Chapter 159: The Four Wealthy Female Merchants (13)

If Li Lingjing had not mentioned it, Shi Xianyu might not have paid any attention to who lived next door.

However, since Li Lingjing brought it up, Shi Xianyu instead grew curious. After all, she occasionally entered and exited the Mustard Seed Space. If the neighbors happened to be busybodies or ruffians, she would have to consider moving.

When Li Lingjing warned her, her expression had been so grave—could it be that some wicked person had moved in next door?

An apricot tree grew near the base of the wall. Now in late April, the apricot blossoms on the tree had turned from red to white, full and fluffy like snowflakes, with several branches stretching over into the neighboring courtyard.

Shi Xianyu gazed up for a moment and finally decided to go up and take a look.

Her physical skills were quite good now. Although she was not a martial arts master, compared to ordinary people, she was agile and nimble.

Fearing she might snap a branch, she stepped on it gingerly and quickly hopped up onto the wall—*whoosh!* The branch rebounded! Pinkish-white apricot petals fluttered down in a cascading, picturesque petal rain.

Shi Xianyu could not help freezing in place.

She saw a man sitting beneath the apricot tree.

She did not know how long he had been there. He wore a cyan cotton robe, with handsome, defined features and fair skin—so pale it almost resembled snow. A few petals had fallen onto his raven-black hair, accentuating his poetry-like demeanor.

He sat quietly amidst the swirling, falling blossoms, dark eyes gazing up at her, thin lips slightly curved in a faint smile.

Shi Xianyu snapped back to her senses, her cheeks warming slightly.

Being caught scaling a wall was somewhat embarrassing. Catching sight of the apricot blossoms on the branch, she reached out, snapped off a twig, and offered a clumsy explanation, "I came up to pluck some flowers."

The man smiled faintly and said nothing. He merely brushed the fallen petals off the book in his hands, then turned his bulky wooden wheelchair around and leisurely headed back inside.

Shi Xianyu quietly turned, jumped back down into her own courtyard, and replayed the man's face in her mind...

"He looks quite nice, what a pity..." she thought, murmuring to herself, "Strange, he looks like a scholar, so why did Li Lingjing react so intensely?"

Unable to make sense of it, she temporarily put the matter aside, found an empty bottle indoors, added some water, and arranged the freshly snapped apricot branch inside.

The shape of apricot blossoms is very similar to plum and peach blossoms. The interesting part lies in their color: when they are buds, they are a vibrant, captivating rose-red; as the blossoms slowly open, the color gradually fades until it turns pure white.

Shi Xianyu believed that white was the most beautiful stage in an apricot blossom's life, though it also meant it was about to wither.

Pensive, she looked out the window.

From this angle, she could just catch a glimpse of the section of the apricot tree stretching over from the other side of the wall.

She recalled that fleeting moment again... Snow-white petals fluttering everywhere, the man beneath the tree dusted in a rain of blossoms. He had raised his gaze to look over, his eyes piercing through the breeze and falling petals, carrying a faint smile—somewhat distant, yet warm and approachable.

Although Shi Xianyu had never formally studied medicine, she had picked up a fair bit of medical knowledge from identifying herbs alongside Shen Xiao. The man had clearly been suffering from a severe deficiency of vital energy and blood. His pale complexion and slightly greenish hair indicated he had been poisoned for a long time, and now even walking seemed difficult. It looked as though... he was dying.

Who could he be? Why would he rent this small courtyard inside a temple? Could he be an out-of-town pilgrim, staying at the temple temporarily while recuperating?

Shi Xianyu's questions were soon answered.

At dusk, someone knocked on her courtyard gate.

Despite Li Lingjing's warning, Shi Xianyu opened the courtyard gate without the slightest fear.

Standing outside was a middle-aged man wearing dark gray garments. "Middle-aged" might not be entirely accurate, as his face appeared to be around thirty years old, but his attire and styling made him look older, complete with a small mustache.

He held a stack of pastries in his hands and said politely, "My name is Ding Er. My young master and I just moved in next door. As the saying goes, 'A close neighbor is better than a distant relative,' and we will be troubling you for quite some time. These are pastries brought from our hometown; please take them and have a taste."

Shi Xianyu accepted the pastries and said, "Thank you."

Xue Ding continued, "Since we are newcomers, we are unfamiliar with the environment here. Where should we go for our daily meals and water?"

Shi Xianyu replied, "You can buy meals at the dining hall, or cook for yourselves. There are quite a few farmers at the foot of the mountain selling homegrown vegetables by the road, and meat is available too. You can also buy water at the dining hall, or hike down the mountain to fetch some yourselves."

Pausing for a moment, she reminded him, "After all, the temple is right in front, so if you cook meat dishes, it's best if the oily scent isn't too strong."

Xue Ding laughed. "Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Priest. Since you follow the Daoist tradition, you are remarkably well-versed in Buddhist precepts as well. I wonder why a Daoist priest is living right beside the Buddha?"

Shi Xianyu was slightly startled. "This... you might not know, but Daoism and Buddhism are actually neighbors. We occasionally drop by each other's places for a visit."

Xue Ding: "............"

"And you?" Shi Xianyu asked curiously. "Why are you living here?"

Xue Ding adjusted his expression once more, put on a sorrowful look, and replied, "During the recent imperial examinations, my young master failed to pass. To make matters worse, a shameless thief stole all our travel funds, leaving us with no money to return home. Fortunately, the Abbot is merciful and graciously permitted us to stay here temporarily."

"Ah... since you can't go home, what do you plan to do next?" Shi Xianyu asked sympathetically.

Xue Ding sighed and shook his head. "Who knows? We can only take it one step at a time."

Xue Ding looked up at Shi Xianyu and asked, "How long will the Daoist Priest be staying here?"

Shi Xianyu said, "I have a bond with this place. When that bond runs its course, I will naturally leave."

The corners of Xue Ding's mouth twitched imperceptibly. "...Well then, please enjoy your evening, Daoist Priest. I must go back and tend to my young master."

"Alright, take care on your way," Shi Xianyu waved at him generously.

Xue Ding gave a strained smile and turned to leave.

When he returned to the courtyard, Prince Ning was reading a book inside. Hearing him return, the prince lifted his gaze for a moment, then let his eyes fall back onto the book pages, asking unhurriedly, "Did you deliver the items?"

"Delivered," Xue Ding walked into the room feeling deeply aggrieved. His expression was no longer the warm and steady one from earlier, but rather full of frustration. "I couldn't find out anything. When I asked her why she lives here, she said Buddhism and Daoism drop by each other's places to visit. When I asked how much longer she plans to stay, she said until her bond runs out."

Ning Yuan smiled silently.

"Young Master, I think this woman is extremely suspicious!" Xue Ding frowned and said, "She is a Daoist priest, yet for no apparent reason, she comes to live in a temple. She's so pretty, yet so strange—could she be a female demon?"

"In this bright and clear world, where would there be so many demons?" Ning Yuan asked with a faint smile, "What about the other one?"

"The other one was easy to inquire about; I've already found out everything," Xue Ding said solemnly. "The other one is the daughter of the city's silk merchant, the Li family, named Li Lingjing. She was married off as the sole wife to the Xie family's only son. Because she was unable to bear children and had a violent temper, she injured her husband on several occasions, so she was driven out of her home and sent to the temple to reflect on her faults. Word has it that the letter of repudiation has already been sent over, and now both families are arguing over the dowry list. The outcome should be decided in the next few days."

Ning Yuan put down the book in his hand, deep in thought. "One is a repudiated woman, the other is a female Daoist priest. For two such women to live together... quite interesting indeed..."