Caiyu half - leaned against the white marble railing by the pond, soaking wet and gasping for breath.
At this moment, her eyes were full of a drunken charm, the moisture in her pupils wavering as if it would roll down at any moment. Her wet hair strands, like seaweed, were scattered on her slender shoulders.
The lantern light under the osmanthus tree cast a rosy glow on her fair face. Her lips were dotted with a touch of color, extremely gorgeous and coquettish. She exuded an alluring aura like a seductive fairy tempting a holy monk into the mortal world.
Hearing Song Yinghuai's words, she turned her long swan - like neck, looking confused. "Ah?"
Song Yinghuai fixed his gaze on her face for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Get out."
Caiyu gathered the soaked thin veil on her body, looking embarrassed. "My lord, it's wet."
Song Yinghuai gave her a sidelong glance. "It's not my fault."
She knew very well that it was she who had jumped into the water on her own.
Caiyu bit her lip, the mist in her eyes growing thicker.
"But if I go out like this and someone sees me, they might think there's something between me and you, my lord. I'm just a lowly servant. Even if I'm beaten to death by the old princess, it's not a pity. But it will damage your lordship's reputation..."
She was threatening him. There were many informants in the mansion. If someone with ill intentions reported this to the emperor, he might be charged with deceiving the emperor.
The anger that Song Yinghuai had just managed to suppress threatened to flare up again. He reflexively reached to twist the Buddhist beads on his wrist, only to find that the beads had broken and fallen into the pond.
He took a deep breath in secret, then turned and went into the inner room. He took out a Buddhist robe. "Put this on."
"Thank you, my lord." Caiyu happily took the robe and put it on. She also noticed that Song Yinghuai's wrist was bare.
For the first time in many years, Song Yinghuai had a headache. He realized that he had trapped himself and brought back a trouble.
In this first encounter, Caiyu didn't dare to provoke him too much. She knew when to stop. Wrapped in the Buddhist robe, she left.
Walking around the screen, the woman who had been thrown out earlier was still standing there. Seeing Caiyu come out in Song Yinghuai's Buddhist robe, her eyes almost popped out.
"How can you be wearing the lord's robe?" The woman's voice was so shrill that it was out of tune. "Impossible! It can't be!"
Caiyu walked straight up to her without looking sideways. She sized the woman up. "Which courtyard are you from?"
Under her imposing manner, the woman immediately cowered. "I... I'm Chunxi, a maid from the outer courtyard of the lord's mansion."
Maids were divided into different ranks.
The maids in the outer courtyard were the low - ranking ones, responsible for miscellaneous and public affairs in the mansion, such as lighting fires, doing laundry, cleaning, shopping, and delivering messages. They were just like Caiyu when she first entered the mansion, and so was Sui'er.
One rank higher were the personal maids, who were the exclusive attendants of the master, taking care of the master's daily life.
The highest - ranked were the senior maids, who were in charge of directing other maids, managing household affairs, and taking care of the master. Caiyu was one of them.
After Song Yinghuai started to practice Buddhism, he had dismissed all his personal and senior maids, only keeping the low - ranking maids from the outer courtyard to do the odd jobs.
But the low - ranking maids were not allowed to enter the inner chambers without permission.
A cold smile curled on Caiyu's lips. "You entered the inner hall without being summoned. According to the rules, you should be beaten twenty times with a rod and resold!"
Chunxi was frightened but tried to look calm. "By what right?"
"By the fact that I'm Caiyu!" Caiyu tightened the Buddhist robe on her body. Her voice grew colder. The charming tone was long gone. "By the fact that I'm the new senior maid of the Lianyin Pavilion!"
Chunxi's legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground in panic. "Miss Cai... Caiyu, I didn't know it was you. Please give me a chance..."
"How can I spare you for seducing the master and framing him for disloyalty and injustice?" Caiyu walked away mercilessly on her long legs. "I'll inform Chief Steward Ji. You'd better take care of yourself!"
Chunxi let out a shrill cry from behind. "Aren't you the one who's seducing the master?"
Caiyu walked away quickly, her face cold.
Precisely because they had the same goal, she couldn't let Chunxi stay.
Her master had only sent her here. Seducing the Prince of Yan and luring him out of the capital was a great achievement.
If she failed, how could the Lan family rise again? How could her young brother be rescued from the clutches of evil?
As for Chunxi...
If she didn't go to hell, who would?
After Song Yinghuai put on the plain - silk Buddhist robe, he heard the commotion outside the screen.
A faint smile played on his lips. He found it quite interesting.
This maid named Caiyu was either trembling in front of her master or charming and amorous. But when facing her peers who were more aggressive than her, she showed an imposing manner, as natural as if she was used to being a master.
This maid was truly a mystery.
Just as he was thinking, the guard Han Bei came in. "My lord, Master Guangzhi has returned from his pilgrimage and is waiting in the secret room."
Song Yinghuai put away his thoughts and followed Han Bei to the secret room.
This secret room was in the hidden chamber of the guest - receiving hall of the Prince of Yan's mansion. It was connected to the secret passage of the Lianyin Pavilion. Even the agents of the Eastern Depot couldn't eavesdrop here.
As soon as he entered the secret room, he saw an old monk with graying eyebrows and beard sitting quietly with his eyes closed on a carved pear - wood Buddhist chair. He was wrapped in a golden - threaded Buddhist robe with lotus patterns. His nine - ringed tin staff stood in the corner beside him, looking like an immortal.
Hearing the footsteps, Master Guangzhi opened his eyes. Two clear and sharp gazes shot into the darkness of the passage, as if they could penetrate the entire world.
"May the master be blessed at all times. Amitabha." Song Yinghuai spoke first. He put his hands together in salute to Guangzhi. "You've been on a pilgrimage for several months. I'm sure you've gained a lot."
Song Yinghuai smiled gently. Master Guangzhi had come to the mansion without even taking off his travel - worn robe. There must be something important to discuss.
After returning the salute, Master Guangzhi said, "Amitabha. On my way from Yanjing to Shangjing for alms, I heard that the five great generals under your lordship's command have blocked the Sixteen Yan and Yun Tribes outside the border sands for the sixth time. It's really a cause for celebration."
"There's nothing to celebrate." Song Yinghuai's face was expressionless. "I can't launch an attack on Yan territory and completely wipe out the Sixteen Yan and Yun Tribes. It's always been my regret. Let's not talk about it... Did you gain anything on your way, master?"
Guangzhi nodded. "Indeed. I encountered three things on my way, all related to the common people."
"Please tell me, master."
Guangzhi said, "First, the emperor has believed in the teachings of Huang - Lao in recent years. The crown prince has recommended the Celestial Master Zhang. He will enter Shangjing soon to open a pill - refining room for the emperor. The emperor's trust in the crown prince is growing stronger."
Song Yinghuai's face remained calm, but the rhythm of his two fingers tapping on the table betrayed a hint of annoyance in his heart.
"Father used to just dote on the crown prince. But now that he's old, in order to consolidate the crown prince's position, he even indulges the crown prince in creating unjust cases. He had Marquis Yongchang Lan Yuanyi imprisoned. One hundred and thirty - eight male members of the Lan family were exiled to Hainan, and all the female members were sold to the imperial kiln."
When it came to Marquis Yongchang Lan Yuanyi, even Master Guangzhi, who was usually detached from the world, couldn't help but sigh. "It's a pity that a great founding minister ended up like this. Your lordship also sent people to look for the daughter of the Lan family, but only found a corpse. What a tragic end for a beauty!"
Song Yinghuai lowered his eyes, hiding the indelible regret in them.
Three years ago, Marquis Yongchang was arrested and imprisoned by the crown prince because of a letter accusing him of colluding with the enemy that appeared out of nowhere. More than seventy female members of the Lan family were all confiscated.
However, the times were tough. The women from noble families were all graceful, and even the maids were as beautiful as flowers. The officers escorting them all wanted to take advantage of this lucrative opportunity. How could those women endure such insults? During the long journey from Yanmen Pass to Shangjing, only more than ten of them were still alive when they were sent to the imperial kiln.
Song Yinghuai's men traced them all the way, but it was too late. The third miss of the Lan family had already passed away.
It was said that in order to preserve her chastity, she had rather died than submit and had jumped off a cliff.
Song Yinghuai subconsciously reached for his wrist again.
Without the Buddhist beads, his fingertips paused. For a moment, he seemed to hear a sweet and innocent voice like a silver bell.
"I once went to Mount Tai to listen to Buddhist teachings. It was said that those who hurt you are the ones who come to save you. The Buddha said that greed, anger, ignorance, hatred, love, loathing, and desire are the seven deadly sins. The hatred the crown prince has given you is a test. If you can let go, once you put it aside, your life will be full of freedom."
Song Yinghuai took a deep breath in secret. A bitter smile curled on his lips.
It was a pity that his Buddhist practice was still shallow. He couldn't let go, and he couldn't find the freedom he desired.