Page 187

Today, the sky is cloudless and the temperature has risen by several degrees.

Shen Chuwei, in an effort to encourage the grey rabbit to lose weight, has been making it run to exercise its muscles.

After a couple of days, the rabbit threw a tantrum, refusing to continue and ran away from home.

Shen Chuwei searched for half a day but couldn’t find the grey rabbit. Considering its track record of running away twice before, she was sure it must have gone outside, so she lifted her skirt and went out to look for it.

She had only just left the Hehuan Hall when she spotted the grey rabbit.

"There you are! You’re getting bolder, aren’t you? Already thinking of running away from home?"

Seeing Shen Chuwei coming, the rabbit’s pitch-black eyes twirled, and then it took off running.

The past two days of exercise had paid off somewhat; the usually lazy rabbit was now speeding along, although it was still no match for a wild hare.

Watching the rabbit run without looking back, Shen Chuwei put her hands on her hips and threatened, "You dare run? Just wait until I catch you. I’ll fry, steam, and roast you in turn."

With that said, she lifted her skirt and chased after it.

The rabbit, not sure if it understood Shen Chuwei’s threatening words, ran even faster and soon left the main gate of the East Palace.

Shen Chuwei had no choice but to follow it out.

After running for who knows how long, she heard someone calling her from behind.

"Lady Shen."

The voice seemed familiar to Shen Chuwei. She turned around with a puzzled look and saw a young monk standing five meters away. He was dressed in grey robes, standing against the light, his bald head shining brightly.

With his cool and detached handsome face, he looked somewhat like a high-ranking monk who had attained enlightenment.

Seeing a familiar face, Shen Chuwei smiled and asked, "Little monk, what brings you to the Imperial Palace?"

Wu Tan approached her with steady steps, his hands pressed together, "My master has come to the capital to preach, and I accompanied him. Lady Shen, I trust you’ve been well."

Shen Chuwei let down her skirt to cover her embroidered shoes and looked up at the young monk, "You look well, little monk."

Wu Tan offered a faint smile, "Lady Shen, my dharma name is Wu Tan. You may call me Wu Tan."

Wu Tan, Shen Chuwei repeated silently, smiling, "It’s a nice name."

Wu Tan responded, "You flatter me, Lady Shen."

Shen Chuwei stared at Wu Tan’s glossy bald head for a while. If it had been someone else, she might have felt it a pity that such a handsome man had shaved his head to become a monk.

But with Wu Tan, she thought, even being bald can look handsome, which means he really is very handsome.

Wu Tan inquired, "Was Lady Shen looking for something just now?"

"A little rabbit. What about you? Why are you here?" Shen Chuwei remembered the Buddha Hall was some distance from here. Could he have lost his way?

Wu Tan replied, "I have no pressing matters. I can help Lady Shen look for the rabbit."

Shen Chuwei wasn’t sure where the grey rabbit had gone at this point. Xiao Jinyan would certainly be angry if he found out she had lost the rabbit.

"That would be very kind of you."

"It’s no trouble."

Two people seeking together was much faster than one, and soon the grey rabbit was spotted.

Shen Chuwei directed while trying to approach the grey rabbit, "Wu Tan, you circle around from that side. Don’t let it get away."

Wu Tan cooperated well, and together they slowly encircled it, driving the rabbit into a corner.

Almost simultaneously, they both lunged for the rabbit, each grabbing one of its legs.

Securing the leg of the rabbit, Shen Chuwei sighed in relief, "Finally caught you."

Wu Tan let go of the rabbit, allowing her to hold it while he eyed the creature and noticed it didn’t quite resemble a pet rabbit, "Is this a wild rabbit?"

"Yes, His Highness found it during an autumn hunting event. It was quite cute when it was little." Shen Chuwei rubbed the rabbit’s belly, which was soft, and laughed, "It’s not ugly now that it’s fat, just too fat."

"You’ve taken good care of it," Wu Tan said, reaching into his sleeve and pulling out a string of Buddha Beads to present in front of Shen Chuwei, "These beads have been blessed. Giving them to you will ensure your safety."

Shen Chuwei looked at the Buddha Beads in Wu Tan’s hand. It was her first time seeing such beads, and they were small. Their coffee color suggested they were made of sandalwood, and she could smell the faint scent of it.

Wu Tan reminded her, "Lady Shen, try them on to see if they fit. If they don’t, I can adjust them for you."

Shen Chuwei hesitated, "I’ve heard that blessed beads are precious. If you give them to me, won’t you be without them? Keep them for yourself. A Buddha cannot protect you twenty-four hours a day."

Wu Tan looked puzzled, "Twenty-four hours?"

Realizing her mistake, Shen Chuwei corrected herself, "I mean twelve hours."

"Lady Shen, don’t worry. The vegetable seeds you gave me have been planted and have already sprouted. This string of beads is to thank you for the seeds. Please, I insist that you accept them," Wu Tan said slowly, each word sincere.

After thinking for a while, Shen Chuwei nodded, "Then I will accept them."

She then took the beads from Wu Tan’s hand and wore them on her right wrist, pushing up her light pink sleeve, "Wu Tan, the beads fit just right."

Wu Tan’s gaze fell upon Shen Chuwei’s wrist and noticed a cinnabar mole shaped like a peach blossom.

He looked up at Shen Chuwei with a hint of anticipation in his eyes, "Lady Shen, is that mole on your hand natural?"

Shen Chuwei glanced at the mole on her wrist and thought carefully; it seemed the original owner didn’t have any tattoos there.

"It’s natural," Shen Chuwei replied, puzzled, "Is there something wrong with the mole?"

After considering the mole for a moment, Wu Tan shook his head, "Nothing’s wrong. Don’t worry, Lady Shen."

"That’s good," Shen Chuwei nodded, glancing at the mole on her wrist again and feeling that the peach blossom-shaped mole looked quite nice next to the beads.

Wu Tan, still scrutinizing the peach blossom-shaped mole, couldn’t help but ask, "Lady Shen, where is your family from?"

"From the house of Minister Shen." Shen Chuwei, noting Wu Tan’s earnestness, thought that Buddhist practices are complex, and they’re said to interpret facial features and the like, much like Magistrate Lu.

Could it be that Wu Tan had seen something significant?

Hearing "from the house of Minister Shen," Wu Tan gathered that she must be the Minister’s daughter.

Shen Chuwei had wanted to inquire further, but suddenly heard a familiar and cold voice from behind, "Lady Shen, what are you doing?"

She turned to look and saw Xiao Jinyan standing behind her in dark court robes.

Holding the rabbit, she stepped forward and curtsied, "Your Highness, I was looking for the rabbit."

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the grey rabbit in her arms, his eyes dark.

When he arrived, he had seen Shen Chuwei laughing and talking with Wu Tan, although he could not tell what they were discussing.

Wu Tan stepped forward, bringing his hands together, "Your Highness."

Xiao Jinyan turned his gaze from Shen Chuwei to Wu Tan, his voice cold, "How did Wu Tan end up here?"

Wu Tan answered unruffled, "I saw the peach blossoms from afar and came over to admire them."

Xiao Jinyan responded icily, "I hadn’t realized that someone who has renounced the secular world would be so captivated by the beauty of peach blossoms."