"Your Highness, where should this painting be hung?"
The vast palace of the prince seemed quite empty, with not a single decent ornament in sight. For a moment, Changlai was at a loss as to where to hang the painting so as not to appear out of place.
"Don't hang it." Xiao Ziwu rolled up the painting, making sure there wasn't a single crease, before placing it beside his pillow. "Go and prepare some hot water."
“Indeed, if the Second Prince sees this painting again, I’m afraid it won’t be safe. It’s better to put it away.” Chang Laiwu said, “This servant will go and boil water right away.”
What cannot be kept can only be hidden.
But what if it can't be hidden...?
——
"Why did you decide to come to Wanfo Temple to offer incense today, Madam?" asked Wang Mama, the old woman beside Madam Shangguan, as she held Madam Qin's hand.
The mountain path was rugged and uneven, and one could easily slip and fall if one was not careful. Qin walked carefully and also had to answer her in her spare time: "Yun'er will be of marriageable age in two months, and as her mother, I will naturally have to find her a suitable match."
"Let Master Hongyi interpret Yun'er's fortune slip today, and then I'll keep an eye out for a young man who matches her destiny. Wouldn't that be twice as effective?"
Granny Wang curtsied and said, "Madam's thoughts are so thoughtful; this servant could never have imagined such a thing."
Madam Qin sighed softly, "Right now, my biggest worry is Yun'er. Tianlin's business prospects are bright, so he won't have to worry about finding a good girl in the future. Yun'er is studying at the Imperial Academy, so her marriage can't be rushed. I not only want to find her someone of high status and good character, but also someone who knows how to care for her!"
After chatting for a while, both master and servant were a little tired, so they stopped to rest in a pavilion halfway up the mountain.
"Madam, it's too early to worry about these things. The most important thing is that the young lady is happy." Granny Wang chuckled and helped her sit down on the stone bench. "Let's rest here for a while and wait for the young lady. They'll be catching up soon."
Qin gave her a disapproving look: "She's still a child at heart, what could she possibly know? Marriage is a serious matter, not something to be taken lightly."
A cool breeze rustled through the mountains, and the maple leaves and reeds swayed in the autumn wind. This Wanfo Temple truly lived up to its reputation as the national temple of the Great Liang Dynasty, a place where the royal descendants offered eternal lamps. Even its scenery was more charming than elsewhere.
“She’s not young anymore. I think the young lady is quite opinionated now, quite different from her previous… capricious and willful nature.” Wang Mama retorted as she massaged Qin Shi’s sore calves.
To put it mildly, "unrestrained and willful" is an understatement. In the past, it was common for young ladies to beat and scold servants, who complained bitterly but dared not speak out. Calling her arrogant and domineering wouldn't be an exaggeration!
"It's good that you've changed. I suppose you suffered a setback with the Second Prince and have become more sensible, so I don't have to worry about you so much anymore."
Qin Shi had witnessed her daughter's past obsession with the Second Prince, but she had never stopped her, for she had a long-term vision and knew that the relationship was doomed to fail. Although she wanted to marry her daughter into a high-ranking family, she was not so ambitious as to covet the position of the Second Prince's consort.
As for the position of the Second Prince's concubine or maidservant, she had never even considered it. Yun'er absolutely could not become someone's concubine!
As the master and servant were talking, Tianyun caught up.
After lying in the hospital for three years, the sudden increase in physical activity was really taking its toll. Tianyun was slightly out of breath. "Mother and Granny are so fast. We managed to catch up with them despite our best efforts."
This body is too weak; it needs more exercise.
She thought to herself that the boy knew martial arts, and if she could have him teach her some easy moves in the future, she could not only improve her health, but also spend more time by his side to take care of him, which would be a win-win situation!
Lingqi jokingly exposed her: "It's clearly because you're lazy and want to admire the scenery that you're walking so slowly. Madam, look, these are wild fruits that you stopped a farmer's wife on the mountain road and bought on the spur of the moment."
They said they came to climb the mountain and pray for blessings, but it seems more like they came to sightsee and enjoy the scenery!
She pushed out the bamboo basket she was carrying; the wild berries inside were all bright red and looked incredibly delicious and juicy.
"I bought these especially for my mother to try. She must be parched after walking such a long way up the mountain. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a juicy, sweet fruit like this?" With that, she handed one to each of them, and had Lingqi put the rest away.
This fruit has many other uses.
Qin accepted it with delight and laughed, "You're so clever." Granny Wang and the lady exchanged a smile and said, "You're so kind, Miss."
The four of them reached the mountaintop, and it was nearly noon.
Wanfo Temple was a national temple of the Great Liang Dynasty, and ordinary people were not allowed to enter and worship there except for major ceremonies, so it seemed rather deserted.
As they were about to enter the temple, they encountered a woman walking straight towards them.
The woman looked to be in her early twenties, yet she wore her hair in a style typical of unmarried women, which was quite unusual. Normally, a young woman would reach marriageable age at fifteen, and by seventeen or eighteen at the latest, she would be married.
She was adorned with jewels and wore expensive clothes, surrounded by a large retinue of servants, exuding an air of superiority. Although her appearance was not as striking as Tianyun's, she was still considered exceptionally beautiful. However, her face was deathly pale, and she stumbled unsteadily towards Tianyun.
The road wasn't wide, but it wasn't congested either. However, since she had fainted so suddenly, Tianyun would have been seriously injured if he had tried to avoid her. He could only hold her wrist and steady her.
"Be careful, young lady!"
With this support, Tianyun's eyes widened suddenly. How could this be?
The woman struggled to her feet, and the servants behind her quickly helped her up. They hurriedly thanked Tianyun, saying, "Thank you so much, young lady!" The woman also weakly replied, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright."
Tianyun replied absentmindedly. The woman had already been taken away. Qin's worried voice rang in his ears, "What's wrong? Why is she standing there like a fool? Was she hurt?"
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