It's March again, and Pandu City is welcoming its first heavy rain of early spring, which has been pouring down for two days without any sign of letting up.

The women of the General's Mansion have been trapped at Chongfu Temple for two days and one night. Their only way back to the capital is blocked by falling rocks, and the mountain road is steep and slippery in the rain. The old lady is too old to withstand such an ordeal.

At this moment, in a side room on the south side of Chongfu Temple, a fair and delicate hand gently pushed open the window, revealing half of a fair and tender face.

Outside the window, one can see the mountains shrouded in mist, and a banana tree stands by the wall, its branches pattering against the raindrops with a continuous, crisp sound.

However, she had only just felt the coolness of the rain carrying the scent of earth when she was startled by the sound of obstruction coming from behind her.

"Young lady, you mustn't, you'll easily catch a cold like that."

Qingying turned around with her hands behind her back, pouted, and said, "Granny, you're overthinking it. My body isn't that weak."

That's what she said, but she still obediently left the window.

Granny Zhang went over and closed the window, then called a maid to add more tea to the pot before saying, "Miss, please don't blame me for being so strict. Although your illness hasn't relapsed for a long time, it's always better to be cautious."

Qingying knew that Zhang Mama was doing it all for her own good. She suffered from lung disease caused by congenital deficiency. She was prone to catching a cold and getting sick when the weather changed suddenly or during cold seasons. In mild cases, she would cough incessantly, and in severe cases, it could be life-threatening.

She took a sip of the new tea that Granny Zhang had poured for her, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Why does this tea taste like sweet pear?"

Zhang Mama, who was doing embroidery on the side, smiled when she heard this and said, "These are wild pears that the eldest young master specially ordered to be sent. I coated them with sugar, pickled them, and then boiled them to make tea. It has a lung-moistening effect."

"Thank you so much, Granny." She took another sip, then put down her teacup and asked, "How long will it take for Brother to get up the mountain?"

"It should be soon; clearing the rocks shouldn't take too long."

Seeing that it was getting late, she stood up and said, "I'm going to check on my grandmother."

Granny Zhang immediately put down the handkerchief she was embroidering halfway through, found a thin velvet cloak and draped it over her shoulders, instructing her, "Miss, please take care of yourself."

"I see."

The old lady's temporary room was not far from here. Qingying had two maids with her, one holding an umbrella and the other carrying things.

Inside the house, the old lady, dressed in a brocade robe, was chatting with Luo, the second wife. As soon as she saw her enter, she beamed with joy, "My Shushu is here."

"Grandmother." Qingying went over and hugged her, affectionately rubbing her cheek against her arm.

The old lady is over seventy years old, in good health, with a kind face and bright, sparkling eyes.

She had Qingying sit beside her, took her hand affectionately, and frowned slightly: "Why are your hands so cold?"

Then, with a glance, the head maid understood and went to fetch a hot water bottle, placing it in Qingying's hand.

Qingying covered the hot water bottle, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and said, "Grandmother, are you worried about me?"

"You are my only granddaughter, who else should I care about if not you?"

Luo Shi chimed in, "That's right. Our Shushu is the only girl in this lineage, and she's so pretty and well-behaved. Of course, she deserves to be loved."

Luo was the second wife of the second uncle. She came from a merchant family, and Qingying always looked down on her, thinking she was full of money and always liked to flatter and fawn, giving people the impression that she was hypocritical.

Qingying didn't respond to her words, but instead told the maid to bring up the pastries she had brought, saying, "Grandmother, these are pear blossom pastries that Yu Yue just made. They are crisp and refreshing, sweet but not greasy. I brought them here especially for you to try."

"well."

Yu Yue was the best cook among her maids. She had a private little kitchen in the courtyard of the General's Mansion, where she usually cooked.

The old lady picked up a pastry and took a bite. It was crispy and had a faint pear blossom aroma. It was sweet but not cloying, just what she liked.

"Yu Yue's cooking skills have improved again."

The maid Yu Yue, dressed in plain clothes, bowed to her and said, "I am honored by the old lady's praise."

"He deserves a reward."

"Thank you, Madam."

Out of courtesy, Qingying also invited Luo to come and have a taste.

The three talked for a while, and then it was time for dinner. So they all ate vegetarian food in the old lady's room before going their separate ways.

When we came out of the courtyard, the sky had completely darkened, and the entire temple was shrouded in a vast mist. Even the lantern that the maid Tongxia was carrying could only illuminate a distance of three steps.

Qingying walked slowly, her pace neither hurried nor slow, her big eyes glancing to the side from time to time, just to take another look at the scenery outside.

However, as she walked, she deviated from the original path. Just as Yu Yue was about to say something to remind her, she saw her figure sway and fall straight to the ground.

The two maids were so startled that they forgot what they were carrying and rushed to help her.

She staggered and lost her balance, kneeling down on one knee. However, she didn't feel the expected pain. It felt like she was kneeling on something hard, but not uncomfortable.

There seems to be a person on the ground.

The lanterns fell to the ground and went out. The mountain fog was so thick that the night was so dark that the three of them couldn't even see each other's faces clearly. So when they heard Qingying's words, the two maids were really frightened.

"Girl, don't scare me!" Tong Xia was timid, and her voice even trembled with tears when she spoke: "How could there be someone on the ground all of a sudden?"

"Really." Qingying reached out and touched the ground with one hand. It seemed that her two fingers were probing into two fleshy holes. She moved her fingers and felt a burst of hot air on her fingertips, which startled her so much that she quickly withdrew her hand.

“Yes, there really is someone. I could feel his breath.” As she spoke, she quickly stood up, but somehow she pressed on something, and the person on the ground coughed twice.

The three of them screamed in fright at the sudden noise.

Honestly, Qingying has never jumped that high in all her years.

Two maids stumbled and swayed as they helped her up. Yu Yue, being a little braver, trembled as she pulled a tinderbox from her bosom and struggled several times before finally lighting it. With light finally available, the three of them dared to look at the ground.

There was indeed a person lying on the ground in front of them. It was a man dressed in black clothes, who looked quite noble.

The three then engaged in a heated discussion.

Yu Yue asked, "Is he still alive?"

Qingying said, "Of course he's alive. I just put my hand up his nostril."

Tong Xia tried to keep her voice calm as she said, "Is this person lying here for some unknown reason, perhaps he has fallen ill?"

Yu Yue asked, "Miss, should we get involved in this?"

Qingying thought for a moment and said, "If he dies here, it will inevitably defile the pure land of Buddhism. Since we have encountered him, we cannot ignore him."

Tong Xia whispered, "But this person's origins are unknown. Wouldn't it be dangerous for us to take him back rashly?"

Yu Yue said, "Besides, we have nowhere to put him if we take him back. Our courtyard is full of women, and it would be inappropriate to leave a man like him anywhere."

Qingying asked, "Isn't there a shed behind the courtyard where we live, where we store miscellaneous items?"

Tong Xia nodded. "There is one, but it's locked, and we don't have the key."

Qingying smiled slyly and said, "It will be much easier if we have it."