Chu Qianchen asked someone to clean up the next door and left it idle for the time being.

The emperor has been sick ever since he fell ill on the second day of the Lunar New Year. He is not as energetic as before. Even though he takes a lot of fine tonics every day, his health has not improved much. He spends most of the day lying on the dragon couch, and he feels dizzy and exhausted after reading just a few memorials.

Under such circumstances, although the emperor did not trust the prince, he had no choice but to temporarily hand over the government affairs to the prince.

As a result, the emperor spent every day in torment of the struggle between his own conscience and his own desires. On the one hand, he was worried that the prince would take the opportunity to seize power, and on the other hand, he was even more afraid that the imperial star would dim and he would not be able to hold on.

The emperor has been seeking the truth and immortality over the years, and his natural goal is to achieve immortality. However, now he can feel that his energy is declining bit by bit.

Just as Xuan Jing said, the dimming of the Emperor Star this time was indeed a great calamity in his life.

In the past twenty days or so, the emperor had not had a good night's sleep. He tossed and turned day and night and could not fall asleep.

The more he couldn't sleep, the worse his health became. This cycle continued over and over again. In less than a month, he had aged several years.

The eunuchs who served him closely, such as Eunuch Ni, could all clearly notice that the emperor's condition was deteriorating, but no one dared to remind him for fear of angering him. Recently, the emperor's temper had been getting worse and worse.

The emperor was looking forward to hearing good news from Xuan Jing every day, and he sent eunuchs to Yuanqingguan to inquire every day. However, Xuan Jing said that it would take 81 days to refine the Buyuan Pill.

As the days passed, the emperor felt that every day was like a year.

Finally, he saw Xuan Jing, the man with a silver whisk in his hand and a fairy-like appearance.

Xuan Jing saluted the emperor with neither arrogance nor servility. On the surface, he looked calm and composed, but in fact, he was so frightened that he almost lost his soul.

The emperor had changed drastically. His face was sallow, his eyes were cloudy and dim, there were many gray hairs on his temples, and his cheeks were sunken, making him look like an old man in his twilight years, as weak as if made of paper.

Xuan Jing's legs felt weak and he could hardly look the emperor in the face.

"Master Xuan Jing, is the Bu Yuan Dan ready soon?" the emperor asked anxiously, staring at Xuan Jing as if a drowning man were grabbing a piece of driftwood.

Xuan Jing gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, I'm almost well, but..."

"But what?" the Emperor asked impatiently.

Xuan Jing sighed and brought out the words he had prepared long ago: "I am still missing a medicinal ingredient, called marrow fragrant fat. The trouble is that this medicine is not available in the Central Plains. It is said that it can only be found in Tutai Mountain in Youzhou."

A strange light flashed across Xuan Jing's eyes. If the emperor sent people to Tutai Mountain to look for medicine, it would definitely take a lot of time.

"This is easy to handle!" The emperor's brows relaxed slightly, "Master Xuan Jing, can this Yuan-boosting Pill really help me recover?"

Of course the emperor wanted to believe Xuan Jing, but as his health deteriorated over the days, the emperor's faith was inevitably shaken.

The more anxious Xuan Jing was, the calmer he looked. He said in a mysterious and profound tone, "It is recorded in the books of our sect that this marrow balsam tastes sweet, sour, and astringent, is warm in nature, light yellow in color, has an oily luster, is hard in texture, and can be broken into pieces with a light tap. It has the effects of nourishing the lungs, strengthening the tendons and bones, replenishing deficiency, and calming the mind and the five internal organs."

Listening to Xuan Jing's eloquent and confident words, the emperor's heart warmed up little by little. The heat spread from his heart to his limbs, and even his eyes became burning with heat.

Xuan Jing flicked his whisk, glanced at the emperor's expression, and said sternly, "Your Majesty, this Yuan-boosting Pill is extremely difficult to refine. It will consume your lifespan. I originally didn't plan to refine it in my lifetime."

"There are unexpected events in the world. The emperor's star is dim this time. I have no other choice but to repay the emperor for his kindness."

The emperor felt very pleased to hear this. He felt that Xuan Jing was a truly loyal person and that it was worthy of his high regard for him.

The emperor summoned Eunuch Ni and ordered, "Let the Jinyiwei go to Tutai Mountain to look for the marrow balsam, and let the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs look for it in the capital as well."

In such a big capital city, there are all kinds of rare and strange things, so it is not necessarily impossible to find marrow balsam.

No one noticed that Xuan Jing's eyes twitched slightly and his eyes flickered uneasily.

After a cup of tea, Xuan Jing left the Yangxin Palace. The back of his shirt was already soaked. He told himself in his heart that the Tutai Mountains were thousands of miles high and this marrow fragrance was extremely rare and it was impossible to find it in the capital.

Xuan Jing hurried out of the palace. At the same time, the emperor's oral order was passed down through the Ministry of Internal Affairs. An hour later, Chu Lingxiao got the task, asking him and his subordinates to search for marrow resin in the area around the capital.

On this day, Chu Lingxiao came out of the Imperial Household Department office half an hour early. He was eager to try, as this was a great opportunity.

The emperor believed in the Tao and ordered Taoist Xuan Jing to refine the elixir. As long as he could find this precious medicine as soon as possible, the emperor would be very happy. Then, he, a fifth-rank doctor, might be promoted to a higher rank.

Chu Lingxiao had inquired about it and found out that there was a medicinal material market in Liuxi Town near the capital, where medicinal materials from all over the country would be sent to for trading. Chu Lingxiao planned to personally lead a group to make the trip.

Thinking that he couldn't go out empty-handed, Chu Lingxiao hurried back to the Marquis' Mansion.

When the lady saw her eldest son suddenly leave the government office early, she thought something had gone wrong. She was about to ask him a few questions out of concern, but she heard her eldest son say, "Mother, I need some money. Ten thousand taels will be enough..."

The lady's face changed immediately. The account of the Marquis's Mansion was still empty. She had already spent a lot of her own money to fill it, but it was like a hole that could not be filled. These days, she has been worrying about the expenses for next month.

The lady rubbed her brows and said, "Ling Xiao, there is no more money in the treasury..."

Chu Lingxiao came here with great enthusiasm, but he didn't expect to be poured a bucket of cold water on his head by the lady.

In the past, he could take some silver from the public treasury, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of taels, but this time, his mother actually refused him.

Chu Lingxiao's expression changed instantly, and he looked at the lady with eyes as sinister as an owl.

He used to think his mother treated him the same as always, but now he realized that his mother had changed.

Chu Lingxiao knew that since Chu Lingyu was injured, he had invited many famous doctors and used a lot of precious medicinal materials, which cost money every day. All the money went into the public account.

Chu Lingxiao also felt that Chu Lingyu had suffered a great crime this time and was indeed a bit pitiful, so he didn't say anything.

I didn't expect my mother to be so partial! Chu Lingxiao clenched his fists tightly and finally figured it out.

During the time he was in Youzhou, his mother's heart had already become biased, so biased that she wanted to sacrifice her son to fulfill Chu Lingyu's title.

And he was still foolish, thinking that his mother agreed to Chu Lingyu's proposal in order to save him and return to Beijing...

Chu Lingxiao's heart was completely chilled. He cast an extremely disappointed look at the lady on the kang and didn't want to beg her anymore.

"If you don't want to give it to me, then don't give it to me. Mother, why do you have to find such an excuse to deal with me?"

Chu Lingxiao spoke in a cold tone and walked away with a heavy wave of his sleeves.

The eldest son has never spoken in this tone in his life! The lady looked at Chu Lingxiao in disbelief and shouted, "Lingxiao!"

Chu Lingxiao did not stop or hesitate, and walked away without looking back.

The lady's heart suddenly shrank into a ball, she felt a dull pain, her whole body was shaking like a sieve, and her face was fading and getting paler...

Nanny Wang was frightened and shouted excitedly, "Madam!"

"Madam..."

“……” The lady’s eyes rolled back and she fainted. Her consciousness was shrouded in darkness and she knew nothing after that.

The darkness seemed endless and the cold was bone-chilling.

When the lady opened her eyes again, what she saw was Nanny Wang's worried face with tears in her eyes.

"Madam, you are finally awake. I was so scared." Nanny Wang said in a trembling voice.

The lady moved her lips and asked with difficulty, "Where is Ling Xiao?"

"..." Nanny Wang looked embarrassed and hesitant.

The lady grabbed Nanny Wang's sleeves, clenched her fingers tightly, and asked, "Tell me, what happened?"

Nanny Wang swallowed her saliva and could only say, "Madam, the eldest master has pawned the deeds of his villa in the suburbs of Beijing and two shops in Beijing."

What?! The lady's eyes widened to the extreme, and she couldn't believe her ears.

These are the family businesses that have been passed down for generations in the Marquisate! The eldest son's behavior is no different from selling off the ancestral family business! The lady rolled her eyes and fainted again.

Nanny Wang was frightened again. She was almost scared out of her wits and shouted "Madam" at the top of her lungs.

In Rongfu Hall, there was another commotion, people were restless and the noise was unbearable.

Without the constraints of the Shen family, the Yongding Marquis' Mansion was like a sieve. From Chu Lingyu's serious injury, Chu Lingxiao's sale of the family property to his anger that made the lady sick, all the news spread like wildfire in the capital, and even Chu Qianchen, who never left the house, heard about it.

Amber also guessed that Chu Qianchen would be happy to hear Chu Lingxiao's misfortune, and would describe it vividly.

Chu Qianchen walked forward slowly against the wind, smiling without saying a word.

The Chu family's hard days are still to come! Seeing that Yi'antang had arrived, Amber stopped talking and followed Chu Qianchen obediently, acting as her shadow.

As for the affairs of the Chu family, Chu Qianchen just let them go in one ear and out the other, treating them as fun. She did not pay too much attention to the affairs of the Chu family. Anyway, Gu Jue had already sent people to keep an eye on Chu Lingxiao.

Nanny He knew that Chu Qianchen had arrived, so she came out to greet him personally with a smile on her face.

Since settling down in Prince Chen's Mansion, Nanny He's heart has gradually calmed down.

When she was in the palace in the past, she had to be careful and cautious in everything she did, for fear that Queen Mother Yin would accidentally be plotted against by the Emperor and Empress again.

Just after moving out of the palace, she was also worried that the emperor would use various means to force the empress dowager to return to the palace. As a result, the emperor even made himself sick with anger. Prince Li came several times after the Lantern Festival, but was always dismissed by the prince, so she gave up. Although the crown prince occasionally came to the palace, he only came to pay his respects to the empress dowager and was very obedient, never mentioning the matter of asking the empress dowager to return to the palace.

Now that the Queen Mother was living peacefully in Prince Chen's Mansion, Nanny He was completely relieved.

A happy heart makes the body fat. After living in the palace for nearly a month, Nanny He has become rounder and looks better.

Not only Nanny He, but also Empress Dowager Yin was the same.

"Mother, let me feel your pulse first." Before taking Queen Mother Yin's pulse, Chu Qianchen observed her complexion and already had a rough idea in his mind.

Since the death of the previous emperor, Empress Dowager Yin's health has been deteriorating. On the one hand, it was because the emperor and empress secretly put medicine in the ginseng tea, and on the other hand, it was actually a heart disease for her. Now, the source of both physical and mental problems have been eliminated, and with Chu Qianchen's meticulous care for her, the effect is improving by leaps and bounds, and the Empress Dowager's health has basically recovered.

Chu Qianchen withdrew his hand and said with a smile: "Mother, you can stop taking the medicine, but you still need to pay attention to your daily life..."

Before she finished speaking, Queen Mother Yin smiled and said, "Go to bed early and get up early, don't worry, don't get angry, and take a walk when you have time. Don't worry, I'll remember it."

Queen Mother Yin winked jokingly: "I am much more obedient than Ajue."

The last sentence made Nanny He and the head palace maid laugh so hard that they almost laughed out loud.

Chu Qianchen couldn't help but laugh, and nodded seriously, "That's right, mother, you are much more obedient than the prince. I told the prince not to read before going to bed, and I just walked away for a while last night, and I caught him."

She also took the opportunity to sue Gu Jue.

Queen Mother Yin smiled, her eyes similar to Gu Jue's half-closed in laughter: "I'll talk about him later!"

Chu Qianchen smiled happily, took two sips of tea, and then changed the subject: "Mother, the prince and I are planning to go to Baiyun Temple to fulfill our vow. Would you like to come with us?"

"It's time to go. I'll go with you." Queen Mother Yin naturally felt that this matter was of great importance as it concerned her son. She nodded without hesitation and asked, "When do you plan to go?"

Gu Jue had been taking good care of himself for a month. Apart from not being able to ride a horse, bend a bow, or practice martial arts, he was basically no different from an ordinary person. As long as you didn't take off his clothes to look at the shocking scar on his chest, others wouldn't be able to tell anything from his appearance. It was also because he had recovered well that Chu Qianchen allowed him to go out for a walk.

Queen Mother Yin liked the little girl's "unpretentiousness" and agreed: "Okay, tomorrow!"

Chu Qianchen was happy at the thought of going out with Gu Jue. He chatted with Queen Mother Yin for a while, then said goodbye in a hurry to prepare for going out tomorrow.

Incense, candles, incense money, the "Earth Store Sutra" that Chu Qianchen had copied recently, vegetarian snacks, carriages, etc., all need to be prepared in advance to avoid being in a hurry when the time comes.

The next morning, they set out happily in a carriage, traveling light and not taking the palace's red-wheeled carriage.

Because Chu Qianchen had asked Amber to book a resting room in Baiyun Temple in advance in the name of a local squire, Baiyun Temple had already sent a young monk to welcome guests and wait at the temple gate.

The people in the temple didn't know it was Prince Chen's Palace, so they didn't make a big fuss, just kept it simple.

"Three donors, please come this way. I will lead you to the main hall to burn incense." The little monk who greeted the guests was a chubby little monk, only six or seven years old. He spoke in a very serious manner, giving off a feeling of a little adult.

Chu Qianchen and Gu Jue embraced Queen Mother Yin on the left and right as they entered Baiyun Temple. The green shade of the temple blocked out the sun, making people feel as if they were in another world.

Over the years, because the current emperor believed in Taoism and supported Taoism with all his strength, the nobles and common people of the Great Qi Dynasty followed suit and also believed in Taoism, so the temple became quiet.

However, the popularity of Baiyun Temple is quite good. It is not too busy, but not too deserted either. Occasionally, pilgrims pass by them along the way.

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This temple has been around for more than 200 years since the previous dynasty, so the architecture inside the temple is quite ancient. Walking through it, one can feel a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The young monk led them through a courtyard and to the main hall in front.

There happened to be no pilgrims in the hall, so the three of them knelt down on the cushion in front of the Buddha and silently fulfilled their vows.

Queen Dowager Yin looked at the compassionate and solemn Buddha statue in front of her, and suddenly she felt an impulse and made a wish in her heart: she hoped that they could go to the north together as a family.

Once upon a time, Queen Mother Yin only dreamed of this scene in the middle of the night, but after waking up, she only felt more empty because she knew that this dream was impossible to come true.

But now it’s different, she dares to make this wish in front of the Buddha.

Because she knew that this wish was possible.

When Queen Mother Yin opened her eyes again, she heard the young monk ask with a smile, "Female donor, would you like to draw a fortune?"

Queen Mother Yin was in a good mood today, so she agreed and took the fortune stick box handed to her by the little monk.

She shook the stick tube with both hands devoutly, and after repeating it several times, she shook out a bamboo stick.

The young monk picked up the bamboo stick and said, "Today the abbot of our temple will give a lecture. After the lottery is revealed, would you like to go and listen to the lecture? I can ask my senior brother to save a few seats in advance."

Queen Mother Yin had an idea and asked, "Is the abbot of your temple Master Juehui?"

The little monk smiled and nodded.

Chu Qianchen knew that Queen Mother Yin believed in Buddhism, and seeing that she was interested, he suggested, "Mother, why don't we go to the Dharma Hall together to listen to the sutras, and by the way, ask Master Juehui to interpret the divination?"

Originally, Queen Mother Yin had no plans to listen to the sutras in Baiyun Temple. She just wanted to burn some incense, walk around the temple, have a simple vegetarian meal and leave. But after hearing what Chu Qianchen said, she was also moved.

So, under the encouragement of her son and daughter-in-law, she agreed.

After coming out of the Main Hall, the group went to the Dharma Hall temporarily.

There was still one stick of incense time before the lecture began. There were only a few pilgrims in the Dharma Hall. Most of them knew each other and were talking.

When Chu Qianchen and his group arrived, the pilgrims just glanced at them.

After Queen Mother Yin sat down, Chu Qianchen came out of the Dharma Hall again and said that she would be back after getting a talisman.

Queen Mother Yin smiled and sent Gu Jue to accompany Chu Qianchen.

Gu Jue is quick to follow advice.

As soon as the couple came out of the Dharma Hall, they saw an old monk in a yellow monk's robe and a bright red cassock walking towards them. The old monk had white eyebrows and his face was full of wrinkles. He was already in his sixties, but his steps were steady, and his every move exuded an air of being otherworldly.

In the temple, not every monk is qualified to wear the bright red robes, and Chu Qianchen immediately guessed the other party's identity.

Chu Qianchen went up to him and greeted him with a smile: "Is this Master Juehui? If you are free, I would like to ask you to interpret the fortune."

The lot that Queen Mother Yin had just drawn was still in the little monk's hand.

Master Juehui bowed, smiled, and took the bamboo stick.

He glanced at the sign, as if startled, then raised his eyes to look at Chu Qianchen and Gu Jue, his gaze moving back and forth between the two of them, as if surprised, puzzled, unable to figure out, and hesitant.

The young monk rarely saw the abbot with such an expression. He blinked and looked curiously between the abbot, Chu Qianchen and Gu Jue, scratching his ears and cheeks.

Gu Jue also noticed that Juehui looked unhappy. Just as he was about to ask, Chu Qianchen spoke first, "Master, what's wrong with this lot?"

Juehui's eyes flickered between Chu Qianchen's eyebrows: "Female donor, you had great blessings in your previous life, and your merits were immeasurable. The blessings you have received in this life are all the result of your cultivation in your previous life."

"A person's fate is not immutable. Life and death can be decided in a moment."

When he said the last sentence, Juehui's gaze slowly turned to Gu Jue, appearing to be speaking meaningfully.

Chu Qianchen chewed over his words silently, seeming to be thinking about something.

In her previous life, the emperor was incompetent and the Great Qi was in decline. She and Qin Yao conspired to rebel. Some people scolded them, while others praised them. No matter how future generations evaluated them, they eventually pacified the Great Qi and allowed the people to recuperate.

In this life, she gave the Purple Snow Pill away for free, also wanting to accumulate merits for the prince by practicing medicine and saving lives.

In her past and present lives, no matter what her true starting point was, what she did was right and the path she took was right.

In the previous life, the prince died because of the broken blade in his chest. In this life, she saved the prince...

The gentle spring breeze made the green bamboos in the Dharma Hall rustle, as if they were chanting sutras, and the atmosphere was solemn.

The little monk could not help but stand in awe, and looked at Chu Qianchen with a different look, as if he was looking at a living Buddha. It was the first time he heard the abbot speak so highly of someone.

Master Juehui looked at the bamboo stick in his hand again, chanted a Buddhist stanza, and asked, "May I ask who asked for this stick, and why?"

Chu Qianchen answered truthfully: "This is what my mother-in-law asked for me and...my husband, for peace."

Juehui performed another Buddhist salute and said calmly, "Lady donor, your husband's doom is only halfway resolved..."

Chu Qianchen's eyes darkened slightly, his heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "What about the other half?"

"The time has not come yet." Juehui sighed.

There was no need for Chu Qianchen to ask again, Juehui continued: "Your husband's life is too precious to mention, and this death is different from that of ordinary people."

Others may not understand the meaning, but Chu Qianchen vaguely understood something. Master Juehui was right. Now was indeed not the right time. Gu Jue's death in the previous life had not yet arrived.

Gu Jue is the King of Chen, commanding hundreds of thousands of Northern Army and Black Armor Army. He is not an ordinary person. His existence is bound to affect the situation of Da Qi, and even involve the Hao Kingdom on the other side of the distant river.

Gu Jue looked calm. He gently patted Chu Qianchen's shoulder, with a faint smile that contained a bit of comfort.

Once upon a time, he was mentally prepared to die calmly, but now, he couldn't bear to die, so he would live on.

“…” Chu Qianchen tightly grasped the handkerchief in his hand, his brows slightly frowned.

Juehui glanced between the two again, and said, "The female donor has saved your husband from half of his death. Now the two of you are one in life and death. Whether it is a blessing or a curse depends on fate."

This time, Gu Jue's expression changed slightly.

What Juehui meant was that the other half of the disaster would also be faced by the couple together.

Chu Qianchen also understood the meaning and breathed a sigh of relief.

She was willing to protect the prince from death, and she was willing to live and die with him.

Next, we will fight back when the enemy comes and block the water with earth! But how could Gu Jue let Chu Qianchen die for him? She had done enough for him. Even if he could not escape death, he hoped that she could live well. She was not even fifteen years old yet.

Gu Jue spoke for the first time and asked, "Master, can you resolve this?"

"Cause and effect have their own laws of fate, everything depends on opportunity." Juehui said in a profound and mysterious way, "Some people say that life and death are determined by fate; some people say that man can conquer nature... What do you think?"

"The donor was destined to die, but now that your wife has a glimmer of hope, it all depends on your choices from now on."

Gu Jue: “…”

Gu Jue wanted to say something, but Chu Qianchen reached out and grabbed his left hand, holding it tightly.

Her palms pressed tightly against his.

Gu Jue’s palms were so warm, so firm, and full of vitality.

That's enough! Chu Qianchen smiled slightly and nodded to Master Juehui to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your advice, Master."

Her smile is free and bright, just like the boundless blue sky.

Chu Qianchen took the bamboo stick back from Master Juehui and felt it gently.

From the word "fate", she thought of another person. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Master, I have another question to ask you. I have met someone whose fate is different."

Gu Jue raised his eyebrows and looked at her quietly.

Chu Qianchen didn't want to talk about ghosts and gods, so he carefully considered his words and said, "A person's personality suddenly changed drastically, and she knew some things that she shouldn't know. It's like she has two souls in her body."

Even Chu Qianchen himself felt that what he said was unclear.

Juehui's long white eyebrows moved, and he asked, "Are you talking about a girl who is about your age?"

Chu Qianchen: “…”

Chu Qianchen nodded.

Juehui slowly twisted the Buddhist beads with one hand, and looked at Chu Qianchen's face with wise eyes, and then said: "Last year, I met such a girl..."

Juehui met the girl by chance in the temple in December of last year. At that time, he looked at her twice more. He had never seen such a strange face before. The other party's fate was extremely strange.

Unfortunately, he didn't know the other person's horoscope, so he couldn't see more. Unexpectedly, today he saw two more people with equally strange faces and destinies.

The fates of these three people seem to be intertwined with each other by an invisible force.

Chu Qianchen's eyes flickered slightly, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "Master, can we still solve her problem in this state?"

(End of this chapter)