TRT – Chapter 18 The Temple Ceremony (Final)

The Bodhi tree is not a tree,
The bright mirror is no stand,
Since there is nothing at all,
Where can dust alight?

“Mingming, just who exactly are you?”

Once upon a time, there was a girl. By accident, she transmigrated, and met a man. The man was noble, arrogant, and proud, also handsome and clever. He grew up in the depths of the palace, without a normal childhood or the joys of freedom. Everyone around him feared and revered him, obeying his every word—yet this girl feared nothing, treated him casually, and even dragged him to enjoy the simple pleasures of commoners, like visiting temple fairs. Thus, the man went from curiosity to fondness, until finally, at a life-and-death crisis, the girl inexplicably sacrificed herself to save him. Deeply moved, the man fell in love with her, and the two became a couple…

The above is the standard “Transmigration Story, Type A.”

However, reality was:

First: People of noble birth are rarely good-looking. (See: the central leadership, or the Japanese imperial family.)

Second: Generally speaking, as long as a young prince doesn’t end up with a wicked stepmother, his childhood joys aren’t necessarily diminished.

Third: Not everyone likes being contradicted all the time by someone who shows them no respect. This is basically one of the big pitfalls of romance novels.

Fourth: Princes usually receive higher education as well as general education. They are not bumpkins who would suddenly be fascinated by candied hawthorn skewers at temple fairs. Most likely, the palace kitchens can already prepare any commoner’s snack.

Conclusion: The sweet, romantic scenes everyone was looking forward to—Mingming and the Big Fox strolling hand-in-hand through a temple fair, gnawing candied hawthorn sticks, and watching fireworks—will not be happening. (Yes, I actually drafted that chapter, but the reasons above convinced me to delete it… The rewrite is why this came out so late, I swear I’m not just making excuses…)

In truth, after bathing and fasting, the Big Fox, as chief representative of the sacrificial rites, led that beauty-snake Ji Wen to kneel in the Buddha Hall. And according to the rules, they had to kneel the whole night! Turns out being royal isn’t easy either!

Truly, fortune turns like a wheel—now it was their turn to kneel! Ahahaha… While I was gleefully circling Ji Wen, savoring the moment, I was suddenly dragged away by Guard Yang and thrown back into my room under house arrest again.

Bored, I rolled around on the bed until I sprawled out like a starfish. Finally, I fished a small pouch from my pocket and studied it carefully, falling into thought…

“So, Mingming, you really want to go back to your original world?”

“Yes. Yes, very much! There must be a way, right? Master, please tell me!”

“There are two ways. I’ll tell you the first one first…”

Ahh, Master Mingjing is just too adorable! Look at that shiny bald head, that kind squinting smile, that chubby roly-poly body like a tumbler toy…

“To go back, you need to recreate the same conditions as when you came: the right time, the right place, and the right people. Do you understand?”

“…Not really.”

“That is to say, you have to return at the same time you came, at the same place you came through, and with the same things you carried when you came!”

See? Isn’t Master Mingjing so kind and approachable?

“From what you said, the day you came over coincided with the rare phenomenon of the Seven Stars Aligning. By my calculations, the next alignment won’t happen for another sixty years.”

“Sixty years?!!” Despair spread across my face…

“Don’t panic. If you can find the Huntian Pearl, you can cut that time by thirty years!”

“Huntian Pearl? Why does that sound like some limited-edition accessory from Brother Nezha’s ribbon set…”

“Correct. Also, where you fell—if I’m not mistaken, beneath that street lies the ruins of an ancient temple. If it can be excavated, combined with my talismans and chanting, it could shorten the time by another twenty years. Lastly, as for you yourself—the clothes you wore, the accessories you carried when you came over—you must have every single one of them!”

“They’re all here!”

Don’t worry. After all, I grew up under the noble tutelage of Red River Shore, so I’ve got the basics down! My Li Ning tracksuit, Double Star sneakers, socks, undies, one wristwatch, a tube of Mentholatum lip balm, and a small mirror—each cleaned spotless and packed in a little chest locked with three locks—snuggled warmly alongside my darling 8 million taels of silver notes.

“Master, then where do I find this Huntian Pearl?”

“Don’t know. It’s been missing since the last dynasty.”

“Then… if I do find it, you’ll come help me chant, right?”

“Don’t know. Depends on my mood~”

“Then… then what’s the second method?”

“Can’t tell you now. If fate lets us meet again, I’ll tell you then.”

This damn Master Mingjing suddenly became hateful in my eyes! Look at those squinting eyes gleaming with villainy! Look at that fat belly with its folds! Look at that bald head, it actually reflects light! So blinding!

I puffed up my cheeks, pouted, and glared at him angrily.

“Hehe, Mingming, don’t be mad. Tell you what, I’ll give you something good.” The old monk rummaged around in his oversized robes, finally pulling out a ragged little pouch. He pressed it into my hand. “Here, take this. If you ever face great danger, open it and see. Free gift, no charge~ Not angry anymore, right? …Hey, don’t open it now—ah, don’t stomp on it! …Ahh, don’t hold it over the fire!”

………

“So in short, I just have to find the Huntian Pearl, right?” I sighed, shoved the pouch back into my pocket, and rolled over—only to notice that one of the wooden carvings along the inner side of the bed stuck out more than the others. Could it be… could it be the inevitable mechanism that always appears in wuxia novels?!

Cautiously, I reached out and pushed the carving. No reaction. Pressed it—nothing. Turned it—ka!

The bedframe gave a faint creak of collapse! A gust of air seemed to blow up from under the sheets!

Th-this-this… this really was a mechanism!!

Nervously glancing around, I quietly lifted the bedsheet. Beneath it was a rectangular hole—not too large, probably impossible for anyone a little plump to squeeze through. I stuck my head in to look. The air was flowing and still fairly fresh, probably connected to the outside. It was pitch-dark inside, but I could just barely make out what looked like steps.

Should I go down?

What if it’s filled with deadly traps? What if there are piles of rotting corpses or the skeleton of some long-dead master? What if the entrance closes behind me and I can’t get out? What if…

There were a thousand reasons not to go down, but Minmin still went without hesitation. The reason was only one:

Because I’m the heroine!

In the pitch-black tunnel where I couldn’t even see my own hand, I groped my way forward. The sensation beneath my fingertips was cold, damp, and slimy—absolutely disgusting! Underfoot, the broken steps kept tripping me up, crumbling here and there—clearly shoddy workmanship!

Why do humans often feel fear in the dark?

As I struggled forward, I pondered idly. Probably because… you can’t see. Whether it’s the eyes or the heart, not being able to see is always terrifying.

At times like this, it would be nice to have someone reliable holding my hand. A man to depend on in danger, with broad shoulders, a straight back, a warm chest, strong hands, and steady eyes. Sigh… Other transmigrators always meet these perfect men, paragons of virtue, intelligence, strength, and beauty! Why do I only keep running into the wrong ones?

Xiao Shou? Still just a kid. And at a critical moment, that brat would probably save his master—the Big Fox—first! (gritted teeth…)

The Big Fox? Too scheming, too ambitious, very likely to bite back someday! Zero sense of security!

Luo Cheng? Please, he is danger itself.

Guard Yang? Broad shoulders, yes, this guy had an amazing build! Straight back, yes, a perfect warrior—like a door guardian statue, able to stand motionless all night! Warm chest, yes, with martial training his inner qi kept his body temperature constant! Strong hands, yes, he nearly twisted my arms off more than once! Steady eyes, yes—especially when he was hauling me back.

Come to think of it, this Guard Yang actually fit the “guardian type” man to a T. And his face—sharp and strikingly handsome. Though he and I were enemies now, objectively speaking, he was pretty dedicated to his job… Ah! But if the Big Fox found out I’d escaped, would he fire Guard Yang? In my mind I saw the Big Fox flick his sleeves and order, “Drag him out!” … Should’ve left a note behind…

In the end, I didn’t find any martial arts manuals, traps, or skeletons. I only stumbled a short way in the dark, then pushed open a wooden plank and emerged onto the ground.

Outside was either a woodshed or a bamboo hut. Crawling out, I found myself in a long-abandoned courtyard. Leaving it, I stepped into a small, unremarkable alley. Not far ahead lay the bustling main street, where the people of Qiuyue City were lost in the joyous temple fair. Nobody noticed me slipping out of the alley and blending into the crowd.

Perfect timing!!

The Big Fox, Guard Yang, and all the other experts were tied up at the temple. That meant his lair was empty! Now was my chance to rescue Qingqing and Xiaotao! If not now, when?

Resolute, I immediately pushed my way to the roadside, hoping to hail a carriage to rush to the Big Fox’s den. Unexpectedly, every carriage had already been rented out! Each one was filled, not even a chance to hitch a ride! Even the horses had all been sold or rented, and there wasn’t a single donkey left! His hideout was quite a distance from here—this morning’s trip by carriage had already taken half a day. Walking there on foot? Impossible…

As I spun in anxious circles, suddenly a sharp sound of gongs and drums drew everyone’s attention.

Looking over, I saw a large stage had been set up not far away. In the center stood a shirtless, scar-faced man, cupping his fists and shouting:

“Dear folks! We Zhang brothers went out to learn martial arts under a famous master, and now that we’ve mastered our skills, we’ve come to roam the jianghu. To meet heroes from all walks of life, we’ve set up this challenge stage! Any hero who’d like to test his skills is welcome! I, Zhang Er, will take the lead and throw out a brick to attract jade!”

With that, he twirled his staff in a vigorous routine, drawing applause from the crowd. His moves were decent, but after watching Xiao Shou’s swordsmanship, this guy seemed way off—unstable stance, stiff moves, awkward rhythm, and frankly, kind of ugly (not the main point). Xiao Shou said his own sword was only third-rate; this Zhang Er’s staff probably wasn’t even in the rankings… Well, this was just a roadside show, not some martial arts tournament. Real experts wouldn’t bother wasting their time. Most challengers would probably be nobodies.

While I was lost in thought, one particular word jolted my ears!

“The loser must leave one tael of silver… but anyone who can defeat me, Zhang Er, will win two fine ‘Snowstep’ horses pulling a top-grade carriage! And if you can defeat my elder brother, you’ll win…”

Carriage?

Carriage!!

CARRIAGE!!!

My eyes instantly blazed! What I couldn’t find despite all my efforts just fell into my lap!!

Squeezing through the crowd, clinging to the edge of the stage, I shouted up at Zhang Er:  “Brother! Will you sell that carriage? I’ll pay double! Please sell it to me!”

Zhang Er stared at me in shock. Around us, the crowd began whispering—mostly about how shameless and improper it was for a woman to yell like this.

“Where’d this little girl come from? Let me tell you, this carriage is made from the finest nanmu wood, and those horses are priceless Snowsteps. Can you even afford it?” Zhang Er sneered.

I glanced at the carriage tied to the stage. The horses were scruffy gray nags—and he dared call them “Snowsteps”?!

Slipping off the jade bracelet from my wrist, I handed it to him. “This is genuine! See? Worth enough for your so-called Snowsteps? Besides, it’s the Big Fox’s—giving it away doesn’t hurt one bit~”

Zhang Er examined it under the light, and greed instantly spread across his face. His eyes wavered, and he looked toward his elder brother, seated in a grand armchair. “Big Brother, maybe we should—”

Before he could finish, a sharp slap landed on him! The bracelet was snatched from his hand. His elder brother weighed it briefly, then tossed it back to me with righteous indignation.

“Hmph! Do you think the Zhang brothers are greedy for money? We set up this stage only to exchange martial arts with heroes and broaden our skills, not to line our pockets! The prizes are merely tokens of respect for true heroes, respect worth more than gold! How could one mere bracelet buy such honor?”

In other words: one bracelet isn’t enough, hand over everything!

Hypocrite! Who knew this elder brother’s appetite was bigger than Zhang Er’s?

I checked myself. Earlier in the day, I’d taken off all my ornaments because they got in the way. This bracelet was the only thing I hadn’t removed, and only because it was tricky to take off. I had nothing else of value!

“Well? Still want to buy?” The Zhang brothers looked down at me with disdainful smirks.

“I… I’ll think of something else…” I bit my lip, frustration boiling inside. Truly, poverty kills heroes! Once upon a time, I’d been filthy rich! And now? All thanks to the Big Fox. The money pouch was with Xiaotao, and Xiaotao had been captured by him! Damn that fox!!! My hatred for him flared stronger than ever…

“Then you’d better hurry up. If someone else wins before you, you’ll never be able to buy it again~ Today’s temple fair—forget about inside the city, even within twenty li outside you can’t rent a carriage!” Zhang Er swayed his head smugly and went to deal with the next challenger who jumped onto the stage.

I stared at the flurry of fists and feet on the stage, my mind in turmoil. How do I get money? Steal? Rob? Perform? Where would I get such a large sum so quickly? These Zhang brothers are clearly out to extort me. No matter how much I give them, they’ll say it’s not enough! Then what do I do? Damn it—!!

The guy challenging on stage had already been kicked flying by Zhang Er! In no time at all, Zhang Er alone had taken down several challengers. Hmph! This kind of platform really doesn’t attract any quality fighters!

Wait a minute…

No quality fighters? And if someone beats him, they get to take him away? “Whoever defeats me, Zhang Er, will win two snow-hooved horses pulling a fine carriage…” Heh heh… That’s it!

While Zhang Er was still swaggering about on stage, I pressed my hands on the edge and lightly leapt up!

I remembered Shou had said before—without inner strength and without weapons, my skills could only count as fourth-rate. Against true experts I might not stand a chance, but against ordinary hand-to-hand fighting? More than enough!

“If I win, I get a carriage, right?”

I flashed a sweet smile at the dumbstruck Zhang Er. “Then I’ll fight.”

For some reason, Zhang Er just froze, staring straight at my face without moving. Well, then I won’t be polite!

I warmed up—rolled my wrists, bent at the waist, kicked my legs, steadied my stance, fists crossed, breath sinking to my dantian, then shouted loudly: “Ha—shoo!!!”

It really didn’t take long to bring him down. First, his actual skill was beneath mine. Second, my willpower was strong since I was dead set on getting that carriage. Plus, he was distracted and unfocused. Of course I’d win! And with his ugly mug, I had no qualms about hitting hard. Soon enough, Zhang Er was spitting blood and teeth as he flew out of the ring…

Now his older brother wasn’t having it. He rolled up his sleeves and came at me!

I was in the mood anyway, venting all the frustration of being confined by that big fox these past few days! Zhang Da was completely suppressed by my momentum. Before long I had him flipped over my shoulder and slammed to the ground! Remembering his greedy, bullying face, I was about to kick him half to death when suddenly I remembered something important—

If I beat Zhang Da too, wouldn’t I have to take the grand prize?

No way! I don’t want the grand prize—I want the carriage!

So I grabbed the curled-up Zhang Da by the collar, yanked him up, and muttered under my breath: “Hey! Kick me!”

The guy just stared at me blankly, utterly confused.

I ground my teeth. “I said kick me—didn’t you hear?!”

But the coward must’ve been too scared from my earlier beating. Even when told to hit me, he hesitated.

“What are you waiting for?” I secretly twisted hard at his waist. “I told you to kick me!”

Probably because I really pinched him painfully, Zhang Da let out a scream and instinctively kicked with all his strength! I cooperatively flew out right away!

But damn, that guy really kicked hard! Even though I had braced myself, my arm still ached badly and I stumbled back three steps toward the edge of the stage!

Suddenly, a shadow flashed behind me. My waist tightened—someone caught me in their arms. With a swift spin, we landed lightly back on stage.

“You alright?” A hoarse, cold, steady voice.

Guard Yang?!! H-how did he find me so fast?!

Hearing my loud wail earlier, once he confirmed I wasn’t seriously hurt, he obviously relaxed, set me down, and even checked me over again. Then he bent down, lifted the hem of my skirt, and gently brushed away the dust where I’d been kicked.

The onlookers gasped in surprise, some women even screamed!

I, however, was so shocked I forgot all about my failed escape. I just stood there blankly, staring down at his natural movements—the fluid lines of his back, his firm brows and handsome face, those clean long fingers lifting my skirt hem… He didn’t just look like Zhiyuan. Even his hands looked like his…

Zhiyuan? Suddenly, a serious thought struck me: When I was crawling through the dark tunnel, struggling forward, desperate for someone to rely on—why did I never once think of Zhiyuan? Why? Didn’t I like him…?

As soon as Guard Yang straightened up, his icy gaze shot like arrows at Zhang Da, the one who had kicked me! Terrified, Zhang Da staggered back, panic flashing in his eyes.

“I-It was her… she told me to…” He suddenly clamped his mouth shut, staring fearfully at Yang’s approaching figure.

I couldn’t see Yang’s expression from behind, but judging by Zhang Da’s reaction, it must’ve been terrifying… like he was about to cut him down?

But in the end, Yang didn’t draw his sword. Instead, he dislocated both of Zhang Da’s arms, then in the midst of his blood-curdling screams, severed the tendon in the leg that had kicked me…

I shivered all over, staring at Yang’s cold, merciless face. How could he do that? Just because Zhang Da kicked me? But I told him to kick me! How could he maim someone without even asking why?

“How could you… how could you cut his tendon? That’ll cripple him for life!” My hands and feet shook with anger.

He glanced at me coolly. “I’m responsible for protecting you. How I deal with those who hurt you is my decision.”

I looked at Zhang Da writhing in pain on the ground, Zhang Er kneeling beside him crying miserably… This was the first sin I’d caused since coming here, wasn’t it? Who knew when retribution would fall on me…

“His Highness has something for you.” Yang pulled a letter from his chest and handed it to me.

I unfolded the paper. Only a few cold words:

Had your fun? Come back early.

My hand clenched tight around the letter! Fun? All my desperate running, struggling to save my friends—in his eyes it was just play? Right, to him I was only a jester in his palm. I was Sun Wukong, he was the Buddha. No matter how I tossed and fought, I could never escape his Five Finger Mountain!

I crumpled the paper and flung it far away—as if that could throw off his shackles.

My mood sank instantly…

“Why won’t you let me go…” My head drooped as I sobbed.

“Let me go, let me go, let me go… Why do you have to hold me… let me go…” Slowly crouching down, I hugged my knees and cried.

For the first time since coming here, I cried. For the first time, I felt so powerless. I used to think I couldn’t leave because of Qingqing and Xiaotao, but now I understood—if he wanted to capture me, where could I possibly escape to? I couldn’t even control myself… How pathetic…

“Let me go… let me go… wuwuwu…”

The crowd’s stares made Yang clearly uncomfortable. He frowned, scooped me up, and with a few leaps carried me into a quiet alley.

Held tightly against his warm chest, I couldn’t stop my tears. Out of spite, I clung to his neck and smeared all my tears and snot onto his robe! His body stiffened, and he said awkwardly:

“Stop crying.”

“What, just stop because you say so? That’d be too humiliating!”

So I cried even louder!

“Let me go—let me go… Ahhhh… You bastards! Wuwuwu… I don’t belong here… I want to go home, I want to go home…”

After I made a scene for a long while, he finally sighed deeply.

“Where is your home?” His low, heavy voice came from above my head, oddly comforting.

“Ea… Earth.” My sobbing caught in my throat.

He said nothing.

“In Beijing…” I whispered.

“Beijing… Beijing…” he murmured softly. I buried my face in his chest and didn’t see the strange flash of light in his eyes.

“That must be a good place.” His voice was unbelievably gentle.

That startled me. I even forgot to cry. What was with him today?

“A g-good place? … I guess so… Except for the traffic jams…”

He fell silent again, just holding me quietly in the night, the wind tugging at his robe.

Gradually, my crying stopped. Then I suddenly realized—I didn’t even know his name.

“Hey! What’s your name?”

“I don’t have a given name. Just the single character Guo.”

No name, just one character? So strange! He’d never told me before, and now he did—how odd. Wait! Hold on! His surname is Yang, and his given name is just Guo… Doesn’t that make him—

Yang Guo?!!!

My mouth twitched for a full minute. Trembling, I asked:

“Y-you don’t… happen to have a father named Yang Kang, do you?”

“Don’t know.” His face returned to its cold expression. “It’s late. We should head back.” He turned and walked out of the alley.

“Don’t know”? What kind of answer was that? Either yes or no! What kind of son doesn’t know his own father’s name? I followed gloomily behind.

Ah… could it be? He’s an orphan?

In a flash, I felt like I’d just cruelly torn open someone’s wound. A bit of guilt crept in.

Hesitating, I stared at his strong, straight back ahead of me. Finally, I stepped forward, gently touched his back, and murmured:

“Um… sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

He stopped, his back shuddering. Under my palm, I felt the tension of his muscles slowly relax. Then he reached back, took my wrist, and kept walking.

“Lots of people around. Be careful not to get lost.”

Hand in hand, we moved slowly through the crowded street. No one noticed.