Wei Shubin donned her long veil and hat once more, mounting her horse to ride alongside Chai Yingluor. They departed through the west gate of Guangde Ward, where the Thousand Gold Temple was located, and headed north along the main street of Jinghan Gate.

In a somewhat dazed state, they passed by the eastern wall of the bustling West Market, briefly traveling alongside water carts from Liquan Ward that were delivering water to the imperial palace, before entering through the west gate of Buzheng Ward.

For a moment, she thought they were heading to the Zoroastrian Temple in Buzheng Ward, but their guide Chai Yingluor turned east at the ward’s crossroads, stopping before a modest mansion. She commanded her serving maid, “Go knock on the door and announce my arrival.”

The maid obediently went to rap the door knocker, while Wei Shubin also halted her horse to wait. Just as she was thinking that this residence looked familiar, the wooden double doors creaked open, and a handsome young man emerged, bowing to Chai Yingluor:

“Blessings to you, True Master.”

This was Yang Min, styled Zhengdao, Outer Office Scattered Rider Attendant, and the only surviving grandson of Emperor Yang of Sui.

Days earlier, when Wei Shubin and Chai Yingluor were on their way from the imperial garden to the Fire Temple, they had happened upon him and followed him and his servants to this residence in Buzheng Ward. Recalling it now felt like a lifetime ago.

Both women dismounted, and Chai Yingluor returned Yang Min’s greeting. The handsome young man’s face bore a bitter, pleading expression:

“Yesterday when word came from there, my grandmother was truly unwell. Being elderly and maintaining a vegetarian diet, she cannot withstand much disturbance, and she particularly avoids the seven emotions and six desires that might disturb her peace. True Master, please show some mercy…”

“I already explained everything clearly to Attendant Yang yesterday,” Chai Yingluor interrupted him. “Firstly, this is an imperial edict personally issued by His Majesty, concerning important matters of state and military affairs. Secondly, it involves the life and well-being of Prince Wu. Attendant Yang knows that I studied medicine under Master Sun for many years and have some modest knowledge of acupuncture and herbal remedies. I regularly attend to Empress Zhangsun in the inner palace, and she does not find my services wanting. If Madam Xiao is unwell, surely she would not firmly refuse my visit to pay respects and inquire after her health.”

It seemed they had already argued about this matter in the previous days. Yang Min sighed and said no more, ordering his servants to bring out his mount. He mounted his horse and led the way forward.

After passing two street corners, just as they caught the scent of sesame cakes wafting from the northeastern Fuxing Ward, Chai Yingluor announced, “We’ve arrived.” Wei Shubin reined in her horse and looked carefully at where Yang Min had stopped to dismount – it was a large gate opening in the northwestern wall of Xiuxiang Ward, which also looked familiar.

That’s right when they had seen Yang Min on the road that day, he had just emerged from this very gate. Inside were towering pavilions and multi-tiered pagodas – a vast complex of buildings. Moreover, the main gate opened directly onto the main street, unlike ordinary residences which could only open their gates within the ward. This was a privilege granted only to officials of the third rank and above.

Wei Shubin’s own home had only been granted permission to open directly onto the street after her father was promoted to Head of the Chancellery two years prior when the Ministry of Works was ordered to send official craftsmen to renovate their residence. They no longer had to detour through Pingkang Ward to enter and exit.

This Xiuxiang Ward was close to the palace city and the northern gate, naturally home to many imperial relatives and nobles. Surely this grand residence must belong to some high official or royal relative, where Empress Xiao of Sui had come to reside… On further thought, could it be the residence of the current Crown Prince’s Junior Mentor, Duke of Song Xiao Yu, who was Empress Xiao’s full brother?

“This is Wanshan Nunnery,” Chai Yingluor said as she dismounted.

…Oh. Wei Shubin quickly followed her lead, dismounting and lifting her skirts as they entered the temple gates. Yang Min went ahead, clearly familiar with the place, speaking quietly with the guest-receiving nun who came to greet them.

The courtyard was vast, dominated by a central pagoda rising three hundred feet high with a circumference of a hundred paces – the most magnificent central structure. Several large halls stood behind the pagoda, while the multi-tiered buildings in the side courtyards appeared diminutive in comparison. Wei Shubin had visited many temples and monasteries in the capital with her mother for worship and ceremonies, and she knew that this layout was ancient, not like the style of newly established temples. Looking at the surrounding buildings, though the framework was spacious, the pillars were damaged and tiles were missing, showing signs of long-term disrepair. Only a grove of apricot trees along the western wall was in full glorious bloom, their blossoms blazing like flames against the sky.

Wanshan Nunnery… the name seemed familiar as if she had heard someone mention it before.

Many nuns were moving about the temple, all rather elderly – every woman in grey robes appeared to be over fifty. Two or three extremely elderly nuns were being supported as they walked with canes in the sunlight, all with dignified features and detached expressions, unlike the typically wan and frail appearance of elderly monastics. The guest-receiving nun speaking with Yang Min appeared to be over sixty, her shaved head covered by a monk’s cap, her face wrinkled but still suggesting that she must have been a great beauty in her youth.

The guest-receiving nun kept shaking her head as she listened to Yang Min. He looked back at Chai and Wei, then spoke quietly again for a while until the nun finally sighed and said softly, “I will go ask… Please wait in the lay disciples’ hall for now.”

Yang Min was a frequent visitor and didn’t wait for a nun to show the way. He gestured to Chai Yingluor and led the two women and their attendants eastward. Chai Yingluor suddenly asked him:

“That guest-receiving nun, was her lay family name Sima?”

Yang Min’s steps faltered for a moment before he replied coolly: “I do not know, nor have I ever asked – this is the tea hall, True Master, please enter.”

The temple’s tea hall was for receiving outside guests, equipped with seats and tea implements. The novice nun on duty served them, though she brought plain water in ceramic bowls, presumably assuming that these northerners wouldn’t be accustomed to tea. Yang Min invited Chai Yingluor to sit but did not join them himself, instead standing watch at the hall entrance, apparently unwilling to engage in conversation.

Wei Shubin couldn’t contain her curiosity and whispered, “Sister Ying, why did you ask about that guest-receiving nun’s lay family name? Do you know her?”

Chai Yingluor whispered back: “I sent someone to inquire here earlier, but she drove them away. However, they recognized her appearance and said she looked like… the Empress of Emperor Jing of Northern Zhou.”

The Empress of Emperor Jing of Northern Zhou.

Wei Shubin’s mouth fell open in shock, momentarily forgetting to close it.

Now she understood what this Wanshan Nunnery was. It was something Su Lingyu had explained to her last year when they were discussing the Eastern Palace’s search for consorts at the Women’s Society in Zixu Temple.

Over fifty years ago, Emperor Wu of Zhou, Yuwen Yong, the mighty ruler who had conquered Northern Qi and unified all lands north of the Yangtze River, died of illness. His son, Emperor Xuan of Zhou, Yuwen Bin, was notorious for his debauchery and cruelty.

Less than a year after ascending the throne, he issued an edict to abdicate and become Emperor Emeritus, placing his eight-year-old son Yuwen Yan on the throne, later known as Emperor Jing of Zhou. Five months later, he arranged for his son to marry Lady Ling, daughter of the Pillar of State and Duke of Yingyang Sima Xiaonan, as empress. At the time, Sima Ling was barely ten years old.

A year later, Emperor Emeritus Yuwen Bin died from excessive indulgence, and power fell into the hands of his father-in-law, Duke of Sui Yang Jian. The empress’s father Sima Xiaonan, fearing Yang Jian’s power, fled with his followers to Southern Chen.

Yang Jian used this as an excuse to depose Empress Sima to commoner status. He served as regent to his grandson Emperor Jing for less than a year before deposing him and establishing himself as emperor, changing the state’s name to Sui. Thus fell the Northern Zhou.

The last emperor of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yan, lived less than three months more, dying at age nine. His young empress, who had naturally never known physical intimacy with him, returned to her family to live in seclusion as a commoner.

When she reached her beautiful prime in her twenties, through the matchmaking of her former mother-in-law – the Northern Zhou Empress Dowager and Sui Princess of Leping Yang Lihua – she married Li Dan, the Inspector of司隸 Province.

For several decades after, Sima Ling bore and raised children, served her husband, and fulfilled her duties as a wife, yet remained melancholic at heart. After all, she had once been the mother of the realm, and though she had been too young to understand at the time, as she grew older, watching her husband – a mere minor official of the Sui – busy himself with currying favor through humble submission, she could never find peace.

Later, when the Sui dynasty also fell, and her children had all grown up to establish their own lives, Sima Ling suddenly claimed one day that Guanyin Bodhisattva had appeared to her in a dream to enlighten her. She insisted on becoming a nun, and specifically requested to spend her remaining years practicing Buddhism at this Wanshan Nunnery.