Wei Shufen stole a horse from her home and took advantage of the chaos to slip out through a side gate. Mounting the horse, she galloped westward at full speed, only to be blocked by a large crowd of idle onlookers on the southern street of the imperial city before long.
It was already mid-afternoon, with the sun slanting westward. Along the base of the towering city walls of the imperial city, ceremonial musicians slowly lined up on both sides of the cross street, seemingly preparing for some ritual. Wei Shufen led her horse through the crowd, half-listening to the chatter around her. People were saying that several imperial princes would jointly "welcome their newly enfeoffed consorts" tonight, led by Prince Zhao... Huh?
The wedding and enfeoffment ceremony for the daughter of former chancellor Pei Ji was also scheduled for today?
Wei Shufen thought for a moment and then chuckled silently. Auspicious and inauspicious dates were all uniformly determined by the court. If her family had consulted the calendar and found today particularly auspicious for betrothals, it wasn't strange that the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs and Ministry of Rites had chosen the same day for the princes' wedding ceremonies. Moreover, Empress Zhangsun had previously urged them to complete the wedding between Li Yuanjing and Miss Pei as soon as possible, lest it be delayed by mourning if something happened to the Supreme Emperor. With the Empress's golden words spoken, how could the relevant authorities dare to drag their feet?
Well, the Pei siblings had gotten their wish, and it wasn't in vain that they had kindly taken in Li Yuangui... Wei Shufen's nose stung as she lowered her head and pushed through the crowd with effort, remounting her horse to gallop toward the northern part of the city.
By the time she passed through the Fragrant Forest Gate and arrived at the gates of Purple Void Monastery on horseback, the sun was about to set, with dusk closing in on all sides. She was startled to see a large entourage of ceremonial guards and banners fluttering vigorously before the monastery gates, instinctively reining in her horse. A palace eunuch had already spotted her and came forward, demanding loudly, "The carriages of the Crown Prince and Prince Yue are here—who are you?"
Had Crown Prince Li Chengqian and Prince Yue Li Tai come to Purple Void Monastery together?
Wei Shufen didn't dare to act rashly. She dismounted and answered respectfully, "This humble woman is of the Wei family, residing long-term in the monastery for spiritual cultivation." At this point, the eunuch gatekeeper inside the monastery spotted her and came out with an ingratiating smile to explain her identity. Upon hearing she was the daughter of Imperial Secretariat Wei, the palace eunuch's expression softened slightly, stepping aside to let her enter.
Truthfully, she really didn't want to go in. Li Tai was one thing, but the thought of Li Chengqian's perpetually sullen and malevolent face made Wei Shufen feel an indescribable discomfort. She was just thinking of finding some excuse to hide elsewhere when it was too late—chattering voices and footsteps clamored from inside as a group of people emerged toward the gate.
Leading the group was none other than Li Tai's round, plump figure. He seemed to be leaving before his elder brother, bowing in farewell at the monastery gate and exchanging a few more words with a smile. Wei Shufen faintly caught something about "Father ordered me to move into Martial Virtue Hall." Li Chengqian's face was ashen as he glared at his younger brother in silence, wordlessly watching him exit, board his carriage, and depart.
Wei Shufen had already retreated to the side of the gate, quietly stepping back, but she hadn't accounted for Li Chengqian's sharp eyes. With one sweep, he spotted her and called out sharply by name:
"Wei Niangzi, where is the High Truth Master?"
"Uh..." Wasn't she inside the monastery? Wei Shufen glanced up at Jing Xuan, who had come out to see off the guests. The middle-aged Daoist nun shook her head frantically, so she could only reply, "This humble woman truly does not know. I've just come from home and entered the park outside the city..."
Before they could exchange more than a couple of sentences, a yellow shadow suddenly flashed from inside the gate, accompanied by a gust of fishy wind—the fat leopard Atun leaped out, pouncing on Wei Shufen to playfully nuzzle her. Having stayed at the monastery for so long, she was already familiar with the leopard. Out of habit, she embraced it, stroking its furry head and ears, then scratching its chin while firmly holding the leopard to prevent it from moving around. Otherwise, if another "leopard attacks the heir apparent" incident occurred, things would become even more chaotic.Seeing that she truly didn't seem to know Chai Yingluo's whereabouts, Li Chengqian ignored her further. His purple robe and jade belt swayed as he strode toward his carriage and horses. The Taoist nun Jing Xuan hurried after him, smiling apologetically and explaining that "the High Truth Master indeed left no message." Without waiting for her to finish, Li Chengqian flicked his sleeve and mounted his horse, riding off. The grand procession followed behind him in a majestic line, winding westward.
This arrogant and rude behavior was truly the consistent nature of the Li family men...
Wei Shufen smiled bitterly, released the leopard, straightened up, and brushed the dust from her skirt. Jing Xuan had already come forward to support her, chattering, "Wei Niangzi, weren't you supposed to be betrothed today? Why have you returned?" Wei Shufen didn't answer her question but instead asked, "Why did the Crown Prince and Prince Yue suddenly come? And where has the High Truth Master gone?"
"Prince Yue arrived first, saying he had some words for Chai Niangzi. He had just entered when the Crown Prince followed him in. It turns out both brothers were on their way to the Great Peace Palace and stopped by the Purple Void Monastery. The Crown Prince's Palace was also tasked by the Son of Heaven to convey congratulations on the royal weddings. As for the abbess..." Jing Xuan hesitated, then leaned closer to Wei Shufen. "She's actually inside the monastery but doesn't wish to see the brothers, so she told this servant to say she left in the morning."
"Where is she?" Wei Shufen also lowered her voice. It wasn't surprising that Chai Yingluo refused to see Li Chengqian and his brother. The Crown Prince's Palace had already sent trusted guards several times, claiming the Crown Prince or Crown Princess wished to speak with the High Truth Master, but Chai Yingluo had always found ways to decline. Prince Yue's household had sent fewer messengers, but Chai Yingluo had rejected them all the same.
What exactly were these two full-blooded imperial brothers up to...?
Jing Xuan led Wei Shufen to the alchemy chamber in the northwest corner of the Purple Void Monastery. The Taoist School placed great emphasis on alchemy, with strict rules regarding direction, timing, ingredients, and assistants. It was said even the servants attending the furnace had their birth charts scrutinized to avoid any conflicts. Despite having lived at the monastery for so long, Wei Shufen had never entered the alchemy courtyard before.
Today, as she and Jing Xuan passed through the main courtyard's Three Pure Ones Pavilion and Four Guardians Hall, circling behind the pond and hill, they approached the alchemy courtyard gate. Suddenly, they heard a woman's cries from inside:
"...I’ll never dare again... Ahhh... Please spare this servant..."
Both were startled. Wei Shufen, disregarding propriety, quickened her steps and entered. Inside, a young maidservant rolled on the ground, while a sturdy woman wielded a whip, already lashing her. The alchemy chamber was mostly dug into the hillside, with tiled eaves and earthen walls built outside the cave. Chai Yingluo, clad in a Taoist robe, sat on the veranda under the eaves, her face livid.
Jing Xuan glanced at the beaten maidservant and hurried forward to kneel and plead for mercy. Though unsure of the situation, Wei Shufen couldn't bear the sight and also stepped forward to intercede. Chai Yingluo pointed angrily at the girl and raged:
"This wretched slave does nothing but eat and sleep! She even dared to doze off while tending the furnace, missing the critical moment. The fire went out, and the cauldron's color turned wrong—the entire batch is ruined! I spent seven days and nights refining that furnace of amethyst quartz, pure stalactite, and the 'Radiant Dawn Elixir' ingredients gathered over years of effort—all wasted in one stroke! Beating her to death wouldn't repay the loss!"So Chai Yingluo had hidden in the alchemy chamber to avoid Li Tai and his brother... Wei Shufen glanced at the dark chamber door behind her, from which wafted the scorched smell of smoke and fire. Peering further into the cavernous space, she could make out the faint glow from several furnace openings, silhouetting the mysterious form of a large three-legged cauldron.
The maid's wails grew increasingly pitiful. Wei Shufen consoled, "It's understandable you're upset after years of effort were ruined in an instant. But beating the lazy maid to death won't change anything, will it? Alchemy depends on fate and fortune after all. My father once practiced alchemy too, and told A Fen that the ways of heaven are mysterious and unfathomable to mortals - only one in ten mercury refining attempts succeeds. As long as the cauldron opening doesn't harm oneself, it counts as moderate success. Though this batch didn't fully succeed, Sister Ying, you've accumulated merit that will surely bring great fortune in future."
Hearing her ramble so incongruously, Chai Yingluo couldn't help but burst out laughing before sighing:
"Silly girl, do you think I'm trying to become an immortal through alchemy? Though named 'Radiant Dawn Elixir,' this is actually a tonic for women. Beyond its rare ingredients, its foundation is jujube paste with white salt - regular consumption greatly strengthens the constitution. Just two days ago I informed the Empress this batch would be ready to present at the Hall of Established Governance. And now? I'll have to go empty-handed - what am I supposed to offer at court?"
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