Chapter 1 (1/2)
CHAPTER ONE
The Emperor Swallow
In the heaven’s recording of the first year, the prince with excellent reputation amongst the people, Zheng Liu, ascended the throne as Emperor. This seems to be what all the people wanted. During that early spring, hundreds of neglected tasks had been undertaken, and the country was in quite the flouris.h.i.+ng state.
Today is the busiest day of Hong Fu temple, devotees gathers here, not just the usual commoners but also many dignitaries within the Capital. More importantly, the Capital’s two most prestigious beauties have come today to offer incense.
Although they say monks are completely indifferent to worldly temptations[1], after a long time, they too will generate fatigue in their sights. Hearing that two beauties will be coming today, the hearts of old and young monks alike shows traces of delightfulness.
The two beauties, one is the daughter of Han Lin Academy’s (imperial academy)minister, Yao Ying. The other is the daughter of the Capital’s commander in chief’s secretary, Yu Gui Wan. A scholar who has seen the two of them before has once commented: One is a tender flower illuminating the moon, charming like the flowers in spring. One is a willow branch trembling in the wind, pitiful like the moon in autumn.
Inside the monastery’s grounds, a four-bearer dark red sedan chair stops outside the most remote and s.p.a.cious entrance. When the sedan is placed down, a maid walks up, reaching out to lift the curtain. She speaks to the person inside: “Young Lady, we have arrived.”
Someone slowly comes out from within the sedan. Although they have already grown accustomed to the young lady’s looks, the four sedan bearers still continue to momentarily feel as though the air around them has been pumped up with excitement.
Gui Wan comes out from the sedan, looking up to see the wide vacant area of the monastery, no unexpected incidents has occurred, it is indeed really quiet and secluded, really in line with her requirements. From the corner of her eyes, she spots two other sedans outside the monastery. A little surprised by this, don’t know who else could have chosen this path to avoid the eyes and ears of the people.
Faintly smiling, she looks back to tell the sedan bearers to get some rest, and turns back, leading the maid, Ling Long, towards Hong Fu temple.
The monastery has already sent for someone to wait for her since early morning, seeing Yu Gui Wan and her maid slowly walk up, he hurriedly goes up to greet her. When he gets a clear look of Gui Wan’s face, he freezes on the spot, never thought that there would be such beauty in this world. Now, he suddenly understands why the master of the Dharma Hall had sent for him, the one with greatest concentration amongst the younger generation, to be designated to this specific post.
Composing himself, he curtly pays his respects to Gui Wan, “Benefactor Yu, Master has been waiting, please follow me.”
The maid Ling Long glances over this monk a few times. Within her eyes, a look of admiration held within her eyes.
Gui Wan nods her head, “I thank Master for leading the way.”
The three people walks through the middle of the big hall, no one speaking along the way, thus increasing the constant cloudiness in the atmosphere within this incomparably solemn temple.
Having just come out of that specifically empty hall, Gui Wan was surprised to see that other than the Dharma Hall’s Master Hong Yuan, there is also a man and woman. Although it is just their back views, one can still sense the extraordinary air around them. From the looks of their luxurious attires, one can only a.s.sume that if not wealthy, they are at least of honourable position.
Master Hong Yuan has a somewhat solemn expression as he says something to them. In the woman’s hand, there holds a kau chim stick (used for divination or drawing lots) [2], looks like they’re in the middle of interpreting the divine meaning behind it. The man is elegant and upright, standing at the side. Gui Wan, Ling Long and the young monk quietly stands there, whilst the three people conversing didn’t even notice their arrival.
The woman who had sought interpretation for her kau chim stick lightly smacks it down, placing the stick on the table. She stands up, turning around, and meet eyes with Gui Wan. Gui Wan was stunned, that woman was also stunned, the person beside her is even more utterly stunned.
A feeling like that of both sun and moon illuminating the big hall, within that moment, one can only feel the entire hall suddenly light up brightly. Those present, will perhaps never forget this scene, both are women of such exquisite beauty, standing within the same hall. One with startling beauty, one with peerless elegance.
A gentle sound of laughter soon breaks the deadlock, the man accompanying the woman who had sought interpretation for her kau chim stick, laughs out loud. Gui Wan follows the source of the sound, who would have thought, within this hall, there stands another extremely dazzling figure? A carefree, tall and handsome man, his eyes moist and light, his face like crowned jade.
The man smiles towards the woman next to him, saying: “See, I wasn’t wrong was I?”
A few days ago, he had told her: You live in your own conceited world, but you should know that in this world, there exists another who is no less than you.
That woman laughs, such splendour like that of spring flowers, facing Gui Wan, “You’re Young Lady Yu right?”
Gui Wan also laughs, like the poems of the autumn moon, “You’re Young Lady Yao right?”
Both did not answer, but both knew of each other’s ident.i.ty. Yao Ying has always been conceited, but seeing Gui Wan today, she too is surprised. When she was just about to saying something, her eyes caught a glimpse of Master Hong Yuan’s heavily serious expression, her face turns dark, exposing a slight feeling of sadness.
Gui Wan sees this, and was slightly surprised. Seeing Yao Ying apologetically nod at her, she could only lightly return the gesture. Yao Ying no longer says anything, and heads out of the hall. Within that moment in which she pa.s.ses by Gui Wan, Gui Wan seemed to have spotted tears dwelling at the corners of her eyes. The handsome man besides her continues to smile, gentle and cultivated, only a trace of frustration barely visible between his brows.
Master Hong Yuan raises his head, revealing a kind and gentle smile to Gui Wan. Pressing his palms together, he calmly speaks: “Benefactor Yu, have you come today to talk about Zen or to pay respect to the Buddha?”
Gui Wan’s thoughts were still lingering on the fleeting presence of the pair from before, when she suddenly thinks of something on the whim, answering: “I shall just seek answers from the kau chim sticks today.”
Master Hong Yuan was a little surprised, as he eyes Gui Wan, a kind of solemnity diffuses. Slightly bowing his head, the scene from just before surfaces in his mind again.
The stunningly beautiful woman called Yao Ying that had just come, is just like what they say, a beauty as ethereal as a dream. Looking as though some sort of gloominess has enveloped her, a beautiful appearance always end up carrying the greatest of worries. She had drawn out a kau chim stick, an extremely good stick, not only a good stick, but also the stick amongst sticks. Since he has become a monk in Hong Fu temple, almost forty years, yet only one person has gotten that specific stick before. The person who had gotten this stick was the late Empress Dowager, who had since lived a life of all-powerful glory, splendour, wealth and rank alike. Unfortunately, there was the whole ordeal with the prince’s case, and being involved in it, a cup of poisoned wine ended her life.
Today, to once again see this stick labelled as “The Emperor Swallow” stick, Hong Yuan has mixed feelings about this. Legend has it that women who draws out this stick will become factors that will influence the happenings within the imperial court, which leads to the changes within the country. The late Empress Dowager who had drawn out this stick held autocratic power within political affairs, holding the Emperor under duress. Could it be that this woman, who drawn out this stick, will also get involved with affairs within the monarchy? Such a beautiful woman will also be walking the path of narcissistic power?