Chapter 7 Throwing leaves to rescue ants

Shui Shang Temple was located in a barren mountain of the suburb of Yangzhou City. In the later Yuan Dynasty, some Taoist priests instead of Taoist nuns lived in the temple. It was said that those Taoist priests found a kind of rare grass growing on the mountain, so they raised silver to build the Taoist temple for refining pills. But after no more than ten years, the war broke out. The barren mountain also became a battle field. After the war, Mongolian soldiers set off a fire when they retreated. The temple was about to be ruined. However, the heavens opened suddenly. The rain extinguished the fire immediately, saving the temple from being burnt.

Because of this story, the unknown temple attracted many people who came here to pray. In the Ming Dynasty, a woman from a rich family was discarded by her husband because she couldn’t give birth to a boy. She was also refused by her natal family, so she came to the Taoist temple and became the first female master with the religious name Mo Chou.

Master Mo Chou bought lands and stores at the foot of the mountain using her dowry, which became the stable financial resources of the temple. Many helpless females were attracted here to be a Taoist nun. If poor families nearby couldn’t feed their daughters, they also sent them here to be Taoist nuns.

The third master of Shui Shang Temple, Tai Xi, didn’t care about trifles. Now, Tai Shan and Tai Chen managed the temple together. However, they treated each other respectfully only on the surface.

Tai Shan once was not a Taoist nun. She studied before she came to the temple and knew how to manage farmland well. She took the farm rent for lending and thus collected much silver. Tai Chen traveled around with her uncle, an elder master, when she was young. They were involved in a lawsuit when they passed Yangzhou City. Tai Chen’s uncle died in prison, after which, she went to the Shui Shang Temple. Tai Chen was influenced by her uncle who was fond of refining pills and making mercury. So, she also knew some knowledge about that. Now, she was in charge of the Pill Room and Medicine Room.

“Shit! I really raise a crowd of rubbish. I should turn all of you out of the temple!” Tai Chen grabbed a big pear with one hand and pointed at several Taoist nuns with the other hand. She cursed, “Damn it! I told you to clean the cabinets in the Medicine Room the day before yesterday. All of you promised. But now, they are still covered with dust. You are really forgetful. You don’t have my words in your heart…”

“Hey, look! There are a lot of men!” A Taoist nun shouted suddenly. Tai Chen was famous for her bad temper and nobody dared to interrupt her when she was speaking. It was the first time that Tai Chen had been interrupted by others, so many Taoist nuns looked at the speaker surprisedly.

Tai Chen was so angry that her eyes widened. She was about to continue cursing. At this moment, several Taoist nuns shouted, “There are really so many men! Look!” Tai Chen also looked away. Then she became excited suddenly.

All the Taoist nuns crowded at the entrance in a blink of an eye and struggled to look outside. A group of men came from distance.

“One, two, three, four... eight, nine. There are nine men. Hey, look at that man. He glanced at me just now!”

“Don’t talk rot! He looked at me!”

“You overestimate yourselves. They are looking at us!”

“They really look at me!”

“Be quiet. Look at that man in scarlet robe. He is so handsome…”

“Yes! Look! He is smiling.”

“It’s quite strange. He smiles as soon as you finish your words. It seems that he can hear our words.”

“And look at that man in purple robe…”

“...”

Most of these young Taoist nuns in Shui Shang Temple were sent here because of poverty. Few could endure the loneliness and cultivate themselves with concentration. They couldn’t help talking even with the man who delivered firewood or the bearers who carried the sedan for a noble lady. This time, they all couldn’t help shouting and screaming for seeing so many men.

These men who walked quickly were in their twenties and thirties. Wearing luxurious clothes, they were quite handsome, strong and vigorous. It seemed that these men were born as “superior men”. Compared with the men that those Taoist nuns saw before, these men were like the cloud in the sky. Now the Taoist nuns thought the man who delivered firewood and those bearers were just like the mud under the stinky shoes.

Young Taoist nuns became more and more excited. They thought it must be the supernatural beings’ favor, so they could see so many excellent men now. They all dreamt of marrying one of the men, or even being a concubine or a maid. Then they could leave the lifeless temple, a tomb always constraining them, and went to the outside world to enjoy the beautiful life.

Before Duan Xiaolou, Liao Zhiyuan and others arrived at the top of the mountain, they heard the remarks of those Taoist nuns. They were quite surprised and thought it was really funny. While Gao Jue, who was a little angry because of hunger, was angrier after hearing those Taoist nuns’ words.

Tai Chen threw the pear core hurriedly and wiped the juice on the mouth with her hands. She ran towards those men with a flattering smile and said, “Welcome all of you! Honored guests. Come in please. I am the administrator of this temple!”

Geng Bingxiu nodded slightly and replied, “Let’s go inside first.”

Tai Chen nodded strongly, “Of course! Come in please!”

Then all men went to the main hall of the Front Palace, sat down and were served with tea. Tai Shan who was in the meditation room also got the news and came towards here hurriedly.

Geng Bingxiu put 20 liang silver on the table and said, “My surname is Geng. I rank the fourth in my family. We are idlers traveling around. We want to stay here for a few days. Please arrange several quiet wing-rooms for us.”

Tai Shan was quite happy and replied with a smile, “Okay! Fourth Lord Geng, you and other distinguished guests can be relieved. I will arrange the best rooms and the authentic gourmet food of Yangzhou City for you. You will live here comfortably!”

Lu Jiangbei put down his cup and glanced at Tai Shan. He asked, “Our reading attendant was hurt and lost his way in the mountain. Have you ever seen him?”

Hearing that, Tai Shan replied quickly, “Oh! Someone lost his way? How should we do? Don’t worry! I will arrange the Taoist nuns in the temple to look for him!”

Geng Bingxiu shook his head and said, “No, we will look for him personally tomorrow. Please tell the people of your temple that if a hurt boy comes here, don’t let him leave. In that case, please inform us immediately.”

Tai Shan smiled and replied, “Trust me! You can be relieved! Please go to the wing-rooms to have a rest. I will arrange people to send hot water and meals for you!”

Then, Tai Shan led them to the west wing-rooms personally. When they passed the Side Palace, Gao Jue glanced at a mourning hall. He was surprised, “There should be a mourning hall!” Tai Shan was afraid that they might have some taboos, so she promised quickly, “I will let them remove it tomorrow. Don’t worry, all honored guests. Our temple is clean and comfortable. There aren’t strange things!”

Lu Jiangbei also looked at the mourning hall and frowned. He asked, “It is quite strange. You set up a mourning hall. But why don’t you light the joss sticks?”

Tai Shan smiled embarrassedly and explained, “It is really strange. Three days ago, Luo’s Mansion in Yangzhou City carried a coffin of a dead girl to our temple. It was said that although she was a lady of Luo’s Mansion, her surname was not Luo and she died strangely. So, it is inconvenient for Luo’s Mansion to hold a funeral procession. They asked our temple to set up a mourning hall and hold a Taoist rite for her. I arranged my apprentices to change shroud, brush hair and do make-up for her. Everyone saw that she was really dead. But last night, This Miss He creeped off the coffin suddenly and asked for water. Oops! Bless you! My three apprentices were feared to unconscious immediately. They are still kneeling at the foot of Sanqing Immortals and chanting scriptures…”

Duan Xiaolou raised his eyebrows and asked, “There should be such a strange thing! So, that dead lady is alive now!”

“Luo’s Mansion in Yangzhou City…” Lu Jiangbei murmured and then asked. “Is it the Luo’s Family that provides official herbal medicines?”

Tai Shan nodded and answered, “Yes, that’s it. Everyone in Yangzhou City knows the Luo’s Family. It is one of the Four Families of Yangzhou City which are rich and noble, including the Wu’s Family, the Luo’s Family, the Guan’s Family and the Sun’s Family. After Miss He comes alive, I feel pity for her sufferings. I also heard that she is often sick and is fond of quietness, so I arrange her in the East Wing-room to have a good rest.”

Duan Xiaolou hugged his arms around the chest and smiled, “Now that she returned to life after death, she must be fortunate. I happen to take two bottles of tonic pills. I don’t need them. Maybe they are useful for her. Master, where is the East Wing-room? Is it convenient to see her now?”

Tai Shan thought of the dilapidated East Wing-room immediately and was afraid that others knew she maltreated He Danggui. So, she smiled embarrassedly and replied, “Bless you! You are really kind. Thank you on behalf of the miserable Miss He! But she took the herbal medicine just now and was asleep. It’s not suitable to wake her up now. You can go to the wing-rooms to have the meal. After that, I will lead her to see you. What do you think of that?”

Duan Xiaolou still wanted to say something. But Lu Jiangbei grabbed him and whispered, “My dear brother, don’t say anymore. Don’t you see that Gao Jue is very angry now? Don’t you remember that your mother entrusted him to pay close attention to you and prevent you from taking women home? But you don’t cooperate with him. You have tried best to help every woman. When you return home, he will be blamed because of you…”

It turned out that Gao Jue and Duan Xiaolou were cousins. Duan Xiaolou’s mother was Gao Jue’s aunt. Although Gao Jue was only four years older than Duan Xiaolou, he already had one son and one daughter. But Duan Xiaolou didn’t engage yet. His mother was quite worried. So, she ordered Gao Jue to control Duan Xiaolou and didn’t let him do ridiculous things outside.

Tai Shan, cap in hand, led them to the West Wing-room and arranged people to prepare hot water and meals for them. Then she returned to the Front Palace and found her first apprentice, Zhen Zhu. She ordered, “Go to see if the girl in the East Wing-room is still alive. If she has died, carry her into the coffin again. If she can walk, give her a decent suit of clothes and let her dress herself up. Then take her to the West Wing-room to kowtow for the guests!”

Zhen Zhu was quite puzzled and asked, “They are just passers-by. Why are you so serious? In addition, the girl in the East Wing-room is a lady who hasn’t married. The Luo’s Family will pick her up sooner or later. How can we let her see strange men?” Then she pointed at the yard and smiled bitterly, “Taoist nuns rushed to serve them over there. If I didn’t prevent them just now, they would peep at these guests by the window. As they don’t want to stay here, we shouldn’t prevent them from getting a good future.”

Tai Shan waved her hands and said, “I think that those men are not ordinaries. They are at least lords and childes. Alas! It’s my fault. I told them just now that the girl came to life after death. I just regard this as a joke, but one Childe thinks that it is novel and wants to see her immediately. I stopped him hurriedly. The East Wing-room is in a mess. They are too noble to go inside that kind of place. Additionally, if others know that I maltreat a sick child, I will lose my face!”

Zhen Zhu nodded and went away. But she went back after a short while and said anxiously, “Master, something is wrong! Miss He and Zhen Jing aren’t in the room! I couldn’t find them anywhere!”

Tai Shan was so shocked that she jumped from the armchair and asked, “What’s wrong? Where are they? It is impossible for them to disappear suddenly. Go to ask whether someone saw them!” Zhen Zhu nodded and was about to leave. Tai Shan shouted again, “Wait. Go to the back yard first and find several young and beautiful Taoist nuns. Let them go to the West Wing-room to serve the guests!”

So, Zhen Zhu went to the back yard again. As soon as she walked into the yard, twenty to thirty young Taoist nuns rushed to surround her. The eldest nun was less than thirty years old and the youngest nun was only fourteen or fifteen years old. All of them stared at Zhen Zhu with eagerness.

Zhen Zhu looked at them speechlessly. They all changed into silver-white gloss robes with blue lace, and all wore heavy make-up with penciled eyebrows and rouged lips. Several Taoist nuns even wore a large chrysanthemum on their hair. They were more amused than clowns on the stage.

Taoist nuns in Shui Shang Temple had three suits of Taoist robes. The best was the silver-white gloss robe they wore now, which was usually worn in important occasions and each nun had only one suit. For example, after twenty days, there should be a Taoist rite originally planned for He Danggui to release her soul from purgatory. In that case, the Taoist nuns must wear this robe. In addition, each nun had three suits of silver-gray cotton Taoist robes, which were worn when the Taoist nuns met with people outside the temple, for example, when they served people who came here to pray and went downhill to purchase suppliers. And the most common robes were the gray burlap gown. Each nun had five to six suits. They would wear the gown when they did dirty and tiring work because these gowns were wear-resistant and stain-resistant.

As the saying went, one was willing to hit and the other was willing to suffer from the hit. Zhen Zhu didn’t need to say more. She picked up several talkative and quick-witted elder Taoist nuns. A few young Taoist nuns of 16-17 years old were unsatisfied and entangled Zhen Zhu at the entrance. They complained that Zhen Zhu was “unfair”. Zhen Zhu had no choice but selected four to five younger Taoist nuns. She wasn’t relieved, so she enjoined them to be calm. Then she let them pick off the flowers on their hair.

Then a dozen young Taoist nuns walked away happily. Seeing that those young Taoist nuns wore the flowers again, Zhen Zhu shook her head helplessly. Those young Taoist nuns were quite innocent and could just play petty tricks. They complained that Shui Shang Temple was a prison, but they didn’t know that the outside world was really dangerous. How could the mindless women live long?

However, none of them believed Zhen Zhu. They laughed at Zhen Zhu that she was too timid and careful. Zhen Zhu didn’t want to think of that. Everyone had her own way and fate. They chose that way, so they must experience it personally. Nobody could help them.

※※※

He Danggui and Zhen Jing found the way based on their memories. It took them great efforts to find the bush where the escaped prisoner hid. They parted the bush and found that the boy was still in a coma. And he even stayed in the same posture as before.

He Danggui looked at the boy and found that he was about ten years old. His dark tousled hair flopped on his shoulder. The boy who looked weak and pale had delicate features. Although he was hurt, he still attracted them with his appearance. He Danggui and Zhen Jing looked at each other and saw the surprise in their eyes.

Why did the imperial guards want to kill a boy who was so handsome? He Danggui turned his waist and felt that his hand was extremely cold. She felt his pulse for a moment and then took off his clothes without any hesitation.

Zhen Jing screamed in a low voice, “Xiaoyi, what are you doing?”

He Danggui raised her head and looked at Zhen Jing innocently. She said, “I will cure him. How can I topically apply herbal medicine for him without taking off his clothes?”

Zhen Jing blushed and said embarrassedly, “But it is improper for you and him to touch…”

He Danggui gave her a stare and replied, “I am a doctor. In my eyes, he is just my patient. In addition, he is just a child.” Zhen Jing showed a disapproval expression and refuted, “You are also a child.”

He Danggui took off the boy’s upper outer garment and untied his trousers. The boy’s white chest, shoulders and thighs showed in front of them. Zhen Jing was so embarrassed that she looked aside.

He Danggui leaned over to check closely and found that there were eleven stab wounds in his whole body. The wounds on shoulders and shanks were the deepest, which were still bleeding. Fortunately, no viscera were injured. From the bright-red blood, He Danggui could judge that the boy wasn’t poisoned. She tore the clean part of his clothes into strips and dipped in the stream water found in the mountain stream before to wash the blood stains on his wounds. Then she crushed the clean herbs found in the mountain and put them on the wounds. At last, she bound up his wounds with those clean clothes.

Zhen Jing was so shocked since He Danggui bound up skillfully as if she had done this countless times. Zhen Jing thought she wasn’t timid, but she still trembled standing in front of such a seriously injured boy. He Danggui was a lady from a rich and influential family, but she was so calm now. Why did she know how to bind up wounds? What on earth did she experience before?

Thinking of the rough experiences of He Danggui that other sisters talked privately, Zhen Jing took pity for her. She held He Danggui’s slim arms and said softly, “One good turn deserves another. You save a life today and you will get good results.”

He Danggui smiled and said simply, “It isn’t me who want to save him. He has a good luck. Look! This kind of grass is called agrimony which often grows by the river. This is called pollen typhae which usually grows in the wetland. These two kinds of grass can stop bleeding and cure wounds, which are even applied in the best adhesive surgical plaster. I didn’t want to save him before, but I saw these two kinds of grass by the road on our way back. Don’t you think he is extremely lucky?”

Zhen Jing shook her head and replied seriously, “No, I can feel that you tried your best to save him. Xiaoyi, you are really kind. You are more kindhearted than all of us.”

He Danggui piled up several grass and stuffed into the boy’s mouth. Then she said calmly, “If an ant falls into the river and throwing a leaf can save it, I will throw the leaf to it. But if a man falls into the river and I have to jump into the river to save him, I will save him before. But now… No matter how good my swimming skill is, I will weigh the advantages and disadvantages and then decide whether to save him or not.” He Danggui’s eyes were misled with tears. She sneered and continued, “If my ‘kindness’ only reaches a low level of a leaf, do you still think I am a kind person?”

As she was saying, she stood up and began to take off her clothes slowly. She took off her gown, her middle clothes, her inner clothes and vest. At last, she only wore a little bellyband…

Zhen Jing was startled. She bounced from the ground and opened her hands and legs to shadow He Danggui with her body. Zhen Jing stared at He Danggui in horror because she thought that He Danggui must be crazy. She screamed, “Obey order presto! What… what do you want to do?”

Seeing Zhen Jing’s astonished expression, He Danggui smiled and said, “I want to give my clothes to him. Otherwise, although he won’t die from bleeding, he will freeze to death tonight. But I can’t give my gown to him because if officials find him, they will know that people in the Taoist temple saved him. We meet officials before and also have the time to save him, so they will suspect us at first. The inner clothes and vest I wear are made of ivory silk. Ordinary Taoist nuns can’t afford it. Even if the officials find him, they won’t suspect us.”

Zhen Jing thought that He Danggui was really careful. She was deeply moved and said, “What you said is right, but inner clothes are so important for girls. You should give them to a strange man. Xiaoyi, you are really kind. Are these inner clothes and vest the ‘humble leaf’ to save the ‘ant’?”

He Danggui smiled quietly and didn’t explain anymore. She took off her inner clothes and only wore a gown. She covered the boy with her clothes and then sheltered him with several big leaves. The boy was still in a coma.

He Danggui asked Zhen Jing to leave the bird eggs to him. Zhen Jing put all the eggs on the ground and bantered, “You don’t recover yet and even don’t have something to eat. These eggs are your only tonic. Are these eggs the ‘humble leaf’ you said? Ha-ha, can you give me some ‘leaves’ someday?”

He Danggui didn’t know how to say. She thought Zhen Jing was really chatty. She was so young but was quite talkative. It was a pity for her to be a Taoist nun. She should be a woman matchmaker.

They cleaned up the scene and left. But they didn’t know that the boy opened his eyes suddenly when they turned around.

The boy’s eyes were quite beautiful and clear, like the light in the snowy night. He gazed at their figures through the crack between leaves. When they went away, he began to chew the grass in his mouth. The wounds were so hurting that he almost had no strength. Only the fragrance from the clothes covering on his body brought him some warmth.

Her name was Xiaoyi...