Chapter 410 13. It’s Rare to Order Tea and Meditate on Zen

(I am really tired. Steam was stolen. It is useless to appeal. I am mentally broken.)

When time advances to the hottest summer, Yamanouchi Yoshiharu finally returns from Komaba. It is no longer suitable to take a hot spring bath on such a hot day. On the contrary, Fuchu in the mountain basin can occasionally see a breeze, which is cooler.

Since the stroke, Yamanouchi Yoshiharu's health has really deteriorated a lot. He is afraid of cold and heat, and cannot stand the slightest high or low temperature. He could still ride a horse during the rainy season, but now the weather is too hot, so he had to be carried back in a sedan chair.

However, after recuperating in the hot spring for more than a month, Yamanouchi Yoshiharu's complexion has improved a lot. Although he still looks old, he is somewhat ruddy.

Everyone went out of the city to welcome Yamanouchi Yoshiharu back. Yamanouchi Yoshiharu also deliberately showed off the full ceremony of the troops and horses from the town under Fuchu Castle, so that more than 20,000 people in the whole town could see that Yamanouchi Yoshiharu was still alive and well, and there was nothing wrong with him.

Yamanouchi Yoshiharu had no intention of returning to the castle tower, which was not suitable for living. He was supposed to be relocated to the former residence of Yamanouchi Yoshikatsu under the castle, but there were two widows in the house, and it would be troublesome to move them.

In the end, Yamanouchi Yoshiharu simply lived in the Yamanouchi clan's bodhi temple, Shorekiji Temple, under the castle. It was not known whether the forest in the temple was large and dense, or it was close to Lianchuan, but it was much cooler than other places, and the temple was quiet, which was very suitable for Yamanouchi Yoshiharu to rest. [Note 1]

Speaking of which, there was a big man in Shorekiji Temple. Many years ago, when Yamanouchi Yoshiharu was at his most ambitious, he destroyed the Ejiri Shirakawa clan. At that time, the daimyo and the young master of the Shirakawa clan committed suicide in exchange for the lives of the soldiers in the castle.

However, in order to show his tolerance, the Shirakawa clan had a young son who was pardoned by Yamanouchi Yoshiharu and avoided being beheaded on the condition of becoming a monk, leaving a bloodline for the Shirakawa family.

Although he was said to be a monk, the child was only a little old at that time. He was only sent to Shōryūji Temple to be a young monk. In fact, he was imprisoned in the temple.

As the family temple of the Yamanouchi clan, it received donations from the Yamanouchi family and land income sent by a samurai of the Yamanouchi clan. Even if there was no incense, he could live very comfortably. Moreover, as the largest Soto Zen temple in Uchida County, it was very popular.

Living behind the temple, Yoshiharu Yamanouchi was cool and quiet, so there was no problem. Instead, he took Koyata to visit the burial place of the ancestors of the Yamanouchi clan.

According to Harumiya Hosokawa, his great grandfather and the first generation of Ashikaga Yoshiaki came to the country and worked hard. The territory of Yamanouchi Township, which was only 3,000 kan, was all due to the hard work of Yoshiaki, who founded the business.

From 3,000 kan to 15,000 kan when he died 20 years later, he was already a powerful lord. If he had not died young due to an acute illness, he might have created a larger family business.

After paying respect to the three generations of ancestors of the Yamauchi family with reverence, the group returned to the courtyard behind the temple to rest.

Since Yamauchi Yoshiharu had come to Shorekiji Temple, he must have wanted to meet the youngest son of the Shirakawa clan, whose father and brother he had killed and whose sister he had forcibly married, so he asked someone to bring him to meet him.

"Is the little monk okay here?" Yamauchi Yoshiharu might have been able to speak coherently because the temperature and climate in the temple were relatively comfortable.

"The little monk is very happy here, and I am worried that the Prime Minister is worried about him." Judging from his stature, the little monk must be thirteen or fourteen years old, with a handsome face, tall and thin, and his voice is not sharp at all.

Xiao Pingtai vaguely remembered this child. When their family was destroyed, he was only six years old. Now he should be fourteen or fifteen. As for other impressions, there is nothing. How could Xiao Pingtai have thought that he would have any intersection with this child.

"Have you taken the precepts?" Seeing that there were no precept scars on the little monk's head, Yamauchi Yoshiharu asked casually.

"Yes, I received the precepts two years ago, and my name is Shao Cheng."

"Very good, if you have time, you can go to the city to visit your sister, she once mentioned you to me."

After seeing that the little monk did not seem to be dangerous, Yamauchi Yoshiharu allowed him to leave the temple and go to the city to visit Lady Shirakawa. It is said that the lady is only in her early twenties, but she has given birth early in her age.

"I would like to thank the prime minister here." Although the little monk's expression was still indifferent, there was still a little joy in his voice. He chanted the Buddha's name and thanked Yamauchi Yoshiharu.

A few simple words of conversation ended there. A little monk whose father and brothers were all dead and whose retainers were scattered could not cause any trouble. Yamauchi Yoshiharu was too lazy to ask more questions, so he waved his hand and let him go.

Before leaving, Shao Cheng saluted Yamauchi Yoshiharu again and said that he could make tea for him if he had time.

It happened that there was nothing to do around, and besides Yamauchi Yoshiharu, there were only a few important officials of the Yamauchi family present. It is better to do it today than to wait for a day, so let's just do it today, just in time for everyone to have a rest.

This thing is not something that can be done whenever you want. Originally, a quiet room was needed, but it was already very quiet behind the temple, so a small space was enclosed in the pine forest with curtains, and straw mats were spread on the ground, and everyone sat on the ground.

Then they didn't start drinking tea or anything. First, four vases that looked like bamboo tubes but were actually made of celadon were brought in. There was nothing else in them except a green bamboo leaf, and they were placed in the four corners.

Then a purple gold incense burner was brought in. It was very simple. The purple-red incense burner had no decorations. Except for the gold-sprinkled skin, its value could not be seen at all.

The incense burned in it was also very mysterious. It smelled vague and had no refreshing feeling, but there was a faint fragrance that slowly penetrated into the heart, calming the mind and thoughts.

Later, a small clay stove was brought in, using long and thin white charcoal, one section at a time, burning without smoke and taste. Boil it quietly with spring water from the mountain and dew collected drop by drop.

The original monk's robes were simple enough, but Shao Cheng changed into a light blue linen robe, which was more elegant.

After the water boiled, he took out the matcha from the teapot with a bamboo spoon made of tender bamboo, blended the water and powder, and stirred the tea whisk left and right. Slowly, the fragrance of the tea came out, and even the foam on the matcha in the tea bowl showed the Zen meaning.

The first sip was naturally taken by Yamanouchi Yoshiharu. The tea was very hot, so he could only take a small sip and then pass it to the next person.

When it was brought to Xiao Pingtai, there was still half a cup left. Just smelling its fragrance was really amazing. He took another sip, and it was extremely bitter. The first feeling was that the bitterness was indescribable, but then it was fragrant, and even the bitterness was followed by sweetness.

Endless aftertaste!

[Note 1]: The last time I went to the Summer Palace in Beijing, there was an island in Kunming Lake. How many degrees is it outside now? Everyone knows it, 36 degrees or even 38 degrees in the hottest place?

It was hot in Beijing that day, about 30 degrees Celsius. I walked outside. It was crowded and noisy, and I felt hot and stuffy. But when I got to the island in the middle of the lake, I felt a chill on my back and sneezed loudly. I was surprised to find that the island was inexplicably cool.