Chapter 224 Fulfilling a Vow at Taijue Temple

After leaving Songbai Hall and returning to Guanlan Pavilion, Lu Yunqi followed closely beside Yu Qingci, while Pei Mama tactfully lagged behind the two of them.

Yu Qingci ignored the people around her and kept walking straight ahead. Suddenly, a warm, large hand reached out and tightly wrapped around her hand.

Yu Qingci's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively tried to pull away, but the other person's grip was so tight that she couldn't break free.

Yu Qingci's cheeks flushed, her fingertips curled slightly and struggled a little, but the man's hand remained as still as an iron clamp, even tightening its grip.

His fingertips, calloused from years of holding guns and practicing martial arts, caressed the delicate skin on the back of her hand; the rough touch sent shivers down her spine.

Lu Yunqi slowed down to match her pace, as if he were doing something perfectly ordinary. Only his taut jawline and slightly quickened breathing betrayed his true feelings.

"There are people following behind you, let go."

Yu Qingci spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of panic that she herself was unaware of.

Lu Yunqi seemed not to hear, and only said in a deep voice:

"It's late at night, and the roads are slippery."

His voice was a few decibels lower than usual, and it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet night, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

She stopped talking, just pursed her lips, and let him hold her hand as they walked side by side.

Granny Pei and the others watched the two figures ahead from behind. One was tall and upright, the other slender and graceful. Their shadows, elongated by the moonlight, overlapped on the ground, creating a strange harmony in the silence.

Back at Guanlan Pavilion, the two tacitly bathed and changed clothes one after the other. Granny Pei waved her hand to send the servants out early, leaving the young couple alone.

Yu Qingci turned to go back to the inner room, but Lu Yunqi grabbed her sleeve.

“I have never bought Luo Yi any bracelets or anything else.”

Seeing that his young wife seemed unconvinced, Lu Yunqi continued:

"My relationship with Luo Yi is only based on the kindness of saving her life, nothing more. Her father fell off a cliff because of me, and now she has no relatives and is all alone. I need to take good care of her, both morally and logically."

However, this only means bringing her back to the manor to ensure she has enough to eat and wear. Once she's settled into life in the capital, I plan to ask my mother to find her a marriage partner. After that, she won't bother us anymore.

Yu Qingci turned around and looked at her: "Are you really planning to marry her off?"

Lu Yun nodded: "Yes."

After a pause, Lu Yunqi continued, "Mother rarely goes out for social events these days. In fact, it would be more appropriate to entrust this matter to Madam. So, I would also like to ask Madam to keep an eye on things."

Yu Qingci was even more confused. How was this different from her previous life? Could it be that she, this anomaly, could bring about such a drastic change? Could it be that her relationship with Luo Yi was really just about saving his life?

Yu Qingci: "Even if you have no feelings for her, everyone in the household can see Luo Yi's feelings for you. What do you plan to do if she doesn't want to get married?"

Lu Yunqi remained silent. His wife's words made sense. He wasn't oblivious to Luo Yi's feelings for him, but he simply didn't care. In his opinion, as long as he ignored her, Luo Yi's feelings for him would naturally fade over time.

But it seems things aren't as simple as he imagined. Just look at how she told his wife he gave her a bracelet; no wonder she asked him last night if he had bought one.

Lu Yunqi opened his mouth to continue explaining, but Yu Qingci had already shaken off his hand and entered the inner room on her own.

Lu Yunqi stood there blankly, watching his wife's figure disappear into the swaying beaded curtain. He sighed softly in his heart, realizing that he had a long way to go.

Two days later, the General's Mansion prepared a carriage for Taijue Temple early in the morning.

Because Lu Yunqi had gone to the military camp early and was not traveling with them, Madam Ning and the others were not in a hurry. After having breakfast and making preparations, they leisurely walked out.

Lu Yun Chu pulled Yu Qing Ci into one car, while Old Madam Ning rode in another with Luo Yi. Several accompanying nannies and personal maids squeezed into another car, and the steward arranged for dozens of guards. The group headed towards Taijue Temple in an orderly fashion.

The wheels rolled along slowly for about an hour before finally arriving at the foot of Taijue Temple Mountain.

The ancient and solemn temple is nestled among the green mountains. Pilgrims come and go along the way, and the faint sound of chanting can be heard. The unique sandalwood scent of the ancient temple can be smelled even through the carriage curtain.

The group entered Taijue Temple and went to the main hall where the eternal lamp was previously enshrined.

Today, they were entertained by the same fortune teller who had previously told them that Yu Qingci and Lu Yunqi were a match made in heaven.

Upon seeing the group arrive, Master Yuankong clasped his hands in a Buddhist gesture of respect and smiled kindly:

"Amitabha, esteemed benefactors, how have you been? My visit to the General's Mansion is to fulfill a vow and extinguish the lamps, which is also a meritorious act. Please follow this old monk into the hall."

The group followed Master Yuankong into the main hall where the eternal lamp was enshrined.

The hall was brightly lit with candles and filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere. Old Madam Ning led everyone in devoutly offering incense and kneeling in prayer, murmuring words of gratitude to Buddha for his safe return and for peace and health to her family and descendants.

Yu Qingci knelt respectfully on the prayer mat, but her gaze involuntarily swept over the ever-burning lamp enshrined in the hall, then glanced at Master Yuankong, who was chanting sutras with his eyes closed opposite her. The events of the past seemed to be right before her eyes. Perhaps even Master Yuankong hadn't expected that the two people he had fabricated for money would have such a fortunate turn of events today.

Thinking of this, Yu Qingci's lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Amitabha! The general is blessed with good fortune and has returned safely, turning misfortune into good fortune. This is a great blessing, and your household will surely enjoy lasting happiness in the future."

After Master Yuankong finished the ritual, he turned to Old Madam Ning, put his palms together, and said...

"Thank you for your kind words, Master."

Madam Ning nodded with a smile, feeling very pleased.

Turning around and seeing Luo Yi, Old Madam Ning said again:

"This young lady saved my son's life. Please, Master, tell her fortune and predict her marriage."

Master Yuankong twirled his prayer beads, staring at Luo Yi in silence for a moment. Luo Yi smiled, but her hands were clenched tightly under her sleeves.

Master Yuan Kong lowered his eyes and slowly spoke: "Amitabha. The grace of being saved should naturally be repaid. However, there is more than one way to repay a debt of gratitude. If one is attached to the grace itself, or to the delusions that arise from the grace, not only will one fail to repay the grace, but one will also bind oneself and others, and increase one's karmic obstacles."

True repayment of kindness lies in helping others escape suffering and attain happiness, not in forcing karmic connections. If a debt of gratitude has become a burden to someone, that is the opportunity to let go. Letting go of attachments brings freedom; acting in accordance with circumstances is true repayment.

His words were cryptic and left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment. Luo Yi's face paled slightly. Although Master Yuankong did not say it explicitly, were the words "attachment," "delusion," and "forcing fate" implying that she and the general were not destined to be together?

Only Yu Qingci knew that the old Taoist priest had become increasingly shrewd and was no longer willing to utter those inappropriate remarks about matchmaking.

After everyone finished offering incense, they walked out. Luo Yi followed behind with her head down, preoccupied with something on her mind. When she looked up and saw Yu Qingci's serene and upright back, a deep sense of resentment welled up in her heart.