Green Mountain
Chapter 361 - 298, Jingyang Palace

Chapter 361: 298, Jingyang Palace

Chen Ji stood on East First Street, with Zhongcui Palace on his left and Jingyang Palace on his right. Though separated by a street, it felt like an insurmountable chasm.

He turned his head and quietly observed. The red walls, gray tiles, and the snow-white skin on the girl’s neck stood out starkly.

The blue Daoist robe on the girl looked pristine like a swan, yet as delicate as a kite.

Chen Ji gazed at that silhouette, wanting to call out softly to her, but feared his voice might startle her away.

For a moment, it felt like he was back at the small Taiping Medical Hall, the first time she timidly peeked through the courtyard wall, ready to flee at any moment.

Just then, someone called out from Zhongcui Palace, "Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji was startled and saw the girl’s hand in Jingyang Palace pause, as if frozen in place.

She had heard.

Chen Ji looked down at his attire, hastily smoothing out the wrinkles. His mind raced, pondering what expression to use and how to convey his words silently amidst the Jiefan Guards patrolling Dongliu Palace.

Sign language? She wouldn’t understand.

Morse code? Even worse.

Yet, after a while, the girl did not turn around.

She merely picked up a broom and walked into Jingyang Palace, disappearing into the depths of the palace, as if an invisible door closed where she had vanished.

Chen Ji stood there, hands dropping to his sides, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes.

Indeed, the last time they had met was in Luocheng City’s inner prison.

That day, Bai Long had told everyone in the inner prison that Prince Jing wrote a blood letter calling the Thousand-year Army to break him out, and fortunately, Chen Ji turned in the blood letter, preventing the army from causing a major calamity. Bai Li had cried bitterly behind the iron bars.

After that, Chen Ji had broken out of prison and gone on the run, but by then, Bai Li had already been taken away. It felt like something from a past life after more than two months.

He wanted to explain that he hadn’t betrayed Prince Jing or anyone else, but now he couldn’t.

Li Xuan walked out of Zhongcui Palace, following Chen Ji’s gaze toward Jingyang Palace, but besides the two Jiefan Guards on duty, there was no one else there.

Curiously, he asked, "Why are you standing here, not moving?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "It’s nothing."

Li Xuan said softly, "Come, let’s rest in Zhongcui Palace for a while."

Chen Ji acknowledged with a sound, then asked casually, "Has Lord Li ever been inside Jingyang Palace?"

Li Xuan replied offhandedly, "No, the Yulin Army can only guard outside the Imperial Palace Gate and inside Chengtian Gate. Everything inside the Imperial Palace Gate is guarded by the Jiefan Guards to prevent any scandal... His Majesty and the Prime Minister trust the Jiefan Guards more."

He continued, "We will likely often come to Zhongcui Palace in the future. Remember, unless there’s an order from His Majesty, we must leave before nightfall. Otherwise, the lightest punishment is a hundred imperial canes; the worst is beheading at the Imperial Palace Gate. Moreover, Jingyang Palace houses female relatives of the palace, and you mustn’t get involved with them under any circumstances -- even if they speak to you, you must avoid them."

Chen Ji asked idly, "Wasn’t it a place for cultivating Daoist practices? How did it become a residence for the palace’s women?"

"Such palace secrets," Li Xuan said, glancing back at him, "shouldn’t be spread outside. Sometimes if a rebellious princess or commandery princess tarnishes the family’s reputation, the family will claim she is practicing Daoist meditation and then confine her here. Some consorts from noble families who cannot be killed outright are also confined here. These women are made to practice Daoist rites in Jingyang Palace daily, reciting scriptures until some go mad over time. Those consorts confined here are not idle either, and they harm each other. Only the Empress Dowager occasionally visits to offer prayers and seek divine guidance; no one else goes in."

Hearing this, Chen Ji suddenly clenched his fists.

...

...

Bai Li, holding a broom, returned to Jingyang Hall.

Jingyang Palace was a two-courtyard complex. The main hall enshrined the Yuqing Primordial Heavenly Venerate, the Heavenly Lord of Spiritual Treasure, and the Taiqing Taoist Venerable. The incense table held clear water, incense flowers, and long candles.

The rear hall housed the dormitories for the Daoist nuns, with over ten people living in a shared space.

In the main hall, in front of the statues of the Three Pure Ones, a girl knelt on the floor, silently weeping while wiping the green stone floor with a cloth.

Bai Li knelt beside her, gently took the cloth from her hand, and said softly, "Lingyun, take a rest. I’ll do it."

The girl kneeling on the floor was Zhu Lingyun, who should have fled overseas with the Liu family, the daughter of Princess Consort Jing.

Bai Li meticulously wiped the green bricks until they gleamed.

Zhu Lingyun wiped her tears with her sleeve and said sadly, "Sister, I want to go home."

Bai Li froze, then whispered, "Lingyun, we don’t have a home anymore."

Just then, a chubby Daoist nun came out from the rear hall. Seeing Bai Li wiping the floor and Zhu Lingyun crying beside her, she sneered, "You sisters are quite affectionate. But I tasked Zhu Lingyun with wiping the floor and you with sweeping. Do not overstep your duties."

Bai Li continued to silently wipe the floor.

The chubby Daoist nun, enraged by her stubborn attitude, took a ruler and struck Bai Li’s back hard.

The well-polished bamboo ruler hit her back with a dull thud.

Bai Li frowned at first, her lips trembling in pain, then gritted her teeth and continued wiping the floor.

The chubby Daoist nun sneered, "Why pretend to be tough? Lose your arrogance. In Jingyang Palace, no matter how noble your bones are, you’ll be ground to dust!"

Bai Li remained silent.

Seeing this, the chubby Daoist nun turned to whip Zhu Lingyun, "You may endure, but your sister cannot."

Two strikes landed on Zhu Lingyun’s arm, causing her to wail, "I was wrong, please don’t hit me."

The chubby Daoist nun sneered, "How many times must I remind you to use my Daoist title?"

Zhu Lingyun quickly said, "Master Xuansu, please stop hitting me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

Master Xuansu struck again with the ruler, "Recite the Canon of Supreme Response!"

Zhu Lingyun trembled as she recited, "Disasters and blessings have no doors; they come to people themselves. The recompenses of good and evil follow one like a shadow. Therefore, the gods of heaven and earth inspect people’s transgressions, taking away their lifespan according to the severity..."

She paused at this point, trying hard to recall what came next.

Master Xuansu shouted angrily, "What comes next? Keep reciting!"

Zhu Lingyun began to weep again, "I can’t remember, please don’t hit me..."

Before she finished speaking, Bai Li threw herself over Zhu Lingyun, shielding her from the blows.

"Sister..." Zhu Lingyun cried, unable to hold back her tears.

Bai Li, protecting her, calmly said, "Don’t plead."

The ruler landed blow after blow on Bai Li’s back until blood soaked through her Daoist robe. Suddenly, a eunuch’s loud voice echoed from outside Jingyang Palace, "By order of His Majesty, Crown Prince Zhu Chunwen, Yulin Army Commander Li Xuan, and Deputy Commander Qi Zhenzhuo are summoned!"

The voice reverberated from outside, and immediately footsteps could be heard rushing from the rear hall. A disheveled madwoman ran out barefoot, "The Yulin Army... Yulin Army... Zhuoyuan Brother! It must be Zhuoyuan Brother coming to save me!"

Someone called after her, "Hold her back and don’t let her go outside!"

The madwoman stormed past Bai Li and Zhu Lingyun. Master Xuansu reached out to grab her but missed. Next, over ten Daoist nuns chased after the madwoman toward the gates of Jingyang Palace.

As Jingyang Hall quieted down, Zhu Lingyun, still crying, asked, "Sister, does it hurt?"

Bai Li responded, "Yes."

Zhu Lingyun, feeling pained, asked, "Why don’t you cry? Those wicked women want to see us cry, to beg. If we do, they won’t beat us to death."

Bai Li wiped away Zhu Lingyun’s tears and softly said, "Once the tears dry up, they can’t flow anymore."

...

...

Chen Ji followed the Crown Prince out of Zhongcui Palace and saw a group of blue-robed Daoist nuns dragging a madwoman back to Jingyang Palace.

The madwoman continued to howl, "Zhuoyuan Brother, save me!"

A Daoist nun covered her mouth, silencing her.

Once the nuns disappeared into Jingyang Palace, a middle-aged Daoist nun dressed in a cyan robe with a golden lotus crown stood at the gates of Jingyang Palace. With a black silk belt around her waist, forming the Ruyi Festival sign, she made a Jade Emperor Seal gesture and saluted the Crown Prince from across the street, "This person is possessed by evil spirits and collided with Your Highness. Please forgive her."

The Crown Prince returned the salute, "Master Xuanzhen, there’s no need for such courtesy."

Without further words, Master Xuanzhen turned and reentered Jingyang Palace.

Li Xuan turned to Chen Ji, "Did you see that? That place is cursed."

Chen Ji asked solemnly, "Who was that madwoman just now?"

Li Xuan whispered, "She is the late Emperor’s sister, Princess Yongchun. The late Emperor had arranged a marriage for her, betrothing the new scholar Zhuang Xian to be her Prince Consort. However, not long after, the Spy Department of the Eunuch Party discovered she was having an affair with the Deputy Commander of the Yulin Army, Zhou Zhuoyuan, and was pregnant with his child. They attempted to flee south together but were caught by the Cao Guild upon boarding the ship. Zhou was exiled to Lingnan, and Princess Yongchun confined to Jingyang Palace to practice Daoism."

Chen Ji asked again, "Who is Master Xuanzhen?"

Li Xuan explained, "Master Xuanzhen was a consort of the late Emperor. When he passed away, the other consorts were all buried with him, but the Empress Dowager saved her to serve the Three Pure Ones in Jingyang Palace. Don’t ask any more questions. It doesn’t involve us, and it must not."

Chen Ji nodded, following the Crown Prince through the long corridor of gray tiles and red walls. The sun was starting to set, and the high palace walls looked like a mountain blocking the sunlight from entering.

They crossed East First Street, passed by Fengxian Hall, and entered Renshou Palace.

The guiding eunuch led them to wait outside Renshou Palace, whispering, "Please wait here. I will announce your arrival... The Official and Ministry members are inside discussing important matters with His Majesty. Do not look around, and be cautious of any misconduct."

With that, he took small, quick steps into Renshou Palace.

An official from Honglu Temple reminded them, "His Majesty may not meet everyone, most likely only the Crown Prince and the two Commanders. But once you leave, make sure to say that you have seen His Majesty and were encouraged by him. Everyone, keep in line and maintain decorum!"

Chen Ji stood at the end of the line and waited, which lasted an hour. They even heard high voices of the Officials and Ministry members arguing and scolding in Renshou Palace, almost breaking into a fight.

It was unclear what the argument was about, only occasional words like "border army" and "Jing Dynasty" floated out.

This world truly is like a huge makeshift theater.

Chen Ji glanced up slightly and saw gauze curtains hanging from the dome of Renshou Palace. A vague figure sat behind the gauze curtains, appearing ethereal.

Seeing him looking up, an official from Honglu Temple scolded, "Bold! Lower your head!"

Chen Ji promptly lowered his head again.

Until the palace eunuchs and female servants moved around with lanterns, lighting all the candles and lamps. Then, a copper bell sounded from within Renshou Palace.

The sound of debating ceased immediately.

The crisp, melodious bell seemed to have a certain magic.

Moments later, a fair-skinned middle-aged man in a cyan python robe walked out of Renshou Palace and announced in a steady voice, "Summon, Chen Family’s bastard son, Chen Ji, to an audience."