chance encounter
To open a restaurant in the capital, one must thoroughly understand the competition. After leaving Qiongxianlou, Fu Zhiqiao instructed Defu and Cheng Yexuan to investigate the well-known restaurants in the capital.
The day I had arranged with Xie Zhuo to go to Jingxia Mountain to admire the autumn leaves had arrived.
Knowing they were going hiking, Fu Zhi Qiao didn't wear a floor-length dress. Instead, she chose a neat, narrow-sleeved, cross-collar, hibiscus-colored short top, paired with trousers and leather boots. An embroidered belt cinched her waist, highlighting her shapely figure. Her hair was styled in a bun, with a touch of vermilion on her forehead. Her gentle smile was captivating.
Can you ride a horse?
Fu Zhi Qiao nodded. She was no longer the sickly young lady of the Fu family. She grabbed the reins and nimbly mounted her horse, smiling at Xie Zhuo: "How about we have a race to see who gets to Jingxia Mountain first?"
Xie Zhuo raised an eyebrow: "Ah Qiao, are you sure you want to compete with me?"
With a squeeze of its belly, both horses galloped off at the same time.
Fu Zhi Qiao took the initiative to compete, but she didn't know the way to Jingxia Mountain, so she could only run behind Xie Zhuo. Xie Zhuo didn't really want to beat her and kept controlling his speed, so the two of them were always half a body length apart.
About half an hour later, they arrived at Jingxia Mountain. Xie Zhuo led the horse into the nearby woods, and the two walked up the mountain.
Autumn is usually golden, but Jingxia Mountain is not.
Jingxia Mountain is famous for its red maple leaves. While the green leaves on the surrounding mountains have faded and most of the leaves have turned yellow, Jingxia Mountain remains ablaze with red.
Fu Zhiqiao and Xie Zhuo walked side by side on the secluded mountain path. They were on a narrow path, and there weren't many people on it.
A gentle breeze swept by, and the maple leaves rustled and swayed in the wind. With a soft "shush," the leaves fell from the branches, like fiery red butterflies descending from the sky.
Stepping on the soft fallen leaves and feeling the refreshing mountain breeze, I felt instantly refreshed.
When she reached the halfway point of the mountain, Fu Zhiqiao was a little out of breath. She had ridden a horse for half an hour and then climbed the mountain, and her stamina was not keeping up.
Turning his head, he saw that Xie Zhuo's breathing was incredibly steady, as if nothing had happened.
It seems she hasn't exercised in a long time. When she was in Yuzhou, she would set aside some time to exercise every day, but after moving to Qingzhou, she was busy with business and neglected to exercise.
Fortunately, there is a pavilion not far ahead, where you can rest if you get tired.
There are pavilions halfway up Jingxia Mountain and temples at the summit; both are excellent spots for viewing maple leaves.
Standing in the pavilion and looking down from above, the red maple leaves are dazzling, like a sunset fallen to earth, adding a bright touch to this autumn with its falling leaves.
Next to the pavilion is a tea stall. The stall owners are residents from the foot of the mountain, and the water they use to brew the tea is spring water from the mountain. They provide tea to people coming and going on the mountain every day and earn some hard-earned money.
In the teahouse, Xie Zhuo asked Fu Zhi Qiao about her plans to open a restaurant.
"I'll go out and look at shops tomorrow."
“I’ll have Wang Qianxin accompany you tomorrow. With him there, no one will dare to deceive you.”
Xie Zhuo had military affairs to attend to and couldn't spare the time to accompany her every day, so he assigned Wang Qianxin to Fu Zhiqiao. Only when his own people were with her could Xie Zhuo feel at ease.
Having connections in the central government makes things easier – this is an age-old truth.
Fu Zhi Qiao did not refuse. With Wang Qian Xin's help, she could save a lot of time and energy and avoid many detours.
Land prices in the capital are two to three times higher than in Qingzhou. She would need a lot of capital to open a restaurant here. The restaurant business is very complex, but with Xie Zhuo's extensive network of connections, everything she does will be much smoother.
Seeing that Fu Zhi Qiao no longer rejected his suggestion, Xie Zhuo's lips curled up.
After resting for a while, the two continued their ascent to the summit.
Jingxia Mountain is famous not only for its maple leaves, but also for the Yong'an Temple at its summit.
Yong'an Temple is famous because the imperial families of all dynasties had close ties with it, so for centuries, Yong'an Temple has enjoyed a very high status in the hearts of the people of Beijing.
The founding emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty was no exception; after ascending the throne, he made a special trip to Yong'an Temple to listen to Buddhist scriptures.
Since she was already there, Fu Zhiqiao naturally decided to visit the Buddhist temple on the mountaintop.
Because Yong'an Temple frequently hosts royal guests, the road leading up the mountain has been made exceptionally wide, allowing carriages to travel smoothly without hindrance. However, Fu Zhiqiao and Xie Zhuo took the smaller path to admire the autumn leaves, a route where they wouldn't encounter many people and could fully appreciate the beautiful scenery.
After walking up the mountain for a while, the magnificent and solemn Yong'an Temple came into view.
The golden roof of the temple stands out prominently against the mountain forest.
Upon entering the main hall, one is greeted by a magnificent Buddha statue, approximately five meters tall. Standing beneath the statue, Fu Zhiqiao felt a strange sense of pressure.
It is said that Yong'an Temple enshrines a Guanyin statue for those who pray for children, and that it is particularly effective for those who pray for offspring or marriage. Therefore, most of the worshippers who come to pay their respects are women.
Fu Zhi Qiao didn't have that need. Her goal was clear: she only worshipped Buddha in the main hall, obtained the amulets, and came out immediately. She obtained two amulets in total, one for Yu Rou Lan and one for Xie Zhuo.
Xie Zhuo will be going to the battlefield soon, and hopefully this amulet will protect him and ensure his safe return.
As she stepped out of the temple, a light drizzle began to fall, accompanied by a mountain breeze that made her feel a bit chilly. Fu Zhiqiao couldn't help but shiver.
Upon seeing this, Xie Zhuo immediately took off his cloak and draped it over Fu Zhiqiao to prevent her from getting wet in the rain, and told her to wait where she was.
As Xie Zhuo's personal bodyguard, Wang Qianxin was supposed to stay by his side at all times, but since the young master and Miss Fu had agreed to go up the mountain to enjoy the scenery, it wouldn't be appropriate for him, a mere bodyguard, to follow behind them all the time.
Therefore, he did not follow the two up the mountain, but instead led people to check the path leading up the mountain. The carriage for going down the mountain was also prepared in advance by him.
He went to great lengths to ensure that the young master and Miss Fu could have a successful date.
Fu Zhiqiao stood alone under the eaves, gazing absently at the misty rain outside.
Suddenly, a clear, crisp sound rang out.
"Sister Zhi Qiao, what are you doing here?" Zhou Miaosi was both happy and surprised, and quickly walked over to greet her.
Fu Zhiqiao was also surprised to see Zhou Miaosi when she turned her head. She didn't expect to run into an acquaintance in the capital.
"Sister Miaosi, what are you doing here?" Yong'an Temple is the most effective place to pray for marriage and children. Why would Zhou Miaosi be here? Could it be that she is here to pray for marriage?
Fu Zhiqiao learned from the conversation that Zhou Miaosi had come to the capital to celebrate her aunt's birthday. Her aunt was the wife of Qin Zhao, the Vice Minister of Rites, and also Qin Xiuqi's mother.
After Zhou Miaosi came of age, the elders of the Zhou and Qin families arranged a marriage between her and Qin Xiuqi. She came to Yong'an Temple today to accompany Song Huiyu, the eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch of the Vice Minister's Mansion. Song Huiyu had been married for two years but had not yet conceived, so she came to Yong'an Temple to pray for offspring.
Fu Zhi Qiao looked up and saw a group of elegantly dressed women not far away.
It is common to see noble ladies coming to Yong'an Temple to pray for marriage or children; everyone is used to it.
Wang Qianxin led the carriage this way. He saw Fu Zhiqiao talking to someone, so he stopped the carriage. "Young Master, it seems that Miss Fu has run into someone she knows."
"Wait a minute."
After talking with Zhou Miaosi for a while, Fu Zhiqiao noticed a carriage parked not far away. Knowing that Xie Zhuo was waiting for her, she immediately said goodbye to Zhou Miaosi and walked towards the carriage.
Wang Qianxin also drove over in his carriage. The carriage stopped in front of Fu Zhiqiao. It was Wang Qianxin's first time being a coachman. There were no stools prepared for getting on and off the carriage, and he didn't dare to touch Fu Zhiqiao. Xie Zhuo had to get off and help her into the carriage.
Xie Zhuo had also seen Fu Zhi Qiao and Zhou Miao Si talking earlier, and asked, "Do you know them?"
Fu Zhiqiao: "I know one of them. The one who was talking to me just now is the daughter of the governor of Qingzhou. She took care of my business in Qingzhou."
Xie Zhuo nodded and asked no more questions. He reached out his hand to help her into the carriage.
As luck would have it, Yu Yadan happened to witness this scene.
Yu Yadan is the eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites. The Minister of Rites and the Vice Minister of Rites are on the same side. The Yu family and the Qin family are related by marriage, and the girls from both families often play together. She also came with the Qin family's female relatives to offer incense at Yong'an Temple.
Yu Yadan recognized Xie Zhuo at a glance. She subconsciously clenched her fist. At first, she was not sure after seeing his profile, but after seeing his face, she was sure that this man was Xie Zhuo.
Yu Yadan's mother, Guo Sulan, was on good terms with Princess Zuo Murui of Duanqin. When news spread that Zuo Murui intended to find a wife for her son, all the noble ladies were eager to get married, and Guo Sulan was no exception.
Both Guo Sulan and Zuo Murui were keen to arrange a marriage between the Prince's Mansion and the Minister's Mansion, and the only thing left for the two families to do was Xie Zhuo's approval before they could exchange betrothal gifts.
Therefore, how could Yu Yadan not be surprised to see her future husband chatting happily with a young and beautiful woman?
The other women traveling with her noticed she hadn't followed and asked, "Yadan, why aren't you coming?"
"Uh, I'm a little dizzy. I'd like to sit in the front for a bit. You guys go in first, no need to wait for me." Yu Yadan made an excuse to leave and walked to a tree not far from the carriage. On the surface, she was looking at the scenery, but in reality, her ears were perked up to catch Xie Zhuo and Fu Zhi Qiao's conversation.
But the distance was too far, and she could only see Xie Zhuo's mouth moving, but couldn't hear a sound.
Seeing Xie Zhuo reach out to help the woman onto the carriage, Yu Yadan clenched her fists. She forced herself to calm down and tried to get a better look at the woman's face from a different angle, but she got onto the carriage before she could see her clearly.
Yu Yadan angrily twisted the handkerchief in her hand to pieces.
How could Brother Zhuo do this? Aren't their two families discussing marriage? How could he share a carriage with another woman?
Without even going to the temple to offer incense, Yu Yadan rushed home and secretly complained to her mother, "Mom, I think I saw Brother Zhuo at Yong'an Temple today."
"What 'Brother Zhuo'? You should call him 'Young Master'!"
"Mother, there are no outsiders here. Besides, weren't you going to discuss marriage with the Princess Consort?" Yu Yadan's voice trailed off as she became shy.
How could Guo Sulan possibly hide Yu Yadan's girlish thoughts from her? Besides, their Minister of Rites did indeed intend to form a marriage alliance with the Prince Duan's family. Prince Duan only had one son, the Heir Apparent. If Yu Yadan married him, she would be the future Princess Consort of Duan, and their son would be the heir to the Prince Duan's throne. A marriage alliance between the Yu family and the Prince's family would be entirely beneficial.
However, recalling what Yu Yadan had just said, Guo Sulan frowned slightly: "Yadan, you didn't see wrong?"
Yu Yadan nodded, her tone tinged with jealousy: "Brother Zhuo and that woman seemed to know each other very well."
Looking at her beautiful daughter, Guo Sulan sighed softly. Because she and Princess Duan, Zuo Murui, were close friends, the prince and Ya Dan had known each other since childhood. Ya Dan was deeply in love with the prince, but the prince's attitude towards Ya Dan had always been lukewarm.
She did want to arrange a marriage with the Prince's family, but she also wanted her daughter to be happy. Guo Sulan asked, "Yadan, tell your mother, are you truly in love with the Prince?"
Xie Zhuo was of noble birth and had an extraordinary appearance. Thinking about marrying him, Yu Yadan couldn't help but blush and whisper sweetly, "Mother!"
After Yu Yadan left, Guo Sulan's face darkened.
Didn't the Prince's mansion already have their eye on their daughter? Why would they allow the heir to meet other families' girls? It seems I need to find some time to go to the Prince's mansion and sound them out.
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