Setting the Fire

"I remember your mother's birthday is coming up soon, so don't stay here to serve me. Go back and spend a few days with your mother."

Lin Yunwan was talking to Tao Ye in the Buddhist hall.

Tao Ye said anxiously, "Young Madam, my elder brother and sister-in-law are taking care of Mother at home, so there's no need for me to go back. I must stay by your side."

These past few days, Concubine Ge has been eyeing things covetously, and Young Madam has even sent Young Master Chang Gong back to his studies.

She's always so restless; how could she dare leave at a time like this?

Lin Yunwan smiled and said, "Listen to me, go back."

The candles in the nunnery were lit during the day, and seeing that several had gone out, she took a few candles about the thickness of a finger and went over to replace them.

"You don't need to worry about me. Aren't there an old aunt and two younger sisters-in-law here? Ping Ye will come too, so you can go back without worry."

Tao Ye thought for a moment, knowing that Lin Yunwan always had her own ideas, and then said, "Then this servant will go back for two days. This servant will return after two days."

"Pack your things properly, lest someone inconsiderately takes them and you can't find them later."

The nuns in the nunnery weren't very familiar with them, so who knew if they were up to no good?

Tao Ye, being observant, had already thought of this, and said, "This servant will go and prepare it right away."

He packed a bundle and took it with him.

Seeing that Tao Ye had left, Ge Bao'er took the initiative to go to the Buddhist hall to serve her. She didn't know anything else, so she could only help grind ink.

"Young Madam, I saw Miss Tao Ye leaving with her bundle. It seems she won't be gone for a short while. If you don't mind, Young Madam... I'd be happy to accompany you in chanting sutras and praying for blessings."

Lin Yunwan lowered her head to copy Buddhist scriptures, ignoring her.

"If you don't send me away, I'll stay."

Ge Bao'er knelt on the prayer mat, helping to grind the ink.

As darkness fell, the old nun from the nunnery came with two younger nuns to deliver food. Just then, Lu Chang'gong came from the Marquis's Residence. He was taken aback to see Ge Bao'er beside Lin Yunwan, and walked in, calling out, "Mother."

The old woman said awkwardly, "... I didn't know the Eldest Young Master was coming, so I didn't prepare Buddhist Meal for you."

Lu Chang'gong said calmly, "I've already eaten."

He didn't even look at the old woman; he kept staring at Ge Bao'er.

The old aunt was preoccupied with the Buddhist Meal. Knowing that Lu Chang'gong wouldn't be eating there, she said, "I'll take Young Madam and Concubine's Buddhist Meal to their room. The two younger ones will come to tidy it up in a little while."

Lin Yunwan nodded and led Lu Chang'gong back to their Side Room for dinner.

Knowing Lu Chang'gong's personality, she asked him, "Have you really eaten?"

Lu Chang'gong touched his nose.

He didn't realize it was already dark until he finished his studies. He had left in such a hurry that he hadn't had time for dinner yet.

Lin Yunwan said, "If you don't think the Buddhist Meal is too bland, feel free to eat whatever you like." She then divided the food into two bowls for him.

Neither the mother nor the son spoke.

After his sister-in-law came over and cleared away the dishes, Lu Chang'gong said, "Mother, Sister Tao Ye is gone, and I wanted to come and keep you company."

He wasn't surprised at all that Tao Ye would leave at this time. He calmly said, "The Clan School hasn't started classes yet. My son can study and write in the nunnery. You don't need to worry about delaying his studies."

With just one sentence, he eliminated the possibility that Lin Yunwan would prevent him from coming.

Lin Yunwan held a scroll of scriptures in her hand and looked up at him.

This child has delicate and beautiful features, and his eyes are so dark that they seem more resolute than the average person's.

"Chang Gong."

Lin Yunwan closed her eyes, sighed softly, and when she opened them, her gaze was very gentle. "From now on, you must listen to your maternal uncle in everything. Your maternal uncle truly cares for you, and he knows how to plan for your future."

"Mother!"

Lu Chang'gong got up anxiously, wanting to ask something, but couldn't find the words to speak.

Lin Yunwan urged him to leave, "Go back, and don't come again for the next few days. I'm going to the Buddhist hall to pray and chant scriptures."

Lu Chang'gong didn't want to leave. Lin Yunwan had already gone to the Buddhist hall, where she knelt on a prayer mat, tapping a wooden fish and chanting Buddhist scriptures.

It seems his mother won't say anything more to him.

He stood in the corridor for a while before leaving, and before he had gone far, he saw Ge Bao'er go inside.

Lu Chang'gong was very obedient; he left tonight.

"Young Madam?"

Ge Bao'er, who was standing beside her, discovered that Lin Yunwan had actually fallen asleep.

She called softly, Lin Yunwan still didn't wake up. She tiptoed out, closed the door, and went into Lin Yunwan's room.

I searched high and low for ages, but couldn't find the Jade Pendant.

When she came out, the old nun from the nunnery came with a lantern and asked in surprise, "Concubine, what were you doing in Young Madam's room?"

Ge Bao'er showed her a thick woolen coat in her hand and said, "Young Madam is asleep, and I'm afraid she'll get cold."

The old woman didn't say anything more and continued to check the candles in various places.

After the old woman left, Ge Bao'er took the big woolen coat to the Buddhist hall and covered Lin Yunwan with it.

"Young Madam?"

Still no sound, sleeping so soundly.

Ge Bao'er coldly sized up Lin Yunwan, staring at her for a long while, her eyes burning with increasing rage.

"If you hadn't said those things in front of Qing..."

She might not be able to bring herself to kill him.

Ge Bao'er left the Buddhist hall and closed the door from the outside.

She went to the small Kitchen in the Buddhist hall.

"Fake nun!"

She was fed vegetarian Buddhist Meals, but she secretly ate dishes cooked with lard. She even knew where the lard was hidden—a huge bucket of it!

"I wonder if it'll be enough to burn down the entire Buddhist hall..."

Despite it being her first time doing something like this, Ge Bao'er wasn't afraid at all.

She was even a little excited; with Lin Yunwan dead, there would be no one left to talk nonsense with Qing.

Where could the Jade Pendant possibly be hidden?

Buddhist shrine.

Lin Yunwan opened her eyes, pulled off the thick woolen blanket covering her, and went to check the door to the Buddhist hall. Sure enough, it was locked from the outside.

Lin Yunwan went to check the back window, which was usually closed, but she had already opened it beforehand.

She picked up the candlestick and dripped wax onto the curtain; if she lit a flame on it, the curtain would catch fire.

Lin Yunwan paused briefly before setting the curtains on fire.

Whether Ge Bao'er sets the fire or not, there will be a major fire in the Buddhist hall.

"Squeak--"

Lin Yunwan heard the sound of the window opening. She turned her head and stared in surprise.

It was none other than Lu Chang'gong!

How could it be Chang Gong!

"Chang Gong!"

Lu Chang'gong climbed in through the window, looked at Lin Yunwan, and asked in confusion, "Mother, why... why..."

Why burn yourself to death!

"Get out of here!"

Lin Yunwan urged, "The fire will spread very quickly; it's no joke!"

Someone outside was urging them in a low voice.

Lu Chang'gong began to understand.

"Mother, you... you want to leave?"

Lin Yunwan pursed her lips, unsure whether she should say these things to a ten-year-old child.

But now is not the time to talk about these things. She frowned and said, "Let's go outside and talk first!"

Lu Chang'gong nodded and said, "I'll see you out first."