Chapter 16: Xingzhi Temple (16)
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Xiao Fu himself didn’t like reading, but he had read Lin Zikui’s articles and knew he had great talent. Even the retired emperor, who had become a Taoist, was willing to mentor him.
There was no doubt he could pass the imperial examination, but as for whether he could become the top scholar…
Xiao Fu thought, with Emperor Wen Tai’s extreme temperament, Lin Zikui’s straightforwardness and lack of guile due to his young age would make him easy prey in the officialdom. During the palace examination, it would be easy for him to say something wrong, angering Emperor Wen Tai, which could result in the stripping of his titles at best or forty lashes at worst.
It seemed that Emperor Wen Tai couldn’t be allowed to preside over the palace examination.
Thinking this, Xiao Fu wrote another letter:
“Third Brother, your Junior Brother is in trouble. Come quickly to Xingzhi Temple on the Sixteen Caves Mountain.”
After writing, he rolled up the letter, tied it to a pigeon’s leg, and released it.
Xingzhi Temple was built halfway up the mountain, surrounded by Linqi River, whose surface was almost frozen, with cold air gathering at the peak.
Lin Zikui now couldn’t live without his “rabbit fur” coat.
Xiao Fu saw him wearing it all the time, without changing, and of course, he knew it was because Lin Zikui had no other clothes to change into. So he wrote another letter and sent it to the Duke Chang’s residence.
Before the homing pigeon could fly into the Duke Chang’s residence, it was intercepted by an imperial guard. The content of the letter confused him, but he still meticulously copied it word for word as per the emperor’s orders. After releasing the pigeon, the imperial guard took the letter back to the palace.
Kneeling in the imperial study, he reported, “Your Majesty, this is the secret correspondence between the Duke Chang’s residence and Marquis Dingbei.”
“Hurry, bring it here!” Emperor Wen Tai’s face was somewhat swollen and flushed, but he looked energetic, no longer in the pain he had been in a few days ago. Every time he wondered if he was completely cured, the poison would flare up, torturing him terribly.
Emperor Wen Tai spread out the letter, his expression suddenly fierce.
The letter read:
“Mother, I have no clothes to wear. I’ve lost weight recently, so I need smaller ones. Send some meat too, I’m hungry.”
Emperor Wen Tai was baffled: “Just this? Nothing else?”
The imperial guard kept his head down: “Nothing else.”
“Absurd!” He threw the letter down, slamming the table in anger. “The witchcraft incident must be related to Xiao Fu. How could it be such a coincidence! This letter must be a distraction. I should have realized earlier, Duke Chang and Prince Yunnan are in-laws! How could Prince Yunnan’s family be so compliant!”
At this moment, a eunuch entered quietly and approached Emperor Wen Tai: “Your Majesty, this servant has important news to report.”
“Speak.” He sat down irritably.
“The Empress Dowager sent someone to Miaojiang to find an expert in witchcraft. It’s said this Gu Master has a unique secret method to track the location of the mother bug. The person who holds the mother bug must be the one who cast the spell, Your Majesty!”
Upon hearing this, Emperor Wen Tai immediately stood up: “Quick, bring the person in!”
The eunuch then brought the person in.
“The humble servant greets Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty.”
The Gu Master was a small, dark old man who gave off the impression that his entire body was crawling with insects. Emperor Wen Tai hesitated, hiding his disgust, and said, “Gu Master, please rise. I have heard that you have a method to track down the person who cast the spell.”
“I do,” the old man said, pulling out a pitch-black jar. “This is the king of insects that I have raised all my life. No witchcraft insect in the world can escape its sense of smell.”
Emperor Wen Tai was overjoyed. “Excellent! If you find the culprit for me, I will reward you handsomely.”
The old man chuckled. “However, I need three bowls of blood from the person who was cursed to feed my insect king first. I wonder… if Your Majesty is willing.”
Emperor Wen Tai’s facial muscles twitched. “How dare you!”
The old man kept smiling and said, “Your Majesty, this is the only way. There is no other method.”
The implication was clear: either let out the blood or continue to suffer, there was no other choice.
Emperor Wen Tai gritted his teeth, glaring at him. “Fine, just three bowls of blood!”
“Lord, we’ve arrived at Xingzhi Temple.”
Tang Mengyang was sitting in the carriage, having just woken up. He lifted the curtain and got off the carriage, giving orders, “Bring everything down.”
He had brought some incense to burn and some items for Lin Zikui.
Tang Mengyang didn’t know where Lin Zikui lived, so he had to inquire inside the temple. A Taoist guided him, “Benefactor Lin lives in the Hall of Purifying the Heart in the backyard. Do you see that wish-fulfilling tree? Take the path down there and go west.”
Two servants were carrying a heavy box of the items he had brought.
When they arrived at the Hall of Purifying the Heart, Lin Zikui was wearing a pair of Ai Dai while studying. Mo Liu noticed them first and exclaimed, “Young Master, it’s Lord Tang!”
“Brother Tang?” Lin Zikui put down his book. Unlike Mo Liu, he wasn’t particularly happy and turned back to remind him, “Don’t mention anything about the Second Young Miss.”
Mo Liu nodded in agreement. Lin Zikui stood up and greeted, “Brother Tang, what brings you here?”
As he removed his Ai Dai, Tang Mengyang cheerfully entered. “I’ve come to see you. How is it here at Xingzhi Temple?”
Tang Mengyang immediately noticed the Ai Dai in Lin Zikui’s hand. “Hey? Brother Huai Fu, is that a pair of Ai Dai?”
Lin Zikui didn’t have time to put them away, so he nodded. “Yes.”
“Let me see, let me see. Where did you get such a rare item?”
“It was a gift from an esteemed person.”
“Really? What kind of esteemed person would give you such a precious item?”
Lin Zikui shook his head. “The esteemed person didn’t tell me their name.”
Tang Mengyang then put on the Ai Dai, saying, “I’ve seen Prime Minister Xue wearing a similar pair in court, but yours is a bit smaller and made of silver, whereas his is wooden. I’ve always been curious about what it’s like to wear these.”
Previously, when Yuanqing had craftsmen study and create these Ai Dai, he specifically instructed, “The material and size must be different.”
So Tang Mengyang never suspected anything, only feeling curious about who this esteemed person might be.
Since Lin Zikui avoided the topic, Tang Mengyang didn’t press further, but he did notice that Lin Zikui was wearing an expensive fur coat.
Tang Mengyang asked him, “When you wear these Ai Dai, can you see the words clearly?”
Lin Zikui nodded. “Yes, I can.”
“I see…” Tang Mengyang lowered his head, lost in thought. “That’s good, very good.”
After playing with the Ai Dai for a while, Tang Mengyang handed him the wooden box he had brought. “I brought this especially for you. See if you like it.”
When the box was opened, it contained clean, thick bedding, two new cloaks, various writing supplies, some snacks, and medicine. “These are from Physician Wang. I thought you might not have access to medicine here, so I brought them for you.”
Unnoticed, three heads appeared outside the door.
From top to bottom, they were: Yuanwu, Xiao Fu, and Jin Zun.
Yuanwu said, “It seems this Tang Mengyang is very good to Young Master Lin, so considerate, even bringing him snacks.”
Xiao Fu’s expression was very unpleasant.
What surprised him was that Lin Zikui, usually so polite, didn’t refuse the gifts. Instead, he accepted them and thanked Tang Mengyang.
Tang Mengyang: “There’s no need for thanks between us. What kind of relationship do we have?”
Xiao Fu’s face darkened further. “Isn’t this damned cut-sleeve sickening?”
Tang Mengyang: “I’m ashamed that I’ve been so busy these days and haven’t been able to look after you. It caused you to come to Xingzhi Temple. If you had come to me, you wouldn’t have had to come here. If you need money, you should come to me!”
Lin Zikui gently shook his head and said, “I don’t lack anything. Coming to Xingzhi Temple was my own idea; it’s peaceful here. Thank you for your concern, Brother Tang.”
Initially, Tang Mengyang didn’t believe him, but seeing the gleaming silver mink fur coat Lin Zikui was wearing and the coal in the room, he believed it. It seemed Lin Zikui had indeed met some esteemed person. He felt a bit uneasy and said, “In a few days, it will be the Laba Festival. The capital will be very lively, and there will be a poetry competition held by the scholars. However, I suppose you wouldn’t want to participate, would you?”
“Yes.” Lin Zikui nodded quietly. “You know, Brother Tang, I shouldn’t be in the spotlight. The lesson from the last time I was in the limelight is something I will remember for life.”
“Yes….. Yes, I understand. But don’t worry, this time in the imperial examination, I will support you. If you keep a low profile until the examination, no one will bother you.”
When Lin Zikui was only fourteen, he didn’t realize the examination hall was like a battlefield. He stood out at the poetry competition, embarrassing the noble families. Then, misfortune followed.
He accepted Tang Mengyang’s help for a reason.
Xiao Fu’s expression turned cloudy. “What does he mean by ‘the lesson from the last time in the limelight’?”
Yuanwu guessed, “Didn’t Young Master Lin come to Jinling for the examination three years ago? Something must have happened then. Lord, look at Young Master Lin, so young yet with such a mature and calm demeanor. I thought all scholars were like this, but thinking more carefully, if someone else achieved such success at fourteen and showed such talent at seventeen or eighteen, wouldn’t their pride be through the roof?”
Xiao Fu didn’t respond, just looked at Lin Zikui. Although he wasn’t wearing his Ai Dai, he seemed to sense something and looked over.
Two heads quickly ducked back, and Xiao Fu pulled Jin Zun’s hair to pull him back.
Tang Mengyang also glanced over. “Brother, is there something over there? You keep looking that way.”
“Nothing,” he said, retracting his gaze. “Brother Tang, would you like to tour Xingzhi Temple? I’ll show you around.”
“I’d love to.”
The two of them went out. Xiao Fu, not far away, squatted in a tree to eavesdrop. He heard Tang Mengyang speak sweetly, constantly praising Lin Zikui’s talent but also saying his character wasn’t suitable for being an official: “The officialdom is murky. If you want to be an honest and good official, it’s impossible. If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. If a person is too pure, they will seem out of place. You are so conspicuous, who will come close to you? How about not becoming an official? Come to my residence and be my advisor. My adoptive father trusts me greatly. When he passes, I have a good chance of taking over the position of the Prime Minister of the Cabinet.”
But Lin Zikui didn’t buy it and deflected tactfully, “I have a betrothal with the Xiao family. Without a title, how could Lord Xiao marry his daughter to me? Brother Tang, I know you mean well. You’re right; if the water is too clear, there will be no fish, but a person’s heart must remain clear.”
“Alright, I really can’t do anything with you.” Tang Mengyang raised his hand to brush the snow off Lin Zikui’s shoulder. Lin Zikui tried to dodge but didn’t manage to avoid it.
“What is he doing?” Xiao Fu was extremely furious. “Damn it, Yuanwu, go beat him up for me!”
Yuanwu clenched his fists tightly. “Alright, I’ve had enough of this too.”
Tang Mengyang had only one day off. He came and left on the same day. Yuanwu followed him, and on his way back to the capital, Tang Mengyang was ambushed, beaten black and blue, and left in just his underwear.
After Tang Mengyang left, Lin Zikui went to Wenchang Hall to burn incense. He spent twenty wen to buy a wish plaque and wrote a few lines in small script. He walked to the eight-hundred-year-old osmanthus tree, which the monks said had a twin tree whose whereabouts were unknown.
The osmanthus tree was tall and lush, providing ample shade. It was adorned with wish plaques left by other visitors, their red ribbons swaying gently. Because the tree was so tall, Lin Zikui had to climb the stone railing surrounding it to reach. Most visitors had to do the same.
However, climbing would dirty the fur coat given to him by the Second Young Miss.
Lin Zikui didn’t want that, so he stretched his arm and stood on tiptoe to hang the plaque. He could reach but couldn’t tie the red ribbon properly.
As Lin Zikui struggled on tiptoe, a hand reached out from behind him.
The arm was long, easily reaching up to take the wish plaque from his hand and tying it to a branch with an awkward knot.
Lin Zikui lowered his heels and looked up to find Xiao Fu’s chin resting on top of his head. Xiao Fu’s voice was low, “A wish, Lin Lang, what did you write?”
The angle made Lin Zikui feel dizzy for a moment, and he blurted out, “I wished to marry you.”
Xiao Fu’s chin brushed against his soft hair, and he laughed, “I thought so too.”
“Doesn’t saying it out loud make it not come true?” Lin Zikui looked regretful. “I shouldn’t have said it.”
Xiao Fu considered this. “You wrote that you want to marry Second Young Miss Xiao, right?”
Lin Zikui nodded. “I wrote Miss Zhao Ling. Xiao Zhao Ling.”
Xiao Fu nodded. “Then it will come true. Actions depend on people; sincerity makes it true.”
In the middle of the night, Xingzhi Temple was quiet, and everyone was asleep.
Xiao Fu came out with a lantern, placing it aside. He reached out and searched among the wish plaques on the osmanthus tree, finally finding the one Lin Zikui had hung earlier that evening.
The knot he had tied was quite tight and difficult to undo. He spent a long time on it, patiently avoiding breaking it, and finally managed to take it down.
Xiao Fu then saw what Lin Zikui had written.
“My wish is to be mutually affectionate with Miss Xiao Zhao Ling, to be of one heart, to be happily married, and to live in harmony.”
These words were straightforward and sincere. The carved lotus on the plaque, bathed in the moonlight, shone like stars, like the moon, like a dream, like a shadow.
Holding the plaque, Xiao Fu felt as if he had never held something so heavy. The weight pressed on his heart, lingering. “Such deep feelings, but a single word makes all the difference. Lin Zikui, you…”
After a long while, he took out a brush he carried with him, first erasing the words “Miss” and then the surname “Xiao.” Hesitating for a long time, he finally added a small “Xiao” in the gap.
With this alteration, the lines became:
Gods above, witness by the sun and moon.
My wish is to be mutually affectionate with Xiao Zhao Ling, to be of one heart, to be happily married, and to live in harmony.
Lin Zikui
Winter Solstice of the Year Yihai
Xiao Fu leaped up the tree with agility and hung the plaque high on a branch, far out of Lin Zikui’s reach, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to find or take it down.
Author’s Note:
Years later, Xiao Fu turned the tables and said: “Back then, you were the one who wrote my name, Xiao Zhaoling, on the wish plaque, wishing to be happily married to me.”
Ciacia/N: The surname Xiao from Young Miss Xiao is written differently from the Xiao in Xiao Fu.
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Absolutely loving this story! Thank you s much for your translation.