Jiu Zhang Ji: The Daily Life of the Reborn Daughter

Chapter 59: Love in Two Lives

Jokhang Temple.

It was already three quarters past noon when Concubine Yun's carriage arrived at the Jokhang Temple.

The abbot and a group of monks stood at the door. Concubine Yun was helped down from the carriage by Azhu, and the monks paid their respects with great respect.

"People outside the secular world don't need to care so much about the so-called etiquette of the secular world." Concubine Yun hurriedly asked everyone to stand up.

"Your Highness, we are here to pay our respects to those disaster victims who have received your porridge, cotton-padded clothes, and shelter."

"The wooden and clay sculptures are far less brilliant than the Buddha's light on you, the goddess." The abbot clasped his hands together and silently chanted the Buddha's name.

"Thank you for the compliment, Master." Concubine Yun actually felt a sacred sense of pride in her heart.

"Master Wuwei said that a person of great merit is coming today, and a table of vegetarian food has been prepared in the dining hall. Please don't be disgusted by the crudeness of it, Your Majesty."

After sitting in the carriage for several hours, his emotions fluctuated greatly. Little Ali must be hungry. Concubine Yun replied: "Thank you very much, Abbot. I will follow the host's wishes."

After the abbot invited Concubine Yun, Qiao Lili and others to a side room, he took his leave. The entourage of Concubine Yun were also arranged to have lunch in the dining hall.

This is a dining room. It has no carved beams or painted buildings, but it is exceptionally clean and elegant. In the middle, facing the door, there is a table of exquisite vegetarian food, which is still emitting hot air. Is it made on time? There are large pots of orchids in the four corners of the room. Perhaps they are contaminated by the incense in the temple, and these orchids are blooming with a very Zen feeling.

There are several calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall. On the left is a screen with patterns of some well-known Buddhist stories. Behind the screen are buckets, basins for washing hands, towels for wiping hands, hangers for cloaks, and coats.

Concubine Yun brought Azhu and A Zi, and Qiao Lili brought Caiqi and Caixing. They washed their hands with water and wiped them clean with the towels they brought with them. Then they sat around the table without distinguishing between master and servant and enjoyed the vegetarian meal together.

Qiao Lili had no appetite at all, so Concubine Yun persuaded her to eat something.

Concubine Yun was extremely regretful at this moment. If she had known earlier, she would not have said those words to little Ali on the road. Little Ali had finally come out to play, but she threw such a heavy problem at her. After all, she was just a teenager. How much could she bear?

He was originally a good kid, but she tortured him into a bad kid. I feel so sorry for him.

Qiao Lili met Concubine Yun's concerned gaze. Fearing that she would worry, she could only eat as much as possible and serve food to Aunt Yun herself. She had never had the chance to eat with Aunt Yun before. She only saw her drinking with her mother. She didn't know what kind of wine they drank. She would give her the fruit wine she brewed later to try. Maybe the fairy aunt would like it.

I don’t know what dishes Fairy Aunt likes to eat, so I have to remember some today to see which one she eats more.

It looks like tofu.

Concubine Yun was helpless. Tofu was the main ingredient in this vegetarian meal. She had no choice but to eat it. Little did she know that today's meal laid the foundation for her to enjoy countless dishes made by her daughter-in-law during her first days as a mother-in-law. These dishes had one thing in common: they all used tofu as an ingredient.

Qiao Lili was troubled, and Concubine Yun could not hide her heartache. Azhu, Azi, and the maids Caiqi and Caixing observed her expressions and felt that something must have happened, so they had no appetite. After the six of them finished the vegetarian meal, they only touched a few items.

After dinner, two young monks in their teens led them to a quiet guest house.

Green bamboos grow in the secluded path, and green vines brush against people's clothes.

The guest house was decorated in a simple and unsophisticated style, but it had a unique charm. They would stay here tonight. There were side rooms for the guards to live in, in front of, behind, and on both sides of the guest house, and the people accompanying them were arranged to stay there.

Only Concubine Yun, Qiao Lili and six other servants lived in the guest house.

Each of them chose a room, took a short rest, tidied their clothes, re-combed their hair, took off some jewelry and hairpins, and then entered the temple, trying to be low-key and simple.

After closing her eyes and resting for a while, Qiao Lili's mental state improved a lot. Her mother had passed away six years ago, which was a cruel fact that she had already accepted. Now that Aunt Yun suspected that her mother was still alive, wasn't this a good thing? In other words, even if Aunt Yun's suspicion was wrong, it was just the current state, and it wouldn't be any worse.

If, one day, Auntie Yun's suspicion is confirmed, that would be a great thing. So what is there to worry about? All we have to do is pray and hope that good things will happen.

At 5 p.m., two young monks came to the guest house and said, "Master Wuwei wants to see Concubine Yun."

Concubine Yun was gone for only half an hour before she came back with a look of joy on her face. In her hand she held the horoscope and the comment on it read: "A match made in heaven."

"In the sky, we are destined to be a pair of wings, and on the ground, we are also intertwined branches." After reading it, Qiao Lili's face suddenly flushed. Is the judgment of Master Wuwei so straightforward? What Qiao Lili didn't see was that there were eight more words on the back of the bamboo slip with the judgment: The blue sky and the yellow spring, the love of two lives.

"A-li, Master Wuwei wants to invite you over to play chess." Concubine Yun said, "The young monk is waiting outside. They will take you over."

Playing chess? Her chess skills were average, so how could she attract Master Wuwei to play a game with her? This was really a bit outrageous. However, if she lost, it was no big deal. It was not shameful to lose to Master Wuwei. Maybe she could learn a few winning moves from him.

She took some grass and water chestnuts and followed two little monks to the Zen temple where Master Wuwei lived.

Caiqi and Caixing stayed outside the meditation room. The two little monks opened the door of the meditation room but did not go in.

When Qiao Lili entered the room, she saw a young monk who was about twenty years old. The monk had a delicate face, red lips and white teeth. If it weren't for his bald head and the compassionate expression on his face, anyone who saw him would have thought he was some favored young master of some family. It was really too inconsistent with the words "Master Wuwei".

The Master Wuwei that Qiao Lili could imagine must be over eighty years old, with a beard growing to his chest. Now this little monk doesn't look like an enlightened monk at all.

"I have heard that Miss Qiao is quite good at chess, so I would like to ask for your advice today. If you can beat me, I will tell your fortune for you."

Qiao Lili's autumn-water eyes sparkled, "Master, are you sure that the Miss Qiao who can play chess is me?"

"Miss Qiao from the Duke Ding's Mansion, is she wrong?"

"Not really." Qiao Lili was really confused this time.

"Then let's get started." Master Wuwei invited solemnly.

The two washed their hands, burned incense, sat opposite each other, and made their move. The young monk brought them two cups of tea.

Qiao Lili thanked him, reached out to take the cup, took a sip, and immediately felt the fragrance on her lips and teeth, and the sweet aftertaste. Looking at the rising sandalwood, she felt dazed and a little sleepy.

Qiao Lili sat at the table with her eyes closed. Across from her, Master Wuwei was playing chess in a chaotic manner, holding two black and white chess pieces.

At this moment, Qiao Lili felt cold all over. How did she find herself back in the dark cell?

She saw her broken body lying in the cold dark cell. The blood at her wrists and ankles had stopped flowing, and her hands and feet were scattered on the floor of the cell.

She saw Lou Xinyue covering her eyes, rolling on the ground in pain, crying and calling for her husband, but no one came. Qiao Li wanted to pick up the knife on the ground and chop her a hundred more times, but her hand went through the handle and she couldn't hold anything.