Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 311 It’s hard to calm down

Xue Sui smiled slightly.

"Master, you flatter me. It's our duty to help each other in this together."

"This old nun has failed the Buddha today..."

Recalling those harrowing moments, Huiming still feels lingering fear.

"To lie before Buddha, to smash the sacred objects offered with one's own hands, this old nun... this old nun... is deeply sinful!"

“All forms are not forms; shattering is perfection. Sacred objects shatter because they manifest their sacredness; their spirit has returned to the Buddha’s throne.” Xue Sui pressed down on Huiming’s cold, trembling hand, his words clear and carrying a calming power.

“Master, think about it carefully. The fact that the filth is revealed and the truth is revealed is also because the Buddha used your hand to unleash his thunderous wrath and shatter the illusion.”

"Having said that..."

Master Huiming shook her head, a trace of lingering resentment still visible in her eyes.

"After all, a sacred relic that had been worshipped for many years was destroyed... Moreover, it indirectly caused the death of a person. The old nun broke her vows and blasphemed the gods... She truly deserves to die..."

"Don't blame yourself." Xue Sui's voice was very low, only the two of them could hear it.

“If it weren’t for Master’s mistake, we would be the ones locked up and imprisoned right now, accused of cursing the imperial heir. Master’s actions today may seem like a breach of precepts, but in reality, they are the compassion of a Bodhisattva, protecting this pure land. The fact that you and I have safely passed through this tribulation is thanks to the protection of Buddha.”

"Amitabha……"

Huiming closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

"But the broken porcelain of the jade bottle is still in the Baohua Hall... What should we do if people find out the truth?"

Xue Sui lowered his eyes, his voice calm.

"The medicine will disappear without a trace in an hour, and no one will be able to find out. Master, you only need to remember that today's events are a manifestation of Buddha, using your hand to smash the vase to cleanse the palace of evil spirits. You know nothing else. This is the only way to protect Shuiyue Nunnery with the least cost."

Huiming closed his eyes and remained silent for a moment.

He opened his eyes again, looking worriedly at the palace walls outside the window.

"With such heavy snow, I wonder how Shuiyue Nunnery is doing right now?"

Xue Sui's eyes darkened for a moment.

A sense of foreboding flashed through my mind.

Emperor Chongzhao was unusually kind afterwards. Instead of punishing them, he gently comforted them and allowed them to rest and recuperate in the palace, which was truly strange...

"What is meant to be will be, Master. We are currently in the palace, so there is no point in thinking too much. Conserving our energy is the best course of action."

Huiming sighed bitterly, "I only hope that the child can ascend to the lotus throne of ultimate bliss as soon as possible, be reborn into a good family, stay away from the defiled world, and enjoy peace. Otherwise, this old nun's heart... will be truly uneasy."

"Master Huiming."

Xue Sui interrupted her and shook his head.

His eyes sharpened.

The Buddha said: It cannot be spoken.

At the end of the year, Qian listened to Xue Sui's advice and persuaded Xue Yuechen to take several officials' wives to Shuiyue Nunnery to worship Buddha.

That night, Xue Sui and Xue Yuechen had a long talk by candlelight.

Ruihe is currently Xue Yuechen's biggest worry, even more so than Xue Liu, who is far away in the nunnery.

Her flirtatious exchanges with Li Huan caused Xue Yuechen great distress.

Xue Sui easily persuaded Xue Yuechen, and the two joined forces to eliminate Ruihe...

Of course, she was just using someone else's strength against them.

If Ruihe hadn't been so ungrateful, so jealous, and so wicked and stupid—entering the palace to deliver incense to harm Xiao Qing'er and frame Xue Sui, yet leaving clues and flaws at every turn so that the informants in the old mausoleum would have noticed her methods—she wouldn't have fallen into Xue Sui's trap and become a knife in her hand...

The purse that suddenly appeared in Xiao Qing'er's sleeve and became key evidence was slipped into her pocket by Xue Yuechen in front of everyone, taking advantage of the chaos while helping her up...

The holy water in the vase was also a pre-arranged scheme between Xue Sui and Xue Yuechen. Xue Sui used her words to make Abbess Huiming believe that the Dharma assembly was in crisis and that the life and death of Shuiyue Nunnery depended on this moment, forcing her to cooperate with the situation with a mixture of belief and doubt...

Every step was flawless, without any mistakes.

The only victim was probably the unborn child in Xiao Qing'er's womb...

She died at the hands of Ruihe, her biological mother whom she considered a "sister."

And what did Xue Sui do? He did nothing.

She was merely using pharmacology; she had placed a powder in the holy water that could interfere with the pulse, and then had Huiming deliberately break it and splash it on Xiao Qing'er's body, briefly creating a false pregnancy pulse so that the imperial physician couldn't detect it.

"It is fortunate that we were not born into an imperial family. Let us recite the Rebirth Mantra a few more times for those souls who died unjustly."

Huiming looked into her deep, dark eyes and lowered his head heavily.
-
Li Zhao heard the news of the investigation of Shuiyue Nunnery at nightfall.

At that time, the palace gates were locked, and the imperial guards were stationed in layers, so no news could get in.

"The Five Cities Garrison's search of the nunnery was ordered by my elder brother, but in reality, it was carried out by my father's secret decree." Li Zhao let out a muffled, cold laugh, his eyes icy.

"Xue Ping'an, you've left a potential source of trouble by your side."

“Your Highness is absolutely right.” Mei Ruhui nodded, looking worried. “Although the album was destroyed, there were many witnesses. If Prince Duan insists on the claim that ‘someone destroyed the evidence,’ the witnesses are readily available, and he won’t be able to deny it…”

“She is in a difficult situation,” Li Zhaodao said.

"Your Highness, Prince Duan's actions, ostensibly to quell rumors, are in reality a ruse... The arrest of Miss Xue is twofold: to intimidate and to verify the facts. Under the Ministry of Justice's severe torture, once we pry open their mouths and confirm Miss Xue's relationship with the Old Mausoleum, and even with Your Highness..."

The following words, though not explicitly stated, are perfectly clear in their meaning.

The study fell silent for a moment.

Li Zhao remained silent.

The nameless anger that he had forcibly suppressed when he witnessed her cutting her wrists in Baohua Hall was now churning in his chest, mixed with worry.

He picked up the already cold teacup beside him and took a small sip.

He suppressed his agitation and gave a chilling smile.

"The most urgent task is to rescue them. She is a woman of great loyalty and affection. If we don't bring those people out unharmed, she will definitely risk her life regardless of the consequences... Yuan Cang!"

Yuan Cang responded and stepped forward.

"My subordinate is here."

Li Zhaochao beckoned to him, signaling him to come closer.

After giving these few instructions, Yuan Cang's expression immediately changed...

"Your Highness?"

"Why aren't you going yet?" Li Zhao said coldly.

"Yes." Yuan Cang cupped his hands and strode away.

Mei Ruhui's pupils dilated in shock as he stared at his master in disbelief.

Your Highness is... taking all the danger upon yourself?

After rescuing Miss Xue, do you still want to extricate her from the situation?

To protect her, he was willing to put himself in the wrath of the emperor and Prince Duan.

The current emperor is inherently suspicious.

He may not even trust his two biological sons.

The Crown Prince's actions will only increase the Emperor's suspicion of him...

He risked his precarious position as crown prince, all to create a safety net for Miss Xue and save her maids...

Mei Ruhui took a deep breath, held his breath for a moment, and then had no choice but to kneel down and speak.

"Your Highness, please reconsider. Saving lives is a small matter, but disrupting our plans is a much bigger one. The Emperor's mind is currently unpredictable, and Prince Duan is watching us closely, waiting for you to make a mistake... If Your Highness were to offend the Emperor because of this, it would be tantamount to handing a knife to Prince Duan..."

Li Zhao's jaw was clenched.

His eyes held an unyielding, piercing intensity.

"If I don't protect her, who will?"

Having said that, he summoned Guan Ya and gave the order in a deep voice.

"Prepare the horses! Come with me out of the palace."

(End of this chapter)