The sun is rising.
Outside the gate, the carriage was waiting.
Princess Nangong, dressed in a purple long dress, was basking in the golden morning sun. She stood tall and beautiful by the gate with her hands behind her back, staring at one of the stone deer statues in a daze.
She came to her senses after hearing the voice.
Song Ruyue helped Miss Qin down the stairs, and said with gratitude, "Meijiao, thank you for your help."
Nangong Meijiao smiled calmly and said, "Aunt, you don't have to be polite to me. You are new to the capital and are not familiar with the roads, so it is my duty to take you there. It just so happens that I can take this opportunity to go out and have some fun."
Miss Qin Er smiled and said, "Mother, Sister Meijiao has been confined by the prince for many days. If you hadn't come, she wouldn't have been able to come out."
Song Ruyue asked curiously, "Why are you under house arrest?"
Miss Qin Er had a smile on her face but did not answer.
Nangong Meijiao curled her lips and said, "It's just a small matter, why are you making a fuss about it? Come on, Weimo, I'll help you up."
Seeing that she didn't want to talk, Song Ruyue didn't ask any more questions.
The two men supported Miss Qin Er on the left and right and got on the carriage.
Luo Qingzhou brought Xiaodie and followed Brother Qin Er, preparing to get on the carriage behind. Miss Qin Er suddenly poked her head out of the window and called softly, "Brother-in-law, come up and sit here."
Suddenly, Song Ruyue's scolding voice came from the carriage again: "Give me back my brother-in-law!"
Miss Qin Er immediately changed her words: "Brother Qingzhou, come here."
When Luo Qingzhou was hesitating, Brother Qin pushed him over and said with a smile: "Qingzhou, go sit with Weimo and talk to her to relieve your boredom."
Luo Qingzhou had no choice but to turn around and say, "Xiaodie, then you and Qiu'er should sit in the back with Bailing and the others."
Xiaodie agreed and sat in the last carriage with Qiu'er and Zhu'er.
Luo Qingzhou got on the carriage, entered the compartment, sat down next to Miss Qin Er, lowered his head, and looked straight ahead.
To be honest, he really didn't want to sit in the same carriage with them.
If it was just Miss Qin and her maid, it wouldn't matter. The key point is, there is also the mother-in-law and the princess who "avenges shame with a thousand swords".
I always feel a little uncomfortable sitting opposite them and being stared at by them.
Miss Qin Er suddenly stuck her head out of the window again and called softly, "Sister, there is still room for people to sit here, you come up too."
When Qin Jianjia was about to speak, she said again: "Sister, Weimo misses you and wants to talk to you."
Bai Ling hurriedly said, "Miss, go and talk to the second young lady."
Qin Jianjia said nothing more and walked to the first carriage.
Mei'er hurried outside, pulled her up, and helped her into the carriage.
In the carriage, Nangong Meijiao and Song Ruyue sat on the left, Mei'er also sat on the left; Luo Qingzhou and Miss Qin Er sat on the right.
There was a long and narrow white jade coffee table in the middle, and a soft blanket on the floor.
Qin Weimo quickly pointed to the side and said, "Sister, sit here."
Qin Jianjia stood there without moving.
Song Ruyue, who was sitting opposite, also frowned slightly and looked at someone with an unfriendly look.
If they sit like this, wouldn't someone be sitting in the middle, with the older sister on the left and the younger sister on the right
She glared at her second daughter. Was this girl doing this on purpose
Luo Qingzhou reacted and quickly stood up and said, "Miss, please sit here."
Qin Jianjia did not sit down, but walked to Mei'er's seat and sat down.
Mei'er had no choice but to sit in the seat on the right.
Only then did Luo Qingzhou sit down.
Qin Weimo said softly: "Sister, is Xia Chan okay?"
After these words were spoken, everyone else in the car felt a little surprised and confused. Why did he suddenly ask about Xia Chan
Qin Jianjia said calmly: "Not bad."
Qin Weimo said: "I heard from Qiu'er that Xia Chan is now willing to communicate with others and occasionally speaks, is that right?"
Qin Jianjia did not answer and looked at someone opposite her.
Qin Weimo suddenly turned around and smiled: "Brother Qingzhou, did Xia Chan talk to you? And also help you grind ink?"
The corner of Luo Qingzhou's mouth twitched.
Sure enough, Qiu'er is a spy!
He said calmly, "I don't know either. As for Yan Mo, Qiu'er and Xiaodie were not here at the time. She happened to have time, so I asked her to help."
Qin Weimo smiled and said, "Brother Qingzhou is really amazing. Weimo remembers that Xia Chan's hands seemed to only be able to hold a sword, but I didn't expect that she could actually help Brother Qingzhou grind ink."
Song Ruyue suddenly interjected: "That girl can also grow flowers."
Qin Weimo asked doubtfully: "Growing flowers?"
Song Ruyue also looked puzzled and said, "During that time, she often came to my place, and planted flowers for me with the little brother and sister. I asked her why she wanted to plant flowers, and she said she wanted to make money. I asked her what she wanted to do with the money, but she didn't answer. I gave her money, but she didn't want it. She just wanted to plant flowers to make money. So when I gave the little brother and sister the regular money every month, I would also give her some."
After listening to this, Qin Weimo slightly frowned and fell into deep thought.
After a while, she asked, "Mother, where are the little brother and sister?"
Song Ruyue said: "They don't want to leave Mocheng, and they are afraid that their parents won't be able to find them when they come back, so I asked your second aunt to take them home."
Qin Weimo thought for a while, then suddenly turned around and asked, "Brother-in-law, have you ever borrowed money from Xia Chan?"
She suddenly remembered that when her brother-in-law asked her to borrow money, he probably first turned to Xia Chan. Xia Chan didn't have the money, so he turned to her.
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Luo Qingzhou quickly asked, "Borrow money? No, why would I ask her for money?"
"Really?"
Qin Weimo asked again.
Luo Qingzhou said: "Really not."
Song Ruyue said, "He stays at home studying all day, so he doesn't have the money to spend. If he needs it, he can just ask us directly, why would he go to Xia Chan?"
Qin Weimo didn't say anything else.
Luo Qingzhou also fell into deep thought, and began to connect the series of events in his mind.
He asked Chanchan to borrow money.
Chanchan gave him all her money.
He accepted it, but it was not enough, so he went to borrow money from the second young lady.
One day, Chanchan suddenly started planting flowers in the back garden.
She wants to make money.
Why does she want to make money
She had no worries about food and drink, she usually didn't buy anything, and she had never gone out alone.
She had no place to spend money.
Even though she liked to eat candied haws, she had never gone out alone to buy them.
The answer is clear...
Luo Qingzhou suddenly felt a pain in his heart.
The carriage left the city and headed towards Wofo Mountain, more than ten kilometers away in the east.
Jinchan Temple is located on Wofo Mountain.
There are tourists and pilgrims coming in an endless stream almost every day.
Song Ruyue glanced at the pedestrians outside the window, feeling uneasy, and asked, "Meijiao, isn't Jinchan Temple very famous in Kyoto? If the prince goes there, won't they give him face?"
Nangong Meijiao was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "The plaque on the Jinguan Hall of Jinchan Temple was written by the late emperor himself. There are two Buddha statues inside, which were given by the former Empress Dowager Dou. It is said that the abbot, Master Ningyuan, has lived for five hundred years. During the previous dynasty, he cast a spell and saved tens of thousands of refugees, including the royal family at that time. In Kyoto, almost all the people, as long as they have incurable diseases or other wishes, are willing to go to Jinchan Temple to burn incense and make a wish. It is said to be very effective."
"So, aunt, the last time my father went there, he didn't even see the abbot of the other side, but he didn't get angry at all. My father said that during the disaster season, even when the emperor went there to make a wish, he was respectful."
Song Ruyue was horrified when she heard this, and she became more and more desperate: "Then... then what should we do?"
Nangong Meijiao didn't dare to tell the truth, for fear that she would become even more desperate.
Not to mention the secluded monk Master Wukong, they might not even be able to see the abbot and ten elders of the Jinchan Temple. At most, they could only see the small host or the elder who received guests from other temples, and that depended on their luck.
"Aunt, go and give it a try. If it doesn't work, we can think of another way."
That was all she could say.
Song Ruyue said darkly: "Other ways, if there really were other ways, we wouldn't have to..."
She didn't dare to continue speaking, nor did she dare to look at her daughter.
Qin Weimo said softly, "Mother, it's okay. Even if we can't see the monk, it doesn't matter. We can just treat it as a family outing. Weimo was actually very happy. Being able to go out and play as a family made Weimo very satisfied. As for other things, since it has been destined, let it go. Weimo had already thought it through. Cherish the present and the people around you, that is the most important thing."
Song Ruyue felt a pang in her heart and her eyes turned red.
The atmosphere in the carriage was depressing and fell into silence.
Qin Weimo suddenly turned around and said with a smile: "Brother-in-law, you have so many stories in your mind, can you tell us a story to cheer us up?"
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Luo Qingzhou thought for a moment and said, "Is it okay to tell a joke?"
Qin Weimo smiled and said, "Of course. If my brother-in-law can make my sister laugh..."
Song Ruyue suddenly interrupted him: "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law! Who is your brother-in-law?"
Qin Weimo's smile froze, and he lowered his head and said, "Brother Qingzhou..."
Luo Qingzhou said quickly: "Then I will start."
Then, he started talking.
There was a monk named Silent Zen.
He was nominally a Zen master, but in reality he had no knowledge and relied entirely on his two attendants to answer questions on his behalf.
One day, the two waiters were out, and a wandering monk happened to come to him to ask for advice.
The wandering monk asked: "What is Buddha?"
The Zen master could not answer and looked around in panic.
The monk Youfang asked again, "What is Dharma?"
The Zen master still could not answer, so he looked up and then down.
The wandering monk asked again: "What is a monk?"
The Zen master still could not answer. He was helpless and closed his eyes, sweating profusely.
The wandering monk asked again: "What is blessing?"
The Zen master still didn't know. He just stretched out his hand in panic, his face full of shame.
Monk Youfang said nothing more, said goodbye and walked out of the temple. He happened to meet two attendants coming back, so he told them, "I asked about Buddha, and the Zen master looked east and west, which means that people have east and west, but Buddha has no north and south; I asked about Dharma, and the Zen master looked up and down, which means that Dharma is equal and there is no distinction between high and low; I asked about monks, and he just closed his eyes and rested his mind, which means that the one lying in the deep white clouds is a monk of great virtue and respect; I asked about blessings, and he stretched out his hand, which means to guide sentient beings. The knowledge of this great Zen master has really reached the realm of enlightenment."
When the waiter returned to the Zen master, the Zen master yelled in anxiety and shame, "Where have you been? You didn't come to help me and made me look so foolish. He asked the Buddha, but I couldn't see you when I looked east, and I couldn't see you when I looked west. He asked about the Dharma, but I couldn't find a way to heaven or a door to the earth. He asked the monks, but I was helpless and had to pretend to be sleepy and close my eyes. He asked for blessings, but I felt ashamed that I knew nothing and what was the point of being an elder. I might as well just go out and beg for food from door to door and become a beggar!"
"Puff..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mei'er next to him couldn't help laughing.
Qin Weimo also covered his mouth and chuckled.
Nangong Meijiao still had no expression on her face.
Miss Qin still had a cold expression on her face. I don't know if she heard it or not, but there seemed to be ripples flowing deep in her eyes.
Song Ruyue was confused, and blinked her eyes and said, "What do you mean? You said a lot, but I didn't understand a word."
In fact, she was preoccupied with things just now and didn't listen carefully at all. She only heard the "Zen master" and the monk talking to each other.
Just as Luo Qingzhou was about to speak, a clear voice suddenly came from outside the window: "Donor, you went to Jinchan Temple, but you made fun of the Zen master, which is immoral. But what you said is that people have east and west, but Buddha has no north and south; Dharma has no high and low, only equality, which is indeed deafening. Thank you very much."
When Luo Qingzhou heard the sound, he quickly opened the curtains and looked.
All I saw was a middle-aged monk in a grey robe and carrying a long staff, riding a white horse, passing the convoy and disappearing into the distance.
In the blink of an eye, it disappeared in the dust in front.