Chapter 33 Xiangguo Temple

As he spoke, he pointed towards the eaves and said, "Those two golden banners, each a meter high, are what Madam requested. They are embroidered with precious floral designs."

Pei Jiman responded and was about to step into the house when he heard the clanking of iron horses on the eaves. Luo Zhaohan's words from the daytime exploded in his ears again: "Master Pei can take care of himself, but what about the people around him? Close relatives, mentors, old friends..."

He turned abruptly, the hem of his robe sweeping over the celadon brushwasher on the desk. "Have you checked the cricket vendor's background? Which tile market did he buy it from? Did he use government silver or private money?" Seeing Jiang Xi's Adam's apple rolling, he pressed on, "Who did Madam meet at Xiangguo Temple? What did they say?"

Jiang Xi felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck. In the past, the master and his mistress had always acted cautiously, and he had actually taken it for granted.

"I'll check it out right away!" He hurriedly tried to retreat, but Pei Ji tapped his fingers on the rosewood table, "Even clean out the spider silk from the cracks between the tiles."

When the footsteps faded away, Pei Ji still felt his temples throbbing while soaking in the bathtub.

Amidst the mist, he suddenly walked barefoot to the sandalwood cabinet, and the copper key made a slight clicking sound when it turned.

The cabinet was full of neatly arranged white porcelain bottles, and he went straight to the third compartment.

The pale yellow ointment smelt of pine resin when it was dug out, and the bruise on the inside of the wrist bone, hidden beneath the blue veins, had already turned purple. The ointment melted in the heat, and he smeared it twice—this injury wasn't worth treating, and he had to see the teacher tomorrow morning.

The old man has a sharp eye. If he sees this bruise, he will definitely ask questions about it endlessly.

If he knew that it was the girl from the Luo family who twisted it... Pei Ji imagined Old Chu slamming the table and standing up, and the veins on his forehead jumped again.

The candle wick burst into a spark.

Pei Ji sat at the desk wrapped in a plain silk inner garment, the tip of his wolf-hair brush hanging over the rice paper for a long time before he finally wrote a few lines of small calligraphy: The Emperor's eldest grandson, Prince Jin's Mansion, the Eastern Palace, Prince Rui... Before the ink had dried, he added "Luo Zhaohan" and "Xie Wuqi".

The moment the tinderbox lit up, he suddenly remembered the teacher's lecture three years ago, holding up a ruler: "You are good at everything, but you live like a snowman!"

At that time, he was kneeling in the snow and reciting "Salt and Iron Theory". Upon hearing this, he just tucked his frozen red hands into his sleeves.

Tongues of fire, wrapped in ink, meandered upwards, and gray butterflies fluttered down onto the blue brick floor.

Pei Ji watched the last spark go out, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly - if Jiang Xi saw this smile, he would probably be so scared that he would knock over the candlestick.

…

In the following days, Liu Yueli became more and more considerate to Xie Wuqi, and the two became inseparable again.

Whenever Xie Wuqi was moved, Liu Yueli would always push him away at the right time, always guarding that last line of defense.

That day, Xie Wuqi returned from the government office and took Liu Yueli's hand, saying softly, "I'll have a day off on the 15th. How about taking you to Xiangguo Temple to relax?"

Liu Yueli's eyes lit up.

She had been detained in this villa for many days, and nodded repeatedly when she heard this.

Xie Wuqi put his arm around her shoulders, and seeing how happy she was, he added, "My mother goes to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense every fifteenth day of the lunar month. This is a good opportunity to change her mind."

Liu Yueli's body stiffened.

The thought of meeting the august Madam Xie brought a light sweat to her palms. But she knew it was necessary, and she had been thinking over and over how to please the noble lady these days.

"I'll do as you say." She lowered her head and acted obedient.

Xie Wuqi caressed her thin shoulders, thinking to himself. Ever since he missed the flower viewing banquet, he'd been feeling inexplicably anxious. To make matters worse, the money he'd brought with him when he hurriedly left the house was almost gone, and because his immediate boss, Chu Qirui, had been withholding his monthly salary, he was now completely strapped for cash.

I have to return to the general's mansion eventually, so I can only ask my mother for help.

The two agreed to "accidentally meet" Mrs. Xie at Xiangguo Temple on the fifteenth day.

…

In Jinghong Garden of Fuyuan General's Mansion, Chunxi rushed into the martial arts training ground with a bowl of medicine in hand, and ran into Luo Zhaohan putting away his gun.

The internal injuries sustained on the first day of the new year will be healed in a few days, so she felt like showing off her shooting skills today.

"Miss!" Chunxi stomped her feet.

Luo Zhaohan waved his hands hurriedly: "That's great, look at his rosy face." As he said that, he took the secret report handed by Chunxi, unfolded it and saw the words "October 15th, Xiangguo Temple", and the corners of his lips raised slightly.

In the main courtyard's warm room, Qin Wan held her handkerchief and asked, "Did Prince Duan really say that?"

Luo Dinglian took off his court robes and lowered his voice, saying, "This morning, when the court was dismissed, the prince specifically asked me to stay. He said that the Crown Princess had her eye on Pei Ji from the Changning Earl's Mansion and was interested in bringing Young Master Pei together with our Zhao Zhao."

Qin Wan's heart was pounding. The events of the flower viewing banquet flashed back to her mind. She frowned and said, "Even though Pei Shaoqing is a good man, if we agree to this marriage, won't we be dragged into the turmoil between the Emperor's grandson and Prince Rui?"

"Madam, please take a look at this." Luo Dinglian took out a secret letter from his sleeve. "Zhao Zhao sent someone to check on the whereabouts of the Marquis Changning's wife the day before yesterday."

Qin Wan was so shocked that she knocked over the teacup: "Could it be that Zhao Zhao has had a good impression of Pei Shaoqing for a long time?" Thinking of the day when Pei Ji protected her daughter, she suddenly felt that it was not impossible.

"How about I go and ask?"

Luo Dinglian held his wife in his arms. "Zhao Zhao just broke off her engagement. Even though she's moved on, she was still heartbroken. Why don't we first see what she's up to about the Marquis Changning's wife? If she's really that interested, we can discuss it later."

The couple looked at each other and sighed at the same time.

They hold the girl in their hands, and they would find a way to pick her even if it meant the moon in the sky.

…

As the autumn sun shone through the window lattice, Luo Zhaohan was leaning on the couch, flipping through a chess manual. Chunxi hurried in, holding a blue cloth package. "Miss, this is from Concubine Zhang of the Xie Mansion."

The letter wrapped in the silk handkerchief still smelled of sandalwood. Luo Zhaohan's lips curled up slightly when he opened it.

The information that Aunt Zhang brought her last time helped her avoid Madam Xie's troubles. She is indeed a rare sensible person.

"Is the messenger still here?"

"He's waiting at the side door, waiting for a reply." Chunxi handed over the copper scissors to cut the sealing wax. "I think he looks like Wang Shun, who works at the west corner gate of Xie Mansion."

Luo Zhaohan unfolded the letter, which was covered with dense, small, and flowery calligraphy. It turned out that Madam Xie had been staying indoors since returning from the villa, and even Madam Zhang had skipped her morning and evening visits.

As the fifteenth day of the lunar month was approaching, the maids finally persuaded me to go to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense.

"...I heard that the eldest son rented a house in the west of the city, only five miles away from Xiangguo Temple. Now that we need to support Miss Liu, I will have to ask Madam for some money." Aunt Zhang added at the end of the letter, "I also heard that the young lady often goes to Xiangguo Temple to worship Buddha. Perhaps we can make preparations early."

The copper clock was ticking by the window. Luo Zhaohan put down the letter and gently stroked the paper with his fingertips.

In his previous life, Xie Wuqi and Liu Yueli had forced Madam Xie to allow her to enter the mansion at Xiangguo Temple. This situation had actually begun earlier than in his previous life.

"Bring me some bamboo leaf paper." Luo Zhaohan rolled up his sleeves and ground ink. "Tell Wang Shun that the temple's parasol trees are the best for enjoying the autumn scenery on the fifteenth day."

When Chunxi went out with the reply letter, the copper bells under the eaves were ringing in the autumn wind.

She always felt that the young lady seemed like a different person recently, but then she thought about how she fell into the water and became unconscious a few days ago. Perhaps she had experienced life and death and could see things more clearly.

In the blink of an eye, it was October 15th.

Qin Wantian arrived at Tingxue Hall before dawn, accompanied by her maid. Inside her dressing table lay a newly tailored lilac-colored brocade skirt. "Zhao Zhao, try on this brocade shawl! It'll perfectly complement the jade necklace you made the other day."

Luo Zhaohan looked at the mirror with her hair full of jewels and jade, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "Mother, we are going to worship Buddha."

"Pray to Buddha with sincerity." Qin Wan inserted the silken golden hairpin into her hair, and the person in the mirror suddenly became more and more radiant. "Mother, I remember the maple leaves on the hill behind Xiangguo Temple are at their best. You should go and relax."

Luo Zhaohan saw her mother working so hard for her. She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately swallowed back the words of rejection.

Memories came flooding back like a tide. She clearly remembered that when she visited the prison in her previous life, her mother was already haggard, but when she saw her, tears of relief welled up in her eyes and a gentle smile hung on the corners of her mouth.

"Zhao Zhao, can I help you comb your hair again?" Her mother's voice was soft and full of love. Qin Wan, already a married woman with her hair tied up in a bun, felt a flicker of moisture in her eyes when she heard this, and she gently untied her bun.

No private possession of any items was allowed in the cell, so where did the comb come from? Qin Wan could only rub her hands repeatedly on her clothes until her palms and backs turned red. Then she smiled and said, "Come on, my hands are clean now. You can comb Zhao Zhao's hair."

Luo Zhaohan still clearly remembers the gentle touch of her mother's fingers sliding across the ends of her hair.

Qin Wan looked at Luo Zhaohan who obediently let her play with him, and couldn't help feeling a little guilty.

These days, she had sent someone to inquire about the situation at the Changning Marquis's Mansion. She learned that something seemed amiss with that family, and she couldn't help but feel a little unhappy. Fortunately, Pei Ji was a promising man, and it wouldn't be difficult for him to start a family and establish his own business in the future.

By then, she and her husband could buy a spacious house for the couple, preferably near the Fuyuan General's Mansion, so that Zhaozhao could come home conveniently.

Qin Wan's mind had drifted far away. She thought again that Luo Zhaohan was going to meet her future mother-in-law today. Even if that mother-in-law was a little unreliable, Zhao Zhao could not lose to her in momentum. She had to dress up carefully and look radiant.

The mother and daughter each had their own ideas. One gave her all, and the other actively cooperated. In the end, they managed to do the makeup work in an orderly manner.

Qin Wan's face was filled with a bright smile, and she kept urging Luo Zhaohan to get in the car and set off.

…

As the national temple of the Western Wei Dynasty, Xiangguo Temple covers an area of ​​100 hectares. The front gate is for common people to worship, the back mountain is dedicated to the incense hall for dignitaries, and the deepest Buddhist hall is only accessible to the royal family.

The stacked dormitories are built along the mountainside, with houses of various colors standing side by side. The Zen temple for pilgrims to rest is clean and tidy.

At three quarters past noon, two blue silk carriages pulled up in front of the mountain gate. A noblewoman, heavily powdered, emerged from the front carriage, her dark shadows peeking through the makeup—it was none other than Madam Xie, whom she hadn't seen in many days. Nanny Chao supported her up the steps, offering soothing words.

The woman who disembarked from the carriage behind her looked even more haggard, her bare face revealing an air of illness. A faint pattern on the shaft of the carriage revealed the emblem of the Changning Marquis's mansion.

The two groups of people did not know each other and went to the Merit Hall separately.

Outside the mountain gate, beneath the ancient locust tree, the dark blue curtains of the carriage were lifted slightly. Liu Yueli clutched her handkerchief and whispered, "The Madam has arrived."

But Xie Wuqi was staring straight at the official road in the distance - two chestnut horses were coming through the dust, and the girl in the lead had peach-colored rouge on her snow-white skin, a jade hairpin swayed lightly in her black hair, and her bright eyes were shining as she looked around.

Liu Yueli dug her nails into the wood grain of the window lattice. How could this be the Luo Zhaohan of yesteryear, with her ponytail and tight clothes? She was clearly a fairy straight out of a picture book!

Turning around, she saw Xie Wuqi still staring at her in a daze, and she twisted his arm in anger.

As the carriage curtain hastily dropped, Luo Zhaohan happened to turn his head and look over. Behind the veil, the corners of his lips curled up slightly—could that familiar carriage be hiding a pair of wild mandarin ducks?

In the car, Xie Wuqi rubbed his blue arm and explained: "I'm afraid that Luo Zhaohan will disrupt the situation! Mother has always liked her..." Before he finished speaking, he believed it a little bit.

Just now, I took a quick glimpse and found that the moonlit skirt was even more flattering to her figure than the gauze dress Liu Yueli usually wore.

Liu Yueli bit her lip to suppress her bitterness. Madam Xie was currently in the main hall. If Luo Zhaohan had truly gotten there first...

Thinking of this, he didn't bother to feel jealous and hurriedly urged Xie Wuqi to leave.

Seeing that Liu Yueli's tears had finally stopped, Xie Wuqi breathed a sigh of relief silently, but a hint of surprise still involuntarily flashed across his face.

It is undeniable that when he first caught sight of Luo Zhaohan, he couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration in his heart.

Luo Zhaohan has always been free and unrestrained. Compared with the delicate and gentle Yue Li, he is like an unpolished jade.

However, what surprised him was that Luo Zhaohan, after being carefully dressed up, was so beautiful!

Xie Wuqi even began to wonder if Luo Zhaohan had followed his mother here just to seize any chance of meeting him.

My mother had mentioned many times before that Luo Zhaohan still had feelings for him, and it seemed that she had not given up the idea of ​​marrying him to me.

Luo Zhaohan might have heard from somewhere that her mother would be at Xiangguo Temple today, so she followed her and tried to curry favor. She might also be looking forward to meeting him, so she dressed up beautifully. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that she would also be at Xiangguo Temple, pretending to show off her style?

Thinking of this, Xie Wuqi straightened his back involuntarily, his heart filled with an indescribable sense of satisfaction, and his vanity was greatly nourished.

He was originally worried about whether Luo Zhaohan had experienced rebirth like him, but now it seems that this unique opportunity is obviously not available to everyone!

When the sun climbed up the eaves, Luo Zhaohan's embroidered shoes had just touched the moss in front of Xiangguo Temple.

Chunxi pulled her sleeve and lowered her voice: "Mrs. Xie went to the Guanyin Hall in the east, and Mrs. Pei went to the Luohan Hall in the west."

Luo Zhaohan wiped his forehead lightly with a handkerchief, his eyes swept across the corner of the black clothes behind the incense burner: "Let's go to the main hall." Before he finished speaking, the squeaking sound of a cart rolling over stone slabs came from behind him.

Liu Yueli helped Xie Wuqi get out of the car, and the hem of her lotus-colored skirt swept across the lotus pattern carved on the door sill.

Xie Wuqi and Liu Yueli followed the leading monk through the corridor, and just then they saw Luo Zhaohan and his maid stepping out of the threshold of the vermilion hall.

Chunxi held the unburned incense stick in her hand, and the green smoke curled into a veil in the morning light.

Liu Yueli dug her nails into her palms. She looked at the man's eyes, which suddenly lit up, and a sour feeling welled up in her throat. Those eyes, which had burned with burning affection for her three days ago, now seemed to be ablaze with cold stars, chasing the goose-yellow figure.

"Wuqi." She reached out and grabbed the black arrow sleeve, her fingertips pressing folds into the golden cloud pattern. "Let me talk to Madam alone."

Xie Wuqi then retracted his gaze, frowning slightly as he said, "Mother is furious. She even said she would use family discipline the other day. If you go alone, wouldn't you be walking into a tiger's mouth?"