Chapter 22

Ye Rui now had some free time and would sometimes go wandering through Beichenfang; Li Yun would always follow along behind her.

Ever since the last archery contest, Li Yun had honored the bet and become her subordinate, with Xie Tinglan’s tacit approval. Whenever Ye Rui went to Beichenfang without anyone at her side, Li Yun would naturally trail after her. At first, Ye Rui found it hard to get used to, but after Li Yun said only one thing—"Outside the Xie residence, wolves and tigers are everywhere; it’s dangerous all over"—Ye Rui practically wished Li Yun would keep following her forever.

She still feared death, and Li Yun’s martial skills were excellent. With her protection, it was like carrying another talisman for survival.

As they spent more time together, Ye Rui and Li Yun were no longer constantly at each other’s throats. Ye Rui even treated Li Yun to meals and bought her nice clothes to win her over. More than a superior and subordinate, Ye Rui treated Li Yun like a friend.

Li Yun, too, had gone from guarded and restrained at first to much more relaxed and friendly. The more time they spent together, the more she felt that aside from being a little lacking in strength, Ye Rui really had no other faults.

"Li Yun, Li Yun!"

Ye Rui wandered into a weapon shop and, seeing a finely crafted long sword with a gem set into the guard, called Li Yun over to take a look.

"What do you think of this one?"

Soon, Yin Yue would be teaching her swordsmanship. She wanted to buy a weapon that suited her, but she knew little about them, so of course she needed Li Yun’s opinion.

Li Yun gave it a disdainful glance and offered a blunt assessment: "Looks good. Useless."

When she finished, her gaze landed pointedly on Ye Rui. Ye Rui snorted and pretended to be annoyed. "If you’re talking about the sword, then talk about the sword. Why are you looking at me?"

Li Yun only smiled without saying anything. The shopkeeper, hearing her verdict, also went green and broke into a cold sweat. He could tell from the waist tags that they were people under the Xie wolf’s banner; he couldn’t afford to offend them, so he still politely led them to look at another long sword.

This was already the last one. Every long sword in the shop had been rejected by this aloof young woman.

"Not right. Too heavy. Not suitable for a woman to use."

Li Yun even picked it up and swung it once. The force of the blade was fierce and sharp; even without holding it herself, Ye Rui could tell how heavy it was.

In the end, they still didn’t buy a suitable long sword, and Ye Rui could only return disappointed.

"Why not tell my lord? She can have a sword made especially for you; that would be better than wasting time blindly picking here."

As Li Yun spoke, her expression was a little strange—hard to tell whether it was envy or jealousy. But seeing Ye Rui spend her days writing in the study with Xie Tinglan, anyone with eyes could tell how much Xie Tinglan valued her.

Getting a custom-made sword would definitely not be a problem.

"I don’t know how to bring it up."

Ye Rui looked troubled. It wasn’t as though she had never thought about it, but after spending some time with Xie Tinglan, she had more or less figured out a few of her habits. If she wanted a long sword, Xie Tinglan would definitely put forward some conditions in return. Who knew what that scheming woman would ask her to do next?

"Just say it directly."

Li Yun paused, then grew serious. "You started training later than the others. Even if you’re gifted, you shouldn’t waste time on these things; otherwise, how will you ever catch up?"

Ye Rui could see it now: Li Yun was the type with a rather old-fashioned streak. But to be fair, sometimes she really did give very sound advice.

She really shouldn’t waste this time.

Her third main quest still hadn’t been completed. Why was becoming a third-rank guard so difficult? Wasn’t it just that she had to defeat the third-rank guards personally chosen by Yin Yue before she had the qualifications to take the position?

Well, fine. She really couldn’t beat even a third-rank guard. All of the Xie residence guards had been trained by Yin Yue herself, and their fundamentals, whether in basic drills or all kinds of martial arts, were solid.

"Alright, I’ll listen to you. Let’s head back."

"Mm."

On the way back, Ye Rui still bought Li Yun a chicken leg as thanks for accompanying her around Beichenfang all day.

In the past few days, patrols throughout the Capital City had increased greatly. Security was tight; the city defenses were like iron, and the sentries stood in dense ranks, as if some special period had begun. The imperial examinations were approaching, and all the candidates were staying in the capital to prepare. These people were very likely to become the backbone of the country in the future, so the emperor gave them extraordinary attention.

Because the examinations were near, the markets had also filled with out-of-town merchants and commoners coming to watch the excitement. Of course, there were also plenty of gambling stalls in the streets, all betting on which candidate would place highly. Ye Rui had gone to take a look too and had seen the names of five women. Yet none of them had a single bettor who believed they would succeed. Because they were not favored, their odds were very high.

At the time, Ye Rui didn’t know where that stubborn resentment had come from, but she had placed thirty taels of silver on a woman named Zhuang Linglong to pass. She still remembered the mockery and derision from the people around her then, all of them staring at her as if she were a fool, but Ye Rui didn’t care.

She was just betting on a breath of defiance.

Why had the idea of a woman passing the examinations become such a ridiculous joke, as though it were a fantasy from beyond the clouds? Ye Rui refused to accept it; she was unwilling. Who said women were inferior to men? Wasn’t the very Xie wolf in court, the woman everyone feared and wished dead, herself a woman?

A pack of stubborn idiots.

But after placing those thirty taels, Ye Rui’s heart truly ached. For quite a long while after that, she couldn’t afford to go wandering around Beichenfang, and her budget for buying weapons was not high either. Still, if she counted carefully, in three more days Ri Xi would deliver the reward of five Firebird Grass plants. By then, she’d have money to squander again.

After returning to the Xie residence, Ye Rui first ate lunch with everyone, then very consciously went to the study. One thing remained especially strange, though: Huan Jing was often not around. No one knew what secret mission she was carrying out. Sometimes Ye Rui would see her sneak back in at midnight, her whole body wrapped in a murderous chill.

At those times, Huan Jing was completely unlike the usual cheeky, smiling Huan Jing. Ye Rui didn’t dare ask, and even less did she dare provoke her.

In the study, Xie Tinglan had not arrived yet. After grinding the ink, Ye Rui picked up the book Xie Tinglan had given her and started reading. It was a history of the Great Yan. There were many characters she already recognized, and whenever she didn’t understand something, she would ask Xie Tinglan.

The book’s narrative was very neutral, but Ye Rui still pieced together some information from it. For example, the founding emperor Longdi had risen in Qingzhou and led the rebel army step by step to defeat the brutal and incompetent previous dynasty, finally seizing the realm; under his thirty-year rule, all things revived and the world was at peace.

For another example, the two emperors before the current one had been obsessed with techniques of immortality, women, and reckless military campaigns, draining the national treasury dry. On top of that, intermarriage among ministers and nobles had run rampant, and factionalism and private power blocs had long since formed several unshakable forces at court. Of course, the book would never describe it so bluntly; these were conclusions Ye Rui drew from reading between the lines. It seemed neutral on the surface, but in truth there was a great deal of criticism in it.

Ye Rui understood why Xie Tinglan had shown her this book. The situation at court now had a great deal to do with the mess left behind by those two former emperors. The reason the nobility, great clans, and princely houses had been able to take root so deeply was precisely because the previous emperors had indulged them through their own incompetence.

Once those forces united and grew powerful, they would not only threaten imperial authority; they would also protect one another within the bureaucracy, feed corruption, and bring the nation to ruin. The greater a person’s power, the greater their influence; greed spread like a plague. In such a situation, how could the one seated on the throne ever rest easy?

Before long, Xie Tinglan arrived. She was dressed in a clean dark-green cross-collared long dress, carrying in with her the autumn wind and the faint fragrance of paulownia blossoms; beneath her wide sleeves it was as though she concealed endless autumn colors.

She glanced at Ye Rui, who was reading earnestly. The yellow-covered book was already almost to its final pages. After taking her seat, Xie Tinglan picked up the official papers and lifted her wolf-hair brush; the tip quickly took on the scent of ink. She asked, "How is it? Did you gain any insight?"

"It’s not a martial manual. What insight could I possibly gain?"

Ye Rui shot back, and when she saw Xie Tinglan’s hand pause over the ink, she laughed. "Now you know what it feels like to be teased, don’t you?"

Xie Tinglan set down her brush then, reached out, and Ye Rui neither dodged nor pulled away, as though certain that Xie Tinglan would never hurt her. Xie Tinglan’s cool hand rested on Ye Rui’s face and gently pinched it. In a low voice, she chided, "Do you know where the head of the last person who spoke to me like this ended up?"

"Hah. Only the official may set fires; the common folk aren’t allowed to light lamps? What’s wrong with teasing you once?"

Ye Rui naturally was not afraid. Her words weren’t disrespectful, but rather carried the easy intimacy of someone joking with a close companion. Xie Tinglan did not grow angry; instead, a trace of delight colored her eyes. "You really are like a wild horse."

"Wild and unruly."

Ye Rui shrugged carelessly and smiled. "Anyway, you’re not going to tame me."

She had pride in her bones, and she had her own will. Even knowing that this world’s class hierarchy was deeply ingrained, she still refused to submit.

"Then who can tame you?"

Xie Tinglan’s tone cooled a little, and her smile faded as she once again picked up her brush without looking at Ye Rui. Ye Rui could sense her displeasure, so after thinking for a moment, she said, "No one can tame me. I am myself, not anyone’s possession."

After hearing that, Xie Tinglan’s expression eased somewhat, and she resumed reviewing the official papers. Ye Rui put down the book and began practicing her writing, then said, "I’ve finished reading. The one who pushed you into the post of Prime Minister must have done so because your family had declined and could no longer threaten his imperial authority, while at the same time using you to break apart the power of the great clans and princely houses at court; one person plays the villain, the other the good cop, right?"

Xie Tinglan was writing something as she replied with a smile, "You’re very clever."

From her tone, Ye Rui could hear Xie Tinglan’s satisfaction. Then Xie Tinglan continued, "Sometimes, when you explore and think things through on your own, you can uncover even more interesting things."

"Why did that person choose you?"

Ye Rui was curious. Her brush in hand remained motionless as her gaze fell on Xie Tinglan’s side profile. If not for the coldness in her brows and eyes, she would absolutely have been called elegant and graceful. If Ye Rui had to describe her now, it would be as breathtakingly cold and beautiful.

"You should be asking how I made that person able to choose only me."

Xie Tinglan’s tone carried pride and confidence; with a turn of phrase, she made it seem as though the whole situation had been reversed.

At that moment, a line suddenly came to Ye Rui’s mind: who was the wolf and who was the sheep was still an unknown.

"Then how did you do it?"

Xie Tinglan raised a brow, and the corners of her mouth curved with a wicked smile. "I’ll tell you another day."

Ye Rui: "……"

Bad woman. She was dangling it in front of her again! This was definitely revenge! Definitely!

Ye Rui ignored her. After a while, she finally remembered the important matter and asked, a little hesitantly, "I... I want something. Is that okay?"

"What thing?"

Xie Tinglan set down her wolf-hair brush and gently fanned the characters on the official papers, sending up faint waves of clean ink fragrance.

"A long sword."

Ye Rui paused, then explained, "Li Yun and I looked for quite a while, but we couldn’t find one that fit well."

She had thought Xie Tinglan might once again raise that wicked smile at her, but she didn’t. Xie Tinglan answered very readily: "Yes."

Ye Rui was suspicious. That easy?

"But..."

The heart she had just lifted dropped again. As expected, there were conditions!

"You have to go with me to Rizhao Temple to pray for blessings."

That’s all? That bad woman was showing mercy?

"No problem!"

**

Rizhao Temple was the most prosperous temple in the Capital City. Legend said that a hundred years ago, Rizhao Temple had only been an obscure little monastery without even a name. The abbess there had pointed the founding emperor of Great Yan toward the path to becoming emperor; after he took the throne and wanted to return and thank her, she had already attained liberation and ascended beyond the mortal world.

That day, Mount Yu happened to present the spectacular sight of the sun shining on golden peaks. The founding emperor saw it and believed the abbess had manifested a miracle, and from then on the temple was called Rizhao Temple. The founding emperor even personally inscribed the temple’s name, and wrote two lines to hang beside the main gate: Mountains and rivers are fortunate to receive the Buddha’s grace; the sun of Rizhao shines forever to protect the state.

After that, Rizhao Temple became like a treasure left behind by the founding emperor. Its status was so high that even the imperial family had to show it due respect, and the princely houses and great clans did not dare act presumptuously there. The abbesses of Rizhao Temple were all disciples of the previous abbess, with one generation producing one person; there were not many nuns in the temple, all of them carefully chosen by the abbess from among those with karmic ties.

The current abbess’s dharma name was Wuchen. She was around forty years old, and only appeared when offering blessings for imperial relatives and nobles. It was said that she and Empress Helian Shaohua were on very good terms; whenever Helian Shaohua came in disguise to Rizhao Temple to pray for the emperor and Great Yan, she would stay in the temple for several days and discuss Zen teachings with Abbess Wuchen.

At first, Ye Rui didn’t think anything of it. But on second thought, given Xie Tinglan’s nature, would she really believe in gods and Buddha? Besides, if Ye Rui could still believe Xie Tinglan had murderous intent, then fine; but if anyone told her Xie Tinglan had any kind of Buddhist nature, Ye Rui would absolutely not believe it.

Thus, what had initially seemed like a relaxed and easy task had, after her careful consideration, suddenly become somewhat strange; she couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be some hidden trick to it.

Today, Xie Tinglan wore a simple, elegant pale-blue cross-collared long dress, with only a single white jade and glazed hairpin in her hair, making her appear especially refined and plain. Compared with the faint hostility she usually carried when reviewing official documents or returning from court, she really was much calmer today.

Could it be that this Rizhao Temple really was so magical that even the Xie wolf could become gentle?

"What are you spacing out about?"

Xie Tinglan brushed at her sleeve, knocking off a fallen paulownia leaf, then turned to find Ye Rui frowning in thought, her gaze vacant as she daydreamed under the sunlight.

"Huh?"

Caught staring blankly, Ye Rui’s face flashed with a trace of awkwardness. Her eyes rolled, and she asked, "Nothing bad will happen on this trip to Rizhao Temple, right?"

Was it that obvious? Ye Rui shot a questioning look at Ri Xi, who answered with a nod.

"I just don’t want another person jumping out to try to kill you."

Hearing that, Xie Tinglan arched a brow and smiled, but said nothing more before getting out of the carriage together with Ri Xi.

The weather was excellent today, not too scorching; sunlight fell on the skin and brought with it a faint warmth, melting away the autumn chill. Rizhao Temple stood at the foot of the mountains in the west of the city, far from the bustle of the market streets. That, too, had been the founding emperor’s decree: no noise was permitted near Rizhao Temple, so as not to disturb the tranquility of Buddhist cultivation.

The temple gate was grand and imposing, with gray-green tiled eaves; above it hung strips of cloth inscribed with scriptures. On the gate there was a gilded plaque; the three characters for "Rizhao Temple" were forceful and vigorous, like the sun breaking through the sky. The gate had no connected walls; stone steps extended upward from beneath their feet. As one climbed them, it felt as though one were ascending step by step into ancient breezes and old-world solemnity.

The morning sun shone directly on the eaves, gilding both gate and stairs in a layer of gold, like a road to the heavens; solemn and sacred.

When Ye Rui arrived here, the quiet also allowed her to faintly hear the soft sound of sutras being recited inside the temple, and it really did soothe the mind.

Xie Tinglan’s leg injury had already fully healed. She simply held her umbrella and walked up the steps one by one without the slightest limp or stagger. Her long skirt trailed over the steps as if it wanted to leave a mark proving she had been there, while Ye Rui kept worrying she might trip over her own hem and fall.

Fortunately, that worry did not come true; the other worry, however, remained to be seen.

Ye Rui saw the lines written by the founding emperor on the sides of the temple gate, and she also saw the guards standing straight as stakes just inside the entrance, arranged in row after row, sealing off the entire temple without the slightest gap. Their vigilance was suffocating.

They were guards from the imperial city. Their uniforms were embroidered with flying fish patterns; some carried evil-slaying blades, while others held enemy-breaking spears, all staring straight ahead without so much as a glance aside. That made Ye Rui feel that something was very wrong.

These were not Xie Tinglan’s people. There was another honored guest in the temple.

"The Empress has come?"

The first person Ye Rui thought of was Helian Shaohua. The only one who could meet Xie Tinglan like this was Helian Shaohua.

"Mm."

Xie Tinglan walked up to the main hall, looking toward the gilded statue of the Merciful Buddha. Then she clasped her hands together devoutly and said nothing at all, yet somehow seemed to silently voice many prayers in her earnest gaze.

At this moment, a gray-robed nun who looked about forty years old came over. She pressed her palms together to Xie Tinglan and bowed. "Greetings, Benefactor Xie. The usual, as always?"

The nun’s brow and eyes were filled with a kind smile. Her features were gentle, her gray robes plain, her gaze bright and lively, like an expert who had spent many years cultivating in the mountains.

This... must be Abbess Wuchen, right?

From the way the two interacted, Xie Tinglan seemed to visit often indeed, and was clearly an honored guest of the temple.

"Mm."

Xie Tinglan responded, then said to Ri Xi and Ye Rui, "You may walk around as you like. Come to the inner hall to find me in one quarter of an hour."

Ri Xi accepted with a nod, and Ye Rui followed her. Still curious, she looked back once more to see Xie Tinglan holding incense in her fair hands and speaking to Abbess Wuchen about something.

Ye Rui withdrew her gaze and glanced at the guards around them, unable to help shivering. "Ri Xi, is something going to happen later?"

"I don’t know."

Ri Xi’s answer was the same as Xie Tinglan’s, but she frowned with concern and said, "The imperial examinations are only five days away. Those people are growing less and less obedient. If they really dare to set their sights on Rizhao Temple, then they’re truly tired of living."

Hearing that, Ye Rui’s thoughts turned over. She seemed to have thought of another possibility...

Perhaps Xie Tinglan intended to lure those people into making a move in this place where even the emperor would not dare act presumptuously, then pin the charge of treason on them. But using herself as bait would still be far too dangerous, and the gains wouldn’t be much. Xie Tinglan shouldn’t do something like that.

Because of Helian Shaohua, there were no other worshippers in the temple today. Aside from an occasional passing nun, it was extremely quiet. Ri Xi led Ye Rui to the Hall of Heavenly Kings and bowed toward the Vajra Guardian inside.

The Vajra Guardian protected the true Dharma and often blessed those who practiced martial arts. Was Ri Xi praying for someone?

"Ri Xi, who are you praying for?"

Could it be Yin Yue? Huan Jing? Or herself?

Ri Xi was silent at first, then after a few breaths said, "For those who walk the same path as my lord... and for my heart’s beloved."

Ye Rui felt as though she had just heard some gossip; her originally tense mood suddenly brightened. But before she could ask more, Ri Xi said, "My lord asked me to tell you some things."

"Mm-hm, go on."

This place was quiet, with not even the sound of footsteps around them; it really was an excellent spot to talk.

"My lord will take us to the examination venue together to witness the grand event of the imperial examinations. Before that, you need to go with me to handle a few matters. If everything is done properly, my lord said you can officially become a third-rank guard without going through the assessment."

Ri Xi’s expression was stern, and Ye Rui listened seriously, her palms unconsciously growing damp with sweat. She asked, "What matters?"

Please don’t let me botch it.

"Go meet a few people. You’ll be dealing with them in the future as well. What you need to do is go meet another person and obtain her help."

"Huh? Who is it?"

Ye Rui couldn’t quite understand. Could Ri Xi not accompany her?

"The courtesan of Yanyu Tower. Before this, the three of us had some friction with her. If we go to persuade her, she definitely won’t agree."

When Ri Xi said the word "friction," her usually composed expression finally showed a hint of difficulty. Ye Rui’s heart thudded; it was over. This person was definitely hard to deal with.

Wait! She said courtesan!?

A brothel courtesan?

"W-what kind of friction?"

Ri Xi bit her lower lip, seeming somewhat unwilling to speak. Just as Ye Rui was about to say forget it, Ri Xi finally opened her mouth.

"She said... we were ugly and not worthy of her notice."

Huh?!

Ugly?! Huan Jing had an ordinary face, Yin Yue had a small scar on her cheek, but it didn’t detract from her handsomeness at all, and Ri Xi’s features were even more composed and elegant. How could they be called ugly?

Was she sending me because she has confidence in my looks?

"That courtesan has a strange temper. It’s only worth trying. If it can’t be done, then so be it; my lord does not insist on results."

Ri Xi still seemed to remember the insult of being called ugly, and while she had started out speaking through gritted teeth, she gradually calmed down by the end.

"I’ll go!"

If they were going, then so be it. She also wanted to see just how stunning that courtesan could be, to the point of daring to say such arrogant things and call Ri Xi and the others ugly?!

-----------------------

Author’s note: Here we go~

Another hefty chapter![dog head][dog head]