*
Madam Jiang placed a small, exquisite piece of Eight Treasures Cake into the bowl in front of Nan Qing.
"My dear, your mother is planning to go to the White Pagoda Temple in the suburbs to burn incense and pray for blessings the day after tomorrow."
"You haven't left the house in a long time."
"Do you want to go with Mommy?"
Nanqing knew about the White Pagoda Temple, which was the national temple of the Eastern Lin Kingdom. It was said that the abbot of the White Pagoda Temple was highly accomplished in Buddhism.
The temple is located thirty miles outside the city. Inside the temple is a nine-story white pagoda, which is said to enshrine the relics of the most accomplished Buddhist masters of the White Pagoda Temple throughout history. The temple is named after this pagoda.
Every year, Madam Jiang would visit the White Pagoda Temple twice to pray for her family.
Nanqing had been there many times. She remembered that the scenery of Baita Temple was excellent. There was a beautiful bamboo forest and a sea of flowers on the back mountain of the temple, which was favored by many literati.
"Of course I'll go with Mom!"
"I still need to go and get a good luck charm to send to my second brother."
Nanqing is eighteen years old, and her two older brothers are also over twenty, but neither of them is married yet, as they are both focused on their careers.
My eldest brother, Jiang Nanyu, became the top scholar in the imperial examination at the age of sixteen, and his name is known throughout the capital. He is currently working in the Hanlin Academy. Although the Hanlin Academy generally does not have high ranks, it is a necessary path for cabinet ministers.
The second brother, Jiang Nanhui, has practiced martial arts since childhood and longed to go to the battlefield. So, four years ago, at the age of sixteen, he entered the army and is now a colonel, but he is still on the border and has not yet returned.
Madam Jiang looked at her precious daughter with affection and reached out to touch Nanqing's hair.
"Your second brother will return to Beijing before the Mid-Autumn Festival, and will also be working in Beijing afterward."
"Our Qingqing can now personally place the amulet into your second brother's hands."
Her second son went to the border four years ago and has never returned. How could a mother not worry?
Nanqing noticed Madam Jiang's worry, leaned her head against her mother's shoulder, and said softly:
"Mother, Second Brother will be back soon."
"From now on, our family will always be together."
Whether it's the things around us or the bonds of family.
All of this made Nan Qing feel incredibly novel, and it was the first time she had experienced such strange emotions that welled up from the bottom of her heart.
Looking at her daughter leaning against her and comforting her, Madam Jiang's heart softened, and she said gently:
"Okay, Mother, don't worry."
"Remember to have Mei Dan take good care of things. Although the weather is getting warmer, it's still a bit chilly in the mountains, so make sure to bring a cloak and other necessary items."
"Okay, Mommy, I know!"
——
The next day.
Just after 7 a.m., three carriages drove out of the Prime Minister's residence.
Although the carriage in the middle looks ordinary and unassuming, a discerning person can immediately tell that both the carvings on the carriage and the materials used are extremely exquisite.
The carriage was accompanied by eight guards in tight-fitting clothes.
Nanqing is wearing a white cross-collar long dress today, and the red gradient at the hem adds a lot of playfulness to the whole dress.
The red embroidered beads extending from both sides of her shoulders made Nan Qing's fair and delicate face even more beautiful.
Nan Qing lazily lay on the small table next to her and closed her eyes to catch up on sleep.
Last night, Xiao Ba took out the TV series it had collected in other small worlds, and the two of them, a human and a fox, began their all-nighter.
Nanqing was extremely curious about these things that she had never encountered before.
So the intricately linked plot kept her watching episode after episode.
So I almost couldn't get up this morning.
Sure enough, even after getting into the carriage, he couldn't hold on any longer.
Madam Jiang shook her head helplessly as she looked at the drowsy Nan Qing, and could only gently drape the cloak beside her over Nan Qing.
One hour later.
"Madam, Miss, we've arrived at White Pagoda Temple."
Lan You took out a veil and put it on Nan Qing, then helped her straighten her clothes before helping her down from the carriage.
Nanqing accompanied her mother step by step up the steps of the White Pagoda Temple. It took them nearly half an hour to reach the temple gate.
"Qingqing, would you like to stay with your mother or wander around by yourself?"
Nan Qing thought for a moment. She planned to first get a peace charm for her second brother, and then wander around. So she said:
"Mother, I'm with Lan Youjuying. I'll come find you before noon."
"Alright, then take two more guards with you."
Madam Jiang knew that Nanqing wanted to go out and have fun, so she didn't say anything, but simply arranged for two guards to accompany her.
The main hall of the temple.
Nan Qing looked up at the giant Buddha in front of him, wondering to himself which deity or Buddha from the celestial realm this was.
There weren't many people at Baima Temple today. The tranquil temple was filled with the faint scent of incense, which brought a sense of peace to the heart.
Nanqing stood before the Buddha statue, clasped her hands together, and silently offered blessings to her family in this world.
As an ancient god born of heaven and earth, Nanqing's kneeling would likely cause a karmic consequence that no god or Buddha in the world could bear.
So Nanqing just stood there silently praying for blessings, and after getting a peace charm, she walked towards the back mountain of the temple with Lanyou and Juying.
At this time of year, the roses in the flower garden behind the White Pagoda Temple are at their most beautiful.
"Ha ha ha ha"
"Chrysanthemum Shadow, fly higher! I want the fruit at the top!"
The flowerbed is surrounded by many fruit trees, and it is currently the season for apricots to ripen.
The flowers and plants in the Nebula Realm are all rare and divine, and Nanqing has never tasted such an ordinary fruit from the mortal world before.
Nanqing stood under the tree, holding a little white fox, excitedly pointing in the direction of Xingzi to Juying.
The little white fox that Nanqing is holding is the incarnation of Xiao Ba.
As soon as they arrived at the back mountain, Nanqing had Xiaobai find an opportunity to show herself.
Nan Qing also took Xiao Bai with her.
The three of them, master and servant, picked fruit together under several fruit trees.
Little did they know that in a pavilion not far away, a figure had been watching them for a long time.
To be precise, I've been watching Nan Qing for a long time...
——
late at night
The Imperial Study in the Imperial Palace.
"My Lord"
A ghostly figure knelt in the empty imperial study.
The king, who was painting behind his desk, didn't even look up, his attention still entirely focused on the painting. He simply spoke:
"Hmm, you've figured it out?"
Shadow placed the collected information behind the desk and then disappeared into the shadows once more.
At this moment, the vast space was completely silent, with only the faint sound of a brush touching paper remaining.
Half an hour later.
A pair of slender, fair hands picked up the finished painting.
The painting depicts a young girl frolicking among flowers, her beautiful face adorned with a carefree smile that brings joy to the viewer.
The person in the painting was none other than Nan Qing.
That was a picture of her playing around on the back mountain of Baima Temple during the day.
Qin Mobei stared intently at the girl in the painting, his gaze completely captivated by her.
His dark eyes didn't blink once, as if he was afraid that the treasure would slip away from his hands in the blink of an eye.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
He held the painting and looked at it for a long time, until his eyes started to ache, before finally carefully putting it down.
Then he picked up the information about the girl that the shadow had given him.
Jiang Nanqing
"Nanqing, Nanqing"
"Qingqing..."
Qin Mobei couldn't help but repeatedly rub the three characters "Jiang Nanqing" with his fingertips, and his dark pupils gleamed with an unfathomable light.
"So it's from the Prime Minister's family."
"No wonder the Prime Minister is the only one in the entire court whom I find most pleasing to the eye."
Qin Mobei himself couldn't understand why he couldn't take his eyes off Qingqing the moment he saw her.
All he knew was that a voice inside him was telling him something.
I want her.
I must have her.
He pulled her into his arms.
Let her belong to you.
Under heaven, all land belongs to the king.
Since I've set my sights on it, it's mine!
She can only belong to him.
...
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