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That day, the Buddha Bathing Ceremony at the Jade Buddha Temple was grand.
Buildings in the north were generally more imposing and taller than those in Jiangzuo. Since the Jade Buddha Temple was funded by the royal family, it naturally surpassed the splendor of Xilin Temple, which Shen Xiling was most familiar with. One hundred and eight golden Arhats encircled the large statue of Sakyamuni, while various Bodhisattvas were surrounded by auspicious clouds, all bathed in a radiant golden glow as they gazed compassionately upon sentient beings.
When the ceremony began, the monks of the temple dressed in ceremonial robes and carried their implements into the main hall, standing in orderly rows to the east and west. The sounds of bells and chimes echoed continuously. Six monks emerged from the ranks to respectfully welcome the Buddha statue, followed by Abbot Huijue, who slowly stepped forward. He solemnly invited the Buddha statue from the sutra hall into the main hall.
The great hall resounded with drums and bells as the Buddha statue was seated in a golden basin. Abbot Huijue led everyone in offering incense and paying homage to the Buddha, reciting the “True Words of Bathing.” They then circled the Buddha in reverence, chanting the “Praise of the Buddha’s Treasure” and the “Dedication of Merit.” The chanting continued without pause within the main hall, signifying the completion of merit.
Shen Xiling knew that Qi Yin was in the towering pagoda nearby, separated from her by only a wall.
The main hall was where the Wei Emperor and officials paid homage to the Buddha; women were not allowed in the same room as men. Thus, even though she shared the same temple grounds with him, a wall still separated them. She couldn’t see him but could only imagine his presence.
But this was already very good.
She was so close to him, standing on the same land, viewing the same scenery, and listening to the same Buddhist chants, just like the time he accompanied her to Xilin Temple—it felt equally wonderful. Even if she couldn’t see him, she could vividly picture his appearance now: composed, upright, and proper, yet inwardly restless. After all, he didn’t believe in deities or Buddhas, so such occasions likely made him feel uncomfortable.
Her thoughts grew increasingly intricate, leading her deeper into reverie. She became oblivious to everything around her, even failing to respond when young monks entered the side hall to solicit donations from the noblewomen. She remained rooted in place, lost in thought, drawing everyone’s attention—even the Empress Dowager and the princess from Jiangzuo turned their gaze toward her.
Qin Shi, seeing her sister-in-law so detached, grew even more concerned, assuming she was unwell. She quickly apologized to the Empress Dowager and the princess from Liang, then signaled to her younger sister to tend to their elder sister. However, the younger sister was also lost in thought, unable to meet her eyes.
Unbeknownst to Qin Shi, Gu Jingqi’s mind was also swirling with emotions.
When everyone had gathered at the foot of Zhe Mo Mountain to greet the emperor earlier, all eyes were on the envoy from Liang. But she alone noticed the Crown Prince beside the emperor… His face seemed somewhat familiar.
She must have seen him somewhere before, but no matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn’t recall where. If only the Crown Prince were a piece of cake—then she surely wouldn’t have forgotten!
Her head began to ache from thinking so hard. Finally, she remembered encountering the Crown Prince just a few days ago—at her sister-in-law’s Golden Jade Hall. She had accompanied her sister-in-law to collect accounts when she met a refined and elegant nobleman who resembled a gentleman from the Qi Yu poem. This gentleman had also admired the same jade mountain she did.
So, he was the Crown Prince!
No wonder she had found him familiar that day! She had visited the palace several times as a child and must have met the prince then, though she was too young to remember clearly now. Naturally, this was mainly because the Crown Prince wasn’t a piece of cake—if he were, she would have remembered vividly.
Lost in these thoughts, Gu Jingqi missed the signal from Qin Shi and failed to rouse her sister-in-law. As a result, Shen Xiling became the center of attention in the entire hall, even drawing the notice of the Empress Dowager.
As the wife of the Yan Duke, Shen Xiling held the highest rank among noblewomen and stood near the Empress Dowager. Seeing Shen Xiling so distracted, Empress Dowager Zou expressed concern, taking her hand and asking, “I heard you’ve recovered recently, but you still look much thinner. Are you feeling unwell? Perhaps I should send for General Wen Ruo.”
Empress Dowager Zou was indeed a skilled player on the political stage. Despite her family being at odds with the Yan Duke’s household, she managed to appear genuinely caring toward Lady Gu, even holding her hand affectionately—a rare display of warmth.
It was only then that Shen Xiling snapped out of her daze, realizing her lapse in etiquette. She bowed apologetically and replied, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am well; there is no need to trouble the general.”
Before the Empress Dowager could respond, Princess Xiao Ziying of Liang interjected with an ambiguous smile, saying, “I’ve long heard that General Gu treasures his wife dearly. It seems this isn’t mere hearsay. Why keep such a devoted husband idle? Perhaps you should summon him to attend to your needs.”
Though seemingly innocuous, her words carried an underlying edge. Everyone present caught the subtle sarcasm, though they couldn’t pinpoint exactly which word was problematic. To avoid awkwardness, the noblewomen simply laughed along, praising the deep bond between the Yan Duke and his wife.
While others were puzzled, Shen Xiling understood perfectly.
She and the princess were old acquaintances; she had known of her existence since childhood and even met her briefly at the flower fair in the fourteenth year of Qinghua.
Shen Xiling admitted she had envied the princess as a teenager, harboring hostility during their first meeting. Over time, however, her resentment faded. She knew Qi Yin and the princess shared nothing improper, so she no longer dwelled on it. To her, the princess was merely an ordinary acquaintance, unworthy of further concern.
Unfortunately, the princess didn’t seem to share this view.
She still appeared to dislike Shen Xiling, just as fiercely as when she once stormed into her Yu Yuan courtyard years ago, intending to slap her. Even now, despite the passage of time, her animosity remained unchanged.
But Shen Xiling had changed.
When she first met the princess as a child, she had felt intense inferiority and sorrow, losing control of her emotions entirely. Now, however, she felt utterly calm—neither sad nor elated, neither humble nor arrogant. No matter what the princess did, it no longer mattered to her.
She even felt a tinge of pity for her. Wasn’t she just another woman unable to control her fate, much like herself in the past?
Reflecting on this, Shen Xiling couldn’t help but sigh. She chose not to dwell on Princess Xiao Ziying’s words, offering only polite and courteous responses. Then, after the Empress Dowager, she donated the incense money she had prepared earlier into the monk’s alms box. Her demeanor was impeccable, making the princess, a genuine noblewoman, appear somewhat petty in comparison.
The onlookers observed everything keenly. Though they couldn’t discern the full history between the two women, they sensed the underlying tension and recognized that the princess from Liang had been outmaneuvered.
Princess Xiao Ziying was aware of this too—and she noticed the pity in Shen Xiling’s eyes.
That look filled her with anger, yet also stirred a faint sadness within her.
The Buddha Bathing Ceremony concluded at noon, but the festival wasn’t over yet. Each noble family was assigned a lodge room, where vegetarian meals would be served. After lunch, further rituals would take place, lasting until sunset.
Naturally, the lodgings for the ministers from Liang were separate from those of the Wei officials, as they were all male outsiders. They were assigned rooms at the edges of the temple grounds, away from the families with female members, to avoid any impropriety.
This arrangement was reasonable, but it made it even more impossible for Shen Xiling to see Qi Yin. Although Gu Juhan knew she was sensible and wouldn’t cause trouble, he still worried she might succumb to grief and do something unexpected. Thus, he had spent the entire morning fretting about her in the main hall of the pagoda. Only now, having entered the lodge room to see her, did he finally feel somewhat reassured.
The lodge rooms were small and modest. When he entered, he saw her sitting by the window, lost in thought. Her face was still pale, but her emotions seemed stable, which slightly eased his worry.
At that moment, a young monk arrived with the vegetarian meal—delicacies like Luohan vegetables, three-color lotus root, and spring bamboo shoots. Gu Juhan thanked the monk and asked him to leave after setting down the food.
Shen Xiling seemed deeply immersed in her thoughts, unaware of Gu Juhan’s entry or the monk’s movements. She continued gazing out the window, showing no intention of moving.
Gu Juhan approached quietly, sitting at a respectful distance. He gently called her name: “Xiling?”
His voice finally brought her back to reality. Shen Xiling turned to look at him, offering a faint smile. “General, you’ve come.”
Gu Juhan smiled back and gestured to the vegetarian dishes on the table, saying softly, “Let’s eat. There are more ceremonies after the meal.”
Shen Xiling nodded in agreement. Gu Juhan helped her stand up. Though she initially tried to decline his assistance, she stumbled upon rising and leaned on him to steady herself. She said nothing further, allowing him to guide her to the table.
They began eating together.
Shen Xiling had little appetite, but her devotion to Buddhism compelled her to complete the rituals of the Buddha Bathing Festival. She forced herself to eat bite by bite. Gu Juhan knew she struggled to eat and felt pained watching her. Just as he hesitated to encourage her to stop, she asked with a faint smile, “Did you see anything interesting in the pagoda today, General?”
Her question startled him.
He had assumed she would ask about Qi Jingchen, but she hadn’t. Her expression was calm, not evasive but genuinely uninterested in bringing him up.
Had she… decided to let go of that person?
Why? Was it because of their distant encounter at the foot of the mountain?
Did she consider that fleeting glimpse a conclusion, finally ready to release the decade-long obsession?
Gu Juhan found it hard to believe, yet a sudden wave of joy welled up within him. He tried to suppress it, lest it make him appear petty, but the delight kept bubbling up uncontrollably, overwhelming him.
Was he finally going to have a chance with her?
Gu Juhan coughed lightly to mask his emotional turmoil and was about to respond when loud commotion erupted outside. Listening closely, they heard monks shouting, “Fire!”
Gu Juhan’s expression darkened. He immediately rose and strode out the door. Sure enough, flames engulfed the rear mountain, turning the sky a fiery red.
It was springtime, and the northern region was dry and prone to wildfires. Zhe Mo Mountain was covered with trees; a single spark could ignite the entire spring mountain. The fire on the rear mountain had already spread wildly!
This was a disaster in the making!
Shen Xiling also heard the commotion outside and saw the towering flames through the window. Before she could react, more noise erupted outside as the nobles in the lodge rooms were startled and began fleeing in panic. The once-dignified noblewomen were now disheveled, screaming like common folk.
At this moment, Gu Juhan’s adjutant, Xu Chuan, rushed into the room. Seeing him, Gu Juhan’s expression steadied, and he quickly returned to pull Shen Xiling to her feet. He guided her out the door with hurried steps.
Once outside, the horrifying scale of the fire became even more apparent. Thick smoke billowed endlessly from the rear mountain area of the temple. The crimson flames radiated intense heat, burning fiercely and refusing to die out, resembling the depiction of Avici Hell in the scriptures—a sight that chilled the soul.
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