Lanqin and Fourth Master stood quietly outside the main hall. The sounds of Buddhist chanting echoed through the mountains in the early morning, as if Buddha truly witnessed the rebirth of humanity. Lanqin looked at Fourth Master standing beside her and recalled the first time she met him at the place where the longevity lamp was enshrined.
"The first time I met you, I was offering longevity lamps for the First Prince and the others! I still remember what you said then. It's clear you're not a Buddhist, so why are you so devout now?" The Fourth Prince noticed Lanqin's gaze.
"Master~" Lanqin felt an unparalleled peace in her heart at this moment. She almost told the Fourth Master that she was from the future and had traveled from the past.
"What?" Fourth Master asked.
"I've always preferred Western learning. Back then, I didn't really believe in fate or destiny, nor did I really believe in Buddha. That's why I said such nonsense." Lanqin ultimately didn't utter those shocking words. Although the Fourth Prince was more intelligent than most, he was still a person from three hundred years ago, born and raised at the highest levels of feudal society. How could he possibly accept that he was a time traveler? He might be seen as a monster, and she still couldn't bring herself to say it.
“You can’t lie before Buddha. I once talked to your elder brother about you. He said you’ve never read any Western books and have never liked anything Western.” The Fourth Prince voiced his lingering doubts. Having met Niohuru Zheng in the palace, he naturally mentioned Lanqin. The Fourth Prince had also casually brought up some things about Lanqin, at which time Niohuru Zheng was visibly surprised, saying that Lanqin had never liked anything Western. Once, he bought some Western items for his sisters at home, intending to give them something new. But Lanqin didn’t like them at all and wouldn’t even touch them.
Oh no, she's been exposed!! Lanqin felt as if her tongue had been cut off, so shocked that she couldn't utter a single word.
Fourth Master has doubted himself. Has he finally noticed that he is different? What is it that makes him suspicious?
"Didn't you promise me that you would believe in me for life?" Lanqin said anxiously.
"I didn't say I didn't believe you, but can you explain to me why what you said doesn't match what your elder brother said at all?" Fourth Master turned his head and stared into Lanqin's eyes.
The two stood before the main hall, where the Buddhist chants lingered, looking at each other with such suspicion for the first time! Fourth Master felt that Lanqin was hiding something from him, while Lanqin felt that Fourth Master was starting to distrust her.
"Even my elder brother may not know everything about what happened to me. Does Your Highness not trust me over such a trivial matter?" Although Lanqin felt a little guilty, she still refused to back down.
"I told you, it's not that I don't believe you," Fourth Master said, frowning.
When Lanqin returned to her meditation room, her expression was clearly not as cheerful as when she left. Nianxue, Shuiling, and Chunying were puzzled by Lanqin's behavior and watched her expression, not daring to speak.
"Nianxue, pack your things, we'll be heading back to the manor soon." Lanqin sat down in the high-backed chair by the window, remaining silent.
After Lanqin and the others boarded the carriage, Fourth Master remained on horseback, following around it. However, he hadn't uttered a single word since they left. Madam Song and Madam Geng noticed something was amiss and secretly pulled Lanqin aside to ask what was wrong, but Lanqin simply shook her head.
After everyone boarded their respective carriages, Fourth Master led the carriage convoy back towards the city.
"Master, what's wrong? You were perfectly fine this morning," Nianxue finally couldn't help but ask.
"Nianxue, Master actually doubts me. He even went to tell my elder brother about me. Doesn't that mean he doesn't trust me?" Lanqin felt uncomfortable and couldn't help but complain to Nianxue.
"What does Master suspect about you?" Nianxue asked hurriedly.
"He suspected something about my past. He even asked my older brother if I used to like Western learning," Lanqin said, feeling wronged.
Upon hearing this, Nianxue immediately advised, "Master, the master is concerned about you. I've never seen you read foreign books before, but strange things and ideas often pop into your head. Sometimes I even wonder if you're not the same princess you used to be."
Lanqin was shocked, and immediately wondered if she had been too harsh on the Fourth Master. She had clearly made up the story, and he had only exposed her; it didn't mean he didn't trust her.
"You think so too?" Lanqin felt that things seemed a bit serious. What if the Fourth Prince suddenly had the idea to go to Lingzhu and ask her about her past? Wouldn't that expose everything? But she was completely powerless to stop him, nor could she tell Lingzhu or Anjia.
“Yes, Master’s personality has changed as well. Master used to be quite timid, but now Master is more lively and has her own opinions. This servant likes Master more now,” Nianxue said.
Lanqin thought she had concealed it well, but in more and more places, she began to revert to her personality as Lin Mengyao. The real Niohuru Lanqin's soul was dead. She was not her; she was merely borrowing her body. Her core was still Lin Mengyao.
“My lady, I think it’s really not worth it for you to get angry with the master for this reason. It might even give some people an opportunity to take advantage of you,” Shui Ling said.
Lanqin wasn't so angry anymore, but she was the type who would respond better to gentle persuasion than force. She couldn't bring herself to apologize and bow down to the Fourth Master right now!
"You mean Princess Nian's side? I just saw Princess Nian's maid run to Fourth Master's side, I wonder what they said." Nianxue said to Lanqin.
"She's his concubine too, and I can't keep him from going anywhere else forever. I'm sleepy, let me sleep for a while." Lanqin felt that she couldn't bring herself to bow down to the Fourth Master at this moment, so she simply stopped thinking about it.
Seeing Lanqin's temper, Nianxue knew she couldn't be persuaded, so she covered her with a thin blanket and used it as a human cushion, letting Lanqin rest her head on her shoulder.
The two maids, Shui Ling and Chun Ying, dared not say anything more and sat silently in the carriage, afraid of disturbing Lan Qin's sleep.
Meanwhile, as the Fourth Master entered Lady Nian's carriage, her maid personally ran up to him and said that Lady Nian had something to say and asked him to come over.
"My lord, I drew a fortune stick over there, and I'd like to tell you about it," said Madam Nian in a coquettish voice when she saw that the Fourth Prince's expression was rather cold. She also involuntarily moved closer to the Fourth Prince.
"What kind of signature?" Fourth Master asked.
"I saw it, and it says I will have a son this year!" said Madam Nian.
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