Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Beyond the memorial service for He Ji, Jiang Heng was quite content to be at Guanyin Temple. Whenever Gu Yu was away, she would stay here for extended periods. Many young monks knew her well, and a dedicated room was always kept ready for her.

"Madame Jiang, we weren't expecting you today. Your room hasn't been tidied yet. Please bear with us," apologized the young monk who greeted her.

Normally, Jiang Heng would notify the temple in advance of her visits. This time, however, Gu Yu had sent her on a whim, so no prior announcement was made. Jiang Heng gently acknowledged this, saying, "I'll leave the memorial service arrangements in your capable hands, little master."

"Rest assured, Madame Jiang, everything will be handled perfectly."

Jiang Heng then inquired, "May I ask which master is looking after my calico cat?"

"Jing Yi has her, but he's quite playful and has likely taken the cat up the mountain again. They probably won't be back until evening."

Jiang Heng thanked the monk, then went to pay her respects before the Buddha, offering two burners of premium sandalwood incense. By the time she finished, her room was prepared.

Her room was exceptionally secluded, offering a mountain view right outside the door. Behind it lay a pomegranate grove, its flowers in vibrant bloom, radiant and resplendent, like fragments of deep crimson rouge, making the surrounding green leaves appear exquisitely delicate.

Jiang Heng, delighted by the sight, plucked a pomegranate blossom and tucked it into her hair.

Chun Jin, rarely seeing Jiang Heng so at ease, smiled as she settled their belongings. "Miss, this year's pomegranates should be abundant. Many of the trees are due to bear fruit."

This pomegranate grove was entirely Jiang Heng's creation. The two largest trees were planted six years ago, shortly after she was brought back to the capital. Every year since, she had returned to plant more, and gradually, the saplings had grown into a flourishing grove. The trees planted three years ago were now on the verge of flowering and fruiting.

Jiang Heng sat beneath the blossoms, her gaze fixed on the bright pomegranate flowers, but her eyes slowly dimmed.

Guanyin Temple was near the Imperial College. Its serene mountains and tranquil waters attracted many scholars for study. He, too, had frequented this place and eventually discovered this very spot. With the abbot's permission, he planted the first pomegranate tree here.

But that tree was slow to mature; it took a full four years to flower and bear fruit, so he never tasted its pomegranates.

Had he truly died? Would he never taste the pomegranates from that tree again?

Lost in thought, Jiang Heng unconsciously crushed the pomegranate flower in her hand. The vibrant red juice stained her skin, reminiscent of the blood that had marked her hands three years ago when she pressed against his wound.

"Miss, let's go inside and rest," Chun Jin urged, seeing Jiang Heng staring blankly at her fingers. Knowing she was lost in old memories, Chun Jin quickly helped her up and guided her indoors.

Jiang Heng remained silent. As soon as she entered the room, she gently pushed Chun Jin away, sat at the scripture desk, hastily wiped the pomegranate juice from her hand, and began copying Buddhist scriptures.

It wasn't until evening, when the young monk Jing Yi returned the calico cat and mentioned the grotto excavation and statue carving at Yique Mountain, that Jiang Heng finally put down her brush.

"Madame Jiang, would you like to sponsor a stone Buddha statue?"

Excavating grottoes and carving statues in the mountains incurred immense costs, far exceeding typical offerings of incense, flowers, lamps, or anointing the Buddha. Even a small, palm-sized stone Buddha required ten strings of coins, with larger statues demanding proportionally more.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Heng nodded. "Then I shall sponsor a three-zhang tall stone Buddha." Any taller, she mused, might be seen as overstepping royal patronage.

Jing Yi noted her request and then asked, "Still the Medicine Buddha?"

The Medicine Buddha governed health and healing. All the Buddha statues Jiang Heng had previously sponsored for gilding had, without exception, been Medicine Buddhas. This time was no different.

Jing Yi remarked, "Others make offerings before the Buddha, praying for wealth, health, longevity, descendants, and marriage—they ask for everything. You've been making offerings for years, enough to have sponsored every Buddha in turn. Why have you only ever prayed for health and peace?"

Jiang Heng smiled, offering no explanation.

"A three-zhang stone Buddha will cost three thousand strings of coins. Madame Jiang, are you certain?"

Jiang Heng nodded and instructed Chun Jin to visit the incense shop the following day.

"Madame Jiang, would you like to inscribe a vow?" Jing Yi added.

Jiang Heng then took up her brush and wrote two lines, handing them to Jing Yi.

"May the gentleman be well and at peace. Disciple Yan Jiu reverently dedicates this."

Jing Yi read it once to confirm its accuracy, then took his leave.

Jiang Heng resumed copying scriptures.

Chun Jin sat nearby, stroking the calico cat, gazing thoughtfully at her mistress.

She recalled that Jiang Heng had not been particularly devout before. Not only did she rarely engage in costly endeavors like grotto excavations and statue carvings, but even simple offerings before the Buddha were infrequent. However, ever since three years ago, when Mr. Yan was gravely wounded and fell into the Yellow River, disappearing without a trace—whether alive or dead—she had incessantly chanted and copied scriptures, sponsored gilding for statues, and enthusiastically participated in all manner of Buddhist offerings.

...

He Ji's memorial service was handled by specialists. Since Jiang Heng had no particular connection with her, she did not go to pay respects before He Ji’s spirit altar. Instead, she remained in her room copying scriptures or went before the Buddha to chant prayers.

One day, as she was worshiping before the Buddha as usual, she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her head, followed by a clattering sound as a candle holder fell to the ground. Thinking someone had accidentally knocked it over, she bent down to retrieve it, only to have her fingers stepped on.

"Oh my, isn't this Eighth Miss Jiang? What are you doing here?"

The one who stepped on her was a young married woman of similar age. As she spoke, she feigned an accidental misstep, stepping on Jiang Heng’s fingers once more before moving her foot.

Jiang Heng rose, observing her for a moment, and recognized the person before her.

It was the former princess, now the Duchess of Liang, Li Daorou.

When Jiang Heng was seven, she had fought with Li Daorou, tearing off her hair ornament and humiliating her in front of the young man she admired. For this, Jiang Heng's mother made her kneel for seven days. Afterward, she was sternly sent back to the old family home in Canghe and not allowed to return to the capital until she reached marriageable age.

Although the former dynasty later fell, Li Daorou’s husband, like Gu Yu, was one of the Eight Pillars of the State. In the new dynasty, they both attained the rank of Duke. Furthermore, the new dynasty had some familial ties with the former imperial family, particularly through maternal relations, so the former imperial family, especially the women, were not persecuted. Thus, Li Daorou’s life was not overly difficult.

Thinking back, Jiang Heng had almost no interaction with her. Today marked only their second meeting since they were seven.

And at this meeting, she had "accidentally" struck her and stepped on her.

She certainly held a grudge for a long time.

Jiang Heng did not wish to cause trouble, especially before the Buddha. She ignored Li Daorou, straightened the candle holder, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave the hall.

But Li Daorou caught up with her, feigning warmth and striking up a conversation.

"I heard a concubine died in your household, and a memorial service is being held here. You're not here to chant prayers for her, are you? A respectable wife, bowing and chanting for a concubine..."

Jiang Heng remained silent. As she exited the hall, she noticed several guards had appeared outside. Li Daorou’s husband, Duke Liang, was also there, seemingly waiting for her.

Perhaps emboldened by her husband's presence, Li Daorou continued to provoke Jiang Heng. "I heard that Duke Wei killed over three thousand people in the southern city for the sake of your elder sister. Tsk, tsk, such devotion is truly rare."

After saying this with a laugh, Li Daorou took her husband's arm, putting on a show of affection, and looked at Jiang Heng triumphantly.

Jiang Heng’s expression remained unchanged. She curtsied to Duke Liang and asked calmly, "Did you tell your wife these things, Duke Liang?"

"Ah?" Duke Liang was taken aback by her question and looked at her in surprise.

"Who needs my husband to tell me? It’s been all over the streets and alleys. Has Madame Jiang truly not heard, or are you just burying your head in the sand?" Li Daorou snorted.

Jiang Heng lowered her eyes and smiled. "So it’s just rumors."

She then looked up at Li Daorou. "I didn't expect someone as intelligent as the Duchess of Liang to believe such idle gossip."

"My husband's expedition in the southern territories and the execution of rebels who surrendered then rebelled again were merely routine military orders. Some troublemakers exaggerated the matter, spreading rumors that he slaughtered three thousand people in a fit of rage for the sake of my elder sister. Commoners, unaware of the truth, may join in the excitement, but rumors die with the wise. How could you, Lady Li, believe such tales?"

"If it were truly as the rumors say—that my husband killed out of personal motives—should he not have been imprisoned and interrogated long ago? By believing and spreading such claims recklessly, what is your intention, Lady Li? Do you aim to call a stag a horse and fabricate facts like those with ulterior motives, slandering the general who has just pacified the south and returned in triumph? Or are you hinting that the current emperor is incompetent, to the point of shielding a minister who kills for personal gain?"

As a former princess of the previous dynasty, Li Daorou was well aware of how sensitive such accusations were. She immediately became angry and shouted furiously, "When did I ever say the emperor is incompetent? Do not falsely accuse me!"

She then pleaded tearfully to Duke Liang, "Such a grave charge—she is trying to harm me!"

Duke Liang also felt Jiang Heng's words were too severe and wanted to shake her up. He declared sternly, "You sharp-tongued woman! With your words, anyone could be made to seem treasonous. If His Majesty were to think like you, would anyone feel safe? Stop your reckless gossip and false accusations here and now!"

With both Duke Liang and his wife teaming up against her, and surrounded by the duke's attendants, Jiang Heng appeared all the more isolated and alone in her struggle.

Yet she was long accustomed to such situations, standing alone against the two of them.

"Then, Duchess of Liang, what exactly is your purpose in saying these things?"

"You are a troublesome woman," Duke Liang retorted, though he knew his wife had provoked her first, he was determined to stand by her. "It was merely an offhand remark, yet you blow it out of proportion and refuse to let it go."

Seeing the Duke Liang couple acting so unreasonably and turning the tables, clearly taking advantage of her solitary stance, Jiang Heng naturally felt resentment, her brow furrowed tightly.

As the standoff continued, a low voice came from around the corner: "What a lively scene."

Jiang Heng shuddered and immediately turned toward the sound.

She saw a man in a blue robe who had just rounded the corner of the hall, standing tall with his hair tied up in a jade crown, his posture as elegant as a slender bamboo.

He wore an old bronze mask that covered half his face, obscuring everything above the nose, even one of his eyes, leaving only his left eye visible.

Despite this, Jiang Heng recognized him at a glance.

His voice, his mouth, his lone visible eye—with these alone, she could easily envision his full appearance.

He was the one for whom she had prayed day and night before the Buddha, wishing him health and safety.

It was Yan Hui. He was truly still alive...

As Jiang Heng gazed at him, her eyes meeting the mask, her eyes instantly reddened.

While looking at him, her gaze suddenly shifted, and she noticed Gu Yu standing behind him, though she had no idea when he had arrived.

His purple robe was so striking, far more conspicuous than Yan Hui's blue one, yet she had utterly failed to notice him. When exactly had he stepped behind Yan Hui?