No wonder the abbess inside said sheās not ready to give up worldly ties; she wants to be served even as a monk. Is that really a monk?
"Why are you here?" Luo Linfei had already changed into simpler clothes, removing gold and silver hairpins.
Her hair was tied up like a manās, secured with a peachwood hairpin. She looked quite believable.
"I heard you wanted to become a monk, so I came to see."
"Did you come to talk me out of it?" Luo Linfei said, "I wonāt change my mind, so thereās no need to persuade me."
"I didnāt come to persuade you." Yang Chuxia laughed, "I came to advise you: before you become a monk, speak to your parents. Otherwise, youāll implicate the servants around you. They followed you when you ran away, and they wonāt fare well when they return. But if you become a monk, theyāll have no way out."
"Do you say your servants are unlucky? They might not have enjoyed good days for long, and now their lives are at risk." After a pause, Yang Chuxia added, "Besides, I donāt think you truly want to become a monk. Otherwise, why havenāt you returned their contracts and let them go? If they left, your family wouldnāt implicate them when they find you later. Plus, look around, is there anyone here whoās a monk and still has servants?"
"Their contracts arenāt with me, what can I do? And if they want to leave, they can go; Iām not holding them back."
"Alright, donāt make things difficult for the servants and the people here. I donāt see any commitment to monastic life in you."
"My affairs are none of your business." Luo Linfei said angrily.
"I donāt want to meddle." Yang Chuxia shrugged, "I just canāt stand seeing so many servants die because of you. In a few days, something will be sent to Capital City; you should return with it. Iām not negotiating with you, Iām giving you an ultimatum. Honestly, your mother is clueless. If you really become a monk and stay here, when I return to Capital City, sheāll come to my house causing trouble, saying we didnāt care about you and such."
"Ridiculous, why would she go to your house causing trouble?"
"Sheās gone to Prince Anās Mansion to make a scene more than once; donāt pretend you donāt remember." After a pause, Yang Chuxia added, "Will you leave or not? If not, Iāll tie you up and take you."
"You..." Luo Linfei was furious. But she knew that if she didnāt leave, Yang Chuxia would indeed do it.
Helpless, she had to pack her things and follow them down the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, Yang Chuxia instructed Ye Liu to first send their group to Assistant General Liu, so they could return to Capital City with the main group.
After sending off Luo Linfei, Yang Chuxia got into the carriage and found that the father and son were still at it.
"Still the same game?"
Ye Ziāan nodded.
"They still havenāt decided the winner." Yang Chuxia was amused; this game had lasted too long.
Yet she underestimated their skill. The game lasted three days and finally, Ye Ziāan barely won against Lele by two pieces. But at the start, Lele had let him two pieces, making it almost a draw.
Ye Ziāan was both happy and frustrated.
"In a couple of years, I surely wonāt be able to compete with him." He said to Yang Chuxia.
Yang Chuxia remarked bluntly, "Even now, if you drop your guard, youāre no match for him."
"Ah, having such a child is both joyous and proud."
Though Lele was still a child, he did have a sense of competitiveness.
Another day, he brought out the chess pieces again, "Dad, shall we play another game? This time we must determine a winner."
"How many pieces will you let me have this time?"