The Red Mansion

Chapter 316 Turbulent Times in Tianjin, Encounter with Miaoyu

Yuan Yi, Zhuo Shi, Lin Ruhai and their group's trip out of the capital to inspect water conservancy and farmland was not a simple straight-line journey, but a systematic field investigation centered on the capital, first to the east and then to the west, covering the Haihe and Luanhe river systems.

The group left the capital, first going to Tongzhou, then Xianghe, and finally Wuqing. Due to the blockage of the Grand Canal, making navigation difficult, they took the land route.

Along the way, fields were largely destroyed by the flood, crops submerged, and houses collapsed. Refugees, young and old, were fleeing the famine, their faces ashen. Seeing this, Yuan Yi would often stop to inquire. At first, the victims were trembling with fear, but seeing the young prince's gentle and approachable manner, they dared to reveal the truth: when a dike had breached, when fields in a certain village were completely submerged, when children had been sold to other places… Lin Ruhai, standing beside him, scribbled down these tearful words with lightning speed, the booklet gradually becoming heavy as iron, every word a testament to the suffering of the common people.

They arrived in Tianjin that day.

At that time, Tianjin was still known as Tianjin Prefecture, under the jurisdiction of Hejian Prefecture. Originally a bustling port city with both land and water routes, it was now a desolate scene of calamity. The collapsed houses and ruins outside the city were a shocking sight; watermarks, several feet high, remained on the city walls, as if they had been slashed by the claws of a giant beast.

The prefect of Tianjin had already received the report and led his officials to wait at the city gate. Upon seeing Yuan Yi alight from his carriage, they hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects. Yuan Yi said, "No need for formalities, please show us around the city." He then led the officials on foot through the city gate. Although the city had already regained its bustling appearance, traces of water stains still snaked along the base of the walls.

The people gathered around to watch Yuan Yi and his entourage.

Outside one of the inns, nuns including Abbess Huixuan and Miaoyu were crowded together.

Master Huixuan, who was practicing at Panxiang Temple in Suzhou, heard of the relics of Guanyin and the manuscripts on palm leaves in the capital. So, in June of this year, he took his disciple Miaoyu and traveled north along the Grand Canal. Unexpectedly, when they arrived in Zhili, the Grand Canal was blocked, so they had to change to a land route. Due to the unrest among the people, they had to stop and start along the way, and only arrived in Tianjin today.

Hearing the commotion on the street from inside the inn, Abbess Huixuan ordered someone to inquire. The report came that Prince Yuan Yi had arrived. The abbess recalled seeing Yuan Yi at Panxiang Temple in Suzhou last year. At that time, Yuan Yi was still called Jiang Nian and was an imperial envoy and bodyguard. He had left a deep impression on her, so she brought the nuns to the inn to watch from the outside.

Miaoyu was originally a nun who kept her hair intact. She wore her hair in a Miaochang bun, draped herself in a moon-white silk robe, and held a rosary with a whisk in her hand. Because of her extraordinary appearance, which easily attracted trouble, she was wearing a veil at this moment. Although her face could not be seen, her graceful figure was like a peony shrouded in mist, or a jade branch in the fog, possessing a unique and elegant temperament.

Near Miaoyu stood a drunken ruffian. This ruffian was called Yu San'er, who called himself the "River Patrol Inspector". He usually extorted "protection money" from boatmen and vendors along the Haihe River. Today, after drinking, he became even more rampant.

Just as Yuan Yi and his officials were passing by the inn, Yu San'er, who had his eye on Miaoyu's beauty, seized the opportunity amidst the crowd to suddenly reach forward and tear off Miaoyu's veil. As the veil fell away, it was as if the clouds had parted to reveal the moon: Miaoyu's lips were naturally red, her skin like jade, and her beauty was like that of a fairy. At this moment, startled, her bright, clear eyes held a look of fear, which made her jade-like face even more radiant; truly, she was "a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without artifice."

Upon seeing this, the surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar. Some frivolous young men stared wide-eyed.

Yuan Yi was observing the street scene when he suddenly noticed a commotion. He looked over carefully and immediately recognized Miaoyu, whom he had seen at Xuanmu Mountain in Suzhou last year. He was taken aback.

Miaoyu's face flushed crimson, and she hurriedly bent down to pick up her veil and cover her face. Granny Su and her maid Mei'er rushed to protect her, and the three of them, like startled egrets, hurriedly entered the inn. But that fleeting glimpse of her beautiful figure had already been imprinted on everyone's hearts.

Yuan Yi caught a glimpse of Abbess Huixuan clasping her hands and chanting Buddhist prayers in the crowd, and suddenly realized, "Miaoyu really did come to the capital this year! What a coincidence, I've run into her here again."

He couldn't care less about Miaoyu and her disciples for the moment, and took Zhuo Shi, Lin Ruhai and a group of officials from Tianjin with him, heading straight for the prefectural government office.

Miaoyu fled hastily back to her room from outside the inn, her heart still pounding like a deer's, unable to contain itself. Though she tried to appear calm, two blushes, like rouge, had already crept onto her cheeks.

The maid Mei'er stomped her feet in anger and gritted her teeth, cursing, "I wonder which scoundrel who deserves to go to the deepest hell has been blinded by greed and dared to offend you, Miss, by removing your veil!" Granny Su sighed beside her, "My dear Miss! I told you this Zhili region is in chaos these days! With your looks and appearance, you must never show yourself easily in the future. What if you are targeted by some wicked person?"

Miaoyu remained silent, only moving to the bronze mirror and reaching out to tidy her disheveled hair. The mirror reflected a beautiful and ethereal face, but now, due to the fright she had just experienced, coupled with an indescribable sense of shame and indignation, her cheeks were flushed.

She stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror, her mind drifting back to Yuan Yi, whom she had glimpsed just moments before—he wore a dark blue python robe, a golden sash around his waist, his figure tall and upright, exuding an air of authority amidst the crowd of officials. Compared to their chance encounter at Panxiang Temple last year, he possessed an even more dignified and composed demeanor befitting his high position and power. Thinking this, she felt a strange, ticklish sensation, as if a feather had gently tickled her heart.

At this moment, Abbess Huixuan entered, her wise eyes scanning Miaoyu's face for a moment. She clasped her hands together, uttered a Buddhist prayer, and then slowly asked, "Just now outside, how did your veil fall off?"

Upon hearing the question, Miaoyu lowered her eyes and whispered, "Replying to Master, it was forcibly taken away by a drunken rogue who came from who-knows-where."

Master Huixuan sighed deeply: "Amitabha! The turmoil of worldly affairs, the vast and mortal realm, are always obstacles on the path of cultivation!"

Upon hearing this, Miaoyu felt as if a stone had been thrown into her already turbulent heart, causing ripples to spread.

As the saying goes, "The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease!"

Yu San'er removed Miaoyu's veil and saw her ethereal beauty. Like a hungry ghost glimpsing the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Banquet, the more he thought about it, the more his heart burned. A surge of lust, fueled by the lingering effects of the alcohol, rushed to the top of his head. He immediately gathered several ruffians who usually hung out with him, shouting filthyly, "Let's go find that little nun for some fun!" The group stormed towards the inn where Miaoyu was staying.

Inside the inn, Abbess Huixuan and Miaoyu were burning incense and chanting sutras in their guest room, hoping to calm their minds. The sandalwood incense wafted gently, and the chanting echoed softly. Miaoyu held a string of sandalwood prayer beads in her hand, her fingertips twirling them one by one. However, Yuan Yi's tall and imposing figure in his python robe seemed to linger before her eyes, impossible to shake off.

Just as he was feeling distracted and unable to calm down, he suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps outside the door, followed by a deafening commotion! Yu San'er shouted from outside in a rough and wild voice, "Little nun inside! Don't hide! Open the door quickly and have a few drinks with your Third Master. You'll get your share of the good stuff!" Then, the jeers of several other hooligans rang out.

Startled, Mei cried out, "Ah!" Granny Su was both shocked and furious. She rushed forward and used her thin body to brace against the door, repeatedly checking the bolt that was already in place.

Master Huixuan stood up, her face ashen, and shouted at the door, "Amitabha! Who is this madman outside? This is a place where Buddhist disciples reside in quiet meditation, a place of purity. Do not speak nonsense here and defile Buddhism!" Yu San'er was not going to listen to any of this. Seeing that the door was not open, he became furious and cursed, "You shameless bald slave! If you don't open the door, I'll break in!" After saying that, he actually took two steps back, mustered all his strength, and like a mad bull, rammed his whole body against the door.

With a muffled thud, the door shook violently, dust fell down, and the thick latch was cracked.

Miaoyu was so startled that the sandalwood prayer beads in her hand slipped to the ground with a "clatter." She instinctively picked up the veil and hurriedly put it back on her face, as if this layer of silk could keep out the dangers and misery of the outside world.

In this critical moment, Abbess Huixuan's mind raced. She grabbed Miaoyu's cold hand, lowered her voice, and said urgently, "The situation is dire. These scoundrels are lawless and cannot be reasoned with. I will stay here to calm them down for now. You must immediately seek reinforcements! There's a small alleyway behind this guest room. Quickly jump out of the window and run straight to the prefectural government office to find that magistrate! He... he might remember our meeting last year and lend a hand!"

Upon hearing this, Miaoyu's heart trembled. She was always proud and aloof, and disdained to bow down and ask for help from others, let alone a prince or duke she had only met once before.

However, at that moment, another banging on the door, accompanied by the rabble's foul language, left her no time to hesitate. Besides, she had a good impression of Yuan Yi and harbored a strange trust and a secret expectation. So, she steeled herself, gritted her teeth, and, disregarding all decorum, tightened her veil. With the help of Granny Su and Mei'er, she climbed onto the windowsill of the back window and jumped.

Leaping out of the back window, Miaoyu landed in a slippery, narrow cobblestone alley, thankfully unharmed. Without bothering to straighten her clothes, she simply pressed her veil tighter and hurried along the deep alley towards the prefectural government office, her steps uneven.

Before long, they arrived at the prefectural government office. Several guards stood at attention at the entrance, creating a solemn atmosphere. A guard who appeared to be the leader saw a slender woman wearing a veil suddenly run towards them. Judging from her attire, she seemed to be a nun with her hair still intact. He shouted in a deep voice, "Who goes there? This is the Duke's residence, a place of great importance. How dare you trespass!"

Miaoyu had been running all the way, and was still out of breath, with beads of sweat on her forehead. She forced herself to remain calm, took a deep breath, and tried to keep her voice from trembling: "This humble nun, Miaoyu, is a nun from Panxiang Temple in Suzhou. I am an old friend of... I am acquainted with the Duke there. I have an extremely urgent matter concerning my life and reputation, and I have no choice but to come here. I humbly request that you, sir, inform the Duke that I wish to see him!"

The guard saw that although her face was covered, she had a graceful figure and an extraordinary demeanor. He also heard her say that she was an old friend of the Duke. Although he was a little surprised and suspicious, he did not dare to be negligent and said, "In that case, you wait here for a moment. I will go in and report." After saying that, he turned and went inside.

Miaoyu stood at the foot of the stone steps in front of the yamen, surrounded by armored soldiers with piercing eyes. She lowered her eyes and folded her hands, waiting quietly, but her heart was churning with turmoil. She wondered if the high and mighty Duke still remembered her at Panxiang Temple on Xuanmu Mountain last year? Would he be willing to lend a helping hand in this time of crisis?
In a short while, the guard came out quickly, his attitude much more respectful this time. He stepped aside to make way and said, "The Duke invites you, young master, please follow me."

Miaoyu's heart, which had been hanging in her throat, eased slightly. She nodded slightly, said nothing more, and followed the guards into the deep, dark gates of the state government office.

Yuan Yi was sitting in the second hall of the prefectural government office, listening to Tianjin officials report on the local disaster and water conservancy situation, when suddenly a guard quietly approached and whispered, "Fourth Master, there is a female nun outside who is practicing Buddhism with her hair still intact. Her Buddhist name is Miaoyu. She says that she and Fourth Master are old friends. She looks very frightened and says that there is something extremely urgent."

Upon hearing the report, Yuan Yi remained calm and said to the officials, "Please wait on official business." He then got up and took Meng Xiong out of the second hall, where they chose a quiet room to wait.

Soon, Miaoyu gracefully entered. Upon seeing Yuan Yi sitting upright in the chair, she did not remove her veil, but simply bowed her head and said, "This humble nun, Miaoyu, greets Your Excellency."

Yuan Yi deliberately asked, "Is this the Miss Miaoyu I saw at the Xuanmu Panxiang Temple in Suzhou last year?"

Miaoyu nodded: "Exactly."

Yuan Yi smiled and said, "Take off your veil and let me take a look."

Upon hearing this, Miaoyu's ears burned, and a blush spread across her cheeks. After a slight hesitation, she finally removed her veil, let Yuan Yi take a look, and then quickly put it back on.

Yuan Yi smiled and said, "It's been almost a year since we parted last year, and I never expected to meet you again in Tianjin today."

Miaoyu paused for a moment before saying, "It's rare that the Duke still remembers me. Right now... right now I have an urgent matter to attend to."

Yuan Yi suppressed his smile and said seriously, "What difficulties do you have, young lady? Please speak freely."

Miaoyu opened her mouth several times, but finally gritted her teeth and recounted in detail how the ruffians in the inn banged on the door, how they swore and how she fled in a panic.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yi's face darkened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He immediately ordered Meng Xiong, "Gather two squads of guards and personal soldiers, and immediately accompany this Master Miaoyu to the inn. Arrest and bring to justice all those lawless madmen!"

Meng Xiong readily agreed and turned to take Miaoyu to mobilize troops.

Back at the inn, Yu San'er, along with a few ruffians, used brute force to finally break the overburdened door latch. With a loud crash, the door swung open. The group rushed in, only to find that only Abbess Huixuan, Granny Su, and Mei'er were inside; Miaoyu was nowhere to be seen.
Consumed by lust, Yu San'er disregarded everything and slapped Abbess Huixuan, cursing, "You old bald donkey, where did you hide that little nun!" He then ordered his men to search everywhere, but they couldn't find Miaoyu. Instead, they found a box of treasures in the guest room, including a small tea tray with carved lacquer and gold-filled dragon and cloud design in the shape of a begonia flower, a green jade cup, an apricot and rhinoceros horn cup, a small covered cup with polychrome gilt decoration from the Chenghua period, a large box with a single piece of carved bamboo root with nine curves, ten rings, and one hundred and twenty sections, and a set of official kiln porcelain covered bowls with white porcelain filling.

Yu San'er knew that this box of treasure was incredibly valuable. Although he was arrogant and drunk, he didn't dare to rob it in public. While waiting for Miaoyu in the inn, he secretly discussed with his men how to find an opportunity to rob her, so that they could both take Miaoyu and the treasure, thus gaining both the person and the wealth.

Just then, a sudden commotion arose outside the inn. Meng Xiong, leading twenty guards, rushed over, with Miaoyu close behind.

Upon seeing so many soldiers, Yu San'er and his gang of ruffians were terrified. Yu San'er reacted quickly, turning to dash towards the back door of the inn. Meng Xiong, with lightning speed, darted forward, grabbed Yu San'er's hair with his large, fan-like hand, and slammed him to the ground! Yu San'er screamed, falling dazed and confused. Before he could struggle, two soldiers had already bound his arms tightly behind his back. Seeing this, the remaining ruffians, some of the more timid ones, knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly. All the ruffians became prisoners, bound and taken to the prefectural government office.

(End of this chapter)