In Jinling, there was a young boy called Chen Wanquan. He lost his parents when he was five or six years old, and his elder brother and sister-in-law sold him as a servant to the wealthy Lin family, where he worked in an antique shop. Over time, he developed skills in appraising antiques and paintings. Being propertyless, no respectable family was willing to arrange a marriage with him. Yet he had standards of his own and wouldn’t settle for just any girl. At thirty, the master promoted him to Third Manager of the shop. A year later, the Lin family bestowed their grace upon him by giving him a third-class maid, Miss Xue, in marriage.

Miss Xue had originally worked as a seamstress for the second branch of the Lin family. Being quite beautiful and harboring competitive ambitions, she was resented by the senior maids who oppressed her, relegating her to menial tasks like watering flowers and sweeping. At twenty, she was casually married off. Miss Xue accepted her fate and, after marrying Chen Wanquan, devoted herself to managing their household. Though not wealthy, they lived comfortably without worrying about food and clothing. A year later, Miss Xue became pregnant and had a dream where thousands of orchids bloomed simultaneously, bathing everything in golden light. Upon waking, she visited the fortune-teller Madame Ma for interpretation. The fortune-teller declared she would bear a noble and beautiful daughter who would bring prosperity to her parents. Overjoyed, Miss Xue gave her a generous reward.

When Chen Wanquan heard that Miss Xue had given Madame Ma more than ten coins, he winced and sneered, “What noble and beautiful daughter? We’re both servants of the Lin family, and this child will be house-born. They’ll spend their whole life serving others like oxen and horses – how could they ever be noble? Fool, fool, you’ve been swindled.”

Miss Xue retorted, “How do you know our child is destined to be a servant forever? Stop speaking such discouraging words. If we have a son or daughter who achieves great success, wouldn’t that bring glory to you as their father?”

Chen Wanquan replied, “Yes, yes, I’ll just wait for you to bear this noble daughter. Best if she becomes an official’s wife, riding in grand carriages like the ladies of our household, wearing gold and silver, eating and drinking the finest things, with eight maids attending her – that would truly be the Chen family’s moment of glory!” He stormed out, letting the curtain fall behind him.

Miss Xue firmly believed the fortune-teller’s words and spent her free time making baby clothes while taking good care of her health. Months later, she indeed gave birth to a daughter. Because of Miss Xue’s dream, they named her Xianglan. Though Chen Wanquan had hoped for a son and was initially disappointed, seeing little Xianglan’s delicate beauty gradually filled him with joy.

However, the girl was born sickly. Before her first month was even complete, she fell ill. Just as she recovered, she caught a cold, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea until she was barely breathing. Anxious, Miss Xue hurriedly sought Madame Ma’s divination again. After casting coins and examining the hexagrams, Madame Ma said, “You must go southeast to find fortune and receive help from a noble person.”

Wiping her tears, Miss Xue walked southeast until she came upon Jingyue Temple. She knelt before the Buddha, kowtowing and making vows, crying for half an hour. Suddenly, a kind-faced elderly nun appeared and asked why she was crying. After Miss Xue explained, the nun contemplated briefly, inquired about Xianglan’s symptoms, and prescribed for her to brew at home. Miss Xue treasured this like gold, obtained the medicine, and gave it to Xianglan. Soon after drinking the medicine, Xianglan awakened. Miss Xue tried feeding her some milk, which she drank a little before falling into a peaceful sleep.

From then on, Xianglan improved day by day. Overjoyed, Miss Xue prepared fruits, cakes, and money for oil and candles, then carried Xianglan to Jingyue Temple to thank their benefactor. Only then did she learn that the elderly nun was the temple’s venerable Dharma Master, Venerable Ding Yi. After observing Xianglan briefly and asking about her birth details, Venerable Ding Yi stroked the child’s head and said, “This child has a connection with me. Why not make her my honorary disciple? Under Buddha’s protection, she will grow up safely and peacefully.” Miss Xue naturally agreed.

From the time she could remember, Xianglan spent time at Jingyue Temple, chanting sutras and practicing with the nuns. Venerable Ding Yi was greatly pleased by her simple and endearing nature, gave her the Dharma name “Chan Jing,” and taught her to read scriptures. Besides Buddhist texts, she also taught her the Four Books, Five Classics, and poetry. Xianglan proved intelligent and hardworking, with great perseverance, which greatly pleased Venerable Ding Yi. The venerable one had originally been the daughter of an official family but took refuge in Buddhism when her father, being upright in character, offended a powerful court official and their family fell from grace. After the wrongful case was rectified, Venerable Ding Yi found she preferred the serenity of Buddhist life to worldly affairs and refused her family’s wishes to return to secular life. She devoted herself to the Bodhi path, helping others without accepting payment, often distributing porridge and medicine, traveling far and wide, and gaining great wisdom. When Xianglan posed challenging questions, Venerable Ding Yi patiently answered and guided her. Within a few years, Xianglan became well-versed in literature and history, excellent in writing, and developed a profound understanding. She was especially talented in painting, often earning praise from others.

As time passed, Miss Xue had three more children, but none survived beyond two or three years. Thus, the couple had only Xianglan, whom they treasured like a precious jewel. When Xianglan turned fourteen, Venerable Ding Yi chose an auspicious day and instructed her to return to secular life. Xianglan, who shared a bond like a grandmother and granddaughter with Venerable Ding Yi, was extremely reluctant to leave. The venerable one said, “You are loyal and honest, though your temper is fierce. You must continue to cultivate yourself. Everyone has their karma, and you have worldly bonds yet unfulfilled. You cannot remain in Buddhism. When the time comes, return to conduct my funeral.” Tearfully, Xianglan replied, “I will surely come back to visit you often.” Venerable Ding Yi smiled silently and bowed farewell.

After returning home, Xianglan had little to do. Miss Xue wanted her to socialize with neighborhood girls her age, doing needlework together, but after two visits, Xianglan said, “They’re not my kind; there’s no pleasure in their company.” She stayed home helping Miss Xue with housework, spending her free time reading books, copying scriptures, and doing needlework to supplement the family income.

One day, as Xianglan sat on the heated kang by the window embroidering, she suddenly heard a commotion in the courtyard. A sharp voice shouted, “Who stole your clothes? Falsely accusing people in broad daylight – aren’t you afraid your throat will rot? Pah!”

“I saw you take my daughter Xianglan’s clothes with my own eyes! I had washed and hung them in the courtyard. You went to the kitchen once, and when you came out, you stuffed the clothes in your jacket before going inside!” The speaker was Miss Xue. Xianglan looked out the window and saw her mother facing off against Second Aunt Lu in the courtyard, with several children peeking through the courtyard gate.

Second Aunt Lu’s family were also house-born servants of the Lin family, living in the same courtyard as Xianglan’s family, though they rarely interacted. The Lu family was known for taking advantage of others, often stealing from the Chen family – from clothes, washbasins, and preserved meat to firewood and garlic, nothing was safe from their pilfering.

“Bullshit! Your honorable aunt wouldn’t look twice at your few rags! My niece enjoys such wealth and power in the mansion, using silk and satin to wipe her bottom! You money-crazed little whore, trying to extort us!” Second Aunt Lu was skilled in market-woman cursing, with endless variations. Being dark and sturdy, she stood in the courtyard with hands on her hips, presenting a formidable barrier, spewing all manner of vulgar insults.

Miss Xue, unable to match such cursing, trembled with anger. “You took my clothes – the fine cloth I bought recently, made into a new seasonal jacket with embroidered sleeves. Heaven is watching, you’ll face karmic retribution!”

Second Aunt Lu spat in Miss Xue’s face. “If anyone deserves retribution, it’s a whore like you! You were seducing men in the mansion, acting like a prostitute, until the ladies drove you out. Shameless slut, you should find a corner to hang yourself instead of falsely accusing your honorable aunt! Don’t know your place – think I’m easy to bully? Tomorrow I’ll have my niece settle this!”

These words left Miss Xue feeling wronged, ashamed, and furious. She pointed at Second Aunt Lu, choking, “You, you…” unable to speak further. Seeing her mother so humiliated, Xianglan grew furious. She threw down her needlework and was about to run outside when Chen Wanquan grabbed her, saying, “My dear young miss, they’re quarreling fiercely out there – why get involved in this mess!”

Xianglan struggled, saying, “My mother is being bullied, suffering such great humiliation – how can I not go?”

Chen Wanquan glared at her. “You’d better settle down! Lu family’s eldest daughter is the young master’s concubine. When she bears children and becomes a favored concubine, she’ll be half a master – we can’t show enough respect, let alone invite trouble! Your mother shows a woman’s short-sightedness. She’s being foolish – why join in her foolishness?” Just then they heard a cry of pain – Miss Xue had been pushed down by Second Aunt Lu.

Xianglan laughed bitterly in her anger. “When your wife is being chased and beaten, called a ‘whore,’ you not only fail to defend her but even stop others from helping. If you showed just a fraction of the authority you display at home with your mother, our family wouldn’t suffer such humiliation today!” With that, she pushed past Chen Wanquan and ran out.

Second Aunt Lu, certain that Chen Wanquan wouldn’t dare cause trouble, deliberately oppressed Miss Xue. Moreover, Second Uncle Lu had once praised “Chen’s wife’s beauty,” and after being caught trying to peek at Miss Xue’s bathing, the memory still made Second Aunt Lu’s teeth ache with hatred. She grabbed Miss Xue’s hair, continuously cursing “slut” and “whore.” The neighbors all knew Second Aunt Lu’s notorious temper and dared not help, only trying to mediate from the sidelines.

Seeing her mother’s disheveled hair and tear-stained face as Second Aunt Lu pinned her down, Xianglan grew even more enraged. She quietly crept along the wall to the courtyard gate, grabbed the door bolt, and charged forward, shouting, “Wretched woman, how dare you hit my mother!” She brought the bolt down hard on Second Aunt Lu’s back.