Chapter 9 Private Affairs

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Standing behind Madam Liu, the group of ladies and gentlemen were initially stunned by her inexplicable remarks. Miss Jiang the Second was known as a young lady who had poisoned her own mother, pitiful though she seemed, openly aiding her would mean siding against Ji Shuran. With the Ji family currently in favor with Emperor Hongxiao and the domestic affairs of the Chief Minister's Family being none of their business, everyone had planned to just watch from the sidelines.

To their surprise, after a brief greeting with Madam Liu, she immediately offered to take Miss Jiang the Second back to Yanjing, willing to offend the Ji family for a girl she had only met a few times.

What was even more unexpected was that Miss Jiang the Second refused.

Everyone was extremely surprised by Jiang Li's response, and Tonger was also secretly anxious. Madam Liu inquired with a searching gaze, "Miss Jiang the Second, why is that?"

Jiang Li smiled and said, "My father sent me to the family temple so I could cultivate myself. Though it is hard, I can seek peace and health for my family. If I were to give up halfway, it would be blasphemous to the Bodhisattva. Besides, my father has not yet sent for me to return, how can I presume to decide on my own?"

Her words made no mention of her initial crime of poisoning her mother, only that she had been sent to cultivate herself and seek blessings for her family. To others, it seemed as though Miss Jiang the Second was skirting the issue, but Madam Liu heard a deeper meaning.

Madam Liu had been good friends with Ye Zhenzhen for many years and knew her to be honest and kind; naturally, she could not believe that Ye Zhenzhen's daughter could be so malicious. However, when Jiang Li's incident first happened, Madam Liu had had no contact with the Jiang Family for many years, and Jiang Li was caught red-handed pushing Ji Shuran, leading to her miscarriage, in front of many ladies—evidence incontrovertible. Although Madam Liu was doubtful, she could do nothing.

Now that she spotted the daughter of her old friend being bullied here, looking so tender and innocent, Madam Liu's mind was suddenly filled with doubts. Jiang Li's omission of her wrongdoing perhaps indicated that she might not have been at fault at all, and the poisoning of her mother was just a pretext—an excuse made by someone who wanted to send her away to be tormented at their leisure.

Listen to what Jiang Li said at the end—everything depended on Jiang Yuanbai, but Jiang Yuanbai probably had never spared a thought for this daughter, right?

Madam Liu was inwardly infuriated. Seeing Jiang Li looking up at her, somewhat puzzled, she said, "Speaking of which, I still don't know why Madam is here? And these people..." She glanced at the entourage behind Madam Liu and asked, "Could it be that they are also here to offer incense? Not many people come here to do so on regular days; they mostly go to Helin temple next door. Moreover, it's too late now; you ladies and gentlemen are not here to offer incense, are you?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present varied. Madam Liu, however, suddenly thought of something, pondered for a while, and then said to Jiang Li, "This family temple is not a good one. Since your father has sent you here, he should have chosen a proper family temple for you. Well, if you're unwilling to leave with me, I will start my journey back to Yanjing tomorrow, but I believe your father should be sending for you to return home soon."

The implications in her words were quite clear.

Jiang Li seemed to understand but also seemed not to. She simply smiled and said, "Then I must thank Madam."

Madam Liu then said, "But you need not be so devout, kneeling in the temple at midnight. Justice resides in people's hearts. If you are pious, the Buddha will naturally see. Yu Xiang," she turned to a maid beside her, "you will stay here for the next few days to take good care of Miss Jiang the Second. With only one maid, I'm afraid she cannot be adequately cared for." Looking at Jiang Li, she continued, "Miss Jiang the Second, there's no need to refuse. I was an old friend of your mother. Yu Xiang is my personal maid and is also skilled in some martial arts; I would be more at ease with her by your side. When you return to Yanjing, you can send Yu Xiang back to me."

Giving up her own personal maid to Jiang Li showed how much Madam Liu valued her, and it also implied that perhaps it wouldn't be long before Jiang Li could return to the Jiang family in Yanjing and resume her place as the daughter of Jiang family.

Jiang Li thanked Madam Liu, who, along with the other ladies and madams, stayed at the nunnery. True to her word, Yu Xiang accompanied Jiang Li, and Jiang Li and Tonger moved to a more comfortable room usually reserved for other nuns. Not a single nun was seen.

Taking advantage of Yu Xiang's absence to fetch water, Tonger quietly asked Jiang Li, "Miss, what's going on? Why are all the nuns gone? And why are there so many more people here?"

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Tonger probably guessed that this matter was related to Jiang Li, but she had no idea what Jiang Li had actually done. These days, Jiang Li had only asked her to feed the monkeys, but feeding the monkeys couldn't possibly cause so much trouble!

"Didn't I tell you to feed the monkeys?" Jiang Li said indifferently, "At Helin temple, Venerable Master Tongming's leading disciple, Liaowu, has an affair with Venerable Master Jing'an from our nunnery. They meet secretly in the temple's back forest every nineteenth day of the month. By feeding the monkeys on the mountain with cakes for half a month, they gather there every evening. Tonight is the nineteenth, and as usual, the monkeys will go there expecting food. When they see Jing'an and Liaowu, they will mistake them for people bringing food and approach them to ask for it. The two of them, already feeling guilty, will likely cause a commotion if startled, which could alarm the noble ladies here. The ladies of this place, all rich or nobility, will not tolerate such sordid affairs at a Buddhist place and will surely demand an explanation. This could lead to the nuns in the nunnery being seized."

Tonger listened, stunned, and murmured, "How could..." She then became anxious again, "Such a secret affair, how did Miss know about it?"

"I overheard it." Jiang Li picked up the tea from the table and took a sip, "Two Little Nuns were gossiping, and I happened to hear them."

Tonger still found it incredible, "That's terrifying."

Jiang Li smiled. She certainly knew. Back when she was Xue Fangfei, Princess Yongning had tried to exhaust her with medicinal decoctions every day, confining her to her room, unable to leave. The serving women spoke without regard, treating her as if she were dead. That's how she learned that Princess Yongning's secret meeting place with Shen Yurong was a temple not far from Yanjing.

Those serving women went on to share another secret, Liaowu of Helin temple was actually a licentious monk. Many women had been debased by him, including the Nuns from the neighboring nunnery. It was from Liaowu that Princess Yongning got the idea to have secret meetings with Shen Yurong at the temple.

When she woke up and became Miss Jiang the Second, learning that Helin temple was nearby, the first thing that came to her mind was this secret. The moment she saw Venerable Master Jing'an, Jiang Li knew that Venerable Master Jing'an must have a lover. A young and beautiful person who had taken vows, if she didn't have a lover, why would she bother with fragrant hair ointment and powder, why dress herself so alluringly?

After all, we beautify ourselves for those who please us.

A complete plan emerged in Jiang Li's mind, of course, this plan wasn't guaranteed to succeed. Perhaps those serving women hadn't been telling the truth, perhaps Jing'an's lover wasn't Liaowu, or maybe they didn't make any noise during their meeting. If those things didn't happen, the whole plan would be null and void, never coming to fruition.

By that time, Jiang Li would have to find another way.

However, her luck wouldn't always be so bad, just coincidentally, it worked out this very time.

Tonger pressed her hands together in prayer, "We're lucky Miss overheard their gossip, lucky Miss thought of this method. When you think about it, otherwise how could Miss have met Madam Liu. Maybe, it was the Flower Demon... no, Flower Fairy we saw tonight showing its power, making those wicked ones receive their karma!"

Flower Fairy? The face of a young man on the rooftop immediately appeared before Jiang Li's eyes.

"He's not a Flower Fairy," Jiang Li said with a smile.

"He is Duke Su."