Chapter 60 Presenting the Gift in the Buddhist Prayer Room


    Hua Jing interrupted Lady Zhao before she could finish. "Mother, Yun Shang heard that you are a pious


    Buddhist. She has brought several rolls of Buddhist texts for you."


    "Oh?" The olddy in the Buddhist Prayer Room didn''t return her head, and her reply sounded neither


    friendly nor unfriendly.


    Yun Shang took a step forward and spoke softly, "I spent eight years at the Ning''guo Temple, and was


    lucky enough to transcribe some Buddhist texts for Master Wu Na. Master Wu Na once told me that


    some of the Buddhist texts at the Ning''guo Temple are thest of their kind in the world. I cannot take


    those texts out of the Ning''guo Temple, but I have brought with me some Buddhist texts I transcribed


    with my own hands. I''ve heard that Lady Zhao is very pious, and those treasured Buddhist texts are in


    need of a owner who can appreciate them. It is my hope that you will ept my gift."


    "Hum..." Lady Zhaoughed. Herughter showed no sign of joy or anger. Then Lady Zhao continued,


    "You are so interesting, Your Imperial Highness. It sounds like Master Wu Na from the Ning''guo Temple


    treated you nicely during your stay there. As Your Imperial Highness has spent so many years at the


    Ning''guo Temple, why not Your Imperial Highness and I have a chat about the doctrines of Buddhism?"


    She paused for a moment before adding, "You can leave, Hua Jing. I heard that you have banquet


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    preparations to finish. I can imagine how busy you must be. You don''t have to be here."


    Hua Jing was about to cross the threshold but checked herself at Lady Zhao''s words. She gritted her


    teeth, and lifted her eyes to look at the maids standing by Lady Zhao''s side. Then she said, "All right.


    Since mother and Yun Shang are friends now, sister, please linger a while longer to converse with


    mother. I''ll return to my chamber."


    Yun Shang nodded, "I will, sister."


    Hua Jing turned around to wink at Qing''er. Then the maid stepped inside in the Prayer room with the


    Buddhist texts. Yun Shang stayed outside until Hua Jing left. She knelt on the kneeling cushion behind


    Lady Zhao, and kowtowed before the statue of Buddha. Having paid her respects, she stood and


    turned towards Qing''er. Yun Shang slowly lifted the texts from the maids arms and stretched them


    towards Lady Zhao. "These are the Buddhist texts I transcribed..."


    Lady Zhao put down the mallet*, and nced at Yun Shang. She picked up one of the scrolls from Yun


    Shang''s hand, and thumbed through it casually. To her surprise, the text was unlike those she had read


    before. She could not remove her eyes from the text, and almost finished her reading in one breath. At


    ssic works of Buddhism."


    (*TN: a wooden stick used to sound the Temple Block when the Buddhists are reciting Buddhist texts.)


    Yun Shang grinned, "It''s really wonderful that you like these Buddhist texts. I was in a hurry toe


    here and brought only a few of my belongings. If you like, I will send the rest of the Buddhist texts to


    you once I am back in court."


    Lady Zhao looked at Yun Shang with curiosity. She was about to say something, but, catching sight of


    the maids beside herself, she lowered her eyes to look at the Buddhist texts again. After a short while


    she said, "Thank you, Your Imperial Highness. These Buddhist texts are precious. I will make a copy of


    them before returning them to Your Imperial Highness."


    Yun Shang grinned at Lady Zhao, "Please keep them in your possession. I have memorized the


    content of these scrolls. Besides, it would be a waste of their value if they were in my ownership."


    "Then I will keep them. I will take very good care of them. Please don''t worry, Your Imperial Highness."


    Lady Zhao affectionately ran her fingers over the scrolls before handing them to the maid by her side.


    Then she stood, "It''s getting dark. How about Your Imperial Highnesses to my courtyard and


    shares a meal with me?"


    "Of course." Yun Shang nodded before walking out of the Buddhist Prayer Room with Lady Zhao. Lady


    Zhao''s courtyard was near the Buddhist Prayer Room. It was in sight shortly after they had turned


    around a corner. It''s a quiet ce surrounded by many bamboo nts.


    Lady Zhao''s house was inly decorated. The table, the chairs, and the screen were all made of


    bamboo. Yun Shang noticed that their meal had been served on the table.


    "Only some simple food is cooked and served in my house. I''m hoping Your Imperial Highness will not


    lose your appetite." Lady Zhao joked, and then took the Buddhist texts. "Please wait a moment, Your


    Imperial Highness. I''m going to put these Buddhist texts away safely."


    Yun Shang nodded. She measured her surroundings in Lady Zhao''s absence.


    Lady Zhao returned a short whileter. She smiled at Yun Shang, and invited her to sit for the meal.


    Then Lady Zhao ordered tea for after the meal. Lady Zhao spoke, "Your Imperial Highness looks quite


    different from those pleasure-seeking young noble masters anddies in the Imperial City. Maybe it''s


    because you have grown up at the Ning''guo Temple. I feel ashamed for the young masters anddies


    of this generation. I have run into some of them during Hua Jing''s banquet. All of them arevish


    aristocrats who know nothing except for tricks. If every youngster in the State of Ning is like them, then


    Ning is doomed."


    Yun Shang was taken aback at Lady Zhao''s words at first, but then she burst into a smile. In her


    previous life, she had only felt dislike and disapproval from the olddy. Every chance they met, Lady


    Zhao had looked at the Princess with contempt. However, in this new life, their acquaintanceship led to


    a deeper understanding of Lady Zhao and her impression of the olddy changed. It seemed she


    despised all noble young masters anddies who indulged in enjoyment. She was quite straightforward


    and very patriotic.


    With these things in mind, Yun Shang could not help but feel a deeper sense of admiration towards


    Lady Zhao. She grinned, "Lady Zhao has only met a few young masters anddies. The Emperor''s


    Son-in-low is indeed an exception. I''ve heard that he is not only brave and invincible on the battlefield,


    but also smart in employing military strategies. And Prince Jing is also a good man. He has been


    crowned as the God of War in the State of Ning."


    Lady Zhao said with a smile, "Yes. Prince Jing is very good. He is the only man in the court who


    deserves my respect. My son is far inferior to the Prince. Xiao Yuanshan, the Grand Tutor, was also a


    good man, but..."


    Yun Shang was very happy to hear Lady Zhao praise her grandfather. The sense of closeness she felt


    for thedy, deepened.


    "Well, Your Imperial Majesty, it seems that we are congenial to each other. You look a little weak, but


    have a good temperament. I believe I can get along with you. Please feel free to visit me any time. I


    apologize though. This ce is too quiet and no nice talks can be held."


    Yun Shang was surprised. Did Lady Zhao said that this ce was too quiet that no nice talks could be


    held? Silently mulling over the Lady''s words, Yun Shang soon understood what she wanted to imply.


    She must mean that she was also under Hua Jing''s supervision, which was why nobody woulde to


    talk to her. Hence, this ce was too quiet.


    Yun Shang looked at Lady Zhao with a smile. Lady Zhao raised her hand, and, after patting Yun


    Shang''s hands on the table, stood up. "I''m old and ailing. I should rest. If you will excuse me, Your


    Imperial Highness."


    Yun Shang waved at Lady Zhao before setting leaving the courtyard. Qing''er walked next to Yun


    Shang. "Let me lead the way for Your Imperial Highness."


    Yun Shang shot a nce at Qing''er, before nodding her approval.


    "Your Imperial Highness, Princess Hua Jing will hold a small banquet at Qianxin Tower. Princess Hua


    Jing said as Your Imperial Highness is staying here, it''s a good opportunity for Your Imperial Highness


    to learn something about the procedures and preparations for a banquet. So, Princess Hua Jing asked


    me to inform Your Imperial Highness that she will bring Madam Xi to visit Your Imperial Highness


    tomorrow morning." Qing''er spoke gently while walking alongside Yun Shang.


    "Really? That''s very nice of her. I will ensure that I wake early." Yun Shang continued excitedly, "I


    wonder who has been invited for that banquet."


    Qing''er grinned, "Many people have been invited, Your Highness. All noble young masters anddies


    who are well known in the Imperial City have received the invitation. Princess Hua Jing has sent an


    invitation to Prince Jing today..."


    Prince Jing?