As the only child, Yingying was the apple of her mother’s eye. With her father gone, she became the only one that her mother could rely on. However, her own suffering over the death of her father and distress at the delay of the wedding caused her much unhappiness. Noting her daughter’s state, Madam Cui became increasingly worried and anxious. Seeing how quiet it was that late spring day, she instructed Hongniang to take Yingying on a walk around the temple and cheer her up. While strolling through the temple’s main hall, the two ladies encountered a young man.
His name was Zhang Gong but more commonly known as Zhang Sheng, meaning Scholar surnamed Zhang. He was a native of Luoyang. His father had been the Director of the Board of Rites, but both his parents had died of illness several years ago, and he was now on his way to the capital to take the imperial civil service examination. He had come to Hezhong to pay a visit to his old friend Du Que, with whom he had been as close to as a brother since childhood. But Du Que had decided to pursue a career in the military rather than in politics. Du took the first place in the imperial military examination and was now a general in command of an army of 100,000 soldiers charged with guarding the Puguan Pass. Because of the general’s busy schedule, Zhang Sheng was unable to meet with him, so he came to downtown to find lodgings and have a look around. The innkeeper of the inn where he stayed told him of the city’s famous royal temple with lacquered halls and Sarira pagodas, so he decided to go and see it for himself.
The monk Facong came out to greet him at the temple gates. Having offered him a seat and a cup of tea, Facong introduced himself as one of the abbot’s disciples. The abbot had gone out and not yet returned, and he had asked Facong to receive visitors on his behalf in his absence and inform him of them upon his return.
“I came today to pay respect to the Buddha and visit the abbot. As he is not here, kindly show me around the temple, if you please” replied Zhang Sheng.
“With pleasure,” remarked Facong. With these words he accompanied Zhang Sheng out of the room. Bringing all the temple keys with him, he opened the doors to the Prayer Hall, the Bell Tower, the Pagoda Garden, the Arhat Hall and other sacred places within the temple. Zhang Sheng could not help but marvel at the magnificence and exquisiteness of the buildings.
As they spoke, the pair walked along the winding corridors and into the Buddha Hall where they heard the soft voices of two young ladies. Zhang Sheng then saw Yingying and Hongniang emerge from the shade below the trees. It was quite clear that one was the maid and the other her lady, both as beautiful as goddesses descending from the heavens, particularly the lady. Despite her white mourning clothes and grief-stricken face, her elegance of movement and enchanting figure made for a beauty so charming that Zhang Sheng found himself at a loss. He had read about famous beauties before, but this was the first time he had beheld such heavenliness with his own eyes. Upon seeing the handsome young man entranced by her beauty, Yingying herself began to blush.
Zhang Sheng turned to Facong, “Are we not in a temple? How is it that I think I see a lady like a fairy that cannot be seen on earth?”
Facong smiled, “She is on earth. That is Miss Cui, daughter of the late prime minister.” He then related to Zhang Sheng what had happened before and after the minister’s death, adding that Madam and Miss Cui were both staying in the temple for a short while. This information caused Zhang Sheng to sigh longingly.
Seeing these strangers coming their way, Hongniang led her young mistress out of the Buddha Hall. Yingying turned around to give Zhang Sheng one last look before leaving. The young man stood as if in a trance, gazing at the breathtaking beauty as she slowly walked away.
After they left, Zhang Sheng turned to Facong and informed him that before long he would leave for the capital to take the imperial civil service examination. He planned to stay in Hezhong to make his final preparations for the test, but the inns in town were crowded and noisy, making them unsuitable for study. He then asked Facong to do him a favor and ask the abbot if he would rent Zhang Sheng a quiet room in the temple where he could review for the test. He added that his stay would not be long and he would pay well.
Facong passed his request on to the abbot who agreed, recognizing Zhang Sheng’s sincerity, and arranged for him to stay in a room in the backyard.
