Chapter 1: Origin
Xue was unwilling to accept this notion: "How do you know that the child I bear is destined to be a servant for a lifetime? Stop speaking such discouraging words. If I were to give birth to a successful and distinguished son or daughter, wouldn’t that also bring honor to you as a father?"
The Xue family originally had a secondary wife in the household who specialized in needlework. Due to her considerable beauty and a competitive spirit, she was resented by the other maids, who kept her underfoot, relegating her to trivial tasks such as watering flowers and sweeping. At the age of twenty, she was casually married off to someone. However, this Xue family accepted her fate and devoted herself wholeheartedly to managing their livelihood after marrying Chen Wanquan. Although their life was not particularly affluent, they were at least free from worries about basic necessities. A year later, Xue family became pregnant and suddenly dreamed of thousands of orchids blooming in unison, shining with golden light. After waking from the dream, she sought out the fortune-teller Ma Xiangu to interpret it. The fortune-teller asserted that she would give birth to a beautiful and noble daughter, and that the couple would surely benefit from having a daughter in the future. Xue family was overjoyed and generously rewarded her.
After Xianglan returned home, she spent her days idly. Xue intended for her to join the neighborhood girls of her age in sewing and playing together. Xianglan went twice and returned saying, "They are not like me; it is not enjoyable to gather with them." Thus, she helped Xue with household chores, and in her spare time, she read, copied scriptures, and did needlework to supplement the family income
Xianglan saw her mother with disheveled hair and tears streaming down her face, being beaten by Aunt Lu Er. Filled with rage, she quietly slipped along the wall to the courtyard entrance, grabbed the door bolt, and rushed forward, shouting, "You shameless woman, how dare you hit my mother!" She delivered a fierce blow to Aunt Lu Er's back.
On this day, Xianglan was sitting on the large kang by the window, embroidering. Suddenly, she heard a commotion in the courtyard, accompanied by a sharp voice saying: "Who stole your clothes? In broad daylight, you dare to slander others without fear of getting sores in your throat, I spit!"
Chen Wanquan said: "Yes, yes, I am just waiting for you to give birth to a precious daughter, preferably one so esteemed that she becomes the wife of an official, riding out in a grand carriage, enjoying the same splendor as the ladies of the manor, adorned in gold and silver, indulging in delicious food and drink, attended by eight maids when she goes out. That would truly signify that our old Chen family has smoke rising from our ancestral grave!" After saying this, he threw down the curtain and left.
As the days passed, the Xue family had three more children, all of whom unfortunately did not survive beyond two or three years. Thus, the couple cherished their only daughter, Xianglan, as if she were a precious treasure. In the blink of an eye, Xianglan had turned fourteen. Master Dingyi chose an auspicious day and instructed Xianglan to leap over the wall and return to secular life. Xianglan had a deep bond with Master Dingyi, akin to that of a grandparent and grandchild, and was reluctant to part ways. Master Dingyi said: "You have a loyal and honest nature, but your temper is quite fierce. In the future, you must cultivate yourself even more. Each person has their own karma; you have unfinished worldly ties and cannot remain in the Buddhist community. If fate allows, you may return to see me off in the end." With tears in her eyes, Xianglan replied: "I will definitely come back to visit my master." Master Dingyi smiled without speaking, only performing a gesture of respect to let her go.
Xue knelt before the Bodhisattva, wiping her tears as she walked southeast. Before long, she came upon a quiet temple named Jingyue An. There, she knelt before the Bodhisattva, bowing and making wishes, crying for half an hour. Suddenly, an elderly nun with kind eyes approached and asked her why she was weeping. Xue recounted her troubles, and after pondering for a moment, the nun inquired about Xianglan's symptoms. She then took up a pen and paper to write a prescription, instructing Xue to prepare the medicine at home and to study it. Xue felt as if she had found a treasure and hurried to the pharmacy to fetch the medicine for Xianglan. After administering a bowl of the medicine, Xianglan surprisingly awoke. Xue attempted to feed her a little milk, and after a few sips, Xianglan fell back into a deep sleep.
Chen Wanquan heard that the Xue family had given Ma Xiangu a dozen or so coins, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of pain. He sneered and said, "What noble beauty? You and I are both servants of the Lin family. This child is a born servant, destined to be used as a laborer for others all his life. How valuable can he be? Fool, fool, you have been deceived by others."
This statement left Xue feeling wronged, ashamed, and angry. She pointed at Aunt Lu and stammered, "You, you..." unable to articulate her thoughts due to her choked emotions. Seeing Aunt Lu so humiliating her mother, Xianglan was filled with rage. She threw down her needle and thread, put on her shoes, and was about to rush outside, but was grabbed by Chen Wanquan, who said, "My little aunt, it's quite chaotic outside; what are you going to do in such a mess!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? I, your aunt, wouldn't even look at those ragged clothes of yours. Our family’s aunt has immense wealth and power in the mansion; silk and satin are merely used for wiping. You little whore, blinded by greed, actually think you can swindle us!" Aunt Lu Er is adept at hurling insults like a shrew, with a myriad of variations. She is robust and dark-skinned, standing in the courtyard with her hands on her hips, exuding an air of invincibility, daring to spew any filth and nonsense.
Aunt Lu Er had intimidated Chen Wanquan into not daring to cause trouble, deliberately suppressing Xue Shi. Moreover, since Uncle Lu Er had praised "the Chen family woman for her beauty," he attempted to sneak a peek at Xue Shi while she was bathing, only to be caught by her. Now, thinking back on it, he feels a deep resentment that makes his teeth ache. He grabbed Xue Shi's hair, incessantly cursing her as a "wretched woman" and "prostitute," while the neighbors in the street all knew that Aunt Lu Er was a notorious shrew and did not dare to intervene, merely offering advice from the sidelines.
Xianglan struggled and said: "My mother has been bullied and has suffered such great humiliation, how can I not go over!"
Xiang Lan, furious, laughed bitterly and said: "Your own wife is being chased and insulted as a 'prostitute', and instead of standing up for her, you let it come to this point. If you had shown even a fraction of the authority you display at home with my mother, our family wouldn't have to endure this humiliation today!" After saying this, she pushed Chen Wanquan aside and ran out.
Chen Wanquan glared: "You should just calm down! The eldest daughter of the Lü family is the concubine of the master in this household. If she gives birth to sons or daughters in the future, she will be elevated to the status of a secondary wife, which makes her half a master. We should respect her, not seek trouble with her. Your mother has a narrow-minded view typical of women; she has long hair but short sight. If she is a fool, do you want to be a fool too?" Just then, a cry of 'Ouch' was heard, as it turned out that Xue was pushed down by Aunt Lü.
Xue did not resort to insults, but was so enraged that her whole body trembled: "You clearly took my family's clothes, the fine cloth I tore a few days ago, and made a brand new seasonal jacket, with floral embroidery on the cuffs. There are deities above three feet, and you will not escape retribution!"
"I saw you take Xianglan's clothes from my house. I washed them and hung them out in the yard. You went into the kitchen for a moment, and when you came out, you stuffed the clothes into your bosom and went inside!" The speaker was clearly Xue. Xianglan looked out the window and saw her mother and Aunt Lu Er standing in the yard, staring at each other with wide eyes, while a few children peeked in at the gate.
From that day on, Xiao Xianglan seemed to improve day by day. Xue Shi was overjoyed and prepared fruits, cakes, books, and incense candles to express gratitude to her benefactor at Jingyue Monastery. It was then that she realized the old nun was the esteemed Master Dingyi of the monastery. Master Dingyi looked at Xianglan for a moment, then inquired about her birth details. Gently stroking Xianglan's head, she said: "This child is destined to be connected with me; why not make her my named disciple? I will ensure her safety and well-being as she grows up in the Buddhist path." Upon hearing this, Xue Shi felt there was no reason to refuse.
From the moment Xianglan began her studies at the Jingyue Monastery, she followed the nuns in reciting scriptures and practicing meditation. Master Dingyi, who was fond of her simplicity and charm, bestowed upon her the Dharma name "Chanjing," taught her to recognize characters and read scriptures, and personally explained the teachings to her. In addition to Buddhist texts, she also instructed her in the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as poetry and prose. Xianglan was intelligent, diligent, and possessed great perseverance, which greatly pleased Master Dingyi. Master Dingyi was originally the daughter of a family of officials. Due to her father's straightforward nature, he offended the powerful ministers of the time, leading to the family's downfall. To avoid disaster, she became a nun. After her family's wrongful case was rectified, Master Dingyi found that the worldly life was far less tranquil than the Buddhist path, and she rejected her family's wishes, unwilling to return to secular life. She often practiced the Bodhi path, helping others without accepting any payment, frequently giving away porridge and medicine, and traveling extensively, demonstrating great insight. Xianglan would often pose challenging questions to her, yet Master Dingyi was never annoyed, patiently answering and teaching her with care. Thus, within a few years, Xianglan became well-versed in history and excelled in writing, possessing a depth of knowledge, particularly in painting, where she garnered much admiration from others.
This girl was born frail and sickly. Before she even reached a full month, she fell ill, and just as she was recovering, she caught a cold, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, her breath faint. Xue was anxious and hurriedly sought out Ma Xiangu for divination. Ma Xiangu instructed Xue to take some copper coins and shake them, then interpreted the hexagram, saying: "You must head southeast to find fortune, and a noble person will come to your aid"
Aunt Lu Er's family is also a household servant of the Lin family, living in the same courtyard as the Xianglan family, with little interaction on ordinary days. The Lu family has a penchant for petty theft, often stealing items from the Chen family, ranging from clothing, washbasins, and cured meat to firewood, scallions, and garlic, leaving no opportunity for theft unexploited
In Jinling, there was a young boy named Chen Wanquan. At the age of five or six, he lost his parents, and his brother and sister-in-law sold him to the wealthy Lin family as a servant, where he worked in an antique shop. Over time, he developed the ability to identify antiques and paintings. However, as he had no possessions, no respectable family was willing to arrange a marriage for him, and he had a discerning eye, making him uninterested in ordinary girls. At the age of thirty, his employer promoted him to the position of the third manager of the shop. A year later, the Lin family granted him a favor, giving him a third-class maid named Xue as a wife, and ordered the two to marry.
Xue was deeply convinced by the words of the fortune-teller, and during her leisure time, she made some clothes for children, wholeheartedly taking care of herself. A few months later, she gave birth to a daughter, and due to Xue's dream, she named her Xianglan. Chen Wanquan had originally wanted a son and could not help but feel disappointed, but upon seeing little Xianglan's exquisite beauty, he gradually began to feel joy in his heart
Aunt Lu spat on Xue's face and said: "If there is to be retribution, it should be for a harlot like you! You were already flirting with men in the mansion, a shameless creature like a painted lady, driven out by the madams and grandmothers, utterly shameless and without dignity. Instead of finding a corner to hang yourself, you set a trap to slander my aunt! Do you not know how high the heavens are and how thick the earth is? Do you think I am easy to bully? Tomorrow, let our family’s aunt come to take charge!" Do you not know how high the heavens are and how thick the earth is? Do you think I am easy to bully? Tomorrow, let our family’s aunt come to take charge!