PCA Chapter 122

The rooms for pilgrims were in the same courtyard as the monks’ quarters, facing each other. The young monk prepared two adjacent rooms, informed them of the mountain gate’s closing time and the time for the evening meal, then left.

 

Su Cen and Li Shi chose one room, leaving the other for Qi Lin and Qu Ling’er. Su Cen whispered a few instructions to Qu Ling’er, who agreed enthusiastically, and then they each returned to their rooms to rest.

 

Although not as luxurious as the silk quilts in Chang’an, the room was clean, with the unique scent of incense ash from the temple. There was a table by the window facing the monks’ quarters, and on the table were several Buddhist scriptures, presumably for the pilgrims to read and reflect upon.

 

Su Cen found a teapot and cups, washed them thoroughly, fetched hot water from outside, and used his own tea leaves to brew a pot of tea for Li Shi. While Li Shi was drinking, Su Cen asked, “What did you think of the abbot just now?”

 

Li Shi, sipping his tea, said, “He has profound Buddhist knowledge, like a true enlightened monk.”

 

Su Cen continued, “If Huang Wan’er is really in the temple, he must know about it. Why would a monk help Song Fan hide someone in the temple? Could it be that Song Fan bribed them? But what could a group of monks, who don’t crave power or wealth, be bribed with?”

 

Li Shi suggested, “Maybe it’s a threat.”

 

Su Cen frowned. “I noticed there are quite a few warrior monks here. Even if Song Fan is skilled, he couldn’t possibly take down the entire Caotang Temple by himself, right?”

 

“We’ll find out when we go out tonight.”

 

Su Cen nodded, setting aside his doubts for the moment. He glanced around the modest room and couldn’t help but smile. “This seems to be our first time staying out together.”

 

Li Shi, holding his teacup, replied, “Not the first time.”

 

“Hmm?” Su Cen thought for a moment, puzzled. “Are you talking about when we were in Yangzhou? But that was at my brother’s house, not really staying out.”

 

Li Shi continued drinking his tea, neither confirming nor denying.

 

With nothing else to do, Su Cen picked up a scripture from the table and flipped through a couple of pages. The sunlight was already slanting in the west, casting a glow on half of his face as he read intently, his eyelashes casting long shadows.

 

Li Shi, almost as if possessed, reached out to touch Su Cen’s face, only realizing what he was doing after his fingertips had been caressing Su Cen’s cheek for a while.

 

Su Cen looked up from the book. “What’s wrong?”

 

Li Shi, taking advantage of the situation, said, “What are you reading? Read it out loud.”

 

“The Heart Sutra of Prajnaparamita, do you want to listen?” Seeing Li Shi nod, Su Cen cleared his throat. “When Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw that they were all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering. Sariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself form… Hmm?”

 

Li Shi’s hand had moved to Su Cen’s lips, and as he spoke, his lips brushed against Li Shi’s fingertips, carrying the scent of tea.

 

Li Shi remained unmoved. “Continue.”

 

Su Cen smiled and continued, “Sariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they do not appear or disappear, are not tainted or pure, do not increase or decrease… Mmm…”

 

Li Shi’s hand had now traced the outline of Su Cen’s teeth, and Su Cen, without any resistance, allowed the intrusion, whether intentionally or not, gently sucking on the finger.

 

Li Shi’s deep eyes suddenly rippled with emotion.

 

This man, reading the sutra with his head bowed and eyes lowered, looked just like a Bodhisattva saving all beings in the temple.

 

And what Li Shi wanted to do now was to profane this sacred image.

 

To press this Bodhisattva beneath him, to watch him crumble in form and voice, not seeking enlightenment, but making the Buddha seek him.

 

Su Cen stopped reading, watching as Li Shi closed the window and approached him, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

 

The next moment, his feet left the ground, and he, along with the scripture in his hand, was thrown onto the bed that smelled of incense ash.

 

With the thin spring clothes, he only had this one set, and fearing Li Shi’s rough handling, he could only half-heartedly resist.

 

Soon, his clothes were removed, and Su Cen, clutching the book as a last defense, protested, “This is a sacred place of Buddhism; the Buddha will see!”

 

“He said, form is emptiness, emptiness is form.”

 

“It’s broad daylight; people will hear!” This was true; monks often passed by outside, and only a thin paper window separated them.

 

The old fox squinted, picking up the scripture and placing it in front of Su Cen. “Keep reading,” he added, emphasizing each word, “Don’t. Stop.”

 

…

 

Su Cen, with red eyes, read the same page of the scripture several times, not understanding what it was about, and in desperation, threw the book aside and bit Li Shi fiercely. To hell with form is emptiness, emptiness is form!

 

When the young monk knocked on the door, Su Cen was still catching his breath, his voice hoarse from the taste of blood. He kept signaling to Li Shi, who remained indifferent.

 

Seeing the young monk about to push the door open, Su Cen quickly cleared his throat and asked, “What’s the matter?”

 

The young monk outside said, “Donors, the dining hall is open for meals. Would you like to go there, or should I bring the food to you?”

 

“We’ll go,” Su Cen cleared his throat again. “We’ll go now.”

 

After the young monk left, Su Cen let out a sigh of relief and picked up his clothes from the floor. Once they were both dressed, Su Cen was shocked to see a mark on Li Shi’s neck that his clothes couldn’t cover, left from his earlier biting.

 

When they arrived, there was nothing, but after spending half a day in the room, they ended up like this, and on someone else’s territory. What would people think if they saw?

 

Su Cen regretted his actions, but Li Shi acted as if nothing had happened, swaggering out to the dining hall for food.

 

As expected, Qi Lin and Qu Ling’er, sitting across from them, immediately noticed something was off. Qi Lin was too embarrassed to say anything, but Qu Ling’er, with his loose tongue, exclaimed, pointing at Li Shi’s neck, “Lord, you…”

 

Li Shi casually nodded. “A rabbit bit me.”

 

Su Cen, the “rabbit,” silently ate his vegetables, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

 

However, even Qu Ling’er couldn’t be fooled, chuckling and placing a piece of tofu in Qi Lin’s bowl. “Brother Qi, eat up, have more.”

 

Su Cen tried to maintain a serious demeanor and asked, “Have you checked everything I asked you to?”

 

Qu Ling’er nodded. “Besides us, there are seven other pilgrims staying in the temple, five men and two women. The two women are family members accompanying the men, and they’ve only been here for a few days. We’ve searched everywhere else, but the pagoda is locked, and we couldn’t get in. There’s someone guarding the bamboo grove, so we didn’t alert anyone. There’s nothing unusual elsewhere.”

 

“The pagoda is a sacred place where they keep the Buddha’s relics; they wouldn’t hide someone there,” Su Cen whispered. “When night falls, have Qi Lin distract the guards, and we’ll check out the bamboo grove.”

 

After the meal, the monks had their evening service, leaving early to chant in the Dharma Hall. The rest of them, not being vegetarians, had little appetite for the plain vegetables and tofu, so they ate a few bites and returned to their rooms.

 

It was still early, and Su Cen, not wanting to go back to his room, wandered around the temple with Li Shi. At this time, the pilgrims who had come to offer incense had left, and the monks were in their evening service, leaving the place quiet except for the rhythmic chanting in the distance.

 

Li Shi said, “I looked into what you mentioned about Song Fan.”

 

Su Cen’s heart tightened. Although Li Shi didn’t need to share such royal secrets with him, the fact that he did made Su Cen happy, indicating that Li Shi didn’t consider him an outsider.

 

“No,” Li Shi shook his head. “Li Xun had no illegitimate children.”

 

“No?” Su Cen frowned but also felt relieved. “Then why did Song Fan tell me all that? Was he just trying to scare me?”

 

“Besides checking on Li Xun, I also looked into Song Yi,” Li Shi continued. “Interestingly, given Song Fan’s age, Song Yi was already reassigned as the Grand Supervisor of Jiannan Circuit, with his wife accompanying him. Where would he have left a son far away at the border?”

 

“How could that be?” Su Cen’s eyes widened in surprise. “Then who is Song Fan?”

 

“This person’s background is quite mysterious, as if he appeared out of nowhere. There’s no information about him before Song Yi brought him back.”

 

Su Cen suddenly remembered, “He also mentioned ‘becoming an outlaw.’ Could he have grown up in a bandit’s lair?” Then he dismissed his own idea. “What kind of bandit could have the Marquis of Ding’an personally come to retrieve him and pass the title to him?”

 

Li Shi, touching his ring, shook his head. “The question is, what kind of ‘outlaw’ is he?”

 

“I feel something isn’t right,” Su Cen frowned. “We can’t be too careless with him.”

 

Li Shi nodded, and just then, Abbot Huikong approached from a distance. Su Cen stopped the conversation, and they both bowed to the abbot.

 

Although it was already dark, Su Cen was still worried that someone might notice the bite mark on Li Shi’s neck, especially since they were on someone else’s territory, fearing they might be asked to leave.

 

Fortunately, the abbot only came to greet them, showing no signs of suspicion. As he was about to leave, he suddenly looked at Su Cen and said, “Young donor, you seem to have a calamity approaching.”

 

“Hmm?” Su Cen was taken aback and clasped his hands together. “Please, abbot, give me some guidance.”

 

“The month brings disaster, your luck is low, young donor, take care of yourself.”

 

Su Cen didn’t believe in such things, so he didn’t take it to heart, but Li Shi furrowed his brows. “Is there a way to avert it?”

 

The old monk shook his head. “It’s fate, young donor. You have a connection with our Buddhist community; just let things take their course.”

 

After the abbot had walked away, seeing Li Shi still frowning, Su Cen could only tease with a smile, “If he were truly that powerful, how could he not guess why we’re here?”

 

Li Shi turned around, pulling Su Cen into his embrace, and kissed his forehead. “It’s okay, I’ll protect you.”

 

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