After finishing the meal, Nianyao finally understood the rules of the prayer hall and got to know the few palace servants currently residing there.
Most places for worship in the palace were located in the Jade Buddha Hall, which had been renovated during the reign of the previous emperor. Its decor and furnishings were far superior to this small courtyard, which had been left behind since the previous dynasty and consisted of only two inner and outer sections.
Thus, aside from what Nianyao had heard before—that those “disliked by their masters” were sent here—there were no others in this prayer hall.
Currently, including herself, there were only five people in the prayer hall.
Xu Mo, as cold and frosty as his name suggested.
Pan’er, whose round face lit up with a smile, looking quite adorable.
The other two timid palace maids were said to be sisters.
The elder sister was named Shanzhu, and the younger sister was named Cuitao.
Nianyao glanced at the two sisters, who rarely spoke, before turning her gaze to Pan’er, who was beaming with a smile.
Pan’er appeared to be only eleven or twelve years old, innocent and lively.
Looking at Nianyao’s jade-like face, Pan’er’s eyes brimmed with delight.
The prayer hall was considered a sanctuary within the entire palace.
Nianyao simply gave Pan’er some candy she had received as a reward from her master while in the Shouning Palace.
Pan’er ended up revealing everything about herself and everyone else in the prayer hall.
She was not a formally recruited palace maid but a “bastard” born in the Cold Palace from a secret affair between a palace maid and a minor guard.
The former eunuch in charge of the prayer hall was kind-hearted and had saved her while she was still in swaddling clothes, raising her all these years.
As for Xu Mo, she didn’t know his background either, only that he was no more than two years older than her.
Shanzhu and Cuitao’s circumstances were even more tragic. The two sisters had been violated by Prince Nan, who had entered the palace by chance, but were falsely accused of trying to climb the social ladder.
Each of them received forty heavy blows, nearly losing their lives.
If not for the old eunuch, they likely wouldn’t have survived.
Listening to Pan’er’s words, Nianyao couldn’t help but feel a wave of pity.
However, Nianyao pursed her lips and asked, “I was sent here because my master disliked me. Hasn’t there been a similar situation before?”
This question startled Pan’er. She hesitated for a while before cautiously replying, “Those who came before never even made it through the prayer hall’s gate. Xu Mo drove them all away.”
Nianyao was taken aback.
So, aside from the few people Pan’er mentioned who were taken in by the “old eunuch in charge,” she was the first to actually live in the prayer hall?
This was truly different from what she had imagined.
However, after saying this, Pan’er’s mouth seemed to have been sewn shut. No matter what else Nianyao asked, she refused to say another word.
Just as Nianyao was feeling regretful, an icy voice that sent shivers down her spine rang out.
“What are you doing?”
Nianyao shuddered and turned around, meeting a pair of pitch-black eyes.
Xu Mo’s gaze held no emotion, as cold as if he weren’t human.
Even Nianyao couldn’t help but feel uneasy, not daring to look directly at him.
She lowered her head and whispered, “N-nothing.”
Xu Mo appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen years old, three or four years younger than her.
Yet, unexpectedly, his presence was so imposing that it startled her.
After this encounter, Nianyao didn’t dare to ask Pan’er anything else. After finishing some trivial tasks with Pan’er, she hurriedly retreated to her own room.
Once the door was closed…
Nianyao patted her chest, gazing at the silent room, and only then did she feel a slight sense of reality.
Fortunately, most of the items in the room had already been tidied up in the afternoon.
Now, she only needed to unpack her own belongings before she could get some sleep.
By the time Nianyao finished her tasks and lay down on the bed,
her thoughts began to drift aimlessly.
She believed that aside from her face, there was nothing particularly special about her at the moment.
Yet Xu Mo, who had treated her with extreme indifference, had allowed her alone to come to the Buddha Hall.
It truly surprised her.
Nianyao shook her head slightly, feeling as though she had seen Xu Mo’s eyes somewhere before.
But before she could dwell on it further, waves of drowsiness washed over her.
She had been busy all day.
From being inexplicably assigned to the Buddha Hall by the Empress Dowager, to Yunrou bringing her “little sisters” to mock her, and even being witnessed by the Crown Prince…
Finally, she arrived at the Buddha Hall, which was far different from what she had imagined.
Nianyao rolled over once, facing the wall, and gradually drifted into sleep.
The moonlight hung low, spilling through the window lattice onto the desk inside the room. All was silent; in winter, even the chirping of insects and birds was hidden, making the solitude even more profound.
Nianyao jolted awake from a nightmare, a thin layer of sweat covering her forehead and back.
She stared at the scene before her, her heart still racing.
The clanging of chains and locks seemed to linger in her ears, refusing to fade.
It had been a long time since she dreamed of the Jiang family members from back then.
She had thought she had forgotten, that she could live a good, ordinary life.
But this dream dragged her back to the reality that had once existed.
Nianyao covered her face with both hands, her slender shoulders trembling slightly. Her hair cascaded loosely behind her, and the skin exposed at her neck was as pale as snow, so delicate it seemed as though it could snap with the slightest pressure.
After an unknown amount of time, Nianyao’s body stiffened. She slipped on her shoes and got out of bed, wanting to go outside and look at the moonlight.
But as she draped a heavy coat over herself and looked up, she noticed that the sky was now covered with thick layers of dark clouds, obscuring more than half of the moonlight.
Hidden behind the clouds, even the pure moonlight refused to share a single ray with the world.
Nianyao fell even deeper into silence and let out a sigh.
By the light of the palace lantern hanging from the eaves, she gazed at the white mist before her.
Even at night, the scent of sandalwood lingered in the Buddha Hall.
After a moment’s thought, Nianyao headed toward the hall.
At this hour, there was likely no one praying. If she were sincere enough, perhaps the Buddha would hear only her wishes?
But Nianyao hadn’t expected that, as soon as she reached the main hall, she would hear the crackling sound of a fire.
Startled, she cautiously peeked inside and saw a figure kneeling upright.
Nianyao stared unblinkingly at him and the paper money burning beside him.
And…
the memorial tablet placed on the altar.
The man seemed to sense something. He turned his head and spoke in a voice like thunder.
“Who’s there!”