Chapter 160: Eavesdropping

The voices of the two people were extremely low. Even though Su Liluo pressed her ear against the window, she could not make out what they were saying. Suddenly, a startled cry came from behind her: "What is the benefactor doing?"

Startled, Su Liluo gave a slight shiver. Realizing she had been caught eavesdropping, she quickly straightened up and offered an awkward, apologetic smile to the young nun behind her: "N-nothing at all. I am just heading back to my room."

The people inside had already been alerted, and the door was opened by a man. Seeing the flustered young nun, the abbess asked in a cold voice, "What is the matter? Do you not know I have a distinguished guest?"

"Please forgive me, Abbess. This female benefactor was pressed against the window, up to goodness knows what, so this nun cried out in alarm." The young nun lowered her head in a panic, casting a resentful glance at Su Liluo.

Realizing she had provoked the abbess's displeasure, Su Liluo took a breath, turned around, and said, "I hope—Prince Jin? Why are you here?"

She stared at Prince Jin in astonishment, her jaw practically dropping. Then she glanced at the abbess beside him. Was he the abbess's guest?

The abbess had not expected the eavesdropper to be Su Liluo. Her anger dissipating somewhat, she asked with a puzzled expression, "Why is Benefactor Su in my courtyard?"

Remembering the mess she had just made, Su Liluo immediately tried to smooth things over for the young nun behind her: "Please pardon her, Abbess. It is all my fault. I originally came to pay my respects to you, Abbess, but seeing that you already had a guest, I grew tired of sitting in the room and wandered about, which led to this misunderstanding."

"So that is how it was. You may leave first, and do not be so rash next time." Hearing this, the young nun scurried away happily. Su Liluo rubbed the bridge of her nose and said awkwardly, "I had no idea Prince Jin was here as well. I fear I have intruded."

"It is no trouble at all. Miss Su and I truly share a wondrous affinity. May I ask what brings Miss Su to the temple?" Prince Jin asked with genuine curiosity.

"I have not visited the temple for some time, and I came specifically to pray for my mother. It is merely a daughter's modest devotion, and I hope Your Highness will not laugh at me," Su Liluo said shyly, feeling rather self-conscious in front of Prince Jin.

"Miss Su is indeed a model of filial piety. I was merely discussing Buddhist scriptures with the Abbess. If Miss Su has business with the Abbess, I shall not linger," Prince Jin said gently. A growing sense of admiration for Su Liluo took root in his heart. A woman of such profound filial piety must surely possess a fine character. Why on earth would the Crown Prince have broken off his engagement to her? He felt a lingering trace of doubt, though he kept his thoughts hidden beneath a calm expression.

"It is I who have intruded upon Your Highness. If Your Highness and the Abbess have not finished your conversation, it is no trouble for me to wait a while longer," Su Liluo said with an awkward smile. Not being particularly familiar with Prince Jin, and mindful of Su Hong's underlying intentions, she couldn't help but want to keep her distance from him.

Noticing Su Liluo's polite reserve, Prince Jin shook his head, brought his palms together in a Buddhist salute toward the abbess, and said, "Abbess, I have disturbed you today, and I shall take my leave now. Miss Su, after you." Prince Jin did not display the slightest trace of imperial arrogance, causing Su Liluo to view him in a new light.

After Prince Jin departed, Su Liluo was invited into the room by the abbess. With a cup of tea pressed into her hands, she sat on pins and needles, looking at the abbess before her. She could not fathom why the abbess and Prince Jin crossed paths. Knowing nothing whatsoever about the abbess and relying entirely on the woman's own words, Su Liluo felt deeply uneasy.

She took a small sip of tea. Prince Jin's true intentions remained unclear, and she had no way of knowing where the abbess's loyalties lay. At present, Prince Jin was a formidable contender for the throne, and the Emperor's favor gave him an edge over the other imperial princes. Quietly lifting her gaze to observe the abbess, Su Liluo took another sip of tea and sat in silence.

Observing Su Liluo, the abbess could see that the young woman was burning to uncover Prince Jin's purpose yet restrained herself from asking. Unwilling to let the atmosphere remain so rigid, the abbess took the initiative to speak: "Miss Su need not worry. The Imperial Noble Consort is a devout follower of Buddhism, and Prince Jin merely came to collect some scriptures on behalf of his mother. We merely exchanged a few casual words."

"I see. It appears the Abbess is on rather close terms with the imperial family," Su Liluo remarked, a hint of suspicion lingering in her heart. The questions that had been trembling on the tip of her tongue were rolled over once more before she swallowed them back and shifted to another topic.

"I am a person devoted to the Buddha. As long as one's heart is set upon the Buddha, what distinction is there between royalty and commoners?" The reply was impeccably impartial. Su Liluo smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Abbess, I came here today to ask about those who were in contact with my mother back then. As my mother's former handmaiden, you should know a thing or two about this. Who is most likely to be my true father? Can the Abbess shed some light on this?" Su Liluo's curiosity burned fiercely within her.

Drifting back into the memories of the past, the abbess slowly began to speak: "In those days, the Great General possessed a remarkably bold and unconstrained temperament, maintaining close friendships with generals and princes of various nations. If we are speaking of potential candidates for Miss Su's biological father, this poor nun can only offer a few names for Miss Su to ponder over herself."

"Please speak, Abbess." Su Liluo composed herself, instinctively sitting up straight and leaning forward slightly to listen intently to the words concerning her true parentage.

A trace of a distant haze flickered in the abbess's eyes as she slowly uttered a few names: "I can think of several individuals: the Emperor of Li, and the former Prince of Li, who once shared an exceptionally close personal friendship with the Great General. Then there is He Rongze, currently a general of the State of Li, and finally, Xiao Wenkai, the city lord guarding the border between our two nations."

"Why is the Abbess certain it is these men?" Su Liluo wondered why the woman before her could make such a judgment so effortlessly, and whether there was any solid basis for it. Her mother truly was an extraordinary woman, hobnobbing with the powerful and elite of every realm. It was simply a pity she died so young; otherwise, how could Yao Ruoshui and her daughter have ever dared to act so insolently?

Su Liluo sighed inwardly with regret. The abbess, not expecting her to pose such a question, paused for a moment before replying, "At the time, those who walked most closely with the Great General were precisely these gentlemen. Although others were on good terms with the General, their relationships lacked the depth of these few. In this poor nun's estimation, if any of them is indeed Miss Su's father, he must surely be among this group. As for which specific one, I cannot say for certain." With the abbess's head lowered, Su Liluo could not read her expression, but she nodded in agreement nonetheless. "What the Abbess says makes sense."

Su Liluo chatted with her for a little longer, yet not a single word was mentioned regarding the military tally. Uncertain of the exact nature of the ties binding the abbess and Prince Jin, she did not dare to easily bring up the matter of the tally.

"Does Miss Su have any other doubts?" The abbess was a refined woman. Years of spiritual cultivation and self-discipline gave her every movement a natural grace that made it impossible to believe she had once been a mere servant girl.

"None at all. I have troubled you, Abbess. My younger sister is still waiting for me in the guest suite, so I must take my leave." Rising to her feet, Su Liluo prepared to depart. The abbess walked her to the courtyard entrance. Once Su Liluo had vanished from sight, the gentle smile on the abbess's lips gradually faded, and she turned and walked back into the courtyard.

Upon returning to the palace, Prince Jin went straight to the Imperial Noble Consort's chambers. "Mother, your son has returned."

Imperial Noble Consort Mu beamed as she looked at her son: "Hao'er, did you bring back the Buddhist scriptures for your Consort Mother? How has Abbess Juechen been lately?"

Handing the scriptures to Consort Mu, Prince Jin seated himself beside her. A palace maid hurriedly brought a cup of tea and placed it at Yun Bohao's elbow. Looking at his mother, he replied, "Abbess Juechen is in good health and even asked me to convey her regards to you, Mother. Today at the abbess's place, I happened to run into the eldest young miss of the Su family. Rumors are truly unreliable; how could someone so full of filial piety be as wretched as the gossip claims? Seeing is believing, while hearing is doubtful."

"You have met the young miss of the Su family? She is indeed an extraordinary person. Hao'er, public opinion is a fearsome thing, and many matters require your own judgment and discernment. Now that you are your Imperial Father's most favored Seventh Prince, you must act in accordance with your station. Do not let idle gossip hold you back. Your Imperial Father knows what he is doing—do you understand?" Imperial Noble Consort Mu delivered these words with utmost solemnity. Yun Bohao knew his mother must have caught wind of certain rumors. While he felt they were of little consequence, since his mother had brought it up, he nodded in assent.

"Mother, your son understands," Prince Jin said softly, keeping his head lowered. Imperial Noble Consort Mu gazed at the son who had grown to manhood—her sole reliance for the future—and could not resist offering a few parting admonitions: "Consort Mother knows you have a clear head on your shoulders. The greatest comfort of my life has been giving birth to you."