Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 458 Almost
Jingyuan truly admired Xie Yuyan.

The most powerful skill a person can possess is the ability to turn a conspiracy into a legitimate strategy.

Openly and honestly state what you want to do, and even in a face-to-face confrontation, you can stand up for your principles and leave the other party speechless.

As for scheming, that's even more common.

Just like that woman in Cining Palace, her every move is related to the lives of many people. If she wants to have a place in the life-and-death struggle, what's wrong with being more calculating?

However, there must be a bottom line.

Not selling goods prohibited by the imperial court was Xie Yuyan's bottom line.

There will inevitably be people who have no bottom line.

They would use smuggled salt and tea to exchange for considerable profits, and then bribe border residents and bandits.

The border regions and their inhabitants have their own rules. How can a caravan be expected to behave itself and abide by the law when the imperial laws cannot govern such areas? If a caravan were to do so, there would only be two outcomes: either they would lose both their money and their people, or they would be so terrified that they would never dare to set foot on the road again.

Jingyuan said, "Is my wife so confident? Just by upholding one more principle than others, can you be invincible?"

Jingyuan's bottom line is different from that of ordinary people. She has no compassionate thoughts. Even when she wears a monk's robe, she is not full of love for everyone, and she will not help people for no reason.

Someone like her, having witnessed far too much depravity, was no ordinary person. When working for the Cining Palace, her bottom line was that she could not afford to lose. Therefore, she would not use any means that might bring criticism upon the Cining Palace.

Therefore, she is not essentially a person who adheres to etiquette and laws. If Madam Xie wanted to move her with the Liang Dynasty court and the principles of etiquette and righteousness, she was putting her efforts in the wrong direction.

Jingyuan did not believe that Madam Xie telling her these things meant they shared the same interests.

To put it bluntly, they just wanted her to contribute to this matter. She didn't care how much she gave or what she would get in return; she only cared about what kind of person she was helping.

She wouldn't use her wit and methods on someone who is purely kind, has overly lofty ambitions, and is difficult to navigate in this world.

Not only does it not suit her temperament, but it may also bring endless trouble in the future.

Xie Yuyan was not stumped by Jingyuan's question. She said, "The abbot can see this as a bottom line set for those people..."

"Because as soon as they cross this line, they will be sent to the people who can punish them."

"That day...was their day of death."

Jingyuan's eyes suddenly narrowed. In that instant, she clearly saw a murderous aura in Xie Yuyan's calm gaze. Although the murderous aura was hidden invisibly, it could take a life at any time.

Jingyuan took a sip of tea and then looked at Xie Yuyan: "Since Madam Xie has already decided to donate medicinal herbs, there is no need to wait for the trade routes to open."

"After the border market opens, the Buddhist Registry will send monks to the frontier to spread Buddhism to the local people. Madam, why don't you let them take the pills with them then? Once the monks and local people have used the pills, they will know their benefits and will naturally look forward to the caravan going there."

Xie Yuyan nodded, but still looked at Abbess Jingyuan.

Master Jingyuan frowned slightly: "Doesn't Master Xie think it's enough?"

Xie Yuyan was slightly shy: "Actually, I don't know much about medicine, and I don't know which expert in Bianjing is good at making medicine?"

"We still don't know what kind of pills the border residents need?"

"There shouldn't be too many pills, two or three kinds are best. Too many would be considered peddling, and the border people don't know how to use medicine, so they might confuse the usage and cause trouble."

Master Jingyuan took a deep breath: "Isn't Mr. Xie asking for too much?"

Xie Yuyan shook his head: "This is the result of careful consideration. I have prepared everything else, except for this one..."

Are they the same?
It is clearly diverse.

Xie Yuyan continued, "I would appreciate the Abbess's help." Abbess Jingyuan suddenly remembered the abbot who had just arrived at Baode Temple. It seemed that being an abbot was not an easy job.

"The medicinal herbs are indispensable," said Abbess Jingyuan. "I can help you find the people, but you'll have to pay for it." This was her only bottom line.

It's absolutely impossible to both send people and spend money.

Xie Yuyan nodded: "Don't worry, Master, the medicinal herbs have been transported to the South City Wharf and can be delivered at any time."

Master Jingyuan stared at Xie Yuyan.

Xie Yuyan said, "It came along with the medicinal materials used for dyeing cloth, so it just so happens to be useful."

Master Jingyuan closed her eyes slightly. Could she really believe those words?
“Then let’s transport it to Baode Temple,” said Abbess Jingyuan. “Since it’s done under Master Huizhen’s name, it would be better to do it there.”

Actually, it's about out of sight, out of mind.

Xie Yuyan stood up: "Then I will go to Baode Temple now to discuss this matter with Master Zhiyuan."

Master Jingyuan twirled the prayer beads in her hand and gently waved her hand.

When Jingheng entered, she found Jingyuan bent over, searching for something in the inner room. Just as Jingheng was about to ask a question, she saw Jingyuan come back to her senses and hold a copper hoop lock in her hand.

Jingheng was very familiar with this lock; it was one of Master Jingyuan's favorite items. Only by turning all six copper hoops to the correct positions could the lock be opened.

However, the lock had some flaws when it was made, and it was sometimes working and sometimes not, but Jingyuan liked to challenge it.

Jingheng said, "Didn't you say the lock was lost?"

Master Jingyuan said casually, "I found it by accident just now."

Jingheng naturally didn't believe it; whether or not it was found was entirely up to her.

Xie Yuyan's carriage traveled from Ciyun Nunnery to Baode Temple in just a quarter of an hour. However, she felt particularly relaxed in the meditation room at Baode Temple, as everything inside had been arranged by her mother.

If Master Zhiyuan hadn't come, Xie Yuyan would have even wanted to start looking at the accounts in his hands.

As Master Zhiyuan entered, he immediately smelled the fragrance of incense emanating from Xie Yuyan, though it was different from the incense at Baode Temple. He had heard that Madam Xie had taken a liking to Ciyun Nunnery.

Why is this lady so engrossed in wandering around the Buddhist hall?
After exchanging Buddhist greetings with Master Zhiyuan, Xie Yuyan recounted the story of the pills in detail.

Zhiyuan's eyes widened: "This..."

“That’s a good thing,” Xie Yuyan said. “The border regions lack doctors and medicine. If the temple can prepare more emergency pills, it will definitely save many people.”

"Besides, it was also Master Huizhen's last wish."

Zhiyuan didn't know if it was Huizhen's last wish, but he knew that once the pills were in Xie's hands, who knew what kind of trouble they would cause.

He was very familiar with this approach.

“I’m afraid it won’t be that easy,” Zhiyuan said. “Even if we make the pills, it won’t be easy to send them to temples on the frontier.”

Xie Yuyan said, "What if the Buddhist Registry incorporates Baode Temple's medicine pills into the monastic community?"

“Well…we don’t have anyone who knows how to make medicine either, so we have to be careful…” Zhiyuan felt his words were cut off halfway.

Xie Yuyan said, "Master Huizhen's last wish is really difficult to fulfill, but if the people of the Imperial Medical Bureau are willing to help, then it will be a matter of course."

After arriving in Bianjing, Zhiyuan experienced many things and clearly felt that his Zen mind had become more tranquil, but now it was beginning to fluctuate again. He looked at Xie Yuyan before him, so who was Xie Benefactor deceiving this time?

There will be more tonight.