Chapter 40: I wish you peace
Shen Anan walked forward step by step, her steps a little shaky, her almond-shaped eyes lowered, hiding a lot of thoughts.
Master Wen Yin's words lingered in her ears like a spell, making her feel cold all over.
Madam Shen spoke to her for several times, but she didn't hear anything. Her mind seemed to be stirred up by the water, sticking together into a ball, and it was swollen and painful.
"An An."
Beside the water pavilion, Madam Shen frowned and pulled Shen Anan's arm, making her face herself.
"What's wrong with you? You look like you've lost your soul. Did the master say something to you?"
Shen Anan blinked, suppressed the anxiety, and forced a smile, speaking with a bit of nonchalance.
"I didn't say anything. It's just a few words to ask for a marriage."
Mrs. Shen got to the bottom of it, “What did you say?”
"You are not in the capital, so you don't know how powerful Master Wen Yin is. Almost all the divinations he has made are accurate."
Shen Anan looked at Madam Shen's eager gaze on her and smiled, "Is it that exaggerated?"
"Of course. Tell me quickly, what did he say about your marriage?"
Shen An paused for a moment, and said half-truthfully, “He said that marriage is the product of cause and effect, and my marriage has not arrived yet, so let me wait a little longer.”
“Oh.” Madam Shen seemed a little disappointed, and then she remembered something and asked again, “Then have you asked the master when your marriage will come?”
Shen Anan shook his head.
Her legs were weak, how could she possibly ask him these questions.
Madam Shen thought for a moment and said to herself, "Master, what you mean is that there is a destined lover in your life, but he has not appeared yet."
If it hasn’t appeared yet, then it’s not the royal family. Mrs. Shen thought about it for a moment and was completely relieved.
"Let's go. The princess has invited us to have a vegetarian meal together. Don't keep her waiting for too long."
"Okay." Shen Anan lowered her eyelids and followed Madam Shen to the main hall.
Everything depends on human effort.
She kept repeating these four words in her mind to calm her turbulent heart.
Hasn't she changed the status quo?
She no longer obsessed with Xiao Yuan, refused the emperor's marriage proposal, and did not turn into a hideous, vicious and cruel monster. How could this not be considered a change of direction?
Maybe she was too suspicious and didn't necessarily understand what the monk meant. After all, Buddhists speak in a profound way and they always use the same words over and over again. She had said this to countless people.
She was unwilling to give in and wanted to relieve it.
Every step a person takes counts, and the process is the key to determining the outcome.
"By the way, what did he say about my brother's marriage?" Shen Anan was hoping that Wen Yinxu would use the same wording to everyone.
When this was mentioned, Mrs. Shen's thoughtful expression drooped and she frowned slightly, "The master said that there might be a change in your eldest brother's marriage. The outcome depends on fate. If it is a coincidence, Miss Lin will be a good match."
Shen Anan's heart skipped a beat.
Madam Shen asked worriedly, "An'an, mother is puzzled. Could it be that your eldest brother and Miss Lin are not compatible?"
Shen Anan barely suppressed her fear, "Mom has asked the master to look at the birth dates of big brother and Miss Lin?"
"No."
"That's it." Shen Anan smiled and comforted, "Marriage is the most unpredictable thing. The master will not say it for sure. Didn't he also say that Brother and Miss Lin are a good match? Don't think too much about it."
Mrs. Shen felt much better after being persuaded by Shen An'an. "You are right. The master said they are a perfect match. I think it's okay."
Shen Anan responded and said nothing more.
All that was in my mind was the hexagram for Tong Duan Yingying, which said, "It was a coincidence."
The two people's hexagrams are exactly the same and both are full of profound meaning.
It can be seen that Master Wen Yin is not without any ability. Could it be that there is a conflict between Big Brother and Duan Yingying?
What it means is that if we miss each other, my elder brother and Miss Lin can still be together. If...
While he was thinking, he had already arrived at the main hall. The eldest princess had just come out of the side hall after burning incense.
Madam Shen came over with Shen Anan and bowed to her.
“Get up quickly. There’s no need for so many etiquette when you’re out.” The eldest princess looked at Shen Anan kindly.
"Hua Sheng is in the main hall. If you can sit still, you can go in and keep her company for a while."
Shen Anan didn't want to continue pretending to be good in front of them, so she immediately bowed and agreed, and walked away while Madam Shen was chatting with the eldest princess.
After walking a few steps, she paused again and turned to look at the side hall where the eldest princess had just come out.
A monk was closing the door and locking it directly.
Shen Anan withdrew his gaze indifferently, and then frowned slightly.
At this time, pilgrims had already gone up the mountain one after another. The day had just begun, but the monk had locked the door.
Aren't there Buddha statues in the temple that need to be burned with incense and offered sacrifices? Could it be that the side hall is only for royal worship?
With doubts, Shen Anan walked into the hall.
The golden Buddha statue in the hall sits upright with a compassionate and solemn expression. Its tall body sits on a large rock, looking majestic.
Hua Sheng knelt on the mat, his weak and thin body crawling on the ground, kowtowed and prayed sincerely.
Shen Anan only heard four words, "I wish you well!"
She walked over and half-knelt behind Hua Sheng, watching Hua Sheng pray and kowtow again and again.
She prayed for peace and prosperity in Daliang, no more wars, and for peace on the border and the safety of the soldiers.
Shen Anan sighed softly.
She knew that the reason why the man she was thinking about couldn't come back was not because of the war, but because of the general trend and the positions and parties.
Hua Sheng bowed a few more times before slowly standing up, and when he turned around and saw Shen Anan, he smiled gently, "I knew it was you."
Shen Anan pulled the corner of his lips, glanced at her trembling legs, stepped forward to support her, and found a place to sit down.
"I've been kneeling for too long and my legs are numb." Hua Sheng smiled, but he couldn't help but feel a little lonely.
She worships every year, and she always says that if one is sincere, the Buddha will grant her blessing. But why doesn’t the Buddha bless her?
"An An."
Shen Anan raised her eyes and looked at Hua Sheng's red face, hiding a little embarrassment.
"Could you please not tell my mother what you heard?"
Shen Anan pursed her lips, and nodded slowly under Hua Sheng's earnest gaze.
Hua Sheng laughed. She did not mention the topic of the prayer just now. Shen Anan also remained silent and did not ask any more questions.
After Hua Sheng's leg felt better, the two of them walked out together, and just in time they met Duan Yingying walking towards the main hall with her purse clutched.
Shen Anan thought she was gone.
Duan Yingying saw the two of them and bowed.
Hua Sheng greeted her and asked, "Miss Duan Er is here to burn incense today as well?"
Duan Yingying lowered her eyes to look at her slightly deflated purse, and nodded somewhat embarrassedly, "Donate some money and pray for peace."
Hua Sheng nodded, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then took Shen Anan away.
Shen Anan tilted her head to glance at Duan Yingying, who smiled at her in a friendly manner, and she smiled back.
The two left the hall and went to the pavilion in the backyard to sit for a while. They waited until noon to have lunch with the princess and Madam Shen.
When the two arrived, Ling Chenyi was already in the yard.
He stood in front of a large patch of unknown flowers and plants, looking down at those flowers and plants that were still strong and green in late autumn, not knowing what he was thinking.
"Brother." Hua Sheng called him.
Ling Chenyi turned around and smiled at Hua Sheng, then his eyes fell on Shen Anan, and seemed to pause for a moment.
"Miss Shen." He greeted her calmly.
"Prince Ling." Shen Anan bowed perfunctorily.
"What are you looking at?" Hua Sheng pulled Shen An'an over, lowered his eyes to look at the lush green flowers and plants, and asked, "Brother, do you know them?"
Ling Chenyi shook his head, "I don't know her, I just thought she was pretty and admired her."
Hua Sheng responded and changed the subject, "I wanted to ask you this when I came here just now."
"My fourth cousin always came on this day in previous years. Why didn't he come this year?"
Ling Chenyi glanced at Shen Anan without leaving a trace, and seeing her expressionless face, his lips seemed to be slightly raised, "I am busy with official duties and have no time."
Hua Sheng frowned, "No matter how busy you are, you won't miss one more day. How can you not have time for something like this?"
Ling Chenyi said nothing.
Shen Anan naturally wouldn't get involved, just pretending to be deaf and dumb, not saying anything, not asking anything, and not making a sound.
The atmosphere was somewhat silent, and Hua Sheng did not continue to ask questions. He said a few other words to Ling Chenyi and took Shen Anan into the house.
Madam Shen and the eldest princess were talking about something, but when they saw the two people come in, they slowly stopped talking.
Soon, a young monk brought vegetarian food to the courtyard.
"Miss." Mo Xiang held her stomach and felt a little uncomfortable. "I feel a little uncomfortable. Can I ask for leave and go back to rest for a while?"
"Go quickly. If the pain is really severe, tell someone to find a doctor in the temple to take a look." Shen Anan said with concern.
"Yes, thank you, young lady." Mo Xiang bowed and walked out.
No one took this episode to heart, and the eldest princess asked someone to call Ling Chenyi into the house for dinner.
No matter how much Madam Ren Chen and the eldest princess got along, the meal was completely silent, without even the sound of bowls and chopsticks clacking.
It is autumn now and the princess has the habit of taking a nap.
After finishing the meal, Mrs. Shen took Shen Anan to the wing room to rest.
"Young lady." Mo Xiang walked quickly forward from the room, closed the door quietly, and spoke in a low voice.
"Master Zhang is waiting for you in a deserted courtyard in the southeast of the back mountain."
Shen Anan pursed her lips, and after a moment of silence, a look of determination appeared on her beautiful face as she explained Mo Xiang.
"You stay at the house, I'll be back soon. If mother asks, just tell her that I went to look for the second young lady of the Duan family."
"Yes," Mo Xiang nodded heavily, opened a corner of the door and looked out.
The wing where they were staying was the one closest to the courtyard gate. If they moved quickly enough, they could avoid the eyes and ears of the guards and servants.
"Girl, go now while no one is paying attention."
Under the cover of Mo Xiang, Shen Anan walked out quickly.
Ling Chenyi just came out of the eldest princess's room. He seemed to catch a glimpse of a figure flashing by in the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look at the gate of the courtyard, but there was only a maid.
The maid seemed to be Shen Anan’s, and her name was Mo Xiang.
"Mo Xiang." He said in a calm voice.
Mo Xiang shuddered all over and was almost frightened to the point of collapsing on the ground.
She swallowed, turned back, and tried to suppress her heart that was about to jump out of her chest, "Prince Ling."
The two were quite far away from each other, so Ling Chenyi did not notice the paleness of Mo Xiang's face.
"What are you doing there? Who went out just now?"
Ling Chenyi was not very sure. After all, the shadow was too fast and it seemed like an illusion caused by his dizziness.
Mo Xiang had calmed down and looked towards the gate, pretending to be puzzled, "Who is it? No one, I have been here the whole time and didn't see anyone go out."
Ling Chenyi frowned, fixed his eyes on Mo Xiang for a moment, and nodded, "Then what are you doing here?"
"Oh. I have a stomachache. I am afraid of disturbing the young lady's rest if I stay in the room, so I will sit outside for a while."
Ling Chenyi didn't know whether he believed it or not, but he didn't ask any more questions. He glanced at the room where Shen Anan was, then turned around and went back into the house.
Mo Xiang was afraid that he would suddenly turn around and attack her, so she maintained her posture and expression and only dared to exhale secretly.
Shen Anan left the courtyard and headed towards the back mountain, avoiding the monks in the temple.
"Miss Shen." Halfway through the journey, someone suddenly called her.
Shen Anan tilted her head and saw Zhang Yeyang walking out from a corner of the bluestone path, looking at her with joy.
Miss Shen's willingness to come means that she also has feelings for him.
Shen Anan stopped moving, and Zhang Yeyang also stood there without moving.
This place is remote and not many people pass by. Even if the monk saw them, he would not be able to notice anything happening between them given the distance between them.
"Young Master is looking for me?"
Zhang Yeyang blushed and nodded, "I..."
He said a few words to me, but didn't say anything further, which made Shen Anan a little anxious.
She has to hurry back.
“Miss Shen, this is something my mother left behind. It’s not worth much. If Miss Shen likes it, please accept it.”
“…”
Shen Anan looked at the things the man was handing over with both hands, and her face was blank for a moment.
After holding it in for a long time, he only said this: This guy is really a fool.
But it wins because it is straightforward and sincere.
Shen Anan raised her lips, "Master Zhang is standing so far away when giving someone something, do you want me to go over and get it?"
Zhang Yeyang's face suddenly turned red and he lowered his head in embarrassment. After a while, he suddenly raised his eyes with joy.
Almost unbelievable.
Miss Shen agreed?
Shen Anan looked at him quietly. Zhang Yeyang staggered a little in panic. He walked over quickly and placed the rough bracelet in Shen Anan's palm.
“Don’t worry, Miss Shen, I will definitely work hard to make you live a good life.”
Shen Anan smiled.
Her life was not bad now, and all she wanted was to leave the capital and return to Jiangnan.
Who says she can't change?
Buddhists always say that it takes thousands of glances in previous lives to get a chance to pass by each other in this life. She and Zhang Yeyang have been cultivating for a thousand years to meet each other in this life.
How could Xiao Yuan be the only man destined to be with her?
——
At 1 p.m., the Yongning Marquisate prepared to go down the mountain.
The eldest princess sent someone to call Madam Shen to come along.
"My princess said that the bandit problem has been serious recently. With my prince here, he can also protect Madam Shen and Miss Shen and take care of them along the way."
Mrs. Shen naturally had no reason to refuse. Thinking of her son who was so busy that he had no time to look at, she felt a little sad.
"I wonder if your eldest brother will come to pick us up after he returns from his mission."
Shen Anan smiled, told Mo Xiang to pack up, and followed Yongning Marquis Mansion down the mountain.
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