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墨書 Inktalez
Two people dashed out of the crowd, and the drunken man tried to pursue them but was blocked by a passing carriage, which delayed him for a moment. By the time he managed to get around it, Mei Shuang and the other person had already turned into an alley.
Once they were sure no one was following, they stopped to catch their breath, leaning on their knees and exchanging glances.
Inside the teahouse, Mei Shuang and Jinghui sat across from each other. It was clear that Jinghui was not a wealthy person either. Mei Shuang used the few coins she had to order a few dishes.
Jinghui did not hesitate and picked up his chopsticks to start eating.
Both of them were likely starving, as they ate in silence until they had nearly finished. Then Mei Shuang spoke up, "Master Jinghui, what brings you here?"
Jinghui set down his chopsticks and looked at Mei Shuang with a faint smile. "I would like to ask Miss Lin, do you go by Lin or Mei?"
Mei Shuang paused for a moment, realizing why he might be confused.
When she had been saved by Jinghui by chance by the river, even though she hadn’t recognized his true identity at the time, he had recognized her. However, in his eyes back then, she was merely "Amnesia" Mei Shuang.
"My story is quite long. You can call me Mei Shuang, but there is still a distinction between us... To be honest, I know nothing about Miss Mei Shuang's past. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a sedan chair, preparing to enter the palace for marriage..." Mei Shuang explained briefly.
Jinghui nodded. "Yes, I can see that. If the previous Left Prime Minister's legitimate daughter, Mei Shuang, had been here, she would not have saved me; moreover, when she recognized me in Buddha Hall, she would have found a way to kill me."
Mei Shuang was speechless. "Uh... Did she hate you that much?"
Jinghui's dark eyes fixed on Mei Shuang, a subtle glimmer passing through his gaze. "She doesn’t hate me; she hates that I took away the person she longed to marry..."
"Took away?" Mei Shuang asked. "What do you mean?"
"Since you are not the previous Mei Shuang, I suppose I can share my story with you about the Emperor..." Jinghui said calmly.
"Wait," Mei Shuang interrupted Jinghui, "let's return to the previous topic. How did Miss Xi Ruo come out of Buddha Hall? Uh, did the Emperor not come looking for you?"
At these words, Jinghui lowered her gaze, her heart trembling; it was indeed her doing.
Yet this statement still felt like a knife cutting through her heart. The Emperor had sought her out, but did they still share the same feelings as before? Why did she feel so distant from him now that he stood right in front of her? That sense of distance was something only she could comprehend...
When she lifted her eyes, a faint mist seemed to rise within them, which Mei Shuang found puzzling.
"Why did you let the Emperor look for me? Don't you like him?" Jinghui asked, struggling to suppress the bitterness in her heart.
Why? Mei Shuang was momentarily at a loss for words.
She didn't understand why she had written down Chu Xiruo's whereabouts at the last moment and placed it in that bundle along with the Zhanlu Sword.
After a moment's thought, she replied lightly, "The one who liked the Emperor was the previous Mei Shuang. As for me, I think you are more suited to be with him... To be honest, since Mei Shuang forcibly separated you and the Emperor, I have suffered quite a bit... I felt like I couldn't go on living, so I thought it would be better to do a good deed and help you and the Emperor be together..."
Looking at Mei Shuang's clear face, Chu Xiruo's lips curled into a faint smile that seemed almost sorrowful. Her tone turned somewhat cold as she said, "Do you really think letting the Emperor look for me will bring us together?"
"......"
Mei Shuang suddenly didn't know how to respond. Her expression and words seemed to reflect that she had no fondness for her own act of selflessness.
Although there were many doubts in her heart, looking at Chu Xiruo's current situation, if it were truly as she wished for a happy ending, she would have long been together with Xiao Luo, so how could she possibly appear here?
After finishing the meal and paying the silver, Chu Xiruo said to Mei Shuang, "There is a nunnery outside Qizhou. I came here to burn incense and pray a long time ago. The abbot there is an old friend of my mother. I want to go there. If you don't mind, we can go together and chat along the way..."
Mei Shuang was naturally pleased; firstly, she was indeed out of silver, and secondly, Chu Xiruo's words and actions always made her feel strange, so chatting would naturally help clarify things.
The two of them walked to the outskirts, and by the time they arrived, dusk was falling.
At the halfway up a dirt hill, there was indeed a temple that appeared lonely and desolate in the sunset.
Upon reaching the temple, they could vaguely see a plaque reading "Cheng En Temple." It looked old and worn from the passage of time, yet the area in front of the temple was clean and tidy.
Chu Xiruo stepped forward and gently knocked on the door.
After a while, the door opened, revealing a young little nun dressed in gray robes. She looked somewhat puzzled upon seeing Chu Xiruo and asked, "May I ask who you are looking for?"
Chu Xiruo joined her hands together and softly said, "Jinghui seeks an audience with the Abbot."
Seeing that she was from the same sect, the little nun quickly went to report. After a short while, a middle-aged nun with a kind face and slightly plump figure came out. Upon seeing Jinghui, she looked her up and down for quite some time before incredulously saying, "Amitabha! Oh my goodness, isn't this Miss Xi Ruo? What... what happened to you?"
Chu Xiruo nodded and replied, "I have met the Abbot before. My current Dharma name is Jinghui. I have come here to humbly request the Abbot to take me in."
The Abbot quickly nodded. Noticing Mei Shuang beside her dressed in men's clothing, she became cautious and said, "Jinghui, we can accept you; however, there has never been a man in this temple. I kindly ask this benefactor..."
“Abbot, this is my friend; she is a woman who is just dressed as a man for traveling.”
“Oh... then come in and talk,” Abbot quickly ushered them into the temple.
The temple was not large, and its furnishings were simple. A few peach trees inside had already begun to bud, adding a touch of spring to the old temple.
After a few people sat down in the not-so-spacious west wing, Mei Shuang looked around and felt that everything was clean, giving her an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
Abbot kindly asked Chu Xiruo, “It’s been a while since we last met; I wonder how your mother is doing?”
In fact, Chu Xiruo was well aware of her current situation. If it weren’t for significant changes at home, how could a child born into a wealthy Noble Person family become a Nun?
Mentioning her family’s misfortunes made Chu Xiruo feel a pang of sorrow. She held back her tears and softly replied, “My mother has passed away...”
Though surprised, Abbot, being a practitioner, viewed life and death with detachment. After softly reciting “Amitabha” for a moment, he asked, “Which temple did you practice in before? You still have your hair unshorn; do you have unfinished worldly desires?”
Chu Xiruo rose and knelt before him, respectfully bowing her head as she said, “Jinghui originally followed the wishes of the Empress Dowager to practice in a remote Buddha Hall. Now that the Empress Dowager has granted me permission to leave, I have come to seek refuge with you, Abbot. Jinghui has no unfinished worldly desires; I only wish to accompany the Azure Lamp and Ancient Buddha for this lifetime and end my remaining days. I earnestly request that Abbot show compassion towards Jinghui...”
Abbot furrowed his brow slightly and glanced at Mei Shuang, shaking his head subtly. “Jinghui, please rise.”
He then instructed the Little Nun standing outside, “Help Jinghui to rest first; I have something to discuss with this benefactor.”
Chu Xiruo looked at Abbot in confusion. Seeing his serious expression and noticing that Mei Shuang was equally bewildered, she wondered what there could be for the Abbot to discuss with a complete stranger.
Chu Xiruo left, and the Abbot looked at Mei Shuang, a hint of complex emotions flashing in his kind eyes. That complexity quickly vanished as she smiled. "May I ask your esteemed name, benefactor?"
"Uh?" Mei Shuang was caught off guard by the sudden question and wasn't sure which name to give—Mei Shuang, Lin Yuxiang, or the name she used in Jiangnan, Shen Sujun. After a moment's thought, she said, "Lin Yuxiang."
"Oh?" The Abbot seemed to show a flicker of unexpected disappointment in his eyes upon hearing this. "How old are you, benefactor? Where is your home?"
"Um... well..." Mei Shuang shrugged, reluctant to answer the question. However, considering that the other party might be cautious about taking in someone with an unclear background, she understood and replied, "Master, I am an old friend of Miss Xi Ruo. As for my age, I'm about the same as her—just entering my twenties..."
The Abbot nodded, recognizing that the girl before him was quite vigilant and unwilling to share much. Not wanting to press her further, he decided to change the subject.
"Benefactor, I noticed some blue around your brow. Have you been injured?"
Mei Shuang was somewhat startled; this person was indeed remarkable to be able to tell that she had been hurt.
Not wanting to speak falsely in front of a true master, she nodded. "You are right, Master. I have been injured, but I am fine now."
The Abbot raised an eyebrow. "If I am not mistaken, while your injury seems healed on the surface, it has actually affected you internally. You often experience headaches, dizziness, and even palpitations, correct?"
Upon hearing this, Mei Shuang was completely convinced and looked at him with admiration. "Master truly has keen insight; I do have such issues. They come and go but are not life-threatening severe illnesses, so I haven't paid much attention to them..."
The Abbot nodded. "I can see that you are a broad-minded person and must have experienced quite a bit. If you are willing to heed my advice, it would be best for you to stay here for a while. It may benefit you. It's getting late; you should rest now..."
Upon hearing this, Mei Shuang was eager to comply. After bowing to the Abbot, she followed the Little Nun to another guest room.
On a night when the crescent moon hung like a hook in the sky, the air in the mountains was cool and quiet, making it a perfect place for seclusion.
After days of fatigue, Mei Shuang was finally able to sleep comfortably. After finishing her meal, she lay down on her bed, covered herself with the blanket, and drifted off to meet Zhou Gong in her dreams.
In the courtyard, the Abbot emerged from the Buddha Hall and passed by Mei Shuang's room. He glanced through the window and saw the moonlight illuminating Mei Shuang's sleeping face, which was pale yet serene.
The Abbot sighed softly and paused for a moment before entering her room.
After closing the door behind him, he lay down on the bed fully clothed but found himself tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
The image of Mei Shuang from earlier in the day lingered in his mind—her porcelain-like skin and her strikingly clear eyes.
He sighed deeply, "She really resembles someone... At just twenty years old, her age is right. The only thing that doesn't match is her name; even Xi Ruo knows her real name is 'Mei Shuang,' yet she insists on calling herself Lin Yuxiang?"
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