Chapter 43 is an act. I'll help you.

Those destined to meet will meet; those not destined will have no companionship.

Jing Hui froze, then turned to look at Lian Zhu, only to find that Lian Zhu was also stunned.

He murmured, "How could this be?"

From childhood, Lianzhu's memories were filled with the image of Baizhi.

Although the two had never spoken openly before, Bai Zhi took good care of him. Sometimes when he angered Lian Zhong, Bai Zhi would step forward and stand in front of him.

So this series of words was meant to pursue Bai Zhi, but more so to break through the veil of mystery between the two.

How could there be a situation where fate brings us together but we are not meant to be?

Jing Hui and Lian Zhu were both incredulous, their gazes shifting from Abbot Kongxing's face to Bai Zhi's.

Bai Zhi knelt before the Buddha statue, her head bowed. The lights in the hall shone on her head, making her face appear to be in and out of focus.

I can't see their expressions clearly.

Lu Songyuan looked at Jing Hui for a moment, glanced at Bai Zhi, and then chuckled.

Seeing that Bai Zhi remained silent for a long time, Lian Zhu cleared her dry throat, turned to look at Kong Xing, and said with difficulty, "Please explain in detail, Abbot."

Kongxing looked back and forth between the two, his eyes gleaming with an all-knowing light.

He sighed softly and said only to Lian Zhu, "Don't force it."

Then Kongxing asked Baizhi, "This benefactor, would you like your fortune told?"

Bai Zhi then looked up, nodded slightly, and said, "Yes."

"The sun cannot see the moon; the difference is too great, and it cannot be forced."

After Kong Xing finished speaking, the hall remained silent for a long while.

A gust of cold wind extinguished the incense candles by the window, and she chuckled softly, "Alright, thank you, Master."

Lian Zhu looked puzzled, but Bai Zhi's words seemed to understand everything. Jing Hui frowned, and was about to go up and ask when Lu Songyuan grabbed her wrist.

She turned her head to look, and Lu Songyuan said, "Look at us."

Jing Hui then realized that he should not get involved in other people's affairs.

"good."

Bai Zhi and Lian Zhu stood up and went to the side, while Jing Hui and Lu Songyuan stepped forward to draw lots together.

The divination stick fell to the ground, and the young novice handed it to the dakini. After looking at it, the dakini said, "There will be hardships, but you will be able to achieve enlightenment."

With the ordeal over, Lu Songyuan smiled, and Jing Hui felt a little happier. He turned to look at Lu Songyuan and said to Kong Xing, "Thank you, Master."

They had arrived amidst laughter and chatter, but the journey back to the meditation room was silent. The four split into two groups and entered their rooms separately. After washing up, Jing Hui sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Bai Zhi who had just entered, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

"Princess, I will go wash up first. Please rest if you are tired."

Jing Hui originally wanted to ask why, but seeing Bai Zhi's expression, she immediately stopped herself.

She nodded and replied, "Okay, go ahead."

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, the four of them lit incense in the main hall and then headed down the mountain through the thick fog.

The descent was also silent, and they walked faster than they went uphill. Around noon, the four of them returned to the palace gate.

After two days of hustle and bustle, everyone looked exhausted, especially Jing Hui, whose great task of bringing the two together had been thwarted, leaving him physically and mentally drained.

Just as I was about to go back to my bedchamber for a good night's sleep, I saw a pair of carriages approaching the palace gate from afar.

This is the royal palace, and those who come here are either princes or princesses. Jing Hui was too lazy to deal with them, so he simply walked away.

"Good sister, why did you leave without seeing your royal brother?"

Jing Hui was already annoyed, but hearing this voice made him even more annoyed.

She stopped and turned to look at the slowly coming to a stop carriage, and at Jing Ao, who was still incredibly obese, getting off the carriage.

"Jing Ao, don't you know that this princess is here?"

Jing Ao's back was still in pain from the board. As he got off the carriage, the pain aggravated his wounds, causing him to wince in pain.

"I came because I knew."

"What? Want to get beaten up again?"

"You despicable person..."

Jing Ao was stunned. He was about to burst into a tirade when he saw Lu Songyuan next to Jing Hui and immediately stopped.

How could that be?

Jing Ao chuckled dryly, "Your Majesty has come here to apologize to you. Good sister, Your Majesty has learned your lesson about what happened in the deep mountains, please forgive me."

After some time apart, Jing Ao, besides still being impulsive, had also picked up the sarcastic and pretentious manner of those pedantic scholars, which annoyed Jing Hui even more.

"Go to the Western Hills and don't come here to cause me trouble."

For once, Jing Ao didn't argue with Jing Hui. He wore a forced smile and said, "Alright, alright, Your Majesty won't bother you."

After he finished speaking, Jing Hui turned and left. Jing Ao muttered a curse at Jing Hui's back, then turned and met Lu Songyuan's gaze, saying, "General Lu, it's been a while."

Lu Songyuan said calmly, "Long time no see. Has the Second Prince's wound healed?"

"That's about it."

Jing Ao said, "My father has granted me permission to leave the palace to recuperate. If you have time tomorrow, come to my palace for a drink."

"OK."

Lu Songyuan responded and turned to go inside.

Lian Zhu and Bai Zhi stepped forward and bowed to Jing Ao. After bowing, they walked inside together. The four of them came and went like the wind, and none of them paid any attention to Jing Ao.

"What kind of attitude is that! Who does she think she is? If it weren't for the important matter Jingyan mentioned that kept Jing Hui occupied, would I have come here to see her sour face?"

After cursing for a while, the person beside him remained silent for a long time. Jing Ao turned around and kicked Jing Yang, saying, "Are you mute?"

Jing Yang looked at the palace gate, not bowing and scraping to Jing Ao as usual, but looking at the hot spring gate and said, "Brother, please bear with it a little longer, the Great Liang will soon change."

"Hmph, do you need to tell me?"

Jing Ao was furious at his attitude and said, "You'd better follow me properly, or I won't be polite to you!"

"yes."

Back at Yuanming Palace, Jing Hui fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, it was already dusk.

She opened her eyes groggily and saw a tall figure sitting by the bed.

Lu Songyuan, who was reading a book, heard the noise, leaned closer to Jing Hui, kissed the tip of her nose, and said, "Awake?"

Jing Hui reached out and wrapped her arms around Lu Songyuan's neck, and after a long pause, she said, "Mm."

Are you hungry?

She hadn't felt it before, but as soon as Lu Songyuan said it, Jing Hui felt a sudden nausea in her stomach. She buried her face deeper and said, "I'm hungry."

They and Lian Zhu Bai Zhi each set out their own dinners. Jing Hui didn't want to disturb them too much, and since she was too lazy to get out of bed, she ate something by the bedside in the bedroom.

After dinner, Jing Hui felt a bit more energetic. She turned to look at the white mist rising from the hot spring on the mountain behind the palace, nudged Lu Songyuan, and said, "I've been here for two days, I want to go for a run in the hot spring."

"good."

Lu Songyuan drank a cup of tea and instructed Lu Qingyue, Ayu, and Ayan to prepare the items needed for soaking in the hot spring.

Jing Hui watched as Lu Songyuan skillfully instructed A Yu and A Yan, and smiled as she nudged her arm, saying, "You're getting more and more adept at ordering around my maids these days."

"What do you mean, yours or mine?"

Lu Songyuan frowned and said with dissatisfaction, "It's ours."

His appearance made Jing Hui laugh out loud. After laughing, Jing Hui got up and walked towards the hot spring in the back hall.

Lu Songyuan followed closely behind. When he came down after changing his clothes, Jing Hui was already swimming in the hot spring.

The clothes for soaking in the hot spring were very thin. Jing Hui wore a vermilion gauze dress and swam in the water like a koi carp, leaving behind layers of ripples.

The servants were all outside. Taking advantage of Jing Hui's inattention, Lu Songyuan walked to the steps by the hot spring pool and sat down.

Jing Hui swam around in the water again, then turned around and was startled to see Lu Songyuan sitting on the edge of the pool. She swam over, lay on Lu Songyuan's knees, looked up at him, and asked, "If Lu Qingyue didn't help you, how did you get down here?"

Lu Songyuan picked up a fruit from the pond, bit into one, and lowered his head to kiss Jing Hui's lips.

The sweet and sour fruit burst in his mouth, mixed with an inexplicable flavor that danced on his lips and tongue. Lu Songyuan tasted the wine in Jing Hui's mouth.

I wonder how much she drank.

After a long while, the two separated, panting heavily.

"Take a guess?"

He was answering Jing Hui's previous question. Jing Hui raised an eyebrow and pinched Lu Songyuan's leg below his arm.

The skin felt healthy to the touch, with strong, well-defined muscles beneath the skin, unlike what one would expect from someone who had broken both legs.

However, her husband was unusual to begin with. Jing Hui, whose head was resting on Lu Songyuan's lap, swayed from side to side. "I guess you didn't actually have a leg ailment. You were just pretending when you came to the capital?"

After saying that, Jing Hui inexplicably remembered the person who carried her into and out of the sedan chair on their wedding day.

If Lu Songyuan could stand up, he would be just as tall.

"Um?"

Seeing that Lu Songyuan remained silent for a long time, Jing Hui shook Lu Songyuan's leg and said, "Why aren't you saying anything? Could it be that you really are?"

What if that's true?

Lu Songyuan looked down and smiled at Jing Hui.

With Jing Hui in this position, every part of him, from head to waist, was in intimate contact. Enveloped by this softness, Lu Songyuan didn't dare to move even though his legs were numb.

"snort."

Jing Hui turned and walked away, leaving behind the words, "If it's true, then come and chase after me. Once you catch me, you can do whatever you want with me."

The lines beneath the gauze dress flickered in and out of focus. Lu Songyuan's eyes were deep and thoughtful. He shifted his leg, but ultimately remained still.

Jing Hui returned after a round trip and swam in the hot spring. She was sweating profusely from the heat. Jing Hui lay on Lu Songyuan's lap, panting, "Liar."

"Forgive me?"

"I'll give you a chance."

"We'll talk about it another day."

After Lu Songyuan finished speaking, he lowered his head and kissed Jing Hui's lips. Her lips were soft, and Lu Songyuan used his hands to pull Jing Hui onto his lap.

"Um?"

Jing Hui was stunned for a moment. She knew it all too well. She leaned against Lu Songyuan and grabbed his collar as she spoke.

What if you say no?

Jing Hui paused for a moment, then said, "You wouldn't have done this every day before."

"It was an act before."

Lu Songyuan readily admitted it and asked, "Is it good or not?"

Jing Hui nestled in his arms for a moment, "Hmm, a reward for your honesty."

This time, she learned on her own, even recalling the stories she had read on her wedding night long ago, and began to "torture" Lu Songyuan in various ways.

This place is like a switch that controls Lu Songyuan. The royal blood flowing in Jing Hui's body gives her an innate sense of control, and she likes to control Lu Songyuan.

The murky liquid settled in her palm. Jing Hui washed her hands in the water, leaned forward and rested her head on Lu Songyuan's shoulder, saying, "It's been too long, I'm very tired."

Lu Songyuan looked down at Jing Hui's face, which was flushed with powder, and kissed her lips, saying, "Azhu, let me help you."

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The author's note: In the interactions between ordinary couples, please make sure the reviewer understands that some words are used in their original meaning. You have already locked this for a day, thank you.