Chapter 32 [VIP]

Chapter Summary: At the foot of the mountain.

Xiaoting prepared water for Yu Jing to bathe. When Ayu returned, Yu Jing had just finished bathing and was going back to her room. Ayu stood in front of the door, her eyes red, looking uneasy.

"Ayu," Yu Jing called out as she approached.

Ayu raised her head, and the candlelight from the lantern shone directly on her face. Yu Jing saw her tears fall like pearls from a broken string.

Ayu is usually very composed, so this must mean something happened. Yu Jing panicked when she saw her like this and asked, "What's wrong?"

“Madam.” Ayu called out and knelt down. Yu Jing stepped forward to help her up, but heard her trembling voice say, “I just got home and learned that my father has been ill for a long time. There is not much money in the house, and my parents, thinking of my hardships in the palace, have never mentioned it in their letters.”

"Although I know this is against the rules, I still want to ask Madam for mercy. Could you allow me to stay at home for a while and fulfill my filial duty?"

As Ayu spoke, she cried, her words earnest and her face filled with sorrow. Yu Jing was also somewhat moved by what she heard. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Then you should stay at home and take care of things. When you return to the capital, you can come back with us when you pass through Guizhou City."

"Thank you, Madam! Thank you so much, Madam!" Ayu said excitedly, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Get up quickly." Yu Jing reached out to help her up, and remembering what she had just said, she turned to Xiao Ting and said, "Xiao Ting, go and get some silver for A Yu to take with her."

Ayu quickly shook her head and said, "No, I have already accepted Madam's money. Madam has already been very lenient by allowing me to go home and take care of things. How can I accept Madam's money again!"

“Since your father is ill, we should hire a good doctor and use good medicine so that he can recover faster. Once your father is better, you can return to my side to take care of him without being distracted by this matter. Don’t you think so?” Yu Jing asked in return.

Ayu knew that Yu Jing only said those words to make her feel better and accepted her money. Seeing how Yu Jing treated her, her already reddened eyes welled up with tears again.

"This servant thanks Madam for her great kindness and virtue." Ayu choked with sobs as she bowed to Yu Jing.

Yu Jingxin softened slightly, reached out and wiped away the tears that had fallen on A Yu's cheek, saying, "It was just a small favor, don't worry about it."

Ayu was speechless at this point, only nodding vigorously. A moment later, Xiaoting brought the silver, which Yu Jing had Xiaoting deliver to Ayu. Then, she sent a guard to escort Ayu back. Once everything was arranged, Yu Jing returned to her room. Lying on the couch, for some reason, she thought of the scene on the bridge where Xie Xuan had pulled her into his arms.

Suddenly, my face felt inexplicably hot. I tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling into a deep sleep.

After leaving Guizhou, we continued our journey, and after nearly half a month, we will finally arrive at Wanjiang Mountain tomorrow.

Xiao Ting had just brewed tea for Yu Jing, who sat in the inn, beginning to think about what would happen after returning to the palace. She had originally thought it would take a month or two, but she hadn't expected to arrive at Wanjiang Mountain so quickly. After fasting for two days and praying for blessings for two more days at Wanjiang Mountain, she would be able to return to the palace no later than mid-May.

Thinking of this, Yu Jing sighed softly. After returning to the palace, there would be no reason for her to take Xie Xuan out of the palace again.

Hearing Yu Jing sigh, Xiao Ting assumed she was tired and asked softly, "Is Madam tired? Would you like to rest on the bed for a while?"

Yu Jing gently shook her head: "No need."

"We're going to Wanjiang Mountain to find An Temple tomorrow. Have you prepared everything?"

"Don't worry, Madam, I have already prepared all the items for the Buddhist ritual."

"That's good then." Yu Jing replied, glancing out the window. It was still dark, and they had just finished their dinner. The inn was located at the foot of the mountain, and as far as the eye could see from the window, there were vast stretches of lush, verdant bamboo forests.

Yu Jing suddenly felt like going out for a walk. He was getting really bored, spending all his time either in the inn or on the carriage.

"Xiaoting, let's go for a walk."

"Yes," Xiao Ting replied, then hesitated for a moment before asking, "Should we ask Lord Xie to accompany us?"

"Just walking around here shouldn't be a problem," Yu Jing replied.

"yes."

Yu Jing pushed open the door and went out. This was one of the few good inns at the foot of Wanjiang Mountain. Xun'an Temple on Wanjiang Mountain was known for its efficacy, attracting many pilgrims from various states. As she walked down the corridor, she could hear the noisy commotion outside. Just as she reached the top of the stairs, Yu Jing saw Xie Xuan. Xie Xuan was standing in the main hall, with a veiled woman standing beside him.

Xie Xuan stood before the woman, looking flustered and at a loss for what to do. The woman, meanwhile, looked at him with bright eyes, seemingly interested in Xie Xuan…

If Yu Jing, who had served in the Yue Lao Palace for so long, couldn't have noticed this, it would be truly unacceptable.

Seeing Xie Xuan's expression, Yu Jing couldn't help but chuckle. He usually seemed serious and meticulous, but now he was shy around women.

The people of Beihuai have always been open-minded; it's not uncommon for women to propose marriage to men, let alone casual conversations on the street.

"Madam?" Xiaoting called out softly when she saw Yu Jing looking down and not moving for a long time.

Yu Jing did not respond, but continued walking down step by step, thinking that she should go and help Xie Xuan.

"Thank you, Xuan."

Hearing the familiar voice, Xie Xuan turned his head and exclaimed in surprise, "Madam."

The woman followed Xie Xuan's gaze to Yu Jing. Yu Jing wore a deep, official green spring robe made of the finest soft silk. She was tall and graceful, with fair and delicate skin and a beautiful face. Her beauty was both cool and alluring, her eyes captivating and alluring. Although her gaze was gentle, it subtly revealed a sharp edge, like a sword ready to be drawn at any moment. The woman had never seen Yu Jing like this before and was momentarily stunned.

Yu Jing nodded slightly to the woman, who then came to her senses. Her gaze shifted between Yu Jing and Xie Xuan. Yu Jing realized that the woman had probably misunderstood, smiled, and said, "I am his mistress."

The woman suddenly realized, glanced at Xie Xuan, and said, "I originally thought that someone like Young Master Xie must be the son of a wealthy family, but I never expected that he would be..."

At this point, the woman changed the subject: "But that's true. Looking at your appearance and temperament, Young Master Xie seems a little inferior next to you."

“However, the name Xie Xuan sounds very familiar. I’ve heard my father mention it before.” The woman frowned and pondered for a moment, then said with delight, “I remember now, it seems to be the son of the Great General of the State, also named Xie Xuan.”

Yu Jing paused for a moment, then quickly denied it, saying, "Yes, our Xie Xuan does indeed share the same name as the son of the General Who Protects the Nation."

"Oh, so you have the same name. That explains why it sounded so familiar. By the way, may I ask which family you belong to, madam? I am Zhang Xiuxiu, the daughter of Zhang Yue, the Prefect of Tanzhou."

Yu Jing's mind raced, but since she didn't know many people, she could only reply, "Our master's family is from the capital, but they're not exactly well-known."

"Oh," the woman nodded in response.

Since Yu Jing had already said that, the other party must have sensed that Yu Jing didn't want to reveal too much. Zhang Xiuxiu didn't ask any further questions, and smiled slightly as she said, "I came to Xun'an Temple this time to pray for a marriage. Are you also going to Xun'an Temple tomorrow? Why don't we travel together?"

Zhang Xiuxiu's intentions are quite obvious.

Before Yu Jing could speak, Xie Xuan spoke first.

"There are many of us, so it might not be very convenient."

Xie Xuan's refusal was quite clear.

“Okay.” Zhang Xiuxiu showed no embarrassment at all, and instead generously agreed, “Since it’s inconvenient, then I won’t bother you any longer.”

After Zhang Xiuxiu left, Xie Xuan lowered his head slightly and said to Yu Jing, "Madam, please forgive me, I..."

"It's nothing," Yu Jing replied, pursing her lips. "Since there's nothing wrong, let's not stay here any longer. Come with us for a walk."

"Yes." Xie Xuan understood what Yu Jing meant.

The three of them went out together, and because they had been delayed for a while, it was now getting dark, and the innkeeper was busy lighting lanterns. If the nights had been a bit chilly a few days ago, they had been very comfortable these past few days. The daytime sun was still a bit strong, but at night, when it disappeared, it was just right.

Yu Jing walked along the path beside the inn, flanked by endless bamboo groves. The light and shadows were dim, and a gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, creating a pleasant sound. Yu Jing stood there, closed her eyes, and felt everything around her. Suddenly, she felt that life wasn't as bitter as they said.

No matter what mistakes a deity makes or how they ascend to immortality, they must all come to the mortal realm to experience tribulations: birth, old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, encountering those they hate, not getting what they want, and the suffering of the five aggregates. Therefore, in Yu Jing's understanding, the mortal realm is extremely painful. When the Old Man of the Moon assigned her the task of descending to the mortal realm, he persuaded her for quite some time.

Xiao Ting and Xie Xuan stopped when they saw Yu Jing stop. Xie Xuan turned his head slightly to look at Yu Jing; her face was hidden in the dim light and shadow, and only a vague outline could be seen. Xie Xuan also gently closed his eyes; he seemed to be able to feel Yu Jing's happiness and comfort at this moment.

The longer Xie Xuan spent with Sheng Hua, the more he felt that Sheng Hua was completely different from what they had said. He couldn't quite believe that the things Han Qingzhou had told him were all done by Sheng Hua. Thinking of this, Xie Xuan was startled and abruptly opened his eyes. Just then, a gust of wind blew by, and the rustling of the bamboo leaves became even louder than before.

Yu Jing stood there with her eyes closed, her official green robes billowing in the wind. A corner of her robe brushed against Xie Xuan's hand, causing Xie Xuan's heart to skip a beat. A tingling, itchy sensation spread across his hand. Xie Xuan's heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

A word suddenly popped into my head: heart-fluttering.

Xie Xuan was so frightened that his body and mind trembled. His hand fell to his side, and he dared not touch it again. He slightly turned his eyes away.