Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 434 Reunion
Mother Yu instructed people to move the boxes she had brought into the temple.

Xie Yuyan looked at Yan Sui. The young monk was still very thin, but he had grown quite a bit taller. He was still wearing monk's robes, but they were no longer covered in patches.

Yan Sui looked at the box.

Xie Yuyan smiled and said, "These are monk robes and shoes prepared for you and Master Zhiyuan."

"And there are books prepared for you."

As they were talking, Master Zhiyuan walked over, and Xie Yuyan immediately performed a Buddhist salute.

“Master looks to be in good spirits,” Xie Yuyan said with a smile. “I saw the notice in front of the temple. The temple will be holding a water and land ceremony in two days. If you need any help, Master, just let me know.”

“Amitabha,” Master Zhiyuan subconsciously refused, “I lack nothing, thank you for your concern.” Madam Xie’s belongings were hard to carry, and he didn’t know when she had taken the wrong things again.

Xie Yuyan saw through Master Zhiyuan's thoughts and couldn't help but smile: "Then I'll prepare some offerings..."

Master Zhiyuan replied, "The benefactor has already prepared the Buddhist porcelain; the temple will arrange the rest."

Master Zhiyuan regretted his words as soon as they were spoken. Why had he brought up Buddhist porcelain again? It seems he really does say what's on his mind, always making things worse even when he should have avoided the topic…

Xie Yuyan's smile deepened; with her master and grandmaster here, her heart felt warm.

“I also prepared monk’s robes for Master Zhiyuan.”

Madam Yu instructed the servant, "Move the trunks to the abbot's meditation room."

The young novice monk led the way, while Xie Yuyan and Yan Sui chatted as they walked, their familiar demeanor resembling that of a family.

Seeing this, Master Zhiyuan could only sigh inwardly and follow along.

Just then, Madam Yu walked up to Master Zhiyuan and whispered, "When Madam left Daming Prefecture, she missed Master and the young monk very much. Madam is such a Buddhist, yet she never came to Yunqi Temple even once after arriving in Bianjing. Now that Baode Temple has moved to the capital, Madam can come more often."

Master Zhiyuan's heart sank. Sure enough... before he could even settle into his seat, people started entering the meditation room. Besides, did Madam Xie really like Buddhist meditation? Her visits to Buddhist temples were far less frequent than her arson.

Madam Yu said, "Could we find a meditation room for my mistress, just like in Daming Prefecture? It would be good for her to have a place to discuss the sale of Buddhist charcoal with the master."

What's meant to happen will happen, Master Zhiyuan sighed again, twirling his prayer beads in his hand: "There are some empty meditation rooms in the temple. I'll have the novice monk take the virtuous person to choose one in a little while."

Madam Yu said, "Then thank you very much, Master. Some of the boxes and trunks we brought this time need to be put in the meditation room." Madam Yu was unaware of her preparations, so it was always better to be prepared than not.

Yan Sui was also talking to Xie Yuyan, discussing what he had seen and heard on the road and the situation in the temple.

“This Yunqi Temple is not simple,” Yan Sui said. “I found several cellars, which should have been used to store valuables.”

As he spoke, Yan Suizhong took something out of his pocket and handed it to Xie Yuyan; it was a coin.

Xie Yuyan reached out and took the silver, then silently put it back into the purse at her waist. When she had drugged Jingxuan earlier, she had taken a lot of money from the temple, which Jingxuan and Mingzhen had saved to send to the Demon Sect.

The demonic sect was in turmoil, and no one could say for sure where the money went.

She used the money to prepare for the dyeing workshop at Ciyun Temple.

Yan Sui had followed his master for many years, but he hadn't learned anything else. His skill in being stingy was unparalleled. A single piece of silver could buy a lot of things, and normally he would never give it to anyone else. But Madam Xie was different. Seeing that Madam Xie had put the silver away, he realized that he couldn't casually mention finding the silver to outsiders.

"I'll look again," Yan Sui said in a low voice, "and give it to Madam if I find it."

Xie Yuyan reached out and smoothed Yan Sui's hair: "Don't go to the cellar too often. If you accidentally get locked in there, Master Zhiyuan will worry. The offering table in the temple is too high, so be careful when going up and down."

Yan Sui nodded in agreement: "I remember everything you said, Madam."

Upon arriving at the meditation room, Xie Yuyan had another box opened and showed Yan Sui the books, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone inside.

Yan Sui discovered that these books were not Taoist scriptures.

“Now that things are settled, you don’t have to spend all day engrossed in Taoist scriptures,” Xie Yuyan said. “In Bianjing, children your age all go to academies.” Yan Sui was somewhat puzzled: “Academies? The students there… are all about our age?”

Xie Yuyan nodded: "Besides studying, they also learn Cuju (ancient Chinese football), polo, and archery."

Yan Sui's eyes gradually brightened.

Xie Yuyan said, "If you have time, you can go with Qin Ge'er to take a look. In a few days, people from Daming Prefecture will come, and you can tell them what you see and hear."

Yan Sui asked, "Will Granny Li and the others come too?"

Xie Yuyan said, "Grandma Li is getting old and might find the journey too tiring, so she might not come. But many people from the market will come."

Upon hearing this, Yan Sui immediately nodded: "Then I'll go and see what the academy is like."

Monk Zhiyuan's gaze fell on Xie Yuyan. In the past, he and his master had not been able to get enough to eat. His younger disciple was worried about him, so he thought he should learn more skills so that he could take him to a Taoist temple when the temple could no longer be lived in.

There's no need to think about these things now; it's indeed time to make some other plans for my little apprentice.

Madam Xie directly told Yan Sui to go to school, but he wouldn't agree. However, after seeing the academy, he might change his mind.

"Amitabha." Monk Zhiyuan put his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer. Madam Xie had put a lot of thought into Yan Sui.

As the group was talking, the young novice came to report again: "Abbot, people from the imperial court have arrived."

He naturally had to see the officials from the imperial court, as Zhiyuan had come to the capital at the emperor's summons.

Just as the monk Zhiyuan was about to leave the meditation room to greet the visitor, the visitor had already reached the door.

When the monk Zhiyuan looked around, he saw familiar faces and familiar scenes, as if he had suddenly returned to Daming Prefecture.

Wang Yan's gaze fell directly on Xie Yuyan. Their eyes met, and everything was understood without a word.

Monk Zhiyuan's throat itched, and he couldn't help but cough. He said he came to see them, but his true purpose was obvious.

"Wang the Benevolent!" Yan Sui exclaimed with joy once again.

Wang Yan said, "The Emperor remembers Master Zhiyuan and specially sent me to the temple to see him and to inform him that on the day of the Buddhist ceremony at the temple, the imperial court will send an imperial edict and a plaque."

The monk Zhiyuan then performed the Buddhist ritual.

Wang Yan came only to deliver a message: before he knew Xie Yuyan, he would drink tea and play chess with Zhiyuan, but things are different now.

Zhiyuan looked at Yan Sui: "Go and have someone prepare a vegetarian meal."

Yan responded and happily ran out.

Monk Zhiyuan also needed to find an excuse to leave; he wanted to avoid spending too much time with these two, lest...

“There’s no need to avoid mentioning the Master,” Xie Yuyan said. “There might be some mistakes when enshrining the relic box, so it’s best to let the Master prepare in advance.”

Wang Yan looked calmly at Xie Yuyan, leaving the decision to her.

Mother Yu closed the door to the meditation room.

Xie Yuyan then asked, "Will Xie Yizhi come that day?"

Wang Yan said, "I will find a way to get him to the temple to witness the ceremony."

"Xie Chengrang has noticed you long ago and will not miss this opportunity."

Xie Yuyan nodded: "Since they've all come, I don't need to hide it anymore. I'll just meet them at the temple."