Chapter 51: Monk Zixu
A few days later, Liu An took his youngest daughter to Jianguo Temple.
The two of them rode there on horseback.
Liu Yu wore boys’ clothing, tied her hair up, and rode high on horseback with her father. Her fair and handsome face even drew some young women to stop and stare.
Upon arriving at Jianguo Temple, Liu An asked a familiar abbot to speak with her.
“Form is no different from emptiness; emptiness is no different from form. Form is emptiness; emptiness is form.”
At first, she tried to pay attention, but soon she couldn’t help nodding off.
As Liu Yu rested her head, half-asleep, Liu An suddenly gave her a push.
“Yu’er.”
“Ah? What’s wrong?”
Startled, Liu Yu quickly opened her eyes.
Liu An said, “Father is going to talk with the abbot about Buddhist principles. You go play on your own.”
Relieved, Liu Yu propped herself up, bowed to her father and the abbot, and stepped outside.
After she left, the bald, white-bearded abbot poured tea for Liu An.
“Have you arranged everything?”
Liu An smiled: “Of course. I personally brought a calligraphy piece by Xie Dingyuan to invite him.”
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll run off with your daughter?”
“No, he’s a good kid.”
Liu Yu had visited Jianguo Temple many times, especially in recent years seeking matchmaking blessings. But there wasn’t much to do. She wandered the corridors, swinging her sleeves, bored out of her mind. Suddenly, she saw a little monk in a blue robe and small hat squatting by a pond, feeding fish with grains of rice.
Thinking a moment, she approached and called out, “Little monk, let me help you—”
The little monk turned around, holding a wooden bowl full of rice grains. Liu Yu was startled and couldn’t even shout his name: “Han—”
Han Min stood, hands pressed together, his eyebrows slightly lowered, calm and gentle: “Benefactor.”
Liu Yu smiled: “Brother Han, stop joking! When did you become a monk?” She tilted her head to peek under Han Min’s hat: “Did you shave your head?”
Han Min stepped back two paces and said seriously: “Benefactor, please don’t tease me. My Dharma name is Zixu.”
Zixu—literally “Nonexistent.”
Amused, Liu Yu looked him up and down and said, “You look really good in a monk’s robe.”
Han Min sighed, looked at her, slightly annoyed: “You brat, I told you I’m Zixu, take me seriously.”
“All right, all right.” Liu Yu cleared her throat and said earnestly, “Did my father send you here to explain ‘form is emptiness’? Don’t worry, I already understand.”
She clasped her hands and mimicked the old abbot, reciting a couple of Buddhist verses.
Han Min held the wooden bowl: “Weren’t you supposed to help me feed the fish?”
“Sure.”
The two of them squatted by the pond, scattering rice grains into the water.
The fish at Jianguo Temple were mostly large red koi, quite spirited. The pond water was clear green, reflecting Han Min’s image.
Liu Yu held her hands, whispering: “Brother Han, if you don’t want to marry me, I’ll marry you. I’ll go out and write poetry to earn money. I’ll definitely treasure you more than any other man.”
What nonsense was this girl talking?
Han Min subtly moved away from her.
Several koi flicked their tails, stirring up mud at the bottom of the pond and clouding the water.
“Look, the person you like is so fragile that they break at the slightest touch.” Han Min said.
Liu Yu paused, then nodded: “That’s right, it needs to be carefully protected.”
Han Min said helplessly: “That’s not what I mean.”
“I know.”
“All appearances are illusory. You’re young, and it’s natural to be dazzled by appearances. What about when I grow old?”
Liu Yu had no reply.
The abbot had explained many Buddhist principles to her, but she had never thought of such a simple issue.
Han Min continued: “What you like now is fleeting. After you leave, you will attribute the best words in the world to me. You’re in love with a false Han Min. I’m not as good as you imagine. Ask your elder brother, I can be quite spoiled.”
Liu Yu cupped her face, thinking for a long time.
Finally, she said: “But Mother always asks me, and I think you’re the best choice. You’re much better than the other young masters in Yong’an City.”
“That’s just the best choice. So what?”
“I only wanted Mother to stop bothering me, so I mentioned your name. But Brother Han, have you ever thought why a young lady must marry?”
With progressive ideas, he was the second person in the Great Qi Dynasty to oppose feudalism.
Han Min wanted to tell her, but out of respect for etiquette, he hadn’t. Yet she said it herself.
He deliberately asked back: “Why can’t a young lady choose not to marry?”
Liu Yu threw the question back: “If she doesn’t want to, why not?”
“You have to think carefully. What will Madam Liu say? How will you handle the gossip of the world?”
“I haven’t thought it through. I just said it casually.”
Liu Yu scratched her head in frustration, then noticed her hair crown. She brightened: “Brother Han, if I dress as a boy, could I become an official in court?”
“Probably not. If discovered, it would implicate the entire Liu family.”
She stepped back: “Then… what about becoming a female academy instructor like my brother?”
Han Min smiled, encouraging: “Perhaps possible. Opening the precedent for female instructors may allow women to study and serve in the future.”
Liu Yu clapped her hands: “Exactly. I don’t want to marry.”
“Serving in government isn’t a way to avoid marriage. A woman’s efforts may only advance things a tiny step, possibly blocked by others, possibly regressing with regime changes. Think carefully.”
“I will think about it seriously.”
Liu Yu was lively and talked freely. Han Min listened carefully, analyzing pros and cons with her.
After a while, the koi in the pond were full and were blowing bubbles.
Liu Yu suddenly asked: “Father must have sent you. What did he use to invite you?”
Han Min touched his nose: “A calligraphy piece by Xie Dingyuan.”
“I see.”
Han Min clasped his hands: “Today, Zixu the little monk fed fish with the Liu family’s young master and chatted. Once we leave this pond, Zixu and young master Liu cease to exist.”
Liu Yu nodded: “Thank you. But little monk, one last question.”
“Go ahead.”
She peeked: “Do you have a girl you like?”
Han Min’s expression was calm: “No.”
“Really none?”
“If I had, there’s indeed one.”
“Whose?”
Han Min said seriously: “Guanyin sister.”
Liu Yu laughed: “That’s a deity! I asked if you like a girl. Little monk, when you chant, who do you think of?”
Perhaps there is one, the little monk lowered his gaze.
Liu Yu didn’t press further, stretched, and said: “I’ll take my leave. Father might be waiting.”
Han Min stared after her, seemingly lost in thought, then nodded: “All right.”
Liu Yu covered her mouth and smiled. She didn’t mean anything; she just suddenly thought Han Min was as cute as a little ceramic monk doll at a festival.
After she left, Han Min stayed by the pond, staring at the fish for a long time. Eventually, he rose slowly.
His legs were numb.
He took off the little hat, shook his head, and fluffed his hair.
Later, someone called his name.
“Han Min.”
He turned, his hair blown by the wind, almond eyes reflecting a man’s image.
He paused, recalling Liu Yu’s question: “Little monk, when you chant, who do you think of?”
—Little scholar, when you write, who do you think of?
Thus, Monk Zixu fell into the mortal world.
—
The late emperor was fond of beautiful women, and the Empress Dowager, when she was still the Crown Princess and then the Empress, already understood this.
She didn’t care much about the number of women in the harem, as if she had been a widow for a long time. She never cared about the late emperor and only did her own job. She raised the children and managed the harem as she should.
She has a habit of visiting Jianguo Temple once a month to offer incense and pray for blessings.
Today, having some free time, Fu Xun also accompanied his mother to Jianguo Temple.
Having witnessed too much life and death on the battlefield and in the imperial court, Fu Xun no longer have much faith in gods and Buddhas.
He found it boring, so he accompanied the Empress Dowager to copy scriptures for a while, then claimed that the incense smell in the temple was too strong and made him feel suffocated.
The Empress Dowager was so engrossed in copying the scriptures that she didn’t even look up, so she asked him to go for a walk.
Today, another court attendant was on duty, Lord Yu. He wanted to go with him, but Fu Xun waved him away.
Fu Xun strolled leisurely under the yellow walls and red tiles of Jianguo Temple with his hands behind his back, thinking to himself, “If only Han Min were on duty today.”
Han Min definitely hasn’t been here much yet—
Then he saw two people squatting by the pond feeding the fish, chatting and laughing as they did so.
Han Min not only visited Jianguo Temple, but he also came with other people.
Even though he was dressed as a monk, he could still recognize Han Min from behind.
They’ve slept together many times, hugged each other, and he even knows that Han Min has two dimples on his lower back.
He didn’t recognize the other person, and didn’t know which family’s young master he was.
He felt a little jealous; Han Min actually had friends he didn’t know.
Oh.
Soon, the man stood up and bid farewell to Han Min.
Fu Xun then realized that it wasn’t someone’s young master, but Liu Yu, the second daughter of the Liu family.
“Fine,” Fu Xun’s eyes burned with anger. He had known all along that the Liu family intended to marry Liu Yu to Han Min.
Those two are really amazing; one dressed as a little monk, and the other dressed as a man.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think it was incredibly difficult for the two of them to meet.
But Liu Yu left soon after, and Han Min squatted alone by the pond, reaching out to catch the fish.
He still refuses to leave.
After a while, Han Min finally stood up to leave.
Han Min’s legs got numb from squatting for so long, so he stood still and massaged them.
Serves him right.
But Fu Xun still called out, thinking his tone was indifferent: “Han Min.”
The two were far apart. Han Min stood by a small pond in the corner, while Fu Xun stood under the round gate of the Buddhist temple corridor. The sunlight shone through the shadows cast by the eaves, making his expression appear obscure.
Han Min casually put his hat back on, dragged his sore and numb feet around, bowed to him, and then hopped towards him.
Fu Xun was clearly furious, yet he also seemed somewhat aggrieved. He strode over to him and reached out to support his arm.
“What are you doing here? And dressed like that?”
Han Min wanted to sit down on the steps first, but Fu Xun wouldn’t allow it, insisting that he explain things clearly first, so he held onto Han Min’s arm tightly.
Han Min had no choice but to explain: “A few days ago, Madam Liu suddenly came to ask me about my feelings for the Second Miss.”
I knew it. Fu Xun grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.
Han Min frowned: “Of course I refused. But Uncle Liu was a little worried, so he brought her here today to talk to the abbot. Uncle Liu also asked me to talk to her, so I came over.”
“I see.” Fu Xun’s expression softened slightly, but he asked, “Have you made yourself clear? You have a soft temper, so don’t leave any room for negotiation.”
“Of course not.”
Han Min pushed his hand away, sat down on the steps, and rubbed his legs.
He continued, “The second young lady is actually very smart and has her own opinions.”
Fu Xun, who had been somewhat pleased, sat down next to him, but upon hearing this, he frowned again.
Han Min finally explained, “It would be inconvenient for me to meet with her, and I was also afraid of attracting gossip, so I borrowed a set of clothes from the monks in the temple to wear.”
Only after Fu Xun calmed down did he take a closer look at him.
Han Min, dressed in a red official robe, was like a red plum blossom in the snow, proud and aloof.
At this moment, he was dressed in a monk’s robe with his hair loose, looking rather plain and simple, except for his dark eyes and slightly red lips, like a hermit.
Fu Xun helped him put his hat back on, which was askew.
Han Min then asked, “What brings Your Majesty here?”
The two sat on the steps in front of the round gate. Just then, a young monk carrying an incense burner was about to pass by, so Fu Xun moved closer to Han Min.
He deliberately put his arm around Han Min’s waist, as if afraid he would fall: “Accompany the Empress Dowager to copy scriptures.”
When Han Min touched the soft flesh around his waist, he felt a strange itch, so he stood up and leaned against the wall.
Fu Xun was not happy. After the little monk passed by, he tugged at Han Min’s sleeve, asking him to sit back down.
He changed the subject: “What did Liu An offer you that made you wear this outfit to talk to Miss Liu?”
Han Min lifted his robe and sat down: “What kind of talk is that?”
Fu Xun remained silent.
Han Min said, “Even if Uncle Liu doesn’t give me anything, I still want to come.” He paused for a moment before saying, “He gave me a piece of calligraphy by Xie Dingyuan, which I was originally going to return to him.”
But the system likes it very much.
Although he knew Xie Yan, he was too embarrassed to keep asking him for calligraphy, so he left it.
“So it was him. You like his handwriting?”
“Um.”
Fu Xun, wanting to get his attention, asked, “Do you know where Xie Dingyuan is now?”
Unexpectedly, Han Min nodded: “I know.”
The attempt to seduce him failed.
“How did you know?”
“I met him when I came to Jianguo Temple before, and we are friends.”
They’re already friends.
Han Min thought for a moment: “Does Your Majesty also know him?”
The seduction has completely failed, and there’s no need to continue the conversation.
Fu Xun simply explained, “I had previously tried to persuade him to take up an official post, but he refused.”
At this time, Han Min’s numb and tingling feet were also healed.
“He should be at the temple today. Should we go see him?”
Just as the two were about to leave, an old woman suddenly called out from behind.
“His Majesty.”
Han Min turned around and saw the old woman who often delivered vegetables to Funing Palace.
The old woman naturally recognized him. After bowing to Fu Xun, she turned to the side and curtsied to him as well.
“Your Majesty, a vegetarian meal has been prepared in the meditation room. The Empress Dowager requests that Your Majesty return.”
Fu Xun glanced at Han Min and simply replied, “I understand.”
He asked Han Min, “Have you eaten? Shall we go together?”
Han Min’s original intention was to have lunch with Xie Yan, but now that he knew the Empress Dowager was at the temple, he was afraid of being impolite by not going to pay his respects, so he went with Fu Xun.
The meditation rooms at Jianguo Temple also vary in size.
The cramped and narrow dwellings, like the one Xie Yan lived in, were lent to the poor; while the meditation room where the Empress Dowager copied scriptures every month was spacious and bright.
The meditation room was divided into an inner and outer section by a curtain. Meals were laid out outside, while a white jade Guanyin statue was placed in the center of the inner room. Various fruits and offerings were placed on the high table, and a scroll of scriptures, paper, ink, brush, and inkstone were placed on the low table.
When Han Min was a child, he met the Empress Dowager while playing in the palace.
He often argued and even fought with Fu Xun, and frequently met with the Empress Dowager.
However, the Empress Dowager seemed to know her son’s temperament very well, and never punished him for his disagreement with Fu Xun.
At this moment, she put down her pen and walked out from the inner room. Her phoenix eyes swept across the room, and her gaze lingered on Han Min for a moment.
Han Min bowed deeply, unaware of what was happening.
She seemed to look at him for a while before recognizing him, and said with a smile, “I wondered which little monk the emperor had brought back, but it turns out to be Min’er. You’ve been practicing Buddhism with your hair still intact at Jianguo Temple?”
Han Min said, “When I saw the monks dressed like this in the temple, I was inspired and asked for a monk’s robe to wear. I dare not practice with my hair still intact, for I fear it would dishonor the purity of Buddhism.”
The Empress Dowager smiled and nodded: “You look beautiful. You seem more spirited than them.”
Two small square tables were set up outside, with an extra set of bowls and chopsticks.
Fu Xun sat at the table in the center, Han Min was beside him, and the Empress Dowager sat at another small table.
She smiled and asked Han Min about his family situation, and Han Min answered her questions one by one.
“Your mother is a woman of strong character, and she gets along very well with me. Once she returns to Yong’an, let her come to the palace to have a talk with me.”
“Yes.”
After eating the vegetarian meal, they continued copying scriptures in front of the white jade Guanyin statue.
What was originally supposed to be copied by Fu Xun was now being copied by Han Min.
Fu Xun sat down next to him, looking down at him as he wrote.
The pen tip dances across the paper, each stroke perfectly executed.
The Empress Dowager raised her eyes, and her phoenix eyes were very similar to Fu Xun’s auspicious phoenix eyes.
She said calmly, “Didn’t the Emperor say that the smell of incense in this meditation room was giving him a headache? Let’s go for a walk.”
Han Min also looked up at him and blinked.
Fu Xun remained calm and said, “I find this smell extremely pleasant now.”
*
After accompanying them to copy the scriptures for a while, the Empress Dowager told them to go out and play.
“You used to be quite a handful when you were little. I won’t keep you in check anymore. Go out for a walk.”
The two took their leave and strolled around the temple.
Then they met Chu Yu, who appeared for reasons unknown.
He caught up with the two of them from behind, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty.”
He glanced up discreetly, seemingly shocked: “Han Min? Why are you dressed like this?”
Han Min flicked his sleeves: “It’s a long story.”
Chu Yu’s furrowed brows did not relax until he left.
As he walked away, he muttered to himself, “My God, what kind of fetish is this? Is it the Emperor? Did the Emperor make him wear this?”
Fu Xun had keen hearing. After hearing a few words, he looked at Han Min, who was dressed as a little monk, and suddenly his ears turned red.
This is a sacred Buddhist site, Fu Xun, forget about it!
Han Min, completely unaware, clasped her hands together and looked at him with pure, innocent eyes: “Your Majesty, why aren’t you leaving?”
The wild dog in Fu Xun’s heart suddenly transformed into a wolf, barking incessantly, giving him a headache.
“Han Min”.
He called out, “Hmm?”
Fu Xun ruffled his head, messing up his hair: “Don’t dress like this again.”
That evening, Han Min rode his horse back to the Liu residence and encountered his senior brother Liu Ting and a group of students from the academy on the way.
The next morning, when he went to the palace for his shift, he saw some young students also wearing monk’s robes and their caps askew.
As he rode on horseback, the wind blew his hat to one side, but he didn’t have a free hand to adjust it.
As a result, that gust of wind turned into a small fashion trend.
—
The next day, it was Chu Yu’s turn to be on duty.
Han Min then organized the previous day’s daily records in the Wenying Hall.
He had finished preparing in the morning, but during his midday rest, Chu Yu told him to wait for him so they could leave the palace together in the evening.
He spoke with utmost seriousness. When Han Min asked him what it was about, he wouldn’t say, but simply told Han Min to wait for him.
Han Min had no choice but to wait for him in the palace.
With nothing to do, he picked up a few sheets of paper, recalled the plot of the manuscript he had written last time, and began to continue writing.
Because the emperor and the third-ranked scholar were both in the palace at the time, he wrote with extra care.
He pricked up his ears, always paying attention to what was happening outside. At the slightest disturbance, he would immediately tuck the manuscript into his sleeve.
He didn’t know why Chu Yu had contacted him.
The system asked, “Has the matter of Pine Smoke Ink Guest been exposed?”
“Impossible. Apart from the ‘little rascal’s’ mistake last time, I’ve been covering it up very well lately. There’s not a single flaw to be found.”
Why is that?
“Perhaps Chu Zhuoshi wants to ask me to go out and have fun?”
“Possibly.”
After writing two more pages, the sound of the door opening came from outside. Han Min quickly folded the manuscript, stuffed it into his sleeve, sat up straight, turned a page of the book lying flat on the table, and pretended to be reading.
He looked up and asked obediently, “You’re back?”
Chu Yu nodded: “Okay, let’s go.”
The two walked out of the palace gate together, and after getting into the carriage, Chu Yu did not say why he had come to see him. Han Min was embarrassed to ask and felt a little uneasy.
As the carriage drove along, Han Min lifted the curtain and peeked out.
It’s not the direction to the Liu residence.
Feeling rather nervous, he tentatively asked, “Zhuoshi, where are we going?”
Chu Yu’s expression was icy: “You’ll find out when we get there.”
Han Min was startled by his expression and quickly grabbed his hand: “What’s wrong? What did I do to make you angry? Say something.”
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the alley where the Marquis of Wenyuan’s residence was located.
Chu Yu lifted the curtain and pulled Han Min out of the car.
As Han Min walked into the alley, his palms were sweating nervously.
That shouldn’t be the case. He clearly had no flaws, so how could he have been found out?
He took two deep breaths, trying to relax. Maybe it’s not just a story from a novel.
Upon arriving at the Marquis of Wenyuan’s residence, Chu Yu passed through the narrow stone corridor and knocked on Wen Yan’s door.
“A-Yan, the person has arrived.”
The person inside responded, and Chu Yu pushed open the door and pulled Han Min in first.
Before Han Min could even see what was happening in the room, a scroll flew from the bamboo couch and landed squarely on him.
He hurriedly caught the scroll—
That’s right, it’s “Things Between the Emperor and the Censor”.
Immediately afterwards, three more books flew in.
The other three volumes of storybooks.
Han Min, clutching four volumes of storybooks, wanted to explain.
With a click, Chu Yu locked the door behind him, grabbed him from behind, and dragged him inside.
Chu Yu gritted her teeth and said, “Han Min, you’ve really grown bold, haven’t you? You dare to write this kind of stuff?”
Han Min turned to look at Chu Yu, then at Wen Yan.
He frantically called out to the system: “System, quickly give me ‘108 Kneeling Slides’! There’s no time!”
Oh no, Wen Yan’s eyes are already red.
Han Min said weakly, “It’s not what you think, let me explain…”
Author’s Note:
Today’s story is a limited-time feature on the compassionate little monk practicing with his hair intact.
Min-Min’s dream has come true
