Chapter Forty-Eight: Xiangguo Temple (1)

Leng Feiling continued, "Once my family affairs were settled and my heart felt slightly at ease, I was suddenly struck by the memory of my appointment at the Yellow River ferry. I was seized by panic, abandoned everything, and galloped off as fast as my horse could carry me. I know not how many days passed before I reached the designated spot on the riverbank, only to find the river surging and the moon shining as it always had—but that lady was nowhere to be seen. I knew then that I had missed our appointed time; she must have grown tired of waiting, assumed I had broken my promise, and departed in silence. My heart was filled with profound regret. Clinging to a desperate hope, I poured all my strength into my zither, sending the music rolling for miles around, searching for her in the melody. For three days and nights, there was no response, only the rushing water and the indifferent moon. Seven days later, knowing that no miracle would occur, I returned home in despair. Later, I heard that the music I played with such fervor on my Dragon-Phoenix Zither was heard by villagers and boatmen on both sides of the river, who took it for celestial sounds. Local officials even submitted a memorial to the court, claiming that an immortal had descended by night to play divine music, marking it as an auspicious omen."

As he spoke, Leng Feiling shook his head and softly recited: "The Yellow River swells on a moonlit night, two souls in tune through zither light. Yet when I seek her, she is gone, leaving but a hollow heart to face the dawn!" He sighed despondently, overcome with sorrow.

Fang Guohuan sighed with sympathy, "To think there was such a remarkable woman, one who could reach the state of perfect harmonic resonance with you, Brother Leng. You were surely a pair destined by heaven. Why, then, were you forced to miss each other so?" He added with emotion, "I never imagined you had suffered such trials in love. If I am fortunate enough to encounter this extraordinary lady in the future, I shall certainly explain the circumstances of your broken promise. If possible, I will do my utmost to escort her to you, so that this fated union may finally be fulfilled."

Seeing the sincerity in Fang Guohuan’s words, Leng Feiling said gratefully, "I thank you for your kind intentions, Brother Fang. But fate is a fickle thing; since the opportunity has passed, I shall simply treat it as a dream." He smiled bitterly, "Speaking of this to you today has lightened my heart. It is the will of heaven; one cannot force it, so let it be." His voice carried a lingering, bittersweet ache. Seeing this, Fang Guohuan could only shake his head and sigh. Leng Feiling rowed the boat to the opposite bank, and after wishing each other well, Fang Guohuan departed with reluctance. Leng Feiling watched him disappear into the distance before rowing back, returning the boat, thanking the boatman, and shouldering his Dragon-Phoenix Zither to return to Purple Stone Peak on Mount Huangshan.

After parting from Leng Feiling, Fang Guohuan left Mount Huangshan. Still unable to locate the master eunuch Li Ruchuan, he decided to visit several renowned chess players to engage in the game. Yet, when he sat across from them, their play was lackluster and mundane. Finding it tedious, he ceased his active pursuit of chess masters and continued his search in secret. Whenever he recalled the world-shaking music Leng Feiling had played on his zither, he was filled with immense emotion and awe.

One evening, while staying in an ancient temple, Fang Guohuan fell into a trance and saw his master, the venerable Master Ku Yuan, sitting beside him, gazing toward the north with a thoughtful expression. Fang Guohuan awoke with a start. Looking at the statues in the temple, he said solemnly, "Master, your disciple has failed to live up to your expectations. I have searched for so long without finding any news of the master eunuch Li Ruchuan. What am I to do?" Suddenly, he realized, "I just dreamt of Master looking toward the north. What could this mean? Is he showing me the way? Dreams are but illusions of the mind; surely it cannot be real." Yet he reconsidered, "I have no leads on Li Ruchuan. Perhaps Master is guiding me north to find him. It is worth a try." With that, he set his mind, waited until dawn, and left the temple to head north along the main road.

On the banks of the Yellow River lay an ancient city that had seen many vicissitudes. It had served as the capital for the Wei of the Warring States, the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou of the Five Dynasties, as well as the Northern Song. Known in ancient times as Bianjing, it was then called Kaifeng. Legend has it that during the Warring States period, when Qin forces attacked Wei and failed to take the city, they diverted the waters of the Yellow River to flood it, ending the state of Wei and destroying the city. By the Song dynasty, it had flourished once more, reaching its peak during the Ming, with a population of over three hundred thousand. It was a prosperous place where people lived in peace and commerce thrived. The city was home to numerous historical sites, the most famous being the Xiangguo Temple, the Youguo Temple, and the Dragon Pavilion.

The streets were bustling with people and carriages, noisy and vibrant. A young man stood on a street corner with his hands behind his back, watching the endless stream of busy people. A transcendent smile played on his lips, as if all this had nothing to do with him, yet he observed them with a mysterious air. The youth possessed an extraordinary temperament, elegant as a jade tree in the wind. Passersby turned to whisper, marveling at his natural grace, and several smitten young women cast longing glances his way, but the youth ignored them, his smile remaining unchanged. An old man who had been fuming with anger earlier saw the youth's serene expression and couldn't help but tap his own head, muttering, "Seeing this lad standing there smiling, why does my heart feel so at ease? My anger has vanished instantly. Strange, truly strange!" He shook his head and turned to walk home.

Just then, a seven-year-old child walked up to the youth and asked innocently, tilting his head, "Uncle, what are you looking at that is so fun?" The youth replied in a gentle voice, "Uncle is watching these people coming and going."

The child opened his eyes wide, looked at the pedestrians, then looked back, confused, "Uncle, there are people like this every day. What is there to look at?" The youth gently stroked the child's head and smiled, "Though there are people every day, they are not the same people every day!"

The child blinked his curious eyes, shook his head, and asked, "But why are you smiling, Uncle? Are those people funny? The butcher by the roadside looks so fierce and scary, and he is grinning too!" The youth laughed, "I am smiling at the faces of all living things. In this world, only humans can smile, and a smile makes no distinction between beauty and ugliness." The child, half-understanding, smiled, "Of all the people on the street, only Uncle looks good when he smiles." The youth replied affectionately, "That is because Uncle smiles from the heart, while those people smile only with their faces." The child giggled, "Uncle is so strange, being able to smile from his belly!" With that, he skipped away happily.

The youth watched the child run off and nodded slightly. Just as he was about to turn away, he heard a voice behind him, "Is that Brother Yuan Ling in front of me?" The youth turned and exclaimed with joy, "Brother Fang!" It was indeed Fang Guohuan. Fang Guohuan stepped forward, bowed, and laughed, "I recognized you from afar, Brother. What is this? Instead of observing the mountains and rivers or studying the nature of plants in the wild, why are you here in the bustling market?"

Yuan Ling returned the bow and laughed, "The mountains and rivers, and the city crowds, are all of one principle." Fang Guohuan shook his head and laughed, "Your words are profound and vast, Brother, making them hard to fathom. Since we have met by chance today, we must share a cup." He took Yuan Ling by the arm to find an inn.

They soon found a restaurant and took a seat in a private room. As Fang Guohuan went to pour wine for Yuan Ling, the latter stopped him, "Brother Fang, I do not drink alcohol. I shall keep you company with a few cups of tea instead." Fang Guohuan urged him, "When old friends meet, how can we fully enjoy ourselves without wine?"

Yuan Ling replied, "Wine can stir the passions, but it can also cloud the mind. Do not take offense, Brother, but I have never touched a drop of alcohol in my life." Fang Guohuan knew he could not force him, so he said, "In that case, let tea serve as wine." He called the waiter to replace the wine with two pots of fine tea. Seeing the meat dishes on the table, Fang Guohuan asked, "Since you do not drink, I assume you are a vegetarian. Should I have these meat dishes replaced?"

Yuan Ling said, "That is not necessary. Apart from not drinking wine, I am not a vegetarian; I eat both meat and vegetables." Fang Guohuan laughed, "That is best. Life is short, one should never deny oneself." Yuan Ling smiled. Fang Guohuan toasted Yuan Ling with a cup of tea, "It is not easy for us to meet like this; we must spend a few days together." Yuan Ling agreed happily, "Excellent! It is a joy to be with you, Brother Fang."

Fang Guohuan and Yuan Ling caught up on what had happened since they last parted. Fang Guohuan sighed, "Ever since we first met at Muye, I have been deeply moved, often feeling a desire to transcend the world." Yuan Ling replied, "In truth, transcending the world and living within it are the same; what one seeks is merely a state of mind." Fang Guohuan nodded in agreement. Yuan Ling continued, "I hear there is a high monk with profound Buddhist knowledge at Xiangguo Temple. Perhaps we could visit the temple to pay our respects and discuss the Way." Fang Guohuan was delighted, "That would be wonderful. Not only can I hear your insights, but I can also broaden my own horizons." Yuan Ling smiled. During the meal, Yuan Ling ate very little, barely touching the dishes. Once finished, the two left the restaurant and headed toward Xiangguo Temple.

Xiangguo Temple was a renowned Buddhist site located in the heart of Kaifeng, where generations of high monks had preached the Dharma. The temple was filled with the fragrance of incense, and a constant stream of worshippers came to pay their respects. Fang Guohuan and Yuan Ling walked into the temple grounds. The architecture was arranged neatly from south to north, with pavilions on both sides. The Mahavira Hall was particularly grand, seven bays wide with five doors, its sweeping eaves and brackets creating a majestic aura. The surrounding platform was encircled by white marble railings carved with small lions, each with a unique expression and exquisite craftsmanship. From within the main hall came the rhythmic chanting of scriptures, which, combined with the lingering scent of incense, inspired a sense of solemnity.

As Fang Guohuan and Yuan Ling reached the high pavilion of the Octagonal Glazed Hall, they saw a bronze vase nearly two meters tall atop the roof. Inside the pavilion stood a seven-meter-tall statue of the Thousand-Hand, Thousand-Eye Guanyin Bodhisattva. The statue was covered in gold leaf, with dozens of large hands and over two hundred small hands, each palm painted with an eye, arranged in a fan-like halo. The unique and vivid design left Fang Guohuan in awe.