Chapter 126: Praying at Xiangjue Temple
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The Fourth Prince was smoothly invited to the Duan Mansion. Duan Mengmeng was very happy, and the worry that had been hanging over her for the entire night finally settled down.
Xiao Yuan was talking alone with Old Madam Duan in the flower hall. She came rushing over upon hearing the news and waited in the yard holding a hand warmer.
"You don't have to worry now, young lady. As soon as the Fourth Prince heard that young lady wanted to invite him, he came immediately. He must have had feelings for young lady in his heart." The maid said in a flattering way what Duan Mengmeng wanted to hear.
She glanced at the maid and said in a reprimanding tone, "Don't talk nonsense. It will be bad if he hears it."
But his eyes were fixed on the door of the flower hall, with an expectant look on his face.
As long as the person is here, she will find a good opportunity to ask him when to propose on the way to Xiangjue Temple.
As he was thinking, the door of the flower hall opened from the inside, and the first person to come out was Old Madam Duan. She saw Duan Mengmeng at a glance, then immediately turned around and talked to Xiao Yuan who came out a step behind.
Duan Mengmeng's smiling face froze for a moment. She clearly noticed that her grandmother didn't look very well and was not as enthusiastic towards her as yesterday.
But looking at her respectful look when she spoke to Xiao Yuan, Duan Mengmeng felt that maybe she was overthinking.
She is going to be the prince's consort, and her grandmother will definitely pamper and coax her.
Madam Duan did not call her, but she walked over on her own and bowed to Xiao Yuan gently and gracefully, "Fourth Prince."
She didn't know what the two of them talked about in the flower hall, but she thought it was about her marriage. She raised her head and stole a glance at Xiao Yuan, then seeing his stern face which remained unchanged, she quickly lowered her head in shyness.
Xiao Yuan showed no expression. Madam Duan frowned slightly, with a complicated look on her face.
Duan Mengmeng saw that the old lady did not mention praying for blessings, so she could only take the initiative to speak, "Grandma, it's getting late, and my granddaughter still has to go to Xiangjue Temple to chant sutras and pray for grandfather."
After saying that, he looked at Xiao Yuan again, "The Fourth Prince has a deep bond with Grandfather. Would you like to join me in burning incense for Grandfather?"
Xiao Yuan did not respond, but turned to look at Old Madam Duan who was keeping her head down and silent.
"What do I think, old lady?"
Madam Duan raised her head, a complex struggle flashed across her eyes. She looked at Xiao Yuan's cold face and sighed deeply in her heart, "Then I'll have to trouble the Fourth Prince."
Xiao Yuan raised the corners of his lips slightly, "No trouble, Old Master Duan is my mentor, so it should be so."
Duan Mengmeng's eyes were filled with joy, and she didn't notice Madam Duan's forced smile at all.
"I have asked people to prepare the carriage and all the necessary things." She looked at Xiao Yuan, her tone clearly urging him.
Madam Duan raised her hand and placed it on her arm. "Don't worry, Grandmother has something to tell you. Your grandfather has devoted his life to the country and the people. Now Grandmother has heard that Xuzhou is suffering from a serious flood. While you recite scriptures and pray for your grandfather, you must also pray for the people of Xuzhou. I don't have any outstanding men in the Duan Mansion who can help, so I will do my best."
Hearing this, Duan Mengmeng's eyes turned and glanced at Xiao Yuan, who was standing beside her with a cold expression.
She immediately agreed, "Don't worry, grandma. As a citizen of Daliang, it is my duty to pray for the people."
When she said "as a citizen of Daliang", she actually meant to say "as a royal concubine", but she was too embarrassed to say it in front of Xiao Yuan.
But it is extremely good for her reputation as the fourth imperial consort.
Madam Duan raised her eyelids and looked at her smiling face with a bit of indifference, "Well, it's good that you know."
After saying that, he personally escorted the two of them out of the yard.
"Fourth Prince." She stared at Xiao Yuan, struggling a little.
"Don't worry, Madam Duan. Even for the sake of old man, I will keep my word." Xiao Yuan said in a calm voice.
"Okay, okay." Old Madam Duan nodded, but her expression was very lonely.
She sighed heavily and returned to the yard dejectedly.
What a pity! I was so happy in vain.
Mrs. Duan was already preparing a dowry for Duan Mengmeng. Upon hearing the news, she hurried to the old lady's yard.
"The person has left?"
Madam Duan nodded slightly.
Madam Duan immediately smiled and said, "The Fourth Prince came to the mansion early in the morning to accompany Meng'er. It seems that our worries yesterday were in vain."
Yes, her daughter is both talented and beautiful, and she is the most talented woman in the capital. Which man would not like her?
Madam Duan was already upset, and now she felt even more upset after hearing these words. She glared at Madam Duan unhappily.
"Well, today I heard from the Fourth Prince that Xuzhou was hit by a severe flood. Before I left, I specifically asked Mengmeng to pray for the people of Xuzhou. This is the best I can do."
She looked at Mrs. Duan, "You know what to do, right?"
Madam Duan was stunned for a moment, then she understood immediately, "Don't worry, mother. I will make arrangements right away and make sure everyone knows that our Third Miss Duan is kind-hearted and has a good reputation."
It was my mother who was one step ahead and had earned a good reputation early on by becoming the Fourth Prince's consort.
Old Madam Duan didn't want to see Mrs. Duan's smug face again, so she waved her hand and asked her to leave.
She closed her eyes, sighed, and leaned back in her chair.
Madam Duan obviously lost her ability to see clearly. She took out a big red list from her sleeve and handed it to the old lady, "Mother, this is the dowry I prepared for Meng'er. Please take a look."
Without waiting for Madam Duan to speak, she continued, "Marrying into the prince's mansion is no different from marrying into other places. The dowry will naturally be more generous. I took out a portion of the second girl's original dowry and added it to Meng'er, so that we can have a grand wedding ceremony."
Mrs. Duan was overjoyed, but unexpectedly, the dowry list she handed over was thrown to the ground by Old Madam Duan.
She was stunned for a moment, then looked up at the old lady, "Mother."
Madam Duan looked at the bright red dowry list and tried to suppress the anger in her heart. "It's still a long way to go before the wedding. Why are you preparing so early?"
"..." Madam Duan was stunned, feeling very aggrieved, "But... didn't you ask me to prepare it early?"
Madam Duan choked up and said in a deep voice, "Let them all stop. They are all so anxious because they are afraid that they won't be able to get married."
Madam Duan didn't know what was wrong with the old lady, but she knew she was in a bad mood, so she immediately picked up the dowry list and went to do her business.
In the carriage, Duan Mengmeng looked at Xiao Yuan who was sitting opposite the carriage several times, her little face flushed.
"It was the Fourth Prince who told my grandmother about praying for the people of Xuzhou, right?"
Xiao Yuan was holding the teacup in a daze. Hearing this, he didn't even raise his head and responded calmly.
Duan Mengmeng was extremely happy, "Thank you."
Thank him for thinking so much about her and paving the way for her fame before they even got married.
She was originally extremely dissatisfied with the fact that he was going to marry Shen An'an, but now it was much smoother. As long as he loved and valued her in his heart, a concubine, as his mother said, could be sent away in any way.
At this moment, she did not mention Shen Anan at all, and her watery eyes looked at Xiao Yuan affectionately.
Xiao Yuan frowned almost imperceptibly, touched her tender face, covered his eyes, and looked away.
Along the way, Duan Mengmeng tried hard to find some topics to talk about, but Xiao Yuan basically wouldn't say a word. She felt uncomfortable and pulled at her sleeves awkwardly.
The carriage finally stopped, but before it stabilized, Xiao Yuan got off immediately. His movements were quick and decisive, which startled Duan Mengmeng.
She thought he would help her get off the carriage, but after waiting for a long time, there was no movement. She could only get out of the carriage by herself and get off with the help of the maid.
But he saw Xiao Yuan standing not far away, and it seemed that his subordinates had important matters to report.
He had a cold expression, but when Qing'an was talking, he smiled faintly from time to time, and his expression was very strange.
So she walked over too.
Qing'an stopped talking abruptly, bowed to her and said no more.
Xiao Yuan's expression also visibly returned to its cold expression.
"What were you talking about just now?" She bit her lip and pretended to be curious, thinking that since she was going to be the prince's consort, there was nothing wrong with asking.
But Xiao Yuan turned around calmly and walked up the mountain without saying a word. Qing'an felt a little embarrassed, nodded slightly at her, and hurried to follow.
“…”
Duan Mengmeng was the only one left there, her face mixed with pale and blue.
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