Chapter 258: Bloodlight
Xue Sui returned at this moment from releasing the captured creatures in the backyard.
As she passed the corridor of the Buddhist hall, someone called out to her.
Seeing Guo Yunrong, she calmly adjusted her robes, lowered her eyes, and clasped her hands in greeting.
“Greetings, County Princess.”
Guo Yunrong looked up, her gaze sweeping over Xue Sui’s slender figure, her tone carrying a hint of inquiry.
“It’s been a long time. Why have you become so thin, Sister Xue?”
“Thank you for your concern, County Princess.” Xue Sui’s expression was as usual. “Life in the nunnery is peaceful, but the simple food doesn’t nourish one well.”
Guo Yunrong raised her hand to touch the hair ornament by her temples, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, her tone carrying just the right amount of warmth.
“I’ve heard that there’s a type of plum blossom fermented rice in the nunnery, made by your skilled hands, Sister Xue. Could you perhaps guide me a little? If I can learn it, I could present it to the Empress someday, fulfilling a filial duty.”
Sometimes, the emotions between people didn’t need to be explicitly stated.
Xue Sui watched Guo Yunrong’s hand brush over the jade bracelet on her wrist and almost instinctively sensed that Guo Yunrong was not her usual self today.
That bracelet was a gift bestowed by the Empress herself.
With a single exchange of glances, the unspoken words flowed between their eyes.
“You flatter this nun, County Princess.” She clasped her hands and lowered her gaze, her voice soft.
“It’s merely taking three dou of fresh snow, filtering out impurities with a bamboo sieve, and soaking glutinous rice. At noon when the sun is at its peak, select half-bloomed plum blossoms and pickle them. Then, steep them in warm wine, knead them with the glutinous rice, add yeast, and ferment until the plum fragrance permeates the bones. Before sealing the jar, coat the inner wall with a layer of flower nectar. Use plum branches as a rack at the bottom of the jar, press it down firmly, cover with three layers of cotton wadding, and then seal with a layer of clay…”
Guo Yunrong listened intently, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade bracelet on her wrist.
“This craftsmanship is truly exquisite. May I be so fortunate as to have a bowl to taste today, Yunrong?”
Xue Sui: “The plum blossom fermented rice is ready. It just needs to be warmed for a moment before eating. Please wait a moment, County Princess, I’ll be right back.”
–
The kitchen was steaming, the vapor making the wooden pot lid clatter.
Ru Yi squatted by the stove, adding firewood, watching sparks crackle and burst among the dry branches.
“Young Lady, the County Princess Minghui seems a bit unusual today. This maid feels her gaze towards you is strange…”
Even Ru Yi noticed it?
Xue Sui chuckled softly, rolling up her sleeves as she scooped out fermented rice from the earthenware jar and pinched the raw tangyuan dough in the porcelain bowl.
“She’s straightforward and can’t keep things to herself.”
“Perhaps she heard some rumors and came to cause trouble for you?” Ru Yi pouted, lowering her voice. “This servant saw her come in with the Princess Consort. I don’t know what the Princess Consort said to her.”
“Don’t speak carelessly; beware of words bringing disaster.” Xue Sui tapped the rim of the jar with a wooden spoon, reminding her in a low voice.
She then pursed her lips.
“Go get the dried tangerine peel from the windowsill, and slice some ginger.”
Ru Yi said “oh” and trotted off.
As the mistress and maid busied themselves, the steam mingled with the plum fragrance, wafting over the kitchen beams. Just as the “dried tangerine peel fermented rice tangyuan” was about to be served, Guo Yunrong lifted the bamboo curtain and entered.
She hadn’t brought any maids and walked alone to the stove, her expression seeming to be frozen with frost.
Xue Sui was slightly taken aback and put down the wooden ladle.
“This kitchen is filled with smoke and soot. How can a County Princess of your noble stature stoop to such a place of dust and smoke? Please return to the guest hall and wait, this nun will bring it to you there…”
In ancient noble families, women were expected to observe etiquette, and this action was indeed beneath her status.
Guo Yunrong managed a strained smile and stared as Xue Sui slowly approached.
“Sister Xue, have you heard? To refuse my marriage proposal, the Crown Prince actually came to Shui Yue Nunnery and consorted with a young nun, for which His Majesty punished him with a whipping…”
Her voice was as light as plum petals falling on snow, and she didn’t seem to expect Xue Sui to reply, continuing on her own:
“The Empress said he was worried about the war in the Western Frontier, and thus stepped forward to face danger to show his loyalty to the country—I don’t believe it. To willingly endure the whipping and insist on going to the front lines to die, if there were no other choice, why would the dignified Crown Prince act this way?”
At this point, she suddenly looked up, her eyes like those of a wounded fawn, staring directly at Xue Sui.
“Sister Xue, do you think the Crown Prince’s weakness has been exploited, causing him to act so abnormally?”
The porcelain bowl made a dull clatter on the cutting board.
Xue Sui fiddled with the prayer beads on her wrist, scooped the scalding fermented rice tangyuan into a porcelain bowl, her face still as calm as autumn water.
“Perhaps the County Princess is overthinking. The Empress is right; the Crown Prince bears the responsibility of the state and naturally wishes to pacify and stabilize the nation…”
“Bearing the state cannot outweigh matters of the heart.”
Guo Yunrong suddenly cut her off, dabbing her eyes with an embroidered handkerchief.
“If there were no deep-seated obsession, why would he go to such lengths? Sister Xue, twenty-eight lashes, each one drawing blood, and His Highness lay there for three days before he could barely get up. As soon as he could move, he rushed straight to Shui Yue Nunnery…”
The fermented rice on the stove bubbled with white steam. Xue Sui tightened her grip on the wooden spoon, recalling the sight of Li Zhao’s blood-soaked shoulders that night, her throat inexplicably tightening.
After the Love Silk Gu was dispelled, she shouldn’t have been so preoccupied, yet the warmth surging in her chest was more unbearable than when the Gu poison acted up.
She sighed inwardly and looked directly at Guo Yunrong.
“If the County Princess has something to say, why not say it directly?”
“Yunrong wants to ask Sister Xue, am I that unbearable?” Guo Yunrong suddenly grabbed her hand, pressing the embroidered handkerchief deeply into her palm.
The touch was warm, but her eyes held a moist stubbornness.
“So unbearable that the Crown Prince would rather be whipped and ridiculed by the world than marry me. So unbearable that Yunrong treats Sister sincerely, yet Sister won’t even tell me the truth…”
Xue Sui’s fingertips stiffened slightly.
After meeting her gaze, which was red-rimmed, for a long time, she finally let go of her aloofness.
“County Princess, you are intelligent and virtuous, gentle and refined. You are a thousand times better, ten thousand times better, than Xue Liu…”
Guo Yunrong: “But he likes you, not me, right?”
Xue Sui remained silent.
Actually, she liked Guo Yunrong’s personality.
If she had any dissatisfaction, she would express it on the spot.
The fact that she came to question her directly, rather than resorting to underhanded tactics, was something Xue Sui greatly admired.
“This matter was originally my fault.” She brought over the bowl of fermented rice, stirred it with the spoon for a moment, and handed it to Guo Yunrong.
“Shui Yue Nunnery worships the Buddhas of the Three Worlds, and the eternal lamp illuminates the true heart. Today, Xue Liu can swear before the Buddha that she has never harbored any intention of competing with the County Princess. In the past, she sincerely hoped that the County Princess and His Highness would have a harmonious union and be bound together forever as a couple in this life.”
Guo Yunrong clutched the embroidered handkerchief, her eyes brimming with tears.
She hated, she blamed, yet she didn’t know whom to direct her resentment towards…
When Xue Yuechen told her the truth, the momentary surge of humiliation was like an ice pick piercing her heart, chilling her to the bone, making her wish to destroy heaven and earth, and grind the bones of those who hurt her into ashes…
But when she saw Xue Sui, her heart softened involuntarily.
Then she thought again…
When they first met at the Persian embroidery shop, she had developed a crush on the Crown Prince, but he had never even glanced at her, nor had he made any promises beforehand, only to abandon her.
From the very beginning, it was her one-sided affection…
The Crown Prince was forced.
As the Crown Prince, he could not be with the woman he loved, endured twenty-eight heavy lashes, and in such snowy weather, rushed to the frontier, his life uncertain…
He was also very pitiable.
As for Xue Sui…
She had been displaced since childhood, unloved by her family. Upon returning to the capital, she was imprisoned, narrowly escaping death, and ended up with white hair…
She had no choice but to become a nun, living a life of solitude with ancient Buddhist scriptures…
She was also pitiable.
When considered this way, she, who was born into wealth and luxury, doted on by her family since childhood, and even received the title of County Princess, was the luckiest…
She already possessed so much favor and honor, how could she demand everything and covet what did not belong to her?
“Sister Xue…” Guo Yunrong suddenly lowered her head, wrinkling her nose as she wiped away her tears.
“Why didn’t you let me know sooner… If I had known the truth earlier, I would never have pressed you so hard. I would have voluntarily requested to break off the engagement, preventing him from enduring so many lashes, and would not have made things difficult for you…”
Xue Sui’s heart tightened.
Meeting those clear eyes, her throat choked up.
When she was imprisoned, she wasn’t completely unaware of what was happening outside.
She knew that Guo Yunrong had gone to great lengths to save her…
But she also knew that her heart, filled with hatred, found it difficult to reciprocate such pure affection.
Since she would ultimately disappoint her, it was better to remain distant and wish her well…
She sighed softly, “That’s why I said, County Princess, you are a thousand times better than me. Missing out on the County Princess is the Crown Prince’s loss. And I am not a kind person, nor am I a suitable partner to entrust oneself to…”
“You are a good person, Yunrong believes you!” Guo Yunrong pouted and took the fermented rice.
“Forced melons are not sweet. Besides, he doesn’t like me anyway. A destined relationship that cannot be forced is better left alone.”
After saying that, she pouted with a mixture of displeasure and grievance.
“I’ll accept this bowl of plum blossom fermented rice. Consider it your apology to me. I am magnanimous and will not hold this against you.”
Xue Sui: …
What a good girl. Li Zhao truly missed out.
As they were speaking, a sudden commotion arose from outside.
Xue Sui exchanged a glance with Guo Yunrong, frowned, and walked out of the kitchen. Just as she reached the turn of the corridor, she saw Xue Yuechen, supported by Fei Cui, her large pregnant belly protruding, slowly approaching with the help of servants.
She was draped in a smoky-purple brocade cloak, which made her complexion appear pale.
“What’s wrong with the Princess Consort?” Guo Yunrong asked anxiously. “Should we call for a doctor?”
Xue Yuechen pressed her hand to her side, her breathing unsteady.
“I feel a bit weak, my lower abdomen feels like a heavy stone, my lower back aches. I’ll go lie down in my room. County Princess, please make yourself at home…”
Xue Sui saw her ashen face and couldn’t help but frown. “Could it be that the fetal qi has been disturbed?”
Xue Yuechen panted and managed a weak smile. “There’s still over a month until the due date… Perhaps I walked a bit too quickly just now…”
As she spoke, she clutched her stomach, her brows furrowed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Xue Sui had someone help her to the monastic room to sit down. She reached out and felt her pulse, finding it slippery, rapid, and forceful, with a strong pulse at the cubit position. Her heart tightened.
“Quickly, help the Princess Consort to the inner room to lie down…”
She then turned to Fei Cui and said:
“Hurry and send someone to fetch a midwife. The Princess Consort is about to give birth!”
Xue Yuechen was greatly alarmed upon hearing this, completely at a loss.
“What should we do? This is a pure Buddhist place. If there is bloodshed, and the impurity offends the Bodhisattva, we might incur divine retribution…”
Fei Cui also said, “Yes, childbirth does not happen in temples, and temples do not assist in births… This is not permissible…”
Xue Yuechen clutched her waist, her brow furrowed in pain.
“Fei Cui, quickly send someone to prepare a sedan chair. We must return to the manor immediately…”
Xue Sui let out a cold laugh. “A life is at stake, why worry about taboos? The mountains have been covered in heavy snow for days. The Princess Consort is about to give birth, how can she withstand the jolting? Moreover, Bodhisattvas save all beings, would they really punish us for bloodshed?”
Everyone in the monastic room was somewhat flustered and uneasy.
Guo Yunrong composed herself and nodded.
“I’ll go and speak with the Abbess. The Abbess is compassionate, and I believe she won’t blame us.”
Xue Sui’s gaze swept over the panicked crowd, then at Xue Yuechen’s pained expression. After a moment of thought, she let out a deep sigh and softly uttered “Amitabha”…
“Boil hot water, prepare soft cloths, close the doors and windows, and get clean quilts…”
She calmly instructed the servants, then raised her voice to call Fei Cui.
“Hurry and send someone to invite Prince Duan!”
Li Zhao: I’m not appearing today, but the twenty-eight lashes are still there. Readers, won’t you show some appreciation for my bravery?
Xue Sui: ???…!!!
Li Zhao: What do you mean? Everyone, help me interpret.
