Chapter 66: What is Eternal Life?
Yu Xiaoxiao sat eating at the table while Gu Xinglang took care of picking out the bones from the fish, the skins from the shrimp, ladling the soup, and wiping her mouth. In any case, Her Royal Highness was busy bustling about with the food while her husband General Gu was busy attending to her needs.
Zuo You sat on one side. If he tried to eat, Her Royal Highness would glare at him; if he wanted to wait on her, General Gu would murder him with his eyes. In any case, Grand Marshal Zuo was currently cradling a cup of jasmine tea in his hands while watching the couple with a wounded heart.
Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei were too busy to be disturbed. Like Yu Xiaoxiao, they buried their heads at their table to eat. She was right: it’d be a waste not to eat all this free food. Zuo You’s three retainers stared at the two gluttonous guards who were chowing through like hungry ghosts. The sight made them lost their appetite.
Zuo You said to Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, are these dishes just that tasty?”
Yu Xiaoxiao nodded, her mouth too full of shrimp to reply.
Zuo You asked, “Isn’t your appetite a little too big to be eating like this?”
Yu Xiaoxiao swallowed her shrimp and asked back, “You don’t want to treat us anymore?”
“I’ll treat,” Zuo You replied, “I’ll pay for the bill.”
Yu Xiaoxiao buried her head and continued eating. It’s fine as long as he still covers the bill, ah. A right and proper grand marshal shouldn’t run off to “pee” when it’s time to pay up, right?
Zuo You said, “Princess, aren’t you afraid of Eternal Life Temple at all?”
Yu Xiaoxiao’s chopsticks halted again as she looked up. “Don’t say things that’ll spoil the appetite during mealtimes.”
My God. Zuo You felt that Princess Linglong was really something. She even dares to say the Eternal Life Temple makes her lose her appetite. “Princess, if Jing Mo tries to cause a row, just find me. I’ll help you deal with that fellow,” Zuo You offered to help.
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Forget about it. You’re even afraid of Eternal Life Temple, so how are you supposed to help me deal with Jing Mo?”
“That’s not it,” Zuo You grew anxious. How could Eternal Life Temple and Zhuri Country be put on the same level?
“Jing Mo’s not a bad guy,” Yu Xiaoxiao added, “He knows how to talk sense.”
Jing Mo’s not a bad guy? Zuo You felt like the world had turned incredible.
Yu Xiaoxiao ate very quickly. In the span of a few words, she’d left the table with nothing but dishes of leftover sauce.
“Full?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked Gu Xinglang once she was out of things to eat.
Gu Xinglang nodded. Just by watching her eat, he was satisfied.
“Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Wei?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked her guards.
“We’re full,” Xiao Wei replied immediately.
Yu Xiaoxiao saw a few leftover dishes on their table and said, “We’ll bring the rest as take-away.”
What? The men in the room were all stunned again. You’re taking away food you haven’t finished? Did Her Royal Highness really grow up in the palace?
Xiao Zhuang looked at Gu Xinglang. Are we really taking home the leftovers?
Gu Xinglang said, “Go find a waiter.”
“Those who waste food are destined to starve to death,” Yu Xiaoxiao said while staring at Xiao Zhuang. He immediately rose to his feet and ran out, his heart choked with blood. Don’t curse us just for a few bites of leftovers!
“You really will starve to death,” Yu Xiaoxiao emphasized, this time to Zuo You.
Zuo You quickly shook his head. “I don’t waste food. I never have.”
His three retainers lowered their heads without a word. There was nothing to say, after all. The imperial uncle’s estate had enough leftovers everyday to fill baskets to overflowing, but there were some truths that couldn’t be faced head-on.
“Very good,” Yu Xiaoxiao complimented Zuo You seriously. Although he’s got improper thoughts for Gu Xinglang, there’s still some shining points to his character.
Zuo You immediately brightened. “Princess, shall I ask you out to eat again tomorrow?”
Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “Tomorrow? Let’s talk about tomorrow’s things tomorrow instead.”
Zuo You was a little stunned, but then he realized Princess Linglong hadn’t exactly rejected his offer. Thus, he replied happily, “Alright. Then I’ll give princess an invitation tomorrow.”
The owner and two waiters soon entered with Xiao Zhuang. After personally witnessing Her Royal Highness’s martial arts skills, their legs were still trembling in fear.
“Pack it all up,” Yu Xiaoxiao told the owner. “I want the leftover sauce too.” They were so full of oil that it’d be a waste to throw it out.
Zuo You silently resolved to ask for less tribute from Fengtian this time. I bet Princess Linglong’s never had a full meal before I asked her out to eat today.
The owner didn’t dare to refuse Yu Xiaoxiao’s request and had his two helpers pack up all the leftover dishes, then the leftover sauce. As for why the master’s table had eaten itself clean while the servants’ table was left half-finished, he could only keep his questions to himself.
“Goodbye,” Yu Xiaoxiao bid Zuo You farewell before leaving with Gu Xinglang.
Zuo You escorted her all the way to the entrance and watched them leave into the distance. Then he sighed heavily and remarked, “What a wonderful girl, ah.”
His retainers sighed as well. The street before them had already been dug full of holes by the Fengtianers. When they recalled the Zhuri merchants, they couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like if such a fierce wife ever entered their country’s imperial uncle’s estate. We’d probably be hanging on the edge of life and death everyday. They really wanted to tell their master to just give up!
—
Yu Xiaoxiao sat in the carriage, ignoring the scenery outside to talk to Gu Xinglang. “Tell me, what’s going on with that Eternal Life Temple?”
Gu Xinglang asked, “Princess, you really don’t know who they are?”
“I don’t,” Yu Xiaoxiao shook her head.
Every year the empress would make donations to the temple from her private coffers and ask its Great Masters for her fortune. How could someone so pious and devout raise a daughter who had no idea about the Eternal Life Temple? Gu Xinglang felt that something was off.
Yu Xiaoxiao added, “I don’t believe in stuff like that, so I never cared.”
“Shhh,” Gu Xinglang hastily hushed her. “You can’t go around saying those things.”
“What about you?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked while pursing her lips.
“I don’t believe them either,” Gu Xinglang replied.
Mm, Yu Xiaoxiao nodded. Then we can still hang out together.
Gu Xinglang continued, “My mother believed in Eternal Life Temple, so when my father went into battle, she would often live at the temple to pray in front of the Buddha statue everyday. But my father still ended up dying in the battlefield.”
Yu Xiaoxiao wrinkled her bows. “In front of the Buddha statue? Buddhism talks about reincarnation, so where did this ‘eternal life’ business come from?” She might not be a reader, but the military had religious figures come visit to give them counselling. Thus, Drillmaster Yu had really learned of things like the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
“That’s right,” Gu Xinglang replied. “Besides Eternal Life Temple, none of the other Buddhist temples talks about living forever.”
“They’re clearly swindlers,” Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t understand. “None of the people who got cheated called them out?”
“If you can’t gain eternal life, then it’s because you didn’t cultivate well enough to obtain good results,” Gu Xinglang quoted. “That’s why my mother told me.”
People believed flat-out lies like that? Yu Xiaoxiao spat, then said, “Is this temple so powerful that even the emperor fears them?”
“All six nations respect Eternal Life Temple,” Gu Xinglang said helplessly. “His Majesty has always given precedence to them out of courtesy.”
“Does Eternal Life Temple have an army?” Yu Xiaoxiao was still confounded. Are the six nations afraid of them because of some massive military might? They’re just monks, so how supernormal could they be?
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