Jinyi Spring

Chapter 180 Escape

Qingxin was silent for a moment, then lowered her voice even further, "I'm afraid I won't survive... but I don't want to drag you down with me."

Zhimiao suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with terror.

Qingxin held her hand and slowly said, "This afternoon, Empress Dowager Cixi told me that I didn't give birth to Red Hare, but a little prince. It was Consort Xue who had someone replace the child with a skinned rabbit and then threw the child into the Bai Cang River..."

Empress Dowager Ci'an was afraid she would reveal it, but she was determined to. Ci'an didn't directly say "Consort Xue," but she wanted to confirm it.

Zhimiao's face turned pale instantly, and she looked at Qingxin in disbelief.

Qingxin continued, "Ci'an also said that the Prince Qin went to the Emperor to demand an explanation but was imprisoned. She suggested that I escape from here and go to the Jingzhao Prefecture to beat the drum and appeal for justice..."

She paused, looking into the young nun's eyes, "I know she's lying to me. They've lured me out, and who knows what methods they'll use to kill me. You're a smart child, you must remember what I said today."

“If something happens to this nun and someone interrogates you, tell them this, and perhaps… it will save your lives.”

Zhi Miao's lips trembled, unsure of what to say. Just now, when Fa Gu and Ci An were talking inside the room, they vaguely overheard a few words outside: "killed the youngest son" and "go to the Empress Dowager to complain."

They didn't understand, but then they realized that's how it was.

Zhimiao felt her mind go blank, and murmured, "Fa Gu won't die, Fa Gu won't die..."

"You must remember what I'm saying." Qingxin squeezed her hand. "If there's only one official present, you absolutely mustn't say it, otherwise the words might not get out. If there are many officials to interrogate, or if you're in the imperial prison, then say it..."

The Imperial Prison is where Ming Shanyue is located.

If Ming Shanyue finds out, her younger brother and son will find out too.

Qingxin released her hand and said softly, "Go out and pretend nothing happened."

Zhi Miao staggered out, her legs feeling weak.

The door closed gently.

Qingxin sat alone in the sunlight streaming in, and laughed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She wasn't afraid of death; she could go over there to be with her daughter—she had always believed that she had given birth to a daughter, not a son.

But she feared that the vile Xue would smear her reputation after her death. She no longer cared about her reputation, but she couldn't hold her son back or cause trouble for Changqing.

Those words... I wonder if they'll reach my son and brother's ears, or even Ming Shanyue's...

Empress Dowager Ci'an hurriedly returned, took the vegetarian meals out of the food box, and placed them one by one on the table.

“The nun observes a vegetarian diet. Only with strength can one think long-term.”

He seemed to be thinking of Qingxin's well-being.

Qingxin silently took the chopsticks, looked down at the bland vegetarian dishes in the bowl, and said, "Yes, only when I'm full can I have the energy to think and the energy to walk."

She ate more than usual this time.

After the meal, Qingxin made an excuse that she was not feeling well and went to bed early to rest.

Even with my eyes closed, I couldn't fall asleep. I kept turning the prayer beads in my hand, thinking about how to avoid falling for those people's tricks.

At night, all was quiet, and the cool moonlight enveloped everything in the world.

Suddenly, the silence of Zixia Nunnery was shattered by a sharp scream.

"Fire! Fire! Help! Put out the fire!"

Flames rose from the temple, illuminating half the sky. Footsteps, splashing water, and shouts mingled together.

Qingxin seemed to have just fallen asleep when she was startled awake by the shouts outside. Startled, she sat up on the kang (a heated brick bed), put on her coat, and went out the door.

Ci'an and the two young nuns also ran out, opened the courtyard gate and stared in astonishment at the thick smoke and towering flames, and could also hear the crackling sound of burning wood.

A young nun pointed in that direction, "It's over by the vegetarian kitchen! It's so close, could the fire have spread here?"

She was almost crying from fright.

An old nun happened to be passing by and said urgently, "What are you standing here for? Quick, go fetch water from the stream to put out the fire."

Upon hearing this, the two young nuns both ran out.

Ci'an didn't move, but glanced back at Qingxin. She was puzzled. That person had said two days, so why were they acting tonight? There were still some things they hadn't prepared. Or was this an unexpected situation, not part of their deliberate plan?

Just then, an old woman carrying a bucket ran over and shouted to Cixi, "Such a big fire! Hurry and put it out!"

This person was one of the people who had contacted her, Ma Jinpo.

It must have been preemptive action, so Cixi did not hesitate at all.

She turned around, picked up the bucket under the eaves, and ran quickly outside. Once outside, she turned back and winked at Qingxin.

It means, run away quickly, this is the best time for you to escape.

In an instant, only Qingxin remained in the Zen temple.

She looked at the firelight, then at the two open courtyard gates.

She felt that the fire was burning suspiciously.

Ci'an was implying that if she escaped, she would kill her tonight?

Just as she was pondering this, a young nun in her early twenties silently approached her. It was Zhiquan, a disciple of Abbess Liaobei.

Zhiquan lowered his voice and said, "Fa Gu, let's go!"

Before Qingxin could speak, he quickly gestured and said, "Abbot Liaobei told you to take advantage of the chaos and leave quickly. The west gate has already been opened. Head west, follow the courtyard wall, and after passing a few osmanthus trees, you'll see the Sutra Repository. After passing the Sutra Repository, you'll reach the west gate. Go out and turn right, and you'll see the Baicang River. Run across the bridge, and someone will be there to meet you. Hurry!"

Qingxin's heart skipped a beat.

Did she let her escape again?

Both of them told her to escape!

To flee or not to flee?

Jing'an said that Abbess Liaobei and Nun Zhiquan were her own people.

But Cixi's words implied an encouragement for her to escape from Zixia Nunnery. If she escaped, would she fall into a trap set by the Xue family?

She stood there, stunned and hesitant.

Zhiquan stamped his feet in frustration, "If you can't trust this humble nun, can't you trust Abbess Bei?"

Yes, Jing'an said that if anything happens, Master Bei will inform her.

She absolutely believed in Jing'an.

Qingxin made a decision in an instant and strode quickly toward the gate of the Zen temple.

I dare not run, afraid that my body, which has endured sixteen years of hardship, will not be able to hold on.

She walked west past the courtyard wall, hurrying along where there were many trees and bamboos. People were all running towards the vegetarian kitchen, and no one paid any attention to her.

After passing a few osmanthus trees, you'll see a two-story building nestled in the woods—that's the Sutra Repository. Beyond the Sutra Repository, you'll see a long red wall with a small door half-open.

She walked a few steps to the small door and stepped over it.

The night wind swept over me, chilling me to the bone.

Sixteen years have passed.

For the first time, she stepped out of the Zen temple and stood outside the nunnery that had confined her for sixteen years.

The outside world, apart from the crescent moon on the horizon, was so unfamiliar that it frightened her.

She paused, then looked around.

To the left is a dark, forested path leading uphill. To the right, a winding path stretches downwards, its end nowhere in sight, and in the distance, the faint sound of rushing water can be heard.

That should be the Bai Cang River.

Qingxin mustered her courage and hurried forward along the path on the right, not daring to stop for even a moment.

After passing through a grove of trees and rocks, a wide river suddenly appeared before me.

The moonlight illuminated the river's surface. Thin ice covered both banks, while the current in the middle remained swift, churning up ice shards as it surged forward. The stone bridge stood silently across the river, like a doorway to the unknown.

She walked towards the bridge, her steps uneven, faster and faster. Her legs were trembling, and her heart was pounding.

But why did she see someone come to meet her?

She had just reached the center of the bridge when a sharp shout suddenly came from behind her:

"Halt! Qingxin Fagu!"

"Come back quickly, or we'll shoot arrows!"

Qingxin looked back and saw several dark figures almost reaching the bridgehead, their torchlight flickering in the night wind. (End of Chapter)