Mo Sang – CH 207

Chapter 207. All Beings

Wang Jin was extremely disciplined; even on New Year’s Eve, she broke her routine by simply eating dumplings after midnight and then going back to sleep.

Lin Sa and Hei Ma were loudly gambling with dice.

Blind Mi and Li Sangrou left Chaomi Alley and strolled around casually.

Walking through the bustling, festive yet deserted streets and alleys on New Year’s Eve was a shared pastime for the two.

“Tsk, Jianle City really needs a new city,” Blind Mi remarked meaningfully as they walked out of Chaomi Alley.

“Yeah, it is definitely a bit overcrowded. The imperial examinations are next year,” Li Sangrou said, pulling her sheepskin coat tighter around herself.

“How many more years will this war last?” Blind Mi tapped the hitching post on the roadside with his cane.

“At the fastest, it will take two or three years, or maybe three to five,” Li Sangrou replied after a moment’s thought.

“Hmm.” After a long while, Blind Mi finally hummed in response.

“Even without war, natural disasters like floods and droughts still kill people,” Li Sangrou said, glancing at Blind Mi.

“Tigers eating people and people killing people are different. One is instinct; the other is humanity,” Blind Mi scoffed.

“I think there’s no difference. During famines, are the two-legged sheep acting out of instinct or humanity?” Li Sangrou retorted bluntly.

Blind Mi fell silent.

“Senior Sister Wang has always wanted to visit Quanzhou. After this trip to Mizhou and hearing several merchants talk about the novelties of Quanzhou, she’s even more eager. She could go in three to five years,” Blind Mi said, changing the subject.

“What are your plans with Sister Lin? Are you just going to treat each other with such polite formality?

Zhang Mao said that since returning to Jianle City last year, you have not been to any of the private houses. I asked Sister Lin, and she does not mind you going to private places.” Li Sangrou changed the subject.

“Can you not speak more politely? What do you mean by ‘going to private places’?

That damned Zhang Mao, what does it have to do with her?” Blind Mi spat.

“What are your plans? Do you have any plans?” Li Sangrou pressed.

“Just like this,” Blind Mi said, hands behind his back, dragging his cane.

“Just like this? Have you two discussed this?” Li Sangrou pressed further.

“I know my character perfectly well, and I’ve seen enough of her character too.

With me like this and her like that, what else do you think we can do?” Blind Mi suddenly stopped, spitting in Li Sangrou’s face.

Li Sangrou shrugged; she had asked him precisely because she did not know what else they could do.

“Between her and me, who do you think can manage the household chores, cook, clean diapers, and support a family?” Blind Mi walked forward with his hands behind his back.

Li Sangrou remained silent.

“That’s it! I have her in my heart; she has me in hers. We have our sect back home; we have our families when we go out. We are in the martial world, making our homes wherever we are. No cooking stove, no diapers, no need to support a family. This is best for us; it can only be this way.”

“That’s good.” Li Sangrou smiled.

“She cannot leave her sect. She likes liveliness. She said I am just an added bonus, not her subordinate,” Blind Mi said with a stern face.

“Even if you asked to be her subordinate, she would not agree, would she?” Li Sangrou looked Blind Mi up and down.

“When I was young, I thought she was my subordinate.

Later, I realized that my senior sister is indeed my senior sister; she always understands things before I do.” Blind Mi twirled his cane.

“You two are quite a perfect match,” Li Sangrou chuckled, giving a serious compliment.

“As a husband and father, one must first be a husband and then a father. I cannot bear such a heavy responsibility, so this is for the best,” Blind Mi continued, waving his cane.

The two strolled along the empty streets and alleys. When they reached Jinliang Bridge, many children dressed in new clothes and carrying lanterns were already out, selling their wares with innocent, bewildered faces.

“It’s almost dawn. We need to find a place to get a good night’s sleep so we do not get mobbed by people offering New Year’s greetings,” Blind Mi yawned.

In previous years, he had stayed in temples, monasteries, shacks on street corners, or anywhere else he wanted, sleeping and leaving whenever he pleased. He had not had this kind of trouble.

“People are coming to offer New Year’s greetings?” Li Sangrou asked in surprise.

Blind Mi glanced sideways at Li Sangrou, ignoring her.

“Let’s go behind the shop. There’s a place to sleep in the warehouse; Da Chang prepared it,” Li Sangrou suggested.

“What?” Blind Mi yawned again.

“I am going out of town,” Li Sangrou replied after a moment of silence.

“To see Jin Mao?” Blind Mi reacted quickly.

“Yes.”

“Let’s go; I will come with you. I will sleep when we get back,” Blind Mi sighed softly, put his hands behind his back, and they headed out the south gate together.

……………………

Li Sangrou and Blind Mi returned from outside the city. Blind Mi took a nap in the warehouse behind Shunfeng Shop, while Li Sangrou slept for a while in the small accounting room. Around noon, they returned to Chaomi Alley.

As soon as they entered Chaomi Alley, they saw Hei Ma, dressed in new clothes, sitting on the doorstep.

Seeing Li Sangrou, Hei Ma leaped up and rushed towards her, exclaiming, “Boss is finally back!”

“Huh? What happened?” Li Sangrou asked in surprise, seeing Hei Ma. “Did you not say you were going to take Sister Lin to Guanpu?”

“Boss is back!” Xiao Lu poked his head out of the courtyard gate, called out, and came out to greet them.

“Everyone’s home? What happened?” Li Sangrou asked in surprise.

From New Year’s Day to the fifteenth, they always made sure to play to their hearts’ content, gamble to their hearts’ content, and play outside every day—this was Da Chang’s New Year’s tradition. What happened today?

“Early this morning! Before dawn! New Year’s greetings were already pouring in!” Hei Ma emphasized each word. “One after another, house after house! Until just now! Just now I could catch my breath!”

Li Sangrou raised an eyebrow. Where did all these New Year’s greetings come from?

“Boss, take a look. These are New Year’s greeting cards. Brother Chang said the custom is to return them. Boss, it looks like we cannot reply!” Xiao Lu said, pointing towards the second gate.

Li Sangrou entered the second gate and saw two or three piles of New Year’s greeting cards, each half a person high, stacked against the wall in the corridor. Her forehead wrinkled with surprise.

“Where did all these come from?!”

“The Wei family, the Huang family, the Chu family, the Chu family’s father-in-law’s family, the Zhou family, the Shi family, the Yan Chun Pavilion, the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce…” Da Chang stood up from beside several piles of New Year’s greeting cards, pointing to the ones he had just looked at that were spread out beside him. Li Sangrou stared at the two or three piles of New Year’s greeting cards, half her height, and for the first time, felt utterly bewildered.

Blind Mi squeezed past Li Sangrou to the piles of cards, patted each one, and burst into laughter.

“Looks like this is better! It is better to have people send New Year’s greetings like this! These New Year’s greeting cards are all about reciprocity!

Hahahaha!” Blind Mi laughed, patting the piles of cards.

“These are not all New Year’s greeting cards; these are invitations to the New Year’s banquet.” Da Chang pointed to the other side. “Invitations to everyone, some specifically to the boss, some specifically to me, some specifically to Hei Ma, some specifically to Chuantiao—there are invites for them all. Most are for Hei Ma.”

Hei Ma immediately raised his head, his dark face glowing red.

Blind Mi laughed again.

However, Li Sangrou’s reputation for being unmarried was not unfounded. Faced with piles of New Year’s greetings and invitations to New Year’s banquets, she was straightforward: she would not reply to a single one, nor would she attend a single banquet.

A sage once said, “It’s not scarcity that’s worrisome, but inequality.” Not replying to one person and not attending a single banquet at least ensured equality.

Hei Ma stared at the pile of invitations to New Year’s banquets, heartbroken.

Other families were one thing, but how could he not go to the Pan family?

He was so close to the Seventh Young Master; even just for the Seventh Young Master’s sake, he had to go, right? If the boss did not go, and he did not go either, where would that leave the Seventh Young Master’s face?

The more Hei Ma thought about it, the sadder he became; the more he felt he should not have.

But he only thought about it; he did not dare utter a single word to the boss.

To avoid the piles of New Year’s greetings and invitations, after lunch, Li Sangrou, along with Da Chang and others, along with Blind Mi and Lin Sa, accompanied Wang Jin out of town to look at estates.

……………………

The group toured the surrounding counties, eating and drinking, until the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. Wang Jin had her eye on five or six estates before the group returned to Jianle City.

Lin Sa had long heard about how lively the Lantern Festival was in Jianle City, having heard about it and longed to see it for twenty years. Now that she was in Jianle City, she was determined to witness the Lantern Festival.

Even Wang Jin decided that on the Lantern Festival, she would watch from Aoshan Mountain to the Bian River and then watch the fireworks outside the city—all night long!

Lin Sa and Wang Jin carefully examined the various Lantern Festival dresses, long and short jackets, cloaks, and jewelry sent by the clothing workshop, while Hei Ma and Xiao Lu gathered in a circle, offering their suggestions.

Li Sangrou sat to the side, legs crossed, cracking sunflower seeds, thinking about the estates Wang Jin had her eye on.

One of them was the imperial estate outside Yangwu County. It was close to Yangwu County, near the Bian River, and even had a small hot spring—truly a perfect choice.

That imperial estate was probably still under the Second Prince’s name; well, now, his name was Hui’an.

Li Sangrou pondered for a while, then stood up, gave some instructions, and left Chaomi Alley to stroll towards the Daxiangguo Temple.

The Daxiangguo Temple was in the bustling center of Jianle City, its surroundings teeming with activity.

Li Sangrou simply entered through the main gate, following the devout men and women, bowing to Maitreya Buddha, then to the Dharma Protectors, then to Guanyin Bodhisattva at the back, and finally, in the swirling incense smoke, bowing to the compassionate Buddhas and Bodhisattvas before reaching the Great Buddha Hall. She continued bowing to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva before finally walking along the surrounding corridor to a half-open round door, pushing it open and entering.

Beyond the round gate were rows of monks’ quarters. Li Sangrou went straight into a small, unmarked courtyard on the east side.

“It’s the boss,” Abbot Yuande said, standing up upon hearing footsteps.

“It’s me. How are you, Abbot?” Li Sangrou stopped at the doorway and bowed slightly in greeting.

“I am well. It has been a long time.” Abbot Yuande smiled warmly and gestured for her to come in for a cup of tea.

Li Sangrou entered the room and sat on an old futon beside a small tea table.

“You came from the temple?” Abbot Yuande asked with a smile, noticing the strong scent of incense on Li Sangrou.

“Yes, the temple is very popular.”

“Jianle City is very lively. I heard it is even more lively than last year. I was not in Jianle City last year, and I heard the boss could not make it back for the New Year either.” Abbot Yuande slowly brewed tea, chatting idly with Li Sangrou.

“Last Spring Festival, I spent it on the way to Nanzhao County,” Li Sangrou thought, recalling the lively celebrations of the previous year.

“Nanzhao County,” Abbot Yuande said slowly, pausing for a moment before laughing. “There’s a Grand Master Wu from Nanzhao County who once visited Daxiangguo Temple. I had a very pleasant conversation with him about ten years ago. Let me think; it has been twenty years. Back then, the late Emperor had just ascended the throne.”

“Twenty years? The Grand Master Wu I met was the first one, and the one I met was the second. They both share the surname Wu, just like you, Abbot Yuande,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“Oh,” Abbot Yuande murmured, then looked at Li Sangrou and asked, “Did the boss reach an agreement with them?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Li Sangrou only hum in response, Abbot Yuande did not press further and changed the subject. “Last summer, we were in Qingzhou. We heard that Lianghuai had been recovered, so Hui’an and I went there. We were just outside Suqian, treating the living and performing rituals for the dead. We were busy until winter, but we had not even finished half of it. Alas.”

“The place with the most dead is outside Yangzhou. Why not take Hui’an to Yangzhou, Abbot, and build a Daxiangguo Temple there?” Li Sangrou picked up her cup.

“Alright,” Abbot Yuande agreed readily.

Li Sangrou did not speak, slowly finishing her cup of tea. She stood up. “I will go see Hui’an. I need to talk to him.”

“He’s next door.” Abbot Yuande smiled and pointed to the side.

Li Sangrou left the courtyard, passed through the vase-shaped gate, and saw Hui’an bending over, turning over herbs drying on a bamboo tray.

“Yes.” Hearing the noise, Hui’an turned to look at Li Sangrou, uttered “Yes,” and then fell silent.

“A few days ago, I went to Yangwu County.” Li Sangrou walked to the bamboo tray, picked up a piece, and smelled it.

Hui’an’s eyes widened immediately.

“The great monk said you have achieved enlightenment, but it seems he was just talking nonsense. I only mentioned Yangwu County, look.”

Hui’an stared at Li Sangrou for a moment, then turned his head away.

“Have you seen this before?” Li Sangrou took out a snow-white cotton boll with its shell still attached from her sleeve and offered it to Hui’an.

“What is this?” Hui’an looked at the cotton boll but did not take it.

“It’s called cotton.” Li Sangrou withdrew her hand, plucked a strand from the cotton boll, and offered it to him. “Feel it.”

Hui’an hesitated for a moment, then took the strand of cotton boll.

“Look, this thing, you can easily tear it this long.” Li Sangrou tore off another piece of cotton boll, tossed it into the bamboo tray, and then pulled the strand of cotton boll into a thread.

This stuff can be spun into thread and woven into cloth. The process of spinning and weaving is much simpler than with hemp. A merchant family in Mizhou grew this stuff before, saying it is very easy to grow, and one plant can produce many of these cotton bolls,” Li Sangrou continued.

Hui’an, holding the strand of cotton boll, looked at Li Sangrou without speaking.

“I think this is a good thing. I want to try growing it in Jianle City to see if I can grow it and then see if I can spin it into thread and weave it into cloth,” Li Sangrou said, wrapping the strand of cotton boll around her fingers.

“You want that estate.” Hui’an looked at Li Sangrou.

“Yes, not ‘want,’ but ‘use’ it. The estate is still the estate. Lend it to me for a while,” Li Sangrou smiled.

“No need to lend it. Take it if you want to use it.” Hui’an paused, and after a long while, lowered his eyes and said, “If there’s anything in the mansion…”

“They’ve already been buried.” Li Sangrou was silent for a moment, then looked at Hui’an and said, “There was an old palace maid in the Prince’s residence, someone who served the eunuchs. The eunuchs handled everything back then, and they told her everything.

They’ve already been reburied.”

“Then what about my mother?” Hui’an subconsciously took a step forward.

“His Majesty said that all mothers should be visited after you have truly achieved enlightenment in their cultivation.” Li Sangrou took a step back, turned, and left.