Wei Linger watched the departing carriage, unable to conceal the humiliation and hatred in her heart any longer.
Due to the delay on the road, it was nearly noon by the time Gu Nanyin and her party arrived at the temple.
As Gu Nanyin and Madam Gu entered the main hall together, they were somewhat surprised. Although this was the most popular temple in the capital, its decorations were not extravagant or opulent. Instead, it was elegant and solemn.
Following her mother, Gu Nanyin knelt on a prayer cushion to make her wish, her heart filled with near-devout sincerity. Her only wish in this lifetime was for her loved ones to be safe and well—such as Yuan Jue, her mother, and her maternal family.
She wasn’t sure if the Buddha could protect them, but in this life, Gu Nanyin was determined to personally safeguard them and also seek retribution from those who had harmed her and Yuan Jue in her past life. Suddenly, a chilling intensity flashed in Gu Nanyin’s clear eyes.
Madam Gu didn’t notice the change in her daughter at that moment, nor did she ask what wish her daughter had made. It was a good thing that her daughter was growing up and had her own ideas. She simply looked at Gu Nanyin gently and said, “Nanyin, it’s said that fortune-telling at Baohua Temple is very accurate, but Master Xuankong rarely interprets fortunes for others. Let’s give it a try.”
“Alright.” Gu Nanyin and Madam Gu walked over to the young monk holding the fortune-telling tube. Each of them drew a fortune stick from it.
After reading them, the young monk’s expression changed dramatically. Gu Nanyin and Madam Gu thought it might be an ominous sign. The young monk said, “Madam, your fortune is an extremely auspicious one. As for this young lady’s fortune, I cannot interpret it. I’m afraid it must be explained by my master.”
Madam Gu had only prayed for her daughter’s health and safety. Upon hearing that her own fortune was extremely auspicious, she felt relieved. Unexpectedly, her daughter’s fortune stick held a deeper mystery and would be interpreted personally by Master Xuankong.
The young monk led Gu Nanyin and Madam Gu to the backyard and respectfully said to Madam Gu, “Please wait here, madam. My master will only see the person whose fortune is to be interpreted.”
Gu Nanyin gave her mother a reassuring look. Madam Gu wasn’t worried either, as such mysterious and private matters as fortune interpretation were best known by as few people as possible.
Gu Nanyin walked alone into the room before her and saw a monk smiling at her. “Please have a seat, benefactor.”
Gu Nanyin had assumed that someone worthy of being called a master would be somewhat advanced in years. She hadn’t expected Master Xuankong to look quite young—at least in appearance, he seemed to be only around thirty years old. Yet, he possessed an extraordinary aura, with kind eyes that radiated compassion.
“Benefactor, you are one with great fortune,” Xuankong said, looking at Gu Nanyin with a faint smile.
Gu Nanyin was somewhat surprised. Countless innocent people had died unjustly in the world. The fact that she had been granted a chance to live again was indeed an immense stroke of luck. However, she had only just entered the room, hadn’t spoken a word, and hadn’t even shown him her fortune stick. Could there truly be such a powerful person in the world, capable of discerning a person’s fortune—or even deeper things—with just a single glance?
Gu Nanyin took out the fortune stick she had just drawn and handed it to Master Xuankong with a touch of reverence.
Xuankong merely glanced at it briefly before calmly uttering a few words: “Break and then rebuild, reborn anew.”
At this, Gu Nanyin’s feelings could be described as shock. After all, something as secretive and bizarre as rebirth had been mentioned so casually by Xuankong. Yet, she remained unflustered.Firstly, the matter of rebirth was too bizarre and fantastical; even if Master Xuankong spoke of it, without evidence, few would likely believe it.
Secondly, although this was her first time meeting Xuankong, she felt an inexplicable fondness for him. Her intuition told her that Xuankong would not betray her.
“Patron need not worry. Having such a fate is your opportunity. Patron has a connection with Buddhism. If not for too many worldly attachments, you could have entered the monastic life.”
“Master, are you trying to persuade me to let go of hatred and devote myself to goodness?” Don’t Buddhists always preach about laying down the butcher’s knife and attaining immediate enlightenment? Unfortunately, she carried the life-and-death grudges of her past life; in this lifetime, she was destined not to be a good person.
“Not at all. I have not experienced the suffering you have endured, so what right do I have to urge you to let go? Moreover, what evil deeds have you ever committed? Since you already harbor goodwill in your heart, why would I need to admonish you?” Xuankong was unlike typical Buddhist practitioners. In his view, good deeds bring good rewards, and evil deeds bring evil retribution. Since Gu Nanyin had this opportunity, it was only reasonable for her to personally seek retribution for the wrongs done to her.
Gu Nanyin smiled sincerely this time. She hadn’t expected Master Xuankong to be such a perceptive person. In comparison, she realized she had been narrow-minded. “I have learned much,” Gu Nanyin said, bowing to Xuankong before sitting down again.
After conversing for half an hour, the two had already come to regard each other as kindred spirits. Gu Nanyin now truly believed in Xuankong’s claim that she had a connection with Buddhism, as they indeed got along exceptionally well.
When Gu Nanyin emerged from the room, she saw Madam Gu still waiting for her in the same spot. Sunlight bathed her mother, making her appear especially warm.
“The master said your daughter has great fortune,” Gu Nanyin said cheerfully, stepping forward to take her mother’s hand.
“Good, Master Xuankong’s words are surely not mistaken,” Madam Gu replied gently, stroking Gu Nanyin’s head. Whether it was great fortune or not mattered little to her; as long as her daughter could live peacefully and smoothly, she was content.
The journey down the mountain was remarkably smooth. Without the presence of arrogant individuals, and with both mother and daughter having received favorable divination slips, their moods were particularly lighthearted.
Gu Nanyin spent the entire carriage ride peering out through the curtain, unable to help but reflect: Having died once, even the bleak winter scenery held a certain fascination for her.
As the carriage approached the vicinity of the Minister’s residence, Gu Nanyin spotted Qin Xue standing in front of the gate, seemingly having waited for her for a long time. Upon seeing her return, Qin Xue hurried forward to meet her.
Qin Xue was an operative under Regent Yuan Jue. Although he hadn’t visited personally these past few days, he had sent Qin Xue to deliver gifts relentlessly. Precious items like ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms, worth a fortune and hard to come by, were being carried box after box into her courtyard by Qin Xue. Now, whenever Gu Nanyin saw Qin Xue, she felt as if the words “extravagantly wealthy” were written across her forehead.
Gu Nanyin looked at her somewhat helplessly. “What has the Prince sent this time?”
To her surprise, Qin Xue gazed at her with a pitiful expression. “The Prince doesn’t want me anymore; he’s sending me to you, miss.”
Gu Nanyin was speechless; this she hadn’t expected. “What’s going on?”
“The Prince heard that you were bullied on your way to the temple earlier and sent me to protect you. Don’t worry, miss. I’m the most skilled among the female covert guards under the Prince. With me here, I guarantee no one will bully you,” Qin Xue declared confidently, patting her chest.Gu Nanyin looked at Qin Xue with a mix of amusement and exasperation. One moment ago, she had been on the verge of tears because the Prince didn’t want her, and the next, she was as proud as a peacock spreading its tail. Yuan Jue’s subordinate was nothing like him at all.