Chapter 1, the Buddha spoke

The woman before me is named Yu Wenji, the fiancée of Feng Yuanjun, a junior official in the Ministry of Rites and a colleague of Xue Chongxun. Feng Yuanjun is the cousin of the eunuch Gao Lishi. During the Tang Dynasty, social customs were open, and women were often willing to go out and engage in activities. Given this connection, Xue Chongxun is acquainted with her

When it comes to Princess Taiping, a trace of barely perceptible worry flickered in Xue Chongxun's eyes

The young man known as Xue Qing is none other than Xue Chongxun, the Grand Minister of Ceremonies of the Tang Dynasty and the eldest son of Princess Zhenguo Taiping.

"It is indeed true," Xue Chongxun said with a serious expression

Yuwen Ji remarked, "I feel that you are different from before, it is truly strange"

The young man then ceased to speak, clasped his hands in prayer several times, quickly stood up, and turned to leave.

For some reason, a trace of disappointment unexpectedly flashed through her heart. Disappointed about what? That man just now was not someone of any significance to her. She truly did not understand what she was disappointed about; human emotions can sometimes be inexplicably strange

It is perhaps because men come quickly and leave even faster, which surprises some women, leading them to feel a sense of strangeness in their hearts. She hurriedly bowed several times and then got up to chase after him

"There is no meaning in books." Yuwen Ji felt somewhat disappointed, it seems that women all have their "obsessions"

Before the young man entered the temple, this woman had already knelt here. She wore a round hat, a fitted long robe with narrow sleeves, long trousers, and high-waisted boots, all in the guise of a man. However, she did not dress as a man for the sake of disguise, as her face was clearly adorned with makeup, her eyebrows shaped like willow leaves, and her thick lips painted with bright red lipstick, giving her an alluring appearance. The tight-fitting male attire accentuated the beautiful curves of her body. Her face was clearly adorned with makeup, her eyebrows shaped like willow leaves, and her thick lips painted with bright red lipstick, giving her an alluring appearance. The tight-fitting male attire accentuated the beautiful curves of her body.

Where is it different? Xue Chongxun felt a slight tension in his heart

Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "She said it is not necessary."

Yuwen Ji's face flushed slightly. After pondering for a moment, she connected her identity as Feng Yuanjun's fiancée with the scene of praying before the Buddha, and thought to herself: Is he mocking something?

Women in the Tang Dynasty often disguised themselves as men, and the reasons for this are likely as follows

Yuwen Ji said: "In the past, you... forgive my bluntness, at that time I thought the court should appoint you as a military official, rather than as the Minister of Rites... and now? You seem quite thoughtful."

Xue Chongxun feigned a relaxed tone and said, "We rarely meet, so how could you know what kind of person I should be?" He looked up at the sun, which was already setting in the west. At this time, if he went to the princess's residence and paid his respects to his mother, he would just be in time for a family dinner. He then said, "I really have to go now"

Perhaps Xue Chongxun was not sufficiently devout towards Buddhism, as the incense and the sound of wooden fish in the temple still could not bring even a moment of peace to his heart, with the specter of conflict always lingering in his mind. He sighed quietly to himself and clasped his fists, saying: "The time is about right, I shall take my leave"

A wealthy young woman prayed to the Buddha for a chance to see the man she admired once more. The Buddha transformed her into a stone, and she cultivated for five hundred years before finally receiving the fleeting opportunity to catch a glimpse of the man as he hurriedly crossed a bridge. She was then transformed into a large tree, and after another five hundred years of cultivation, she was able to allow the man to rest beneath her for a while... What are you praying for?

Unexpectedly, a voice suddenly came from behind: "The Buddha said, you have cultivated for a thousand years, yet still cannot attain the fate of union with him at m.hetushu.com. Do you still wish to continue your cultivation?"

In the fourth year of the Xianheng era of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, Prince Zhanghuai Li Xian donated his residence to establish this temple, known as Qianfu Temple; now, in the second year of the Jingyun era, it has been thirty-eight years. The founding Prince Zhanghuai has long since passed away, and Wu Zetian, who ordered his execution, has also departed in like manner. Over the years, the political landscape has been tumultuous, with constant upheavals and changes in power, yet the ancient architecture of Qianfu Temple remains unchanged.

The woman, kneeling on the mat with her eyes closed in prayer, heard someone speaking and opened her almond-shaped eyes to glance over. It was evident that the two were acquaintances. She placed her index finger in front of her vermilion lips, gently shushing, and whispered, "O Buddha, be at peace; let us speak later."

"Wait a moment," Yu Wenji called out to him and asked, "You mentioned something about Buddhism earlier, but you haven't finished. Is there really such a thing in the Buddhist scriptures?"

After last year's coup, Empress Wei, Princess Anle, Shangguan Wan'er, and others were all executed. Prince Li Dan was restored to power, resulting in the current situation: Crown Prince Li Longji and Princess Taiping each have their factions poised for action, ... and have already reached an irreconcilable state ... . ... The outcome is extremely perilous for Xue Chongxun, the eldest son of Princess Taiping, and it may very well be a matter of one or two years.

Stepping out of the Buddhist hall, one enters a courtyard with a corridor featuring straight-latticed windows. This place was originally the residence of the Crown Prince, and the layout still retains the style of old times. The woman looked around, and the courtyard was quiet, with only the newly sprouted willow branches gently swaying in the breeze, as if there were no other sounds, and not a single figure could be seen.

A young man with sun-tanned skin knelt on the mat in front of the golden Buddha statue, his hands clasped together, yet he engaged in casual conversation with a woman kneeling beside him

They occasionally meet, which adds another layer to their relationship. Yu Wenji is known as the Divine Physician in Chang'an, possessing remarkable medical skills. She often employs unconventional methods to cure difficult ailments. The Taichang Temple, where Xue Chongxun works, has a department called the Taiyi Office, which manages the imperial physicians. Although Yu Wenji is not an imperial physician, she has dealings with the Taiyi Office. On one occasion, Emperor Li Dan (the father of Crown Prince Li Longji) suffered from a migraine, and the imperial physicians were at a loss. When Yu Wenji entered the palace, she miraculously cured him with a single needle.

Things remain the same, but people have changed

The woman turned her head, furrowed her brows, and said with a dissatisfied pout: "So secretive, this trick doesn't seem interesting at all... Is Xu Qing from the library not on duty today? How coincidental that we ended up at Qianfu Temple."

Yuwen Ji said: "The Buddha asked the young girl who had cultivated for one thousand years, does she still need to cultivate? What did she say?"

The woman's voice is soothing, rich in a slow rhythm, and very pleasant to hear

When Yu Wenji inquired, Xue Chongxun replied, "You also know that usually it is Feng Erlang who manages the daily affairs, and I do not involve myself much. Moreover, today happens to be the day when my brothers pay respects to our mother, so I hurried over from Anyi Fang. However, it is still early, and since Qianfu Temple is nearby, I thought I would come over for a stroll."

The green tiles and white walls adorn the eaves of the roof, stretching out into the distance. Amidst the swirling smoke, the deceitful struggles outside are kept at bay, and the temple gradually retreats into seclusion, slowly evolving into a purely sacred place.

Unexpectedly, Xue Chongxun said: "At this moment, the Buddha let out a sigh of relief and said that another man has cultivated for two thousand years just to see you once... Do you understand?"

The hall is spacious, and although the monks are reciting scriptures together in one room, it still sounds as if it is coming from a distant place; the sound of the wooden fish being struck serves as the accompaniment to the chanting. The entire "music" appears hazy, ethereal, and tranquil