The Buddhist temple where the young Miss Ming was heading to pray for blessings was Lingmiao Temple, nestled on Mount Yunxiu, three li north of the city.
Lingmiao Temple paled in comparison to the bustling Daxiangguo Temple. It lacked the reputation for granting wishes for marriage or children. However, its serene landscape of gentle mountains and soft waters made for an exceptionally tranquil setting. Among the common folk, it was known for its “delicious vegetarian meals.”
Ming Tan chose this temple precisely for its seclusion and tranquility. She wanted to pray and lay low without constantly bumping into noble ladies from the capital who came to offer incense.
By now, the scandal of the Lingguo Ducal Mansion had spread. Ming Chu and Shen Hua must have heard about it. Moreover, with Concubine Liu still by her father’s side, Ming Chu might even know about the scheme that led to her falling into the water.
Lady Pei had originally arranged to see her off the next morning. Ming Tan anticipated that Ming Chu wouldn’t miss this perfect opportunity to mock and ridicule her during the farewell.
Therefore, she decided not to give Ming Chu that chance. She informed Lady Pei at night and set out early before dawn, accompanied by Suxin and Lüe.
When they arrived at Lingmiao Temple, the monks had just finished their morning recitation. As a place of Buddhist cultivation, the temple resonated with the ethereal sounds of morning bells and evening drums. Being in these mountains brought a sense of inner peace.
Thanks to Lady Pei’s arrangements, a guest-receiving monk was already waiting outside the temple gates for Ming Tan’s group.
Upon seeing Ming Tan, the monk pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha. Female benefactor, please follow me.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Master,” Ming Tan replied with a proper bow.
The temple exuded tranquility. As they followed the monk, they saw ancient trees scattered about and brocade carp swimming in the release pond, creating a unique sense of rustic serenity.
When they reached the guest quarters, although not as refined and luxurious as Zhaoshui Courtyard, the room was spacious and clean. Ming Tan found it barely acceptable. However, before she could examine it closely, a young novice brought in coarse blue robes.
Ming Tan hesitated, asking with slight uncertainty, “Master, this is…?”
The guest-receiving monk answered gently, “All short-term visitors to the temple must wear these robes. Don’t worry, benefactor, the clothes are clean and new.”
Ming Tan was speechless. This wasn’t about cleanliness or newness.
Earlier, at Suxin’s reminder, she had painstakingly reduced her luggage, leaving behind many clothes and items. Yet no one had informed her that Lingmiao Temple provided clothing for short-term visitors. It came as a sudden, unexpected shock!
While Ming Tan was still processing this information, the guest-receiving monk explained several more rules and disciplines that short-term visitors needed to observe. Finally, he added considerately, “Benefactor, you must be tired from your journey. Please rest for a while. I won’t disturb you further. Amitabha.”
Ming Tan, still somewhat dazed, belatedly felt the clothes that had been brought. She remained silent for a long while.
Everything else was manageable, but these robes were wide at the shoulders, long in the sleeves, and completely shapeless. The color and fabric were utterly unappealing. Even the third-tier maids in the Marquis’s mansion dressed a hundred times better than this. How could she wear such a thing?
Ming Tan sat there, staring blankly. However, when in a temple, one must follow its customs. She had no other choice. She couldn’t possibly stay cooped up in her room without venturing out.
For meals, everyone had to go to the dining hall to eat together. There would be no personal service, and food couldn’t be taken out.
By lunchtime, the young lady’s stubbornness finally succumbed to her empty stomach. Reluctantly, she allowed Lüe to help her change into these robes.
Since birth, Ming Tan had never dressed so plainly. Even her sleeping garments were made of soft fabric with intricate embroidery, tailored to fit her figure perfectly. Sitting in the room wearing these robes, she felt out of place everywhere.
“How can I be seen in such plain attire?” she frowned, dissatisfied as she examined herself in the mirror.
Lüe reassured her, “Don’t worry, Young Miss. There’s hardly anyone to see you anyway. When we arrived today, I noticed that this temple receives very few visitors in a day.”
Ming Tan was speechless.
Suxin cleared her throat softly, glancing at Lüe.
Realizing her mistake, Lüe slapped her mouth in frustration and quickly added, “Besides, these plain blue robes accentuate Young Miss’s graceful figure and outstanding beauty. As they say, ‘A lotus emerges from clear water, naturally unadorned.’ Isn’t that just like you, Young Miss?”
Indeed. A lotus emerges from clear water, naturally unadorned.
These words resonated with Ming Tan.
Well, she thought, having always been meticulously dressed, occasionally appearing simple might highlight her pure and delicate beauty.
With this thought, her previously displeased mood suddenly brightened.
However, her good mood lasted only for a moment before Lüe offered another ill-timed consolation: “This temple seems quite peaceful. Young Miss can stay here for a while without worrying. That Young Master Liang seemed decent usually, but who would have thought he’d be so unfaithful and ungrateful? He must be blind to miss out on such a fine lady as yourself. Don’t worry, Young Miss. When we return to the capital, the Marquis and Lady will surely find you another suitable match!”
Ming Tan was speechless once again.
She wasn’t grieving.
Liang Zixun wasn’t worth her grief.
It was just that the scandalous affair between Liang Zixun and the Duchess of Lingguo had forced her, an innocent party, to bear some consequences, which left her feeling quite upset.
Since she was upset, she wouldn’t let anyone else off easily either.
Although her preparations for this trip to pray for blessings were hasty, she hadn’t forgotten to arrange a good show for the Lingguo Ducal Mansion before leaving.
—
In the Changguo Marquis’s Mansion, within Bai Minmin’s quarters, Zhou Jingwan stood before a writing desk, brush in hand.
The Zhou family was a renowned scholarly clan in Daxian, having produced countless literary giants and famous ministers from both main and collateral branches over the centuries. Zhou Jingwan’s father had placed second in the imperial examinations and now held the position of third-rank Hanlin Academy Scholar, with limitless prospects.
With such a strong family background, Zhou Jingwan was considered one of the most accomplished and talented ladies among the unmarried daughters of official families. Her small regular script was steady and dignified, but upon closer inspection of the content—
“This sentence is too flowery, Wanwan. Write it more plainly. When I listen to storytellers in teahouses, they’re not nearly this subtle,” Bai Minmin instructed, standing beside her.
Zhou Jingwan paused, contemplating for a while. She felt that even this vague mention of such an unsavory matter was already quite improper. Somewhat troubled, she asked softly, “Then how should I make it more direct?”
Bai Minmin replied, “It’s simple! Just write that the Duke of Lingguo and the master of the second house are having an affair with the newly taken concubine! You can even link it to Liang Zixun’s affair, calling it a family tradition of secret liaisons passed down from above!”
Zhou Jingwan was speechless.
Before leaving the city to pray for blessings, Ming Tan had specifically sent a letter to the Changguo Marquis’s Mansion, asking Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan to polish a story and have storytellers spread the word about these scandals in the Lingguo Ducal Mansion.
These scandals were what Ming Tan had earlier asked Bai Jingxuan to investigate, all related to the Duke and Duchess of Lingguo. Originally, she had planned to use them to deal with the Lingguo Ducal Mansion after a smooth break from the engagement.
Now that the smooth break was impossible and the scandals had spread, she decided to add fuel to the fire. Firstly, to vent her anger at being schemed against, betrayed, and implicated. Secondly, to solidify the fact that the entire Lingguo Ducal family was of poor character. Thirdly, to seize the opportunity to protect her reputation as an unmarried lady.
“Let’s forget it. Asking you to polish these sordid affairs is truly a bit much,” Bai Minmin reconsidered. “We’ll give it directly to the storytellers. You just write some words of praise for Tan.”
Zhou Jingwan sighed in relief and nodded in agreement.
In her heart, Tan was already perfect in every way, so this was something she could naturally do.
“Oh, and that girl Tan specifically mentioned that while everything else can be put aside, the most important thing is to praise her beauty,” Bai Minmin added, pausing before muttering with some exasperation, “She has no shame.”
Hearing this, Zhou Jingwan couldn’t help but smile slightly.
However, in her view, Tan was inherently beautiful, so praising her wasn’t insincere. She picked up her brush and quickly composed a eulogy.
—
While Bai Minmin and Zhou Jingwan were busy helping Ming Tan, Ming Tan herself, without her usual ornaments and dressed plainly, went to the temple’s dining hall.
In the dining hall, there was no distinction between masters and servants; all ate at the same table. Ming Tan, who had always been generous to her maids, didn’t find this improper. However, Suxin and Lüe didn’t dare to eat with their young mistress and insisted on waiting outside the hall until Ming Tan finished her meal.
Ming Tan didn’t force them.
Having left early that morning, she hadn’t had breakfast and was quite hungry now. Having heard that Lingmiao Temple’s vegetarian meals were delicious, she sat down with some curiosity and anticipation.
However, after taking a small, refined bite, she was at a loss whether to spit it out or swallow it. She couldn’t understand how such coarse rice and bland vegetables could be considered delicious!
As she was about to leave her seat, a young novice approached to stop her, gently admonishing, “Amitabha, benefactor, one must not leave food uneaten during meals.”
“…”
She had momentarily forgotten about this rule.
The young novice looked at her kindly, continuing to watch until she reluctantly sat down and slowly picked up her chopsticks again.
As she forced herself to swallow a small mouthful of the meal, she stole a glance at the novice—who was still watching her!
“…”
I know I’m beautiful, but this is excessive!
Left with no choice, she continued eating. Because the taste was so different from her usual fare, she barely chewed before swallowing.
However, her appetite was small, and even after eating until she felt full, she still had about half a bowl left. She looked up pitifully, “Master, I really can’t eat any more of this meal.”
Seeing that not much was left and that she had clearly struggled to eat, the novice pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha. In that case, benefactor, please go to the small Buddha hall and reflect for the duration of one incense stick.”
Ming Tan: “…?”
Was this a punishment for kneeling?
Well, she was also somewhat afraid of karmic retribution from Buddha for leaving food uneaten.
So, under the novice’s watchful eye and guidance, she stepped out.
However, the door the novice pointed to wasn’t the main entrance of the dining hall. After walking for a while, she became completely disoriented, getting more and more lost. Everywhere around her were treasure halls enshrining Buddha statues. Which one was the small Buddha hall the monk had mentioned?
Never mind, she thought. The importance of self-reflection lies in the sincerity of the heart.
With this in mind, she entered the nearest empty treasure hall and knelt properly on a meditation cushion.
This treasure hall was extremely spacious, with side halls on both sides. Ming Tan was completely unaware that in the left side hall, next to the sutra repository, there was a quiet room.
At this moment, in that quiet room, the renowned young war god, His Highness the Prince of Dingbei, was enjoying tea and a game of Go with the wandering monk Master Huiyuan, whose whereabouts were usually unpredictable.
“Buddha above, this female devotee Ming Tan, accustomed to fine food and clothing and with a small appetite, has partaken of the temple’s vegetarian meal for the first time. Being unaccustomed, I regret leaving food uneaten. I pray for Buddha’s forgiveness and hope no karmic retribution will befall me.”
Hearing this sudden voice from outside the quiet room, the young novice who was about to leave quickly said, “It seems a dining benefactor has mistakenly entered for self-reflection. This humble monk will guide her to the small Buddha hall.”
The voice sounded familiar.
And she had introduced herself as Ming Tan.
Jiang Xu recalled something but didn’t pay much attention. He simply lowered his gaze, focusing on the Go board, and raised his hand to indicate it wasn’t necessary to intervene.
Meanwhile, Ming Tan, kneeling outside, finished her self-reflection and remained quiet for a moment. Then, remembering what Lüe had said earlier about finding a suitable husband, she thought: Since I’m here, I might as well make a wish for that too.
So she pressed her palms together again and muttered, “Buddha above, besides reflecting on leaving food uneaten, this devotee has another wish to pray for. This recent broken engagement was due to my fiancé’s poor conduct, making him unfit as a match. Yet I have suffered ridicule and mockery from others because of this. As this matter passes and I return to the capital, I pray for Buddha’s blessing to find a suitable husband.
“A husband of comparable family status would suffice, not necessarily from royal relatives, ducal families, or renowned scholarly clans. What I value more are talent and appearance. In terms of talent, passing the imperial examinations with honors would be enough. His looks must be handsome, to match this devotee. Of course, if he had substantial family wealth, life would be more comfortable. Even without a marquis’s family fortune, as long as he can ensure I always have bird’s nest soup, can order several chests of fashionable clothes from Jinxiu Workshop each season, can promptly acquire any new jewelry, and can immediately summon the best physicians from Liangchun Hall for any minor ailment…”
The continuous female voice disrupted Jiang Xu’s concentration, preventing him from placing a single stone for a long while. Master Huiyuan wore a faint smile, while the young novice kept his eyes lowered, silently chanting “Amitabha.”
Half an incense stick later.
“…If his height could be over seven feet, that would be ideal. His mother should also be easy to get along with, not the type to set rules and torment the new daughter-in-law daily. It would be best if there were no mother-in-law at all. Relatives should also be simple, definitely no childhood sweetheart cousins with deep feelings. I’m not a jealous person, but taking concubines within the first three years of marriage is a bit too early, and not conducive to fostering marital affection between us. After three years, no more than two concubines should be taken, as too many people in the household easily lead to trouble. He must not be the type to frequent brothels…”
One incense stick later.
“…His body should also be robust, but not bulky with muscle. As long as he can protect me from minor accidents, that’s enough. If he practices martial arts, swordplay would be best, as it’s graceful. This way, when he performs sword dances, I can accompany him on the zither, creating marital harmony. Hmm… I think that’s about it. I pray for Buddha’s blessing. If I find such an ideal husband, I will surely have a golden Buddha statue recreated and increase the temple’s incense offerings.”
With these words, Ming Tan reverently kowtowed three times.
Accompanied by the faint echo of her kowtows, the young novice finally breathed a sigh of relief.
— This young lady’s requirements for choosing a husband were truly a bit too high.