magicChapter 612   Small Jing’an Temple; Who Are You?

The Small Jing’an Temple was as quiet and peaceful as ever. Tucked behind trees, the out-of-view prayer hall seemed even more serene.

Ning Xueyan lit three incense sticks in front of the Buddha statue and knelt on a prayer mat. She put her palms together in prayer and closed her eyes.

Lanning stepped out of the hall.

“Princess Yi!” The sound of the door opening shattered the serenity of the prayer hall. Then came the sound of someone entering the hall and addressing Ning Xueyan in a soft voice.

When Ning Xueyan opened her eyes, she saw Senior Nun Jing Kong standing in front of her with a kind smile.

Still kneeling, she put on a nonchalant smile. “Senior Nun Jing Kong!”

Senior Nun Jing Kong nodded. After respectfully saluting the statue of Buddha, she settled down on a prayer mat beside Ning Xueyan. She looked at her without wavering. “Princess Yi, have you come here for me?”

Her expression was amiable as if she expected no other answer from Ning Xueyan. The mirth in her gentle gaze could easily elicit the feeling of intimacy from another. She seemed completely different from how she looked in front of Honored Consort Xia before.

Ning Xueyan nodded. After a brief pause, she asked, “Senior Nun, do you know who I am?”

Instead of replying, Senior Nun Jing Kong asked, “Have you found out who you are, Princess Yi?”

This time, Ning Xueyan nodded as a reply.

“Since you have found out who you are, you should also understand why I told you about Ning Ziying’s origins. I only told you because I knew you have found out about it.” Senior Nun Jing Kong sighed. She looked at the empty ground outside, fleeting grief crossing her eyes.

When Ning Xueyan came here to ask about Ning Ziying’s origins in the past, Senior Nun Jing Kong gave her very little trouble and answered nearly every question she had about Ning Ziying’s life. This was at a time where everyone in the country was looking for the former Grand Elder Princess, who possessed the military medallion and treasures of the previous dynasty. Even the Emperor was desperate to find her.

However, after Ning Ziying was discovered, she was placed in the capital for three years without anyone ever realizing it. This was an enormous secret and yet, Senior Nun Jing Kong honestly answered every one of Ning Xueyan’s questions. This was strange—unless she thought Ning Xueyan was trustworthy.

And the reason for this trust was her identity as Ning Ziying’s biological sister and daughter of the former Empress, the other princess.

This meant that Senior Nun Jing Kong not only knew about Ning Ziying’s identity, but she was also aware of Ning Xueyan’s origins.

“Who are you?” Ning Xueyan raised her head and sized up the nun in front of her quietly. The nun’s face was unremarkable but it gave off a feeling of peacefulness.

“I once served the previous dynasty as a palace maid. I was one of the people who escaped the palace with the Empress, but I eventually left her and entered a monastery.” Senior Nun Jing Kong’s reluctance to discuss this was apparent. “Let the past stay in the past. You’re Princess Yi now.”

“Was Honored Consort Xia an imperial consort from the previous dynasty?” Ning Xueyan changed the topics. This was what Heng Yuqing had told her, and also what other people were saying.

“She was selected as a consort candidate but she never slept with the Emperor. The Emperor treated the Empress very well, so the triennial draft of new consorts was never held during his reign. The so-called consort candidates were the doing of ministers forcefully sending their daughters to the harem. They claimed that they would rather have their daughters serve the Empress, than have the harem look empty.”

Senior Nun Jing Kong replied in a low voice.

Those ministers would rather send their daughters—young ladies of aristocracy—into the harem as palace maids serving the Empress than have the harem look empty. This made Ning Xueyan sneer. What a perfectly irrefutable excuse. They made it seem like they were being considerate to the Emperor and Empress when they were merely greedy for wealth. Only shameless, immoral people could bring themselves to say such things.

What did they mean, the harem looking empty? Did they forget about the palace maids in the harem that they had to send aristocratic young ladies who didn’t know how to serve anyone to the palace? Their intention was as clear as day. Sure enough, Honored Consort Xia’s origin wasn’t so simple. Even so, Ning Xueyan didn’t think this was the reason why Honored Consort Xia was able to stay in the palace for so long.

After hearing about Honored Consort Xia’s origin, she was certain that a woman like her wouldn’t be satisfied with being a mysterious favored consort who couldn’t flaunt herself in front of everyone.

The changing of dynasties often saw virgin consort candidates becoming imperial consorts of the new Emperor. The ministers wouldn’t be concerned, for many of them would also become aristocrats of the new dynasty. Neither of their pasts was clean, so they didn’t care whether each other came from.

Everything could be explained away as history.

“Honored Consort Xia keeps to herself in the palace, but she’ll summon me now and then. She’ll take me to the former Empress’ burnt palace and even weep in front of it,” Senior Nun Jing Kong said.

“She weeps in front of the former Empress’ burnt palace?” Recalling the weeping she heard back at the drafting of new consorts, a strange look appeared on Ning Xueyan’s face. Honored Consort Xia didn’t seem to be close to the former Empress. Considering what she entered the manor for, she couldn’t have had a good relationship with the former Empress.

“Everyone in the palace says that Honored Consort Xia is a nostalgic and gentle person who would pay her respects to the former Empress, whom she doesn’t even know. She would also make herself look pious by summoning me to discuss Buddha’s teachings with her.” Senior Nun Jing Kong sneered. “Even if barely anyone in the palace has seen her, they have nothing but praise for her.”

She was angling for fame! Ning Xueyan was sure that Honored Consort Xia was trying to establish a good reputation for herself.

To think that a mysterious imperial consort, seemingly untouched by worldly affairs, would seek fame for so many years! She seemed to have grand ambitions. Perhaps this was why the Empress, Honored Consort Ya, and Honored Consort Shu worked together to force her out of the shadows this time. Such an ambitious and tricky imperial consort would threaten everyone in the harem.

Ning Xueyan didn’t chat with Senior Nun Jing Kong for very long. The latter respectfully stepped out of the hall through the side door after giving her several pointers. Though Ning Xueyan still had questions, the nun shook her head at her with a smile. Still, when Senior Nun Jing Kong reached the side door, she warned Ning Xueyan, “Be careful of Honored Consort Xia.”

She left it at that.

Be careful of Honored Consort Xia? The warning was clear even in Senior Nun Jing Kong’s words and yet she still chose to voice it at the end. Ning Xueyan was grateful to her. To her, Senior Nun Jing Kong was a trustworthy person. Had Senior Nun Jing Kong revealed the origin of her and Ning Ziying, they would have been discovered a long time ago.

Yet, Senior Nun Jing Kong didn’t say anything. This proved that she was an aide of the former Empress, an aide worthy of trust at that. That was why she not only knew about Ning Ziying’s existence but Ning Xueyan’s existence as well.

Ning Xueyan walked slowly along the path paved with cobblestones outside the hall, her brows knitted. When she reached a crossroad, she stopped. To her surprise, Ao Mingyu was walking toward her from the other path.

Why would he show up at the palace at this time?

“Why are you here, Princess Yi?” Ao Mingyu seemed surprised to see her here as well. He stopped walking in astonishment before walking toward her again, a strange gleam crossing his eyes.

Ning Xueyan turned her body sideways to salute him before replying, “I just finished offering my prayers at Small Jing’an Temple.” She moved out of his way. “Are you going to Small Jing’an Temple as well, Your Highness?”

Small Jing’an Temple was the only place that this path led to. Even though she didn’t think a man like Ao Mingyu would pray at Small Jing’an Temple in the palace, she still gave way politely.

“I was on my way to Small Jing’an Temple. Since you came out from there, you must have seen Shan’er. When we entered the palace earlier, she said she wanted to offer her prayers here. I told her to come here first.”

Ao Mingyu’s gentle gaze fell on Ning Xueyan’s face. Like always, she was dressed simply but elegantly. This simplicity would have looked plain on other women but lent an otherworldly air to her instead. Her thin and weak body had fleshed out after bouts of recuperation and looked slender and beautiful. Coupled with her slight coldness, she appeared quiet and aloof.

Her small face was as fair as jade, and her facial features were beautifully delicate. Under her long, jet-black lashes, her eyes were positively gleaming. To Ao Mingyu, no part of her wasn’t beautiful and attractive. The desire that he could never control burned in his pupils. Compared to Ning Xueyan, the lame Ning Qingshan not only incurred his resentment but disgust as well.

Before he knew it, he was already leaning toward Ning Xueyan.

Ning Xueyan blinked, having not expected him to do so. She took a step backward and said, with absolute politeness, “Your Highness, I didn’t see Third Sister inside. I don’t think she’s here yet. Maybe she went the wrong way. If you don’t believe me, you can take a look inside yourself.”

She didn’t notice anyone in the Small Jing’an Temple earlier, but even if someone was eavesdropping on them, Senior Nun Jing Kong’s voice was quiet. They didn’t say anything concrete either; at most, they were just gossiping about Honored Consort Xia. Besides, she didn’t think Ning Qingshan would have the luxury of mind to enter the palace at this time.

“That’s possible. Do you know where she could have gone, Princess Yi? I’m not familiar with the area around Small Jing’an Temple. Why don’t you take me around and find Shan’er?” Ao Mingyu suggested, smiling.

“I won’t be able to go with you, Your Highness. Prince Yi told me to wait for him outside the imperial study. I’m afraid he’ll punish me if I make him wait.” Ning Xueyan was smiling too, but her smile was very cold. She shook her head and took another two steps back, leaving the path wide open for Ao Mingyu.

Ao Mingyu seemed not to notice Ning Xueyan’s coldness. He looked at her with a frown. Just as a trace of gentleness crossed his eyes, he gently asked, “Does... Does he punish you often?”

Ning Xueyan was so taken aback that she nearly laughed out loud. Did Ao Mingyu truly not know or was he playing the fool? How could a prince ask such a thing? If anyone heard him, they would have thought something fishy was going on between them. Besides, she didn’t think they were close enough for him to ask something so personal.

Why was he refusing to let her leave? What was he up to?!