Hu Ji said, "This rabbit is unusual. Keep it so we can study it!"
Lin Xiaosu asked, "Qing'er, where did this rabbit come from?"
"My family happened to catch it in Yinchuan. They sent it to the marquis's residence before New Year, especially for your New Year celebrations."
"Thank your family for me!" Lin Xiaosu said. "Give me the rabbit. No need to stew it. I'll keep it as a pet."
Xiao Hong brightened. "See, I told you! His Lordship is so kind. How could you ask him to eat such an adorable bunny..."
Qing'er shot her a sideways look. "So I'm the bad one, then."
"I didn't say you were bad. You just do little bad things now and then..."
Lin Xiaosu laughed, took the little white rabbit from Qing'er, and waved them away. "Off you go. Whatever food and wine we have will do. No need to prepare anything special. My cousin isn't an outsider."
"Yes!" The two maids withdrew.
Both were happy.
Qing'er was happy because, although the rabbit her family had sent had not ended up on His Lordship's table, he clearly liked it.
Hong'er's happiness was simpler.
She thought the rabbit was adorable and truly could not bear to see it cooked. His Lordship keeping it as a pet was the best possible outcome.
Lin Xiaosu gently stroked the rabbit in his arms and became completely certain.
This was no rabbit!
It was a wondrous creature among the Inner-Earth Beasts, called Di Ting. Buddhist scriptures mentioned Di Ting; legend held that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had one at his feet.
Di Ting could hear the thoughts in others' hearts.
That legend was true.
But it was incomplete.
The full truth was that Di Ting was an Inner-Earth Beast. Within the earthly dao, it was Di Ting, but