Fu Tingyun was also troubled. But she quickly remembered that she had a moon-white diagonal-collared cotton gauze shirt in her trunk and instructed Han Yan: “…Take it out and help me change.” She added, “Later, I’ll pretend I can’t speak because of Liu Mama’s attitude. Surely she can’t force me to talk? You two just adapt to the situation as needed.”

Both maids sighed with relief and hurried to find the cotton gauze shirt. Turning back to see the discarded coarse clothing, they hastily stuffed it into a nearby closed cabinet before opening the door.

The windows were tightly shut, making the room stifling hot. A thick moon-white cotton gauze curtain hung from the black lacquered canopy bed. In the center of the room stood a tall pine bathing barrel. Water had splashed onto the surrounding gray bricks, forming puddles of various sizes.

Seeing nothing unusual in the room, Liu Mama gave a slight bow, her expression indifferent. The weather is so hot. Why hasn’t the Ninth Miss gone to the main hall to cool off? At least there’s some cross-breeze there!”

Fu Tingyun sat on the edge of the bed while Lu’E was drying her hair. Hearing this, she looked up at Liu Mama, then abruptly grabbed the towel from Lu’E’s hand and began drying her hair herself.

Lu’E looked awkwardly at Liu Mama, seeming unsure what to do with her hands.

The atmosphere grew somewhat uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Han Yan came over with tea: “Mama, please have some tea!”

Liu Mama thanked her and accepted the tea, asking Fu Tingyun if she had slept well and, given the hot weather, whether she would like some summer heat-relieving pills.

Fu Tingyun remained silent.

Han Yan stood by with a placating smile.

Liu Mama assumed Fu Tingyun was angry with her but paid it no mind. After drinking half a cup of tea, she took her leave.

The three of them visibly relaxed.

Fu Tingyun quickly said, “Open the windows. It’s stifling in here!”

Lu’E immediately went to do so.

There wasn’t a breath of wind, and the weather still left them drenched in sweat.

Han Yan found a palm-leaf fan and sat on a small stool at the bedside, fanning herself.

Just as they were about to speak, shouts erupted from the southeast.

Noise was forbidden in the temple, especially since Biyun Temple was a family temple that didn’t receive outside worshippers.

Fu Tingyun first looked surprised, then, as if remembering something, her expression changed subtly as she listened carefully.

Han Yan noticed this. She handed the fan to Lu’E and stood up: “Ninth Miss, let me go see what’s happening!”

Fu Tingyun hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Han Yan quickly left the inner chamber.

After about half an incense stick’s time, she returned, dripping with sweat: “Ninth Miss, someone has stolen all the food from the kitchen. Not only that, but they’ve also taken the rice urns.”

Fu Tingyun remained silent, but Lu’E couldn’t wait to comment: “That’s strange. Biyun Temple only has two meals a day, early morning and noon. If a young nun were hungry and stole something to eat from the kitchen, that would be understandable, but how could they take away the rice urns? Could they possibly cook with them?”

“Exactly!” Han Yan also found the incident peculiar. “Master Fruit said that the temple rules are strict, and such a thing has never happened before. Those meals were originally left for us, and now that the food has been stolen, our evening meal will likely be delayed.”

“Didn’t you say the rice urns were taken away? Is there still rice to cook?”

“Those were just for the kitchen’s use. There’s still the rice storehouse!”

Seeing that the two were getting off topic, Fu Tingyun coughed gently and asked: “Did they find any clues?”

“No!” Han Yan shook her head. “However, Master Fruit said it was someone deliberately causing trouble.”

Fu Tingyun was slightly startled: “What do you mean?”

“Master Fruit said that if a young nun stole food, it would just be a steamed bun or a wheat cake missing, not everything in the kitchen. They couldn’t eat it all anyway! And the rice urns weigh fifty or sixty jin each—it would take two or three people to carry them. How could they just disappear without a trace?” Then she reassured her, “Master Fruit said there are only twenty or thirty people in Biyun Temple, and it’s only seven or eight mu of land in total. Even if they searched inch by inch, they would find the thief within four or five days—unless they could eat the rice urns too!”

Just as she finished speaking, Mama Chen’s voice sounded outside the door: “Ninth Miss, your servant has something to report!”

Fu Tingyun glanced at Han Yan, who understood and went to open the door.

“Ninth Miss!” Liu Mama’s face was grave as she bowed to her. “Master Guo Hui suspects strangers have broken into the temple and asks us to be careful and not leave the courtyard these days. She’ll send people to bring some dogs to help guard the gate. Please don’t be alarmed when you see them later.”

Fu Tingyun’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Han Yan glanced at her, knowing she couldn’t speak, and asked: “Mama Chen, what exactly happened?”

Mama Chen seemed rather distracted and didn’t mind Han Yan’s improper interruption. “There’s a severe drought in Qingyang and Gongchang. Many refugees have flooded into Shangzhou and Tongzhou, and some have been seen outside Huayin City. They grab any food they see, so we’d better be careful.” She was about to say more when Fan Mama hurriedly entered, giving Fu Tingyun a cursory bow with an anxious expression: “Mama Chen, Master Guo Hui requests your presence.”

Mama Chen gave a sound of acknowledgment and instructed Fu Tingyun briefly to “stay in her room and read if she had nothing else to do,” then hurriedly left with Fan Mama.

The room fell into dead silence.

Han Yan looked at Fu Tingyun’s neck, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Lu’E muttered nervously: “Ninth Miss, will we be safe? How could these be refugees? We’re hundreds of li away from Qingyang and Gongchang!”

Han Yan was both attentive and intelligent; she likely had already drawn her own conclusions. Better to be candid with her, as there would be many more occasions when her help would be needed.

Fu Tingyun sighed inwardly and instructed Lu’E: “Go follow them and see what’s happening. If there’s any news, come back and report to me immediately.”

Lu’E answered “Yes” and ran off to Liu Mama’s quarters.

Fu Tingyun pointed to the small stool beside the bed: “Sit!”

Han Yan sat down on the stool somewhat uneasily.

In a low voice, Fu Tingyun told her everything—how she had encountered a strange man in the back courtyard, how he had forced her to take him to the kitchen, and how he had nearly strangled her.

As Han Yan listened, she grew increasingly alarmed, her face turning pale. As soon as Fu Tingyun finished, she immediately stood up: “Then we should quickly tell Master Guo Hui!”

“No!” Fu Tingyun immediately objected. “If Master Guo Hui asks why we were in the back courtyard, how would we explain?”

Han Yan stood there dumbfounded.

“I’m already surrounded by scandal and accusations—I’m trying to avoid more trouble,” her hoarse voice sounded like an old huqin, tinged with sadness. “If Mama Chen learns that I was seized by a strange man, who knows what she might think or what complications might arise!”

Han Yan understood perfectly, but she was genuinely frightened. She murmured: “What if that man is a refugee? Will he come back? The temple is full of women. What if he has evil intentions?”

If he truly was a refugee, Biyun Temple was in a remote location with no men to defend it and had a granary—it was indeed a tempting target.

“That shouldn’t be the case!” Fu Tingyun replied hesitantly, her tone revealing uncertainty. “If he were a refugee, why would he be alone? Most likely, he’s a criminal passing through. Such people fear being caught by officials and generally don’t stay in one place for too long.”

Han Yan thought this made some sense. She stammered: “Then do we still need to go to the back courtyard to explore an escape route?” Her words betrayed her desire to back out.

It was one misfortune after another.

Fu Tingyun felt her headache returning.

Lu’E came running in, beaming with joy: “Ninth Miss, Ninth Miss! Mama Chen has sent someone back to the city to report. She asked if Biyun Temple was unsafe and whether they could send family servants and guards.”

How could male servants and guards stay overnight in a temple? Mama Chen was tactfully asking if they could return to the mansion!

Fu Tingyun and Han Yan looked at each other, both showing expressions of surprise and delight.

This was truly a blessing in disguise.

Fu Tingyun felt the pain in her neck becoming more bearable.

The three of them waited happily.

The Fu family quickly sent back a reply: “The Shaanxi Provincial Governor has already dispatched the Assistant Magistrate of Shaanxi, Luo Pingyang, to comfort the refugees in Qingyang and Gongchang. Huayin is only two hundred li from Xi’an Prefecture—how could there be refugees? Stay there properly, and when the weather cools, you will naturally be brought back to the mansion.”

Fu Tingyun stared blankly at Han Yan, taking a long moment to come to her senses. She felt a chill crawling up her spine like a small snake, making her shiver.

She weakly waved her hand, indicating that Han Yan and Lu’E should not disturb her, and sat alone from morning until dusk.

In the middle of the night, she asked Han Yan: “Are you still willing to help me deliver a message home?”

Han Yan remained silent for nearly the time it takes to burn an incense stick before softly replying: “I… I will do as the miss instructs.”

She was still unwilling.

Indeed, who would want to risk their life?

But Fu Tingyun had matters more important than life itself.

The longer the time dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for her.

If she allowed Zuo Junjie to succeed, she would never rest in peace!

The next day, she prepared to explore the back courtyard again.

The large yellow dogs that Master Guo Hui had brought in were running back and forth in the courtyard, never stopping for a moment. She couldn’t even find an opportunity to walk out of the courtyard gate, let alone reach the back courtyard.

She saved a few vegetarian buns from each meal to feed the dogs, hoping to familiarize them with her presence.

Mama Chen frowned several times, watching from the side. Once, unable to contain herself, she said: “Ninth Miss, there are people outside who can’t even get a sip of water!”

Fu Tingyun stared at her for a while, then turned and entered her room.

Soon after, Han Yan came out and loudly said to the young nun who brought their food: “Our Ninth Miss says your vegetarian buns are delicious and wants thirty more.”

The young nun, not knowing what had happened, looked at Liu Mama.

Liu Mama was slightly displeased but still said: “Just do as the Ninth Miss instructs.”

At dinner time, thirty vegetarian buns were indeed delivered.

Han Yan stared at the half-basin of buns in bewilderment.

Fu Tingyun smiled: “Draw a bucket of well water to keep them fresh, and tomorrow we’ll give them to the young nuns who sweep the grounds.” Her smile was bitter in the dim lamplight.

Han Yan silently drew the well water, silently lit the artemisia incense, and silently prepared the bed.

Fu Tingyun lay with open eyes, gazing at the bright moonlight filtering through the Korean paper windows.

It was the fifteenth day of the month again; she had been here for exactly sixty-two days.

She couldn’t get out. And her mother? Why had there been no message from her? Could she also be confined?

As soon as the thought arose, she immediately shook her head.

How could that be?

Her mother was a Lady of the Sixth Rank. Besides her grandmother, her mother was the most respected—who would dare confine her?

The clear moonlight suddenly dimmed, then quickly brightened again.

Like a candle in the wind.

Fu Tingyun turned over.

Suddenly her neck was gripped: “Don’t make a sound!”

That voice—flat and monotonous, without the slightest inflection—she would never mistake it, even in her dreams.