Lin Ruochu traced the shadows along the wall until she reached the back gate of White Cloud Temple.
Before entering, she couldn't resist glancing back at Li Xuan. He remained standing in the distant woods, clad entirely in black with his face covered by a dark cloth. His black eyes resembled distant ink-washed mountains—clear and cold. A sudden regret surfaced in her heart.
She should have pulled down his mask to see his face…
With a soft sigh, she suppressed her chaotic thoughts and slipped into the corridor through the back gate without looking back.
Lin Ruochu's stealth skills were learned from her elder brother, Lin Jingxing.
In his early years, Lin Jingxing had worked with Li Xuan to establish the covert ops division within the Lin Family Army, handling intelligence missions.
Together, they had developed numerous techniques specifically for covert operatives to infiltrate enemy camps and obtain confidential information.
Li Xuan's method of concealing hoofprints at the mountain's base was one such technique, as was this stealthy footwork.
As a mischievous child, Lin Ruochu often sneaked out of the estate to play. Sometimes, when her mother imposed restrictions and she grew restless at home, she would pester her doting brother Lin Jingxing to teach her these skills.
Little did she expect they would prove useful many years later.
As the sun rose, more Kun Dao practitioners began moving about the temple. Lin Ruochu shifted her steps, alternating between hiding behind various walls and objects before slipping through a large door.
Inside stood the temple's statue of the Primordial Deity.
Seeing that the cleaning Kun Dao hadn't arrived yet, she quickly approached and knelt before the deity.
Half an incense stick later, several young Kun Dao practitioners hurried to the hall entrance with cleaning tools. Spotting the motionless kneeling figure of Lin Ruochu, they exchanged glances and sighed softly.
Consort Lin had come again to kneel through the night.
Detached from worldly affairs, they knew little about Lin Ruochu's circumstances, only that she was an inner household member of the Yong'an Marquis Estate.
When the Marquis' people brought her here, they specifically instructed to provide only the lowest-grade room and simple food—just enough to keep her alive, with no need for proper care.
They assumed Lin Ruochu had committed some offense in the inner quarters and been sent to the temple by the main wife as punishment.
Among noble families, there were too many concubines who used their beauty to unscrupulously cling to the master and disrupt the household.
Every year, some were sent to the back mountains to be confined, wailing and carrying on until it became tiresome to hear.
But this Consort Lin was somewhat different. Not only had they never heard her cry, but she never made any fuss about returning to the estate either.
She even came to the hall every few days to kneel through the night, as witnessed by several of their fellow practitioners.
It seemed she was genuinely devoted to spiritual practice.
Moreover, in daily life, she never complained while eating steamed buns and pickled vegetables. Besides washing clothes in the courtyard with her maid, she would meditate and practice with them, never causing trouble.
Witnessing this, their previous prejudices gradually diminished. They even genuinely wondered if perhaps the Yong'an Hou's heir apparent had behaved improperly, breaking the young lady's heart and leading her to sever worldly ties.
After all, among their fellow practitioners, how many hadn't come through similar circumstances?
Recalling their own past experiences, they all felt a trace of sympathy for Lin Ruochu.
While they were sighing over this, a woman's voice suddenly sounded behind them:
"Who is that woman worshipping in the temple?"
Turning around, they saw an elegantly dressed woman of noble bearing, supported by a maid, peering curiously into the hall.
She appeared over forty, slightly plump, with fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes but skin as pure and flawless as condensed snow.
Draped in a dark brocade robe with cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread at the collar and cuffs, her makeup was subtle and elegant, her expression serene yet carrying an innate air of authority and nobility.
Several Kun Dao practitioners, upon seeing her, immediately bowed and greeted respectfully, "Peace to the Princess Consort of Ning."
Ling Zixia gave a slight wave of her hand, her gaze fixed on Lin Ruochu in the hall.
The Kun Dao practitioners explained, "This is Concubine Lin from the Yong'an Marquis Estate, currently residing in the temple for cultivation and praying for the marquis estate's blessings."
Hearing the term "Concubine," Ling Zixia's eyes flickered slightly, though her expression remained unchanged, her tone growing cooler. "She looks quite young, yet diligent—often seen in the main hall this early in the morning."
Ling Zixia tilted her head to listen, catching Lin Ruochu's earnest prayers inside the hall: "May the Celestial Venerable protect my parents and siblings, grant them health, smooth endeavors, fulfilled wishes, and a life free from worry…" Every word was a plea for her family.
Ling Zixia was slightly surprised. "They say a married daughter is like spilled water—once she becomes a concubine in the marquis estate, why does she still cling so tightly to her natal family?"
Her maid, Huaixin, supporting her, replied, "Madam, this Concubine Lin is the youngest daughter of the Lin family, who caused a scene at the wedding banquet two years ago, broke with her family, and was expelled from the family registry."
A shadow crossed Ling Zixia's eyes, though her face showed no change. She waved to the Kun Dao practitioners and said, "Since we've met, it must be fate. Please, little masters, offer her a pot of tea on my behalf."
Thus, Lin Ruochu, who had been making her presence felt in the hall, unexpectedly received a cup of fine Snow Leaf Bud tea.
Just then, Jinyu came running from the rear courtyard to find her.
At the sight of her, Jinyu's small face scrunched up, and she sighed as she approached. "Concubine, we agreed last time that if you couldn't sleep and wanted to come to the hall to worship, you'd wake me and bring me along. Why did you leave me sleeping alone in the room again today? Do you know how scared I was to wake up and not find you?"
Lin Ruochu poured her a cup of tea from the nearby teapot and smiled apologetically. "Next time, I'll definitely call you."
Jinyu's eyes clearly read "I don't believe you" as she took the teacup, sighing dejectedly.
Lin Ruochu, however, turned back to the deity statue before her, bowing devoutly once more, continuing her silent negotiation with the divine beings. "Honorable celestial immortals, it's true that I use this sacred hall as cover, but my cultivation and worship are sincere. Please, do not hold it against me. I will surely offer abundant incense money—just ensure my family's safety."
From her first day on the mountain, Lin Ruochu had resolved to find an opportunity to return to the Lin family and check on her mother's well-being, as well as inquire about Tao Yuan's situation.
To avoid arousing Jinyu's suspicion and to leave herself a way out, she had frequently risen in the middle of the night over the past ten-plus days to kneel and pray in the main hall.
The temple had three main halls: one near the women's quarters in the rear mountain, and two in the front courtyard. Lin Ruochu alternated between the nearer and farther ones, so Jinyu could sometimes find her easily but other times had to search through multiple places.
Though she felt somewhat guilty toward Jinyu, for the sake of safety, this was the only method she could devise.
The Daoist priests and Kun Dao practitioners often encountered her worshipping in the halls at night, so when they saw her in the morning, they naturally assumed she had been kneeling there all night—never suspecting she had returned from outside at dawn.
People tend to make judgments based on preconceived notions rooted in their own experiences.
The female ghost seemed to belatedly understand why she had been forced to stay up late for the past few dozen days, muttering under her breath, "This native woman is quite cunning…"
After sharing a pot of fine tea with Lin Ruochu, Jinyu supported her as they walked toward the small courtyard, while curiously examining the clothes she was wearing.
"When did Concubine Lin ever have such a dress?"
Although Consort Lin had changed her temperament since her suicide attempt by crashing into the bed, no longer favoring bright red and purple garments, the set she wore now was far too plain and elegant.
It wasn’t even satin, but rough cotton and linen fabric that felt coarse to the touch.
Lin Ruochu said casually, "Last night, my clothes got damp from the cold dew when I went out, and a Kun Dao lent me these to change into."
Jinyu nodded and asked no further questions.
The matter was thus set aside.
In the afternoon, when she went to the stable to feed the horses, a servant was disciplining a chestnut horse that had escaped to the outskirts in the middle of the night.
Lin Ruochu met the horse’s gaze and felt rather guilty, secretly adding several extra portions of fodder for it.
While she was peacefully getting by, the General Residence in the capital city was in an uproar.