Seducing the Heart - Chapter 37

The residual poison in Yun Jin’s body had been completely eradicated, leaving only the healing of her wound to be managed. With the aid of superior medicinal ointments and Qin Zhanluo’s meticulous care, she had actually recovered significantly in a short amount of time.

Undoubtedly, the best method for recuperating and regulating one’s energy was through dietary therapy. Qin Zhanluo consulted Xie Lianjing regarding specific dietary restrictions to observe during the medication period. Afterward, she instructed the imperial kitchen on the meals to be prepared according to Yun Jin’s tastes, requiring them to provide a different menu every day.

The head chefs of the imperial kitchen, who had held their ladles for many years, were collectively dumbfounded upon hearing this. “What? What was that? Those incredibly bland dishes have to be different every single day?” The Princess was practically putting them to a grand test.

Upholding the principle that a great imperial chef cannot say “I cannot,” they did their utmost to comply. However, for every bit of elegance they showed when sending a young maid to deliver meals to Changning Palace, they were equally wretched the previous night as they racked their brains to conceive new dishes.

Yin Ping arrived at the imperial kitchen on schedule to collect her masters’ lunch, only to find Ying Xi from the same palace already there. The latter was clinging to a pillar flanking the kitchen, stealthily peering toward the interior. Yin Ping stepped forward and tapped her on the shoulder, calling out softly, “Hey, Ying Xi.”

Ying Xi shuddered instinctively. Upon turning around and seeing a familiar face, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief, patting her chest hurriedly. “Good heavens, that was too sudden. You gave me a fright.”

A clear conscience fears no knock at the door. Judging by Ying Xi’s reaction, she had definitely been up to some mischief. Yin Ping mused on this while asking suspiciously, “What are you doing skulking here? You look shifty. Be careful, or the guards might catch you as a little thief.”

Ying Xi was not intimidated. She replied quite righteously, “Pah! With the Princess here, even if you gave those guards extra courage, they would not dare seize me. I am watching how our Highness dotes on her husband.”

Hearing this, Yin Ping could not help but feel curious. She looked in the same direction and asked, “What doting? I want to see too.”

Ying Xi looked at Yin Ping with some disdain. This person’s information was terribly outdated; she did not even know about the topic the young maids in the palace had been discussing feverishly for days. Nevertheless, while still clinging to the pillar, she patiently explained, “Do you not know? For the past few days, the Princess has been personally brewing porridge for the Prince Consort.”

The Princess herself brewing porridge for her beloved? Yin Ping found it incredibly sweet just thinking about it and marveled, “The Princess is truly wonderful to the Prince Consort!”

A cold voice rang out from beside them. “Is that so? How wonderful? Is it as wonderful as you imagine?”

Yin Ping instinctively started to reply, “Of course.”

The rest of her words were swallowed back down. While Yin Ping and Ying Xi were talking, Qin Zhanluo had already walked out of the imperial kitchen and caught these two young maids peeping. Qin Zhanluo had just approached and happened to overhear a bit of their conversation, prompting her casual interjection. The two gossiping maids, caught red-handed, both bowed to Qin Zhanluo.

Yin Ping glanced at the food box in Qin Zhanluo’s hand, knowing it likely contained the porridge she had brewed for the Prince Consort. She asked, “Does Your Highness wish for a servant to carry it back?”

Qin Zhanluo merely shook her head and declined calmly, “No need. It is fine for me to take it back myself.”

She brewed it herself, packed it herself, and delivered it herself. She would not let the finished porridge pass through anyone else’s hands.

By the time it reached Yun Jin, the bowl of porridge was still warm, perfectly suited for consumption. Qin Zhanluo took several small side dishes from the food box, arranged them on the table, and handed a spoon to the other. She then sat opposite Yun Jin, watching her finish the bowl of porridge bit by bit, a smile unconsciously touching her eyes.

Qin Zhanluo arched an eyebrow and asked seemingly nonchalantly, “A Jin, do you think today’s porridge is delicious?”

Yun Jin knew perfectly well that this porridge was once again brewed personally by Qin Zhanluo. She chuckled softly. “It is delicious. With Zhanluo’s heart dissolved within it, it could not be better.”

Always the smooth talker, Qin Zhanluo thought. Yet, she could not avoid a surge of joy and suggested, “Then how about I brew a bowl with some shredded meat for you tomorrow?”

The porridges she had brewed for A Jin lately had strictly avoided meat and oil; they were indeed a bit too bland. Qin Zhanluo had specifically asked Xie Lianjing last night, and since she was told Yun Jin’s diet could be changed the day after tomorrow, she had begun to plan for it.

Yun Jin put down the spoon. Her expression was perfectly natural, yet it somehow made one perceive her as obedient. “Alright.”

Qin Zhanluo had just placed the empty bowl back into the food box when a maid outside announced a visitor. It was Xie Lianjing, arriving on schedule to check Yun Jin’s current physical condition. Qin Zhanluo briefly acknowledged her before leaving the hall, leaving the space entirely to the two of them.

“Yun Er, what exactly is the situation with that Princess and you?” Xie Lianjing took Yun Jin’s pulse as usual to examine her condition, taking the opportunity to probe. “She takes such meticulous care of you; is she truly interested in you?”

Regardless of what Bai Yueli said, Xie Lianjing felt she was no fool, yet she truly could not see through the nature of the interaction between these two. Her timing just now was quite a coincidence; the look the Princess gave Yun Er was enough to drown someone. Furthermore, she had heard about her personally brewing porridge and such.

If they were just acting at the start, why would one now be willing to take an arrow for the other, while the other was willing to lower herself to provide daily care, personally serving tea and food? Moreover, Qin Zhanluo already knew Yun Jin’s true identity. It was truly difficult to understand. Could it be that even knowing Yun Er was actually a woman, the Princess had still set her sights on her?

Then is the other party not clearly acting on a long held scheme?

“Senior Sister, are you very curious?” Yun Jin’s eyes held a faint smile, her appearance elegant and refined.

“Naturally.” Xie Lianjing kept her fingers on Yun Jin’s wrist, but her mind was on the potential answer.

However, Yun Jin only gave a sly smile. “This Prince simply will not tell you.”

Xie Lianjing snapped back to reality and withdrew her fingers somewhat indignantly. “There is nothing wrong. From tomorrow, you can continue taking the medicine previously used to nourish your body.”

“Safe travels, Senior Sister.”

Yun Jin watched Xie Lianjing’s decisive steps as she departed and quietly speculated. In the coming days, will Senior Sister add extra coptis to the medicine she brews for me? After thinking for a moment, she arched an eyebrow and lay back down. Senior Sister is petty; she surely will.

“Miss Xie, I have come to collect the medicine for the Prince Consort.” Qin Zhanluo, dressed in white, stood beside Xie Lianjing with a somewhat cold expression.

Xie Lianjing merely glanced at her and used a palm leaf fan to stoke the fire under the medicinal pot once more. “Princess, wait a moment. This medicine needs a bit more heat.” She then casually tossed something into the pot and covered it again.

Qin Zhanluo happened to witness this and found it strange. “What did Miss Xie just add to the pot?” The ingredients added at this stage seemed redundant. Had something been omitted earlier?

“Nothing, just some supplementary materials. They must be added at this specific temperature,” Xie Lianjing fabricated an explanation with a straight face, a calculating glint flashing in her eyes. Failing to teach a lesson to that person who spoke in riddles would not soothe the irritation in her heart. Since Yun Er had recently learned to be as annoying as her Senior Sister Bai, she deserved to suffer a little harmless hardship.

After Qin Zhanluo took the filtered medicinal soup to bring to Yun Jin, Xie Lianjing called out to stop her. “Oh, Princess, wait a moment.” Xie Lianjing brushed the dust off her clothes and gave Qin Zhanluo an innocent smile. “In a moment, please help the Prince Consort test the temperature first. It is best if it is warm to the taste but not scalding.”

Qin Zhanluo nodded slightly to indicate she understood.

Let us see if this bitterness does not kill you two.

In truth, adding coptis to the medicinal soup was not entirely without reason; coptis indeed served as a supplementary ingredient within the recipe, and the more that was used within a reasonable range, the better the effect. However, Xie Lianjing usually kept it at the minimum level, only hardening her heart to increase the dose when she decided to give someone a small lesson.

Yun Jin loathed bitterness. While she did not fear enduring hardship, she utterly detested a bitter taste. By comparison, she much preferred sweets. Every time she tasted something bitter, she would quietly knit her brows.

Just as she was about to push the door open and enter, Qin Zhanluo remembered Xie Lianjing’s instruction and used a spoon to bring half a mouthful to her own lips. Her brows furrowed almost instinctively.

“Your Highness, it is time for your medicine.” Qin Zhanluo handed the medicine to Yun Jin and then waited silently for her to finish it all.

Yun Jin hesitated for a moment before picking up the bowl and draining the medicine in one gulp. Her guess was correct; her Senior Sister was indeed petty.

“Cough, cough, cough.” Because she drank too quickly, her breath caught, and she began to cough involuntarily.

Qin Zhanluo immediately took the bowl, gently patting her back to soothe her, and then handed something to her. With her eyes watery from coughing, Yun Jin could vaguely discern the refreshing objects in her hand. They were several pieces of candied fruit. She immediately popped one into her mouth. The bitterness was instantly replaced by a fresh sweetness. Yun Jin narrowed her eyes, looking as if she were enjoying it.

Seeing her expression, a trace of a smile finally touched Qin Zhanluo’s eyes. “A Jin, in a few days, would you like to go back to Jia Zhu Temple for a visit?”

That was where the two of them truly began their fated connection.

Many years had passed, yet the incense at Jia Zhu Temple remained as flourishing as ever, with a never-ending stream of pilgrims and visitors.

With devout hearts, they worshipped and prostrated themselves. Commoners knelt before the Buddha with palms pressed together, silently reciting their private concerns: some sought promotions or wealth, others success in business, while some prayed for good health and family happiness. Everyone carried their own unique petitions. Meanwhile, the majestic Great Buddha stood tall in the main hall, looking down upon the mortal world and gazing silently at its devotees, as if pitying all living beings.

Many places remained exactly as Yun Jin and Qin Zhanluo remembered them.

In addition to making wishes and fulfilling vows after burning incense, Jia Zhu Temple was most famous for its fortune-telling and divination. Whether the omens were truly efficacious did not matter much to most; they sought it primarily for peace of mind.

Seeing this, Yun Jin felt a spark of interest. When she had visited this temple in her youth, she was too young to be allowed to shake the fortune sticks or have the verses interpreted. Now, she could finally try it rightfully.

After lining up with the commoners for a while, it was finally her and Qin Zhanluo’s turn. Yun Jin picked up the bamboo cylinder, offered a silent prayer in her heart, and gave it a shake. A wooden stick inscribed with a poem fell out.

Seeing this, a nearby monk unclasped his hands to pick it up and studied it carefully. “An auspicious omen! Benefactor, this is a rare sign of great fortune!”

On the other side, Qin Zhanluo also shook out a wooden stick and handed it to the monk. “I ask the Master to interpret this for me as well.”

The monk took Qin Zhanluo’s stick and looked at it, an expression of astonishment instinctively surfacing in his eyes. He then turned back to re-examine Yun Jin’s stick. After a moment, a smile broke across his face.

“Amitabha. Congratulations to both benefactors. The verses on the two sticks you have drawn are truly extraordinary; they happen to merge perfectly into a single text.” The monk held the two sticks together and recited the combined verse for them. Indeed, they seemed like a seamless whole.

“Judging by these signs, both of you possess the bearing of dragons and phoenixes, holding honored status. Furthermore, you are a match made in heaven,” the monk paused slightly before continuing. “This is a marriage ordained by fate.”

He looked at Qin Zhanluo, his expression turning somewhat respectful. “This benefactor possesses a transcendent phoenix grace. Once she dances upon the clouds, the whole world shall bow in submission.”

He then turned toward Yun Jin. “And as for this benefactor…”

The monk’s expression suddenly became solemn. He pressed his palms together and said, “Eventually, the gloomy clouds shall disperse, and there is nothing that cannot be held within your palm.”

He did not know the true identities of the two people before him; he merely interpreted from the omens that both held the latent aura of future rulers. However, within the few lines of Yun Jin’s omen, there resided a trace of inexplicable complexity that made it difficult for him to continue his interpretation. He truly did not know more, and even if he did, he truly did not dare to speak it.

Sweat almost formed on the monk’s palms, yet the two women listening to his explanation remained composed, showing little reaction.

“Thank you, Master, for the interpretation.”

Qin Zhanluo signaled Ying Xi with her eyes. Ying Xi understood immediately and handed the prepared silver to the monk. “Master, this is the incense money donated by my Young Master and Lady.”

“Thank you, benefactors.”

After the divination, Yun Jin and Qin Zhanluo agreed to wander separately for a while before meeting up later to eat the temple’s vegetarian meal.

Two personal maidservants followed at a respectful distance behind Qin Zhanluo, watching as she stood before the Buddha to pray. Ying Xi looked at Yin Ping, who had been serving alongside her in Changning Palace these past few days, and whispered, “That divination just now was interesting. Listening to it made me want to try it myself.”

Yin Ping nodded and whispered back in agreement, “I was a bit confused by it, but it did feel quite accurate.”

Were the Princess and the Prince Consort not both born into royalty, possessing supreme honor? Moreover, they had already bowed to heaven and earth and wed. That was exactly what one would call a “match made in heaven.”

“Let’s find a chance later for the two of us to try it too.”

Yin Ping neither agreed nor disagreed; she simply glanced toward Qin Zhanluo and winked. Ying Xi reacted quickly, immediately making a gesture to indicate they should take turns. Once she received an affirmative nod, she immediately slipped away in secret.

“Master Huikong,” Yun Jin said, a smile in her eyes as she spotted a familiar figure.

Huikong had been gently lecturing a mischievous little novice monk. Hearing the call, he instinctively turned his head, only to see an extraordinary, noble young gentleman bowing to him.

“This benefactor looks very familiar.” Huikong hurried to return the salute, turning the string of Buddhist beads in his hand as he searched his memory for whether he had ever formed a karmic bond with this gentleman.

“This junior is surnamed Yun, with the given name Jin.”

“Ah! It is you!” Only then did Huikong recall the little Prince from his memory, the one who possessed such profound spiritual roots.

Having not met for many years, Yun Jin had changed significantly since her youth. However, from those eyes, one could still capture traces of her former self.

“Has Master Huikong been well lately? And how is the Abbot?” Yun Jin asked with a smile, still maintaining that same modest and polite demeanor.

“All is well, all is well. The Abbot will be delighted to see you.”

This was the truth. In her youth at Jia Zhu Temple, Yun Jin was greatly favored by the Abbot due to her unique spiritual perception and her humble, polite nature. Seeing such character in a descendant of the royal family, the Abbot felt back then that this child would surely achieve great things in the future. Consequently, he would occasionally take the time to discuss the scriptures with her. Having seen and heard so much, Yun Jin could still fluently recite the Scroll of the Heart-Cleansing Sutra to this day.

Nangong Ning had not known that such a deep connection existed between Yun Jin and Northern Chu’s Jia Zhu Temple. The wheel of the carriage Yun Jin had arrived in was somewhat damaged, so Nangong Ning had been busy helping the driver find someone to repair it.

When she entered the temple again, she happened to see the temple’s Abbot conversing joyfully with Yun Jin, clearly appearing as though they had been acquainted for a long time. Nangong Ning merely went over to give a brief report; not wishing to disturb them, she went for a stroll around the temple on her own.

She wandered aimlessly for a bit and noticed that the place for drawing fortune sticks, which had been crowded earlier, had finally quieted down. She walked toward it.

“Divination within the temple is quite interesting. If you have the chance, A-Ning, you should try it too.”

She could not help but remember these words spoken by Yun Jin.

Seeing her hesitating, a monk took the initiative to approach her. “Is this benefactor looking to try a divination?”

Nangong Ning usually did not believe in such omens, yet on that day, as if possessed, she shook out a hexagram. However, the interpretation the monk later provided for the verse…

Left her, quite inexplicably, feeling somewhat unsettled.

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