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The chief monk of the Buddhist Temple blessed Lóng Wei and told him not to turn away from his duties.

“Do all monks love to lecture me?” Lóng Wei chuckled after he lowered his hands.

The chief monk smiled at Lóng Wei. “Monk Yuze used to come at least once a year here,” he said and started to walk along with Lóng Wei in the temple corridor.

“Are you older than Monk Yuze?” Lóng Wei asked.

“He was of my age,” the chief monk stated. He had the praying bead in his right hand as he stopped moving it and brought his hand to momentarily rest.

They stopped meters away from the banyan tree. “We both meditated for hours under that tree,” he stated. “Does Prince Lóng Wei want to meditate?” The chief monk asked with a curious gaze.

“No. I am not patient enough to mediate,” Lóng Wei asserted.

“It will give peace to the Prince,” the chief monk stated.

.....

“It will give me pain. My thoughts will lead me to the point where I hurt my mother all the time. I don’t want to think about it anymore,” Lóng Wei replied.

“Is Prince Lóng Wei regret-free?” the chief monk asked.

“I do not know,” Lóng Wei replied. The rain started pouring and he looked up at the cloudy sky. “When I go to bed, I am unable to sleep. I am unable to forgive myself. Yuze died because of my stubbornness. I kept telling myself that I took revenge for his death. I should forgive myself. However, I am unable to,” he expressed his thoughts to the chief monk. He could not either speak about it in front of his father and wife because he didn’t want them to worry.

“Prince Lóng Wei is in the loop of his negative thoughts. I knew Yuze. He must have seen all this coming. Perhaps he chose this for himself,” the chief monk asserted.

Lóng Wei tilted his head to gaze at him. “You mean he chose to be poisoned?” He inquired.

The chief monk nodded at him. “Yes. Prince Lóng Wei doesn’t need to blame himself for his death anymore. We all have a destined time on this earth. Doing our karmas, we leave this place. That’s life. It is short and we cannot dwell in past for a long time. Yuze knew his student would turn everything right which he did. Forgive yourself and move on.”

“I will try,” Lóng Wei said half-heartedly. He knew it was difficult for him to move on from such a grave loss.

The chief monk rested his hand on his shoulder and said, “Prince Lóng Wei, Yuze took care of you for a long time. Your emotional attachment to him is valid. Prince Lóng Wei has a long life ahead of him. He will see a lot of things in his life. Forgive yourself because that’s what Yuze wanted if he was alive.”

Lóng Wei slowly nodded and felt better after sharing his thoughts. He took a deep breath and then exhaled it. A smile was carved on his lips as he looked at the banyan tree. He recalled a quote from Yuze.

‘A master is like a tree, who gives shade to his pupil. His roots are strong like the banyan tree. In return, he asks for nothing.’

Yuze was that banyan tree for Lóng Wei and Yuze’s contribution to his life, which he could never forget.

“How long Prince Lóng Wei has planned to live in the valley of peace?” The chief monk asked.

“Three weeks more and then I will return to Qinping,” Lóng Wei replied.

“Hmm. I hope Prince Lóng Wei enjoys his stay here,” the chief monk stated.

“I will. The valley is peaceful and the people are really kind,” Lóng Wei replied and decided to take his leave.

“Thank you for listening to me. I have been troubled for many days,” Lóng Wei expressed his gratitude to the chief monk for listening to him.

“Prince Lóng Wei does not need to thank me,” the chief monk asserted and told him to take the common figs with him.

“My students brought the fresh figs from the garden. Follow me,” the chief monk told Lóng Wei, who walked behind him. He remembered how Yuze used to give him fruits occasionally.

After Lóng Wei took a basket full of figs from the chief monk, he left the temple. The chief monk kept looking in Lóng Wei’s direction until he disappeared from his sight.

“Master Ku, who was that young man?” the chief monk’s pupil asked him.

“That was one of the greatest student Monk Yuze ever taught,” the chief monk replied. “He was the famous dragon’s son, Qiu Lóng Wei.”

The pupil’s eyes widened to hear his master’s words. “The one who is called the Sinned Prince?” he arched his eyebrow.

“Prince Lóng Wei is not the sinned prince,” the chief monk stated, “he chose to be called sinned because he could not save his mother.”

The pupil nodded his head and saw the smile of satisfaction on his master’s lips.

“How is Prince Lóng Wei the greatest pupil of Monk Yuze?” the pupil curiously asked his master.

“That is a long story,” the chief monk said and started to move the praying bead in his hand.

Lóng Wei, on the other hand, stopped by a shelter as the rain turned heavier. “Yuze was right. In the end, I found peace here,” he murmured and raised his head to look at the sky. He reminisced about the day when Yuze told him about his birthplace. He had told Lóng Wei if he would miss him ever in his life, then he must visit the valley of the peace.

When the rain turned lighter, Lóng Wei resumed his journey to his temporary residence.