Pine trees crowned like seas, palace halls arranged like scales, the Buddha of Infinite Life presided over all.
Upon reaching Mount Zhong, they had arranged to meet with the young ladies of the family to play at Mei Ridge. It was high noon, and the young ladies had not yet arrived. Since Lu Xian, the Second Young Master Lu, had already arrived at Kaishan Temple, Luo Lingyu pondered briefly before deciding to pay her respects. Kaishan Temple was one of Mount Zhong’s attractions, with devotees coming and going in great numbers daily. Even ladies from noble families would make a detour to pay their respects here when passing by. However, noble ladies differed from common folk – when ladies of aristocratic birth came to worship Buddha and burn incense, they would offer tens or hundreds of taels as donation money.
Luo Lingyu was different from them—she could only choose to visit the temple while the young ladies hadn’t arrived yet.
Kaishan Temple’s entrance was bustling with an endless stream of devotees. Before entering the temple, the ox cart stopped on the mountain path, and the young lady lifted the curtain to dismount, squinting as she surveyed her surroundings. The temple visitors couldn’t help but turn their heads to look, with young men craning their necks to stare at the beautiful young lady alighting from the cart. Moments later, two young men also descended from the ox cart behind, both possessing distinguished bearing, with one being particularly handsome, like a jade-carved figure. At this, the ladies entering and leaving the temple all turned their heads to stare.
Luo Lingyu and Third Young Master Lu’s appearance immediately caused a blockage at Kaishan Temple’s main gate.
Seeing monks coming out from the temple to maintain order and clear the path, with servants helping as well, Second Young Master Lu Xian’s eyelid twitched: “…”
On usual outings, people would mostly stare at Lu Yun, and Lu Xian had grown accustomed to the commotion his third brother could cause. Now with cousin Luo added to the family, the commotion she caused was no less than Third Brother’s… Lu Xian blamed his carelessness, only remembering his third brother’s good looks while forgetting that cousin Luo was equally stunning.
After the Lu family members were surrounded and observed for a while, the servants cleared a path, and the Lu family’s second young master finally presented his name card, requesting to see the temple’s abbot: “I had a dream and wish to ask the Master to interpret it.”
Buddhism came from the Western Regions and originally had no techniques for dream interpretation or fortune-telling. However, after entering the Central Plains, to gain believers, the monks had no choice but to learn these miscellaneous skills one by one. Through these means, they could attract worshippers and followers. Over time, the high monks in the temples almost all learned one or two methods of fortune-telling.
The Lu family could not be offended. The monk hurriedly led Second Young Master Lu to see the Master. Lu Xian hesitated as he looked toward Luo Lingyu, reluctant to let her follow. Luo Lingyu, being quick-witted and clever, immediately expressed that she wanted to worship Buddha in the temple and wouldn’t accompany Second Young Master Lu to see the Master. As for Third Young Master Lu, he had already disappeared somewhere, unable to bear the crowd’s attention when their carriages were surrounded. Second Young Master Lu felt relieved and arranged to meet his cousin at the temple entrance later before following the monk.
Lu Yun wandered alone in the temple.
Avoiding the crowds, he first wandered to the small bamboo grove in Kaishan Temple’s back courtyard. After walking in the bamboo grove for about half an hour, Lu Yun contemplated how to get to Prince Hengyang’s mansion. When Luo Lingyu invited him to Mount Zhong, he initially refused because she was with his second brother, but secondly, he thought coming to Mount Zhong would be a good excuse. If he used the excuse of being at Mount Zhong, then investigating Prince Hengyang’s mansion at night, if careful, the Prince wouldn’t suspect him. He wanted to see what Prince Hengyang was planning, and why he wanted to direct the assassins toward him.
Was he pointing at the Lu family or Liu Chu?
Perhaps lost in thought for too long, when Lu Yun came to his senses, he found the light bright and the greenery thinning. He had wandered around in the grove and somehow wandered out. Calculating the time, it was almost noon, time for the vegetarian meal, and there were far fewer people at Kaishan Temple. His second brother should be about done too. Lu Yun walked out of the bamboo grove, thinking to first burn some incense before going to find Second Brother.
Yes, my second brother was acting strange lately too, always looking at him with painful yet loving eyes… Lu Yun also wanted to know what had happened to his second brother.
Indeed, under the scorching noon sun, there were fewer temple visitors. Lu Yun walked in the tree shade with no one surrounding him, feeling much more relaxed. He randomly chose a Buddha hall to enter, but just as his foot was about to cross the threshold, he saw a graceful and slender young lady kneeling on the prayer mat in the hall, her long robes and wide sleeves with silk sashes scattered on the ground. She had her hands clasped in prayer with her eyes closed, her profile both beautiful and devout.
Lu Yun raised his eyebrows: “…”
He couldn’t help but laugh inside.
How did he run into her again?
Kaishan Temple was so large, with so many Buddha halls, yet just walking around randomly, he could still run into Luo Lingyu.
A monk at the door handed over a stick of incense, and Third Young Master Lu accepted it. There was only one prayer mat in the hall, with Luo Lingyu inside, so Lu Yun would wait a while and not enter. As he waited outside, the monk at the door smiled and said to him: “This female Buddha devotee came with the young master, right? How strange. The female devotee has visited many halls, yet refuses to buy incense, only saying sincerity is what matters.”
Lu Yun’s interest was piqued: “Oh? This is my cousin. She won’t buy incense?”
Incense came in three grades – upper, middle, and lower. Common people would buy lower-grade incense. When gentlemen and ladies from aristocratic families came, the Buddhist temple would directly offer the best incense for their use. For many years, no one had ever questioned this custom. The monk who was chatting with Third Young Master Lu had been at Kaishan Temple for twenty or thirty years. This was his first time meeting someone of Luo Lingyu’s appearance, and also his first time seeing a noble lady worship Buddha without burning incense. The monk had originally wondered why the young lady wouldn’t buy incense, even suspecting she might be pretending to be noble but poor… but seeing Third Young Master Lu, and hearing him say that was his cousin, the monk dismissed this thought.
How could a cousin of the Lu family of Jianye not be able to afford incense? Impossible.
The monk praised: “It seems the female devotee must be a true Buddhist believer. When worshipping Buddha, ordinary people use incense, while the truly faithful use heart incense. Sincerity is what matters most, and the female devotee must be the latter.”
Lu Yun’s gaze grew deep, staring until the monk could barely continue his speech. Lu Yun found the monk utterly amusing: The latter? Sincerity is what matters. What a joke, was his cousin Luo that kind of person?
But he was also puzzled.
He wanted to see what trick Luo Lingyu was up to now.
Lu Yun put a finger to his lips, made a “shh” sound, and said softly: “I’ll go in and take a look.”
Since they were family, the monk at the door naturally didn’t stop him, quickly inviting Third Young Master Lu to enter. Even in this pure Buddhist place, they had to please the Lu family. Lu Yun lightened his footsteps, using his sleeve to hide the incense in his hand to prevent the smoke from being sensed by Luo Lingyu. He slowly approached from behind, standing behind Luo Lingyu.
The young lady kneeling on the prayer mat remained completely unaware, eyes closed, softly murmuring: “Buddha, please bless my parents and the entire Luoyang Luo family to rest peacefully in the netherworld. Please relay to them that this faithful daughter Lingyu is living well in the Lu family, please don’t worry about me. However, the Lu family is large with many eyes watching, and this year while living in the Lu family, your faithful daughter cannot properly worship the ancestors. Please don’t let my father and mother hold it against me, don’t blame their daughter. When your daughter marries, I will surely bring your ancestral tablets into my home and conduct grand ceremonies every year, I will not break this promise.”
Lu Yun was stunned, looking down at the young lady kneeling ten inches before him.
He quietly watched her head, listening to her soft voice like a spring breeze in prayer. The Buddha hall was quiet, her voice extremely low – if he hadn’t stood behind her, he absolutely wouldn’t have heard. Her words were not for show, definitely not meant for others to hear.
She was praying about her parents… Lu Yun’s eyes filled with gentle pity, remembering that Luo Lingyu was only fourteen, dependent on others, and still caring for a younger sister.
Just as Lu Yun’s heart filled with sympathy, he heard Luo Lingyu’s next prayer: “Please also help this faithful daughter choose a good husband. He should be of high position and authority, wealthy and powerful, yet also handsome, with good bearing and many talents. This faithful daughter wishes to marry such a gentleman, Buddha must choose carefully for me. This faithful daughter wishes to be like a dodder vine, not having to think or worry about anything, just spending each day wrapped around her husband’s knees, naturally receiving all his love and care.”
Lu Yun: “…”
Marriage again!
Just how much does she want to get married?!
Luo Lingyu continued: “This faithful daughter is currently short of money and cannot donate incense money to Buddha. But Buddha need not worry, once Buddha helps this faithful daughter find a good husband and I marry as wished, I will come back to fulfill my vow, then I’ll have money…”
A neither cold nor warm male voice like jade pearls falling on a tray came from behind, full of doubt: “Then when you come to fulfill your vow, you’ll be using your husband’s family’s money, so the one paying would be them – how can you say that shows your sincerity?”
Luo Lingyu: “…!”
The familiar voice, familiar tone… her back hair stood on end, startled, she screamed and jumped up, stumbling as she turned around, vigilantly looking at the gentleman who had appeared behind her. Still not at ease, her gaze passed through Lu Yun to look behind him… Lu Yun pulled at the corner of his mouth: “Don’t look anymore, the second brother didn’t come, it’s just me.”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
Her face flushed red: “What are you saying? I wasn’t looking to see if the second cousin was there.”
Lu Yun snorted with a laugh, looking at her mockingly: Keep making up stories. You dare say you weren’t afraid of my second brother knowing your true nature and being greatly disappointed in you?
Luo Lingyu’s face reddened even more with anger: “Cousin, how could you eavesdrop on my words? You even eavesdrop on my words with Buddha, you should worry about karmic retribution.”
Lu Yun: “What karmic retribution would I have? You’re interesting, coming to pray to Buddha to choose a husband for you, and wanting to be a dodder vine… a dodder vine!”
Luo Lingyu’s face stiffened as she glared at him: What business is it of yours? I just want to be a dodder vine, what’s wrong with that?
Lu Yun stepped forward, and Luo Lingyu cautiously stepped back. As the two advanced and retreated, teasing and evading, the atmosphere in the Buddha hall suddenly changed. Cornering Luo Lingyu against the Buddha shrine, forcing her to take the incense in his hand, Lu Yun bent down and laughed lightly: “You worship Buddha without burning incense, who are you trying to fool?”
“It’s none of your business! It’s not like I want to marry you!” Buddha, please open your eyes and return that proud Plum-Seeking Recluse to her, take away this rogue-like Third Young Master Lu who teases her… Luo Lingyu’s ears tingled, extremely embarrassed, and pushed him. This time Lu Yun was prepared and wasn’t pushed away. He still stood before her, continuing to look at her with an ambiguous smile: “As for wanting to be a dodder vine…”
Just looking at her energetic nature, could she stay quiet and still?
“Sister Luo, give up. You can forget about it in this lifetime.”
Luo Lingyu: “Hey!”
She looked up, suddenly seeing Third Young Master Lu’s expression turned cold as he looked down at her: “Praying to Buddha isn’t as good as praying to me… Sister Luo, who you marry in the future, you might have to thank me.”
Luo Lingyu stared wide-eyed, watching as his cold expression lasted only a moment before he winked at her, revealing a teasing smile. She couldn’t quite understand Lu Yun’s meaning before he had already turned around laughing and left the Buddha hall. Behind him, that Luo sister who wanted to be a dodder vine stomped her foot, extremely angry, yet not knowing whether she should chase after him—
Doesn’t everyone have their ideals? What’s wrong with wanting to be a dodder vine?! He had to be so meddlesome, how annoying!
Luo Lingyu stood dazed for a while, her heart unsettled, constantly thinking of Lu Yun’s face while worshipping Buddha. Her six senses were impure, her face and ears red, really unable to continue worshipping, she could only dejectedly insert the incense Lu Yun had given her and go out to look for Second Young Master Lu. When she saw Second Young Master Lu, he also seemed dispirited, clearly his problem hadn’t received a satisfactory answer either.
But that noon was the last time Luo Lingyu saw Lu Yun for the next two days. Because she had an appointment with the young ladies, she had to keep it. When Luo Lingyu looked for Lu Yun again, wanting to force him to keep her secret about being desperate to marry, she found she couldn’t find Lu Yun anymore. Luo Lingyu and Second Young Master Lu looked at each other in confusion, not knowing where Third Young Master Lu had gone. Second Young Master Lu could only comfort her: “Third brother doesn’t like feasts and entertainment, perhaps he went to play somewhere else in the mountains? Don’t wait for him.”
Luo Lingyu felt empty inside, forcing herself to respond with a sound.
That night, while Luo Lingyu was finally meeting with the young ladies, killing broke out in Prince Hengyang’s mansion in Jianye City. Lu Yun, dressed in night-traveling clothes with a cone hat hiding his face, stood in Prince Hengyang’s mansion, holding someone in his hand, coldly looking toward the guards in all directions!