Chapter 60 Talk Through
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After Second Master Cheng stepped down from his post in Bing-zhou, he was supposed to be promoted according to regulations. However, the Ministry of Personnel had been slow to respond. Although he asked several people to inquire about it, the only response he received was to be patient, as this time the promotion was certain. But without seeing the official appointment, he still felt uncertain. Recently, definite news finally came that he would be appointed as the inspector of Laiyang Zhou.
Although both were inspector positions, Bing-zhou was a lower-ranked prefecture, while Laiyang was a mid-ranked one. This meant a promotion from the lower fourth rank to the official fourth rank, and Laiyang was a prosperous and peaceful area.
However, the bad news was that someone else was also eyeing this position.
“We do have some influential people in the court,” said Second Madam Cheng. “Isn’t your teacher, Zhang Chun, at the Imperial Academy? Ask him to recommend you.”
Zhang Chun was not an official but a renowned scholar who ran a private academy with three thousand disciples and a great reputation.
“Yes, I was thinking the same. I’ve already written to him, and we should hear back soon,” said Second Master Cheng.
“Your teacher’s father is here, and it happens to be during the festival. You should go see him,” said Second Madam Cheng.
Second Master Cheng nodded.
“Of course, but the old master never receives guests,” he said, frowning with worry. “It’s really troubling.”
“Then just go several times. He won’t always refuse to see you,” said Second Madam Cheng.
“Alright, let’s eat,” said Second Master Cheng, kneeling and picking up his chopsticks.
But Second Madam Cheng didn’t move.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Second Master Cheng asked.
Second Madam Cheng looked at the dishes on the table and sneered.
“Since someone doesn’t want me to eat, why should I?” she said.
What’s going on now? Second Master Cheng was completely baffled.
That troublesome fool had already been sent away, so why did it still seem like the household couldn’t find peace?
In the Xuan-miao Temple, the maid folded the freshly washed clothes.
“Miss, the old man didn’t bring any ingredients today. What would you like to eat? I’m going to town later. The old man said he wanted to eat Tai Ping buns. I’ll make some for him and deliver them, then buy some vegetables and meat,” she asked.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked up.
“He hasn’t come these past few days?” she said. “It’s a pity; he picked good fruits, vegetables, and meat.”
She pondered for a moment.
“Is there really no one else coming to offer themselves (to us)?” she asked.
The maid knew that her mistress spoke and thought slowly, so she had to wait a bit. She didn’t expect to hear such a remark, which made her laugh.
Miss rarely laughed, but sometimes her words were inadvertently funny, especially since she didn’t laugh herself and spoke as if she were serious.
“I am serious,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
The maid covered her mouth and laughed.
“Yes, yes, I won’t laugh,” she said, unable to stop smiling.
Cheng Jiao-niang didn’t understand what was so funny, so she simply ignored it.
“I’m stupid and can’t choose good vegetables and meat,” the maid said, laughing and then blaming herself.
“It’s not that you’re stupid,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “It’s because your mind isn’t focused.”
“Miss, I wouldn’t dare to be lazy,” the maid said, startled, and hurriedly added, “I carefully select everything.”
“It’s not that,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, and then sighed.
The maid didn’t understand and looked at her worriedly, not daring to speak further.
The room was quiet for a moment.
Her limbs were more or less agile now, but her speech had hardly improved; her tongue remained stiff.
No rush, no rush. It doesn’t matter how much you say, as long as you get the point across.
“You don’t know what you want to eat because you don’t feel like eating, so you can’t think of what kind of food or flavor you want. This is being absent-minded, not that you aren’t attentive to me,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, looking up at the maid.
The maid was relieved but then her eyes reddened slightly.
“Miss, I am dull and still need your guidance,” she said, bowing her head to the ground.
“That is because you are willing to listen to my guidance,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, pressing her lips together. “So, at this moment, you are being attentive. If a person isn’t attentive, they only hear what they want to hear, which is called being biased.”
The maid looked at her and nodded seriously.
“Thank you for your teaching, Miss. I understand what it means to be attentive now,” she said, bowing again and then kneeling upright. “So without the carefully selected ingredients, please think about what you want to eat, and I will attentively prepare it for you.”
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at her and pressed her lips together again, this time with a slight smile at the corners of her mouth.
“Anything made with care will be delicious,” she said.
The maid smiled as she stood up.
“Miss, just wait and see,” she said, turning and exiting with a smile.
Abbess Sun had been sitting in the room for quite a while. The two disciples outside who had come to deliver food exchanged glances.
“What’s wrong with Abbess? Since coming back from the mountain, she’s been sighing and looking troubled. Is there some kind of worry?” they whispered. “Could it be that the money for repairs isn’t enough?”
One of the disciples nodded.
“Just decorating that room cost much more than the repairs,” she said in a low voice.
“Why would a fool use such good things?” the first disciple said, surprised, almost shouting. “It looks like we won’t be getting new robes.”
She said glumly.
No wonder the abbess hadn’t mentioned the clothing issue.
At that moment, the door to the room opened, and the abbess stepped out, but then stopped and retreated.
“Abbess, what’s the matter with you?” the two disciples asked directly as they followed her inside.
“I’m thinking about a major issue related to our temple, but I’m not sure if it will work out,” Abbess Sun said, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“What is it? Tell us, and we can all think about it together,” the disciples said, kneeling in front of her and disregarding the food.
Abbess Sun hesitated for a moment.
“I think we have a good opportunity to make our temple famous,” she said.
Making the temple famous is, of course, a good thing, and the two disciples were quite pleased.
“Abbess, what is this opportunity?” they asked eagerly.
Abbess Sun hesitated.
“Vegetarian meals,” she said.
The two disciples exchanged glances.
Making a name for the temple with vegetarian meals was not unusual. There’s already a ready example in Jiang-zhou, which was the Wan-ning Temple in the west of the city.
Initially, a famous chef, who had renounced worldly desires and entered the Buddhist path, went to the temple. After immersing himself in the teachings, whether his understanding of Buddhism improved or not was unknown, but his culinary skills soared. First, the monks praised his cooking, then the patrons did, and gradually, his fame spread. Today, patrons waiting for a vegetarian meal had to queue up, showing the extent of his renown.
While vegetarian meals were free, few people would eat them without contributing to the merit box. The key was that fame attracts people, and as popularity grew, the fame grows even more, creating a cycle. Thus, Wan-ning Temple’s reputation remained illustrious and its incense offerings abundant.
Such chefs who have renounced worldly desires were rare, and opportunities like Wan-ning Temple’s were even rarer.
“Our vegetarian meals?” The two disciples gave a wry smile. “Abbess, today we barely managed to add a bit more oil and seasoning. Who would want to eat that?”
“Our meals obviously aren’t good enough,” Abbess Sun said, looking toward the door. “So, we need to learn.”
Learn?
“Learn from whom?” the disciples asked.
“Ban Qin,” Abbess Sun said.
“Is Ban Qin’s cooking really that good?” the disciples asked.
Abbess Sun smiled.
“Do you really think that old man came all the way up the mountain just to rest?” she said. “It was actually for the food that Ban Qin prepared.”
The disciples understood.
“But they are moving up the mountain. We can’t keep going to them for their meals,” Abbess Sun sighed.
“Then why can’t we ask Ban Qin if she can teach us?” one disciple suggested.
“Is that possible?” Abbess Sun hesitated; this was what she had been troubled over for half a day.
“Why not? Ban Qin is a kind person; she will definitely agree,” the disciple said.
Ban Qin was kind, but the key was that she’s not the one in charge.
Abbess Sun remained silent.
“I don’t dare…” she murmured.
The disciples were very surprised.
“Why not? Ban Qin is very easy to talk to. What’s there to be afraid of?” they asked, puzzled.
“I’m afraid,” Abess Sun murmured, “if she gets unhappy, our temple might have to change its name too…”
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