Green Mountain

Jingyang Palace side hall.

It's Zhu Lingyun's first time here, and she can't resist the urge to curiously survey her surroundings.

Unlike the simplicity of the back hall, this side hall has towering bookshelves against the walls, filled with Taoist Scriptures. On the other side, there's an embroidered couch, beside which sits a table inlaid with mother-of-pearl. A hollow copper incense burner on the table emits wisps of rich scent.

Zhu Lingyun cautiously looks at Xuanzhen.

Xuanzhen opens a cabinet and brings out a plate of dried fruits, placing it on the table: "Please, have a seat."

Zhu Lingyun doesn't approach, remaining by the side hall door: "Why did you call me here, Master?"

Xuanzhen smiles slightly and sits on the embroidered couch: "Recently, you've been managing this Jingyang Palace. Has anyone defied you?"

Zhu Lingyun leans against the door of the side hall, far from Xuanzhen: "No."

A few days ago, Xuanzhen had clearly told Bai Li and Zhu Lingyun that those willing to take managerial positions need not kneel in punishment but could return to sleep in the back hall.

Zhu Lingyun couldn't hold out and secretly returned to the back hall. From then on, Jingyang Palace was tacitly managed by her, and she was given a Taoist name, Xuan Yun.

Yet during this period, Zhu Lingyun hasn't had much contact with Xuanzhen and still listens to Bai Li on everything.

Xuanzhen pushes the plate of dried fruits toward Zhu Lingyun, speaking softly: "When you and Princess Bai Li first arrived, I had no intention of making things difficult for you two. But I didn't anticipate Xuan Su, that petty character, causing trouble in the back hall, deliberately tormenting you sisters."

Zhu Lingyun remains silent.

Seeing her disbelief, Xuanzhen says gently: "Lingyun, you're well aware that this Jingyang Palace is like a cage; once you're in, there's no going out. We have to coexist for decades, and constantly suspecting and guarding against each other is untenable. I don't ask for us to be intimate friends, just peaceful coexistence is enough. Rest assured, if anyone disobeys you, just let me know. Take all these dried fruits, share them with your sister; you probably haven't tasted preserves in a long time."

Zhu Lingyun is skeptical; did Xuanzhen call her here just to say this?

She looks at the dried fruits on the table, swallows, but ultimately insists: "I won't eat your stuff."

Xuanzhen chuckles: "It's okay if you don't eat them. By the way, today's tribute fruits need to be replaced. When the Inner Court eunuchs deliver new tributes, you can distribute the ones removed as you see fit—decide who gets them and who doesn't... At least these aren't mine."

At that moment, a eunuch's voice is heard outside the door: "Is the managing master here?"

Xuanzhen waves his horsetail whisk: "The fruit delivery has arrived, go ahead."

Zhu Lingyun hastily leaves the side hall.

She waits in the main hall, watching the little eunuch remove the nine peaches from the tribute altar and replace them with new ones.

She uses her Daoist robe to scoop up the removed fruits, quickly rushing to the back hall: "Sister, have some peaches!"

Bai Li is sweeping the back courtyard when Zhu Lingyun, as if offering a treasure, arrives before her: "Sister, freshly removed peaches, quickly eat them. Normally, the little eunuchs deliver only vegetables, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth."

Bai Li looks at the tribute fruits in Zhu Lingyun's arms, curiously asking: "What did Xuanzhen say to you just now?"

Zhu Lingyun explains: "She said she wants to coexist peacefully with us, which makes sense. We'll be spending decades here together; we can't keep fighting for decades, right?"

Bai Li softly furrows her brows.

At this time, several older nuns hear of the removed peaches and immediately come out of the back hall, wordlessly reaching for the fruits in Zhu Lingyun's robe.

Zhu Lingyun quickly draws her robe away in defense: "Liu Pin Er, what are you doing? Now I'm managing things; have I said you could eat them?"

Liu Pin Er gives her a cold look: "Previously, when Xuan Su removed the tributes, I never missed out. Now that you're managing, there's no share for me? So many peaches, can you two sisters eat them all?"

Earlier, Xuan Su managed with Xuanzhen's backing and because she courted favor with Liu Pin Er and others, collectively dealing with anyone who opposed them.

Now Zhu Lingyun and Bai Li have no support, and faced with the removed fruits, a confrontation is imminent.

Zhu Lingyun angrily retorts: "Xuan Su is Xuan Su; I'm me. Now that I'm managing, I'll decide who gets what!"

Liu Pin Er reaches to grab the fruits: "Will you really cause trouble with the master over this? Remember what happened when you complained to the master—how was Xuan Su punished?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Lingyun shivers. Last time she complained to Xuanzhen, he punished Xuan Su so severely her palms bled.

Remembering this, she loosens her grip on the robe, letting Liu Pin Er and others scatter the peaches across the ground.

However, as Liu Pin Er and others bend down to pick up the peaches, they suddenly notice a pair of cloud-patterned shoes—their thick soles and high tops, with upturned toes embroidered with golden Eight Diagrams.

In Jingyang Palace, only Xuanzhen can wear cloud-patterned shoes; others wear Ten Directions Shoes.

Liu Pin Er trembles slightly with the peaches in hand, hastily straightening up, only to see Xuanzhen flick a horsetail whisk, sending a fierce force striking her chest, causing her to tumble back breathlessly.

Everyone is stunned, never expecting Xuanzhen to back Zhu Lingyun!

Xuanzhen stands tall in the courtyard, calmly saying: "I appointed Xuan Yun to manage. Do you have any objections?"

Liu Pin Er hurriedly climbs to her knees at Xuanzhen's feet: "I wouldn't dare."

Xuanzhen scans the crowd, then looks at Zhu Lingyun, his expression softening: "Feel free to restrain them; if anything happens, come to the side hall and find me. I'll support you."

A group of nuns are hushed into fear, unsure why Xuanzhen changed his attitude.

After Xuanzhen leaves, Zhu Lingyun sneers at Liu Pin Er and others: "From now on, anyone can eat these tribute fruits, except you."

Bai Li whispers: "Lingyun, Xuanzhen has ulterior motives; don't make enemies."

Zhu Lingyun, seeming not to hear, gives Bai Li two peaches, keeps two for herself, and divides the rest among others.

Liu Pin Er and the others can only watch, angry but silent.

Bai Li sighs internally, holding two peaches, giving one to Princess Yongchun, and standing in silence with the other for a long time.

She turns to see only herself, Princess Yongchun, and Xuan Su in the back hall.

Bai Li gives the peach to Xuan Su.

Xuan Su is surprised: "Miss Bai Li, you're willing to share this tribute fruit with me? What will you eat then?"

Bai Li shook her head, "It's just a craving, go ahead and eat it, remember what you said earlier."

Xuan Su hurriedly nodded, "I remember, my lady."

Princess Yongchun held a peach and grinned, "Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, this peach smells so good. Can I keep it for Brother Zhuoyuan to eat?"

Bai Li helped her tie up her hair that had fallen loose again and said softly, "Eat it now, your Brother Zhuoyuan won't be here for a long time, and the peach will spoil by then."

Princess Yongchun pouted, "Do peaches spoil so quickly?"

Bai Li made a sound of affirmation.

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

Bai Li remained silent.

...

...

At noon, several little eunuchs delivered meal boxes to Jingyang Palace.

The nuns took seats in the side hall to eat, and Zhu Lingyun glanced sideways at Liu Pin Er and others, "Stand aside, you'll eat when I say you can."

Liu Pin Er and five others retreated begrudgingly.

While Zhu Lingyun did this, she stealthily glanced at Bai Li and saw that she did not intervene, merely continued to eat her rice one small bite at a time, which relieved her.

After everyone had finished eating, as Zhu Lingyun left the side hall, Liu Pin Er and the others hurried to sit down and eat the leftovers on the table.

Zhu Lingyun turned back and saw this scene, immediately returned, and made a gesture to overturn the rice and dishes on the table, "Earlier you made me eat your leftover buns, now I'll let you taste this, no using bowls or chopsticks, eat with your hands!"

Bai Li stopped her, "Lingyun, don't treat people so harshly."

Zhu Lingyun retorted angrily, "Sister, how did they treat us before? Why can they do it but we can't?"

Bai Li said firmly, "Lingyun!"

"Sister, you're actually siding against me for outsiders!" Zhu Lingyun stared at Bai Li for a long time, ultimately left in a huff.

Bai Li followed her out of the side hall, Xuan Su murmured at the door, "Miss Bai Li, even if you help them, they won't appreciate it."

Bai Li shook her head, "I don't intend for them to appreciate it; those who follow the Dao have many allies, those who lose the Dao have few. I just don't want Lingyun to become like you."

Xuan Su awkwardly shrank her neck, "Miss Bai Li, it's admirable to keep your heart true. But Jiao Tu's influence still looms. Xuanzhen doesn't dare to act forcefully now, but once Jiao Tu can't enter Jingyang Palace, Xuanzhen will surely reveal her true self. You must be careful."

"I know," Bai Li walked into the back hall, only to see Zhu Lingyun already lying down on the shared bed, with a blanket covering her head.

Bai Li sat at the edge of the shared bed and said softly, "Lingyun, I'm not trying to restrain you. It's just that this Xuanzhen harbors ill intentions; we don't know why she suddenly changed her face or what she plans. You can't fall into her trap. Moreover, if we become like them, and one day we get out, how will we reflect on ourselves?"

Zhu Lingyun suddenly uncovered herself, "Sister, wake up; we're not getting out!"

Then she covered herself back with the blanket.

...

...

Night fell.

Lighting the lamps.

The nuns were in the west side hall of the courtyard, writing green words by candlelight, racking their brains.

The nuns in Jingyang Palace don't have a monthly salary; only by writing splendid phrases can they hope to earn some small rewards, which they use to barter with the little eunuchs for what they need.

Bai Li finished writing early and sat at the desk, lost in thought.

After quarreling with Bai Li, Zhu Lingyun deliberately chose the farthest seat from Bai Li but bit the pen stem and struggled to write. She looked up and scanned the nuns present, realizing that everyone had already finished writing, leaving only herself.

A nun asked softly, "Can we go rest now?"

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

The nuns bowed their heads and stopped speaking.

Zhu Lingyun's eyes flickered, "Let me see the green words you've written since I became the steward; I can't allow sloppy work."

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

As Zhu Lingyun flipped through them, her eyes suddenly brightened, "This green word is well written, with Yao Shu turning the Dipper and using the seasons to spread the grand harmony; cloud scrolls float in the sky, bestowing nine lights to show holy virtue... Who wrote this?"

A nun said in a low voice, "I did."

Zhu Lingyun pulled out this green word, "I'm taking this one. You stay and write another."

The nun's face changed, "How can that be allowed?"

Zhu Lingyun sneered, "Why not allowed?"

Bai Li said softly, "Lingyun, everyone go rest; I'll write one for you."

Zhu Lingyun stood up, "Sister, why do you always interfere with me? I don't want yours; I specifically want hers!"

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

Zhu Lingyun shouted angrily, "I don't need you playing the good person. I am the steward of Jingyang Palace now, not you!"