Aoyama

Chapter 317 White Jade Leaves
Jiaotu is gone.

In the deserted palace, only Xuan Su's crying sound remained.

Xuan Zhen held the whisk in his arms and looked around calmly, his eyes finally landing on Bai Li: "I didn't expect that even if the princess ended up in Jingyang Palace, there are still people who care about her. That's great."

Bai Li ignored her, struggled to get up and walked towards the back hall.

Xuan Zhen smiled and said, "How about you take over Xuan Su's position as manager? If you are willing, I can give you the Taoist name Xuan Ji today."

Bai Li stopped, turned his back to her and said nothing.

Without waiting for her to answer, Xuan Su ignored the pain in his eyes and right hand, and got up and crawled to Xuan Zhen's feet: "Master, I have served you for so many years, and I will do whatever you ask me to do. You can't just ignore me like this!"

Xuan Zhen lowered his head, looked at Xuan Su at his feet with pity and said, "You have disturbed my peace and quiet again and again. I see that your upper corpse is eating your brain, disturbing your Niwan Palace, and your consciousness is unclear; your middle corpse is eating your heart, blocking your Jiang Palace, making it difficult for your heart fire to subside; your lower corpse is eating your abdomen, clogging your Dantian, causing your true qi to dissipate. You are entangled by the three corpse worms, and there is no medicine to save you."

Xuan Su opened his only remaining eye and turned to look at the Taoist nuns behind him. Those nuns were standing in the dim hall, their expressions shrouded in shadows.

She turned back and said anxiously, "Master, I still have one good eye, and my arm will heal soon. I can serve you tea and water. No one else can serve you as well as I can! I promise not to disturb your practice again. Please save me. I have suppressed them for you for too long in the past. If you ignore me now, they will tear me apart! Master!"

Xuan Zhen asked doubtfully, "When did I ask you to oppress them?"

Xuan Su hurriedly said, "No, no, it was all my fault."

Xuan Zhen sighed softly: "God is born and God kills, this is the principle of Tao. I think this is the disaster you should bear."

After that, she looked up at the Taoist nuns and said, "Take Xuan Su back to the back hall and let her have a good rest."

The Taoist nuns rushed forward, grabbed Xuansu's right arm, and dragged her back to the back hall.

Xuan Su howled miserably, his voice gradually fading away: "Xuan Zhen, you are the real devil in this Jingyang Palace. You evil devil will not die well, the Three Pure Ones will definitely punish you!"

Xuan Zhen turned a deaf ear to him and turned to look at Bai Li's back: "Princess, have you considered whether you want to take over Xuan Su's management of all the affairs of the Jingyang Palace?"

Baili remained silent.

Xuan Zhen said calmly, "You have only been here for a short time, so I don't know what you are responsible for yet. In addition to the daily morning prayers and chanting, you are also responsible for distributing meals, managing the monthly salary, presiding over the rituals of fasting and offering sacrifices, writing the annual "Merit and Demerit Table", checking everyone's homework, and contacting the eunuchs in the inner court... These are all rules, and each rule contains great power."

She pointed at the tribute fruits on the table with her whisk and said with a smile, "Even these tribute fruits, apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, peaches, after the tribute is removed, there are rules for who gets to eat them and who doesn't. As long as you are willing to listen to me, it's your right."

Bai Li said softly: "I can't do it."

Xuan Zhen slowly put away his smile, "Princess, the ones guarding the palace now are the Jiefan Guards, not the Secret Service. The inner court has already divided power, with the Jiefan Guards under Wu Xiu and the Secret Service under the inner minister. It's fine now that the power has just been divided, so everyone can still maintain their dignity. As time goes by, the Jiefan Guards from top to bottom will all become Wu Xiu's people, and it will be impossible for Jiaotu, the zodiac sign of the Secret Service, to have a smooth career."

Xuan Zhen continued slowly, "I have been in Jingyang Palace for more than 30 years, and only a handful of people have come in and out. Princess, you and I will be together here for decades, why do we have to distinguish between us and the enemy?"

Bai Li was silent for a long time, and finally raised his head to look at the majestic statue of the Three Pure Ones in front of him: "Master, I don't want to be an enemy to anyone, but my father taught me since I was a child, 'Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you', and also taught me to 'distinguish right from wrong, and know people and things'. Sometimes I also wonder, why should I be a good person in a place like this? How can good people be rewarded? But although I don't want to be a good person anymore, I don't want to be a complete villain either. It's good enough for you and me to keep out of each other's way."

"I'm afraid it's not your turn to say to me 'keep your distance'," Xuan Zhen clenched his whisk tightly, "Princess, maybe you think you can rely on Jiaotu as your backer, but you don't understand the principles of this world. Sometimes killing people doesn't necessarily require a knife, and killing people doesn't necessarily involve blood... It doesn't matter, I'll wait and see, maybe in a few days you'll change your mind."

After saying that, she turned and walked towards the depths of the side hall, and the door of the side hall slammed shut behind her.

……

……

Baili returned to the back hall.

She stood barefoot outside the threshold and looked into the hall. Xuan Su was being held down on the head by several Taoist nuns and forced into the toilet.

There were no candles in the hall, only the moonlight from the sky shining on the blue bricks in front of the door.

The threshold of the rear hall was like a wall, or like the teeth in a bloody mouth. It was dark inside and moonlight outside.

When the nuns saw her coming back, they just glanced at her casually and continued to speak fiercely to Xuan Su: "Xuan Su, you have come to this day! Do you remember last winter, you made me stand in the snow and recite the Taoist scriptures?"

Another person angrily asked, "Do you remember that you asked me to pick up steamed buns from the swill bucket to eat?"

Another person angrily asked: "Do you remember that you asked me to wash your feet every day?"

Those Taoist nuns who were used to being silent finally stopped being silent.

Bai Li stood outside the doorway, silent for a long time, and finally stepped in. She climbed onto the bunk bed without saying a word and sat against the wall.

Zhu Lingyun came up to her and asked excitedly, "Sister, are you relieved?"

Bai Li hugged his knees and watched Xuan Su reap what he sowed, but he felt no joy.

She whispered, "Lingyun, remember this scene and tell yourself not to be like them."

Zhu Lingyun murmured "oh" softly and also sat down against the wall, but there was an unconcealable light in her eyes.

After the nuns tortured Xuan Su, no one paid attention to her broken right hand. They sat down beside the bunk bed and shouted in a fierce voice, "Go, boil water for us to wash our feet."

Xuan Su's right hand drooped limply. She cried and said, "My right hand is broken. Can you wait for me to get better? When I get better, I will make water for you to wash your feet one by one. I will take good care of you."

The nuns said fiercely, "No, we have to burn it now, or you can't sleep anymore. You have to stand by the bunk bed and recite the Taoist scriptures until the sun comes up!"

Xuan Su had no choice but to limp back to the ear room.

Bai Li slowly closed her eyes tiredly, but she did not sleep. She had to be wary of Xuan Su's revenge.

Seeing that she looked tired, Zhu Lingyun whispered, "Sister, take a nap. I'll help you keep an eye on her. I'll call you if anything happens."

Bai Li thought for a moment, finally nodded, and drooped his eyelids drowsily.

After an unknown amount of time, a fat black shadow came silently to the bunk bed with a piece of red-hot charcoal in a pair of tongs, and looked at Baili ferociously.

Bai Li fell asleep on the bunk bed leaning against the wall. Zhu Lingyun rested her head on Bai Li's shoulder, saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth.

Xuan Su used a pair of fire tongs to pick up the red-hot charcoal and burned it on Bai Li's face.

However, at this moment, a hand slapped the fire tongs, and the red charcoal fell onto the bunk bed with a thud.

Xuan Su looked over in astonishment, only to see Princess Yongchun with her hair loose, smiling foolishly: "Don't play with fire, my mother said that playing with fire will make you wet the bed."

Xuan Su was shocked: "You!"

Princess Yongchun's movement startled the sleeping Taoist nuns, who then slowly got up and watched the red charcoal burn the mattresses to a crisp.

One of them said coldly: "How dare you to take revenge on her? Hit her!"

Bai Li looked at Princess Yongchun.

Princess Yongchun then slapped the red charcoal to the ground, sat beside her nonchalantly, and said madly: "Go to sleep, Bodhisattva. When you sleep, you will go to another world and see the person you want to see."

Bai Li was silent for a long time: "Aren't you going to sleep?"

Princess Yongchun pushed aside a strand of messy hair and looked at her through the gap: "I don't need it. The person I want to see is not in my dream. He is waiting for me across the Naihe Bridge."

Bai Li suddenly asked: "Are you really crazy or just pretending to be crazy?"

Princess Yongchun chuckled and answered the question irrelevantly: "Don't ask for death. You are different from them. There is no one in their dreams, but there is in yours."

……

……

The sound of bells from the Bell and Drum Tower echoed from afar again.

Bai Li opened his eyes and turned his head, only to see Princess Yongchun still staring with her eyes wide open, having not slept all night.

Xuan Su knelt in front of the door. When the nuns passed by her, one of them kicked her and said, "Kneel straighter!"

Xuan Su fell to the ground, then quickly stood up.

When Baili passed by Xuansu, Xuansu pleaded, "Princess, I had no choice but to follow Xuanzhen's wishes and slowly become like this... Please save me!

Bai Li asked casually: "Why should I save you?"

Xuan Su said anxiously: "You need me. Xuan Zhen's methods are too vicious. Without me, you will be killed by her." Bai Li ignored her and walked out with Zhu Lingyun.

Xuan Su hurriedly said, "Princess, today is the fasting and offering ceremony. None of them reminded you that everyone must submit a Qingci to the Inner Court Palace Supervisor today. If you fail to do so, you will be punished. There are many rules in this deep palace. If a newcomer is not obedient, those unclear rules alone can kill him. Jiaotu can't help you, but I can."

Bai Li stopped at the threshold and said, "I can write Qingci, but it's too late for you to remind me now."

Qingci is a prayer or memorial presented to the gods by the Taoist temple during the fasting and offering ceremony. It is written with a red brush on green rattan paper, so it is called "Qingci".

Xuan Su crawled on his knees and came to Bai Li: "Although it's too late today, you will need it in the future. You haven't seen the true viciousness of that evil demon. Princess, I am useful to you when I am alive. Don't let them kill me!"

Bai Li stepped over the threshold and continued walking forward, leaving Xuan Su alone kneeling at the threshold and crying loudly.

When they arrived at the main hall, they saw an elderly eunuch in a red robe standing in front of the main hall, and Xuan Zhen standing quietly beside him.

The red-robed eunuch smiled and said, "The emperor was very satisfied with the poem I presented last time, so he specially ordered me to deliver a few boxes of snacks made by the imperial kitchen this time. In addition, I also brought the things you asked me to buy from outside the palace last time."

There were two young eunuchs standing outside the main hall of Jingyang Palace. They were carrying a box filled with underwear, rouge, powder, silver mirrors, bronze mirrors and other small items.

Xuan Zhen bowed his head slightly and said, "We are practicing in seclusion here. Thank you, Your Majesty and the Admiral, for your concern."

The red-robed eunuch smiled happily: "As long as you write the Qingci well, it will be better than anything else."

Xuan Zhen waved his whisk, and the nuns presented their written poems one by one. The red-robed eunuch took them and flipped through them one by one. When he saw the gorgeous words, he couldn't help but exclaimed: "Good, good, this time it's better than last time!"

After saying that, the eunuch raised his head and looked at Bai Li and Zhu Lingyun in front of the statue of the Three Pure Ones: "Where are yours?"

Zhu Lingyun hurriedly explained: "No one told us to write Qingci!"

Xuan Zhen smiled slightly: "I told you the day before yesterday, how come you don't remember it."

The red-robed eunuch slowly turned cold and said, "Writing the Qingci is something that His Majesty has assigned you. Except for Yongchun, no one else in Jingyang Palace is allowed to slack off!"

Zhu Lingyun wanted to argue again, but Bai Li held her back and bowed to the red-robed eunuch: "Sir Admiral, we accept the punishment and will never do it again next time."

The red-robed eunuch sneered and said softly, "Kneel before the Three Pure Ones. Kneel for a day and a night to teach you a lesson. If you make the same mistake again next time, it won't be so easy."

Xuan Zhen bowed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Admiral. I am negligent in disciplining you. I am willing to accept the punishment."

The red-robed eunuch smiled and waved his hand: "What are you talking about, Immortal? How can we punish you? Okay, I'm still in a hurry to deliver the Qingci to His Majesty, you guys go ahead."

Xuan Zhen looked at the back of the red-robed eunuch and said without turning his head: "Princess, I will ask you again, do you want to take the position of the manager of Jingyang Palace?"

Bai Li did not answer, but silently pulled Zhu Lingyun to kneel in front of the statue of the Three Pure Ones.

Xuanzhen smiled and said, "It's okay. Let you think about it."

After that, she turned back to the side hall and said, "Everyone else, please go away. There will be no morning class today. Go and get the items you want to buy."

The nuns happily left the main hall and picked and chose from the wooden boxes. Someone picked up a silver mirror and said, "Look, the silver mirror from Shuixin Pavilion is indeed the brightest. The gold-plated and filigree craftsmanship on the back is something that other workshops cannot learn."

"What's the point of looking in the mirror in this palace? To see if you look like a ghost or a human? It's better to buy hand oil. After a while, when the weather dries up, you can use it as lip oil. Don't use mine when your lips are chapped."

"Tsk, look at what you are capable of. I will serve the real person well, and next time I will ask the eunuch to buy new hand oil for me."

Zhu Lingyun knelt on the mat and looked back outside the hall. She didn't expect that a Taoist nun in this confined palace would ask the eunuch to buy these items.

She looked back at her sister. Bai Li was kneeling on the futon with her eyes closed, not knowing what she was thinking.

The sun slowly rose above the main hall. The hall had become deserted, with only Bai Li and Zhu Lingyun left kneeling with their legs numb and in unbearable pain.

The red lacquered door of the side hall opened again, and Xuan Zhen walked to the two of them leisurely, holding a whisk in his arms: "Princess Baili, I'll ask you again, are you willing to take over the position?"

Baili still didn't answer.

Xuan Zhen smiled again: "It seems that it is still too comfortable. Then don't kneel on the futon, kneel on the blue bricks instead."

She called the Taoist nun and removed the cushions from the main hall.

Bai Li and Zhu Lingyun knelt on the hard blue bricks, and they could not bear it for just an incense stick of time. Zhu Lingyun twisted her body, but it was painful no matter what position she changed.

Zhu Lingyun looked at Bai Li and begged in a low voice: "Sister, why do you suddenly listen to her again? Don't you have Jiaotu's support? If we follow Xuanzhen and fight, she will definitely not dare to do anything to us."

Bai Li closed his eyes and remained silent until the sun set and the light in the main hall disappeared.

The red lacquered door of the side hall opened again, and Xuan Zhen came to the two of them and asked calmly, "Princess, I will ask you one last time, are you willing to work for me?"

Bai Li shook his head and said, "I don't want to."

Xuanzhen was a little confused: "Why not? Because of what you call good and evil? There is no good and evil in my world, only order!"

Bai Li knelt in front of the Three Pure Ones and whispered, "I'm just afraid that after doing those things, I won't be able to face him again when I go out."

Xuan Zhen was stunned, then burst into laughter: "Go out? You still want to go out? Yesterday you wanted to die, and today you want to go out again? What a joke!"

After she laughed wildly for a while, she lowered her head and looked at the two girls in front of her: "Okay, very good. Zhu Lingyun, since your sister is unwilling to take over the position, then you can take it. Once you take it, you don't have to kneel here, and you can go back and rest alone."

Zhu Lingyun sneered: "Don't try to sow discord between me and my sister, I am happy to kneel here!"

Xuan Zhen said meaningfully: "It doesn't matter, my words are valid until dawn, you can go back to sleep at any time."

……

……

It was late at night and the cold wind outside the hall blew into the hall. Zhu Lingyun was shivering with cold and her knees were aching excruciatingly.

From time to time, she looked at the closed door of the side hall, and then turned back to look at the lonely palace road outside the hall.

Zhu Lingyun whispered, "Sister, let's go back to sleep. Everyone is asleep now, and no one will know we ran away."

Bai Li looked up at the statue of the Three Pure Ones and said in a hollow voice, "Lingyun, my father said that rules may look kind, but they can kill people when used. Before you have the strength to break free from them, you can only live within them. If anyone wants to kill you with the rules, you can kill them with the rules. But before you use them, you must have no flaws."

Zhu Lingyun hesitated for a moment, and suddenly whispered: "Sister, Xuanzhen must be asleep. I will go back secretly to sleep for a while, and I will be back before the bell rings. I don't want to take that useless position of manager. My knees hurt so much that I can't stand it anymore."

Bai Li was silent for a long time: "Go ahead."

Zhu Lingyun propped herself up and staggered to the backyard, leaving Bai Li alone.

A deep laugh came from the side hall, as if mocking Bai Li's stubbornness: "Princess, you are still young and don't understand what human hearts are. When you understand, you will be like me. This Jingyang Palace has a magical power that turns everyone into the same person."

Bai Li leaned down with his forehead touching the cold blue bricks.

I don’t know how much time passed until the sound of the third watch drum was heard outside the hall.

She suddenly heard someone sigh above her head, and immediately looked up. The Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun on the left seemed to be looking down at her.

Bai Li subconsciously closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun had returned to normal, as if he had just been dazzled by his eyes the previous moment.

The next moment, a white jade leaf fell lightly from the sky. It was swung by the wind, tumbling and drifting, and passed through the dark clouds, through the golden roof of Jingyang Palace, and landed on Baili's head.

She slowly closed her eyes until the morning bell from the bell and drum tower rang again, then she opened her eyes again, a golden glow flowing in her eyes.

Baili bowed down before Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun: "Believers Baili have been given this opportunity to serve as an official. I wish to practice diligently and achieve the truth as soon as possible. I pray that the Dao Qi will last forever and the Dao Court will prosper forever."

At this point, she hesitated for a moment, then spoke again in a low voice: "But disciple is still confused about one thing, please enlighten me... Did I misunderstand Chen Ji?"

After Bai Li finished speaking, he picked up the wooden cup and divination blocks on the tribute table and threw them onto the blue bricks.

One yin and one yang, meaning the Heavenly Venerable’s instruction: Yes.

She threw the divination blocks onto the blue brick three times in a row, each time coming up with one yin and one yang.

Bai Li took a deep breath and whispered, "Thank you, Lord..."

She bent down and pressed her forehead against the blue brick. The tears that she had been holding back for who knows how long finally flowed down the tip of her nose and fell onto the blue brick.

(End of this chapter)