Chapter 74 Yang Guifei (IV) Eastern Palace

As the morning light of Chang'an spread over the blue bricks and black tiles, Lin Jiaojiao was staring at the scriptures on the table in a daze.

As soon as her fingertips touched the rice paper, Ling's voice came through the consciousness link, with a hint of deliberately subdued calmness: "Jiaojiao, I'm on the carriage to the palace, less than eight miles away from you. The signal is stable. At the royal family banquet today, Li Linfu might ask me to remarry. I will find a way to delay it, don't worry."

She suddenly came to her senses, walked to the window and pushed it open a crack - a middle-aged Taoist nun was sweeping the floor outside the yard. The sound of the bamboo broom scraping across the bluestone slabs was more urgent than usual. When she swept under her window, she deliberately paused, obviously paying attention to the movements in the yard.

"Be careful," Lin Jiaojiao responded in her mind, her fingertips clenching the corner of her sleeve. "I'll keep an eye on it at the temple and let you know if I have any news."

"Well, the carriage is almost at the palace gate, let's disconnect first." Ling's voice disappeared, and the connection between consciousness was like a silk thread that was gently pinched, leaving Lin Jiaojiao staring at the window frame in a daze.

She turned and walked to the woodshed, and turned over the bottom layer of the rice paper pile - there was a thin piece of paper that had been revised last night. On the paper was written the "response" from Ling with special ink, as a backup plan in case he made a mistake in responding at the last minute.

Mid-afternoon, the nun carrying the food arrived with a food box. Her steps were brisk. As she set the box down, she leaned closer, her voice lowered to a whisper: "Master Yang, the sister in the front yard said there's a royal family banquet in the palace. She also said...she also said that Lord Li Linfu wants to persuade His Highness Prince Shou to marry another princess, saying that this would show His Highness's 'sensibility' and would please His Majesty even more."

Lin Jiaojiao paused holding the chopsticks, still pretending to be calm: "Your Highness's affairs are not our turn to discuss." But her heart sank - as expected, Ling was right. Li Linfu wanted to use "marrying another woman" to prove Ling's cowardice, so that Emperor Xuanzong of Tang would be more assured in giving him the position of crown prince.

Seeing that she didn't respond, the little nun added, "Senior sister also said that if His Highness really married someone else, he might forget about you..." Before she finished her words, she was interrupted by a call from the front yard. She hurriedly responded and ran out, leaving Lin Jiaojiao staring at a plate of vegetables in a daze.

She tried to contact Zero, but the consciousness link never responded. She thought that the party had already started, and there were so many people around that he didn't dare to be distracted.

Lin Jiaojiao stood up and walked into the courtyard. Watching the swaying bamboo shadows, she suddenly felt that the silence in the temple was particularly oppressive. A middle-aged Taoist nun was still sweeping the floor. When she came to the bamboo, she deliberately raised her voice: "Some people have no heart for cultivation, but they still occupy such a good courtyard. What a waste."

Lin Jiaojiao didn't respond and turned back to the house - she knew that this was a deliberate provocation, trying to provoke her to reveal her flaws. Ling had said that the more at this time, the more she had to keep her composure.

An unknown amount of time passed before the consciousness link was suddenly gently tapped. Ling's voice was a little tired, but very clear: "Jiaojiao, everything was fine at the banquet. Li Linfu suggested that I marry someone else. I said as planned, 'Yuhuan has just entered the nunnery. If I marry someone else now, the court officials will accuse me of being heartless and it will affect the stability of the Crown Prince's position.' His Majesty did not object, so this matter has been suppressed for the time being."

Lin Jiaojiao felt relieved and asked hurriedly, "Didn't Emperor Xuanzong of Tang suspect anything? Was there any other movement?"

"I have no doubt. He even praised me for 'considering the overall situation.'" There was a hint of self-mockery in Ling's voice. "But His Majesty also told me to avoid going near Taizhen Temple to avoid attracting gossip. He's afraid that my frequent contact with you would ruin his plans. From now on, I can only come to the villa every ten days or so, and I have to pretend to 'pray for my mother.' I can't go near the temple walls."

Lin Jiaojiao tightened her grip on the paper, but said, "It's okay. This way it's safer, so Li Linfu won't get hold of anything. You can focus on preparing for the crown prince's appointment. I'm fine in the temple."

"I know you're feeling wronged." Ling's voice softened. "I'll think of a solution after the enthronement ceremony. By the way, Zhao Heng's men will help me keep an eye on the outside of the temple. If you need anything urgent, have Cui'er write the word 'urgent' on rice paper and place it under a stone at the base of the temple wall. I'll have someone retrieve it."

As she was speaking, footsteps were heard outside the courtyard. It was the Taoist nun in charge. Lin Jiaojiao quickly said to herself, "The Taoist nun in charge is here. I'll deal with her first and contact her later."

"Okay, don't show any flaws." Zero's voice disappeared.

Lin Jiaojiao had just tidied her clothes when the Taoist nun in charge pushed the door open and came in, holding a brocade box in her hand: "Master Yang, this is the calming incense given by His Majesty. He said that you should practice Taoism well and stop having random thoughts." Her eyes swept across the scriptures on the table and fell on Lin Jiaojiao's face, as if confirming something.

Lin Jiaojiao took the brocade box and coughed twice deliberately, her face looking pale. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am devoted to cultivating the Dao and dare not have any distracting thoughts."

The nun in charge stared at her for a while, then suddenly said, "I heard that His Highness didn't object to the proposal to marry another woman at the banquet. If the Taoist priest is sensible, she should be more considerate of His Highness and not make things difficult for him."

Lin Jiaojiao lowered her eyes, her fingers gently stroking the edge of the brocade box: "I understand that your highness's future is more important."

The nun in charge was satisfied and said a few more words like "Practice Taoism well" before turning and leaving.

Lin Jiaojiao looked at her back and opened the brocade box - the incense inside was burning with a faint sweet fragrance. Ling had said before that smelling this kind of fragrance for a long time would make people dazed. It was Emperor Xuanzong of Tang who wanted her to be completely obedient.

She poured the incense into the ash in the woodshed and reconnected with Ling: "The nun in charge just left and brought some calming incense. She also advised me not to embarrass you. This must be Li Linfu's intention."

"I understand. Don't touch anything she sends you next time." Ling's voice was a little cold. "The enthronement ceremony is scheduled for a month from now. During this period, I will try to contact you as little as possible to avoid being closely watched. The next time Cui'er comes, I'll ask her to bring some of your favorite osmanthus cakes. Don't skimp on them."

"Well, don't get too tired." Lin Jiaojiao's voice softened. "On the day of the enthronement ceremony, I will pray for you in the temple."

In the following days, the atmosphere in the temple changed noticeably.

The middle-aged Taoist nun watched her even more closely, even following her when she went to the woodshed.

The Taoist nun in charge came to "visit" every now and then, and every time she would say something like, "Your Highness is busy preparing for the ceremony and has no time to think about other things."

Lin Jiaojiao dealt with them one by one, but at night she would look out the window and think of Ling's words, "I'll come to the villa once every ten days or so," and she couldn't help feeling a little empty.

Cui'er came ten days later, standing at the corner door with a food box in her hand, and secretly handed Lin Jiaojiao a small package: "His Highness asked me to bring you some osmanthus cake, and this - His Highness said you were afraid of the dark at night, so he asked you to put it next to your pillow." It was a small luminous bead, which felt warm in the hand.

"Is Your Highness okay?" Lin Jiaojiao couldn't help but ask.

Cui'er nodded. "His Highness is fine, but he's very busy. Sometimes he stays up all night. Oh, and he told you not to worry, that he'll find a solution as soon as possible. He also said... he also told you to get more sun and not stay indoors all the time."

Lin Jiaojiao held the luminous beads in her hand, feeling warm in her heart.

After sending Cui'er away, she hid the osmanthus cake in a secret compartment in the closet. Whenever she wanted to eat something, she would take out a piece. The sweet fragrance could dispel her loneliness.

Another five days passed, and the consciousness link suddenly sounded. Ling's voice was a little hurried: "Jiaojiao, I'm in the other courtyard, three miles away from you. I just received news that Li Linfu wants me to take the initiative to ask His Majesty to 'choose a new princess' after the enthronement ceremony. I have to find a way to delay it. Is there anything unusual over there?"

"No, it's just that the nun in charge has been coming more often." Lin Jiaojiao quickly responded, "Don't worry, according to what was said before, 'He has just been crowned Crown Prince, so he should consolidate his position first, there's no rush for marriage.' It should be able to drag on."

"Yeah, I know." Ling's voice paused, "I can't stay in the courtyard for long, I can only say a few words to you. You have to take care of yourself and don't let me worry."

"You too." Lin Jiaojiao's eyes were a little hot. "Next time you come, remember to tell me the details of the enthronement ceremony."

"Okay." Zero's voice fell softly, and the consciousness link was disconnected again.

Lin Jiaojiao walked outside the yard and looked in the direction of the villa. Although it was three miles away, she seemed to be able to see Ling standing in front of the window.

She remembered that during the Western Zhou Dynasty, Ling always stayed by her side. Even though they were now separated by the viewing wall and the crowd, he was still working hard for their future.

On the day of the enthronement ceremony, some colorful silks were hung in Taizhen Temple, and the Taoist nuns were all discussing the excitement in the palace.

Lin Jiaojiao stayed alone in the east courtyard and lit a stick of mugwort incense she had made herself. Ling had said that mugwort incense could soothe the mind. She whispered to the incense, "Ling, I wish you a smooth canonization."

In the evening, the young nun ran in and said excitedly, "Master Yang, His Highness has officially become the Crown Prince! The senior sister in the front yard said that His Majesty has also rewarded His Highness with many gifts!"

Lin Jiaojiao smiled and nodded, but inwardly she was awaiting news from Ling. It wasn't until nightfall that Ling's voice reached her through the consciousness link, with a hint of relief: "Jiaojiao, the enthronement ceremony went smoothly. Li Linfu asked me to choose a new princess, but I said, 'My mother's mourning period hasn't ended yet, so I'll wait until the end of the mourning period to discuss the marriage.' His Majesty agreed, and we now have more time."

"That's great!" Lin Jiaojiao couldn't help but cheer in her heart.

"Yes, but I have to live in the East Palace, and I will come to the villa less often in the future." Ling's voice was apologetic. "But I will ask Zhao Heng's people to keep an eye on the temple. If you have any urgent matters, please contact me through the rice paper under the stone."

"I know, just rest assured in the East Palace." Lin Jiaojiao looked at the moonlight outside the window. "Ling, we will get better and better, right?"

"Yes, I will." Ling's voice was firm, like a reassurance. "After the mourning period is over, I will find a way to get you out and never let you stay in this temple again."

The moonlight shines on the bamboo shadows, casting a gentle light on the courtyard.

Lin Jiaojiao held the luminous beads beside her pillow, her heart full of anticipation - she knew that although she still had to be patient and look at each other from a distance, as long as Ling was there, as long as they could still care about and support each other like this, they would definitely be able to wait until the day they walked out of this viewing wall and the day they could truly stand shoulder to shoulder.