideways glance.
“Mother, her intention for going to copy sutras is obvious. We can’t ignore it.” Eldest Madam Gu looked at Princess Consort Wei. “If we don’t intervene, some people will think we tacitly approve. My brother will definitely fan the flames, and the small courtyard for copying sutras at Da Xiangguo Temple will soon be so crowded that we won’t be able to get in!”
“Eldest Sister is right. We really can’t ignore this matter,” Gu Li quickly added.
“I know we should intervene, but how? Send a message to her? What if she takes the message and passes it to your brother?” Princess Consort Wei was so annoyed she had a headache.
“Sending a message openly won’t work. I have an idea.” Gu Li stood up, sat beside Princess Consort Wei, and said in a low voice: “I’ve inquired. The place for copying sutras at Da Xiangguo Temple is very small. The two rooms combined can only accommodate twenty to thirty people. Let’s pick some literate old women and maids, get there before her, and occupy all the spots for copying sutras. It’s not to prevent her from copying sutras, but to let the families of Jianle City see our intentions, so they don’t misunderstand!”
“This idea?” Princess Consort Wei looked at her second daughter with disdain.
“This idea is quite fitting for the person who is copying sutras,” Eldest Madam Gu also pouted dismissively.
“Then you come up with a good idea!” Gu Li retorted impolitely to her eldest sister’s disdain.
“That’s fine too. For someone like her, we don’t need to be too particular,” Eldest Madam Gu said, looking at Princess Consort Wei.
Princess Consort Wei frowned, hesitated for a moment, and sighed, “We can’t ignore it. Alas, we can only do this. You two, pick some people from our mansion. If my brother makes a fuss…”
“Mother spoils Brother too much,” Gu Li interjected.
“Don’t say useless things. This matter must be kept quiet. Alas, it’s truly embarrassing!” Eldest Madam Gu stood up. “I’ll go back first. Mother, try to be more cheerful.”
“Mother, please don’t be angry. Brother’s mischief isn’t a day or two,” Gu Li also stood up.
“Go, go,” Princess Consort Wei waved her hand, annoyed.
……………………
Miss Shi was far outside the city. Those who practiced spiritual cultivation were short-handed. She only learned about Li Xiaonan copying sutras on the afternoon of Li Xiaonan’s third visit to copy sutras. The news was brought by Pan Shihui, Ninth Lady Pan.
Ninth Lady Pan excitedly recounted how she went to offer incense early in the morning, how she sent her maidservant to watch Li Xiaonan, how she happened to witness a great spectacle, how she managed to restrain herself from personally going to see the spectacle of Li Xiaonan having nowhere to copy sutras, and how she happened to recognize a certain old woman as Eldest Madam Gu’s trusted attendant.
Miss Shi, with her eyes lowered, slowly roasted tea, ground it, and brewed it, appearing serene and detached from worldly affairs.
“Are you listening to me?” Ninth Lady Pan looked at the calm and indifferent Miss Shi, feeling deflated.
“I heard,” Miss Shi smiled. “Are you thirsty? Have some tea.”
“Miss Li is going to marry the Young Lord!” Ninth Lady Pan raised her voice.
“I know. Miss Li has been here,” Miss Shi lowered her eyes and sipped her tea.
“Then… alas, what can you do? You’ve become a nun,” Ninth Lady Pan sobered up from her excitement of watching the spectacle.
“Has your marriage been decided yet?” Miss Shi changed the subject in a clear and light tone.
“Not yet. Mother is very picky. She says I’m foolish and need to find a young man who is good to me, with a good family reputation, good in-laws, everything must be good. I went to Da Xiangguo Temple today specifically to offer incense for this, to pray for the blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.”
Speaking of this topic, Ninth Lady Pan wilted like a flower battered by rain.
Miss Shi looked at her without speaking.
Seeing Miss Shi’s consistently indifferent demeanor, Ninth Lady Pan stood up. “I’m leaving.”
“No need to see me out,” Miss Shi smiled and nodded.
Ninth Lady Pan walked two steps, stopped, turned back, and looked at Miss Shi, who was smiling at her, tears welling up. “Eldest Sister, you are becoming more and more different from before. Seeing you like this now makes me very sad.”
“The past was not my true self. Now, I am very well. Take care of yourself,” Miss Shi remained serene.
Ninth Lady Pan looked at the smiling Miss Shi as if she didn’t recognize her, subconsciously took two steps back, and turned to leave.
Watching Ninth Lady Pan leave through the hanging flower gate, Miss Shi’s expression turned gloomy. She put down her cup, shifted back, leaned her back against the wall, and looked at the Guanyin Bodhisattva with lowered eyebrows.
Yu Lan saw Ninth Lady Pan out and hurried back. Seeing Miss Shi looking gloomy all over, she quickly tucked a cushion behind Miss Shi.
“Young Lady, lie down and rest. You haven’t slept well these past few nights.”
“It’s not for this marriage, and certainly not for the Young Lord,” Miss Shi seemed to be talking to Yu Lan, or perhaps to herself.
“Mmm,” Yu Lan looked at her young lady with concern.
“I am very sad,” Miss Shi’s voice was very low.
“I know,” Yu Lan’s voice choked up. “Young Lady, you can’t keep bottling it up like this. Young Lady…”
“I also want to talk, but who can I talk to? Who can talk with me? You don’t understand what I’m saying.”
“What about Miss Li?” Yu Lan suggested cautiously.
Miss Shi froze for a moment and murmured, “Let me think.”
