她扶上德漩脸颊，柔声道：“如今，国家四处安泰，你守着阿玛、额娘待在此处。日后若是哪里有战『乱』，额娘决不拦着你为国效力！额娘相信自己的儿子，纵使无你阿玛的荣耀照你前途，你亦是可以自己步步高升！”
德漩闻言，颔首，年少的面容带着笑意。
There was a nunnery on a distant mountain, but due to the rugged mountain path, it was rarely visited. Dexuan told Yanning that every few days, a nun would stand outside the nunnery. Yanning seemed to have a guess, but it was vague and uncertain. She instructed Dexuan to keep an eye out and call her if the nun came again.
The next day, Dexuan rushed over to summon Yanning. Arriving outside the nunnery, Yanning only caught a glimpse of the nun's departing figure. She went to the nunnery, a place called Qingleng Nunnery. True to its name, the nunnery housed only about ten people, and an atmosphere of solitude permeated the air.
The abbess told Yan Ning that the desolation of Qingleng Nunnery had long been known. It was bitterly cold in winter, and every year nuns would freeze to death there. Therefore, in recent decades, few nuns had dared to come, and the number of older nuns had dwindled. Only three years ago, in June, did a nun who called herself Xuwu come to the nunnery.
Strangely enough, a man arrived on the same day as the nun and settled in the back mountain. Every year, the man would deliver the vegetables and fruits he grew to the nunnery, but he would never meet with Xuwu, only glancing at her from afar.
As Yan Ning and De Xuan exited the nunnery, they encountered You Yuanzhi, who had come to deliver vegetables. The middle-aged man was now a robust vegetable farmer. Seeing Yan Ning, his face beneath his bamboo hat showed no surprise, as if he already knew she was down the mountain. He carried two bamboo baskets on a shoulder pole, filled with vibrant green vegetables; the cool mountain breeze made the vegetables appear even more tender and green.
He seemed not to recognize Yan Ning, and said humbly to Yan Ning and De Xuan, "This old farmer is carrying vegetables and it's difficult to make way. Please allow me to pass first, Madam and Young Master!" Yan Ning smiled and said, "Please wait, Farmer!" She and De Xuan stepped aside, allowing You Yuanzhi to pass first. Halfway up the stone steps, she glanced back at You Yuanzhi, who was stopped in front of the temple gate, and then said to De Xuan with a calm expression, "They are your father's old friends. You must remember not to tolerate your men being rude to them! Let's go back!"
De Xuan replied loudly, "Your son understands!"
In the first month of the fourth year of the Jiaqing reign, the retired emperor passed away, and the whole country mourned.
The last snow of winter had not yet melted, and new snow added to the sorrow. Not long after the national mourning was announced, Yongyan, who had been biding his time for four years, placed Heshen and his powerful cronies, including Fu Chang'an, under house arrest for trial. Within days, Yongyan issued an imperial edict listing dozens of crimes committed by Heshen, ordering his execution, confiscation of his property, and death. Yongxing was ordered to raid the residence of Princess Guren Hexiao; the procession was so large that nearly ten carriages were needed to transport Heshen's assets.
The usually docile Yongyan's forceful rebuke shocked the court officials. Yongxing, in particular, felt apprehensive while recording the confiscated property. Yongyan's intention in summoning him was clear: it was merely a warning to others!
Princess Guren Hexiao went to the palace to plead for mercy. Heshen's faction had already fallen and scattered. Furthermore, in order to appease the court and to save face for Princess Guren Hexiao, the emperor ordered Heshen to commit suicide by hanging, with Fu Chang'an supervising the execution. His family members and associates without official positions were not implicated and exiled.
When the news reached Fukang'an's mausoleum outside the city, Yan Ning breathed a sigh of relief; Heshen's family had finally escaped disaster. De Xuan was overjoyed to have removed Heshen from Yongyan's life. He had long been dissatisfied with the corrupt practices of the Heshen faction, but Fu Chang'an was in league with them, so he could not bring the Heshen faction to its knees in any way.
Now, Fu Chang'an has also been implicated in the crimes and demoted to a sinecure at Yuling. On the day of his departure, Dexuan went to see him off and returned to give Yan Ning a brocade box. Inside the box was a jade pendant that Yan Ning had thrown into the moat, and another that Heshen had taken into the coffin.
Fifty years ago, dreams were real; today, I bid farewell to this mortal world. When the waters rise and dragons emerge, remember that the incense smoke is my reincarnation.
With tears streaming down her face, Yan Ning placed the jade pendant back into the brocade box. Her next life was already preordained by Fukang'an. It was destined that in this life and the next, she would betray Heshen. Lifetimes of desolation, even if they met again, they would not recognize each other. She hoped that in the next reincarnation, Heshen would not recognize her.
If there is reincarnation, she would gladly give her entire life's worth of emotions to repay Heshen for his companionship in this life.
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