Mount Gold Monastery had never changed, not since River Jiang first came to understand the world.
A high mountain, a tiny monastery, a dozen or so brothers, a handful of elders—the morning bell never missed a day, year after year.
The storms and turmoil of the outside world seemed to have nothing at all to do with this ancient temple.
Its devotees were mostly the few families at the mountain’s foot. On rare occasions, a distant pilgrim would come to worship, which always delighted Master Fabian, the abbot.
But once the excitement faded, Master Fabian would inevitably grow anxious again.
“Bodhi is fundamentally without a tree; the bright mirror is nowhere a stand. Originally there is not a single thing—where could dust alight?” For a long stretch, Master Fabian would mutter this verse again and again.
River Jiang knew that Master Fabian was blaming himself for his own happiness.
Buddhism teaches emptiness of self and things; to be so pleased when distant donors came to worship was, in truth, a sign of incomplete cultivation.
"Why is happiness itself a sign of incomplete cultivation?"
River Jiang could not help but wonder.
Raised at Mount Gold Monastery since childhood, River Jiang had nearly memorized all the Buddhist scriptures. His brothers, the abbot, and the elders all praised him as having 'Buddha bones,' but River Jiang never cared much for such things.
The answers were written plainly in the sutras, yet for some reason, even knowing the right results, River Jiang still felt as if those tomes weighed on his chest like giant stones, making it hard to breathe.
Fortunately, a child's innocence always let him forget troubles far beyond his years.
He never worshipped or chanted sutras, preferring to spend his days with the village children, hunting for bird eggs and teasing crickets. Yet whenever Master Fabian tried to scold him, River Jiang would answer so fluently that even the abbot was left speechless.
At such times, Master Fabian would always smile wryly and say, "The student surpasses the master. I debate Dharma, but I am no match for you. I only hope I live to see you accomplish great deeds."
River Jiang would only smile, never answering.
He knew that when Master Fabian spoke of 'great deeds,' he meant nothing more than attaining Buddhahood.
But did River Jiang truly wish to become a Buddha?
They said Buddhahood meant escape from suffering, but River Jiang could not bear to lose his heartfelt smile. Why, when transcending the eight sufferings, must even the right to joy be cast aside?
Day after day passed; the mischievous boy grew into the leader of the children, still running up and down the mountain as always.
At last, his eighteenth birthday arrived.
Master Fabian summoned River Jiang, intending to have him receive full ordination and become a true monk.
River Jiang took off his monk's cap, stroked his cherished hair, and asked, "Must I shave my head?"
"How can a monk not sever worldly ties?" Master Fabian retorted.
"Have you severed them, Master?"
"Well..."
"If worldly ties are truly severed, why found a sect or build a monastery? Isn't Buddhist cultivation a solitary path? What business is it of others? Isn't this written clearly in the scriptures? If the heart is pure, the world is clear."
Master Fabian fell silent, knowing he could not win the argument. He could only watch as River Jiang cheerfully put his monk's cap back on, humming as he walked away, singing in an operatic tone: "If worldly ties cannot be severed, what's the use of shaving one's head? What's the use, indeed!"
Helpless, Master Fabian could only list him as a lay disciple and assign him chores like carrying firewood and fetching water.
One day, while Master Fabian was chanting sutras in his room, River Jiang came to him of his own accord, knelt, and said, "Master, your disciple wishes to leave the mountain."
Master Fabian was startled. "Leave the mountain? Why do you wish to leave?"
Lifting his head, River Jiang replied softly, "I heard I came down the river; I wish to find my birth parents."
At this, Master Fabian frowned and waved his hand. "Those are worldly affairs—best left alone."
"If things cannot be sorted out, how can they simply be cut away? If the ties cannot be severed, what use is cultivation?"
Seeing River Jiang ready to debate Dharma again, Master Fabian fell silent.
After a long while, he blinked his aging eyes and spoke softly, "It is not that I forbid you, but the world is vast—where will you begin your search?"
"Since I came by the river, I will search along the river. If I have fate, I will surely find them; if not, it will at least end my longing. Master, I ask for your blessing." With that, River Jiang bowed again.
When he looked up again, he gazed quietly at Master Fabian. His eyes were so clear it seemed they could see the truth of heaven and earth, making one feel humbled.
After a long silence, Master Fabian could only smile wryly. "Karma comes full circle... Disciple, go and fetch my zitan box."
"Yes." River Jiang bowed, then went to fetch the precious zitan box from Master Fabian's bedside.
Unlocking it, Master Fabian took out a silk handkerchief and handed it to River Jiang. "Take a look."
The handkerchief was smooth and delicate, finer than any cloth River Jiang had ever seen. But as he looked through it, every word was stained with blood, making his heart race.
As he opened the handkerchief, River Jiang's expression changed dramatically, fear overwhelming his face for the first time. "Master... If you knew my origins, why did you never tell me?"
"Though I knew, I feared it would hinder your cultivation, so I kept silent. Now that you insist on leaving, I have no choice..." Master Fabian hesitated, then, trembling, took out a vest and handed it to River Jiang. "This vest came with you in the basket. Keep it as a token."
River Jiang felt a surge of emotion, almost unable to contain himself, but managed to hold back and bowed deeply.
"Now I go to settle my worldly ties. If I return, I will always remain by your side, to repay eighteen years of kindness."
"Go." Master Fabian closed his eyes deeply.
River Jiang quietly left Mount Gold Monastery and went down the mountain without a word.
At that moment, clouds drifted across the sky.
......
The next day, River Jiang arrived at the private yamen in River Prefecture, seeking his mother, Yvonne Yin.
Seeing him in monk's robes but with long secular hair, the yamen guards took him for a petty thief and refused him entry.
Just as the argument grew heated, a middle-aged woman stepped out.
River Jiang saw her stately bearing, every gesture radiating nobility. He stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, Lady."
The woman was shocked at the sight of River Jiang, unable to speak at first. After a careful look, she grew puzzled, pressed her palms together, and asked, "Young monk, who are you?"
This chapter is not finished ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!
"My ancestral home is Haizhou; I am now a lay disciple at Mount Gold Monastery."
"Haizhou?" The woman asked, "If you are from Haizhou, why did you become a monk in River Prefecture?"
"My father won first place in the imperial exams and was sent by royal decree to River Prefecture. On the way, we were attacked by bandits; my father was killed, my mother taken, and I, as an infant, was cast into the river. Thanks to my master at Mount Gold Monastery, I survived."
The woman's face turned pale. She quickly grasped River Jiang's wrist. "Please, young monk, come inside and sit."
Once seated and served tea, the woman dismissed her attendants and asked, "Young monk, do you have any proof of what you just said?"
River Jiang produced the blood-stained letter and vest, offering them with both hands. "I have the blood letter and vest as proof."
The woman, half in doubt, glanced at the blood letter. She was at a loss, then wore a troubled expression and said quietly, "I am Yvonne Yin."
River Jiang's eyes widened. He knelt instantly. "Mother, please accept your son's bow!"
For some reason, he saw no joy in Yvonne Yin's eyes. After eighteen years apart, their reunion should not be so subdued.
Could the letter be mistaken?
Yvonne Yin helped River Jiang up, asked about his years apart, and showed maternal kindness. Yet she never mentioned revenge, only asking, "What will you do next, my son?"
"Go to the capital and petition the emperor!" River Jiang answered decisively.
Yvonne Yin's face turned ashen. She replied sorrowfully, "You must not."
"Why not?"
"You are a monk. Why meddle in worldly affairs?"
"I have neither shaved my head nor taken vows—how am I a monk? If I do not avenge this great wrong, I am unworthy as a son!"
His words were firm. Yvonne Yin hesitated, then sighed, "Imperial petitions are not easily accepted. Your grandfather is Chancellor Yin. Let me write a letter; you can take it to him in Chang'an."
With that, Yvonne Yin wrote a letter, sealed it, and handed it to River Jiang.
River Jiang carefully put away the letter, bowed three times to Yvonne Yin, and left the private yamen.
He returned straight to Mount Gold Monastery, packed his things, and hurried day and night to Chang'an.
......
Half a month later, at Chancellor Yin's mansion on East Street in the imperial city.
"Please inform your master that a relative from River Prefecture has come to visit," River Jiang said to the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper looked River Jiang up and down. After days of travel, his clothes were filthy. The servant shouted, "Go away, beggar! What relative do you have here?"
River Jiang hesitated, then said, "I am a traveling monk from River Prefecture, entrusted by Chancellor Yin's daughter, Yvonne Yin, to deliver a family letter. Please pass it on."
He took out the sealed letter from his sleeve and handed it to the servant.
The servant, still doubtful, glanced at the envelope. Unable to read, he cracked the side gate open and slipped inside.
Soon after, the main gate swung open. An elderly man with white hair and fine clothes came out with a group, clutching the letter River Jiang had just delivered.
Seeing the old man, River Jiang knelt and cried, "Grandfather, please accept your grandson's bow!"
With that, he kowtowed three times.
Chancellor Yin was deeply moved. He took River Jiang by the hand and led him inside.
Once seated, Chancellor Yin said, "I know what happened to your parents. You are now a monk; let me think carefully about this. Stay here for now."
"I leave everything to you, Grandfather!" River Jiang replied, bowing.
That night, Chancellor Yin arranged a place for River Jiang to stay. For days, he lacked nothing, but revenge was never mentioned again. He only spoke of finding River Jiang a post as abbot of a temple.
River Jiang said, "I cannot think of anything else until my father's murder is avenged."
Chancellor Yin only changed the subject and did not discuss it further.
After more than a month, unable to wait any longer, River Jiang went alone to the imperial city. He saw an elderly official about to leave and stated his case, gaining an audience and submitting his petition to the emperor.
That night, Chancellor Yin was summoned urgently by the Tang Emperor. Returning home, he saw River Jiang and could only sigh.
The next day, Chancellor Yin sent sixty thousand imperial guards to River Prefecture to arrest Lewis Hung and Leo Pike, River Jiang's father's killers.
At River Jiang's request, Leo Pike was flayed alive in the street. He also petitioned for imperial judgment: Lewis Hung would have his heart cut out at Flood Crossing Ferry to honor the dead Graham Chen, and the emperor approved.
On the day of the ceremony, River Jiang invited his mother, Yvonne Yin, to witness at Flood Crossing Ferry. She refused to leave her house, so River Jiang went alone.
After Lewis Hung was executed, a corpse floated down the river. Looking closely, River Jiang saw the face was identical to his own!
River Jiang broke down in tears, believing his dead father had returned.
But unexpectedly, the corpse opened its eyes and came back to life. "The golden carp I once spared here was the Dragon King, who saved me and kept my soul. Now, justice is done, and I live again."