My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 39: Big Fire. 

　　A horse-drawn carriage slowly rolled out of the city gate, heading towards Guanyun Temple. Yun Ling looked back at the imperial city, which was growing smaller and smaller in the distance. Finally, all she could see was the vast blue sky. She turned and sat back down.

　　She slowly closed her eyes.

　　She had lived in this Imperial City for over a decade, enduring oppression and abuse. She had nearly lost her life several times and thought she would have to endure this misery for many years, perhaps even her entire life.

　　Although she had only just left the Palace, it filled her with immense joy.

　　The Crown Prince had granted her permission to leave the Palace for spiritual practice, but also sent several highly skilled female Shadow Guards as her bodyguards to accompany her, ostensibly for her protection.

　　This undoubtedly increased the difficulty of Yun Ling's escape.

　　While ostensibly for her protection, it was also a form of heavy restraint and surveillance.

　　But it didn't matter. 

       Guanyun Temple was a thousand times better than the East Palace. What's more, the Crown Prince was busy with state affairs, especially with the crucial implementation of new policies. He wouldn't have time to come to Guanyun Temple.

　　As long as he wasn't around, she was ninety percent confident she could evade the eyes of her few bodyguards.

　　During her previous trip to Qingzhou, she had interacted with Hua Mei and Xi Que, two of her bodyguards, and had gained some understanding of their methods.

　　……

　　Guanyun Temple was originally built for a princess from the previous dynasty who had become a nun. It was also a place where the princess's female relatives practiced Buddhism. After the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty, several concubines who had committed offenses were sent here to become nuns and practice.

　　Before nightfall, the carriage finally reached the foot of the mountain. From there, they had to continue on foot.

　　The mountain was quiet and secluded, lush with vegetation. A cry from an unknown animal echoed from deep within the forest, startling a flock of birds into flight.

　　One of the female Shadow Guards said to Yun Ling, “Lady Yun, don't be afraid. It's just a lone fox; nothing to worry about.”

　　Yun Ling nodded gratefully and said, “Thank you.”

　　Taking some pastries from her bag, she offered them to the Shadow Guards. “It's almost sunset, and I estimate it will take another two hours to reach the top of the mountain. Would you like some to eat?”

　　She hadn't made many, but there were enough to share with them.

　　The leading female Shadow Guard hesitated, glancing at the pastries in Yun Ling's hand before refusing. “Lady Yun, you should keep them for yourself. We carry our own rations.”

　　Yun Ling understood their hesitation immediately. As Shadow Guards, they were naturally cautious and wouldn't easily accept food from others, for fear of being poisoned or something similar.

　　Nodding, Yun Ling withdrew her hand, not pressing the matter.

　　She could tell these Shadow Guards were even more cautious than Hua Mei and Xi Que.

　　She hadn't planned to escape immediately upon arriving at Guanyun Temple; the beginning was when they would be most alert.

　　After eating, Yun Ling and her party continued their ascent, finally reaching the elegantly inscribed characters ‘Guanyun Temple’ only after the moon was high in the sky.

　　Jìngyún ¹shītai, having received the order, had been waiting at the entrance.

　　Seeing Yun Ling and her party arrive, she came forward to greet them.

　　Jìngyún shītai was around forty years old, with a serious expression and a rarely seen smile.

　　“Since you are practicing Buddhism while maintaining your hair, you must abide by the rules of our Guanyun Temple and forget the worldly honors and riches. Regardless of your identity, my humble self will treat everyone equally.”

　　Yun Ling bowed. “Thank you, Shītai, for your guidance. Yun Ling will keep it in mind.”

　　Jìngyún shītai led Yun Ling to a side room. “You may rest here tonight.”

　　……

　　The moon hung high in the branches.

　　After the hour of the dog (7 pm to 9 pm), Xie Jue lifted his head from the writing desk, set down his brush, propped his elbows on the table, and closed his eyes to rub the aching bridge of his nose.

　　Grand Eunuch An entered the study to report, “The Shadow Guards sent word that Lady Yun has arrived at Guanyun Temple safely without any issues.”

　　Xie Jue responded indifferently.

　　An Zhong sighed, “I hear that the practice at Guanyun Temple is extremely austere. Lady Yun is truly enduring hardship on this trip.”

　　Not only is meat forbidden there year-round, but they also rise earlier than chickens and sleep later than dogs, toiling daily with water-carrying duties.

　　“I heard that Lady Yun didn't bring anything, only two sets of clothes and a few pastries. She should have at least prepared some silver and jewelry.”

　　Xie Jue stopped his movements, slowly opening his eyes. “What would silver be used for in the mountains?”

　　Grand Eunuch An, upon hearing this, suddenly understood and repeatedly said, “Yes, yes, yes, it was this servant who was mistaken.”

　　Guanyun Temple is a place of quiet cultivation; Lady Yun is practicing Buddhism while still keeping her hair, so even if she has money, there's nowhere to spend it.

　　Furthermore, although Lady Yun didn't bring much with her, the four Shadow Guards by her side are no pushovers. They are elite experts carefully selected from the Shadow Guard Department—there's nothing they can't do. With them around, Lady Yun naturally needn't worry about anything.

　　Xie Jue: “Make sure they take good care of her. Report any problems immediately. She mustn't have any mishap.”

　　“Yes.”

　　As soon as the words fell, a guard rushed forward, “Reporting to Your Highness, a message from the Imperial Prison: The man that Lord Xiao brought back from Huai Prefecture, who was about to confess in prison, suddenly died unexpectedly!”

　　The lead is broken.

　　“Died unexpectedly…”

　　Xie Jue's brows furrowed fiercely.

　　Ridiculous.

　　The executioners in the prison know their limits; they might inflict wounds that look severe, but they would never actually injure the bones. Death like this is impossible.

　　The clues to the case from over a decade ago have all but vanished, leaving only a single thread—it's certainly difficult to investigate. But to be repeatedly obstructed…

　　...it's as if every time Xiao Qibai gets close to discovering something, the clue is promptly erased.

　　In this Palace, who possesses such formidable ability?

　　“Strictly investigate everyone who has entered or left the prison in the past few days. Do not let a single person slip through.”

　　The guard: “Yes.”

　　Then, the next day, news arrived that a prison guard, who was not on duty and had swapped shifts, was found hanged outside the city.

　　The lead is broken again.

　　This is getting interesting.

　　……

　　Life in Guanyun Temple was simple and peaceful. Waking early to fetch water and chop wood, reciting and copying scriptures—the sun rose and set, and before she knew it, a month had passed. Yun Ling adapted very well to life in Guanyun Temple; having walked through every corner of the temple several times, she was now very familiar with the place.

　　Even Jìngyún shītai praised her for her serenity and gave her a Dharma name: Jingxin (Peaceful Heart).

　　Yun Ling also got along very well with the other nuns in the temple, never causing any conflict, and they even helped her a great deal.

　　In Guanyun Temple, the only slightly discordant element was the four bodyguards dressed in dark clothing. Although they usually didn't appear in public, their sharp, bloodthirsty aura clashed sharply with the serenity and Buddhist teachings of the temple.

　　Every time Sister Jingping saw them, she would silently offer a prayer for their well-being.

　　Yun Ling would just smile each time.

　　The sun rises and sets, the clouds drift and change.

　　Yun Ling carefully copied a Buddhist scripture and handed it to one of the guards. “I copied this scripture carefully, to pray for His Highness's well-being. It's a small token of my respect. Please, send it to His Highness as quickly as possible.”

　　Since coming to Guanyun Temple, she had been sending a hand-copied Buddhist scripture to the Crown Prince via the Shadow Guards every half-month.

　　……

　　Inside the Eastern Palace.

　　Duke Chen stroked his beard, pacing restlessly. His voice was deep and gruff. “You are the Crown Prince, the future Emperor! Choosing a consort and producing an heir is the most important matter. How much longer will you delay?”

　　Since his sister's passing, no one had taken charge of the Crown Prince's marriage. Only he, as the uncle, could concern himself with such matters.

　　But this nephew of his had always been extremely strong-willed; no one could influence him if he didn't want to do something.

　　Duke Chen was also anxious. “If you find Mu Lanru's temperament unsuitable, your uncle isn't insisting you marry her. But there are other young ladies from prominent families; surely you can choose a couple?”

　　Xie Jue sat calmly behind his desk, his expression serene. “I am still young; the matter of choosing a consort is not urgent.”

　　“If you're not in a hurry, I am!” Duke Chen was practically pacing himself to exhaustion. He suddenly turned. “What exactly are you waiting for?”

　　He glanced at him, his eyes sharp. “I hear you sent a female official to Guanyun Temple, and intend to make her a Cèfēi (secondary consort) upon her return. Could it be for that female official?”

　　So he's not taking a consort now, but waiting for that female official to return before doing so?

　　Xie Jue paused in his writing, then continued to review the memorials. “I do intend to make her a Cèfēi, but she is not the reason for my decision.”

　　“Then what is the reason?”

　　“The new policies have just been implemented; I haven't the energy to focus on other matters.”

　　“You, you…” Duke Chen's beard practically bristled with anger. Remembering that his nephew was now the Crown Prince, he couldn't scold him as freely as he did when he was younger. With a wave of his sleeve, he stormed off, muttering, “You've made me so angry!”

　　After Duke Chen left, the study fell silent once more.

　　Xie Jue put down his brush and wearily rubbed his temples.

　　Grand Eunuch An scurried in, a Buddhist scripture in his arms, his smile bright. “Lord Lin Ying just sent this by express courier—a hand-copied sutra from Lady Yun. It's for Your Highness.”

　　He added, a little conspiratorially, “Since Lady Yun entered Guanyun Temple, she's sent a hand-copied sutra every half-month. This is the sixth one.”

　　“It shows her concern and her feelings for Your Highness.”

　　Xie Jue took the sutra from him and opened it. The characters were neat and elegant, clearly written with care.

　　“Lady Yun truly cares for Your Highness,” An Zhong complimented with a smile. “Even in Guanyun Temple, she constantly thinks of you.”

　　“It'll only be three more months before Lady Yun can return to the palace!”

　　It's His Highness, though. Every time Lady Yun sends a sutra, His Highness reads it, but never responds.

　　Xie Jue lowered his gaze and placed the sutra on the table.

　　Three months.

　　She has been in Guanyun Temple for three months as well.

　　Because of the new policies, he's been too busy to spare a moment. Yet, her thoughtfulness never fails to reach him.

　　The pomegranate blossoms on the pouch at his waist remained strikingly vibrant, unsullied by the passage of three months; as fresh as ever.

　　The image of her carefully tying it that day is still vivid in his mind.

　　“²Zhao Zhao, my intention... doesn't Your Highness understand my heart?” She had said these words twice.

　　As she spoke, her almond-shaped eyes were filled with a gentle, tender light, as if brimming with boundless affection.

　　He hadn't noticed it when he was busy, but now that he's calmed down, he realizes that these three months have passed agonizingly slowly.

　　His gaze fell upon her delicate script, each stroke meticulous, each character written with care, all for him—a testament to her affection.

　　Very well.

　　He would reply to her, just once.

　　Xie Jue carefully rolled up the sutra and placed it aside. He instructed Grand Eunuch An, who was waiting nearby, “Take the painting of observing pines from my room and have Lin Ying take it back to her. Let her rest assured and continue her practice at Guanyun Temple. I will wait for her return in the East Palace.”

　　Grand Eunuch An quickly replied, “Yes.”

　　That painting of observing pines was the last work of the renowned artist Qin Yi from the previous dynasty—the prince's most cherished painting; and he was giving it to Lady Yun.

　　This unparalleled favor was unprecedented in the entire East Palace. And the prince's words—they were clearly a reassurance for Lady Yun... An Zhong was overjoyed and quickly relayed the message.

　　——

　　When Lin Ying returned, she relayed the message to Yun Ling and handed her the painting.

　　Yun Ling looked delighted and said, “Please hang it in my room, so I can see it all the time.”

　　Lin Ying smiled and nodded.

　　Yun Ling then lowered her head to continue copying scriptures, her eyes downcast. Since he'd sent a gift, it meant he wouldn't be coming himself for a while.

　　After half a month, Yun Ling handed another scroll of Buddhist scriptures to Lin Ying, saying softly, “Thank you for your trouble, Lord Lin.”

　　Lin Ying replied, “Not at all.”

　　Lin Ying had become accustomed to delivering Buddhist scriptures for three consecutive months. It was simply a small token of affection from Lady Yun. “By the way, this trip back to the capital will take me two extra days.”

　　The Shadow Guard reports every three months. This return to the capital is a good opportunity to do so. Nothing is likely to happen to Lady Yun, especially with Ying Er, Ying San, and Ying Si guarding her.

　　Yun Ling nodded understandingly. “It's alright, Lord Lin. Go ahead and attend to your business.”

　　“Yes.”

　　Lin Ying went down the mountain with the Buddhist scriptures. Yun Ling and her companions watched her leave, then turned to go back. Suddenly, they spotted a medicinal herb growing beneath a tree—one with blood-stopping and bruise-dispersing effects. The temple often gathered its own herbs, and on a whim, Yun Ling decided to collect some before returning.

　　This gathering took up most of the day.

　　Returning to her room, she saw a scroll of scriptures still on the table. Yun Ling's face changed. “No, I made a mistake! I didn't give Lord Lin the scriptures I copied for His Highness; I gave him the Lotus Sutra the shītai gave me a few days ago. What am I going to do? The shītai wants it back tomorrow!”

　　She looked at the three Shadow Guards behind her with a distraught and anxious expression.

　　Ying Er glanced at the Buddhist scriptures in Yun Ling's hand and comforted her, “Lord Lin has been down the mountain for most of the day; he's probably already in the palace. Let's send this scroll next time. As for the Lotus Sutra, just explain the situation to Jìngyún shītai. I'm sure she'll understand.”

　　Yun Ling shook her head. “You don't understand. Sending scriptures to His Highness every half-month is an agreement between us; I can't break it.”

　　This was a private matter; even as Shadow Guards, they couldn't know the truth of it.

　　The three Shadow Guards immediately looked hesitant and serious.

　　If it was an agreement with His Highness, then sending it later wouldn't work.

　　Without further questioning, Ying Er thought for a moment and made a decision. “Lady Yun, give me the scriptures. I'll go deliver them to Lord Lin immediately; maybe I can still catch him.”

　　After all, life at Guanyin Temple is peaceful and quiet, with few visitors. Lady Yun spends her days chanting and copying scriptures, calm and collected. She's not the type to cause trouble, so nothing major could happen.

　　Yun Ling smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”

　　After Ying Er left…

　　Yun Ling went to a secluded room next to the temple to copy scriptures. To avoid disturbing others, she used this room at this time every day to chant and copy scriptures, sitting for hours at a time—just as she always did. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

　　Ying San and Ying Si, guarding outside the door, exchanged a glance and felt much more reassured.

　　Time ticked by, and as darkness deepened, the candlelight in the small room grew dimmer and dimmer, the flames shrinking smaller and smaller.

　　The light was so dim that Yun Ling could barely see the words she was copying. She stood up, picked up a lamp, and opened the door, rubbing her eyes as she spoke. “This lamp is too dim. I still have half a scroll left to copy. Could someone please bring me some oil?” Only one lamp remained lit in the room, making it even darker, and she was nearly unable to see.

　　She rubbed her eyes, looking quite troubled.

　　Ying San immediately responded, “No problem, getting more lamp oil is no trouble at all.”

　　Yun Ling's eyes curved into a smile. “Thank you.”

　　Then she closed the door again.

　　Turning away, her fingernails almost dug into her palm. She had been agonizing over this for a long time, watching as she naturally laid out all her arrangements, one by one, drawing people away from her side. She had rehearsed this countless times in her mind, all for this day.

　　She knew that Ying San was a stubborn person; she wouldn't easily return until the task was complete.

　　Ying San thought getting more lamp oil wouldn't take long, but unexpectedly, the lamp oil at Guanyin Temple was strictly controlled. She had to find several stewardesses, get their keys, and only then could she get some oil. And these stewardesses slept in four different rooms—east, south, west, and north—and all of them slept soundly and deeply. It was quite troublesome.

　　Quite a while passed, and Ying Si stood there, thinking that Ying San should be back by now.

　　Suddenly, flames appeared in the neighboring courtyard, seemingly a fire. It seemed some young nun had fallen asleep and accidentally started a fire.

　　Life was at stake. Ying Si quickly gave Yun Ling a heads-up: “Lady Yun, it seems the neighboring courtyard is on fire. I'll be right back.”

　　She said she'd just take a quick look and return.

　　Yun Ling's silhouette flickered on the screen, her voice somewhat low and tinged with fatigue. “Go ahead.”

　　Ying Si didn't have time to think and quickly rushed to the neighboring courtyard, turning several corners before finding the source of the fire.

　　Unexpectedly, it was a young nun burning paper. Seeing someone arrive, she quickly extinguished it.

　　Ying Si frowned and said displeasedly, “Didn't you know there's a fire ban in the temple? Why are you burning paper at this late hour?!”

　　The young nun's face was filled with anxiety. She stepped forward and tightly grasped Ying Si's arm. “Today... is my mother's death anniversary. She had a very hard life, and I just wanted to secretly pay my respects to her, burn some paper money for her. I really didn't mean to cause trouble.”

　　“Please don't tell Jìngyún shītai. She'll punish me. I…”

　　Ying Si didn't want to say much more to her, preparing to give her a scolding and be done with it, when suddenly she smelled a pungent smoke. In an instant, her pupils widened, and she forcefully turned her head.

　　Suddenly, a towering inferno met her gaze. A side building was engulfed in raging flames, painting the dark night sky a fiery red.

　　Ying Si immediately leaped onto the roof and charged towards the burning building. But who would have thought that in such a short time, the fire would have spread so rapidly? The flames filled the sky, the heat waves rolling, already completely surrounding the building.

　　Ying Si's numb brain had only one thought: Lady Yun is still inside!

　　She shouted loudly, “Lady Yun!” Trying to rush inside to save her, she was driven back by the flames, unable to enter. The intense heat stung her eyes, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.

　　There was no response from inside, only the sound of burning beams crashing down.

　　Ying San arrived anxiously. Before he could speak, she heard Ying Si trembling, “Quickly, quickly wake everyone up to put out the fire! Go!”

　　The towering flames awakened Guanyun Temple, which had fallen into slumber. One by one, everyone in the temple, tirelessly and swiftly, fetched water to fight the fire.

　　But the fire was too intense; there was nothing they could do. The charred building collapsed bit by bit with a thunderous roar. There was no chance of survival for anyone inside.

　　Ying San and Ying Si felt a heavy weight sink into their hearts.

　　This matter couldn't wait.

　　Ying Si turned, whispering urgently, her face grave, “Quickly send a carrier pigeon to inform His Highness of this!”

　　……

　　Dawn broke.

　　In the spacious archery pavilion, Crown Prince Xie Jue faced the cold morning wind. Standing in the center, he gazed at the distant target with a fierce look. His arm drew back, his long, slender fingers tightening their grip. In the next instant, an arrow pierced the mist, flying swiftly to strike the bullseye.

　　Xie Jue notched another arrow, drawing his bow again. Suddenly, Grand Eunuch An, his face distraught, came running stumblingly, a letter from Guanyun Temple clutched in his hand. He reached the Crown Prince, neglecting his courtly manners; his legs gave way and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, overcome with grief, tears streaming down his face.

　　“A message from Guanyun Temple's Shadow Guards, Your Highness! A side building caught fire in the dead of night. The fire spread too quickly to be extinguished. Lady Yun… she was inside!”

　　She's dead.

　　The taut bowstring in Xie Jue's hand suddenly snapped with a sharp ‘twang,’ under a sudden, forceful strain.

________________

Glossary:

¹ Shītai (师太) is a title in Chinese Buddhism used to address a female Buddhist nun. It literally translates to ‘master sister’ or ‘elder sister’ in English. It's similar to the title ‘Sister’ used in some Christian orders. 

It's a respectful and formal way to address a female nun, similar to how ‘Master’ (师父) is used for male monks.

² Zhao Zhao (昭昭) is a name, but it's also a term of endearment in Chinese. It's similar to saying ‘my dear’ or ‘sweetheart’ in English. 

Think of it like this:

- ‘Zhao Zhao’ is a very affectionate and intimate way to address someone, usually someone you are very close to.

- ‘My dear’ or ‘Sweetheart’ convey a similar level of intimacy in English. 

Because the context is a romantic one, it's likely the character is using ‘Zhao Zhao’ as a term of endearment for the person she loves.

….

T/N: Finally, she escaped! 🤭 Even though it's only three years of freedom (based on the summary), it's okay. At least she won't see the psycho prince for 1095 days.

Translator Mini Theater:

Yun Ling: Haha, FREEDOM!!!

Xie Jue: Such a fleeting freedom...

Yun Ling & Me: FREEDOM IS FREEDOM!!!

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