Chapter 8 — Rebirth Leaving the Eastern Palace

That day, I hid in the corner and watched, both happy for her and feeling extremely uncomfortable. Happy because from now on she no longer has to endure hunger or cold. Unpleasant because it will be difficult to see her again in the future. After she left, my only hope was gone. To have the ability to protect her, I will do no matter how hard the work is. I secretly hid in the corner of the school listening to Mr. lecture, risking my life to work to make a living. Later, when I heard that the Tham family planned to marry her to the Crown Prince, I was depressed for a long time, feeling that all my efforts for many years had lost their meaning. But I thought, maybe she doesn't want to. If I achieve something, will I be able to take her away from that place? Just when the Emperor believed in Buddhism and regularly summoned monks to the palace, I became a monk and began to find a way to approach that emperor. I acted calmly and steadily, gradually received the emperor's trust, and became a famous Zen master of Thanh An pagoda. At that time, I just thought that even if I couldn't be with her, with my current identity, I could still silently protect her safety. In the years that followed, I always stood from afar watching her beside the Crown Prince. Seeing her become disabled in order to save Tieu Lam. Looking at her, in order to cure her leg, she risked her life to come to Medicine Vuong Coc. I secretly sent someone to show her the way, and used a string of Bodhi beads as an offering to the master of the Medicine Vuong Coc. Seeing her leg recover little by little, I was really happy. Later, I heard the news that the Tham family's royal family had returned. I think the golden girl is back, maybe she can leave. But in the end, what we were waiting for was the news that she had died. At that moment, I completely collapsed. For half of my life, I've been trying my best to move forward, all the motivation is her. Now that she is gone, the world no longer has anything worth remembering for me. I suppressed my hatred, collected all the evidence of Tham Truong Lac's crime, and handed it over to the Crown Prince. I silently watched the Crown Prince severely punish Tham Truong Lac, making her endure all the torment. I also look at the Crown Prince regretting and suffering. But there was no joy in my heart, my mind was filled with the image of her standing in front of me to protect me in the old alley. There is no girl left in the world willing to share a piece of food with me. If I stay in this human world, I will have nothing to miss. I took out the six Buddha beads I had carried with me for many years, consumed all my cultivation, and knelt before the path of reincarnation to pray. I only ask for one reunion, so that you can live a new life, avoid all hardships, and so that I can protect you well. After her wish was fulfilled, I followed her and walked into death together. When I opened my eyes again, reincarnation had begun again. The day we met again, she was panicking and almost fell down. I found a reason to keep her at Thanh An pagoda, using the name of copying sutras to pay off debt to stay by her side. I silently stood up for her to prevent wind and rain and all plans and calculations. Perhaps she had long forgotten that Tieu Thanh Phong once shared cold food with her, relying on each other in the wind and snow in the poor alley. But the remaining life is very long. She will forever remember that the husband who protected her safely through the years was named Luc Thanh Phong. People all say that we practice Buddhahood to save sentient beings, follow the rules, and cut off loveless feelings. But for half my life chanting sutras, I do not seek Bodhi, nor do I seek the next life. I have saved countless sufferings in the world, but I cannot save one Tham Le Dang. Buddhism has thousands of precepts, I have kept it for half my life, just to wait for her to have a peaceful life. Now because of her, I broke the precepts, took off my robe, and left the meditation hall. In this life of mine, practicing is her, breaking the precepts is also her. That person

I will cherish it for the rest of my life... In the end, there is only her. FULL TEXT.