Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 381
Hearing the questions from the two women, Xie Wenjing smiled slightly in response.

Huang Si Niang wanted to get closer to Xie Wen Jing, so she said, "When the Empress Dowager was alive, she would come to Yunqi Temple together every year on the Empress Dowager's birthday."

“Some female relatives would also be selected to accompany them to worship Buddha. Once, my mother and my third sister came.”

“That was four years ago,” Huang San Niang said. “After the Empress Dowager’s health deteriorated, the Empress Dowager was unable to hold the meeting any longer.”

The Empress Dowager fell seriously ill and was bedridden four years ago. She passed away last spring. After the Empress Dowager's death, the Empress Dowager lost her spirit and never left the palace again.

Since this matter has been brought up, Huang San Niang looked at Xie Wen Jing and said, "I knew about Er Niangzi back then."

Xie Wenjing paused slightly in her teacup: "Before my grandfather passed away, I never returned to the Xie residence. You went to the countryside?"

Huang San Niang shook her head and said, "I have never met Er Niangzi, but I have seen the Buddhist scriptures that Er Niangzi copied."

“At that time, the steward from Old Madam Xie’s side came to deliver the scriptures. I happened to be copying the scriptures nearby, so I heard the steward talking to the nun,” Huang San Niang said. “Originally, the scriptures were copied by Old Madam Xie, but in the end, she caught a cold and could not finish. So she asked Second Sister to do it. I was wondering at the time, how come the Xie family has a Second Sister?”

"I thought I had misheard."

Xie Wenjing seemed to be recalling something, and after a moment she said, "I was always by my grandmother's side, and I did help her copy scriptures."

Huang San Niang laughed and said, "That's right. It turns out that I and Er Niang were destined to be together long ago without even realizing it."

After saying this, they fell silent for a moment and could only drink tea.

Huang Si Niang finally remembered: "So it turns out that a shop is going to be opened on the east side of the temple. I don't know what it will sell. When I came by carriage, I saw that there were quite a few people."

Huang Sanniang said, "Such a large-scale operation must be a big deal."

Xie Wenjing was clearly also interested in this: "I saw it when I came here; a pavilion has already been built on the east side facing the street."

"I heard from the monks in the temple that the renovations have only just begun, and the owner just wants to open the shop as soon as possible, without caring how much money it costs."

Huang Si Niang was someone who liked to inquire about information from all over the place, so she knew quite a bit about these things: "That building with the pavilion is a teahouse, and the open space next to it is going to be used as a perfume shop."

Xie Wenjing did not interrupt Huang Siniang, so Huang Siniang simply explained the perfume business to Xie Wenjing in detail.

“We can still go to that teahouse,” Huang San Niang said, “but we can only listen to the perfume shop.”

How could women possibly go to such a place?

“It would be good to go and see the teahouse,” said Huang Si Niang. “Although it’s not finished yet, the building looks quite special. I just saw a mule cart carrying a lot of ceramic bricks. If they were all covered up, I wonder how eye-catching it would be.”

Xie Wenjing frowned slightly, recalling what Abbess Mingzhen had said earlier, and said, "Yunqi Temple is a pure Buddhist place. I wonder why that merchant insists on doing business next to the temple?"

“I really do know that,” Huang Si Niang said with a smug look. “That merchant had people look around and found that if he did business here, he would make a fortune.”

"His family will also move their house here in the future."

Xie Wenjing looked somewhat surprised: "Is that so?"

“I don’t know about other places,” Huang Si Niang said, “Yunqi Temple must be a good place. It’s a place that the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine often come to, so it must be extraordinary.”

Huang Sanniang said, "However, since we are doing business outside the temple, we should donate more money for incense."

“When Third Sister was worshipping Buddha just now, I was talking about this with the monk,” Huang Si Niang said. “The landlord not only donated money for incense, but also plans to enshrine Buddha in his home. The landlord has arranged with the temple to hold a ceremony on the ninth day of next month to consecrate the incense in his home.” “In addition, they will also set up a soup kitchen for charity. Shall we come and join in the fun?”

Huang San Niang said, "I can't control that. Go ask your father and mother."

Huang Si Niang then looked at Xie Wen Jing: "How about Second Sister comes with us too?"

Xie Wenjing did not agree, but said, "The Empress Dowager's birthday is on the fifteenth of next month, and I'm afraid I still have things to do."

“There are still quite a few days left,” Huang San Niang said tentatively, “I’ll ask you then.”

They had finally managed to associate with Xie Erniang, so naturally they would do their best to secure the opportunity to travel together.

Xie Wenjing thought for a moment and nodded, "That's fine."

The three women talked for a while longer before the Huang sisters got up to take their leave. Before leaving, Huang Si Niang personally brewed tea for Xie Wenjing, showing her thoughtfulness in every way.

Xie Wenjing looked at the hot tea in front of her, a slight smile playing on her lips. She reached for the teacup, her skin on the back of her hand fair and delicate, no less so than that of the Huang sisters just now.

It's not easy to work hard away from home, but anyone can endure a life of luxury.

Xie Wenjing ultimately didn't drink the tea. Things sent by outsiders shouldn't be easily trusted. Some images flashed through her mind, and she took a deep breath, regaining her composure.

"Let's go and get a peace charm for the Princess," Xie Wenjing instructed the steward.

The stewardess smiled and said, "Why don't we bring one for the Prince as well? Since the Prince sent us a screen, we should give him something in return to express our gratitude."

"Let's send a sachet instead," Xie Wenjing said. "Put some calming herbs inside; the Prince will like that."

"Second Madam is very thoughtful. The Prince always praises Second Madam for her medical knowledge. He will definitely hang the sachet by his bedside when he receives it."

Xie Wenjing slightly raised the corners of her lips. The vast Prince's mansion lacked nothing, so catering to his preferences was the best approach.

Stepping out of the meditation room, I saw Master Mingzhen at the door.

Xie Wenjing put her hands together in a Buddhist gesture of respect.

Master Mingzhen entered the Buddhist order in her teens and was very famous at Yunqi Temple. When the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine came to the temple, they would invite her to preach the Dharma.

Xie Wenjing said, "I overheard the nun speaking just now. If there is anything I can help with, please just say the word."

“Amitabha,” Master Mingzhen chanted the Buddha’s name, “Benefactor, please have mercy. On behalf of Yunqi Temple, I thank you for your kindness.”

At this point, Abbess Mingzhen sighed, a hint of helplessness on her face: "There shouldn't be any shops around the temple. The abbot was too soft-hearted and couldn't resist people's repeated persuasion before he rented out the land... Now that's how it is, I just hope they won't disturb the peace of the temple."

Xie Wenjing nodded: "What the nun says is true. The Empress Dowager asked about the situation at Yunqi Temple a few days ago. When I copied the Buddhist scriptures and sent them to the palace, I also told the Empress Dowager about the situation at Yunqi Temple."

Master Mingzhen's face lit up with joy, but she quickly lowered her head and said, "Amitabha."

After the two finished speaking, Xie Wenjing seemed to suddenly remember something: "I wonder where the scriptures copied by the believers are kept?"

Master Mingzhen said, "They are all placed in the Sutra Repository. If you wish to view them, please have a monk lead the way."

(End of this chapter)