Fang Xintong and Zheng Si pursued them all the way to Zhoushan.

Cheng Chi still didn’t see either of them.

They stayed in Zhoushan for one day, prepared incense and candles, and headed for Mount Putuo.

When they set out in the morning, the sky was gray and overcast. Zhou Shaojin worried it would rain, but Cheng Chi said it was fine: “It’s windy today. The sun will come out at noon.”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand these things, but when it was nearly mid-morning, the sun indeed showed its face.

Wasn’t this something only boatmen who spent years on the water would know?

Zhou Shaojin thought it was quite magical and went to find Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi was standing at the bow in the wind, with Qin Ziping, Huai Shan, and others attending him nearby.

Seeing Zhou Shaojin approach, they formally bowed to her and withdrew to a distance.

Zhou Shaojin asked Cheng Chi, “How can you predict the weather? I’ve heard that only village elders know when it will rain or when the wind will blow!”

The corner of Cheng Chi’s mouth twitched as he said, “You don’t know there’s a book called the ‘Dayan Calendar’?”

She didn’t know!

Zhou Shaojin thought to herself, but smiled and said, “But even so, not everyone can understand it, right? Otherwise wouldn’t the Imperial Astronomical Bureau be overflowing with people?”

Cheng Chi glanced at Zhou Shaojin and said flatly, “I don’t know about others. As long as I can understand it, that’s enough.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pressed lips, feeling that Uncle Chi was fundamentally quite proud.

However, if she were as clever as Uncle Chi, she would probably be even more proud than him.

Thinking this way, she felt that Uncle Chi was actually quite modest in his conduct.

She walked to the bow.

The sun dispersed the dark clouds, revealing azure blue sky, clear as if newly washed. The distant small islands were lush and lovely, lying peacefully amid ten thousand li of azure waves.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but exclaim, “It truly is like a pure land, making one’s heart feel cleansed as well.”

Cheng Chi neither agreed nor disagreed, standing quietly beside her.

The two gazed toward Mount Putuo for a long time without speaking.

At noon, the sun rose higher.

The sky became even bluer, the water more emerald, and large white clouds floated in the sky, dreamlike and illusory.

Their boat docked at the wharf of Mount Putuo.

Passing pilgrims stopped to watch—every day many pilgrims traveled between Zhoushan and Mount Putuo, but those arriving by sand ship like them were rare.

The boatmen laid down the gangplank. Someone jumped aboard and called out loudly, “Is this Fourth Master? This humble one is Wang Xiao, the steward from the Ningbo branch. I’ve come at the command of the chief steward of the Jiangnan branch store to welcome Fourth Master!”

Qin Ziping stepped forward to respond, smiling as he invited Wang Xiao onto the boat.

Wang Xiao pointed to the porters and sedan chairs gathered below the boat, smiling, “I arrived yesterday and have arranged all the labor. I’m just waiting for Fourth Master, Old Madam, and Miss to board the sedan chairs.”

Qin Ziping smiled and praised him a few times, then took him to see Cheng Chi.

This was Wang Xiao’s first time meeting Cheng Chi. He was so excited he rambled on, and after kowtowing and performing a grand ceremony, he stood to the side not knowing what to do.

Fortunately, Cheng Chi was eager to go ashore. After asking Wang Xiao a few questions, he prepared to disembark.

Qingfeng hurried to inform Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo and Zhou Shaojin had long been ready, just waiting for the boat to dock. Hearing they could now disembark, Zhou Shaojin supported Old Madam Guo as they left the cabin. Curtains had been simply arranged around them. Zhou Shaojin and the others hastily boarded the sedan chairs. Qin Ziping and young servants carried the offerings following behind the sedan chairs, with Wang Xiao and a guest monk sent by Fayu Temple leading the way. The group headed to Fayu Temple, located on the left side of Baihua Peak on Mount Putuo.

The abbot of Fayu Temple had received advance notice and waited at the mountain gate with several senior monks, guest monks, and young novices serving them.

Seeing the Cheng family’s sedan chairs, the abbot personally came forward to greet them.

Cheng Chi stepped forward and exchanged courtesies with the abbot.

The abbot smiled and chanted “Amitabha,” saying, “Benefactor Cheng has come from afar with admirable sincerity. This old monk has had rooms prepared. Please let Old Madam and Miss rest briefly. This old monk will personally accompany Madam and Miss to the Guanyin Hall to offer incense.”

The Guanyin Hall was the main hall of Fayu Temple.

Cheng Chi exchanged a few courteous words with the abbot with a gentle smile, then went to the meditation room for tea, while their sedan chairs were carried directly to a courtyard not far from the mountain gate.

Wang Xiao personally took charge. The courtyard had already been cleaned thoroughly. Since they would be staying at Mount Putuo for two days, Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo freshened up, left Fan Liushi and Nanny Lu in the courtyard to organize the luggage, and accompanied by Biyu and others, headed to the Guanyin Hall with a kind-faced guest monk.

Like all famous temples, Fayu Temple was built following the mountain’s contours, rising progressively higher.

The first great hall was the Heavenly King Hall. Behind it was the Jade Buddha Hall, with a bell and drum tower between the two halls, then in sequence the Guanyin Hall, Imperial Stele Hall, Sutra Repository, and Abbot’s Hall. But compared to Jiming Temple in Jinling, here the great halls were more widely spaced with grand and magnificent bearing. Ancient trees formed forests, making it appear even more solemn and majestic.

The guest monk introduced everything along the way: “These are all ancient camphor trees, often regarded as sacred objects by pilgrims who peel their bark for medicine… On the terrace of the Jade Buddha Hall stands an ancient cypress, while on the west side grows an arhat tree with a circumference of over ten feet, truly rare. Later Old Madam and Miss can go look. It’s said that touching it can cure all illnesses and prolong life… The Imperial Stele Hall houses the Three World Buddhas. The west-side building has a door leading to the Xiangyun Path to Buddha Peak. Further up is the Abbot’s Courtyard, the highest point of the entire temple… Hearing that Old Madam and Miss were coming this afternoon, though we didn’t close the temple gates, we had the temple’s lay followers persuade people to come offer incense in a few days instead. Tomorrow morning our abbot will personally conduct a ceremony for the Cheng family in the east side hall of the Imperial Stele Hall…”

No wonder Fayu Temple had so few pilgrims—Cheng Chi had made arrangements in advance.

She just didn’t know how much incense money he had donated to have the abbot personally come to greet them. Of course, the Cheng family’s reputation and Cheng Chi’s status as a presented scholar were likely also among the reasons why Old Madam Guo’s Mount Putuo trip was so distinguished.

They went to the Guanyin Hall.

The moment she saw the Guanyin Hall, Zhou Shaojin thought she had entered the palace.

Unlike great halls elsewhere, Fayu Temple’s Guanyin Hall was covered with golden glazed tiles that glittered brilliantly under the bright sunlight, as if one had arrived in the legendary Western Paradise—vast, lofty, and transcendent. The distant beach was wide and spacious, the sound of waves reaching their ears constantly, making one’s eyes and ears suddenly clear.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but chant “Amitabha” in her heart.

Upon entering the Guanyin Hall and seeing the nine-dragon caisson carved on the ceiling, she truly felt the distinction and majesty of Fayu Temple, which had been granted the title “Nation-Protecting Sea-Calming Temple” by the court.

She followed Old Madam Guo and Cheng Chi in offering incense to Guanyin Bodhisattva, presenting a copy of the Surangama Sutra and a scroll of the Heart Sutra, donating two thousand taels of silver as incense money, and lighting five perpetual lamps. One was lit for Cheng Jing, one for Cheng Wei, one for Cheng Xu, one for Cheng Chi, and one for Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin was greatly shocked.

Even at Jiming Temple in Jinling, lighting a perpetual lamp for one year cost at least two hundred taels of silver, let alone at Fayu Temple on Mount Putuo.

She quickly tugged at Old Madam Guo’s sleeve.

But Old Madam Guo smiled and turned to her, saying gently, “Those who can come to Mount Putuo are all people with karmic connection to the Bodhisattva. If you feel uneasy in your heart, in the future just make me some handkerchiefs and shoes and socks, and copy some scriptures.”

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes grew moist.

In her previous life, she felt afraid whenever she thought of Old Madam Guo. She hadn’t expected to receive her favor in this life. Indeed, she could only repay her by doing needlework and copying scriptures for her.

The several senior monks watched the gleaming silver pour into the merit box. Though their expressions appeared composed, their bright eyes betrayed their true feelings.

Zhou Shaojin was suddenly caught between laughter and tears. The gratitude that had been surging in her chest completely evaporated.

Uncle Chi was truly wicked!

To actually use this real gold and silver to provoke these monks.

She didn’t know if any of them, having seen so much gold and silver, would ultimately decide to return to secular life, or decide to stop devotedly studying Buddhist principles and instead become guest monks who greeted and sent off visitors!

After they came out of the Guanyin Hall, the abbot suggested Cheng Chi go see Buddha Peak, saying, “If you don’t climb Buddha Peak, you haven’t truly been to Mount Putuo.”

Cheng Chi gladly agreed and asked Old Madam Guo and Zhou Shaojin, “If you don’t feel too tired, why not go together and look? There’s also a Huiji Temple on Buddha Peak. Though it’s not large, it’s built on the mountaintop and offers a panoramic view of all of Mount Putuo’s scenery—quite worth visiting.”

Old Madam Guo was already slightly tired, but coming to Mount Putuo was no easy matter. After thinking it over, she decided to visit Huiji Temple.

Zhou Shaojin naturally couldn’t ask for more—she was young and healthy, and though she had lived two lives, this was her first time at Mount Putuo. She wanted to walk around everywhere more than anyone.

Cheng Chi then instructed Ji Ying to support Old Madam Guo: “Be careful. If you’re tired, we’ll rest more along the way. After all, our main purpose going forward is just to tour around.”

Zhou Shaojin agreed with these words.

It wouldn’t be good if Old Madam Guo bumped into something due to her advanced age.

Old Madam Guo also knew this and smiled, “Don’t look down on these old bones of mine—I’m probably no worse than you youngsters.”

Everyone laughed heartily at her spirit, and the group headed toward Buddha Peak.

On both sides were steep mountain cliffs and ancient trees that blocked out the sky, presenting a completely different scene from the blue sky and white clouds they had seen at Fayu Temple.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but praise repeatedly, saying, “…I wonder who first built temples here? These senior monks are truly amazing, to be able to cut through mountains and carve paths, forcibly building temples on mountaintops.”

The guest monk accompanying them to Huiji Temple smiled and said, “All this was donated by pilgrims. Without those lay followers and believers, how could there be this Buddhist land of sea and sky? Speaking of which, our temple has always wanted to build a Great Hero Hall to enshrine the various bodhisattvas. Benefactor Cheng, being from a Jinling aristocratic family, donated five thousand taels of silver to our temple in one breath. I’ve been a guest monk in the temple for ten years, and this is the first time I’ve met someone like Benefactor Cheng from a scholarly family of propriety who is also so generous. If senior monks from our temple go to Jinling to raise funds, I wonder if Benefactor Cheng could help introduce us to charitable families in Jinling.”

He’s asking Cheng Chi to act as a broker!

Zhou Shaojin widened her eyes looking at Cheng Chi, but in her heart she calculated that five thousand taels of silver—at the Guanyin Hall they had donated two thousand taels, which meant Cheng Chi had already donated three thousand taels of silver as incense money beforehand!

This Mount Putuo trip was simply piled up with mountains of gold and seas of silver!