Noticing she was unable to fool Mary around, Luna explained patiently, “You don’t have to worry about me, I still have Concubine Talbert by my side. My mother can talk to father. Once I return to the palace, no matter how bad is my situation, my mother will help me.”
“What if the side consort is cruel enough to take action before you return?”
Luna chuckled softly and shook her head, saying, “Don’t worry; she’s still not that foolish to dump two mistresses when we’re outside the palace, who are not her biological daughters. It won’t work like that. Her main target is you, after getting rid of you, she’ll slowly think of plans to deal with me and my mother. We’ll still have chance to do something, so you are the one matter most. Alright, stop chitchatting and escape.”
Yet Mary tightened her grip towards this sister who was actually treating her sincerely, “Even if you’re fine afterwards, what about the maidens here?”
Azuki and Angelica fell to their knees, “My mistress, please listen to the fourth mistress and have a go first. You can decide for us once you make it to the palace!”
Mary pondered, it would be fine if she leaves alone, yet that would go against her conscience. She had no idea how long would it take to return to the city on foot, not only she did not have the leaving permit, she did not know the regent palace’s exact location too. Also, she did not know what would happen once she overcame everything and made it to the palace.
Mary sank into deep thoughts. Her body was not good enough as the poison she had ingested was too much and her body was weak and fragile. Even though she had trained herself for many days, her strength was only slightly greater than of other mistresses. If she wanted to take Luna along, both of them would not be able to escape.
Seeing Mary hesitated, Luna ordered Azuki and Angelica to come over, “Hurry up and take your mistress outside.”
Madam Barbosa was calling for them outside so Luna and the two maidens quickly took action to put one of Angelica’s clothes on Mary and pushed her out of the window.
Mary stood silently outside the window, after a while, hearing the sound of Madam Barbosa wanting to push the door open, she turned without a single hesitation and wormed her way into the backyard of Munashii Temple.
Mary had never been to Munashii Temple before. She only went to the apricot blossom forest with Luna through the front yard last night; therefore she was not familiar with the layout of the backyard. The place twisted and turned, and she could not find the exit. Not knowing how, she finally arrived at an isolated small yard.
Someone was shouting from afar, as if calling out for her name. Mary knew the side consort had known she had run away, she then tried to push the door of the small yard open gently. To her amazement, the door opened the moment she pushed.
She flashed into the yard and closed the door; a kind voice suddenly appeared from behind, “Eh? Where are you from?”
Mary was taken aback by the voice, with her current skill, how could she not notice someone standing behind her? Mary was alarmed; she turned and gave a wary look to the person in front of her with full alert.
An old man was standing in the middle of the yard watering flowers with a watering can. He was too old that his white hair and beard shone under the sun. His face was ablaze and looking good. He seemed to be a wise old man in his fifties when ignoring his gray hair and beard.
Yet Mary knew this old man who had an aura of wisdom must be at least in his eighties.
Remembering Luna’s reminder, Mary inquired cautiously, “Are you Gautama Carana?”
That old priest gazed at Mary for quite a while and answered with a smile, “Yup, that’s me.”
Mary quickly bowed. The people looking for her had reached. She was finding her way out around the backyard upon coming out of the place she stayed, and this little yard was the necessary passage towards the back of the hill, therefore it was natural for the people to search her until here.
Mary slightly regretted at this moment, she should not have dump Luna and escape just like that. She had no idea of Luna’s situation now and she would not forgive herself if anything happened to Luna, of course, the side consort too. She would not let her off easily.
Someone was slamming hard on the door of the yard, Mary noticed it was Madam Barbosa, “Anyone’s here? Is there anyone here?”
Mary’s face fell; she tidied up her clothes and started to the door. What’s destined must come, she did not believe that the side consort’s people could do anything to her when she fought with them. She could also still ask the princes last night for help in the worst possible scenario.
The side consort of Lord Regent wanted to kill Lord Regent’s formal daughter, it would be a big news if spread out. Those princes must be interested in this no matter what plans they had in mind, not to mention there was a future son-in-law of Lord Regent among them.
Unexpectedly, Gautama Carana approached her without making a sound. He pulled her back and smiled, “Don’t go, let them be.”
Not understanding why, Mary felt relieved by Gautama Carana’s words, as if his smile could penetrate everything. She nodded obediently and listened to the hubbub made by the people outside.
Madam Barbosa had led the people tracking until here all the way from the window, now that the door of the yard was latched, she reckoned Mary must have definitely hidden inside and she slammed the door even harder.
At this moment, a panic voice appeared, “Stop it!” A person was running towards them with a food basket in his hand. He puffed, “What are you doing?”
Madam Barbosa recognized it was the little priest, Nean who accompanied Gautama Damma to the side consort’s place last night, she smiled, “Good timing. Our fifth mistress was changing clothes with the fourth mistress in the room back then to prepare for the incense burning, yet who knows the fifth mistress becomes mischievous and jumped out of the window into the back yard, playing hide-and-seek with us.”
She threw him a meaningful look and continued, “Little priest, you know, how we could miss the timing to burn the incense? Hence I’ve brought people to come search for the fifth mistress. And now, the fifth mistress is hiding in this yard.”
Nean eyed the tightly shut yard door and asked, still being shocked and doubtful, “Did you see the fifth mistress entering this yard with your own eyes?”
Slightly hesitated, Madam Barbosa replied, “No. But when the fifth mistress jumped out of the window, this yard is the necessary path for her to escape. Now that the door was latched from the inside and no one answers my call, the fifth mistress must have been naughty hiding inside.”
She then used a gentle voice while patting the door and smiled, “Please come out, your Highness. It’s almost time to burn the incense. Please stop the hide-and –seek game now, you can play it anyway you want as long as we finish burning the incense.”
A grim smile persisted on Mary’s face. Yes, as long as she was taken control by them afterwards, they can play her anyway they want.
Not getting any reply from the inside, Madam Barbosa then continued patiently, “Your Highness, I know you’re hiding in there. Please come out. The fifth mistress was crying out of panic for losing you.”
Mary widened her eyes. How despicable, threatening her using Luna! Who knows how the side consort was torturing Luna together with Grace and Amy at this moment.
Mary was going to show herself, yet Nean stopped Madam Barbosa from the outside, “Please stop, the fifth mistress must not be in there!”
Feeling unhappy, Madam Barbosa shot Nean a fierce glare and rumbled creepily, “Little priest, don’t be such a fool! We’re going to burn incense sooner and what should we do if the fifth mistress misses it?”
Nean certainly knew what she meant about “burning incense”, yet he still insisted to block her in front of the door, “You can search anywhere you want, but not here!”
Madam Barbosa was not scared of Nean; she was stout and exerted force to lift Nean up. Nean’s clothes were torn off and he yelled in anxiety, “Get the hell off here! You barbarians! This is my great master’s meditating place and how could I let you mess around here? If my great master is unhappy and sues it to the emperor, let’s see if you can still keep your life!”
Gautama Carana had the title of “Bhagavan Celestial” which was bestowed by the great emperor himself. How could anyone from this world not know about it? Knowing that it was where Gautama Carana meditated, Madam Barbosa and the others were frightened and immediately retreated.
Madam Barbosa was all in a fluster with an unpleasant look and puffed, “Let’s go and search the other place!” After a few steps ahead, she suddenly turned and smiled creepily at Nean, “Little priest, remember to hurry to the main hall for the incense burning!”
Nean felt a chill down his spine, even his hair bristled. The guy with mask last night was right, working for such a person would be tortured in hell after death.
When the people had walked afar, Nean turned and patted the door, calling softly, “Your Highness, the people are all gone, you can open up now!”
The door squeaked open and a dazzling face appeared in front of him. Nean’s heart was pumping hard and he quickly lowered his head to avoid staring at it. His throat went dry and he only recovered after quite a while. He called out slowly, “Great master, I’m here to deliver your food.”
Gautama Carana laughed, “You’re late today!”
Nean quickly took the food basket and entered the yard. He pushed the door closed and walked straight with his head lowered, not dared to look at Mary.
Out of the blue, Mary who was standing behind him asked coldly, “How did little priest know I was in here?”
Nean trembled, he did not expect a goddess like her had also had such a delightful voice, his face was instantly flooded with color.
“The lady is asking you, what are you pretending deaf for?”