Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 79: Journey to Qing'an Temple

At daybreak, Yun Chu awoke.

Xie Shi'an had come early to pay his respects before heading to Huaide Academy for his studies.

He would continue studying at Huaide Academy for several more months. By the ninth month of autumn, he would directly enter the Imperial College, becoming classmates with princes and nobles.

As he departed from Sheng Residence, Yun Chu could see his retreating figure radiating youthful ambition.

She smiled faintly. After all, Xie Shi'an was still too young. If this were the Grand Secretary Xie of over a decade later, she certainly wouldn't be his match.

Before long, the concubines and children from the rear courtyard arrived. Xie Ping was dressed in vibrant purples and reds, wearing gold hairpins, pearl earrings, and two translucent jade bracelets on her wrists.

"Isn't the young mistress accompanying Madam to Qing'an Temple?" Concubine Tao examined her critically. "Would such attire be disrespectful to Buddha in a temple?"

Yun Chu replied calmly, "Many young women praying for marriage wear similar attire. It should be fine, though you're wearing too many accessories. Remove a couple."

Xie Ping shot Concubine Tao a covert glare.

She instructed her maid to remove the gold hairpins from her hair and handed over the jewelry from her ears and wrists to the maid.

Yun Chu stood up. "While it's still early, let's depart."

Xie Ping followed behind her as they walked out.

Concubine He watched them leave with anxious eyes, her heart feeling as if thrown into boiling oil. She clasped her hands together, silently offering continuous prayers.

Carriages had long been prepared at the Xie residence entrance. Yun Chu and Xie Ping boarded in succession, and the carriage gradually made its way toward the city gate.

Upon reaching the city gate, the carriage halted.

Xie Ping asked uneasily, "Mother, aren't we going to Qing'an Temple?"

"I arranged to go together with Madam Ji," Yun Chu explained with a smile. "You know Madam Ji - you met her at last year's Yun family spring banquet."

Envy stirred in Xie Ping's heart.

Madam Ji was the eldest daughter of Minister Du of the Ministry of Justice, married to the eldest son of the Director of the Office of the Crown Prince's Household. While such status couldn't compare to royalty, it still ranked among the prominent families in the capital.

The people her mother associated with were all noblewomen of high standing like this.

If her maternal grandfather's family hadn't met with misfortune, she too would have been born into nobility, surrounded by daughters of distinguished families...

As Xie Ping lost herself in these thoughts, Ting Shuang's voice came from outside: "Madam, Madam Ji has arrived."

Yun Chu lifted the carriage curtain to see another carriage opposite, its window revealing a bright, smiling face. "Madam Xie, it's been too long."

Yun Chu returned the smile. Counting from her previous life, it had been over ten years since she last saw Du Ling.

After exchanging greetings, the carriages finally proceeded beyond the city walls. After about half an hour's journey, they reached Dayan Mountain outside the city, where Qing'an Temple was built halfway up the mountainside.

Alighting from the carriage, Du Ling approached Yun Chu and snorted, "How many times have I invited you since your marriage, only to be rejected every time? Even our last meeting was only because of the Yun family spring banquet. I am, after all, the young madam of the Office of the Crown Prince's Household. You, Madam Xie, truly show no consideration for my feelings."

Yun Chu cherished this vibrant vitality in her friend.

The version of herself who had married into the Xie family had lost her child, become infertile, been neglected by her husband, and gradually lost all hope in life. She hadn't been in any state of mind to meet old friends.

"Lingling, please stop mocking me with that 'Madam Xie' address," Yun Chu said, taking her hand. "I was wrong before, but I'm changing now."A single affectionate "Lingling" drew the two much closer. Du Ling sighed, "Chuchu, the Child-Granting Guanyin at Qing'an Temple is very efficacious. Many women conceive shortly after praying here. Let's go in."

Du Ying stood before Yun Chu and said, "Sister Yun, you wish to learn how to make pomegranate knots, right? It's quite simple. I'll teach you later."

Yun Chu smiled her thanks.

Du Ying excelled at needlework, and even the Empress would praise the pomegranate knots she wove. Thus, using the excuse of wanting to learn this skill, Yun Chu had written to Du Ling.

The pomegranate knot symbolized abundant offspring and blessings. She knew Du Ling, who pitied her for being childless, would surely bring Du Ying to the meeting.

Xie Ping followed behind them, her jealousy growing increasingly intense.

Now that her mother was merely the wife of a fifth-rank official, she couldn't understand why Madam Ji remained so close to her mother. Such friendship made her envious.

The noble young ladies she usually associated with were all daughters of fifth, sixth, or seventh-rank officials. She couldn't be bothered to cultivate their friendships, and thus had no true companions.

The group entered the temple.

Qing'an Temple was the most popular monastery near the capital, with a constant stream of devout men and women coming to worship.

At the temple entrance, they had to queue to enter. Yun Chu donated two hundred taels of incense money, and a young monk led them directly inside.

Amidst the curling incense smoke and under the solemn gaze of the great Buddha, Yun Chu knelt on the cushion and bowed sincerely.

She wasn't praying for a child, but for the Yun family's smooth fortune in this life, and for her two prematurely deceased children to be reborn into good families...

Xie Ping silently prayed for everything to go smoothly. In all her life, she had only dared to attempt this one bold venture, and she hoped Buddha would grant her wish...

After finishing their prayers, the four stood up. Yun Chu smiled, "Lingling, let's have a vegetarian meal before leaving."

Du Ling, having much to discuss with Yun Chu, quickly agreed. The four followed the young monk to the temple's rear courtyard.

Qing'an Temple regularly received many noble patrons, so the rear courtyard was quite spacious. However, two guards stood watch at a doorway on the eastern side of the corridor.

Du Ying asked curiously, "Those appear to be imperial guards. Which noble personage is here?"

Du Ling shook her head.

Given her status, she naturally knew who resided there, but if her younger sister discovered the Anjing Prince was being punished by staying at Qing'an Temple, her heart would surely break.

Xie Ping glanced twice, secretly memorizing the location of that door.

The four proceeded to the side room arranged by the young monk. Upon entering, Xie Ping said, "I noticed many peonies blooming in the rear courtyard. Second Young Lady Du, shall we go admire them?"

Du Ying, though two years older than Xie Ping, remained childlike and restless in the side room. She immediately nodded and went with Xie Ping to view the flowers in the rear courtyard.

"Xiao Ying is fifteen now, isn't she?" Yun Chu inquired. "Has her marriage been arranged?"

Du Ling replied, "Two years ago, the Emperor ordered my father to bring the Anjing Prince to the Ministry of Justice for training. Thus, the Prince frequently visited the Du residence. Somehow, through these interactions, Xiao Ying developed feelings for him... But I've heard the Crown Prince's serious illness is related to the Anjing Prince, which is why he was banished here to Qing'an Temple. With the Emperor still in his prime, such disturbances have already emerged. Who knows what further troubles await? Recently, Consort De sounded out my mother, suggesting Xiao Ying marry into the Anjing Prince's household. My mother pretended ignorance and dodged the issue. We dare not let Xiao Ying know, or she would certainly make a scene..."

Yun Chu sighed.It is often said that parents cannot win against their children, and indeed, no matter how much Lady Du opposed it, Du Ying remained resolute in her decision to marry.

Around June or July of that year, Consort De would request the Emperor to bestow the marriage. However, before Du Ying could wed into the Anjing Prince's household, the Fourth Prince met with misfortune during the autumn hunting expedition.

On that day, the Emperor was assassinated, and the Fourth Prince, who was under the greatest suspicion, went missing. Months later, when he was found, he was already a cold corpse...

Du Ying refused to believe that the Fourth Prince would attempt to assassinate the Emperor and could not accept that her betrothed had died so abruptly. In her grief, she dashed her head against the Fourth Prince's coffin.

Yun Chu could not comprehend it—how could a mere man lead Du Ying to abandon her parents, forsake her entire family, and die for love at such a young age...