Chapter 6 is quite poor and disorderly

  Chen Dong went to contact the high-ranking monk in charge of solving knots in the temple, while Zhao Xingde waited in a separate hall. This side hall was relatively quiet, with several trees and pomegranates planted in the outer courtyard, where a few orioles sang happily in the sunlight. Under the eaves, swallows flew back and forth, constantly feeding their chicks in the nest.

  Although there are few pilgrims, under the care of the monks, incense and candles burn constantly in front of the Buddha statue. The smoke from the incense and candles blends with the unique sandalwood scent of the wooden temple, giving people a subtle sense of detachment from worldly affairs. Sunlight pours in through the high windows on all sides, passing through layers of curtains, shining on the feet of the great Buddha inside the temple, as if it were the Buddha's light illuminating all living beings, inspiring reverence and devotion to the Buddha.

  The walls around the temple are all exquisite gold-embossed murals, some depicting Buddhist stories and others showing groups of people offering sacrifices in person. These murals were all created by famous painters of the time. Upon closer inspection, there are also inscriptions from officials of past dynasties on the side. Every detail is a masterpiece of luxury and elegance.

  In the center of the side hall was a bronze Buddha with a gilded body, quite majestic in appearance, and the lotus throne was as high as two or three people. The Buddha statues in Dashengguo Temple were all exquisite works of art, but later generations did not revere Buddhism like they did during the Song Dynasty, so the Buddha statues they created lacked a bit of spirituality. It was a rare opportunity, so Zhao Xingde carefully observed this Buddha statue and praised it with admiration.

  Just as he moved behind the Buddha statue, a sudden commotion of women's voices came from outside the temple. Zhao Xingde didn't pay attention to it, but the door of this small temple was pushed open. A woman with a sharp voice said: "This small temple is quiet, my cousin will wait here for a while, I'll go to the restroom and come back soon." Another woman responded with a soft "Hmm". The sound of delicate footsteps entered the small temple. Zhao Xingde found the woman's voice very familiar, but he didn't pay attention to it. He was afraid that going out now would scare the women, so he stayed behind the Buddha statue, holding his breath and waiting for things to develop.

  The woman slowly walked in front of the Buddha statue, seemingly gazing at it for a moment before kneeling down. Her low voice was heard: "Amitabha Buddha, I wish my father and mother to be healthy and safe, my elder brother to be free from harm and trouble outside, my younger brother to grow up successfully and become a great man, and Zhao Gongzi's studies to be successful and his wishes to come true. From now on, I will burn incense morning and evening, recite scriptures without interruption, abstain from meat and eat vegetarian food, offer food to the Buddha and monks in all seasons, and do good deeds such as releasing animals and covering their bones."

  At this time, Zhao Xingde heard that the praying woman was Li Ruoxue's voice. Suddenly, he also heard the sound of the temple door being pushed open. A footstep came in, and Li Ruoxue happened to knock three times. When she turned around, she saw a white-robed Confucian scholar, Zhao Zhi's son Zhao Yan, standing at the door.

  Zhao Yan bowed deeply and said in a soft voice, "Zhao Yan has met Miss Li. After the elegant gathering at Dr. Qin's residence, I have been deeply admiring your talent and temperament, Miss Li. My father has already proposed marriage to your family, although Dr. Li has not yet agreed, but my heart is as clear as day." His face was filled with a solemn expression, his eyes fixed intently on Li Ruoxue. Li Ruoxue was slightly taken aback, but quickly understood that Wang had deliberately invited her to come to the Da Xiangguo Temple to draw lots, precisely so that Zhao Yan could meet her again.

  She secretly scolded this nosy old woman, and politely replied: "Young Master Zhao has a good heart." As she spoke, she stepped out of the temple, not wanting to talk to Zhao Yan any further.

  Zhao Yan blocked the door of the side hall, saying in a deep voice: "Last time I asked Qin Furen to convey my intention to marry to your family, although Uncle politely declined, I will definitely find another way, and I must welcome the lady with great fanfare." His face was sincere, his eyes did not hide his admiration, but he assumed that Li Ruoxue had already taken a liking to him, and it was just that she couldn't interact with him due to her strict father's authority.

  Li Ruoxue didn't want to entangle with this person, her face slightly cold said: "Marriage is only heard from parents' orders, since the family has already refused, the young woman has no fortune to enjoy the gentleman's good intentions, I wish the gentleman a happy marriage." Her face was cold, these words in Zhao Yan's ears were already a clear refusal, but fell on the Buddha statue behind Zhao Xingde's ears, it seemed that Li Ruoxue had some feelings for this Zhao Yan, only forced by her father's orders. Zhao Xingde couldn't help but sigh slightly in his heart, suddenly heard Li Ruoxue say: "Zhao Zisih, please be self-respecting!"

  Originally, Zhao Yan took two steps forward and was about to stand next to Li Ruoxue. However, Li Ruoxue took a step back, raised her voice, and turned her cold face towards him. Although the Daxiangguo Temple is bustling with incense and fire, Zhao Yan's ability to come to this side hall for a meeting naturally required arrangements. If he truly had ulterior motives, he would likely be in trouble today. Thinking of this, Li Ruoxue lightly bit her tongue tip, hating Qin Doctor's wife, her cousin Wang Shi, to the extreme.

  Zhao Xingde was about to walk out and drive Zhao Yan away, but he heard Zhao Yan sigh and say in a low voice: "Miss Li, don't be flustered. I just wanted to get close to you and talk, but I lost my composure and made you laugh." He had always been proud and arrogant, thinking that as the son of the current prime minister, seeking marriage with the Li family would be a sure thing. But who would have thought that not only was he rejected by Li Ge, but even Li Ruoxue, with whom he had previously exchanged words, treated him like a stranger. Thinking about this, he couldn't help but resent Zhao Xingde, who was said to be about to become the son-in-law of the Li family. On that day, when Zhao Xingde won an archery competition against the Khitan people, Crown Prince Zhao Ke had considered taking him in as his own. But Zhao Yan persuaded him otherwise, saying that Zhao Xingde was a descendant of the Yuanyou Party and it would be unwise to accept him without careful consideration, lest he openly provoke Prime Minister Cai Jing. The emperor was still young and vigorous, and the Eastern Palace needed to remain humble and cautious for the time being. Only then did Crown Prince Zhao Ke give up on the idea, soon forgetting about Zhao Xingde altogether. Zhao Yan coughed and said in a deep voice: "Although that juren Zhao Xingde has some minor fame, his character and learning are not of the highest quality. It's said that he has a very stubborn temper, is fond of fighting and competing, and is inflexible and eccentric. He's not a good match for Miss Li, and I'm worried about her."

  Zhao Xingde's seven orifices were smoking with rage, and he thought to himself, "Zhao Yan, you're really too much!" But then he heard Li Ruoxue say: "A man with a mustache, if he's not strong and brave, how can he protect his family and country? If he's not stubborn, how can he uphold goodness and righteousness? Can he pretend to be gentle and weak just to curry favor with the common people? Please step aside." This made Zhao Xingde feel relieved, and he thought to himself, "Indeed, she's a good wife who stands up for her husband." Zhao Yan saw Li Ruoxue's stern expression and had no choice but to step aside, yielding half a step. Seeing that Li Ruoxue was still glaring at him, he retreated another half step. Only then did Li Ruoxue lift her skirt and quickly walk out of the side hall. As soon as she raised her head, she saw Yu Zhuang and Qin Wang's maid, who had been brought along, standing under the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, seemingly admiring the flowers. She immediately called out to them to get up and return to their residence with her.

  "Second Miss, they say that Madame Qin has gone to ask a high monk for divination and will be back soon." The curtain was lifted, but she still reminded herself.

  "We can't wait any longer!" Li Ruoxue said coldly. The two of them walked out of the Dashengguo Temple, and Wang Fu, the house servant, was waiting outside with the ox cart. Seeing the second young lady come out, he immediately got up, cracked his whip in the air, and the ox cart slowly began to move.

  Li Ruoxue leaned against the carriage, her face flushed with anger or fear. The situation just now was precarious; if anything had gone wrong, not only would she have been ruined, but her father and brother would also have been disgraced. Her cousin, Qin Wangshi, had tried to curry favor with Prime Minister Zhao by pushing her own family members into such a difficult position, leaving Li Ruoxue feeling chilled to the bone. She had grown up following her father in exile, witnessing the harsh realities of the world and the cruelty of human hearts; if she hadn't been so hardened, she wouldn't have been able to speak so eloquently. Thinking about how she had almost been betrayed by her own relatives, thinking about Zhao Xingde, who was soon to be her fiancé - generous and bold, but seemingly not a man who cherished his women - a wave of resentment surged up in her heart, and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

  Li Ruoxue had just left, and Qin Wangshi arrived at the side hall immediately after receiving the news from her maid. "Zhao Gongzi, my niece's family education is not strict, and her temperament is quite stubborn." Qin Wangshi said with a smile. She saw that Zhao Yan's face was not pleasant, and her heart sank slightly, knowing that this time she had not succeeded as intended. According to her plan, if Zhao Yan had moved Li Ruoxue with his words, or even further, the two had a private relationship, considering the family's reputation and the power of the prime minister's mansion, even if Li Ge, the small Taixue doctor, did not agree, he would have to agree. As for how much wind and waves this matter would bring to the Li family, she didn't consider it at all.

  Zhao Yan's eyebrows were tightly locked, he was infatuated with Li Ruoxue, the beauty in his eyes shone like a pearl in the night, and then came this Mrs. Qin, although she was also from a noble family, but seemed to be as dull and unlikable as a yellowish-black fish eye, he casually replied: "That excellent person is on the other side of the water, you must search for her with twists and turns, how can it be so easily obtained?" Mrs. Qin did not understand his meaning, slightly stunned, looked up to see that Zhao Yan had already walked out of the door, she was just a woman, and could not chase after him.

  After the outsiders dispersed, Zhao Xingde let out a breath and only then realized that he had unknowingly created such a great enemy. However, as Li Ruoxue said, as a man, if not strong, how can one protect his family? Zhao Xingde hesitated for a moment, also sincerely knelt in front of the Buddha statue, silently reciting: "I have obtained a wife like this, I am already content. I wish to protect her safely and completely in this life, and make her smile often. May the Buddha bless me, if it is as wished, I will definitely rebuild my body with gold."

  He hastily made a wish, thinking about the benefits of rebuilding his body, whether it was too little, and wanted to add something. Chen Dong pushed open the temple door and approached him, holding a large pile of brocade silk knots in his left hand, dividing half of them to him, smiling: "If we're lucky, each person can get at least ten taels."

  Zhao Xingde took over the silk knots, and as soon as he did, he felt a weight in his hand. He knew that these silk knots contained small gold and silver ingots inside. He followed Chen Dong to a Buddhist chamber, where they carefully began to untangle the threads. After two hours had passed, Chen Dong had already opened three of the silk knots, while Zhao Xingde had only managed to open one. Inside the knot was a plain white paper package containing a small gold ingot. On the paper were written two lines of elegant script: "The blue bird does not transmit messages beyond the clouds, the cypress tree is empty, its fragrance lingering in the rain." Zhao Xingde casually set the gold ingot aside, and Chen Dong exclaimed in admiration, "It's actually gold! I wonder which young lady from a good family made such an expensive wish to her beloved." Zhao Xingde smiled and said, "I only hope that the Buddha doesn't despise poverty and love wealth."

  Chen Dong took the gold ingot in his palm and weighed it, roughly about half a tael, enough to exchange for five taels of silver. He smiled and said: "Adding the temple's reward of five taels, we have a total income of twelve taels. Let's split it evenly between us." As the sky was getting dark, he returned the remaining dozen or so silk knots to the temple monks. These dead knots were originally unable to be untied by the temple monks themselves. Since they couldn't be untied within two hours, then this income would have nothing to do with Chen and Zhao's fate.

  The sky was darkening when Zhao Xingde returned to the Imperial Academy. During dinner at his quarters, Deng Su, Zhu Sen, He Fang and other student monitors had not yet returned. Li Ruo smiled and said: "Early this morning they all went to their respective masters' residences. Having just paid homage to their masters, they naturally want to serve them diligently. I recall when I was studying the Tao in the mountains, even tasks like chopping firewood and carrying water were things that we would rush to do." Upon hearing these words, Zhao Xingde felt a twinge of guilt in his heart. He asked himself how he compared to Chen Dong and Zhang Biao, who served their master with the same filial piety as they would their own father. As for him, he was rather lazy as a student. Apart from studying together with Li Ruo and Li Ruoxue at the Li residence, he had not even fulfilled his duty of visiting his master with proper etiquette.

  As the saying goes, "If you have made a mistake, correct it immediately." The next day, at dawn, Zhao Xingde hurried to Xu Bao's residence to pay his respects. Recently, he had earned 10 taels of silver by writing couplets and another 6 taels by solving riddles, adding up to a total savings of around 450-460 taels. For a student of the Imperial Academy, this was merely a modest amount. Of course, it couldn't compare to the hundreds of taels worth of jade, porcelain, and paintings that Deng Su and others had given as gifts when they first paid their respects to their masters. Zhao Xingde bought a pair of ordinary but finely polished white jade pendants, two pieces of dried venison, and some fresh seasonal fruits.

  Tai Shi Ju Ling was a leisurely official, and most of his time was spent in the mansion. When he saw Zhao Xing De come to visit him with formal courtesy, his face was calm but his heart was delighted. After chatting for a while, he invited Zhao Xing De to stay for lunch, and ordered the servant boy to find another disciple, Song An, to meet Zhao Xing De as a fellow student.

  Song An was over thirty years old, with a national character face, slightly yellow complexion, and a strand of beard under his chin, looking quite mature and dignified. This senior brother is said to be the descendant of Song Jing, a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, but by the time of his grandfather's generation, he could no longer be considered a noble family. Song An studied under Xu Bugong, and was a jinshi in the eighth year of the Zhenghe reign. Originally, he was only a jinshi from a humble background, but during the imperial examination, the imperial court liked his name, which was considered auspicious for the country, so they specially promoted him from second-class jinshi to first-class jinshi and top graduate.

  Now Song An has become the head of the Ministry of Justice, not only is his official rank equivalent to that of Chong Fu, but he also controls the affairs of convicts, exile, family punishment for treason, and the promotion and demotion of officials in the Ministry of Justice. His power is actually greater than that of the Taishi Ju Ling, but when serving as a seat master, he is still very respectful and has not seen any sign of arrogance, which makes Zhao Xing De quite admire him.