“Great Teacher really has a big heart. He’s very admirable!” Sang Wan could not help but put her palms together and exclaim.
Hui Zhen hurriedly put his palms together and bowed before saying, “All monks are merciful at heart. This is what our Master often teaches us! Since Young Master Shi offered help so readily, he is a true giver. Our entire temple is indebted to him.”
Suddenly, she heard Shi Fengju call for her as he came up to them from behind. Hui Zhen promptly stepped aside and bowed. “Benefactor Shi!”
Shi Fengju nodded his head and said with a smile, “I’ve troubled you. Please carry on with your things!”
Hui Zhen bowed to take his leave. It wasn’t so often that Liu Ya was sharp. Before Shi Fengju spoke, she said first, “I’ll also take my leave!” With that, she hurriedly left.
Sang Wan giggled and joked with Shi Fengju, “She’s far too innocent compared to your Zhan Huan. Don’t glare at her too much in the future or she’ll only become stupid!”
Shi Fengju smiled, “Why would I glare at her? You really know how to shield her! I’m not sure whether she is stupid or pretending to be one! If she is a fool, how can she help you with the account books? From what I see, she uses the abacus very smoothly and recognizes many words! But she isn’t bright enough!”
Sang Wan replied with a smile, “She isn’t bright enough, so don’t frighten her next time!”
Shi Fengju shook his head helplessly. He pulled her and said with a smile, “Come, I’ll take you to a good place!” Then, he led her up ahead.
Shi Fengju brought Sang Wan to a garden where there was a very tall and leafy huge tree in the middle with countless red ribbons hanging on the branches. Not far from the huge tree was a four-legged copper censer that was half a human height with many incense sticks stuck in it.
“What is this?” Sang Wan asked curiously. She saw countless large red ribbons, among the leafy branches, swaying with the wind and giving it a distinctive appearance.
Shi Fengju said with a smile, “This old camphor tree is said to be more than a hundred years old. If you make a wish to it and write your wish on the red ribbon, as long as it is thrown on the tree and does not fall, your wish will come true. The higher you throw, the more likely it will come true. Many people will try this when they come here. Sang Wan, let’s try it too! “
Sang Wan scanned around and indeed saw a long table placed by the side with a pen and ink, as well as an ink slab, on it. There was also an old red wooden box. The red ribbons used were arranged neatly beside the wooden box. The red ribbons were two inches wide and two feet long, and a small bag was tied to each end. There should be some things in it. If not, how could the ribbon be tossed up when it’s so light?
Sang Wan asked with a smile, “Did you make a wish when you came here before?”
Shi Fengju suddenly felt a little hesitant to answer. After the completion of Lingxin Temple, he would come to visit this place every time he went through Handan. First, he would watch the scenery in the mountains, then he would talk with Great Teacher Ling Jing as he was worth making friends with. After listening to him, he would achieve speedy enlightenment as if all his troubles in the world were gone. The second thing he came here for was for the good food. The vegetarian food in the temple was made by Great Teacher Ling Jing’s disciple, Ling Qing. It was delicious and famous in the entire Handan City. That Great Teacher Ling Qing had a rule where the dishes were only made three times a month, once every ten days. He adhered to it strictly and would not change it. However, he had made an exemption. Every time he came, Great Teacher Ling Qing would always be delighted to cook for him.
Shi Fengju had a guilty conscience because when he heard about the effectiveness of the legend here, the first thing that came to his mind was his unfavorable engagement. His biggest wish was, of course, to cancel it. At that time, he had no other way so this was the only thing he could try. That day, he walked to this very place and almost wrote his wish. Thinking that this wish of his did not seem right, he hesitated and left. At this moment, when he heard Sang Wan ask, he felt embarrassed when he thought about what happened in the past.
“I didn’t. I only came here to talk to Great Master Ling Jing. After eating the vegetarian food, I left. Where would I have the time to do this?” Shi Fengju coughed and answered quickly.
Without doubting him, Sang Wan said with a smile, “Since it’s so effective, let’s give it a try! I wonder what wish you have.”
Shi Fengju smiled slightly and returned the question, “Sang Wan, what about you?”
Sang Wan froze and could not help but search her heart. What wish did she have? It seemed she had many and yet none. She was stunned for a moment.
Smiling, Shi Fengju took her to the front of the table. He took out a few bright copper coins that he had prepared and threw them into the red wooden box. After scooping out some water from a pot with a wooden ladle, he poured it gently onto the ink slab. Then, he grinded the ink and wrote: Shi Fengju, Sang Wan. Until death do us part, our heart shall beat as one forever.
He wrote the strokes very carefully. His elegant and agile handwriting distinctly emerged on the bright red ribbon before Sang Wan’s eyes. The black characters on the red background seemed to have reached the bottom of Sang Wan’s heart!
Startled, Sang Wan suddenly felt a tide of tears surge in her eyes as they slowly blurred her view.
At this moment, her heart was heavy and her mind was blank. He wished that he would grow old with her and have their hearts beat as one forever. At this moment, she knew that this man really had her in his heart!
“Finished!” Shi Fengju finally heaved a sigh of relief and placed the brush down. He looked at the few words that he wrote and asked with a smile, “Sang Wan, what do you think? Did I write it well?”
All he asked was for her opinion, but from the way he saw her, he was sure she was thinking the same too.
“It’s good.” Sang Wan nodded stiffly. She knew that she should have revealed a slightly bashful smile, however, her cheeks were stiff and they did not listen to her at all. There was also a heavy nasal sound in her tone.
Sensing that, Shi Fengju turned and faced her. He gently held her hand and said with a smile, “Sang Wan, I only wish to grow old with you and have our hearts beat the same forever in this lifetime. Do you only have me in your heart?”
Sang Wan nodded and whispered in a low voice, “You’re my husband…”
Shi Fengju smiled. His smile was like the east wind blowing over the hillside in the early spring with the flowers blooming everywhere. “Sang Wan, come. Give it a shot!”
Shi Fengju stuffed the ribbon into Sang Wan’s hand with a smile and pulled her to stand beside the huge tree.
“I…” Sang Wan froze and was nervous without a reason. Almost as if the success or failure of their future depended on her.
“Sang Wan, quick. I believe that you can.” Shi Fengju told her in exhilaration as he raised his head and narrowed his eyes to look at the tree filled with red ribbons.
“Okay, I’ll give it a try then.” Sang Wan took two steps back. She looked up and aimed before using all her strength as she threw the ribbon up. Their gaze followed the red ribbon, and even Shi Fengju could not help but feel tensed as he held her hand tightly.
“Oh no!” Sang Wan exclaimed disappointedly as the red ribbon did not touch the top of the tree at all. Since she had a weak strength and went a little too far behind, the red ribbon only touched the leaves of the branch before starting to fall.
Although it fell very slowly, it did not touch a single leaf as it fell, almost as if it was doomed to be.
Sang Wan was secretly disappointed and glanced at Shi Fengju as she felt somewhat ashamed of herself. She really did not mean for it to happen. Maybe it was because her thoughts were impure that heaven decided for this to happen.
“Sang Wan, look!” A gust of wind suddenly blew. The red ribbon suddenly blew forward and hung onto a tree branch before swaying steadily with the wind. Shi Fengju was so happy that he quickly called Sang Wan.
Sang Wan hurriedly looked up and was delighted when she saw their red ribbon on a branch. She pulled Shi Fengju’s arm and cheered joyfully: “It hung, hung up! Fengju!”
“I knew you could do it! This is Heaven’s will, Sang Wan!” Shi Fengju lifted her up in joy and spun two rounds.
Sang Wan giggled with her hands around his neck.
At this moment, her heart was truly filled with unparalleled joy with a faint anticipation deep down. If she could spend a lifetime with him, she would not ask for anything else!
“Sang Wan!” Shi Fengju rarely saw her smile so brightly from her heart. Such an unreserved smile was even more eye-catching than the dazzling sun shining above their heads. He was used to her reserved and gentle smile, he liked this newfound smile on her face even more.
He held onto her face and lowered his head to give her a kiss.
“Young Master, Young Mistress…” Liu Ya’s voice reached before her physical self. Seeing what was in front of her, she urgently stopped after speaking and turned around in a flurry as her heart thumped heavily.
Liu Ya scowled at herself and bit her lip. It seemed she wasn’t being considerate again! Shi Fengju already had a poor opinion of her, so she really did not want to offend him again! However, she really could not be blamed for this! How would she know that her Young Master wasn’t done being sweet on usual days and did not spare even a sacred place!
Although Liu Ya turned around, it only made matters worse. Sang Wan’s face turned red and she pushed Shi Fengju away. The atmosphere was shattered and he frowned. “This damned servant, this damned servant.” Shi Fengju quietly scolded Liu Ya several times.
“Liu Ya, is there something?” Sang Wan asked.
“I came here to…”
“Is this how you should reply to your Master? Hurry up and turn around!” Seeing that she still had her back faced towards them and spoke as if minding her own business, Shi Fengju could not help but find it funny as he scolded her.
“Yes, Young Master!” Liu Ya promptly turned around and continued, “The vegetarian feast is ready. I’m here to invite Young Master and Young Mistress over!”
“I almost forgot about that. Sang Wan, are you hungry? Let’s go over now!” Shi Fengju smiled and the three of them went to the main hall of the temple together.
Great Teacher Ling Jing and Great Teacher Ling Qing were waiting at the hall entrance and were talking to each other. Shi Fengju went up to them and gave his thanks before the two monks left. A monk then brought the couple to the dining hall.
In the hall, there was a large table of roughly seventeen to eighteen dishes on ordinary pure white bowls, arranged into different styles meticulously. The chicken, duck, and fish meat dishes seemed to pass off as real meat. However, they were made from flour, tofu, starch, bean curd skins, yams, bamboo shoots, various types of mushrooms, fungus, bean sprouts, lotus seeds, chestnuts, lilies, and more.
