Chapter 4 — Rebirth Leaving the Eastern Palace

I sat by the window, my heart was empty. Regarding the death in my previous life, I'm not sure whether it was caused by him or not. Maybe he didn't know, maybe he tacitly allowed it. But all that is no longer important. The important thing is that right now we just want to live well. I don't know how much time had passed when the door to the room that was silent was suddenly knocked lightly. Vong Tran slowly walked into the meditation room, his pure white monk robe highlighting his cold and beautiful face. His eyes fell on my ink-stained scripture, his voice was a bit cold: "The scriptures haven't finished being copied yet, but you still have the leisure to argue and chat with others." This time, I didn't answer. He looked at me silently, his eyes deep. After a long time, he said: "If your mind is not calm, then copy ten more books."05 Since Tieu Lam left, he did not come to look for me anymore, I also enjoyed peace. Vong Tran has a solitary personality and rarely speaks all year round. The monks in the temple did not dare to talk to him. But I know that he is cold on the outside and hot on the inside. In the morning, I used cold water to wash my hands and then transcribe the scriptures. My fingertips were so cold that they turned red. He would not say a word of comfort. But he quietly placed the heater next to my desk and calmly said: "If you have a stiff hand, you will miss writing the scriptures, so you have to copy them twice." At night, when I meditated, I caught a cold and coughed, and the next morning there would definitely be a warmed bowl of pear-honey soup on the table. If caught by me, he would only sternly reprimand: "Distractions harm the body, slowing down the progress of copying sutras." Occasionally I absent-mindedly looked out of the temple, but he did not interrupt, just quietly moved to the side, blocking the cold wind blowing towards me. His calm eyes locked on me, not allowing me to continue missing the things of this world. As time passed, I understood that he just wanted me to let go of the past and start life again. Anyway, there's no one who doesn't know about the matter between me and Tieu Lam and the Tham family. Of course you've heard it too. Another month has passed, I have copied one hundred and eight sutras, and the debt that broke the jade pendant is considered to have been paid off; As long as I copy the ten volumes of punishment, I will leave this place. But right at the time when the royal family held a great ceremony to pray for blessings, His Majesty ordered his inner servant to personally go to Thanh An pagoda and invite Vong Tran into the palace to recite sutras for blessings. Vong Tran looked at me, his voice calm: "There is a lack of disciples in the temple. Please follow me into the palace." I instinctively wanted to refuse. The royal palace is a place I often frequented before. Right now, I don't want to have anything to do with that place anymore. Just as I was about to speak, I met his deep, waveless eyes. That look carried a gentle pressure, causing all the refusals to immediately get stuck in his throat. I can only quietly agree. Well, who said you are my creditor? The day we entered the palace, as soon as the Queen saw me, she immediately waved, grabbed my hand and sighed: "This stupid child, why didn't you leave the Tham family before without saying a word?" "Even if Truong Lac has been found, if you don't want to stay, just come find this palace. Do you have to escape to a remote ancient temple to suffer?" I closed my eyes and did not speak. I know your pity for me is not fake. When I was young, people truly loved me. But in the end, she is still the Queen, Tieu Lam's mother, someone who cannot easily climb high and become friends. My heart warmed a bit, I gently comforted him a few words and then bowed my head. I know Tieu Lam is standing next to me, looking at me. But I don't want to look at you. I deliberately avoided his eyes and kept walking next to Vong Tran. I helped him arrange the string of Buddha beads used when reciting sutras, display the sutra texts and dharma objects, and fully view them

Tieu Lam is like an unrelated person. After the blessing ceremony ended, Vong Tran needed to go to the heavenly palace to wait for His Majesty's summons. I followed him to the dew room, but on the way, I was stopped by Tham Truong Lac. With a gentle and harmless smile on her face, she handed me a fragrant bag embroidered with flowers: "Sister, since the last time we broke up, I have always missed you. This is a sedative scent specially prepared by my mother for you. You must accept it, as if not to betray the friendship between us." As soon as her fingertips touched the fragrant bag, a very faint but spicy scent of spring medicine entered my nose. Sure enough, she was still exactly the same as her previous life, unchanged. I calmly accepted it. Seeing that, Tham Truong Lac glanced at Vong Tran next to me and turned around to leave. "Wait." I calmly said: "Miss Tham, your hairpin has fallen."06 "Sister, how could you do such a dirty thing in the royal forbidden place to pray for blessings?" I slowly walked under the old rose tree in the yard, silently looking at the group of royal women surrounding the outside of the room. All eyes were like small, dense needles stabbing towards the tightly closed frost door. Everyone is waiting to see my joke. Tieu Lam stood in the front, his black brocade robe accentuating his tall, straight body. The eyebrows that were usually cold and calm were now tense and tight. He sternly shouted: "Shut up! A Le is not that kind of person." His denial made Tham Truong Lac's eyes immediately red. Tham Truong Lac lowered his eyes, looking pitiful as if he had suffered all the wrongs in the world, chokingly said: "Your Highness, I know that you and your sister grew up together since childhood, our love is deep, I trust you deeply in my heart." "But today the evidence is true, the truth is showing before my eyes." "You said, A Le is not that type of person." Tieu Lam's voice was cold and low. His sharp eyes swept towards Tham Truong Lac, murderous intent appeared between his eyebrows: "Tham Truong Lac, if you dare to slander at will, I don't need to know what status you have, I will definitely abolish you."