Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 144 Hairpin Flower
Monk Zhiyuan closed the box in his hand.

“Amitabha,” said the monk Zhiyuan, “I just remembered that there are still some things in Baode Temple that can be given to the worshippers.”

"Today the government office is taking away the method for making Buddhist charcoal and clay furnaces," Xie Yuyan said slowly. "Great monk, whether anyone will take advantage of this opportunity to make a profit depends on you, Great monk."

“You only have Baode Temple to rely on.”

The monk Zhiyuan pulled his hand back from the box.

Xie Yuyan said, “There will be people selling the same lifelike flowers at the foot of the mountain, but these flowers all come from the women in the village. I will teach them how to make them, and I will not take a penny of the money they earn. What do you think, Great Monk?”

Monk Zhiyuan was somewhat surprised: "You're not taking a single penny?"

Xie Yuyan nodded.

After a long pause, Monk Zhiyuan finally said, "Then aren't you... at a loss?"

Perhaps because she was in a good mood, Xie Yuyan couldn't hide her smile. She laughed again, and after a moment, she still spoke the truth: "No one in this world should worry that I will suffer a loss."

Monk Zhiyuan left the meditation room with two pieces of paper and the box in his arms. To be honest, he didn't know what riddle the two benefactors, Wang and Xie, were playing. It was clearly the same name, so why write it twice?

Water was boiling on a small clay stove in the meditation room. Wang Yan gently tapped the table, and Sang Dian came in from outside, handed over a small bamboo tube, and then closed the door and left.

Mother Yu was also waiting outside the door, and Xie Yuyan and Wang Yan sat facing each other on the prayer mats.

The water was boiled, and Wang Yan opened the bamboo tube and poured out the tea foam.

Xie Yuyan gazed at the verdant tea liquor, its fragrant aroma rising in the steam, instantly transporting her back to the past. Wang Huai would bring her fine tea when he obtained it.

His servant, having mastered the skill, could scoop out the fine tea froth and sprinkle it into the water, just like...

“The snow falls softly and profusely.”

Xie Yuyan observed carefully. She had actually been very interested in tea ceremony when she was young, but her grandmother later used it to temper her character. Once something becomes a means to an end, it loses its meaning.

However, she still enjoys watching others order tea.

The hand holding the teacup came into her view; the fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, steady and powerful, and the whisk was constantly moving, only causing slight ripples in the foam inside.

The tea soup was smooth and creamy, with a rich, milky mist rising from it. A cup of tea was ready and served to her.

Xie Yuyan also came to his senses. The person in front of him was not Wang Huai's tea-serving servant, but Wang Yan.

It's really rare to see someone like Wang Yan serving tea.

He casually asked, "Is there a complete poem about the abundant snowflakes?"

Xie Yuyan did not have the habit of stealing other people's poems, but after reading them so many times, he felt they were appropriate for the occasion and couldn't help but blurt them out.

Xie Yuyan shook his head and said, "I just think Lord Wang's tea is good."

"Then let's try it."

Xie Yuyan picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip. The tea foam had a milky aroma, and Xie Yuyan felt as if he hadn't tasted such delicious tea in a long time.

Today was really good; I found my master and even had a cup of tea.

A smile spread across her eyes, showing that she liked the tea.

Wang Yan handed over the bamboo tube, which Xie Yuyan took. The tea was good, but unfortunately, no one was serving it, so it lacked a certain flavor. It must be said that Lord Wang's tea-serving movements were exceptionally graceful and worth watching.

After serving the tea, Wang Yan continued, "Where's my lifelike flower?"

Xie Yuyan raised her eyes. Wang Yan was acting strangely today. She thought he was going to ask her why she wrote those people's names and how she guessed that they would pass the imperial examination.
Unexpectedly, he didn't mention it at all, and instead talked about unrelated things.

Xie Yuyan picked up a small wooden box from beside him, opened it to reveal dogwood inside.

"Sir, please take a look. Does this lifelike flower arrangement suit your taste?"

Wang Yan did not reach out to take it, but looked at it carefully. The dogwood was fine, but the jade plum was a little different.

Wang Yan asked, "Did you make this yourself, Madam Xie?"

Xie Yuyan shook her head: "I don't like doing these things. They were all made by the women in the village. But after I brought them over, I modified them a bit."

Wang Yan said, "Then why not change it to Yu Mei?"

He actually figured it out. Xie Yuyan didn't hide it: "Too much trouble."

Whether it was a misperception or not, Xie Yuyan seemed to see Wang Yan smile.

They did a perfunctory job, and they were too lazy to even make excuses to explain.

It seems that obtaining a complete lifelike flower is not easy.

"If I don't wear it, I don't know if it will suit my taste?"

Xie Yuyan nodded and was about to present the box to Wang Yan again when he saw Wang Yan suddenly lean forward and lower his head.

This scene was somewhat similar to her dream.

Her jet-black hair was neatly combed and sleek, and the bun on top of her head was held up by a single ribbon.

Wearing a flower in someone's hair is more a sign of danger than intimacy.

He seemed to know what she would choose. So when he lowered his head, a slight glint appeared in the depths of his eyes, a knowing look.

If she dared to drink the tea he ordered, he would dare to let her adorn her hair with flowers herself.

Xie Yuyan picked up the lifelike flower from the box.

The hairpin pierced through her hair bun, and the jade plum blossoms bloomed alongside the dogwood. The crown ribbon fell onto the back of her hand, trailing gently as it slid down.

The feeling of déjà vu suddenly became especially strong.

However, it still didn't remind her of anything.

"All right."

She straightened up again and looked at Wang Yan in front of her.

Rather than saying that the flowers in his hair made him look particularly handsome, it would be more accurate to say that the plum blossoms and dogwood truly blossomed when they were placed in his hair.

Xie Yuyan said, "It's suitable."

"Then I'll accept it."

As if intentionally making her look at him, he lowered his head again and drank his tea.

I do not know how long it has been.

Outside, Madam Yu coughed and said, "Madam, the carriage down the mountain is ready."

They needed to get to the pottery kiln; if they didn't get down the mountain soon, it would get dark.

Xie Yuyan put away the bamboo tube and stood up. Wang Yan also got up from the futon and went to the door to lift the curtain.

After watching Xie Yuyan board the carriage, Wang Yan turned around and walked back into the meditation room.

Monk Zhiyuan had not returned yet. After a while, Yan Sui brought in the vegetarian meal.

Yan Sui had met Wang Yan many times, and among his master's people, only this benefactor Wang was truly reliable. He always felt that the lives of the master and disciple rested on the shoulders of this benefactor Wang.

If they ever fall into decline, Lord Wang will be their savior.

Wang had treated him quite well; at least his gaze was gentle when he looked at him. But for some reason, today… Wang seemed a little strange.

So... Yan Sui didn't say anything, turned around and prepared to quietly leave the meditation room.

"Would you like to come to my place to find more books?"

Wang Yan's voice came from behind, and Yan Sui's face lit up with joy: "I want to."

“You can come down the mountain with me today,” Wang Yan said. “If you want to write, I can teach you.”

Yan Sui nodded repeatedly.

Wang Yan said, "However, there is one thing: you cannot give up reading and writing halfway, and you must not secretly take away the Taoist scriptures from my bookshelf."

(End of this chapter)