Chapter 377: Human Heart

Jingyang Palace, side hall.

It was Zhu Lingyun's first time here, and she couldn't help but survey the furnishings.

Unlike the austere cleanliness of the rear hall, the side hall featured floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the walls, filled with Taoist scriptures. On the other side was an embroidered couch, next to which sat a mother-of-pearl inlaid table. From an openwork copper incense burner on the table, wisps of agarwood fragrance drifted.

Xuanzhen opened a cabinet and took out a plate of preserved fruits, placing them on the table. "Have a seat," she said.

When Xuanzhen's gaze fell upon her, Zhu Lingyun instinctively recoiled, her back pressing against the closed door. "What did True Person summon me for?" she asked.

Xuanzhen smiled slightly and settled onto the embroidered couch. "Lately, you've been overseeing Jingyang Palace. Has anyone defied you?"

Zhu Lingyun replied cautiously, "No."

A few days prior, Xuanzhen had explicitly told Baili and Zhu Lingyun that whoever was willing to take on the role of supervisor would be exempt from kneeling punishments and could return to the rear hall to sleep.

Zhu Lingyun couldn't endure it, so she secretly returned to the rear hall. From then on, it was tacitly understood that she would manage Jingyang Palace, and she was given a Taoist name, Xuanyun.

However, during this period, Zhu Lingyun had not interacted much with Xuanzhen, still deferring to Baili in all matters.

Xuanzhen pushed the plate of preserved fruits towards Zhu Lingyun and said softly, "When you and Princess Baili first arrived, I had no intention of making things difficult for either of you. I never expected that scoundrel Xuansu would throw her weight around in the rear hall, deliberately tormenting you two sisters."

Zhu Lingyun remained silent.

Seeing her disbelief, Xuanzhen slowly continued, "Xuanyun, you know in your heart that Jingyang Palace is a cage; once you enter, you can't leave. You and I will have to coexist here for decades, so we can't be suspicious and guarded every day. I don't ask you to become my closest friends, only that we get along peacefully. Don't worry, if anyone disobeys your discipline, just tell me. Take all these preserved fruits and share them with your sister. You two haven't had candied fruit in a long time, have you?"

Zhu Lingyun was skeptical. Had Xuanzhen really called her over just to show goodwill?

She looked at the preserved fruits on the table, swallowed, but ultimately insisted, "I won't eat your things."

Xuanzhen smiled. "It's alright if you don't eat them. By the way, today's tribute fruits on the altar need to be changed. When the eunuch delivers the new ones, you can take the removed tribute fruits and distribute them to everyone. You decide who gets them and who doesn't... This certainly isn't my personal property, is it?"

Just then, the voice of a eunuch came from outside the door. "Is the True Person in charge present?"

Xuanzhen waved her whisk. "The eunuch for changing the tribute fruits has arrived. Go on."

Zhu Lingyun left the side hall as if fleeing.

She stood in the main hall, watching the eunuch from the Bureau of Divine Palaces remove the nine peaches from the tribute altar and replace them with new ones.

Zhu Lingyun scooped up the removed tribute fruits in the hem of her Taoist robe and hurried towards the rear hall. "Sister!"

Baili was sweeping the backyard. Zhu Lingyun ran to her as if presenting a treasure, mysteriously revealing a slit in the hem she was holding. "Sister, freshly removed peaches! Eat them quickly!"

Jingyang Palace only offered light vegetarian meals, so the removed tribute fruits were a rare treat. When Xuansu was in charge, only a few specific Taoist nuns were allowed to share them.

But Baili didn't look at the tribute fruits; instead, she looked at Zhu Lingyun's face. "Lingyun, did Xuanzhen trouble you just now?"

Zhu Lingyun explained, "No, she suddenly acted very strangely, trying to show goodwill, and said she wanted to live in peace with us. I didn't listen carefully to what she said; she just said a few things and then let me out."

Baili frowned slightly.

At that moment, several older Taoist nuns, hearing about the removed tribute peaches, immediately walked out of the rear hall and, without a word, tried to take them from the hem Zhu Lingyun was holding.

Zhu Lingyun retreated repeatedly, tightly shielding the peaches in her arms. "Liu Ping, what are you doing? I'm in charge now. Did I say you could eat them?"

Baili stepped in front of Zhu Lingyun, blocking the nuns. "Look into Xuansu's eyes, then decide if you want to make a move."

Liu Ping felt apprehensive, but still glared at the two sisters. "In the past, when tribute was removed, we always got our share. How come now that you're in charge, we don't? There are so many peaches, can you two sisters possibly eat them all?"

When Xuansu was previously in charge, she relied not only on Xuanzhen's backing but also on winning over Liu Ping and a few others with favors. Whoever disobeyed them, they would gang up on and punish.

Now, seeing that Zhu Lingyun and Baili had no backing, and recalling Xuanzhen's past dislike for them, they were ready to break all civility.

Baili turned her head to Zhu Lingyun behind her. "Lingyun, give them to them."

Zhu Lingyun was reluctant. "Sister, I'm the supervisor. How can I let them just grab things?"

Liu Ping sneered, "Do you dare to take this to True Person? Think carefully about what happened to Xuansu when you complained to True Person before."

Hearing this, Zhu Lingyun immediately shivered. The last time she went to Xuanzhen to complain, Xuanzhen had made Xuansu's palms bleed from a beating.

At this thought, her grip on the hem loosened, and the peaches scattered across the floor.

"That's more like it," Liu Ping and the others rushed forward to grab the peaches.

However, just as Liu Ping bent down to pick up a peach, she suddenly saw a pair of cloud-topped shoes appear before her. They had thick soles and high tops, with toes curving upwards like clouds, embroidered with golden Bagua symbols.

In Jingyang Palace, only Xuanzhen was permitted to wear cloud-topped shoes; everyone else wore common temple shoes.

Liu Ping's hand, reaching for the peach, trembled slightly, and she quickly straightened up. She saw Xuanzhen flick her whisk upwards, and a fierce force struck her chest, sending her tumbling backward, gasping for breath.

Everyone froze, nobody had expected Xuanzhen to step in and help Zhu Lingyun!

Xuanzhen stood calmly in the courtyard, saying, "I appointed Xuanyun as supervisor. Are any of you dissatisfied?"

Liu Ping scrambled to her feet and knelt at Xuanzhen's feet. "We wouldn't dare."

Xuanzhen's gaze swept over the crowd, then softened as she looked at Zhu Lingyun. "You are free to discipline them. If anything happens, you can always come to the side hall to find me; I will uphold your authority."

The nuns fell silent, struck dumb with fear, wondering why Xuanzhen had suddenly changed her demeanor.

After Xuanzhen left, Zhu Lingyun sneered at Liu Ping and the others, "From now on, anyone can eat these tribute fruits, except for you."

Baili whispered, "Lingyun, Xuanzhen has ill intentions. Don't make enemies. Give Liu Ping two peaches."

Zhu Lingyun retorted indignantly, "Sister, they just tried to snatch my peaches!"

Baili became serious. "Lingyun, give them to her!"

Zhu Lingyun reluctantly handed two peaches to Baili, kept two for herself, gave only one to Liu Ping, and distributed the rest to the others.

She looked at Baili. "Is that enough?"

With a sigh, Baili took the two peaches and walked into the rear hall. She gave one to Princess Yongchun, then stood in silence for a long time, holding the other.

She turned her head to look; in the rear hall, there were now only she, Princess Yongchun, and Xuansu.

Baili then handed the peach to Xuansu.

Xuansu froze. "Miss Baili, are you giving me a peach? What will you eat then?"

Baili shook her head. "It's just a craving. Eat it, and remember what you said before."

Xuansu nodded hastily. "This servant remembers."

Princess Yongchun, holding the peach, chuckled sweetly, "Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, this peach smells so good! Can I save it for Brother Zhuoyuan to eat?"

Baili gently gathered her hair that had come loose, and said softly, "Eat it. Your Brother Zhuoyuan won't be here for a long time, and the peach will spoil by then."

Princess Yongchun pouted. "Do peaches spoil that quickly?"

Baili hummed in affirmation.

Princess Yongchun looked up at her. "What about people's hearts, then?"

Baili was stunned.

At noon, several young eunuchs delivered food boxes to Jingyang Palace.

The Taoist nuns took their seats in the side hall to eat, and Liu Ping and the others arrived together.

Before they could even sit down, several nuns were seen occupying two chairs each, leaving no space for Liu Ping and the others.

Liu Ping's expression turned slightly cold. "What are you doing?"

Those nuns scoffed, "Stand aside. You just tried to snatch the supervisor's things, and now you want to sit at the same table and eat? You can eat when the supervisor tells you to."

Zhu Lingyun was taken aback. She hadn't expected anyone to stand up for her.

She secretly glanced at Baili, but heard Baili intervene, "We see each other every day; why make things difficult for one another? Everyone, sit down and eat."

Zhu Lingyun was a little disappointed, but still echoed, "Everyone, sit down and eat."

Liu Ping glared angrily at the nuns occupying the seats. "The supervisor has spoken, aren't you going to move?"

The nuns occupying the seats reluctantly moved, allowing Liu Ping to sit down.

Today's lunch, prepared by the Imperial Kitchen, included Ginkgo Stir-fried Mountain Spring Tofu, Thunder Sound Stewed Dual Fungi, Five-Color Vegetable Balls, Bamboo Shoot Salad with Fern Sprouts, Moonlit Lotus Pond, and Angelica Stewed Radish—all famous dishes from Taoist vegetarian banquets.

These dishes were not easily found even outside the palace; for example, the tremella in 'Thunder Sound Stewed Dual Fungi' was extremely rare. However, having eaten them for so long, the nuns found them utterly tasteless.

Zhu Lingyun thought the mountain spring tofu today was quite good, at least it had a hint of a meaty flavor. No sooner had she taken two more bites with her chopsticks than someone immediately got up and swapped the plate of mountain spring tofu to her front.

She looked up in surprise. The nun smiled ingratiatingly, "True Person Xuanyun, if you like this mountain spring tofu, please eat more."

Zhu Lingyun felt a little uncomfortable. "I'm not a True Person."

The nun chuckled, "Then we'll call you Supervisor Xuanyun."

Zhu Lingyun found it a little strange how, in such a short time, these people had become so eager.

She looked to Baili for help, but Baili calmly said, "Everyone, please eat properly."

The nun sheepishly took a mouthful of food.

Zhu Lingyun hesitated for a moment, then turned to the nun. "What... what was your name again?"

The nun hastily replied, "This servant is Du Miao. I was once an Imperial Concubine bestowed by His Majesty, but was sent to Jingyang Palace for cultivation after offending Consort Xue."

Zhu Lingyun recalled, "Consort Xue? The current crown prince's mother?"

The nun whispered, "Precisely."

Baili coughed lightly. "Lingyun, eat your food."

She quickly finished her meal and pulled Zhu Lingyun out of the side hall.

Just as they exited, they heard a quarrel erupt inside the side hall. Zhu Lingyun looked back and saw Du Miao and Liu Ping fiercely arguing, divided into two factions.

Baili advised, "Don't look."

Zhu Lingyun retorted, unwilling to give up, "Sister, how did they treat us before? Why can they do it, but we can't? Besides, I didn't instigate it just now; they must have had old grievances."

Baili said firmly, "Lingyun!"

Zhu Lingyun and Baili gazed at each other for a long time before Zhu Lingyun finally gave in. "Alright, alright, I won't look. I'm going for my afternoon rest."

She broke free from Baili's grasp and went into the rear hall on her own.

Baili was about to follow her in when she saw Xuansu standing by the door, whispering, "Miss Baili, Du Miao and Liu Ping have an old feud. They caused a lot of trouble in the palace before they came to Jingyang Palace. It was indeed wise of you not to be used as a pawn by them."

Baili shook her head. "I don't care what grudges they have amongst themselves. I just don't want Lingyun to become like you."

Xuansu awkwardly pulled her neck back. "Miss Baili, your adherence to your true self is commendable. Now, while Jiao Tu's influence still remains, Xuanzhen dares not resort to harsh tactics. But once Jiao Tu can no longer enter Jingyang Palace, Xuanzhen will surely reveal her true colors. You must be very careful."

"Thank you for the warning," Baili said as she entered the rear hall, only to see Zhu Lingyun already lying on the common bed, her head covered with a blanket.

Baili sat on the edge of the common bed and whispered, "Lingyun, I'm not trying to restrict you. It's just that Xuanzhen has sinister intentions, and we don't know what she plans to do by suddenly changing her facade. You mustn't fall into her trap. Furthermore, if you and I become like them, how will we face ourselves if we ever manage to leave this place and look back on who we were?"

Muffled by the blanket, Zhu Lingyun said, "Sister, wake up. We're not getting out!"

Night fell.

Du Miao proactively brought a basin of foot-washing water for Zhu Lingyun. Cupping Zhu Lingyun's feet, she gently placed them in the water, then looked up and asked, "Supervisor Xuanyun, is the water temperature to your liking?"

For a moment, Zhu Lingyun felt a little disoriented, as if she had returned to the Prince Jing's residence.

Baili, standing nearby, said sternly, "Daoist Priestess Du Miao, you don't need to do this."

Zhu Lingyun instinctively lifted her feet from the water, but Du Miao gently pressed them back in and began to massage them. Du Miao said with a smile, "Xuansu and Liu Ping have been causing trouble for a long time. You two helped us vent our anger; this is the least we can do."

Zhu Lingyun looked eagerly at Baili. "Sister, she's doing this voluntarily... Besides, people used to serve me like this when I was in the Prince's residence."

Du Miao smiled at Baili. "Princess Baili, I know you're concerned about Supervisor Xuanyun, but I'm doing this voluntarily. Supervisor Xuanyun didn't force me."

Baili looked at Zhu Lingyun's eyes, sighed softly in her heart, and turned over to sleep.

When the morning bell chimed, Baili heard rustling beside her. She opened her eyes to see Du Miao and others helping Zhu Lingyun dress and do her hair.

Zhu Lingyun stood by the bed with her arms outstretched, just as she had in the Prince's residence.

Before Baili could speak, Zhu Lingyun saw her awake and quickly said, "Sister, hurry and get up for morning lessons. If we're late, True Person might blame us."

She hastily left the rear hall, rushing towards the main hall.

Du Miao and the others chuckled beside her, "Supervisor Xuanyun, why are you so afraid of your sister?"

Zhu Lingyun instinctively replied, "I'm not afraid."

Du Miao covered her mouth and laughed, "Not afraid, you say? I merely wanted to repay Supervisor Xuanyun for ridding Jingyang Palace of pests, and even that's not allowed?"

Another nun laughed and said, "Princess Baili really is something. If you know she's your sister, fine, but if not, one might think she's your mother! But you must remember, you are now the supervisor of Jingyang Palace. With a single command from you, we'll make Liu Ping and Xuansu pay dearly!"

Du Miao echoed, "And look at Xuansu before, when did she ever write her own liturgical texts? She just took ours directly, didn't she? When sweeping the palace, did Xuansu ever lift a finger? And, forget foot-washing water; even if it's a bucket of bathwater, what's wrong with having a hot bath every day? Just let Liu Ping and the others stay in the side room to heat water for you."

Zhu Lingyun suddenly stopped. "If you say one more word about my sister, you'll all kneel in the main hall. If my sister hadn't protected me before, I would have died in Jingyang Palace long ago. Where were you then?"

The nuns all fell silent.

Zhu Lingyun couldn't help but look back at the rear hall. Inside, Baili was gathering Princess Yongchun's hair.

When Zhu Lingyun arrived at the main hall, Xuanzhen had not yet emerged from the side hall.

Du Miao saw Liu Ping and the others sitting on the prayer mats, and immediately kicked the back of one of them with her toe. "Get out of the way! From today on, you're not allowed to sit on prayer mats. Sit on the blue bricks and repent for your sins to the Dao Ancestor."

Liu Ping glared back angrily. "What are you doing?"

Du Miao lowered her voice. "Don't make a scene here. Be careful not to disturb True Person."

Liu Ping's expression changed, and she ultimately swallowed her anger, allowing them to remove the prayer mats. She then stiffly sat cross-legged on the blue bricks.

Zhu Lingyun opened her mouth, intending to intervene, but seeing that Baili was not nearby, she ultimately said nothing.

At this moment, the side door of the side hall opened, and Xuanzhen emerged, looking like a Taoist immortal, strolling out. She only took one glance but noticed that Liu Ping and the others were not sitting on prayer mats.

Zhu Lingyun felt uneasy, fearing Xuanzhen would inquire about it. But Xuanzhen merely smiled at her, then sat on a prayer mat and began her lecture, paying no attention to what had just happened.

When morning lessons concluded, Xuanzhen lightly waved her whisk. "Go and write your liturgical texts. Xuanyun, remember to check them. If anyone hasn't written by noon, report them all to me."

Zhu Lingyun hastily replied, "Yes."

The nuns went to the west side hall in the backyard to write their liturgical texts, lost in thought.

The nuns in Jingyang Palace received no monthly stipend. Only by composing splendid verses did they have a chance to receive sparse rewards, which they would then use to exchange for necessities with the young eunuchs.

Baili finished early and sat at the desk, staring blankly.

For some reason, Zhu Lingyun instinctively chose a seat furthest from Baili, but she bit on her brush, finding it difficult to start writing. She looked up, her gaze sweeping over the other nuns, and was surprised to find that everyone else had already finished, leaving only her.

A nun quietly asked, "Supervisor, it's noon. Can we go for our vegetarian meal now?"

Zhu Lingyun's face darkened. "What's the rush? I haven't finished yet."

The nuns lowered their heads and said nothing more.

Zhu Lingyun's eyes flickered. "Bring all the liturgical texts you've written; let me see them. Since I'm the supervisor, I naturally cannot allow you to be perfunctory."

The nuns reluctantly handed over their liturgical texts, allowing Zhu Lingyun to flip through them one by one.

As Zhu Lingyun flipped through them, her eyes suddenly lit up. "This liturgical text is well-written: 'The Jade Pivot turns, bringing forth the four seasons and universal harmony. Cloud seals float in the sky, casting nine lights to illuminate sacred virtue...' Who wrote this?"

A nun quietly said, "I wrote it."

Zhu Lingyun pulled out that liturgical text. "This one is mine. You stay and write another."

The nun's expression changed. "How can that be?"

Zhu Lingyun sneered, "Why can't it be?"

Baili said softly, "Lingyun, go eat. I'll write one for you."

Zhu Lingyun stubbornly said, "Sister, I don't want yours!"

Baili was silent for a moment. "I'll write one for you; it'll be quick."

Zhu Lingyun suddenly said, "Sister, I don't want yours. I specifically want *this* one from her!"