News that Du Yulan was sent to Baihe Nunnery had reached Xiao Man early that day, but she hadn't taken it to heart. Although Du Yulan had gone a bit mad, she wasn't so far gone as to disown her family and kill her own mother and brother. From Duke Du's tone, he suspected she had a hand in it.
"Yingxue, did any of you do anything to Du Yulan?"
"Miss, without your orders, how would we dare?"
"If not you, then who could it be?"
"It can only be those two," Yingxue muttered.
Xiao Man paused slightly, then understood that the two Yingxue referred to were Nangong Yu and Wen Mohan. She just didn't know who had acted, Nangong Yu or Wen Mohan?
"Who would be the one to make a move?"
"In my humble opinion, it should be the Prince of Qin," Yingxue analyzed. "The Prince of Qin always acts without fault and never shows mercy. Those who offend him face dire consequences."
"Mohan also acts quite meticulously."
"Lord Wen is not that cruel," Yingxue looked at Xiao Man. "Moreover, I don't think Lord Wen is someone who would implicate the innocent."
"Indeed, Mohan is a true gentleman. If he were to seek revenge, he would only target the one person and would never implicate the innocent," Xiao Man's gaze fell upon her wrists, each adorned with a bracelet. Her left hand bore a gold-inlaid phoenix bracelet, while her right hand had a jade bangle.
Xiao Man reached out and touched the phoenix bracelet on her left wrist, a complex light flickering in her eyes. Some people are destined to be apart, lacking fate. They lacked fate then, and they still lack it now.
After a long while, Xiao Man took off the phoenix bracelet from her left wrist and put it away in the cabinet. It was time to make a decision.
"Miss, this bracelet suits you so well. Why are you taking it off?" Yingxue asked, perplexed.
Xiao Man touched her bare left wrist, her expression wistful. "Some things look good, exquisite, and well-matched, but only the user knows if they are good or not."
"This servant doesn't quite understand."
"Simply put, only your foot knows if a shoe fits."
"New shoes will always rub a little. After wearing them twice, they won't anymore," Yingxue said earnestly, drawing from her own experience. New shoes, for the first couple of days, would rub, but after wearing them for a while, they would fit perfectly.
"But some shoes, no matter how much you wear them, just don't fit," Xiao Man's voice was soft, her words dissipating into the air. "Forcing a fit will not make the shoes fit; it will only cause your feet to bleed."
"Miss, did you quarrel with His Highness the Prince of Qin?" Yingxue asked belatedly. "Miss, please don't be angry. Jinrong sometimes angers me too, but after a while, I stop being angry. If he coaxes me, I forgive him. The next time the Prince of Qin comes to apologize, you should take the opportunity and forgive him."
"I'm afraid I cannot."
After Du Yulan was sent to Baihe Nunnery, she actually calmed down.
Seeing that she was no longer causing trouble, the Du family dared not let down their guard. They instructed the nuns at the nunnery to keep a close eye on her and ensure she could not escape Baihe Nunnery.
Baihe Nunnery was usually supported by the Du family. Whenever the Du family held religious ceremonies, the nuns from Baihe Nunnery would come to perform rituals, or they would receive the Du family's female members when they visited the nunnery for services.
The abbess of Baihe Nunnery was an elderly nun, skilled at observing the wind and trimming the sails. She was usually very respectful to this pampered young lady, and whenever she visited, she would always go to see Du Yulan and bring her some special local snacks.
"Abbess, she has been settled in the west wing. The Du family instructed us to keep a close watch on her and ensure there are no mishaps."
Abbess Huiming, tapping her wooden fish, asked slowly, "Have you found out what exactly happened? Why was she sent to Baihe Nunnery?"
The young nun closed the door and then lowered her voice. "I heard from a young servant that apparently, she killed the eldest young master of the Du family and injured the madam. The Du family was enraged and sent her to Baihe Nunnery. It's estimated she'll never leave."
Huiming's hand paused mid-tap of the wooden fish. "Killed the eldest young master and injured the madam? Is this true?"
"Absolutely true. This disciple didn't believe it either, but I pulled that servant aside and confirmed it several times. It's indeed true. They say the one in the west wing has been driven mad since being sent back to the Du family by the Prince of Qi. When she goes mad, she hacks at people with a knife!"
Upon hearing this, Huiming's brows furrowed as if she could crush a fly. "The Du family sent her here, do they consider the one in the west wing a burden?"
"More than that," the young nun leaned in. "This disciple also heard that the one in the west wing offended that young lady from the Xiao family."
Huiming's face immediately fell. If there was anyone in the vast capital she was unwilling to provoke, it was that young lady from the Xiao family, who was ranked first. After all, this young lady was excellent at causing trouble. Over the years, she had caused no end of problems, yet she had remained unharmed. On the contrary, as a woman, she had taken charge of the Divine Capital Barracks!
"Keep a close watch on her. If she goes mad, tie her up!" Huiming was also a little scared. If Du Yulan were still the esteemed young lady of the Du family, Huiming would have treated her like a bodhisattva. But this young lady had committed a heinous crime and been sent to Baihe Nunnery, a crime so great that she would likely never step out of this nunnery again.
"Yes, Master." The young nun turned to leave but was called back by Huiming.
"Her food and daily life are to be treated exactly like those of the general laborers in the nunnery. Since she is no longer a noble young lady, she must work like us every day. No work, no food."
"Master, isn't this a bit inappropriate, given she was a young lady of the Du family?"
"Young lady?" Huiming sneered. "What young lady? She is merely an abandoned woman who has been cast aside and committed murder! She always carries herself with airs, pretending to be pure and chaste, but in her heart, she is merely promiscuous. She actually committed the wicked act of killing her mother and brother!"
"Master, this matter is not to be spread outside."
"What are you afraid of? Once in our Baihe Nunnery, whether she lives or dies is up to us," Huiming said coldly. "Take a nun's robe to her. If she dares to resist, shave her hair!"
"Yes, Master."
The young nun brought over a set of coarse cloth robes and asked Du Yulan to change into them. She also told Du Yulan that upon entering Baihe Nunnery, she must abide by its rules and work. Otherwise, there would be no food.
Du Yulan heard this and could only sneer. After one fall from grace, even a lowly nun dared to mistreat her. However, she was also clever. She glanced at the two tall and strong nuns behind the young nun and obediently changed into the robes.
"Starting tomorrow, you will have to work. Considering it is your first day, you may rest well for now. After today, there will be no such comfortable days."