Bab 22: A Major Matter
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Female Patron, I wonder if you can send her to some place else. Shangqing Temple has enjoyed a hundred years of good reputation. In all that time, such a thing has never happened to us. I am really worried that she will get pregnant one day, and Shangqing Temple's reputation will be destroyed in an instant," Grandmaster Jingmian said.
"Preg… nant?" Mrs. Feng gasped and patted her chest. The shock was so great that she nearly passed out. "Grandmaster… you shouldn't say such things carelessly."
"I am a nun, and I have no grudge against her. Why would I say anything carelessly? She has been going over there frequently, so it's only a matter of time before she gets pregnant. Female Patron, will your master be willing to move her away?" Grandmaster Jingmian asked.
"Grandmaster, you shouldn't be impatient about this. Please tell me just what is going on. H-how could she possibly have anything to do with the monks in Longan Temple?" Mrs. Feng quickly asked.
"How else? It's because of her nature!" Grandmaster Jingmian mocked her.
She mentioned the matter of Chu Yue going over to cook and said coldly, "She might be going there to cook on the surface, but who knows what she has been doing behind our backs? The monk over there has sent her a mink cloak and high-grade charcoal. Some time ago, he even hired a physician to treat her.
"Look at how much of a prostitute she looks like now. Look at how seductive she is. The monk next door has contributed a lot in making her look this way."
"My… goodness." Mrs. Feng patted her chest again. She was absolutely shocked right now.
She did not expect that she would obtain such shocking news when she came over. This was… challenging her views on life, the world, and her morals. It also challenged the barest minimum of what she could accept.
The imperial consort… had a relationship with a monk in Longan Temple?
Mrs. Feng's breathing became faster. She had to catch her breath. She had to. Once she calmed herself, she impatiently held Jingmian's arm and said, "Grandmaster, is all that you said true?"
"I am a nun, and I do not lie. Besides, this is no longer a secret in Shangqing Temple. Last time, she even caused a ruckus because of this. We were originally not going to keep her anymore, but she caused a scene by threatening to kill herself and fainting. In the end, we could only apologize to her."
When Grandmaster Jingmian mentioned this, her face was full of disgust.
It was clear that the widow had a relationship with the monk, but Jingmian was the one who was forced to bow down and apologize to her!
Mrs. Feng calmed herself and asked, "Could she really have just gone over to cook?"
"Cook? Female Patron, stop joking around. Even though I do not know what sort of status she has, based on how delicate she looks, she should be someone who has never cooked since she was young. Yet her maid isn't the one going to cook, but she is? Female Patron, would you believe that there is no shameful secret in this?" Grandmaster Jingmian asked.
Mrs. Feng would naturally not believe it. The imperial consort was the eldest legitimate daughter of the imperial chancellor. Even if her mother had passed away and her family on her mother's side did not occupy any important position, the imperial consort would never be reduced to cooking in the kitchen.
Yet the eldest legitimate daughter of the imperial chancellor had to personally cook? If this went out, the second wife of the imperial chancellor would definitely laugh until she started rolling on the floor.
It was impossible for the imperial consort to know how to cook, but if that were the case, how could she possibly go and make vegetarian food for the monk?
This was really just an excuse that did not hide much.
"Female Patron, since she made such a huge mistake, could you send her to another place to meditate and repent on her sins?" Grandmaster Jingmian was still concerned about this.
Mrs. Feng gave her another two handfuls of silver. "Grandmaster, please do not tell others about this. This is a rumor, and I will not believe in it."
Grandmaster Jingmian was stunned. It was clear that she had believed it just now, so why was she refusing to believe it now?
But when she lowered her head to look at the two handfuls of silver, she smiled and said, "Since you refuse to believe me, I can do nothing about it. If she wants to stay here, I will let her stay."
"Grandmaster, does she go over every day?" Mrs. Feng asked.
"If you refuse to believe me, I will call you tomorrow morning, and you can hide with me. You will be able to see it then," Grandmaster Jingmian said.
Hence, early the next day, Grandmaster Jingmian went to call for Mrs. Feng. Once Mrs. Feng wrapped herself up in multiple layers of clothes, she followed Grandmaster Jingmian. She even brought a servant with her.
Then, they saw Chu Yue heading to Longan Temple in a good mood.
"You must believe me now, Female Patron," Grandmaster Jingmian said.
The place they were standing in did not belong to Longan Temple, so the person in black would not notice her bringing others to obtain proof.
Mrs. Feng wanted to grow wings and report what she saw to the secondary consort.
But she just looked at Grandmaster Jingmian and said, "Grandmaster, you're a wise person, so I will say this to you outright. You are not to spread word about this, or else, Shangqing Temple's existence itself might be a problem."
Grandmaster Jingmian's expression changed, and she quickly said, "Do not worry, Female Patron. I am a nun, and I will naturally not let my tongue run loose."
"I will report this to my mistress. If she makes a decision, we will ask someone to come here and send you word," Mrs. Feng said hastily.
But no matter how fast she traveled back, when she returned to the mansion, it was already late at night. Prince Qin's secondary consort had already gone to rest.
But Mrs. Feng could not wait for even a minute.
Prince Qin's secondary consort understood her old personal maid, so she summoned her and asked faintly, "What is it? Why did you come and bother me late at night?"
"Secondary Consort, it's a huge matter, a major matter!" Mrs. Feng said in an agitated manner.
The secondary consort thought of a few things, but said nothing and looked at her before saying, "Speak."
Mrs. Feng told her all that she had learned from Grandmaster Jingmian. Prince Qin's secondary consort was dumbfounded after she heard it.
"She… is the eldest legitimate daughter of the imperial chancellor, and yet she's lowering herself to get money and food from a monk so that she can survive? How is this possible?"
"Secondary Consort, this is absolutely true. I personally went with Mrs. Yang's daughter and the nun to look. Early in the morning, the imperial consort put on the mink cloak the monk gave her and went to the back of Longan Temple's mountain. The nun is worried that she is pregnant and really wants to chase her away," Mrs. Feng said.
"Preg… nant?" Prince Qin's secondary consort had not digested the news she received before this, and another shocking piece was thrown her way. Her eyes went wide, which was the exact same as reaction as that of Mrs. Feng when she heard it for the first time.
"With how she's acting, it's only a matter of time before she is pregnant," Mrs. Feng said.
Prince Qin's secondary consort raised her hand and said, "Don't say anything else. Let me get this sorted out in my head."
It was late at night, and the news was just too shocking.
If the imperial consort truly did something like this, her entire life would be ruined. Right now, the prince was still angry with her, which was why she had been sent out of the mansion.
But even this was a sign of respect to the imperial chancellor, because she was still the eldest legitimate daughter of the imperial chancellor. No matter how angry the prince was at the imperial chancellor's family for using a substitute to replace what the prince truly wanted, sooner or later, he still had to go and take her back.
But if the imperial consort was pregnant when he came to take her, then…
A mocking look appeared on the secondary consort's face. An idea formed in her head, and she looked at Grandmaster Feng. "Go and ask someone to tell the nun that she judged the situation rashly, and this isn't true. We still believe in the imperial consort and do not know anything about her actions!"
"Alright." Mrs. Feng immediately understood what the secondary consort wanted. She smiled and nodded before she said, "Secondary Consort, that old nun loves money."
The secondary consort scoffed and said faintly, "Give her one hundred taels of silver and tell her to keep her mouth shut."
"I will send someone to do it."
-- Hadiah diterima