Escape to Your Heart

Chapter 232: Visiting the Temple

How could a game of chess possibly end in just a short while?

Fu Tingyun pondered to herself.

Zhao Ling was about to take up his new post in Guizhou, and that Mr. Zhao had once assisted the Emperor in the "Purge the Emperor's Entourage." He must be a man of great strategy. What was called a game of chess might actually be Zhao Ling seizing the opportunity to seek Mr. Zhao's advice on governing Guizhou... It would be best not to disturb them.

With this in mind, she smiled and instructed the Little Monk who had come to deliver the message: "Go and inform Lord Zhao that I’ll take this chance to accompany Fifth Brother-in-law and Fifth Sister on a tour of the temple. If he finishes his game, he can come find us later."

The Little Monk nodded cheerfully and left.

Fu Tingyun quickly apologized to Fifth Brother-in-law, saying, "That Mr. Zhao is here for quiet cultivation and has the temperament of someone beyond worldly affairs—he acts on whims..."

Mr. Zhao had been stripped of his scholarly rank by the late Emperor. Back then, it hadn’t seemed significant, but now that the Emperor had ascended the throne, those around him had become rather guarded about Mr. Zhao. Many people didn’t know who he was, and Fifth Brother-in-law was naturally among them.

He smiled indifferently and said, "It’s no trouble. Ninth Brother-in-law must have met a kindred spirit." He then added, "This is my first time visiting Tanzhe Temple. I’d heard of its fame back in Xi’an, and now that I’ve seen it, it truly lives up to its reputation. Ninth Sister, do you know of any notable spots here?"

Grateful for his thoughtfulness, Fu Tingyun cheerfully introduced Tanzhe Temple: "...There are upper and lower pagoda courtyards where eminent monks of past dynasties are buried... The Guanyin Hall is where a princess of the previous dynasty took monastic vows... On the mountain behind the temple, there are two springs—one called Dragon Spring, the other Clear Spring. Where they converge is known as Dragon Pool. The water there is sweet and clear, its reputation no less than that of Yuming Spring..."

If Fifth Brother-in-law had been speaking politely before, now his eyes lit up with genuine interest. "Then we really must take a good look around," he said. But then, glancing at Fu Tingyun’s belly, he hesitated slightly.

Fu Tingyun knew he was concerned about her pregnancy and whether she could handle the exertion. She quickly reassured him with a smile, "I’ll stay here and have some tea. Fifth Brother-in-law and Fifth Sister can go ahead. Tanzhe Temple is usually packed with visitors—it’s rare to have such peace today."

Fifth Brother-in-law and Fifth Sister were tempted but still hesitant.

Understanding their concern, Fu Tingyun said, "I’ll just rest in the hall, and Yu Wei will be here with me. It’s no trouble."

Though the opportunity was rare, Fifth Sister, eyeing Fu Tingyun’s slightly rounded belly, declined. "...Husband, you go ahead. I’ll stay here with Ninth Sister—we can have a good chat." She added, "Tanzhe Temple is so vast, with the mountain and pagoda courtyards... Just thinking about it makes my legs ache. I won’t go."

Since his wife was reluctant, Fifth Brother-in-law didn’t press further.

Fu Tingyun instructed Zhenzhu to ask the guest-monk to arrange for a Little Monk to guide Fifth Brother-in-law. Meanwhile, she stayed in the side hall with Fifth Sister and Yu Wei, drinking tea.

The winter sunlight was mild, but the spacious side hall remained shadowed and chilly.

Yu Wei suggested fetching a brazier.

"Let’s not bother," Fu Tingyun said with a laugh. "This place is too open—even with a brazier, it wouldn’t make much difference."Yu Wei thought it made sense and took off her fur-lined jacket. "Please drape this over your knees! It'll keep you a bit warmer." She glanced up and noticed Fifth Sister sitting nearby, quickly instructing a young maid beside her to fetch a cotton-padded jacket. "...Give this to Fifth Aunt as well."

"No need for such trouble," Fifth Sister said with a smile. "I'm not like Ninth Sister, who's carrying a child."

Sitting here was indeed a bit chilly, and endlessly sipping tea wasn't much of a solution either.

Seeing the warm sunlight outside, Fu Tingyun thought for a moment and suggested cheerfully, "Fifth Sister, the Guanyin Hall isn't far from here. Since it was once a place where a princess from the previous dynasty practiced asceticism, there's a century-old camellia tree at the entrance. I reckon it must be in full bloom right now. Why don't we go take a look?"

Hearing it wasn't far, Fifth Sister readily agreed.

Yu Wei helped Fu Tingyun up, and they all headed to the Guanyin Hall just east of them.

Perhaps because there were few worshippers today, the area in front of the Guanyin Hall was deserted. A camellia tree as tall as a person stood there, its branches weighed down by large, bowl-sized red blossoms, bending low under their weight. Behind the tree, a grove of emerald bamboo made the fiery red flowers stand out even more.

Fifth Sister was delighted at the sight. "How beautiful! Is this the 'Presented Scholar Red' variety?"

"Indeed," Fu Tingyun replied, making small talk. "How did you know it's called 'Presented Scholar Red'? I remember you used to dislike gardening when we were at home. When did you change your mind?"

"It's all because of your brother-in-law," Fifth Sister said with a laugh. "That year when he was taking the provincial examination, my mother-in-law somehow got her hands on a pot of 'Presented Scholar Red' camellias, saying it would bring him good luck, and asked me to take care of it..."

Their conversation then turned to Fifth Sister's husband's scholarly pursuits. "...I noticed Fifth Brother-in-law speaks with such refinement—he seems like a true scholar. Could it be that managing household affairs has taken too much of his energy?"

"That's exactly what Father-in-law thought, which is why I was given the chance to handle the Yao family's affairs," Fifth Sister said with a bitter smile. "Your fifth brother-in-law does love his studies, but he's read so much that he's become somewhat bookish. His essays often take unconventional approaches, which don't always sit well with the examiners..."

"I see."

Meanwhile, Yu Wei and the others, realizing the sisters were sharing personal matters, tactfully stepped away, standing a good distance from them.

This allowed Fifth Sister to speak even more candidly. "But I think it's for the best... The year Third Older Cousin's Husband earned his Presented Scholar degree, before he even reached the capital, Third Sister's mother-in-law was already arranging for him to take a concubine. She claimed Third Sister needed to stay home to serve the elders, manage household affairs, and raise the children, while Third Older Cousin's Husband needed someone to care for him while he served as an official away from home. If she hadn't passed away early, there would already be another woman in his household..."

Just then, an odd cracking sound came from the bamboo grove behind Fu Tingyun, as if someone had stepped on a branch.

She instinctively turned around.

The wind rustled through the bamboo leaves.

Yet Fu Tingyun had the distinct feeling that someone was hiding in the grove.

Her expression darkened as she called out sharply, "Who's there?"

The bamboo grove remained silent.

Yu Wei and the others, hearing the commotion, quickly gathered around.

Then, the bamboo leaves swayed, and a woman emerged, her head bowed timidly. She wore a lake-green silk cloak and a water-green Xiang-style skirt.

Fu Tingyun relaxed.

At least it wasn't some rogue!

Yu Wei and the others also visibly eased.

The woman then curtsied deeply in greeting to Fu Tingyun."Madam Zhao," she murmured, "I didn't mean to... I was originally offering incense in the temple hall, but when I saw someone coming, I wanted to avoid them... Who knew... they started talking about private matters... I just wanted to step away..."

Though her words were somewhat disjointed, Fu Tingyun understood the gist of what had happened.

The woman before her had her jet-black hair simply tied up with a silver hairpin, wearing no other jewelry. Though the fabric of her clothes was decent, they were somewhat worn and outdated in style, looking like the attire of a woman from a fallen family. Yet since arriving in the capital, Fu Tingyun had never interacted with such households... Puzzled, she asked, "Do you know me?"

At this, the woman raised her head.

Her delicate features were quite striking, though she was painfully thin, her eyes appearing especially large, giving her a pitiful air.

Have I seen her somewhere before?

Fu Tingyun smiled apologetically. "Forgive my poor memory, but I can't recall which family you belong to..."

The woman's face flushed at this, and she mumbled a response.

Unfortunately, her voice was too soft, and Fu Tingyun couldn't make out her words. Noting how shy and reserved she seemed, Fu Tingyun smiled warmly and asked again, "You're so soft-spoken, I couldn't catch what you said."

The woman looked even more embarrassed, but her voice grew slightly louder. "This humble one is surnamed Wu, a relative of Madam Wu..."

Fu Tingyun suddenly realized. "Ah, you're Miss Wu!" But no sooner had the words left her mouth than she remembered Miss Wu was now Yu Jingxiu's concubine, making the title inappropriate. She corrected herself with a smile, "Consort Wu, you've also come to Tanzhe Temple to offer incense?" She couldn't help but find it strange—why would someone from the Yu Family come to Tanzhe Temple at this time? And she felt somewhat vexed—why did she always run into members of the Yu Family at Tanzhe Temple...

Consort Wu stammered an affirmative.

Having no desire to engage further with the Yu Family, Fu Tingyun exchanged a glance with Fifth Sister, then nodded politely to Consort Wu. "Please excuse us, Consort Wu. We'll be on our way."

But Consort Wu froze, her gaze dropping to Fu Tingyun's abdomen. Instead of responding, she blurted out, "Madam Zhao, you're... you're pregnant again!" Her tone was full of astonishment.

Fu Tingyun smiled and nodded.

Fifth Sister, however, sensed something off about the woman. She stepped forward, shielding Fu Tingyun, and began pulling her back.

Though Consort Wu's eyes were fixed on Fu Tingyun, they were dull and lifeless, her entire demeanor seeming vacant, as if she didn't even notice Fifth Sister leading Fu Tingyun away. Suddenly, she murmured, "My child... is gone..." Two clear tears rolled down her cheeks.

As an experienced household manager, Fifth Sister immediately recognized there was more to this story.

A chill ran down her spine. She signaled Yu Wei with her eyes to protect Fu Tingyun while hastily pulling her away. As they retreated, she whispered urgently, "Whose concubine is that?"

Yu Wei and the others had already closed ranks around Fu Tingyun and Fifth Sister before the signal was even given.

"She's Yu Jingxiu's concubine," Fu Tingyun replied, recalling what Zhao Ling had told her. Seeing Consort Wu's state, she too felt something was amiss and hurried along with Fifth Sister.

"What?!" Fifth Sister halted mid-step, gaping at her in shock, her mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.Yu Wei raised an eyebrow and turned to glare at Consort Wu.

"In a place as small as the capital," Fu Tingyun said with a laugh, pulling Fifth Sister along as they walked out, "it's hardly surprising to know someone, especially since this Consort Wu is a relative of Official Wu who lives next door to me!"

"Then you should move somewhere else!" Fifth Sister frowned. "You're fine porcelain while she's just a clay pot. It's not worth stooping to her level."

Fu Tingyun knew Fifth Sister was worried someone might discover her connection to the Yu Family and ruin her reputation.

"Why should I be the one to move?" she retorted with a careless smile. "I'm neither stealing nor robbing. If anyone should move, it ought to be them!"

Fifth Sister parted her lips to reply when Consort Wu's voice called out from behind them: "Madam Zhao, wait! Please wait!"

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Sisters and brothers, Qidian has launched a little Mid-Autumn Festival game. Those interested might want to check it out.

O(∩_∩)O~

PS: Here's a link:

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(End of Chapter)