Chapter 13: Strange Dreams
His question reminded Fu Tingyun once again of Housekeeper Chen's words—"Flies don't bite a seamless egg." She felt somewhat embarrassed and lowered her gaze, her delicate fingers absently tracing the camellia pattern on the teacup. She didn’t notice how the man across from her suddenly turned his face away, picked up the empty teacup beside him, and nearly raised it to his lips before realizing it was empty—a flicker of awkwardness crossing his expression.
Neither spoke, and the dimly lit room grew heavy with silence.
This was no way to treat a guest.
Fu Tingyun pondered, then remembered the medicine in the Menthut Cabinet and stood up. "The medicine you asked for—I’ve got it here." As she spoke, she opened the cabinet.
Two porcelain bottles, one red and one green, sat side by side, their colors stark and eye-catching.
She hesitated for a moment.
He had been completely open with her—shouldn’t she also be forthright and give him the medicine she had hidden in her trunk?
Yet unease prickled at her.
Never mind. If she went to open the trunk now, he might catch on to her thoughts—that wouldn’t do.
With that in mind, she took the bottles and placed them on the tea table. "The green one is for external use, the red one for internal..." She briefly explained the application.
Without further questions, he tucked both bottles into his robe.
"Then I’ll take my leave." His expression was grave. "I won’t have time to come into the city until tomorrow afternoon. At the latest, I’ll return by noon the day after."
Why not until tomorrow afternoon?
The thought flashed through her mind, and she immediately understood.
He was going to steal grain from the granary!
Azure Cloud Temple was the Fu family temple, yet here she was, acting as his accomplice—hardly a noble deed. Pretending ignorance, she softly acknowledged his words and watched as his figure vanished over the rooftop.
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Early the next morning, Fu Tingyun went to see Hanyan.
Hanyan insisted, "This servant is already well. There’s no need for Lü'e to stay and tend to me—she should return to serve you."
Lü'e nodded in agreement beside her.
"Why should those old maids sit idle after meals while you two run yourselves ragged?" Fu Tingyun waved dismissively. "Just rest properly! It’s not as if I lack attendants." She added, "Though facing them every day is tiresome. Since your foot is injured and you can’t go anywhere, let’s chat for a while." She instructed Lü'e to brew tea and fetch some pastries.
If he said he wouldn’t come until afternoon, he was likely planning to steal the grain in the morning or at noon. Best to keep the two maids indoors to avoid them running around and stumbling upon something they shouldn’t.
Hanyan and Lü'e were there to serve Fu Tingyun, and keeping her company in conversation was part of that duty. They had no objections—in fact, they were quite eager.
"What good tea or pastries do we have here?" Lü'e hurriedly said. "I’ll fetch some tea leaves from your room and see what ingredients are in the kitchen to whip up something simple. Please wait a moment."
Of course, Fu Tingyun couldn’t let her leave.
"Any tea will do, and pastries aren’t necessary." She sat on the small stool by the bed. "It’s so hot—no need to trouble yourself. By the time you’ve prepared everything, it’ll be time for lunch. I just don’t want to see those maids, that’s all."
Lü'e laughed and went to prepare the tea. Fu Tingyun asked about their families, which led to gossip about various aunts and uncles they all knew, and soon it was noon.
No disturbances.
Which meant the plan was set for midday...Fu Tingyun didn't let the two of them leave either. She had the serving women bring in lunch and ate at Hanyan's place, then squeezed onto Hanyan's bed for an afternoon nap.
Lü'e was busy fanning them and naturally didn't dare leave for even a moment.
During afternoon tea, a commotion arose from the western side.
Lü'e wanted to go see, but Fu Tingyun stopped her: "Why bother with that? Even if the sky falls, there's still Housekeeper Chen." Lü'e thought this made sense, but as the noise grew louder, Fu Tingyun couldn't help but wonder—had that fellow stolen all the grain? She began to feel restless too. When Lü'e suggested going to check again, she didn't stop her: "Be careful. Don't get so caught up in the excitement that you end up in trouble yourself."
"Don't worry, Ninth Miss, I'll be careful," Lü'e assured her before stepping out of the side room.
Soon, she came running back in a panic.
"Ninth Miss, it's terrible, just terrible!" she gasped. "Someone broke into the temple! Not only did they steal the grain stored in the Mahavira Hall, but they also injured Master Guo Zhi!"
"How could this happen!" Fu Tingyun tensed and immediately stood to leave.
Lü'e hurried after her, explaining, "Master Guohui has already been informed and had Master Guo Zhi carried to Qibao Hall."
Qibao Hall was the residence of Azure Cloud Temple's abbess, Master Guohui.
Fu Tingyun pressed her lips together, both worried about Master Guo Zhi's injury and resentful of why the thief had to hurt anyone. A faint regret stirred in her heart, but she refused to dwell on it further. Her thoughts were in turmoil, yet her steps quickened as she headed to Master Guohui's quarters.
The courtyard was eerily quiet, but seven or eight nuns stood beneath the eaves, their expressions anxious.
Seeing Fu Tingyun, they clasped their hands in greeting. Some of the older nuns even thanked her softly: "...We've troubled Ninth Miss to come all this way!"
"Please, no need for formalities," Fu Tingyun replied gently before getting straight to the point. "How is Master Guo Zhi's injury?"
"We don't know yet!" one nun sighed. "When we arrived, we saw our shishu lying unconscious on the ground. The curtain of the Weituo statue's altar had been pulled aside, revealing the entrance to the cellar..."
Just as she spoke, Master Guohui's calm yet firm voice came from inside the side room: "Who's there?"
The nun immediately stopped and answered respectfully, "It's the Fu family's Ninth Miss. She heard about shishu's injury and came to visit."
Before she finished speaking, the door creaked open, and Master Guohui appeared.
"Ah, Ninth Miss!" Her expression was kind, though worry lingered between her brows. "My shimei was merely knocked unconscious. It's nothing serious—she's already awake." With that, she invited Fu Tingyun inside.
Fu Tingyun heard sighs of relief—the nuns waiting under the eaves had relaxed.
She, too, let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
For some reason, she also felt an inexplicable flicker of joy.
The room was empty except for Master Guo Zhi, who, as Master Guohui had said, was awake and rubbing her head while propped against the large bolster pillow on the daybed.
Master Guohui explained, "She was struck on the head with a club."
Master Guo Zhi greeted Fu Tingyun: "Ninth Miss, you've come!" She tried to rise.
"Rest, please rest!" Fu Tingyun hurried forward to stop her. "Recovering is what matters most! If you're going to stand on ceremony like this, I might as well leave!"Master Guohui listened and said, "Ninth Miss is straightforward, so there's no need for formalities—your injury shouldn't be disturbed!" The last sentence was directed at Fu Tingyun, ultimately concerned that she might find Guo Zhi's behavior impolite.
Master Guo Zhi no longer insisted, apologized, and leaned back against the large bolster pillow.
A young nun served tea.
Housekeeper Chen, hearing the commotion, also hurried over.
After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats according to rank. Master Guohui's expression turned serious as she solemnly said, "Since the last theft in the kitchen, my junior sister and I have been vigilant, often patrolling the temple with our disciples. Today was a coincidence—my junior sister had already finished her rounds but was worried about the dry weather and the long-burning lamps in the Mahavira Hall. She went to check and unexpectedly saw over a dozen ragged men emerging from beneath the incense table of the Skanda statue. Realizing the danger, she tried to run and call for help but was struck from behind by a lookout and immediately knocked unconscious. More than half the grain in the cellar was stolen." She then looked at Housekeeper Chen and added, "I think we should report this to the authorities!"
"Report to the authorities?" Both Fu Tingyun and Housekeeper Chen were startled.
"Yes, report it!" Master Guohui's expression was grave. "The kitchen was robbed once before—this time, the thieves are likely the same group or at least connected. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so familiar with the temple’s layout. And with over a dozen men, they’re probably migrant bandits. Once they target us, it’s like attracting locusts—they won’t stop until they’ve stripped Azure Cloud Temple of every edible thing. They’ll surely return. The temple is remote, and if something happens... there’d be no one to help. If anyone from your household were harmed, I could never atone for it!"
Fu Tingyun hoped Master Guohui would report it—this way, the Fu family would have no choice but to take her back.
She remained silent.
Housekeeper Chen hesitated for a long while before saying, "I think we should discuss this with our family’s elder master first. Even if we report it, we must inform him."
"That’s reasonable," Master Guohui agreed after some thought. "We could also ask the elder master for some alms of rice and flour—the grain shops in the city claim to have no stock, and now even money can’t buy food." She bowed slightly to Housekeeper Chen. "Then I’ll trouble you to relay this."
"I’ll deliver your message without fail!" Housekeeper Chen inquired about Master Guo Zhi’s injury, chatted for a while, then stood to leave. "While it’s still early, I’ll arrange for someone to go back and inform them."
Seeing this, Fu Tingyun also took her leave. "Since Master Guo Zhi needs rest, I won’t disturb her further. I’ll visit again when she’s better."
Master Guo Zhi expressed her gratitude, and Master Guohui escorted the two out of the courtyard before returning inside.
In the room, the young nun was about to clear the teacups.
Master Guo Zhi dismissed her and asked Master Guohui, "Senior Sister, you used the grain theft as a pretext to fake my injury by migrant bandits and insisted on reporting it—are you trying to drive the Fu family away?"
Master Guohui nodded, her kind face turning cold and stern. "Haven’t you realized? The Fu family is using our temple for their own schemes!"
A daughter of the fifth branch being watched by the first branch—how could it not be obvious?Master Guo Zhi hesitated, "After all, we've been supported by the Fu family all these years... Wouldn't this be somewhat inappropriate?"
Master Guo Hui's lips parted slightly as if to speak when someone knocked at the door: "Master Guo Hui, it's Housekeeper Chen!"
Calculating the time, she must have come straight after parting with the Ninth Young Miss.
What was she here for?
The two exchanged glances.
Master Guo Hui went to open the door.
"Abbess," Housekeeper Chen spoke with Master Guo Hui in the inner chamber, "today is already the second day of the seventh month, isn't it? Some days ago, our First Madam had already sent word that we must return to the mansion before the fourth day of the seventh month. At most, we'll wait two more days. I think, Abbess, you might as well wait these two days!"
Return to the mansion!
How exactly would this return happen?
Would everyone go back together?
Or would it just be Housekeeper Chen bringing a few people back?
The room fell silent as stagnant water.
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Thank you all for your support during this time. "The Blossoming Splendor" has made it into the top ten and onto the PK list on the homepage... ( ^__^ ) hehe...
(End of Chapter)
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