Chapter 49 On The Road

  Guanyin Mountain was originally a small hill in the southern suburbs of Pingjing. During the Ming Emperor's reign, the position of Empress was vacant, and Concubine Wang enjoyed imperial favor, with the emperor intending to appoint her as Empress. However, due to Concubine Wang having no children, the opposition from court officials was strong, and it could not be carried out.

  The Empress Wang had tried every means to have a child, but to no avail. In the spring of the fourth year of Emperor Ming's reign, the empress was taking a nap in the afternoon when she suddenly had a dream. She saw a brilliant light shining from the south, flowers falling from the sky, and a fragrance wafting towards her. Then, a Bodhisattva slowly descended onto a small hill, stepped on a lotus seat, held a baby in her arms, smiled at the empress, and raised her hand. The empress woke up with a start, only to realize it was just a dream of the south branch.

  The imperial concubine woke up and felt that her dream was clear and not like usual, so she couldn't let it go. She then sought an opportunity to ask the emperor, seeking the small hill in her dream. Many palace eunuchs and guards ran around searching, finally finding Guanyin Mountain in the southern suburbs of Pingjing. The imperial concubine summoned someone to carefully ask about it, feeling that it was no different from her dream. She immediately took out her private savings, built a Guanyin Temple on the small hill, and cast a golden statue of Guanyin sending children.

  The temple was completed in less than three months, and the imperial concubine indeed became pregnant. At the end of the tenth month, she gave birth to a son, who would later become Emperor Wen of Ming. Imperial Concubine Wang also naturally ascended to the throne as empress. The imperial concubine had her wish fulfilled, and her mood was exceptionally good. She then requested that Emperor Ming make Mount Guanyin not only an imperial temple but also a place where people from all over the world could come to offer incense and worship, in order to complete the compassionate heart of Guanyin who saves suffering and difficulties.

  After Emperor Ming and Emperor Wen, Mount Guanyin's incense fire can be said to be extremely prosperous. Many ordinary people in Pingjing sought children and marriage, and many had spiritual experiences.

  Yan Dai leaned lazily against the wall of the car, listening to Du Ruo recount this episode in detail, and also found it quite interesting.

  Ling Yuexuan, who was in the same carriage as her, couldn't help but sigh after hearing Du Ruo's words and blurted out: "Mother is really something, it turns out that Guanyin Mountain is actually a place for praying for children!" Her tone was tinged with a hint of resentment.

  As soon as the words came out, she suddenly realized her own mistake and blushed. Du Ruo, Wen Ping and others, as maids, naturally had the ability to observe expressions, and seeing Ling Yuanshu's expression, they wouldn't mention it again, so they all remained silent.

  Yuandai didn't notice Ling Yuanshen's embarrassment and opened her mouth to say, "Isn't it just..."

  Ling Yuexuan heard this and thought that the others had not noticed her underlying meaning, so she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But unexpectedly, Far Dai continued in an unhurried tone: "Speaking of which, Aunt San coming to Guanyin Mountain at this time is indeed a bit too hasty!"

  When these words came out, Wenping couldn't help but laugh on the spot. Du Ruo also couldn't stop laughing, and even Yan Liu covered her mouth tightly. On the contrary, Ling Yuexuan's heart was suddenly tight and then relaxed, and when she heard this, she didn't react for a moment, stunned for half a day, before blushing and rushing over to pinch Yuande's arm: "Ninth sister, you...you're really bad! You're just teasing me!"

  Yan Dai's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but then she turned to Wen Ping with a serious expression and asked, "Wen Ping, didn't I just say that it was the third wife?" Her face was full of innocent confusion. When Wen Ping and others heard this, they laughed even harder, holding their bellies.

  Ling Yuexuan hastily rushed over and covered Yuan Dais mouth: "You still speak, you still speak!"

  Yan Dai couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her, brushing away Ling Yu Xuan's hand while chuckling: "Alright alright, I won't say it then! Look at you, your hair is all disheveled!"

  Ling Yuexian glared at her with a mixture of anger and resentment, saying: "I only found out today that Ninth Sister is actually so narrow-minded! From now on, I won't dare to say anything to you again!"

  She knew that Yan Dai's words were just a momentary tantrum, so she didn't take it to heart. She smiled and raised her hand to tidy up Yan Dai's disheveled hair, changing the subject by saying: "I wonder what Sister Xiao is doing now?"

  Ling Yuexuan knew she was giving herself an excuse, so she hummed softly and followed her words: "I'm afraid I'm packing my bags and planning to stay at Lüyu Ridge for a while!" She had no ulterior motives and was straightforward and didn't hold grudges. When it came to the matter of Lüyu Ridge, her mood became cheerful again: "Ninth sister, have you ever been to Lüyu Ridge before?"

  She smiled faintly and put away her playful thoughts, responding: "I've never been there!"

  Ling Yuexuan thought for a moment and said, "I went there when I was about ten years old! I vaguely remember that the most famous thing on Lü'è Ridge is the patch of golden Lü'è flowers behind the mountain. The flower color is pure white, fragrant and elegant, it's really good! However, Lü'è flowers are spring plum blossoms, they will only be in full bloom next spring, now you can only see the wax plum blossoms, but not the Lü'è flowers!"

  …………

  Ling Fu's trip to Guanyin Mountain this time mobilized more than 50 family servants and maids, some riding in carriages and others on horseback, making a quite impressive display. Ling Yuanxiang and her sister Ling Yuandai rode together in one carriage, while Luo Shi and Madame Lu rode together in another.

  Ling Yuanyi's wife, Madame Guo, was driving alone in a car with her two children and Luo Shi's youngest son, Ling Yuanhua. It turned out that Ling Yuanhua was about the same age as Luo Shi's eldest son, Ling Tingan, and they were also classmates at home school, so their relationship was extremely good. Rarely did they not have school today, so they could go out and play, and the two of them naturally gathered together early on. When Madame Luo saw this, she just smiled and let him get into Madame Guo's car.

  She lifted her hand and pulled up the curtain of the carriage, and looked out silently for a moment, feeling inexplicably worried.

  Madam Lu saw her like this and couldn't help but smile faintly: "You don't have to worry, that child will definitely go!"

  Lu smiled wryly and said, "I'm so worried that I've become a laughing stock for my sister-in-law!"

  Mrs. Lu said, "You and I both have daughters, and the way you feel now, I didn't feel any differently in the past. How can we laugh at this!" She patted Luo's hand and said, "I know what you're worried about! Wei Jie is a good kid, but his personality is too introverted. If it were just him, even if he knew about this, he might not come. But now that there's also Wei Ying by his side... That child is the most outgoing and impulsive one, she definitely won't not come! And if Wei Ying comes, how can Wei Jie be at ease? So, he'll definitely come!"

  Lu heard this and felt slightly relieved. He turned his head to look at Mrs. Lu deeply, but suddenly said: "Sister-in-law is very concerned about the nephews of her natal family!" In fact, if it weren't for Mrs. Lu, the marriage between Ling Yuexuan and Lu Weijie might not have been possible either.

  Madam Lu sensed that her tone was unusual and couldn't help but frown at Luo Shi: "What do you mean by this?" Her words were quite displeased.

  "Ah, sister-in-law, don't misunderstand! It's just that I see there's no one around now, and I wanted to have a few private words with you!"

  Madam Lu's expression slightly eased upon hearing this, but her words were still as cold and sharp as a knife: "If what you want to say about these private matters has something to do with that little girl, then it would be better not to say anything at all!" She didn't give Luo Shi any face at all.

  Luo smiled wryly, she had been a sister-in-law to Mrs. Lu for nearly twenty years, and was well aware of her temperament. But now that Ling Yu Xuan was about to marry into the Lu family, she couldn't help but think of her daughter's future as well.

  After a moment of silence in the carriage, Luo finally said slowly: "I don't believe that Auntie has no idea about Old Lady's thoughts!"

  "Old Mrs. Lu's face turned cold and she said, 'You are you, and I am me. It's not that I'm being disobedient or arrogant, nor am I criticizing my elders. But now that you're older, your thinking has become too simplistic! Although the prince was removed from his position due to his misdeeds, he is still a noble king. With this identity alone, who knows how many families outside are trying to find ways to send their beautiful daughters to him? But in all these years, has the palace kept any of them? You're different, old lady. While others choose girls with good qualities, you chose that servant girl. Are you intentionally being unconventional and clever?" Her words were extremely sharp and cold.

  Luoshi was left speechless by her words, and after a long while, she sighed and said: "Since you've said so, I have nothing more to say! But I still want to advise you, when doing things and being a person, one should always leave some room for maneuver, be careful of the winds and waters turning!"

  Madam Lu snorted and lowered her face, turning her head away, clearly not intending to argue with Luo Shi anymore.

  Luoshi saw her like this, couldn't help but secretly sighed in his heart, and silently didn't speak again.

  The awkward silence in the car was suddenly broken by two light knocks on the window, followed by a clear and distant voice: "Niang, San Shu, Guanyin Mountain is approaching!"

  Guanyin Mountain, built in the fourth year of Ming Emperor Yuan De, is actually only a little over 60 years old. However, the hard work and management of the past six decades have been enough to give Guanyin Mountain a new look. The present-day Guanyin Mountain has winding stone steps leading up to the mountain gate. Along the way, tall pines and cypresses stand upright, with shrubs growing in clusters. Even on winter days, they still appear lush and verdant, mysterious and remote.

  It was the end of the year, and many people came to Mount Guanyin to make wishes and repay them. On this day, the weather was exceptionally good, and the incense guests at the foot of the mountain were even more crowded, shoulder to shoulder, endless. The Ling family's carriage slowly made its way up the mountain road, but stopped when it reached the mountain gate. At the front of the mountain gate, a nun in gray clothes had been waiting, and seeing everyone coming over, she hurriedly came forward to greet them.

  Everyone got off the car and walked slowly into the temple under the watchful eyes of the family's servants.

  The temple on Guanyin Mountain is called Baiyi An. Compared to those large temples, it's actually not that big. Because the ladies came to burn incense, and among them were some young girls who had not yet come out of the boudoir, the gray-robed nun led a group of people, bypassing the crowded front halls, and went straight into the Guanyin Hall in the back. As they walked, she smiled and said: "The abbot knows that the two madams, the young master's wife, and the two misses are coming, so he has sealed off the Guanyin Hall in the back and is waiting for you all to come and burn incense!"

  Mrs. Lu nodded and said, "This is the best way!" As they spoke, the crowd had already arrived in front of the Guanyin Temple. The temple occupied an area of about one mu, with a three-virtual-five main hall, red eaves and yellow glazed tiles, and a sloping mountain-style roof. In the center of the temple was enshrined the Child-Giving Guanyin Bodhisattva. The white-robed great master's mud sculpture had a golden body, holding a baby in his arms, with a solemn expression that did not lose its kindness.

  There were already several young nuns waiting at the entrance. When they saw the crowd, they hurriedly came forward to greet them. The crowd then followed the order of seniority and one by one lit incense and went up to pay their respects. After finishing their respects, someone from the other side brought over a register for donating incense oil. Mrs. Lu and the others each acknowledged their donations. When it was finally Far Jade's turn, she took a glance at the register and saw that her mother-in-law, Guo Shi, had donated 100 taels of silver. She then picked up a pen and wrote down a donation of 50 taels of silver.

  Not just the master and mistress, but also the maids who followed them all kowtowed one by one and offered incense.