Song Yinghuai returned to the meditation room arranged for him by the monastery, but couldn't find Caiyu. His handsome face darkened slightly.
"Where is my maid?"
This girl was becoming more and more lawless. With the master not back yet, instead of tidying up and waiting obediently inside, she made the master search for her everywhere.
A young novice monk who was sweeping the yard said, "Do you mean the girl in the lake - blue dress? An hour ago, she borrowed some jade - cutting sand from my senior brother and went to the dormitory."
Only then did Song Yinghuai remember that men and women were not allowed to stay in the same room in the temple, even masters and maids had to be separated.
He thanked the novice monk and then pushed open the door of the meditation room.
The meditation room in the temple was simple and quiet. There was only a straw mat, a couch, a tatami tea - table inside, and a plain vase standing beside a pot of green tea.
The potted plant in the vase looked ancient and vigorous.
He poured a cup of tea and sipped it slowly, his expression unfathomable.
He recalled that earlier Caiyu had spread out her palm in front of him. A handful of bodhi seeds were piled up like jade in her fair and tender palm. Her voice was as clear as jade shattering on the ground:
"My maid saw that there were many bodhi seeds on the ground in the yard. They were so beautiful. So I thought of picking them up to make a string of Buddhist beads for my lord."
Finally, he put down the teacup in his hand and walked out.
Han Fen, who was guarding the door, wanted to follow, but was stopped by him. "I'll go alone."
Han Fen responded and stopped in his tracks.
Song Yinghuai paused for a moment and reached out his hand to him. "Do you have any medicine for sprains and bruises?"
Han Fen was stunned for a moment, then took it out from his bosom. "Yes."
Song Yinghuai took the medicine bottle and walked towards the dormitory.
Meanwhile, after Jiang Jinyue accompanied Concubine Yao to pay respects to the Buddha, a young novice monk informed them that the vegetarian meal was ready.
Jiang Jinyue said, "Aunt, Yue'er will go and invite cousin!"
Concubine Yao was eager to create opportunities for them, so she nodded hurriedly.
Jiang Jinyue went to the meditation room, but learned from Han Fen that Song Yinghuai had actually gone to the dormitory where the servants lived. Her face immediately darkened, and she gritted her teeth and rushed towards the dormitory.
That vixen! Was she trying to seduce cousin into doing something improper in the temple?
——
Song Yinghuai pushed open the door of the dormitory. The dim light inside made him squint slightly.
A slender figure with its back to him was lying in front of the couch, seemingly asleep.
The girl was sleeping quietly. The couch was a bit low, making her lying position rather uncomfortable. Her breathing was louder than usual when she slept in the side - hall. Her long hair was scattered on her shoulders, with half of it falling on the couch.
Her long eyelashes were as black as a young crow's feathers. Her plump and glistening lips were slightly parted, as if inviting someone to kiss her.
Even in her sleep, she frowned slightly, making people couldn't help but want to reach out and smooth the frown.
There were many freshly polished bodhi seeds on the couch, and the pulp of the seeds was still on the jade - cutting sand beside.
The last trace of dissatisfaction in Song Yinghuai's heart vanished.
His gaze shifted downward and landed on Caiyu's ankle.
The thick winter stockings made it hard to tell the severity of the sprain.
Song Yinghuai's eyes darkened slightly. He sat down beside her and held her ankle.
Caiyu suddenly woke up from her dream.
When she realized that her ankle was in Song Yinghuai's hand, she was completely awake from her drowsiness and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:
"My lord? Your maid..."
She wanted to stand up and salute, but Song Yinghuai tightened his grip on her ankle slightly and said in a deep voice:
"Don't move."
Caiyu only let out a hiss of pain. The bone - piercing pain in her ankle made her sit still, not daring to move at all.
She stole a glance at Song Yinghuai and wondered:
"My lord, why are you here?"
This was the dormitory, not a place for someone of Song Yinghuai's status.
Song Yinghuai didn't even lift his head and began to untie her stocking. "My maid has a big temper. Instead of waiting on her master in the meditation room, I had to come here myself."
Caiyu blushed and said awkwardly, "Your maid... Ah!"
She suddenly let out a scream of pain and stared at Song Yinghuai.
"Are you already in pain?" Song Yinghuai pulled down half of her stocking. There seemed to be a hint of mockery in his cold tone. "There is medicine for sprains and bruises in the temple. If you're really afraid of pain, you could just ask the young novice monk. Why did you deliberately let the injury go untreated until now?"
Caiyu was furious.
Why did this man always act as if he could see through everything in the world?
"I'm just a low - born maid. Whether I'm injured or not doesn't matter." Caiyu lowered her head and said sullenly.
"Really?" Song Yinghuai's eyes turned cold. He suddenly exerted force with his hand, making Caiyu scream again. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Song Yinghuai snorted. "The tendon is sprained too badly, and you didn't apply the medicine in time. This foot has to be chopped off."
What?
Caiyu had been in excruciating pain twice, which was much more painful than being beaten by the ruler twice. She was actually scared by Song Yinghuai's words.
She quickly lowered her head and was immediately shocked by the appearance of her own ankle.
This foot... it looked like a big pig's trotter!
It was just that she hadn't used the medicated oil to massage it in time. Just two hours, and the originally slightly swollen ankle had become extremely swollen and shiny.
Now Caiyu was really worried. "My foot..."
Would it really have to be chopped off?
"Scared?" Seeing that she was about to cry, Song Yinghuai finally put away his mocking words. He took out the medicine bottle, poured some medicated oil into his palm, and said, "Sit still."
Caiyu stared at him in surprise. "My lord, you're going to rub my foot?"
She secretly pinched herself and felt like she was dreaming.
It was one thing for Song Yinghuai to condescend to come to the dormitory to find her, but now he was even going to rub her ankle?
Song Yinghuai didn't answer Caiyu's question. He just glanced at the bodhi seeds on the table slightly, and a shadow fell over his eyes.
The prophecy of Master Guangzhi was still vivid in his mind.
This girl... was she really the one who would help him break free from his shackles?
Seeing that he didn't move for a long time, Caiyu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This was originally such a good opportunity to seduce him. Normally, she could have boldly let Song Yinghuai experience what it meant by "Tying my fair ankles, every step is like spring beauty; with embroidered ribbons of love, lotuses bloom under my feet."
But look at the ugly appearance of her ankle now. Not only could Song Yinghuai not experience what "lotuses blooming under the feet" meant, but even she herself disliked it.
Caiyu had no choice but to sit still obediently, but she still couldn't help but cause a little trouble. She lifted her other uninjured foot and gently tapped Song Yinghuai's knee a few times:
"My lord, maybe your maid should do it herself?"
Song Yinghuai was pulled back from his wandering thoughts. He grabbed her ankle as she was pulling it back, and his eyelids drooped. "It's okay. I'll do it."
Caiyu was just a weak girl. She didn't have much strength to begin with, and she was injured herself. Moreover, she had delayed for some time.
If she were to rub the medicine herself, she would surely not be able to exert enough force, and the effect would surely be disappointing.
For the first time, Song Yinghuai put aside all his thoughts when faced with Caiyu's charm. He exerted force with his hand.
Caiyu was immediately forced to shed tears. She reflexively bent her leg and tried to pull it back, but Song Yinghuai pressed it back forcefully and confined it on his thigh.
Song Yinghuai paused for a moment and patiently explained for the first time, "It's better to have a short - term pain than a long - term one. This medicated oil needs to be rubbed in with great force to take effect. Do you want to get better or do you want me to chop off your foot?"
Caiyu looked at him aggrievedly.
Why was his explanation so overbearing? There was clearly only one option to choose from, and she had no choice at all.
"Your maid wants to get better." Caiyu pouted and said.
"Then bear it." Song Yinghuai said in a deep voice.
"Okay." Caiyu replied softly.
Song Yinghuai's big hand was thick and powerful. As soon as he exerted force, Caiyu hissed in pain. Tears kept falling like broken beads.
But Song Yinghuai seemed to have a heart of stone. Seeing her crying in pain, he showed no sign of stopping, and the force didn't lessen at all.
Caiyu couldn't bear it anymore. She let out a soft moan, bent her knee, and moved herself closer to Song Yinghuai by a foot.
She stretched out her arm and put it on Song Yinghuai's shoulder. She cried intermittently and softly:
"My lord, be gentle... be gentle... Your maid can't bear it... Ah... It hurts so much..."