When Zhang Heng returned, he saw Akane squatting by the wooden basin, preparing to make sushi.
Sushi was a type of food that combined the best parts of sushi rice and fresh fish. It was a relatively high-class dish. Legend had it that the 11th shogunate, Tokugawa Ieki, was a greedy and lecherous fellow. His favorite concubine's adoptive father was Nakano Shio. Because too many people wanted to use Shio Shio to become a high-ranking official, there were many luxury stores near Shio Shio's residence. A sushi restaurant had an idea and opened a branch selling sushi next to Shio Shio's house. (But to be honest, I don't think it's that fancy. Anyway, after the news spread, roadside stalls sold many of them.)
"Is this dinner tonight?" Zhang Heng asked, placing the soba noodles and roasted glutinous rice balls on the table. As for the oden, he had already finished it on the way back.
"No, I'm going to Kiyomizu-dera tomorrow. I need to prepare food in advance," Akane replied.
Zhang Heng had heard of Kiyomizu-dera before. Located on the mountainside of Mt. Yinyu in the east of Kyoto, it was built in 778 AD. It was the oldest temple in Kyoto, having survived several fires and reconstructions. The scenery was beautiful, and one could admire the cherry blossoms in spring and the maple leaves in autumn. It was listed on the World Cultural Heritage List and had always been one of Kyoto's must-see attractions.
So Zhang Heng asked, "Miss Akane, are you going to enjoy the cherry blossoms? Can I join you?"
"Ah, you can say that." Akane nodded, seemingly a little surprised. She did not know why she blushed when she answered. "Don't you have to translate?" she asked after thinking for a while.
"It's okay. My employer usually sleeps until noon. If you are going to stay there for a long time, I will leave first."
"Oh, okay. I will make more sushi."
"Thank you," Zhang Heng thanked her.
Recently, he had been touring Kyoto with Gabriel, but the French businessman usually chose places to eat, drink, and have fun. He had no interest in shrines or temples. It was rare for Zhang Heng to visit Kyoto at the end of the shogunate, and he was interested to see what Kiyomizu-dera looked like more than a hundred years ago. Since Akane wanted to go, he might as well accompany her.
Early the next morning, before the sun rose, Akane knocked on Zhang Heng's door.
Zhang Heng opened the door and saw Akane Koyama outside with a lantern in her hand.
Since she was going to the temple, she was dressed very formally today. She wore a red, blue, yellow, and white kimono with a waistband. On her feet, she wore a white footbag and a pair of grass shoes. In her other hand, she was holding a food box filled with sushi that she had made.
The girl spent most of her time in the dojo, dressed in a Taoist robe and a robe for training. This was the first time Zhang Heng saw Akane Koyama like this. Unlike her usual valiant demeanor, she had the demeanor of a little girl. Zhang Heng was slightly taken aback.
"What?" Akane Koyama seemed a little uneasy under the stare. She moved the lantern lower, trying to hide her face in the darkness. "Hurry up and pack up. We're leaving soon," she said with a straight face.
"Okay, wait for me to change." After that, he turned around and walked into the house. Akane Koyama breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, she saw Zhang Heng stop and turn around. "Um … what should I change into when I go to the temple?"
"Up to you, but don't bring any swords."
"Okay."
Akane Koyama saw Zhang Heng walk into the house, but he seemed to have forgotten to close the door. She did not know what to do. Although she could not see anything from here, she could hear the rustling of Zhang Heng putting on his clothes. She could not help but blush. She wanted to rush out of the house, but she was worried that doing so would only make her look worse.
In fact, she felt a little strange. She grew up in the dojo, and her mother passed away when she was young. Other than her father, the only people around her were the dojo's disciples. Almost all of them were men. They practiced swordsmanship together, and they even had some physical contact. She did not think there was anything wrong with that. But now, just standing in the yard made her feel nervous.
Was it because she was dressed too strangely today?
When her father was still alive, she wore this outfit the last time they went to Kiyomizu-dera, and she developed the habit of going there at this time every year.
But this year, it was a little different. There was someone else beside her.
Zhang Heng quickly put on his clothes and washed his face with the water from the well in the yard. Compared to the meticulously dressed Akane, however, he looked more perfunctory. He really did what Akane asked him to do and put on some ordinary clothes.
"Let's go." Akane Koyama did not say much. She carried the lantern and walked in front.
Zhang Heng followed closely behind. Both of them were martial arts practitioners, so their pace was fast. It didn't take them long to reach the Ren King's Gate. Zhang Heng raised his head and looked at the vermilion lacquered gate. The first ray of morning sunlight fell on a corner of the gate, adding a touch of solemnity to it.
From here, the winding stone path extended upward to the west gate. Behind it was the Triple Pagoda and Kaisan Hall. After passing through a winding corridor, they arrived at the famous Kiyomizu Grand Stage.
The Kiyomizu Grand Stage was built on a cliff. Standing on top of it, one could overlook the mountain of blooming cherry blossoms. Although Zhang Heng also had a cherry blossom tree in his yard, the cherry blossoms looked better in a row. From here, one could also see Kyoto's imperial city from the west. The main hall behind it was supported by 139 huge wooden pillars, which made it look extraordinary.
"The scenery here is great," Zhang Heng said. "I've heard people in Kyoto talking about the cherry blossoms at Kiyomizu-dera. Now that I've seen it, it really lives up to its reputation."
Akane Koyama nodded softly, but her body was still a little stiff.
She had been annoyed along the way. When the two of them walked side by side, she always felt awkward. Whenever she quickened her pace, she would wonder if Zhang Heng was staring at her. When she turned her head and saw Zhang Heng admiring the scenery by the roadside, she felt a little disappointed. She felt like she was about to lose her mind.
Fortunately, they soon arrived at the main hall, where they could pay their respects to Guanyin and sort out her messy feelings. Akane Koyama did not know what was wrong with her today. She even had to put on a mental facade to reduce the distracting thoughts in her heart a little.
After the two walked past the stage, they walked along the forest path to the valley below. After passing through a maple forest, they arrived at the Sound Feather Long, famous for its sound of water.
Although it was called a long, it was not a waterfall. There were only three streams of water flowing down the rocks. Even though the sky had just turned bright, there were already people drawing water here to pay their respects.
Little Adorkable said:
Thank you book friend 20190706231038267 for your tip ~
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
