"Amitabha, well said, well said!"
Master Micheng chanted, reaching into his robe to take out a small brocade box. When he opened it, a cloud of black mist enveloped the whole meditation room. With a sigh of resignation, Master Micheng said, "You are about to meet her, do you really wish to frighten her ?"
The black mist gradually dissipated, reconvening inside the brocade box and condensing into a bead. Yet the black mist around it remained dense.
Master Micheng spoke again, "She paid a substantial amount of gold to light the Everlasting Light for you. If your malevolent aura is too strong, even if you transform into a bead beside her, you will still harm her. Have you considered this carefully?"
From within the brocade box, the black mist around the bead faded, eventually leaving behind a dull, unremarkable bead of indeterminate material. Only then did Master Micheng breathe a sigh of relief, "Amitabha, there is hope for the young, indeed. She did not feed you with her own flesh in vain, nor was it in vain that she has been thinking only of you."
He closed the brocade box and placed it on the desk, then proceeded to recite the Rebirth Mantra.
At dawn, Yun Jinnian woke up. Mrs. Han was still holding her, eyes closed as if in sleep. Yun Jinnian reached out and gently touched Mrs. Han, breaking into a smile.
Quietly getting out of bed, she covered Mrs. Han with the blanket and dressed herself. Upon opening the room door, she saw Bai Que standing in the courtyard. Her lips pressed together before she gently called out, "Sister Bai Que!"
"Miss, you’re awake. I’ll fetch some water for you to wash up with right away!"
"Thank you, Sister Bai Que!"
After freshening up, Yun Jinnian sat on a bench in the courtyard, sitting in silence.
"Would miss like to have breakfast now, or would you prefer to wait and eat with the madam?" Bai Que asked tentatively.
"I’ll wait and eat with mother."
After the confessions of the previous night, Yun Jinnian’s respect for Mrs. Han had turned into trust.
At the end of the day, her mother loved her the most.
Bai Que nodded in acknowledgment.
A young monk lingered outside the courtyard. Hemei stepped forward and asked softly, "What are you doing?"
"May I ask if Miss Yun from the Yun Residence, the fourth young lady, is staying at this monastery?" the young monk inquired.
"The Abbot has invited Miss Yun to attend the morning lesson!"
Hemei was momentarily taken aback. "Wait here; I will call our miss for you!"
Hemei walked briskly over to Yun Jinnian and relayed a few words. Yun Jinnian looked astonished. "The Abbot has invited me to attend the morning lesson?"
She then thought of Chu Yu.
"I understand, let’s go," said Yun Jinnian as she stood up, spoke a few words to Henuan, asking her to inform Mrs. Han later that she had gone to attend the morning lesson and would return upon its completion.
Henuan nodded her head and stayed behind in the monastery.
Yun Jinnian walked away with Hemei, following the young monk.
As Bai Que watched Yun Jinnian’s retreating figure, she took a deep breath and entered the meditation room. As expected, Mrs. Han had sat up.
"Madam, the Abbot has requested Miss to attend the morning lesson," Bai Que informed.
Mrs. Han looked startled for a moment. "Has everything been arranged?"
"Yes, the invitation has been sent, but we have yet to receive a response from the Abbot," replied Bai Que.
"Why would the Abbot want to see Jinnian? Could he have discovered something?" Mrs. Han thought, turning pale with shock.
"Quickly, Bai Que, help me dress and fetch water for me to wash up!" she ordered.
Bai Que nodded and hurried off to do so.
The matter of Yun Jinnian going to meet the Abbot alone was potentially grave, and they could not afford to take it lightly.
Elsewhere, Yun Jinnian arrived at a courtyard where the young monk stopped Hemei. "Miss!" whispered Hemei.
Yun Jinnian nodded to her. "Wait for me outside!"
And then, she entered the courtyard alone.
With each step she took, Yun Jinnian’s heart raced faster. She was afraid, afraid that she was a monster.
After all, that dream had been so complete, as if she had lived through it herself, its joys and sorrows felt so real.
When she reached the door, it opened automatically.
Yun Jinnian was surprised but stepped inside.
She saw an old man kneeling on a mat chanting scriptures, with another mat beside him, but there was no Buddha in front of him.
Instead, hanging on the wall was a large character for "Buddha."