Chapter 109 Destiny Should Fall on Her
The person most delighted by Pei Jingyi's appointment as heir apparent was none other than the Dowager Lady, who decided to use her own savings to celebrate her eldest grandson's success.
This time, Meng Wanyin took the money without any guilt, and she could even stand up straight in front of the Grand Madam.
During the breaks in preparing for the banquet, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi took the opportunity to slack off and gather around to eat melons.
"I heard that Wang Meiren's whole family is going to be exiled to Liaodong tomorrow."
Shen Lingyue clicked her tongue in disbelief, "What do you think she's after? She's really been fooled by Prince An."
"But even if Consort Wang successfully enters the palace, she will die in childbirth with the Eighth Prince by next year at the latest."
Yan Yi calmly said, "Although Liaodong is bitterly cold, if the Wang family is willing to spend money to bribe officials, they might be able to make a living there."
“I know this one, it’s a story about exile and famine escape.” Shen Lingyue enthusiastically recommended it, “I used to love reading it for a while, all that hunting in the mountains, picking mushrooms and digging for wild vegetables, clearing land and farming…”
It's cold in Northeast China, but at least the four seasons are distinct. In winter, you can get through it by just wearing thick clothes and staying at home by the fire.
If I were really exiled to Lingnan... the miasma, the damp heat, and the giant cockroaches would be enough to give me a hard time.
If she had to choose, she'd rather be exiled to the north... Pshaw, just kidding!
Shen Lingyue held a large cup of local Daye caramel milk tea and took a delicious sip.
“You’re right. Without Consort Wang, there would be no Eighth Prince, and therefore no palace coup at Prince Heng, which would have resulted in rivers of blood.”
She counted on her fingers for a long time before asking Yan Yi, "So, by exposing Prince An's conspiracy ahead of time, we've saved a lot of people, right?"
Yan Yi nodded gently, "Yes, I can feel that many people's fates have changed."
In fact, the whole thing started with that little maid—if they hadn't been determined to stand up for her, they wouldn't have "seen" the secret door and underground passage later.
Prince An could never have imagined that his years of painstaking planning and forbearance, his gentle and harmless facade in front of others, would ultimately be ruined by a little maid whose name he probably didn't even know.
Yan Yi added, "Xiangping was buried on a small hill south of Yuquan Village. The steward was very thoughtful and even built a small tomb for her."
Later, they sent people to inquire and found out that Chun Tao was the name she changed after she was bought into Prince An's villa; her original name was Xiang Ping.
"Okay, next time we go to the hot springs in the village, remember to burn some paper money for Xiangping on the mountain."
Especially Pei Jinghuai, if it weren't for this incident, he wouldn't have been granted the title of Sixth-Rank Yunqiwei.
Shen Lingyue covered her head and sighed, "Did the old emperor know he didn't like going to work? He only gave him a nominal title of honorary official, a white-collar salary without having to do any work. Isn't that too good?"
After all, Emperor Qingxi was always very stingy with rewards for the nobles. Apart from the eldest son of each family who could inherit the title, all the other sons had to make their own way in the world.
Now, Pei Jinghuai can finally hold his head high in their "22 Alliance" and is no longer an unemployed bum.
Shen Lingyue had come to terms with it; anyway, they were just a lazy couple, with plenty to eat, drink, and spend money, living off their father and then their older brother...
The two were chatting idly when Qingchan came in to report: "The gatekeeper said that a lady surnamed Xu came to visit, and she seemed very anxious."
Madam Xu?
Shen Lingyue immediately realized, "It's Yao Niang, isn't it?"
She slapped her forehead. "Oh dear, I almost forgot! The Prince An's mansion is surrounded, but Lan Ya'er is still inside!"
The two quickly put down what they were doing and rushed to the front yard.
As expected, it was Xu Yaoniang who arrived. Without bothering with pleasantries, she immediately said upon seeing the two, "Lan Ya'er, she..."
Shen Lingyue nodded: "Yes, yes, don't worry, let's think of a solution together."
Xu Yaoniang composed herself and took out a small, gilded token from her sleeve.
"This was lent to me by Princess Tong'an. I hope the Imperial Guards outside the Prince An's residence will allow me to bring Lan Ya'er out, out of respect for the princess."
"Now that the princess is helping us, things will be much easier," Yan Yi said. "Let's not delay, let's go now."
The three arrived at Prince An's mansion by carriage. From a distance, they saw a group of Imperial Guards standing guard outside the gate, their faces solemn and the atmosphere heavy and sinister.
"Hey, isn't that Lu Xilou?"
After searching for a long time, Shen Lingyue finally found a familiar face and comforted Yao Niang, "He has a very good relationship with my husband. If we ask him to plead for us, it shouldn't be a problem."
Lu Xilou was arranging the handover of patrol duties when he turned around and saw Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi walking towards him with a strange woman. He couldn't help but wonder, "What are you doing here?"
Shen Lingyue explained the whole story in a few words, "My friend only has her sister left as a relative. Even Princess Tong'an knows about this. It's just that the Dowager Consort has been holding back her release. Do you think you could do her a favor?"
Xu Yaoniang nodded nervously, then took out Princess Tong'an's token and pleaded with Lu Xilou, "Please, Your Excellency, allow us sisters to reunite. Yaoniang will never forget your great kindness in this lifetime—"
Lu Xilou remained silent for a while before saying, "How about this, I'll bring the person out under the pretext of interrogation, go through the motions at the Northern Garrison Command, and then you can secretly take the person away."
We still have to give Princess Tong'an face. Besides, all they want is a little maid who chants Buddhist prayers by the side of the Dowager Consort. It probably has nothing to do with Prince An's rebellion.
"Put your carriage over there and wait for me." Lu Xilou pointed in a direction and turned to enter the Prince An's residence.
He went straight to the backyard and asked the two stewardesses guarding outside the Buddhist hall rudely, "Which one is Miaoshan? The Imperial Guards are here to interrogate her. Bring her over."
The headmistress dared not delay and hurriedly went inside to report.
"The Imperial Guards are going to take Miaoshan away?"
Consort Li paused in counting her prayer beads, glancing at the plain-clad girl standing to the side, her beautiful face marked by a red mole between her brows.
Miao Shan felt a chill run down her spine under her strange gaze and instinctively uttered, "Your Highness..."
Consort Li suddenly chuckled, took Miaoshan's hand and patted it, "Good child, I never expected you to have such an opportunity."
Miaoshan looked bewildered, but Consort Li did not explain further. She turned and went into the inner room, took out a crystal-clear jade pendant with a Buddha head, and personally tied it around Miaoshan's neck.
"Go, child." The Empress Dowager Li's smile deepened. "How you walk your path from now on is entirely up to fate."
These words seemed to carry a hint of farewell. Miao Shan's eyes reddened, and she knelt down to kowtow to her before nervously following the stewardess out.
Outside the door, Lu Xilou was getting impatient and was about to urge them when he looked up and came face to face with Miaoshan, causing him to catch his breath.
He stared at Miaoshan for a long while, then suddenly remembered, "Are you the Guanyin from last year?"
Miaoshan felt uncomfortable under his long, deep gaze and quickly lowered her head to explain softly, "It's just an appearance; this servant dares not presume to call herself Guanyin."
Lu Xilou touched his nose and subconsciously lowered his voice, "Ahem, it's just a routine check by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. You don't need to be nervous. Come with me."
Miao Shan followed behind him, slowly walking out of the Prince An's mansion, which had been besieged for several days. She looked up at the boundless sky and felt as if she had been transported to another world.
As she raised her head, the Buddha head jade pendant hanging on her chest seemed to be illuminated by the sunlight, radiating a lustrous sheen.
A vendor hawking his wares diagonally opposite the gate of the Prince An's Mansion stared intently at the Buddha head. After a moment, he pretended to have something to do, picked up his load, and slowly walked away.
"Sir, where are you taking me?"
Miao Shan followed Lu Xilou timidly until they turned into a small alley on the left, where they saw a carriage parked and several familiar faces standing beside it.
"Lan Ya'er!"
Xu Yaoniang could no longer contain her excitement and rushed forward to hug her tightly, tears streaming down her face.
After waiting for so long, she can finally openly and honestly reunite with her Lan Ya'er.
"Sister, are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?" Miaoshan asked cautiously. "I'm not..."
Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue came over together, and just as they were about to explain the situation to her, their eyes fell on the Buddha head jade pendant, and a series of images suddenly flashed before their eyes.
A deafening roar, billowing black smoke, raging flames, and the desperate cries of the elderly and children.
And that building complex, now reduced to ruins, was—
Her body trembled uncontrollably, and Yan Yi grabbed Shen Lingyue's wrist, her tone urgent.
"Oh no! Prince An still has gunpowder; he's going to blow up Jishantang!"
Before Shen Lingyue could react, Lu Xilou's expression changed. "Madam Zhou, what did you say?"
Yan Yi pointed and asked, "Miss Miaoshan, where did you get this jade pendant?"
"It was the Empress Dowager who put it on me just before I left..." Miaoshan looked confused. "Is there a problem?"
Time was of the essence, and there was no time to explain. Yan Yi quickly said to Lu Xilou, "Lord Lu, if you trust me, send people to Jishan Hall immediately to evacuate the surrounding people, otherwise it will definitely lead to a disaster."
"You mean that the Jishantang under Prince An's name also has gunpowder stored in it?"
Lu Xilou's expression was solemn. "But there are seven or eight charitable halls in the city. How do you know which one he's going to bomb?"
Yan Yi grabbed Miao Shan's hand, closed her eyes, and silently prayed in her heart.
Human life is at stake; let her see a little more...
Got it!
She spotted a familiar face among the fleeing crowd—it was Wen Mingyue, the woman she and Xiaoyue had helped last year!
“The one in the south of the city,” Yan Yi said decisively. “Lord Lu, please hurry!”
Lu Xilou gave her a deep look, "Okay."
He strode out of the alley, mounted his horse, and shouted to the Imperial Guards outside the Prince An's residence: "Chen Liang and Liu Yuan, stay here! The rest of you, come with me immediately!"
“Let’s go over there too.”
Without saying a word, Yan Yi put everyone on the carriage and told the driver to speed up, the faster the better.
Xu Yaoniang gripped Lan Ya'er's hand tightly, "What exactly happened?"
“Prince An and Consort Li are accomplices.” Yan Yi scratched her palm hard to keep herself calm. “The gunpowder found in the palace is not all of it. Some of it was buried under Jishan Hall by them for future use.”
Jishantang was built in densely populated residential areas in the south and north of the city. Once the gunpowder was detonated, not only would the orphans, widows, and children housed inside be injured or killed, but innocent people in the surrounding area would also be harmed.
“Prince An has really gone mad…” Shen Lingyue murmured, “His scheme has already been exposed, what is he still doing?”
Yan Yi whispered, "Perhaps he wants to destroy what he can't have."
After pretending to be a great philanthropist for so many years, suppressing his ambition and desires, he will eventually unleash them in a more explosive way.
...
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were jostled around so much that they got off the bus and arrived at the Jishan Hall in the south of the city, where they saw a scene of chaos.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards were notorious. When Lu Xilou arrived with his men, they rushed into Jishantang without saying a word and shooed the old people and children out. This caused a misunderstanding, as people thought they were there to ransack the house and arrest people. Screams erupted everywhere, and everyone was running around in panic, trying to hide.
Yan Yi frowned, extremely anxious.
If this continues, it will be too late.
If Prince An's men, hiding in the shadows, were to set fire to the place amidst the chaos, the panicked escape would only lead to even greater casualties.
"I have a way."
Shen Lingyue had a sudden inspiration. She pulled Miaoshan to stand on the carriage and shouted inside, "Come and see! Guanyin has descended to earth to bestow blessings and save all living beings!"
An old woman hiding in the corner looked up, saw Miaoshan's otherworldly face, and her face lit up with surprise.
"It's Guanyin! Guanyin has come to save us?"
Shen Lingyue shouted even louder, "Guanyin bestows blessings, first come, first served! Follow Guanyin, and you can cleanse your sins—"
More and more people heard the sound and poked their heads out, tentatively moving closer to the carriage.
Shen Lingyue quickly got the carriage moving and headed towards the open space across the street. She pulled Miaoshan to stand in front of the carriage, calling out as they went.
Lu Xilou realized they were helping him, so he gestured to his subordinates to cooperate and stopped his brutal and violent shooing. Instead, he began searching the vicinity for possible suspects who might have started the fire.
As more and more people ran out with the carriage, even the local residents heard the commotion and gathered around, quickly forming a crowd at the intersection of the two roads.
Miaoshan's appearance at last year's Guanyin Dharma Assembly was so deeply ingrained in people's minds that her being dressed in white today immediately awakened the people's memories, prompting them to call her Guanyin and bow down in unison.
Miao Shan was completely stunned and instinctively grabbed Shen Lingyue's sleeve. "What... what am I supposed to do now?"
"Just say something... chant scriptures, or talk about Buddhist principles, whatever you can, just keep them calm down!"
Miaoshan composed herself, sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and began reciting scriptures.
She seemed to possess an innate sacred aura. Even though her voice wasn't loud, as the surrounding crowd held their breath, each recitation of scriptures rippled out like water, plunging the vast open space into silence.
On the other side, Lu Xilou chased after a sneaky figure into the inner courtyard of Jishan Hall. He saw the figure pull out a tinderbox, reveal a sinister smile, and raise his hand to throw it into the storage room not far away.
Lu Xilou lunged forward, grabbed the tinderbox in mid-air, and slammed it hard onto the ground, ignoring the burning heat in his palm.
The next second, the man was pinned down by the Imperial Guards who rushed in, and could no longer move.
Lu Xilou shook his hand and strode into the storage room. He moved the scattered clutter aside and finally found a box of detonators hidden at the very back. He was so shocked that he broke out in a cold sweat.
That was close... he almost succeeded.
Lu Xilou ordered his men to come in and carry the box away, and to take the man back to the Northern Garrison Command for severe interrogation. At the same time, he dispatched more Imperial Guards to search other charitable institutions, even if it meant digging three feet into the ground, to ensure that no more gunpowder was leaked.
After arranging all this, he finally had time to rush to the front. He immediately saw Miaoshan, who was surrounded by people and reciting scriptures with her eyes closed. The red mole between her eyebrows looked even more vivid in the sunlight.
At this moment, Lu Xilou's mood calmed down in a strange way.
He looked at Miaoshan, then at Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi who were guarding her like protectors, and a thought flashed through his mind.
In a moment of crisis, she saved the lives of hundreds and thousands of people in an instant. How can this not be considered Guanyin descending to earth to save all sentient beings?
...
"I will take Miss Miaoshan to the palace to meet the Emperor in a little while and expose Consort Li's true colors."
Lu Xilou solemnly assured them, "Miss Miaoshan is not an accomplice, but the primary witness. I swear on my life that she will not be implicated in today's events, and I will return her to you in full."
"Lan Ya'er, don't be afraid, I'll be waiting for you to come back at the Princess's residence."
Xu Yaoniang repeatedly urged him, and then bowed deeply to Lu Xilou, saying, "I am deeply grateful to Lord Lu for helping my sister."
Lu Xilou quickly helped the woman up, awkwardly touching his nose. "Madam Xu, you're too kind. I should thank you all for resolving today's crisis safely."
He gave Yan Yi a meaningful look, then led Miao Shan away.
Shen Lingyue tried her best to remain calm. She first sent Xu Yaoniang back, and only when she and Yan Yi were left in the carriage did she nervously grab her sleeve.
"What do we do now? Will Lu Xilou become suspicious of us?"
"Human lives were at stake, and we didn't think about anything else at the time." Yan Yi calmed down from her initial panic and grasped her hand in return. "At least we saved more people, and I don't regret it."
"Yes, the Goddess Xuan Nu will definitely protect us, otherwise why would she warn you?"
Shen Lingyue silently comforted herself, since what's done is done, at least they have a clear conscience.
...
"What did you say?"
Emperor Qingxi was so startled that he knocked over his teacup, abruptly stood up from behind his desk, stared straight at Lu Xilou, and asked again, "Just now, Prince An's men almost blew up Jishantang again?"
Lu Xilou bowed his head in agreement and recounted the whole story: "...Fortunately, Miaoshan, a maid from the Prince An's residence, overheard the plot of Consort Li and, upholding justice, betrayed her own family to report it. Only then was I able to detect the disaster in time and prevent any casualties."
Emperor Qingxi breathed a sigh of relief, his wildly pounding heart gradually calming down. He muttered to himself, "Could it be that the celestial beings have been silently assisting me all along, asking for nothing in return?"
He felt a sense of comfort and a touch of pride.
I really want to show Prince An what it means to be destined by Heaven!
"Consort Li..." Emperor Qingxi sneered, "She's a venomous woman with a heart of stone. So many virtuous monks on Mount Wutai, couldn't they convert her resentment?"
All those years of chanting Buddhist scriptures were for nothing; it turns out it was all a pretense.
Emperor Qingxi no longer hesitated and said to the chief eunuch beside him, "Go to Prince An's residence and let her choose between poisoned wine and white silk."
Lu Xilou spoke up at the opportune moment: "Your Majesty, Miaoshan is currently waiting outside the palace. Shall we summon her for an audience?"
"No need. Considering her merit in reporting the crime, I will reward her with gold, silver, and cloth. She may return home on her own."
Emperor Qingxi waved his hand, showing little interest in a mere maid.
In any case, everything was the best arrangement by the celestial being hiding behind the scenes; he understood it all.
Lu Xilou secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't understand why Emperor Qingxi's mood had suddenly improved, he was relieved that he didn't ask for details.
Otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to exonerate those two from the Pei family...
After leaving the palace, Lu Xilou personally delivered the gifts from Miaoshan and Emperor Qingxi to Princess Tongan's residence.
Xu Yaoniang had been waiting anxiously, and when she saw her sister return safely, she couldn't help but burst into tears of joy.
"Lan Ya'er, I know you must still have many questions. Give your older sister some time, and let me explain it to you slowly, okay?"
After a harrowing day, Miaoshan was finally able to calm down and carefully examine Xu Yaoniang. She vaguely recalled fragments of memories from the resemblance between Xu Yaoniang and herself.
"You are... my older sister?" she asked uncertainly. "No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity when I first saw you on the street, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why."
"That's right, we are sisters, the only family we have in this world."
Xu Yaoniang carefully hugged her, as if she were a lost treasure that had been found again. "I was too cowardly before, and I didn't dare to acknowledge you. But now everything is better. I can support you with my own abilities, as long as you... give me this chance, okay?"
Miao Shan watched her quietly, and just when Xu Yaoniang thought she was about to be rejected, she raised her hand and gently hugged her back.
"Great, so I'm not all alone after all. Sister, thank you for never giving up on finding me."
From now on, she has a place to come from and a place to go. Perhaps this is the karmic connection that the Bodhisattva wanted to tell her.
...
"West Tower, wait a moment."
Before leaving, Lu Xilou was stopped by Princess Tong'an.
She looked at him with a smile, "Yao Niang told me everything. Today, thanks to Yan Yi and A Yue's help, innocent people were spared from injury or death. You must not forget this great favor."
After a moment's thought, Lu Xilou understood Princess Tong'an's unspoken meaning and became serious. "Your Highness, rest assured, Huaizhou and I have been friends since childhood. As for what happened today, I will keep quiet about it. I, Lu Xilou, am by no means an ungrateful person."
Although he didn't understand why Yan Yi immediately concluded that the Buddha head jade pendant was a secret code when she first saw Miao Shan, the fact that she saved so many innocent lives was undeniable.
Princess Tong'an subtly observed him, and seeing his clear and open expression, she felt somewhat reassured.
It seems that Lu Sheng did not tell him the secret of the Celestial Beings.
—While her father was still kept in the dark, she had already learned the whereabouts of the celestial beings.
In this round, she is destined to seize the initiative.
Princess Tong'an watched Lu Xilou leave, a slight smile playing on her lips, her phoenix eyes burning with undisguised ambition.
In the past, the celestial beings who assisted emperors were all men, so the emperor spent most of his life searching for a man.
He never imagined that the true celestial beings would be two women.
This is the best omen—the mandate of heaven is destined to fall upon her.
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Pei Er: You didn't expect that, did you? I still don't have to go to work [doge emoji] I'm just a loyal little dog that my wife calls anytime [sprinkling flowers emoji]]
[Let me see] That's right, the main storyline is finally starting (what, a slice-of-life gossip story actually has a main storyline x)
//The following is a summary of the thought process and a time for foreshadowing and resolution [heart]
Regarding the "celestial being" setting, I was caught off guard by the information gap [doge]. On the surface, only the old emperor and his secret service chief Lu Sheng knew about this, but Yuezai and Yanyan had never actually had any direct contact with them. Plus, they had two useful shields in front of them. Lu Xilou, as the second son, had lost his hereditary rights and the right to know, so he didn't realize that this matter needed to be reported. After all, she was his good brother's wife and sister-in-law, and she hadn't done anything wrong (except for putting people in sacks and beating them up, haha).
The storyline involving Princess Tong'an has been foreshadowed for a while now, and everyone has long since realized that her ambitions extend beyond simply being a princess [let me see]. Furthermore, as the royal member with the closest contact with the two women, she's the easiest to analyze their identities. And [they] are essentially natural allies; Yuezai and Yanyan aren't stupid, they know who to side with [throwing confetti].
But I still have to say that this isn't a brain-burning political intrigue story [crying] I don't have a brain to burn... So even if we get into the main power struggle plot, I'll try my best to maintain a relaxed and enjoyable gossip-watching atmosphere. Anyway, as long as my little sister eats gossip while taking down all of the princess's rivals, that's fine ( ). How can this not be considered a divine assistance!
And thank you for the NNNth time to all the babies who have followed and accompanied me all the way [heart]. You are the ones who gave me the courage to do something big ( ). Now, what keeps me updating every day is the princess taking the throne so that Yuezai and Yanyan can do whatever they want [doge]. Food we fight for ourselves tastes the best [cheering][cheering]
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