Rebirth: The Fourth Lady Wants to Lie Down

The afternoon sun lazily fell on the bluestone slabs of Lingyin Temple, adding a bit of tranquility and harmony to this ancient temple. Yi Ya, wearing a light and elegant dress and holding a small shovel, stepped lightly into the vegetable garden in the backyard of the temple.

Her face was filled with a peaceful smile and she was full of anticipation for the upcoming work.

Bai Zhi, Yi Ya's personal maid, followed closely behind, frowning slightly, looking a little worried. "Fu Jin, are you really going to do the work yourself? Just let the servants do this kind of work, why dirty your hands?" Bai Zhi advised softly, her eyes full of concern for Yi Ya.

Yi Ya turned to look at Bai Zhi, her eyes gleaming with tenderness. "Bai Zhi, you misunderstood. I don't want to do the work of a servant, but I want to experience the life in the temple and practice with the masters." She explained with a smile, "The masters here practice by working. They believe that through the labor of their hands, they can get closer to nature and understand the true meaning of life. I think that our participation in it can also be regarded as a kind of practice."

Bai Zhi was stunned when she heard this, but then her eyes gradually filled with admiration. She was silent for a moment, and finally nodded, "What Fu Jin said makes sense, and it is I who am ignorant. From now on, I am willing to work and practice together with Fu Jin."

Just like that, Bai Zhi said nothing more and participated in the temple work with Yi Ya every day.

They are either busy in the kitchen, helping the monks prepare vegetarian meals. The steaming hot air is mixed with the aroma of rice and vegetables, which makes people happy. Or they are sweating profusely in the vegetable garden, weeding and watering. Every drop of sweat is soaked with deep affection and awe for the land.

Their movements are gentle yet powerful; every bend and every swing of the shovel reflects their love and respect for life.

Yiya found that when she devoted herself to the work, her daily worries and troubles seemed to be washed away along with her sweat. She felt unprecedented ease and comfort, and also experienced the fun and joy of labor and harvest.

"Bai Zhi, look how well these vegetables are growing!" Yi Ya said excitedly, pointing to a lush green vegetable patch, "We planted them all with our own hands!"

Bai Zhi smiled and nodded, "Yes, ma'am. Watching them grow day by day, my heart is filled with a sense of accomplishment. It turns out that labor can really make people so happy."

The two smiled at each other, their eyes sparkling with gratitude and cherishment for life. They knew that the days of working in Lingyin Temple would become one of the most precious memories in their lives.

……

In the evening, the sky was gradually dyed with orange sunset, and Lingyin Temple was shrouded in a soft glow, appearing particularly solemn and peaceful. Yi Ya, wearing a simple and elegant Zen robe, walked lightly towards the main hall, ready to participate in the evening class with the monks of the temple.

Inside the main hall, the dim candlelight flickered, contrasting with the gradually darkening sky outside the window, creating a mysterious and solemn atmosphere. The monks were already in place, with their hands clasped together and their eyes closed, ready to begin chanting the evening sutras.

Yi Ya walked gently among them, found a place to sit down, her heart filled with awe and anticipation for the ceremony that was about to begin.

As the monk's voice began to sound, the entire hall was suddenly filled with the deep and long sound of chanting. The sound seemed to transcend the boundaries of time and space and reach deep into people's hearts.

Yi Ya closed her eyes and let her heart rise and fall with the chanting. She felt an unprecedented tranquility and peace, as if all her troubles and worries disappeared at this moment.

When the chanting gradually stopped, the hall returned to its former silence. Yi Ya slowly opened her eyes and saw the last ray of sunset shining through the window lattice onto her face, adding a touch of softness and holiness to her. She took a deep breath, feeling this rare tranquility and satisfaction, her heart filled with gratitude and joy.

After night fell, Yi Ya returned to her hut with a peaceful heart. Although the hut was simple, it was well organized and exuded a warm atmosphere.

She lit an oil lamp, and the faint but firm light instantly illuminated the entire space, bringing warmth and light to this small world.

Yi Ya walked to the table, gently picked up the pen, ink, paper and inkstone, with infinite emotion and thoughts surging in her heart. She wanted to record her feelings and insights of the day, so that those beautiful moments would be engraved in her memory forever. So, she picked up the pen and began to carefully describe her experiences during the day and the changes in her heart.

"Today's evening class made me feel the purification and sublimation of my soul again. Under the dim candlelight, I seemed to have traveled through the hustle and bustle of the world with the monks and returned to my most authentic self."

Yi Ya thought as she wrote, "And the little house under the night sky, though simple, is as warm as ever. It is like a safe haven, allowing me to find a peaceful place of my own in this troubled world."

As the words gradually took shape on the paper, Yiya's mood became calmer and calmer. She knew that this day's experience would become a precious memory in her life, inspiring her to continue moving forward and practicing in the future. And this hut, this oil lamp, this pen, ink, paper and inkstone would all become her most loyal companions and witnesses on her path of practice.