Ji Yunshu folded that piece of paper and pressed it under her pillow.

Wei Yi stared at it for a few moments, scratched his head and asked: “Shu’er, what is this?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Oh!”

He obediently stopped asking.

Ji Yunshu also accepted Wei Yi’s jade pendant again. Looking outside, she realized it was already late at night.

She reached out to pat Wei Yi’s head and said gently: “It’s so late already. You don’t need to keep me company anymore. Go get some rest.”

“Is Shu’er trying to send me away?”

He felt wronged!

“No.” She shook her head: “These days, you don’t need to return to Yuhua Pavilion. Just stay here and keep me company.”

“Really?” Wei Yi’s eyes lit up.

With surprise and disbelief.

Ji Yunshu nodded affirmatively: “Wei Yi, be good and go rest now.”

“Mm, then I’ll come find Shu’er first thing in the morning.”

With that, he left the room dancing with joy, going off to sleep soundly.

Watching Wei Yi’s cheerful figure, Ji Yunshu’s eyes darkened.

Kong Yu was dead. Muruo would probably be grief-stricken, and drowning his sorrows in alcohol was inevitable. So during this period, having Wei Yi stay by her side was the most appropriate arrangement.

Thinking of this, she let out a soft sigh.

After the heat in her body subsided, she could no longer sleep. She got out of bed, draped a garment over herself, and went outside.

Standing in the corridor.

The faint light from two red lanterns dimly illuminated her cheeks, making them rosy red.

Truly beautiful!

The cold night wind whistled sharply, but fortunately, the rain had stopped!

At the beginning of the fourth month, the weather should be clearing up.

Suddenly—

A figure landed beside her, standing silently for a long while.

Ji Yunshu turned her gaze to look at Shi Jin and asked: “How did it go?”

Shi Jin replied: “The imperial palace is in chaos. Regarding the Crown Prince’s rebellion, His Majesty has ordered that it not be announced publicly. They’re only saying the Crown Prince died of illness, the Crown Prince Consort was overcome with grief and followed him in death, and an edict has been issued that they will be buried in the imperial mausoleum in three days.”

“What else?”

“Nothing more.”

“Mm!” She choked slightly, pressing her eyebrows down, then asked: “What about Prince Rong?”

“He’s already been released from the Dali Temple prison. As soon as he got out, he entered the palace and is still there now, keeping watch.”

Shi Jin answered everything.

Ji Yunshu asked no more questions. Hugging her cold arms, she just felt her heart was in turmoil.

After a long pause, Shi Jin asked: “Master, do you really not plan to tell the Prince?”

“Tell him what?”

Playing dumb!

“The transaction between you and Prince Yi, the young heir that Old General Li mentioned, and Miss Kong’s killing—do you not plan to tell the Prince any of this?”

Ji Yunshu’s slender jade fingers curled and clenched tightly. She neither answered nor responded!

She wrapped her garment tighter around herself: “You wouldn’t understand. With some things, it’s not that knowing more is better. Thinking you can seize the initiative this way—it’s not like that at all. The more you know, the more you have to consider. I don’t want him to feel as miserable as I do.”

Shi Jin understood somewhat.

And yet didn’t quite understand!

That entire night, Ji Yunshu stood in the corridor, not sleeping at all.

Until dawn—

The weather was unusually clear. In the pale sky hung a thread of orange-red light that looked warm and full of vitality.

Wei Yi also rose very early, running to Ji Yunshu’s room to have breakfast. He talked while eating, extremely excited.

Ji Yunshu ate two bites and put down her chopsticks, constantly placing meat in Wei Yi’s bowl.

This young man had become much thinner during his time at Yuhua Pavilion.

“Shu’er, I had a dream last night. I dreamed of you wearing a bride’s clothes, sitting in a sedan chair. Then I kicked open the sedan door, carried you out, we bowed to heaven and earth, and even entered the bridal chamber.”

Pfft!

Ji Yunshu nearly spit blood from her chest.

She picked up her chopsticks and heavily rapped his head with them.

“What on earth is going on in that head of yours all day? Eat properly. After you finish, I’ll take you out.”

Wei Yi rubbed his head in pain. His mouth was just about to pout when he heard Ji Yunshu was taking him out, and immediately became happy.

“Okay!”

He vigorously shoveled rice into his mouth, both cheeks bulging full.

After finishing, Ji Yunshu took him out.

All along the way, Wei Yi kept tugging at her garment hem, constantly asking where they were going.

Ji Yunshu never answered.

After about half a shichen, they arrived at the Kong residence.

Outside the Kong residence, there were no white lanterns or white silk hanging. Everything was the same as an ordinary mansion.

Just a bit more desolate!

Kong Yu had been granted the title of princess, making her a member of the imperial family. Having married Jing Hua, her remains could not be brought back to the Kong family, nor could she be buried in the clan cemetery. Everything had to be handled according to imperial funeral rites, with burial in the imperial mausoleum.

Ji Yunshu reached out to grasp the iron ring on the gate and knocked several times.

A servant opened the door and stuck his head out.

“Who are you?”

“I’ve come to see Madam Kong.”

“Madam is not receiving guests.” A direct refusal.

Ji Yunshu wasn’t anxious. She said calmly: “I only wish to see Madam Kong once. Please inform her that the princess’s dying wish remains unfulfilled.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the servant’s expression changed. He closed the door and hurried to report.

After a short while, he returned and opened half the door, inviting Ji Yunshu inside.

Following the servant to the courtyard, Ji Yunshu turned to Wei Yi and said: “Just play in this courtyard. When you’ve had enough, I’ll take you back, okay?”

“Okay!”

The courtyard was full of peach blossoms. Wei Yi loved it and immediately darted into that small peach blossom grove.

His figure disappeared!

Ji Yunshu then followed the servant to the outside of the mansion’s Buddhist hall.

Madam Kong was devoted to Buddha—in her heart and eyes, everything was Buddha. She spent every day soaking in candle incense, just waiting to become Buddha.

Upon entering, Ji Yunshu couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose.

Whether it was the smell of blood or the smell of decay, she could tolerate them. But the candle incense smell in this Buddhist hall—she couldn’t stand it. She always felt it was very pungent.

Uncomfortable.

Madam Kong knelt before the Buddha statue, her hand holding that string of ninety-nine prayer beads polished to a shine, eyes closed, mouth reciting sutras.

She heard nothing of worldly affairs!

Her own daughter had died, yet she was still here chanting Buddhist scriptures.

Her heart was truly vast enough.

Ji Yunshu walked to her side and knelt down on the round straw mat beside her. Looking up at the Guanyin before her, she pressed her palms together.

She said: “I have never believed in Buddha in this lifetime, but now I want to believe once. Buddha is originally bodhi, saving all sentient beings. Buddha resides in the heart, all with compassionate hearts. In Buddhism, there are eight sufferings: the suffering of birth, the suffering of old age, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death, the suffering of resentment, the suffering of not being able to be free, the suffering of not obtaining what one seeks, and the suffering of the five aggregates. All eight sufferings arise from greed. Therefore, Buddha advocates that the arising and ceasing, gathering and scattering of all things are determined by fate and cannot be forced—one should follow nature.”

These words were clearly meant for Madam Kong.

Madam Kong’s action of twisting the prayer beads stopped when she began speaking these words. She drew in a breath.

“Does Master understand Buddha?”