Chapter 72 If I obtain her, I will cherish her dearly.
The room where the embroiderer was staying did have a window, but it wasn't very big. And at this critical juncture, if she tried to climb out the window, the people outside would probably hear her and come in halfway through.
It will be impossible to explain later.
The embroiderer had said she would be back soon after leaving, and it turned out she wasn't lying.
It's really fast...
Dai Li's blood flowed faster, and her heart leaped into her throat. This uncontrollable physiological reaction made her subconsciously raise her hand to touch her face.
Thankfully, it's not too hot.
Dai Li quickly took two deep breaths, and at the same time, she took out a small thing from her pocket and casually placed it next to the embroiderer's brocade pillow.
After doing all this, she turned and walked out, straightening her back and trying to appear calm and composed.
Whether they noticed she wasn't in the room or sensed something amiss at the door, the person outside quickened their pace to enter.
Two breaths later, Dai Li and the embroiderer saw each other through a beaded curtain. The owner of the house was outside, while the guest was inside.
The atmosphere suddenly froze.
Dai Li clearly saw the embroiderer's expression change, so she took the initiative to say to her, "Hey, I didn't expect you to come back early. It seems I won't be able to give you the surprise I was going to give you."
After saying that, Dai Li turned back and, under the embroiderer's gaze, picked up the cloth rabbit doll that she had previously placed beside the brocade pillow.
"This is the result of my studies these past few days. Here, it's for you." Dai Li stuffed the plush rabbit into the embroiderer's hands. "My embroidery skills are not even a tenth of yours, but you can't complain about it."
Dai Li's hand fell to her sides, her wide sleeves concealing her stiff, cold fingertips. Then, she walked past the embroiderer as if nothing had happened.
The embroiderer turned to look at Dai Li's back, and only after the other woman had completely left her room did she look down at the plush rabbit in her hand.
The rabbit was smaller than the woman's palm, with two eyes sewn with red jade, one ear longer than the other, and a mouth so small it was almost invisible.
Each part is awkward, but when put together, they create a strange sense of joy.
The embroiderer pinched the rabbit, then turned her gaze to the bed and low cabinet inside. She walked over in a few quick steps and deftly opened the low cabinet next to the bed.
The small porcelain bottles in the cabinet were neatly arranged, each with its pattern facing outwards, just as she had arranged them before.
She had only shown one type of medicine to Madam Dai. The embroiderer reached out and took out a lotus bottle, uncorked it, and then found a small ceramic dish to pour out all the medicine.
The bottle wasn't large; it could only hold ten pills. She had already used two of them.
I counted them, and there were exactly eight, not one missing.
The embroiderer poured the small black pill back into the bottle and opened another medicine bottle.
One by one, the embroiderer carefully emptied all the medicine bottles of this type to check. However, the number of pills inside each one was correct; not a single one was missing.
The embroiderer unconsciously turned her head to look at the cloth rabbit again, her eyes filled with even deeper doubt.
Could it be that Madam Dai really only came to give her a gift?
The embroiderer, lost in thought, forgot about something important.
...
On the other side.
Back in her room, Dai Li took a sip of water from her teacup. The cool water slid down her throat, slowly calming the surging anxiety within her.
Luckily, I had prepared an extra plush rabbit, otherwise I would definitely have been exposed.
Just as she finished thinking that, her right eyelid suddenly started twitching violently.
There's a folk saying that "a twitching left eye means good fortune, a twitching right eye means bad luck." Dai Li didn't believe it at first, but now she felt guilty. Her eyelid twitched right after she did something bad, and it was her right eye that twitched.
"I hope we won't be discovered..." Dai Li wasn't sure either.
She thought her eyelid would only twitch for a moment, but it kept twitching all day long, even into the next morning, which made Dai Li irritable and depressed.
Tomorrow is the first day of the lunar new year. She heard from the embroiderer that the auspicious time for tomorrow's ceremony is noon, which is 12 o'clock.
Tomorrow at dawn, many believers will surely leave the city to climb the mountain and enter the temple. I heard that they will set off a day earlier, that is, they will leave the city this afternoon at 1-3 pm.
There are still two hours before we leave the city.
According to her current information, Qinglian followers from the Tianshui County area will all be heading to Ganquan Temple tomorrow, and there will definitely be many carts at the foot of the mountain.
Wherever there are ways to make a living, there are merchants.
She guessed that there would be vehicles carrying passengers on the mountain road or at the foot of the mountain, and since Ganquan Temple was located outside the city, she wouldn't need to go through the city gate again. As long as she successfully got down the mountain and boarded a vehicle, it would only take another quarter of an hour to reach the ferry.
Once on board, sailing eastward with the current, crossing the border of Si and Yan, and disembarking in a county west of Yanzhou, it will be inconvenient for anyone to look for her then.
After going through the plan, Dai Li's right eyelid was still twitching, making her irritable. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore and decided to take advantage of the time before leaving the mansion to stroll around the back garden.
As a result, her right eyelid stopped twitching after she went there, because it seemed that she had stumbled upon the root of the trouble.
In the back garden, strange rocks stand tall and imposing, and jade koi carp spout water, creating a continuous, ethereal melody. The flowers all around are in full bloom, a riot of colors, making for a truly beautiful scene.
A gentle breeze wafted by, carrying the rich fragrance of flowers and a hint of wine. Dai Li initially had no idea where the wine smell came from, until she turned out of the long corridor of strange rocks and saw two figures in the pavilion by the pond.
Amidst the half-drawn curtains, the two people in the waterside pavilion sat facing each other across a table.
One man was dressed in a royal blue robe with gold trim, the style of a wealthy young master that Dai Li was familiar with; while the other man wore a white jade crown with beaded patterns and a dark blue brocade robe. He was about thirty years old, with long eyes, a hooked nose, and piercing gaze.
Xie Yuanxiu was drinking with Diting when he caught a glimpse of a beautiful figure walking out out of the corner of his eye.
All the rare and exotic plants in the garden seemed to dim at this moment, except for that graceful figure that shone brightly. Sunlight danced on her turquoise dress, and as she walked, a layer of shimmering light, like the reflection of shellfish, spread around her feet.
Seemingly noticing his gaze, she looked over.
Thus, the Snow Soul Flower Spirit materialized, and the graceful flower fairy took on a real form. The fair-skinned, thick-haired beauty, without uttering a word, was already captivating.
The jade cup in his hand suddenly fell to the ground.
The wine in the glass was spread out on the table, and a few drops of splashed wine soaked Xie Yuanxiu's sleeve.
But at this moment, he didn't care about wiping himself off or even trying to hide his embarrassment. His eyes were still on Dai Li, but he asked Di Ting, "Who is that beautiful woman?"
Seeing that the person opposite was staring intently without blinking, and that cups and saucers had been placed behind them, Di Ting knew that something bad had happened.
The third young master came to discuss business yesterday and stayed overnight at the mansion. He specifically instructed the embroiderer to tell Madam Dai not to leave the courtyard.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Xie San should leave after finishing this pot of wine, since they have finished discussing everything and have other plans for the afternoon.
But then, an unexpected incident occurred.
“This woman is not suitable for the Third Young Master,” Di Ting simply said.
"Which family's daughter is she?" Xie Yuanxiu pressed.
Di Ting also turned his head and saw that Dai Li seemed to realize something was wrong. She curtsied to them and then turned to leave.
The person left, but some people are still staring blankly at them.
Just as Di Ting was about to speak, he saw Xie Yuanxiu, who was sitting across the table, suddenly get up and follow him.
Di Ting thought to himself that Xie San's strengths and weaknesses were far too obvious. This man was the third son of the governor; if they didn't support him, Xie San would certainly have no chance of becoming the governor of Sizhou.
He was obedient, knew his place, and understood how he had risen to his position. He was also quite religious, making him a semi-believer in their faith.
On the contrary, this man was quite promiscuous when it came to women; he would get any woman he fancied, regardless of whether she was from a respectable family or not.
He had previously considered this a minor concern, reasoning that someone without weaknesses or shortcomings was difficult to control, but who knew that things would turn out this way...
Xie Yuanxiu felt as if a wisp of his soul had been stolen away. His chest was buzzing, and all he could hear was the pounding of his heart. He could no longer hear any other sounds.
The last emperor of the former Liang Dynasty doted on the wicked concubine Jiang Ji, levying exorbitant taxes and engaging in extravagant construction projects for her. He even executed the crown prince Dan, whom he had personally groomed, and was determined to place Jiang Ji's young son on the throne.
Later generations scorned his incompetence, as did Xie Yuanxiu before him. She was nothing more than a mere young woman, as insignificant as a blade of grass or a floating duckweed; how could she be worth destroying his foundation and ruining his dynasty for generations?
Women are just for fun.
But the constant stream of novelty and excitement was so stimulating that it seemed to make even his soul tremble, causing Xie Yuanxiu to completely forget his past "bold words".
He hurried over, walking faster and faster until his clothes even caught the wind.
Dai Li was very familiar with that burning gaze, the kind that seemed to want to devour her whole. Qin Shaozong had looked at her that way when they first met, though he had been more restrained since then, only letting his gaze roam freely on the bed.
Dai Li returned the way she came, but just as she stepped out of the archway in the back garden, a figure rushed past her from behind and blocked her way.
The newcomer was about eight feet tall, seven centimeters taller than Dai Li, and rather thin.
For Dai Li, who had often faced Qin Shaozong before, the sense of oppression brought by this person was negligible.
"What is your name, young lady?" Xie Yuanxiu stared at her intently.
Dai Li turned to look at Di Ting, her face calm, and said, "Brother, is this your guest? I'm not feeling well, please take good care of the guest."
It was completely in the tone of the host.
Both Di Ting and Xie Yuanxiu were taken aback.
Di Ting nodded helplessly: "Okay, sister, if you're not feeling well, go back to your room and rest. If you're not feeling better by the afternoon, I'll have Xing Lin come and examine you."
Dai Li nodded casually, leaving the mess behind, and turned to go back to her room.
Xie Yuanxiu wanted to chase after him, but Di Ting reached out from behind and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“Third Young Master.” Di Ting looked like a scholar, but his attack was surprisingly powerful. “Those who achieve great things know when to stop and are free from greed.”
Xie Yuanxiu understood the warning in his words, and the veins on his forehead bulged: "Mr. T, if I can get your sister, I will cherish her and search for all the treasures in the world to make her happy."
Di Ting withdrew his hand and crossed his arms. "Leaving aside the fact that my elder sister is already married, if I remember correctly, you, Third Young Master, are already married. Your wife's maternal family is a prominent family in Xuzhou, and my elder sister will not be a concubine. This matter is inappropriate, and you should not mention it again, Third Young Master."
Xie Yuanxiu looked grim.
In Dai Li's view, her chance encounter with Xie Yuanxiu was merely a minor incident; he was nothing more than a stranger to her. After she left Tianshui County the next day, she would never see that man, whose name she didn't even know, again in this lifetime.
Time flew by and it was already afternoon. The embroiderer helped Dai Li pack a small bag, and then they drove out of the city with the caravan.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone bricks and onto the dirt road, leaving the noise behind.
Gan Quan Temple is located on the northwest side of Tianshui County. About 15 minutes after leaving the city, Dai Li saw the majestic temple emerging from the green mountains through the car window.
Besides their convoy, there were other vehicles on the official road.
There were only horse-drawn carriages, not a single donkey cart.
After driving a short distance, the mountain road winds its way up, wide enough for two vehicles to drive side by side. After traversing the snake-like mountain road, the road gradually becomes gentler.
The view suddenly opened up, revealing a large open space where many carriages were now neatly parked.
Seeing this, Dai Li asked the embroiderer in the same carriage, "Isn't the celebration tomorrow? Why are they here today?"
The embroiderer said, "The auspicious time is noon. There are only three hours from dawn to noon. Wealthy families are very particular about etiquette and have a lot to prepare. It would be better to go to the temple a day earlier. Anyway, there are a number of rooms available for them to stay in here."
Dai Li didn't ask "Do you want money?" but she knew for sure that she would, and probably quite a lot.
Thinking that Dai Li disliked sharing a courtyard with strangers, the embroiderer said, "Madam, please rest assured, your room is in another place."
Dai Li then suggested, "There shouldn't be any forbidden areas in this temple, right? I'd like to take a walk around there later."
The embroiderer said, "All places where pilgrims are not allowed to enter are guarded."
Dai Li nodded.
Their carriage didn't stop on the open space next to the temple, but instead took a side path and entered through a side gate. Dai Li consciously memorized the route and found that the carriage stopped in the small courtyard at the westernmost end of the temple.
This courtyard is not large, just one courtyard with no back door. Perhaps it is to create the solemn atmosphere of a temple as much as possible. The walls here are very high, about ten feet high, and the top is covered with sloping tiles.
There was a tree in the courtyard. Dai Li estimated the distance and her gaze darkened.
No, even if I climb up, I still won't be able to reach the wall.
There are no exits in any of the three directions; the only way out is through the main gate of the small courtyard.
Oh, and there are windows inside!
Dai Li walked into the small house. "Has this house been uninhabited for a long time? Why does it smell like grass? Did I bring my fish, flower and bird incense burner? Quickly light the incense to cover up the smell."
After speaking, she raised her hand and pushed open the window with the begonia pattern.
As soon as the window was opened, a cool breeze rushed in, refreshing and pleasant.
Dai Li squinted, feeling the wind, and looked out the window. Outside were green mountains and forests, and further away were soft, cotton-like clouds.
She took a deep breath, as if she could smell the scent of freedom. Dai Li turned to the embroiderer and asked, "Embroiderer, how many days will the ceremony last?"
The embroiderer smiled and said, "It's not a few days, it's only been less than two hours. After all, the people still have to make a living."
Dai Li lowered her eyes.
In less than two hours, less than four hours, she had to leave and descend the mountain before the celebration ended.
No, it should be said that she needs to arrive at the ferry and board the boat before the celebration ends...
Author's Note: [Heart emoji]
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