In the evening, Shen Huan was kneeling in the "Qingxin Hall" to chant sutras and pray for blessings. Yao Ronghua was kneeling behind her, but he seemed a little absent-minded.
After reciting a scroll of sutra, it was already dusk.
Cui Shanggong came over to kowtow for dinner. Shen Huan stood up after hearing this, but she was a little unsteady because she had been kneeling for too long. Yao Ronghua hurriedly stepped forward to support her. Shen Huan smiled at her and said, "I'm really useless, kneeling down." I can’t bear it after such a while.”
Yao Ronghua smiled and said: "What are you talking about? Your Majesty is a noble of the Heavenly Family and you don't have to kneel down. Maybe it's because of this that you can't bear it?"
Shen Huan smiled and said: "You are still so good at talking and walking. Let's have dinner together. This place is not as good as the palace. I'm afraid there won't be so many delicious food. I can only eat vegetarian food. You insist on coming out with me. I'm aggrieved."
Yao Ronghua hurriedly said with shame: "I follow my concubine, and as my concubine does, so will I."
Shen Huan patted her hand and the two walked out together
When Shen Huan walked outside, she was surprised. The gray-robed monk looked so familiar! The delicate sword-shaped eyebrows, slightly lowered eyes, thin lips, gentle, white but clasped hands... Shen Huan felt sad for a while. , couldn’t help crying: “Cousin”
"Amitabha" is a familiar name, but it seems to have a slight vibrato
Shen Huan felt even more sad, seeing that the young man in front of him was no longer dressed in brocade clothes or wearing a jade crown. The once handsome and elegant young man had now turned into a gray-robed and bald monk!
Zhishan lowered his eyes and said to Shen Huan: "Queen, dinner is ready. Porridge and side dishes are not respectful."
Shen Huan ignored his manners, walked up to him, held his hand, and asked: "How is your cousin doing? Ah Huan is very worried about her."
Zhishan trembled all over, and finally raised his clear eyes to meet Shen Huan's eyes. Those eyes were still as bright as stars, but there was just a faint layer of sadness... "Empress, Monk Ping, everything is well. If you wish, Empress, To reminisce about old times, why not study Buddhism together after dinner?"
Shen Wen nodded with a smile and said: "Okay, then after dinner..." She reluctantly let him go, and was just about to ask Yao Ronghua to leave, but she saw that Yao Ronghua seemed to be more distracted than her, and she gave Yao Ronghua a strange look in her heart. , looked at Zhishan again, and then straightened Yao Ronghua and said to Zhishan: "This is Yao Ronghua from the palace."
Zhishan just gave a gift according to Buddhist rules and looked calm.
Shen Wen saw that Zhishan didn't seem to know Yao Ronghua, but why did Yao Ronghua treat him like this? When Yao Ronghua saw Zhishan giving him a gift, he hurriedly returned the courtesy and said: "The queen calls this master 'cousin', so he must be the eighth prince?"
Zhishan said calmly: "Ping Monk's name is Zhishan, the Eighth Prince, but it's just a passing cloud, an old thing in the world of mortals."
Shen Huan felt sad after hearing this, and Yao Ronghua was also stunned. Shen Huan forced a smile and said: "I'll have dinner first, and I'll talk about these Buddhist principles later!"
After dinner, Shen Huan asked Yao Ronghua: "I am reminiscing with Master Zhishan. Is Sister Ronghua interested?"
Yao Ronghua heard that this was not a sincere invitation, and said with a smile: "I am not an old friend of Master Zhishan, so I won't bother you." After saying that, she respectfully stepped back.
Shen Wan frowned and watched her disappear, and then came to the place agreed with Zhishan - Qingxintang
As soon as he walked in, he saw Zhishan's thin back. Shen Huan felt sad in his heart, but he walked over with a smile on his face and said: "Why did my cousin choose to be here? You want me to be as abstinent as you are." ?”
Zhishan turned around, smiled gently at her, and said, "After all these years, Ah Huan, you are still so naughty."
That smile is still the same as before, making people feel like they are enjoying the spring breeze. Shen Huan is sad but wants to cry. She smiled bitterly and said: "These days are already bitter. If we don't enjoy the hardship, how can we survive?"
Zhishan's expression changed and he asked, "He doesn't treat you well?"
Shen Huan knew that he had misunderstood, and hurriedly smiled and said: "I'm talking about you, cousin! From being a prince in the past to being a practitioner who only faces the Qingdeng Ancient Buddha, don't you find it hard, cousin?"
Zhishan regained his calm expression, clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, I'm just asking for peace of mind."
Shen Huan asked back: "Don't you feel at ease if you become the prince?"
Zhishan was silent. Shen Huan sighed and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Cousin, please tell me quickly, how are you doing these days? What do you do every day?"
Zhishan smiled at her and said: "What else can I do? Naturally, I'm just like ordinary monks, just reciting a few volumes of sutras and passing the time."
Shen Huan said deliberately: "It turns out that cousin, you also mean what you say but don't mean it!"
Zhishan smiled helplessly: "I can't always tell you the truth."
Indeed, when he was a child, no matter what happened, he could always defeat Shen Huan, but he was still willing to help Shen Huan do anything. As long as Shen Huan was willing, he, his cousin, would always stand in front of her and lead her, or wait for her. The person protecting her behind her is now... Things have changed and people will never be able to go back to the past.
For a few days, Shen Huandao read a sutra in Qingxintang, and then talked with Zhishan
It rained a few times that day, and the two of them walked casually under the corridor by the lake. The cool autumn breeze dropped a few fine golden osmanthus flowers.
Shen Wen reached out to catch the rice-like petals and sighed: "The osmanthus flowers in the palace have fallen, but the osmanthus flowers here are still blooming. It's a pity that there are not many left due to the wind and rain."
Zhishan said calmly: "Flowers bloom and fall. This is the law of nature. If they fall this year, they will bloom again next year."
Shen Huan chuckled and said, "Who are you talking about Buddhism here?"
Zhishan was stunned, lowered his head and smiled silently
Shen Huan turned around in front of him, and suddenly found that it was Yao Ronghua standing on the white jade bridge over the pond. She didn't know how long she had been standing there. There seemed to be falling osmanthus flowers on her body, and there was a hint of sadness on her face.
Shen Huan asked Zhishan: "Does my cousin know that Yao Ronghua?"
Zhishan Zhengse said: "I am from the Buddhist sect, and she is from the palace sect. How could I know her?"
When Shen Huan saw that he didn't look like he was lying, and besides, this cousin had never lied since he was a child, Shen Huan immediately said, "That's strange... My cousin doesn't think she looks familiar? Maybe, I've met her before?"
Zhishan still shook his head, and Shen Huan also felt that it was impossible. They had hung out together a lot in the past. If they had seen each other, they might not have known it at all!
Shen Huan thought for a while and said with a smile: "It's really strange. There are tears on her face. I've been watching her with cold eyes these past few days. She treats you very unusually!"
Zhishan looked panicked and looked at Shen Huan and said: "Ah Huan, why are you still like this...so weird and weird? How is this possible..."
Seeing that he was anxious, Shen Huan hurriedly said: "I'm just joking, cousin, don't take it seriously."
Although he said this, the question deepened in his heart, why is this Yao Ronghua so strange to his cousin?
(ps: Sorry everyone, the update is late today, I accidentally fell asleep... Sorry, I updated it before twelve o'clock, I fainted~)