After the snow, the sky cleared. The sun shone on the snow-covered ground, reflecting dazzling white light. The entire world was illuminated brightly—not just the corners where sunlight couldn’t reach, but even the darkness at the bottom of one’s heart felt a trace of light.

Yun Ye felt he might have developed a psychological problem. When others laughed, he laughed too. When others cried, he cried depending on the situation. He always felt he could only react after seeing others make various reactions, like a half-wit.

Xiao Ya climbed on his back and wouldn’t come down. No matter, let her ride. The little girl didn’t weigh much anyway. However, this upset the other little ones, who all pouted. As a result, they each received a slap from the old lady and became obedient, quietly climbing into the carriage.

The custom-made carriage Yun Ye had built at public expense in Longyou was delivered back to the residence by his subordinates last night. The household carpenter called it a divine work—an axle forged from hundred-times-refined steel, with four elastic thin steel plates riveted on top. A set of bronze bearings held the axle, allowing it to rotate smoothly. The wheels woven from ancient rattan were both light and reduced bumps. The carriage interior was padded with something unknown that was both soft and lightweight. According to the military officer who delivered it, the marquis had ridden this carriage all the way from Longyou back to Chang’an—over two thousand li without much breakdown. Throughout Chang’an, there were plenty of carriages more luxurious and magnificent than this one, but few more comfortable. After seeking Yun Ye’s approval, his aunt who managed the household designated it as the Yun family head’s exclusive carriage and assigned a highly skilled coachman to specially maintain this vehicle.

The old lady, holding Xiao Ya, climbed into this carriage pulled by two horses. The marquis household’s ceremonial regulations stipulated that the family head’s carriage must be drawn by two horses. Yun Ye mounted the mare that had always been his mount, following beside the carriage. Liu Jinbao and Zhuang Santing opened the way ahead. Four male servants held flags and banners. Four maids carried incense burners. Eight guards flanked each side. The grand procession set out for the Temple of Mercy and Grace.

In fact, the Great Temple of Mercy and Grace wasn’t far—just south of Chang’an City. Passing through Vermillion Bird Boulevard and circling around five wards, they arrived at the Temple of Mercy and Grace. At this time, the Temple of Mercy and Grace was far from the magnificent and imposing structure of legend. It wouldn’t be expanded by imperial decree from Emperor Li II until the twenty-second year of Zhenguan, then renovated by Li Zhi. Only after Monk Xuanzang built the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda did it become one of the four great translation sites and the birthplace of Buddhism’s Faxiang-Weishi school.

The area around the Temple of Mercy and Grace was a poor district. The dilapidated ward walls, eroded by time, were in terrible condition. Yellow earth showed through, full of holes pecked by sparrows. At this moment, behind the small holes covering the walls, pairs of eyes watched with wonder at the Yun family’s lavish convoy, quietly commenting on which great family had descended upon this filthy place.

The ward official, dressed in brand-new clothes, had opened the ward gate early. The dust on the inner street had been swept clean. Several elderly people stood bowing to one side.

The old lady could sit still no longer. Pulling Daya and Xiao Ya, she descended from the carriage. When those old people saw the old lady, they hurried forward several steps but retreated under the ward official’s rebuke. Obviously, when the old lady was poor, she had been familiar with these old people. Now that she was wealthy, the ward official felt it would disgrace the Yun family’s official status for these poor old men to come forward and chat as before.

“Elder Brother Liu, Elder Brother He, Daquan, Renzhu—don’t you recognize your old sister anymore?” The old lady, disregarding everything, still used the old forms of address. Her face was full of smiles as she reached out to grasp a white-haired and white-bearded old man: “Elder Brother Liu, that year if you hadn’t carried Daya over the ward wall in the middle of the night to seek medical treatment for her, this girl wouldn’t be here now. Why have you become distant today?”

Daya and Xiao Ya had long since hugged the old man’s legs, calling “Grandfather, Grandfather” incessantly. Old Man Liu rubbed his hands on his legs several times and carefully picked up the two little girls. His eyes reddened, his mouth trembling, unable to speak. Daya pulled out a package of dried beef, picked up a piece, and stuffed it in the old man’s mouth: “This is what big brother brought for Daya from Longyou, so far, far away. It’s so delicious. Daya kept it for Grandfather all along. Is it good?”

Tears immediately flowed from the old man’s eyes. He worked hard to chew the dry, hard dried beef with his toothless mouth, nodding repeatedly.

Yun Ye had seen this kind of scene before and knew that once the floodgates of emotion opened, the distance of status would vanish completely. Sure enough, women hiding in their homes came out one after another, surrounding the old lady with endless chatter. The old lady’s face glowed red as she kept pulling Yun Ye here and there, showing off a few words to this one, boasting a bit to that one, fully satisfying her vanity amidst the neighbors’ envious and awed gazes.

Yun Ye straightened his clothes and dusted his sleeves, respectfully performing a proper salute to all the neighbors. The old men repeatedly said they dared not accept it. Yun Ye said seriously: “True friendship is shown in poverty. When the Yun family suffered calamity, all the women and children received the grace of assistance from you high neighbors. Yun Ye will never dare forget this for the rest of his life. Today, I have prepared modest gifts that cannot repay even one ten-thousandth of your kindness. I hope you will accept them.”

The servants behind pulled forward several large carts of gifts. Having been poor herself, the old lady naturally knew what poor families needed—several large carts of hemp cloth rolls, one hundred loads of grain, six fat pigs, and even charcoal that poor families rarely used. Salt and wine were naturally not lacking either.

Yun Ye rewarded the ward official with one tael of silver. He really couldn’t be bothered to carry copper coins all over his body. The ward official was so delighted his teeth showed but not his eyes. Since this was repaying kindness, they naturally had to bypass the government. Even semi-official personnel like the ward official had to be bypassed. Just hand everything to the leading elderly people to distribute. Several little girls were surrounded by children. Although their clothes were shabby and worn, they were in high spirits. Daya and Xiao Ya were distributing snacks to the children. Watching them hold the snacks and let their parents taste a bite, Yun Ye’s heart filled with sorrow.

Reluctantly bidding farewell to the neighbors, they continued toward the Temple of Mercy and Grace. After all, the current Yun family was no longer suited to mingling closely with the poor. It wasn’t that the Yun family was putting on airs—it was simply that the classes were different. The strictness of ritual propriety was not something Yun Ye, a newcomer, could break.

The Temple of Mercy and Grace was ahead—a dilapidated temple with impoverished monks standing outside the temple gate in the cold weather, waiting respectfully. The old lady told the coachman to speed up, fearing the several masters would freeze.

Monks generally called themselves “poor monks.” Look how poor this great master was—draped in a gray monk’s robe, his bald head frozen blue-green in the bitter cold. Behind him followed several eminent monks, truly thin and tall, their robes covered with patches, hands pressed together in reverence to the Three Treasures. After Yun Ye helped the old lady down from the carriage and came forward to pay respects, they couldn’t even complete a full “Namo Amitabha.” After the old woman and the elder finished their greetings, led by the elder, the whole family proceeded grandly into the Temple of Mercy and Grace.

The Great Hero Treasure Hall wasn’t large either—no more than two zhang high. The cramped Buddha could only have his head brushing the ceiling. The gold paint on his body was mottled and peeling, as if afflicted with a skin disease. Such a dilapidated temple—no more than five monks, no more than one hall, no more than three Buddha statues, occupying only ten mu of land—made it impossible for Yun Ye to connect it with the later Great Temple of Mercy and Grace. Xuanzang’s trip to India truly yielded enormous returns. Never mind the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda that would later become a landmark of Xi’an—even the remnant buildings that survived war and natural disasters were incomparable to this Temple of Mercy and Grace.

The old lady presented offerings. Yun Ye seemed to see the monks drooling and faintly heard rumbling sounds from their stomachs. Good Lord, this kind of temple made the old lady revere it like a deity? If you’re going to deceive people, at least invest some capital! Hadn’t he seen temples in later eras where, regardless of whether Buddha was efficacious or not, they first charged admission—otherwise you couldn’t see Buddha? Those so-called monks treated Buddha like monkeys in a zoo—buy a ticket to observe—arousing not a trace of respect. The people in this world who least respected Buddha were those so-called monks.

Fortunately, these monks were still professional, persisting in conducting the entire vow-fulfilling process. The old lady knelt devoutly on the prayer cushion, murmuring continuously, fearing that the slightest disrespect would incur Buddha’s blame.

Not only the old lady—those relatives who had suffered hardship were also extremely devout. Before coming, they had bathed, changed clothes, and dressed up. Each one had a large peach-shaped hairstyle on her head. After asking, he learned this was the most popular Hu people hairstyle this year. They worked hard to make themselves look pleasing to Buddha, hoping he would bestow some good fortune.

Eight children of various ages imitated the adults, closing their eyes and reciting “Amitabha,” their devout appearance arousing great compassion.

So be it. Yun Ye sighed deeply and knelt before the Buddha statue to thank Buddha for giving him such family members. What Heaven had taken away, it had returned to him. Heaven had not treated him poorly. This bow was not to these clay sculptures and wooden carvings, but a prostration to the wonder of fate and the warmth of family.

Sure enough, from ancient times to the present, there was an unchanging process—giving money. A full chest of copper coins, ten bolts of hemp cloth, twenty pairs of monk shoes, twenty sets of monk robes, fifty shi of grain, and countless incense candles and vegetable oil. Excitement appeared on the old monk’s face, which had been as calm as an ancient well. Presumably he was rejoicing—this winter would be manageable.

The old lady had settled a matter on her mind. Surrounded by grandchildren on all sides, she smiled like Maitreya Buddha, her spirits remarkably high. Continuing like this, living another twenty years wouldn’t be a problem.

The horses were handed to servants. The old lady was entrusted to the maids’ care. The elders didn’t like showing their faces on the streets. The grandchildren’s generation had no such concerns. Daya had long since occupied the position on Yun Ye’s neck, happily making faces at her sisters.

Zhuang Santing and Liu Jinbao guarded the group of chattering girls of all sizes, striding forward to clear the way toward West Market.

Yun Ye wasn’t inexperienced with wide roads, but he’d never seen such a wide road—a full one hundred fifty meters wide and ten li long. At this time, if there were a World Cup, why rotate venues? Just hold all the matches on Vermillion Bird Boulevard together and be done with it.

At first, he thought his grand procession was quite eye-catching, but unexpectedly, everywhere were clusters of carriages and horses. Amidst fragrant clothes and shadowy figures, an unknown woman smiled charmingly, almost captivating Yun Ye. Seeing Yun Ye acting foolishly like a country bumpkin, the woman covered her mouth and laughed lightly.

Daya covered her brother’s eyes to prevent him from being bewitched by fox spirits and even bared her teeth at the woman. The woman laughed even more happily.

What a shame! Zhang Yimou got it wrong—there were no palace-dressed women exposing half a breast, only bloated women bundled up like pandas.

Yun Ye sincerely hoped that in summer these women wouldn’t wrap themselves up as tightly as in winter. After finally making it to the Tang Dynasty, at least give me some benefits!