Guangdu Temple, where Master Shan resided, had its main gate halfway up the mountain. Its various halls were arranged in orderly tiers following the mountain’s contours to the peak. The mountain was steep, and the temple complex so vast that from the midpoint upward, the mountain itself disappeared behind layer upon layer of yellow walls and buildings.
Master Shan, now the temple’s abbot, had his meditation chamber deep among flowers and trees. Behind his quarters, a spring emerged from between rocks, its waters gently flowing past the meditation room.
“Is this the spring that suddenly enlarged overnight?” Huang Zixia walked to the spring’s edge, carefully examining its source at the bottom. The crack where the spring emerged still showed signs of being forced open, with large patches of moss missing from the surrounding stones, as water flowed steadily.
Li Shubai bent down to look at her and couldn’t help but smile. Huang Zixia turned back to meet his eyes, saying softly, “It’s man-made.”
Li Shubai whispered in her ear, “With such crude methods, why did almost everyone in Shu Prefecture believe it? Even Yu Xuan believed it – isn’t that strange?”
Huang Zixia glanced at Yu Xuan standing under the osmanthus tree nearby, then looked back at the rock crevice, nodding, “Indeed, you can still see the sharp edges where the stone was split.”
As they were looking, a young novice monk who served as the guest receiver approached, saying, “Is this your first visit? You must be here to seek an audience with our Master. Look, this spring is testimony to our Master’s boundless spiritual power.”
Huang Zixia turned to look at him and asked, “I heard this spring enlarged overnight?”
“That’s right! The day before, Master Shan mentioned this spring was too small, and the next morning I woke up to the sound of rushing water – it had flooded onto the brick ground! Look, the spring is still gushing water in large amounts!”
“It appeared overnight? Truly a miracle!”
The young novice grew even prouder, puffing out his chest as he said, “Yes! And do you know about Chen, the military advisor from Chengdu Prefecture who was famously henpecked? His wife was fierce – everyone in Chengdu knew about it. He had to kneel every day, even wearing a chamber pot on his head…”
Chen the military advisor – Huang Zixia had heard about him before, so she said with interest, “Yes, I’ve heard about this.”
The novice continued proudly, “But now he’s turned things around at home! His wife fears him like a tiger now. They say she kneels to serve his meals every day with utmost respect!”
Though Huang Zixia didn’t believe any of this supernatural nonsense, she maintained an enthusiastic expression and asked, “How did the Master change her nature?”
“Our Master is incredibly powerful! Without any violence, he just had the couple come to his meditation room, boil tea with pure water, and while drinking tea, explain some Buddhist scriptures and principles to them, appealing to both reason and emotion. As a result, that tigress completely transformed!”
“Ah! Master Shan truly has immense spiritual power!” Huang Zixia maintained a completely credulous and admiring expression. “Are there other miracles?”
“There’s another story involving Governor-General Fan of Xichuan! This is very famous in Chengdu – everyone knows about it!” The novice’s entire face was glowing, his eyes bright as he said, “At that time, the Governor’s son was infatuated with a singing girl and was ready to die to bring her home. Governor Fan was completely helpless with his son – beating and scolding had no effect. But when our Master stepped in, with just a few words, he completely turned the young master around. He immediately forgot about the singing girl. This shows the boundless power of Buddhism in cleansing the soul. Our Master’s great wisdom and power can turn the tide, bring back lost souls from the endless sea of suffering, as our Master delivers salvation to all…”
Huang Zixia couldn’t help but interrupt, “Is Master Shan here?”
“The Master is in his meditation chamber.” The novice showed no awareness of social cues and continued with palms pressed together, “If you’re interested, I can tell you more about how the shrew from Liu Family Lane became a gentle lady, how the unfilial son from Zhenan suddenly reformed, and in Yunzhou…”
Before he could finish, Yu Xuan had come over to take them to see Master Shan. He carried a water jug and lightly knocked on the half-closed door: “Master, how are you feeling? This disciple Yu Xuan seeks an audience.”
A soft, dry voice came from inside: “Come in.”
Yu Xuan paused, then added, “I’ve brought two people seeking to meet you, Master – they’re constables from Shu Prefecture… Wang Kui and Yang Chonggu.”
“Oh…” Master Shan responded slowly without answering. Huang Zixia and Zhou Ziqin thought he might refuse to see them, but he had already opened the door and greeted them with pressed palms, “Distinguished guests, forgive me for not meeting you outside. Please enter.”
After they were seated, the young novice fetched water from the spring behind the building and crouched to brew tea.
Master Shan wore a somewhat worn meditation robe and held a well-polished string of eighteen prayer beads. His hair and beard were white, but his complexion was grayish, with many wrinkles and age spots – far from the appearance of elderly vitality.
He was in his seventies or eighties, his eyes narrowed when looking at people. On his aged face, his pupils were like needle points, his gaze burning when it fell upon them.
Huang Zixia also pressed her palms together in greeting, secretly thinking that this old monk had such poisonous eyes – who knew if he had seen through anything?
The three were invited inside, seated, and served tea.
Master Shan asked pleasantly, “You two constables seem to have northern accents?”
“Indeed, we’re from Chang’an,” said Huang Zixia.
“How are things in the capital? What brings you two to Chengdu Prefecture?”
Huang Zixia replied casually, “I heard Master once visited the capital – I imagine it hasn’t changed much since then.”
“Time flies like white clouds and gray dogs… When this old monk visited the capital over ten years ago, the Emperor had just ascended the throne, and now he’s been Emperor for over a decade. Back then this old monk was still robust, but these ten-plus years have turned me into quite the old man…” Master Shan said, his laughing words full of sentiment.
Huang Zixia naturally replied, “Master is still vigorous – we can only admire you.”
Everyone drank tea and made small talk. The old monk was aged but sharp, with clever responses. Huang Zixia naturally flattered him: “No wonder Brother Yu comes here often. Guangdu Temple’s tea and Master Shan are truly excellent for clearing the mind.”
Master Shan smiled and said, “You misunderstand – Guangdu Temple’s most excellent features are not its tea or this old monk.”
“Master, are you referring to the spring behind your meditation chamber?” Huang Zixia tapped the water jug Yu Xuan had brought, saying, “Isn’t Brother Yu here today to fetch water?”
Since this was mentioned, Yu Xuan said to Master Shan, “This water is for offering respects to my adoptive parents, so I request Master to recite a sutra to purify it.”
Master Shan sat cross-legged before the water jug, counting his eighteen beads as he softly recited a sutra of two to three hundred words. In the meditation chamber, only his hoarse voice could be heard, full of compassionate meaning.
Huang Zixia listened to his sutra until the four lines “All actions are impermanent. All is suffering. All phenomena lack self-nature. Nirvana is peace.” She couldn’t help but lower her eyelashes, her mind filled with countless thoughts, momentarily dazed and speechless.
When Master Shan finished, sandalwood incense curled through the meditation chamber in silence.
Yu Xuan stood up, took the water jug, thanked Master Shan, and bid farewell. As he was leaving, his gaze fell on Huang Zixia, hesitating for a long while before finally asking, “Would you two like to come with me?”
Huang Zixia slowly shook her head, saying, “I will pay respects to Prefect Huang, his wife, and son – but not now.”
Yu Xuan looked at her silently, neither speaking nor moving.
And Huang Zixia slowly, word by word, said, “How could I face them without clearing their wrongful deaths? When the truth about the massacre of the Huang family is revealed, I will go to their graves and offer the true culprits as a sacrifice!”
Yu Xuan nodded, saying softly, “That’s how it should be.” He gazed at her deeply for a long while, and seeing she had nothing more to say, added quietly, “I’ll go pay my respects first. If you need me, you can find me at Qing Garden.”
After Yu Xuan left, Master Shan fixed his gaze on Huang Zixia, studying her for a long while before smiling and saying, “Though you come from Chang’an, you seem very concerned about the Prefect Huang case.”
Huang Zixia nodded, saying, “The Huang elders showed me great kindness.”
Seventeen years of nurturing kindness – now she wished to care for her parents but they were gone. Looking at the wind-tossed branches outside the window, deep sorrow and worry welled up in her heart.
Master Shan stared at her, his voice slow and deep: “I wonder… what kind of kindness?”
Huang Zixia heard the gentle tone in his voice, its warm and accepting quality making one unconsciously lower all defenses, so she turned to look at him.
Those eyes, seemingly always narrowed with age, set in a gray face full of wrinkles and age spots, in this moment were like deep caves, making her unable to look away, as if those eyes would draw her in.
She was lost and dazed, unconsciously saying: “The greatest kindness in this world…”
Master Shan paused, then asked, “Your purpose in coming, could it be about Prefect Huang’s death? Who sent you here?”
Huang Zixia’s expression was distant as she unconsciously began to say, “I came for myself, and also for…”
Before she could finish, she suddenly felt a sharp burn on the back of her hand. She cried out softly, instinctively raising her hand to look at it.
Li Shubai had accidentally splashed a small drop of hot tea on the back of her hand while pouring.
The water was very hot, leaving a small red mark on her hand. She quickly rubbed the back of her hand, thinking about Master Shan’s recent questions, but her memory was hazy and she couldn’t tell what was real or false, causing her head to start aching slightly.
Li Shubai gripped her wrist through his sleeve, looked at the back of her hand, and seeing it was just a small red mark, said, “I’m sorry, I poured too quickly and wasn’t careful.”
“Haha, this tea was just boiled – you two must be careful when pouring,” Master Shan said normally, while pouring them each another cup of tea, saying, “Please, have some more.”
Li Shubai only touched the cup to his lips before setting it down.
Huang Zixia took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of confusion in her heart, and agreed, “Truly excellent tea, though it doesn’t seem to be from Shu. May I ask where Master obtained it?”
Master Shan nodded, showing a somewhat proud smile as he said, “This is Yangxian tea, from Eunuch Wang.”
“Eunuch Wang?” In Huang Zixia’s mind appeared that sinister purple-robed eunuch. With a face as pale as frost and snow, eyes as cold as a poisonous snake – Wang Zongshi, the most powerful eunuch at court.
Master Shan nodded and said, “Indeed, the Military Commissioner of the Divine Strategy Army, Wang Zongshi.”
Huang Zixia felt a fine layer of cold sweat quickly form on her back in the late summer heat.
She felt as if she had glimpsed the world’s darkest abyss, and she stood at its edge, looking down into the cold darkness that could swallow her without mercy.
“So Master also has connections with Eunuch Wang.” Huang Zixia forced down the strange feeling in her chest and smiled.
Master Shan’s downturned eye corners twitched slightly, revealing a trace of pride: “I wouldn’t dare claim that – we’ve only met a few times.”
“Master went to the capital to see the Emperor over ten years ago?”
“Yes, it’s been eleven years now.” He counted on his fingers and said, “I entered the capital in the thirteenth year of the Dazhong era, and left in the eighth month of that year.”
The eighth month of Dazhong’s thirteenth year was exactly when the previous Emperor Xuanzong passed away.
Huang Zixia maintained her composure and asked, “May I ask what brought Master to the capital?”
“At that time, the previous Emperor was in poor health, so I and several dozen high monks from various regions were summoned to the capital to pray for His Majesty’s blessing. I was fortunate to receive Eunuch Wang’s favor and became the only monk among the group to enter the palace and have an audience with His Majesty.”