As usual let me know if you spot any mistakes or more clarification is need for the transliterated terms.

[Chapter 6 - The Bodhi Sutra] Each has their own intentions

It’s very quiet in the room.

After a long while, Duan Bai Yue said harshly, "Get out!"

Get...out?! Duan Yao still has not recovered from the shock he got just now, and can't respond yet.

With the pair of eyes opposite him is staring very intently at him; Duan Bai Yue gets more and more agitated, and flicked his sleeve, wanting to simply leave.

Duan Yao held onto him fiercely from the back.

On his forehead, Duan Bai Yue's veins start to pop.

"Who is it?" Duan Yao is not letting this go.

Duan Bai Yue has a headache; even he himself cannot figure this out ; why did he commit such a stupid mistake.

"Like I was saying, it must be something considerable for you be to so concerned about the changes in the royal palace." Duan Yao felt he hit the target; he thought previously that this big brother of his wants to be the emperor. Now looking at this situation, there must be another reason for it. After some thinking, he started again, "But knowing your character, no matter who is it that you like, ignoring that they're from the palace; you will still drag them out even if they're from Peng Lai Celestial Mountain; and yet you are showing such restrain this time?"

Duan Bai Yue remained speechless; the truth is that he absolutely doesn't want to have to explain this.

Duan Yao said, surprised, "Don't tell me you like the empress?"

Duan Bai Yue: "...."

Duan Yao belatedly realized, "That's not right, I have never heard of Chu having an empress."

Duan Bai Yue clenched his fists.

Duan Yao noticed this and retreated a couple of steps, and said, "Fine fine fine, I won't ask anymore."

Duan Bai Yue humphed coldly, and stepped out.

Duan Yao continued on his train of thought; no wonder he was in a bad mood when he heard that Emperor Chu is out of the palace; the person he likes is most likely also gone.

After coming so far and yet unable to meet; just the thought of it is pitiful.

After a few days, even Duan Nian was wondering what happened with the lord and young master; they are not even eating at the same table.

Everything is as usual, and he didn't hear that they quarrelled either.

Jiang Nan in April has many showers; the scenery is naturally beautiful; it's just that it's so muddy it's annoying. Deep in the greenery in the mountains, there is a young man, with his cheeks in his hands, currently carrying a backpack. He plans to continue picking his herbs after the rain has stopped.With pale skin and elegant features, it can be seen that he is a bona fide gentleman.

"Aiyo..." A moan came from behind him; in the silent and hushed forest, it leads one to slight panic.

The man turned around in shock, and saw that an old man has suddenly appeared out of nowhere; the tattered clothing makes him seem like he's a beggar.

"Aiyo....aiyo....." Upon seeing the young man turn towards him, the old man's expression became even more pained, " Help...."

Is this a ghost or a human.....the young man stood up, and took out a wooden rod made from a plum tree and has been boiled in dog's blood, and poked him a little.

Old man: "....."

No changing of forms. The young man put back his wooden stick, and after checking him all over for injuries, then did he drag him into the shelter away from the rain.

"Is this gentleman here a physician?" The old man asked.

"Yeah." Ye Jin grind his freshly gotten herbs into a paste.

The old man quickly offered out his hand.

Ye Jin applied the paste onto his own wrist.

Old man: "......"

So he's not going to help heal my wounds?

"These herbs are poisonous; I'm trying out their effects." Ye Jin then took out a bottle of medicinal powder to help him cover his wounds, "Did you come here while escaping from a disaster?"

"Yes, yes." The old man nodded, "You are truly a good Samaritan."

Ye Jin helped him to bandage his wounds.

The old man sucked in a cold breath; he's in so much pain until his five features has changed: "Just that your physician skills are a bit rusty." His hand has almost reached its breaking point.

"You dare to say that my skills are rusty?!" Ye Jin said angrily.

Surprised by the volume, the old man’s head hurt; only after a while did he state: "It's not rusty, not rusty, it's as if you are the reincarnation of Hua Wei."

Ye Jin humped, and took out a biscuit: "Fill your stomach with this first, wait for me to finish picking the herbs, then I'll bring you to the charity hall in the city."

The old man nodded in thanks, and saw him stand up and pat off the dirt on his body; a jade green maple leaf hung at his waist; a "Jin" character is carved on it.

He is really the legendary physician of Jiang Hu...the old man rubbed his chin, and watched him leave with interest.

There is a brilliant red flower that grows on the cliffs; after trying three, four times, Ye Jin still did not manage to acquire it. He knows martial arts, and his Qing Gong(1) is also not that bad; but after the rain, the cliff is slippery, and so he does not want to be careless either. In the end he gave up reluctantly, and carried his backpack back to the shelter, and accompanied the old man down the mountain.

The town at the bottom of the mountain is quite big; there are also multiple charity halls; the elderly inside are abandoned by their children, and it is hard for their bodies to be without illnesses. Ye Jin arrived in this town while on a journey to collect herbs, and so he often takes a look at the old people; the charity halls all have a deep respect for him. This time, upon seeing that he has sent an old man over, they accepted him without hesitation, and even prepared new blankets and food to let him recover.

After sending the old man away, Ye Jin simply forgot about this matter, patted his sleeves and went home. During this journey, he plans to stay in this town for at least three to five months; until the mountain is full of blooms and he has picked up enough herbs to his satisfaction, then will he go back to Qiong Hua Valley.

“Brother.” In the capital, Duan Yao knocked on the door of the study carefully.

Duan Bai Yue said harshly, “What’s the matter?”

“I won’t ask you about the stuff in the palace again.” To avoid getting chased out, Duan Yao clarified first outside before opening the door to the study.

Duan Bai Yue: “.....”

“There’s two things.” Duan Yao stuck out his fingers, “After I finished saying them I’ll leave. The first thing is, teacher stole a corpse again.”

Duan Bai Yue rubbed his temples.

“But this time he didn’t return to the manor, and no one knows where he went.” Duan Yao said, “Aunt has already sent people on a search, and tells us to be on alert too.”

“The second thing?” Duan Bai Yue asked.

“You asked me to observe the recent festivities at Liu Manor, saying that Liu Gong is celebrating his birthday.” Duan Yao said, “There’s all sorts of people from many backgrounds; there’s people discussing in the study all the time; it’s hard to antic.i.p.ate his actions.”

“Is he really only celebrating his birthday?” Duan Bai Yue asked.

“I cannot confirm.” Duan Yao complained, “He is truly an old fox, when discussing matters he’s always near the stage, surrounded by people and noise; nothing can be heard clearly.”

“If he doesn’t have a few tricks up his sleeve, how can he still dare to eye the royal throne?” Duan Bai Yue smiled, “You really didn’t hear anything?”

“.....What are you thinking of doing again?” Duan Yao said cautiously.

“In this city there is a entertainment parlor called Ran Yue Lou; the caretaker is Gu Yun Chuan.” Duan Bai Yue sized him up.

Duan Yao thought internally, please don’t say they’re your mistress.

“Liu Gong has a son, Liu Fu De; he’s one of Ran Yue Lou’s regulars.” Duan Bai Yue said. “If you dress up a little, you can still look presentable.”

Duan Yao: “You dare to ask me to ‘fetch customers’?” Our parents will come out from the ground to bury you!

“It’s an tasteful place, how can you ‘fetch customers’ there.” Duan Bai Yue shook his head, “At most you will sing a couple of songs; there’s even money to be made.” It doesn’t seem like Duan Yao is at a disadvantage here; he even stands to gain from this.

Duan Yao really wants to put his brother’s head into the bottle of five poisons.

Duan Bai Yue: “So it’s decided.”

Duan Yao: “......”

“Is there anything else?” asked Duan Bai Yue.

“There is.” Duan Yao sat down sloppily in front of him, “even if Liu manor is up to no good; they are targeting the emperor of Chu; there’s no connection with Xi Nan at all, why are you even intervening in this?”

Duan Bai Yue replied: “Because I’m a busybody.”  

With this kind of answer; Duan Yao felt his chest tightened.

“After everything is over, there will be benefits.” Duan Bai Yue tempted him.

“What benefits?” Duan Yao is hooked.

“I will teach you the Bodhi Heart Sutra.” Duan Bai Yue patted his head.

Duan Yao grumbled: “I just know that teacher secretly taught you!”

There’s no need to show him this much favoritism; every time teacher steals a corpse and revives, the person who fills up the grave with soil is me!

“The Bodhi Heart Sutra?” In a small town in Jiang Nan, Ye Jin said while drying the herbs, “I don’t want to learn it.”

“You will regret refusing it in the future.” The old man continued his nagging. He called himself Bai Lai Cai, and said that he came all the way here from Xi Nan. Ever since he has recovered at the charity hall, he often goes to Ye Jin’s courtyard, and even said that he has a secret martial arts manual: it’s extremely good; a lot of people want it.

“I have no interest in dancing with swords or handling spears.” Ye Jin sat down and drank some tea.

“A man who doesn’t know how to use swords or spears, how can he protect the one he loves in the future?” The old man tried presenting a good side.

Ye Jin didn’t expect to find that he actually saved such a troublesome man. If he was just an average commoner, he would have chased him out with a broom a long time ago. It’s just that this time it’s a white haired, frail old man who seems to have at least seventy, eighty years of age; he can’t be too harsh, and can only hear but not listen, and complain about the nagging deep inside.

At his insistent rejection, the old man held his tattered and torn book, and started crying; his sobs are unrelenting.

“Fine fine, I will learn.” Ye Jin also can’t bear to see him like this, and added on, “Many thanks.”

Suddenly all smiles again, the old man pa.s.sed The Bodhi Heart Sutra to him, and took a pastry from a plate and went back to the charity hall with a smile.

The books in his hands is torn and oily, and emanating a sour smell; Ye Jin could barely stand to hold it. He took a piece of wax paper, and used it flipped open the first page. This sutra can let the person who master it gain great internal energy, only that there’s one drawback….it’s afraid that…..

“Pa!” the book closed with a sound; Ye Jin does not want to open it a second time. What kind of rotten martial arts is this; training one’s internal energy may cause infertility. Don’t know if just looking at it will affect me. If he knew this would happen, he would have bought some pomelo leaves from the south to wash away this bad luck.

With twilight approaching, the banks of the river are lit up with fires. Chu Yuan, sitting on the boat deck, pulled his coat closer; his thoughts are far away.

“Emperor.” Shen Qian Fan came forward, “I just received a dispatch from the palace, the Xi Nan King is currently in the capital; he’s staying in Jin Xiu Fang.”

Chu Yuan nodded; he doesn’t seem to be surprised.

“Are you really going to just let him be?” Shen Qian Fan asked hesitantly.

“How is this letting him be.” Chu Yuan can’t help but laugh, “if we really truly want to let him be, I wouldn’t have allowed his men to come and go as they please in the palace.”

“This time, however, it concerns Liu manor; the matter is of great importance.” Shen Qian Fan said, “ A moment of slight carelessness will alarm the other party.” After planning for so many years, the goal is to eradicate Lius from the court. Such a big matter…and it’s handed over to the Xi Nan King?

“We have our intentions, general does not need to worry.” Chu Yuan patted his shoulder, “If he doesn’t succeed, it’s still not too late for our men to act.”

(1)Qing Gong: lit. light work. Allows user to jump high distances etc.