Jinyi Spring

Chapter 179 Seduction

On the other side of Qingmiao Mountain, the winter sun shines obliquely on the golden roof of Zixia Temple, making the glazed tiles gleam with dazzling golden light.

Ci'an rushed back to the Zen temple, her face deathly pale.

As soon as she entered the meditation room, she slammed the door shut. Leaning against the door, she took a few breaths before lowering her voice and saying, "Master Fa, guess what I heard?"

Qingxin glanced at her, then lowered her eyes again, continuing to spin the prayer beads in her hand. "You've been a nun for so many years, but you still haven't changed your gossipy nature."

Empress Dowager Ci'an stamped her foot anxiously, "Master Fa, this time it's really not about trivial family matters! It's about His Highness Prince Qin!"

Qingxin's eyes widened suddenly, and she almost dropped the prayer beads in her hand. "Serving the King? What happened to serving the King?"

Cixi leaned closer to her, her voice barely audible, “I heard… Prince Qin went to the Imperial Study to find the Emperor, saying that Qingxin Fagu was innocent and that she did not give birth to Chitu, but to a little prince.”

"Someone swapped the baby with something skinned, and then threw the newborn prince into the Bai Cang River. The Emperor was furious when he heard this, saying that Qin Wang was spreading rumors and slander, and imprisoned him in the Imperial Clan Court..."

Qingxin was startled, then suddenly grabbed Ci'an's arms, trembling like a withered leaf in the wind. "What you said... is it true?"

Cixi said anxiously, "I don't know if it's true or not. I just overheard two worshippers whispering about it, and they seemed to have a lot of details. They said that as soon as the little prince's head and neck were exposed, someone snapped his neck..."

She paused, staring intently at Qingxin's expression, her voice filled with a deliberately suppressed urgency, "If it's true, those people are so wicked, how could they harm you like this?"

Her mind was screaming: Go crazy, go crazy...

The people above made her say these words to Qingxin, intending to drive her mad. Most mothers would be devastated upon hearing such words, and coupled with the suffering she had endured over the past sixteen years, she might very well go insane.

If she hasn't gone mad, then these next few days, continue to pity the little prince, stirring her up until she's restless. In a couple of days, arrange a break, deliberately letting her leave the nunnery. When she passes the Bai Cang River, if she feels guilty towards her deceased son, it would be best if she jumped in to join him. If she doesn't jump, then have someone push her in…

Qingxin stared blankly at Cixi, tears welling up in her eyes, but her mind gradually cleared.

If something so important were true, how could it have been casually passed on to just two worshippers? And why did she have to hear it herself? This was clearly meant to provoke her, to make her lose her composure, and hopefully to make her delirious, leading her into some kind of trap.

Jing'an had only been gone a few days ago, and now his own death was imminent?

Jing'an's gentle voice echoed in my ears again: Don't listen to Ci'an; you have to listen to her in reverse...

She was startled. In her haste, she had almost fallen into this bitch's trap.

Seeing Qingxin staring blankly, as if in a daze, Ci'an softly called out, "Master Fa!"

Qingxin seemed to just come to her senses, glaring at her angrily, and muttered, "I knew it, I couldn't have given birth to a monster. It's a son, it's a son..."

As if possessed, she suddenly screamed, "It must have been that vile woman Xue! She harmed me, harmed my youngest son, and now she's harming my eldest son! No, I'm going to the palace, I'm going to complain to the Emperor, and I'm going to ask the Empress Dowager for justice."

At this moment, Qingxin had only one thought: even in death, she couldn't die quietly. These words had to be heard by those outside, and she hoped they could spread, preferably to her son or brother.

Ci'an's expression changed drastically. She wanted to step forward and cover her mouth, but dared not actually do so. She hurriedly said, "Shh... Dharma Master, keep your voice down! This must not be heard by outsiders, otherwise, otherwise we will all be dead!"

Seeing her extremely anxious appearance, Qingxin became even more certain of her guess.

Instead of lowering her voice, she stood up and raised it two decibels, "That bitch Xue, she killed my youngest son, she killed my youngest son!"

Empress Dowager Ci'an wished she could gag her with a handkerchief, and said urgently, "Please, Venerable Fa, keep your voice down..." Qingxin pretended to walk out, "I need to see the Empress Dowager. She is the most impartial person; please ask her to uphold justice!"

Empress Dowager Ci'an disregarded social hierarchy and grabbed her around the waist, saying, "Master Fa, please calm down! Think about it, how are you going to get out of here? How are you going to get to the capital? Even if you do get to the capital, will you be able to enter the imperial palace?"

Qingxin calmed down and slumped onto the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking like a withered blade of grass struck by frost. Her voice was filled with despair, "What should we do... what should we do?"

Ci'an frowned and remained silent for a long time. Just as the light in Qingxin's eyes was about to go out, she suddenly raised her head and said, "I have thought of a way, but I don't know if it will work."

Qingxin urged anxiously, "Speak quickly!"

"Go to the Jingzhao Prefecture and beat the drum to appeal for justice," Ci'an said, enunciating each word clearly. "Make a big fuss about it, let all the people of the capital know about it, and get the Jingzhao Prefecture, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, the Flying Eagle Guard, and the Censorate to investigate together. When it gets to that point, even if the Emperor and the Empress Dowager don't want to see you, they will have to."

Qingxin froze, muttering repeatedly, "Run to the Jingzhao Prefecture? Beat the drum to appeal for justice?"

She finally understood that those people were trying to lure her out of Zixia Nunnery.

Of course, they wouldn't let her go to the capital to beat the drum and appeal for justice, making a big scene. Instead... they would kill her halfway there!

No wonder someone outside her door said Ming Changqing had returned... Those people not only wanted to kill her, but also wanted to drag Ming Changqing into it.

That's outrageous.

Qingxin was furious. Did they really think she was still the naive Xiao Wan from sixteen years ago?

She felt her death was near, but she had to think of her son and die a worthy death.

Years of forbearance had suppressed her anger to the core, and her unusually large eyes stared blankly at Cixi, at a loss for what to do.

“Yes.” Ci’an nodded, then patiently advised, “But this can’t be rushed. You need to figure out how to get out of this situation and how to avoid those who are watching you. For now, all you can do is stay quiet and wait for the right opportunity.”

After a long pause, Qingxin finally said in a hoarse voice, "You're right, this matter can't be rushed, we have to plan it slowly."

She leaned against the cushion, staring blankly at the window paper, which had turned from white to pale yellow.

Ci'an stood quietly to the side, her eyes lowered as she pondered her thoughts.

As dusk deepened, a layer of dark red sunset clouds piled up on the western horizon, turning the white snow on the mountain peaks red.

Ci'an said softly, "It's time of the hour of You (5-7 PM). This humble nun will go to the kitchen to get the meal."

Qingxin seemed not to hear.

As soon as Ci'an left the hospital, Qingxin got up and called a young nun into the room.

Of the two young nuns, the one named Zhimiao was much more clever and composed.

Qingxin gazed at the young face before her, her eyes filled with tenderness and pity, and asked softly, "Zhimiao, you're only twelve years old this year, aren't you?"

He was quiet and reserved, and rarely spoke to them.

Zhimiao was somewhat flattered and nodded, "Yes, Master Fa." (End of Chapter)