At the same time Madam Ji was at home discussing a temple visit, many wives of high officials and nobles in the capital were also talking about going to Qixia Temple to offer incense.
「Li Mansion」
Upon receiving a report from a maidservant, Lady Li’s eyes lit up. "Is it true a phoenix has appeared at Qixia Temple?" she asked.
"Indeed, Madam! This is an opportunity that must not be missed! If your eldest daughter wishes to enter the Palace, this is an excellent chance!"
Hearing the Nanny’s words, Lady Li quickly ordered, "Have someone make arrangements at Qixia Temple immediately. Tomorrow, we will take Zhujun with us so she can get closer to the phoenix!"
The Nanny quickly responded, "Yes, Madam!"
Before the Nanny left, Lady Li added another instruction, "Bring that country bumpkin along too. What she has learned from the National Master might just help build momentum for my daughter!"
The Nanny bowed her head and replied, "Yes, Madam." Then, a smile touched the corners of her lips as she added, "Madam is indeed wise. That country girl will be going to the Royal Academy at the start of the new year and will then study under the National Master. Her days in our Mansion are numbered. If we don’t make good use of this opportunity now, when will we?"
Lady Li was extremely pleased by the Nanny’s words and dismissed her with a wave of her hand.
Ji Youcheng was in a very bad mood today. Last night, he had argued with Zhu Xiuxiu, resulting in a drunken stupor from which he hadn’t awakened until late, only to receive news that his two boxes of gold were missing. He had just asked Old Seven to help him search when Old Seven was then intercepted by Ji the Second. He was just thinking, After lunch, I’ll hurry with my men to Yuelai Inn and check things out, when his old mother came to give him grief again! Left with no choice, he had to make a personal trip to Qixia Temple.
The courtyard of Qixia Temple’s supervising abbot was teeming with people. By the time Ji Youcheng arrived, it was so packed there was barely room to set foot.
"Go! Present my calling card!" Ji Youcheng instructed the servant boy accompanying him.
The servant boy squeezed into the crowd and returned shortly after, looking dejected. "Young Master," he said to Ji Youcheng, "they aren’t showing us any courtesy. They said all the Guest Courtyards have already been reserved."
"All of them booked? Is business at Qixia Temple truly that booming?" Ji Youcheng muttered in confusion. No wonder Old Mother insisted I come personally to arrange things, he thought. Apparently, the incense offerings here are extremely popular.
"Take this to the supervising abbot," he told the servant boy. "Tell him that if he can arrange a courtyard for us, I will donate double the usual amount in incense money!"
The servant boy took the bulging purse and left. When he returned, he handed Ji Youcheng a token. "Young Master, it’s done."
Ji Youcheng’s mouth twitched. Even monks are swayed by money, he thought. My purse only had fifty taels of broken silver, yet it secured us a Guest Courtyard.
The master and servant pair headed down the mountain and arrived at a teahouse to rest. Ji Youcheng and the servant boy sat down and called for tea. Then, Ji Youcheng took a purse out of his sleeve, and his brow furrowed. He then turned his sleeve pocket inside out to search, and his expression changed drastically. "I... the money pouch I gave you just now, how much silver was in it? Did you look?"
The servant boy chuckled upon hearing this, his eyes curving with mirth. "Third Young Master, you’re truly generous! That purse was filled with banknotes, all of them one-hundred-tael notes. There must have been several dozen! The supervising abbot’s eyes lit up when he saw them. He immediately gave me a token for a medium-grade Guest Courtyard. He also said, to thank you for your compassionate heart, that next time you come to gild the Bodhisattva statue, he will definitely arrange a high-grade Guest Courtyard for our Old Madam, and she can stay however she pleases!"
A mouthful of blood caught in Third Master Ji’s throat, and he nearly spat it out!