Jiang Shuyue liked the quiet environment here. She looked ahead and saw a nun dressed in plain clothes sweeping the floor under the corridor in the distance through a passageway.
She said to Qiuju, "Look, there's an auntie under the porch up ahead. Let's go over and ask who's in charge of arranging accommodations."
The two walked through the corridor, and the scene in the courtyard was completely different.
People could be seen moving into the courtyards on both sides.
"Miss, we're too late. If there's nowhere to stay, we'll have to stay at a farmer's house."
"Don't worry, there's more than one courtyard here. Maybe there are other empty courtyards in the back. If all else fails, we can stay in a side courtyard or wing room."
Jiang Shuyue had already seen it from the outside. Although the nunnery was simple, it occupied a considerable area and should have many rooms.
The family in the farmhouse is a mixed bunch, so it's not suitable for a woman to stay there.
Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, the sweeping nun quickly turned around and asked, "Are you two young ladies planning to stay here overnight?"
The nun was in her early thirties. Her blue dress had faded, and her hair was tied back with a peach wood hairpin.
Her eyes were clear as water, and she exuded an extraordinary and uncontested aura.
She smiled faintly at Jiang Shuyue and Qiu Ju, her eyes revealing a tranquility and peace far removed from the world, like a clear spring flowing.
Jiang Shuyue and Qiu Ju stepped forward and bowed.
Jiang Shuyue said with a warm smile, "Auntie has a good eye. We plan to stay here for a few days. Do you have any rooms available?"
"The central courtyard is full, but the back courtyard is empty. Please follow me, ladies."
The nun placed the broom by the railing and led the two through an archway to the back courtyard.
I learned from the nun that someone from her family had come to see her and she was currently reuniting with her family.
The nun led the two to the back courtyard, where Jiang Shuyue requested a courtyard located at the very back.
As soon as Qiuju entered the courtyard, she went to tidy up the bedroom. Jiang Shuyue put her hand into her sleeve, and with a thought, two twenty-tael silver ingots appeared in her palm.
She placed the silver into the nun's hand, saying, "We've troubled you here, aunts. This is just a small token of our appreciation. Please accept it."
“Young lady, this is too much. You’re only staying for a few days, so donating one or two taels of silver is enough.” The nun said, pushing the silver back while wondering to herself.
How did this girl manage to hide so much silver in her sleeve pocket without it showing?
Jiang Shuyue couldn't take back the money she had given away, so she took a step back and said, "Aunt, don't be so polite. Consider it money I'm giving to you aunts for a few bolts of cloth."
Seeing that Jiang Shuyue was sincere in wanting to donate money to Peach Blossom Nunnery, the nun had no choice but to accept it, saying, "Thank you for your generosity, young lady. I will take it to the accounting office right away."
"Please send someone to the dining hall to collect food in the morning, noon and evening. We don't have many staff here, so please understand if there is anything we cannot do to take care of you properly."
"Auntie, you're too kind."
After the nun left, Jiang Shuyue closed the courtyard gate and went inside.
This courtyard is basically a separate guest room; there is no living room inside.
The southeast sides are bedrooms, and the north side has a small kitchen and a washroom.
“Miss, the room is very clean. The bedding and sheets are in the wardrobe. I will make the bed now and then go and get the sheets from the carriage to put on top.”
The courtyard here isn't locked. If they go out again, the other aunts might not know that someone has been placed inside, which could cause misunderstandings and lead to trouble.
Jiang Shuyue immediately decided to make up all the beds in the three bedrooms in the courtyard, and that it wouldn't be too late to go to Gao Mu to get the bedding and clothes later.
There are two more bedrooms, which Jiang Shuyue plans to let Du Yutong and Zhan Shuzhen decide for themselves whether or not to give to the maids.
Anyway, she was used to sleeping in the same bed as Qiuju.
After they finished laying out the blankets, the two of them went out of the courtyard to wander around and familiarize themselves with the surroundings.
The large kitchen is on the side of the back courtyard, where five nuns are preparing lunch.
Through the window, I could see vegetables and tofu laid out on the counter; there was no meat.
The nuns here don't shave their heads and become Buddhist nuns; they simply comb their hair and don't get married.
There is no need to abstain from meat in terms of food, perhaps because the Peach Blossom Nunnery does not have enough money in its accounts, or perhaps because they are used to a simple life.
The woodshed is located on one side of the kitchen.
Further ahead, there seems to be a storage room, and following the eaves leads to the courtyard on the other side.
"Stop looking, let's go for a walk," Jiang Shuyue called out, stopping in her tracks.
"Miss, wait a moment. I'll go to the kitchen to get a pot of water to take back to the courtyard. There should be some mint around here. Let's go out and pick some to make mint tea."
"Okay, you go ahead, I'll wait for you back in the courtyard."
Jiang Shuyue had other plans in mind, and went straight to the small kitchen after returning to the courtyard.
The kitchen had no extra dishes, only a large pot and two earthenware jars, so it seemed to be just a kitchen for heating water for washing.
Jiang Shuyue lifted the wooden lid of the earthenware jar, which was empty and clean.
Jiang Shuyue quickly poured spiritual spring water into it.
There were only two wooden tubs in the washroom. Thinking that it might not be enough for more people, she had a thought and a wooden tub suddenly appeared on the ground.
She filled the wooden bucket she had taken from her spatial dimension with water and then went outside.
Just then, Qiuju returned.
"Miss, you rest. I'll go out by myself."
"I'm not tired. The scenery outside is lovely, let's go out and take a look."
Jiang Shuyue was about to head towards the main gate when Qiuju quickly grabbed her sleeve. "Miss, a nun just told me that we can go out through the back door to enjoy the scenery."
Stepping out of the backyard, I discovered a hidden paradise.
Behind the peach grove is a vegetable garden, and the entire nunnery is surrounded by peach trees.
Jiang Shuyue was so captivated by the scenery before her that she couldn't move.
"Ju'er, this is the paradise of my dreams. When I'm a little older, I'll come here and live here permanently."
"Miss, you mustn't! You're in the prime of your life, how can you waste it here?"
Qiuju became anxious upon hearing this, thinking that her young mistress was disheartened and wanted to become a nun.
Jiang Shuyue was captivated by the sea of flowers before her, and without turning her head, she said, "The scenery here is beautiful, with such a large peach orchard. I can even learn to make peach blossom wine. And I'll have a nun who is knowledgeable in poetry, calligraphy, and painting to keep me company. Life would be wonderful."
Jiang Shuyue knew that there were many talented women among the nuns.
“Miss, actually the Emperor is not bad either; at least he cares about you.”
"Don't mention him, I'm in a good mood right now."
These days, Qiuju has thought a lot. If the emperor really doesn't hold a selection of concubines, and he is Suisui's biological father, then the young lady will become the empress once she enters the palace, and no one will compete with Suisui for the throne in the future.
Seeing that the young lady was unwilling to listen, Qiuju quickly shut her mouth.
The two followed the path through the peach grove to find Du Yutong and the other person.
They hadn't gone far when they heard voices coming from the peach grove.
"Did you know? The Emperor has a son."
"Could it be that His Majesty was already married when he was in Yannan? It's fortunate that Sister Cui was already engaged, otherwise when it came time for the imperial concubine selection, His Majesty would definitely have named you to enter the palace."
"Sisters, don't talk nonsense. I'm not that lucky."
The girls chattered amongst themselves, and Cui Yudie was the last to speak.
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