Chapter 059
Chapter 59: Hand in Hand Sutra Copying, Only You
In the General’s Manor, inside the second Miss Lin Yu Jiao’s room, Qiu Ru Ying tugged Lin Yu Jiao’s sleeve and begged with big watery eyes: “Good Jiao Jiao, my good little sister, please take me to meet your Elder Cousin, the Buddha’s Chosen, will you?”
Lin Yu Jiao slanted a look at her, popped a peach blossom pastry in her mouth, and smiled with mischief: “Well now, what is this, my great Miss Qiu? Are you missing my Elder Cousin like one day feels like three years? Are you so lovesick you can’t eat or sleep?”
Qiu Ru Ying pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed: “Lin Yu Jiao, if you can say seven or eight more fancy phrases like that, I will clap right here and praise your shining talent, all right?”
“Then why are you here, if not to see my Elder Cousin?” Lin Yu Jiao brushed pastry crumbs from her fingers and asked though she knew perfectly well.
Qiu Ru Ying pulled out a rolled Surangama Sutra and carefully spread it: “Look, right here.” She pointed to a passage, her face serious. “At the banquet last time, your Elder Cousin’s explanation amazed me. A knot I had kept for years opened in a snap. That clear feeling, do you get it?”
Lin Yu Jiao grinned: “Nice excuse.”
“You don’t understand at all,” Qiu Ru Ying said, rubbing her brow. “Your head is full of romance. These days I kept studying and still have parts I cannot figure out. So I want to ask the Buddha’s Chosen to clear my doubts.”
“Clear your doubts?” Lin Yu Jiao leaned in and sniffed at her, then laughed: “I don’t smell scripture on you. I smell the sweet-sour scent of a girl in love.” She poked Qiu Ru Ying’s forehead and teased: “You like my Elder Cousin but you’re shy, so you came around the bend. You pretend to ask about scripture just to get close to him, right?”
Qiu Ru Ying’s face burst red, and she could not argue with confidence. She stamped her foot: “Are you taking me or not?”
“I’ll take you,” Lin Yu Jiao said, laughing. “I get it, I really do. With my Elder Cousin’s face and calm air, who wouldn’t swoon? Come on, sister, let’s march straight to his Auspicious Cloud Residence.”
They hurried out, but at the door Lin Yu Jiao stopped and looked Qiu Ru Ying up and down with a deep frown: “Wait.” She bent to smooth Qiu Ru Ying’s hem, then clicked her tongue. “My dear sister, why did you come dressed so plain? This water blue skirt is the least flattering on you. It makes your skin look darker.”
Qiu Ru Ying glanced at her clothes, puzzled: “We’re only asking about a scripture. Why dress up? Comfort is enough.”
“No.” Lin Yu Jiao looked like she hated iron for not becoming steel. “Who are you going to see? My Elder Cousin. He is the dream of ten thousand girls in the Capital City. You’re going to battle. How can your war robe be random?”
As they walked toward the Auspicious Cloud Residence, she kept fussing: “Next time, dress to the nines. Bring out the treasures you hide in your chest. Remember that hairpin with plum blossoms on snow? So delicate. Wear it next time. It will make you look like a Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden. And that cloud brocade cape, put it on too. You must blind my Elder Cousin.”
Soon they reached the gate. Granny Chen, sharp eyed, came forward with a friendly smile: “Second Miss, you’re here. Looking for the Eldest Grandson Young Master? He hasn’t gone anywhere today and is reading in the inner room. I’ll announce you.”
“Thank you, Granny Chen,” Lin Yu Jiao said like an old hand, pulling Qiu Ru Ying to sit on the stone bench and wait.
A little later, Granny Chen led Lin Qing Xuan out of the study. He wore a moon white monk robe, tall as a pine and cool as jade, untouched by dust. Seeing the two in the yard, he paused, then nodded a greeting.
Lin Yu Jiao rose and nudged Qiu Ru Ying forward: “Elder Cousin, Ru Ying has questions about the Surangama Sutra and came to ask you.”
His gaze fell on Qiu Ru Ying and the well used scripture in her hands. Clear and deep, his eyes seemed to read hearts. He sensed that this young woman’s look was focused and sincere. Her fingers tightened on the sutra out of nerves. Her heart was pure. She wasn’t here to chase him, but to seek the Buddhist Dharma.
His eyes softened a little, and then he made a choice that no one expected: “If we are to expound the Dharma, joy alone is not as good as joy shared.”
He raised his voice: “Chen Shi, invite Second Uncle’s daughter Ning to join us. Any servants in the yard who have a heart for Buddha may also come and listen.”
At his word, the whole Auspicious Cloud Residence stirred. Soon Cousin Lin Yu Ning arrived, and maids and older grannies crowded around. Even the sweepers peeped in with curious faces. For once, Lin Qing Xuan set the teaching right in the middle of the busy courtyard. He avoided suspicion openly and clearly, so no one could whisper even a little.
Xiao Man had been called too. She stood on tiptoe at the edge of the crowd, peeking in. Seeing Qiu Ru Ying’s calm, pretty profile glowing in the sun, her chest felt sour. In her heart, a tiny version of herself beat its fists and yelled. [It would be so nice to teach in the study alone, like yesterday, hand over hand. The mood would be perfect. And Miss Qiu is so pretty with such a good figure. Is Buddha’s Chosen really only expounding the Dharma to her? What a waste. It’s not fair to beauty.]
Right then his voice paused, and his eyes, clear as ice, cut through the crowd and landed on her with a hint of warning. Xiao Man shivered, lowered her head at once, folded her hands in front of her, and put on a well behaved, hardworking look. Inside, she grumbled: [Mind Reading is so great, huh.]
When the open lesson ended, Qiu Ru Ying’s face shone with joy she could not hide. She bowed and asked with bright hope: “Thank you for clearing my doubts, Buddha’s Chosen. I feel so much lighter. If I have more questions next time, may I come again with Jiao Jiao to ask?”
“No problem,” Lin Qing Xuan said, words as few as gold.
With that sure answer, Qiu Ru Ying and Lin Yu Jiao left happy. The yard quieted as people drifted away.
Xiao Man was about to slip off when Lin Qing Xuan’s cool voice stopped her: “Xiao Man. Bring tea to the inner room.”
Her heart thumped. She went to the tea room and prepared a tray. The inner room smelled of sandalwood, even stronger than yesterday. Lin Qing Xuan stood at the desk with his back to her, looking at something.
She set the cup down and started to retreat: “Eldest Grandson Young Master, your tea.”
Before the words were done, her wrist tightened in a warm, dry grasp. “Eldest Grandson Young Master?” She looked up in shock.
He turned, eyes deep and quiet on her. He said nothing, just led her to the desk. The familiar brush rested on the rack. He picked it up, dipped it in ink, and, the same as yesterday, covered her hand with his.
Warm palm. Clean sandalwood. She was wrapped in him again. His voice came low and magnetic, right by her ear: “Hand in hand sutra copying…” He paused, his breath warm against her earlobe, and finished in a soft murmur: “Only you.”
Boom. Xiao Man’s mind blew apart. Before she could recover, Lin Qing Xuan let go, took a small white jade box from the side, and opened it. It was the mint balm he had told Chen Shi to find yesterday. He touched a bit of the white balm with his fingertip, took her wrist again, and spread the cool salve over the exact spot she had said was sore.
His motions were light and gentle. When he finished, he bent and blew softly on the faintly red skin. The cool feel, mixed with his warm breath, shot through her like a line of lightning. The tips of her ears turned bright red so fast it was almost visible.
“Ah!” she yelped, yanking her hand back like she had been burned. Not daring to look at him, she spun and ran. In her rush, her left foot tripped over her right, and she almost hit the door frame. Behind her, Lin Qing Xuan let out a barely heard laugh.
Up on the beam, the black mist watched it all and snorted: “Hypocrite. Clearly your mortal heart is stirred, yet you act like some enlightened High Monk. Who are you fooling?”
It stared at Xiao Man’s fleeing back, then at Lin Qing Xuan standing alone in the inner room, the scent of mint still lingering on his fingertips. On its fuzzy fog face, a cold grin split wide: “Since you two are both so good at pretending and neither dares to pierce that thin paper window between you, then let me, the Master, add some fire.”