The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 110 Originally there was nothing.

Zhao Yungui had delicate features and flowing robes.

Beneath the ginkgo tree, green, fan-shaped leaves fell on his shoulders. The man wore a long blue-silver robe, and his face was covered by a veil, making his expression unreadable.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled and stepped forward a few steps. She first put her hands together in front of Abbot Miaofeng and bowed slightly: "Greetings, Abbot Miaofeng."

Both Master Miaofeng and Prince Ruiyang Jiang Buhuo were already in their fifties, but Master Miaofeng looked like a youthful man with white hair and vigorous spirit.

Abbot Miaofeng's calm eyes were like the still surface of an ancient well. He glanced at Jiang Jinshuang and then murmured a Buddhist chant.

"This humble monk greets Princess Zhaoming."

Jiang Jinshuang blinked slightly: "Does Master Miaofeng recognize me?"

Miaofeng looked at her with gentle and loving eyes: "His Highness Prince Ruiyang once brought His Highness here. His Highness looks very much like he did when he was a child."

Jiang Jinshuang smiled and said, "Master Miaofeng and Uncle Wang are close friends, so it is only right that I come to visit the abbot sooner."

Miaofeng smiled and waved his hand, then said to the Imperial Advisor beside him, "Yun Gui, please invite Your Highness in. I'll go pour some tea."

Zhao Yun bowed respectfully: "Yes."

With that, Master Miaofeng turned and walked toward the meditation room in the backyard of the temple.

Jiang Jinshuang watched the departing abbot of Miaofeng Temple, then turned to Zhao Yungui: "What are you doing here, Grand Preceptor?"

Zhao Yungui brushed the fallen leaves off his shoulder and said calmly, "I've come to visit my master."

"Master?" Jiang Jinshuang blinked. "You're Master Miaofeng's disciple?"

“I was a lay disciple,” Zhao Yungui explained. “Before I became the Imperial Preceptor, I came to Huguo Temple with the former Imperial Preceptor to study, and that’s where I met Master Miaofeng.”

Jiang Jinshuang nodded: "No wonder the Imperial Preceptor is so well-versed in Buddhist principles, so that's how it is."

Zhao Yungui didn't explain anything, but simply stretched out his hand: "Let's go, Master probably wants to talk to you."

Jiang Jinshuang understood and followed Zhao Yungui towards the meditation room in the backyard.

No peach trees were planted inside Huguo Temple.

But if you just look up towards the backyard, you can see the peach blossoms filling the courtyard outside the temple on the back mountain.

The further you walk, the stronger the fragrance of the flowers becomes. Tiny pink petals brush against the courtyard wall and fall onto the ground in the backyard, where several young monks are sweeping with brooms, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

Upon seeing Zhao Yungui, the group of young monks clasped their hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Greetings, Senior Brother."

"I've met senior brother."

"Hello, senior brother."

"..."

Zhao Yun returned each reply, his expression unchanged, serene and indifferent.

Jiang Jinshuang found it amusing: "When did the Grand Preceptor arrive at Huguo Temple? He seems to be of a high seniority."

Zhao Yungui looked ahead, seemingly unconcerned by Jiang Jinshuang's inquiring and curious gaze: "I don't remember very clearly, it should have been seven or eight years ago."

"Seven or eight years?" Jiang Jinshuang was shocked. "I didn't even know you back then, did I?"

With a slight brush of his fingertips across the intricate cloud patterns on his wide robe, Zhao Yungui said calmly, "Probably."

Jiang Jinshuang was very curious about Zhao Yungui's past, and being a restless person, she kept asking Zhao Yungui questions.

"Did the Imperial Preceptor also study Buddhism back then?"

"want."

"Was Master Miaofeng strict with you? Did he ever hit your palms with a ruler?"

"……Won't."

Jiang Jinshuang put her hands behind her back, still curious: "Doesn't Buddhism emphasize that the body should be like a Bodhi tree and the mind like a clear mirror? Grand Preceptor, you wear an eye veil, is that also for this kind of practice?"

Several monks walked by with brooms in their hands, and they all bowed to Zhao Yungui in Buddhist salutation.

Some of the monks weren't holding their brooms properly, and Jiang Jinshuang wasn't watching where she was going, so she tripped over one of the brooms.

"Beware!"

Zhao Yungui frowned slightly, stepped forward, and wanted to help her up.

Jiang Jinshuang took a few steps back and stood firmly on her feet.

She smiled nonchalantly at Zhao Yungui and said, "It's nothing."

Seeing this, Zhao Yungui pursed his thin lips, flicked his robes, and continued walking forward. Jiang Jinshuang followed him.

"Your Excellency, you haven't answered my question yet."

"what is the problem?"

"The body is like a Bodhi tree, the mind like a clear mirror. Has the Grand Preceptor achieved this?"

Zhao Yungui kept his eyes fixed ahead.

The blue-silver robe he wore today was embroidered with intricate patterns in silver thread, which shimmered in the sunlight.

—Like a sage with an air of otherworldly grace.

The peach blossoms outside the back hill are blooming too brightly.

It was so bright that he found it dazzling.

Petals from outside the hillside drifted down and landed on his shoulder.

This time, he didn't brush the petals off like he would leaves; instead, he picked up the fallen flowers from his shoulder and placed them in his palm.

"Not yet."

After a long pause, he answered like this.

His tone carried a hint of helplessness and compromise that Jiang Jinshuang couldn't understand.
-
The meditation room in the backyard.

After Jiang Jinshuang and Zhao Yungui entered the meditation room, they smelled a faint aroma of tea.

Master Miaofeng prepared tea, knelt on the futon in the main seat, and looked at Jiang Jinshuang with a smile.

Jiang Jinshuang also bowed slightly and knelt down opposite Master Miaofeng.

At the low table, Zhao Yungui and Jiang Jinshuang sat together, facing Master Miaofeng.

Looking up, Jiang Jinshuang saw a huge character "Zen" written on the hanging scroll behind Master Miaofeng.

Master Miaofeng smiled and pushed two cups of tea toward the two of them.

"These are newly sun-dried tea leaves from the back mountain of Huguo Temple this year. Please have a taste."

"Thank you, Abbot."

"Thank you, Master."

Zhao Yungui first picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Just as Jiang Jinshuang was about to pick it up, Zhao Yungui, who was standing to the side, reached out and pressed down on the lid of her tea.

Jiang Jinshuang looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Zhao Yungui said calmly, "Second brew of tea."

Jiang Jinshuang wasn't that delicate.

She shook her head dismissively, and Zhao Yungui, seeing this, slowly moved his hand away.

Jiang Jinshuang took a sip of tea.

The tea trees on the back mountain are all wild, blooming alongside peach blossoms year-round, adding a touch of the peach blossoms' refreshing and bittersweet flavor.

It has a refreshing taste, which is quite interesting.

Miaofeng smiled and looked at Jiang Jinshuang: "In previous years, His Highness Prince Ruiyang really liked the tea leaves grown on the back mountain. Years ago, he even sneaked off to the back mountain to pick tea, but was discovered by the monks guarding the mountain and was beaten all the way with a carrying pole."

When the topic of Prince Ruiyang came up, Miaofeng's expression became even more kind, and his gaze toward Jiang Jinshuang carried a hint of junior's benevolence.

"Your Uncle Wang is a very good person."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang put down her teacup, her eyes clear and righteous: "Master Miaofeng, regarding Uncle Wang's affairs back then... how much do you know?"

Miao Feng's smile faded slightly.

“I have a general idea of ​​what Your Highness wants to ask,” Miaofeng paused, then looked at Jiang Jinshuang with a gentle but firm expression, “but I cannot say.”

"Why not!?" Jiang Jinshuang's tone was somewhat agitated, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on the teacup.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yungui said in a clear voice, "Your Highness."

Jiang Jinshuang took a deep breath, realizing she had spoken out of turn. She calmed herself down before speaking again: "Master Miaofeng, what happened back then is very important to me. If the abbot truly knows anything about it, please tell me."

Upon hearing this, Miaofeng simply lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea.

He spoke softly, "What does Your Highness think of the Grand Preceptor?"