Chapter 77 His Heart

  Jiang Yao and her servant ultimately did not go to Taiping Village, but instead got on a carriage and entered the city.

  The car was still rented from Qiaodong Bridge. They left early and entered the city at noon, but saw a sea of people on the road, rubbing shoulders and brushing against each other.

  "The Fifteenth Day of the Universal Salvation Temple." The horse cart driver said, "Miss, would you like to go take a look at the excitement?"

  The maid lifted up the carriage curtain and pointed out the way.

  "Let's go through the North Gate of Pufu Temple." She said, turning her head back to look at Cheng Jiaoniang, "Do you want to take a look, madam?"

  Jiang Yao sat upright with her body still and shook her head.

  "It's actually very crowded, and it's not as free as usual. On market days, there are many monks and nuns selling things to supplement their household expenses." The maid said with a smile.

  "Sister knew." The car renter smiled and led the horse through the bustling crowd, "These monks' pampered concubines, incense money is not enough to use."

  "It's just that I don't dare bring it out anymore," said the maid with a smile. "The government isn't going to catch and punish us by making us do hard labor, is it?"

  Listening to the outsider's accent, he seemed very familiar with Beijing, and the horseman was surprised to glance at the girl.

  "Sister, money can make a ghost grind, and a monk who can marry a wife is not short of a few dollars." He chuckled and said, "I, the old man, am illiterate. If I were literate, I would recite scriptures, play chess, and serve good tea. I would also become a monk, why bother with such hard work?"

  "Reciting scriptures, wielding a sharp sword, and brewing good tea are all not easy tasks," said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  The car rental guy was startled and couldn't help but turn his head back.

  This little girl hasn't said a word since she got on the bus, I thought she was mute, but it turns out she can talk.

  "My daughter says that everything is hard to do, but for just a bowl of tea, the great monk of Pufu Temple can sell it for 200 yuan." He chuckled and muttered to himself.

  "What they sell is not tea, but Zen." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  The carman chuckled and stuck out his tongue, this little girl spoke in a serious tone, but it made people not dare to or know how to respond. Each word was understandable on its own, but when put together, they became incomprehensible. Each word was ordinary, but when combined, they sounded like a hammer hitting iron.

  The maid smiled with pursed lips and lifted the curtain one by one to show Jingniang the street scene outside.

  Passing through the north gate of Puzhao Temple and turning to the back door, the crowd is still dense.

  "I'll buy a cricket for Jin Ge'er to play with," said the maid. "He's bored at home by himself."

  Jiang Nang nodded.

  The young woman jumped out of the car and led the driver to stop at the side of the road, only stopping in front of a flower, bird, fish, and insect stall, when someone shouted "Sister".

  "Mr. Han Lang." The maid turned around and looked at the young man wearing a green robe, smiling happily.

  Han Yuanchao smiled at her and several companions beside him curiously sized up this maidservant.

  "Ah Lang Jun, you've finished your exam, how was it?" The maid asked hastily.

  "I'm afraid we'll have to come again in three years." Han Yuanchao smiled and said.

  "The results will be announced in March, don't say anything beforehand, young master." The maid said with a smile.

  Each of them had their own thoughts about the exam, Han Yuanchao smiled but didn't speak, and instead looked around.

  "Is sister here to burn incense at Pufu Temple?" he asked.

  The maid shook her head.

  "My husband and I were just passing by," she said.

  Daughter?

  Han Yuanchao couldn't help but glance to the side, where many carriages were parked in a row, making a loud noise. Among them were mostly ordinary rented carriages and horses, without any high-ranking officials or noble families with their family crests.

  "Is Mr. Han here to burn incense?" the maid asked, "Isn't it too late now? Didn't you go pay your respects to Confucius before the exam?"

  Although gentlemen do not speak of strange and supernatural powers, the scholars who come to the capital for the imperial examination will still secretly or openly go to the Confucius Temple to pay their respects.

  Several scholars burst out laughing.

  "We have come to pay our respects and hope for good luck. If we can listen to Mr. Jiangzhou's lecture on the classics today, maybe we'll pass the exam." A companion said, "This time the chief examiner is Hanlin scholar Mao Xun, who is a fellow student of Mr. Jiangzhou."

  The maid looked at Han Won-jo.

  "Has Mr. Jiang from Jiangzhou started lecturing on the classics?" she asked in surprise.

  "Yes, half a month before the exam." A companion said, shaking his head with regret, "Unfortunately, we didn't manage to squeeze in to listen."

  The maid nodded slightly, as if deep in thought.

  "Sister, go ahead and hurry." Han Yuan Chao said, "We'll take our leave."

  The maidservant busily curtsied as they passed by.

  Han Yuanchao took a step forward and then stopped, looking at the maid with some amusement.

  I used to think that others had ulterior motives, and I had already thought of how to decline their invitation. But unexpectedly, they didn't come to see me again. On the contrary, it was myself who took the initiative to greet them proactively.

  "Is there anything else, sir?" The maid asked with a smile.

  "Thank you on my behalf, Master Weng." Han Yuanchao said with a slight bow, "The cook told me that he has found work, thanks to your kindness, I presume."

  Who is the host?

  The girl was stunned for a moment, and before she could speak, Han Yuan had already stepped out with his companions and quickly blended into the crowd, entering the Buddhist temple from the back door.

  She was stunned for a moment and then lost her smile.

  "Master Weng?" She shook her head and walked towards the carriage with two insect cages, then suddenly stopped in her tracks, looking bewildered.

  "Daughter, daughter, I understand."

  She said as she sat in the car.

  Jiangniang was gazing at a small insect cage placed beside her, and in her dry well-like eyes seemed to be a hint of curiosity.

  "What's going on?" she asked.

  "Are you doing all this for Lang Jun?" The maid asked, taking a deep breath, "To fulfill his chivalrous spirit? To fulfill his kind and heroic heart?"

  May those who want to help others be lucky from now on, have no worries about food and clothing. What can better interpret a person's chivalrous and kind heart than this?

  It's just that this idea is so simple and straightforward that it's impossible.

  How could someone have thought of this, how could someone want to help a person who has put so much thought into it, and yet still remain unknown.

  Jiang Nang raised her head and looked at her for a moment.

  "He wants to do what he wants to do," she said. "Why bother others, perfecting others is just for others' sake, what does it have to do with him?"

  The maid stood there for a moment, then burst out laughing.

  "My daughter, I've heard enough from your previous sentence," she said.

  Do what you want, go do what you want, as long as you're happy, I just need to help you, support you, and assist you. All for your heart's desire not being empty or in vain, let your kindness be rewarded, let your kindness be useful, let your kindness never end.

  The maid thought to herself, feeling a burning sensation in her eyes and a scorching heat in her heart.

  If one can grasp this truth in life, what more could he ask for?

  "My daughter." She couldn't help but call out, as if there were many words surging in her chest, but when they reached her lips, nothing could be said, and she murmured to herself.

  The King of Jin'an County stepped into the Empress Dowager's bedroom once again, this time with an additional person by his side.

  "Brother." A boy of about six years old, wearing a brocade robe, sniffed his nose and said, "Do you smell it?"

  The King of Jin'an looked at him with a puzzled expression.

  "What?" he asked.

  "It smells so good." The boy said.

  "Your Highness, don't always think about eating." The Prince of Jin'an smiled and said.

  The eunuchs outside the palace have already come to greet him.

  "The Second Prince, Duke of the County." They bowed respectfully.

  The two of them stepped inside the door and upon seeing the two enter, the Empress Dowager in the inner palace happily greeted them.

  "Your Majesty, what delicious food is this? It smells so good." The Second Prince sat down in front of the Empress Dowager and asked with a hint of childishness.

  "You little glutton, all you know is eating." The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "If your father the Emperor finds out, he'll say again that you're not making progress."

  The Prince of Jin'an smiled on one side.

  "Your Highness, the princess loves to eat, which means she's in good health. His Majesty is delighted and hasn't even had time to react yet." He smiled and sniffed his nose as if unintentionally, "It really smells great, Princess, what delicious food are you having?"

  The empress dowager smiled.

  "Two greedy cats." She said with a smile, gesturing to the palace staff, "Go get some of Chen's fried canaries."

  The King of Jin'an raised an eyebrow.

  "Chen's family?" he asked.

  "Chen Shaojia." The empress dowager said with a smile.

  "Oh, Princess, I heard that Lord Chen's father has recovered?" asked Prince Jin'an.

  "The Empress Dowager said, "It's really strange when you think about it. A divine doctor was invited from Jiangzhou and he cured him in just three to five days."

  The palace staff had already brought up two plates of canapés and placed them in front of the Second Prince and the Duke of Jin'an.

  "Is it that severe? I thought you said it was incurable?" asked the Prince of Jin'an.

  The second prince is uninterested in these and has begun eating canary.

  "There are people outside the sky, and there are people outside of people. It's not that I, the empress dowager, am belittling them, but these imperial physicians have been in the capital for too long and have degenerated." The empress dowager said with a shake of her head, "Among the common folk, there really are some divine doctors."

  "Your Highness, it's delicious." The Second Prince said with a greasy hand after finishing two, "I want to eat more."

  The Empress Dowager ordered the palace staff to wipe him clean.

  "Besides, Mrs. Chen left the cook in the palace and taught him how to make imperial dishes before he returned. Now you can eat them whenever you want." She said with a smile.

  "Oh, I see. Madame Chen has brought a kitchen maid in. Still a young girl." Prince Jin'an said casually while slowly eating his yellow sparrow.

  The Empress Dowager smiled.

  "That's not her, that's Madame Chen's daughter." She said with a smile, and asked the palace maid beside her, "What's her name? Her clothes are quite distinctive, and she's also very well-behaved."

  "Name Su, 18 years old in the clan." The palace maid smiled and replied, "This year is 14."

  The Prince of Jin'an County took over the handkerchief handed over by the palace staff and slowly wiped his mouth with a low head.

  Chen Suo, isn't Chen Shi Ba Niang?

  They chatted for a moment, because Xianfei was here to rest and give birth, the King of Jin'an hinted at the two princes to take their leave.

  "The empress is waiting for you to ask about your homework." He said in a low voice.

  The second prince's face suddenly scrunched up.

  "Your Majesty." He glanced at the empress and twisted his waist.

  "Alright, go ahead, the empress is doing this for your own good. Follow Mr. carefully and learn well." The Empress Dowager said with a smile.

  "The prince happened to bring the canary over and borrowed flowers from the princess to offer Buddha." said the Prince of Jin'an.

  The second prince nodded hastily, and the empress dowager also smiled and ordered the palace staff to pack up, looking at Prince Jin'an with a few nods of approval and affection.

  "Go ahead, he's young, take him with you," she said. "After a while, when you and the Crown Prince both leave the palace, he'll feel lonely."

  The Prince of Jin'an smiled.

  "Don't worry, sister, it's just going to be a little brother." He said with a smile.

  The empress dowager's face suddenly lit up with a smile.

  "Alright, I'll take your auspicious words," she said with a smile. "Go and tell the virtuous consort that the duke has spoken, saying to bring another younger brother to play along."

  The palace maid smiled and left, soon returning with a tray of gold, silver, and precious jewels.

  "The virtuous imperial concubine gave it to the duke as a gift." They said with a smile.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." The Prince of Jin'an smiled and accepted it, then looked at the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, both the virtuous consorts have given theirs too."

  The empress dowager was taken aback for a moment before covering her mouth and bursting into laughter.

  "Little rascal, still thinking about that private matter of mine." She said with a smile, nodding to the palace staff, "Reward him."

  He first sent the second prince to Empress He's place and only then did he return to his own palace.

  When I was young, I lived with the Empress Dowager. As I grew older, to avoid any potential conflicts, I moved to the westernmost part of the palace. This place is close to the front court but far from the inner palace. It was originally the study of Emperor Taizu, but a fire burned it down and after repairs, it remained empty until it was given to the Prince of Jin'an. The trees are lush and have been so for many years. In winter, it's still okay, but in summer, the green shade is everywhere, blocking out the sun, making it even more desolate.

  The King of Jin'an Prefecture stepped forward and saw two plates of rewards placed in front of the screen. He looked at them quietly for a moment, then suddenly walked up, raised his hand and knocked them over.

  "Your Highness." A eunuch hastily whispered, and then quickly covered the door, carefully looking around.

  The King of Jin'an turned his head and smiled.

  "There's no one," he said, "Look how scared you are."

  "Prince, don't scare the servants, you must be extremely careful and not be careless at all." The eunuch patted his chest as he spoke, showing that he was a close person.

  The King of Jin'an Commandery sat down with his clothes disheveled and his legs crossed.

  "I know, you can go down." He said, while stretching out his hand to pick up the scattered jewels, leaning against the table, swaying back and forth with a smile in the corner of his mouth as he held each one up to his eyes.

  The eunuch responded and withdrew, closing the door behind him. The sunlight gradually faded away, finally only seeping in through the window lattice, casting a mottled pattern on the young man sitting on the floor of the central hall.