She had just put the letter into the envelope and sealed it when suddenly a melody came from somewhere.
The sound was like it was being blown from a leaf, and it was somewhat shrill. Although it was pleasant to hear, it felt a bit out of place in the middle of the night.
Thinking of what Si Luo had said that morning, she frowned.
There really was music playing.
As the melody played over and over again, she couldn't help but put on her coat, push open the door, and go outside.
The moonlight is very bright tonight, and the courtyard seems to be covered with a layer of white frost, making it very bright.
Si Yi, dressed in black, stood under the eaves. Hearing the door open, he turned around to look.
Wen Nongnong asked, "Siyi, where is this music coming from?"
"It should be in the direction of the back mountain," Si Yi said.
Wen Nong Nong frowned. "Who's up in the middle of the night, running up to the back hill to play music?"
Si Yi said, "During the day, I went to the back mountain to check, but I didn't find any trace of the person who played the music."
"Someone's probably playing tricks," Wen Nongnong guessed, then, remembering what Si Luo had said during the day, she looked at Si Yi, "You didn't sleep a wink last night?"
Si Yi said calmly, "It's nothing."
Wen Nong Nong frowned. "You don't need to keep watch for me. Go to sleep. Even someone made of iron would be exhausted if you didn't sleep for two nights in a row."
"It's nothing." Si Yi turned around.
Wen Nongnong was somewhat discouraged, "Why are you so disobedient, you little brat?"
Si Yi turned to stare at her and sneered, "You're two years younger than me, how dare you say that to me?"
Wen Nongnong opened her lips, wanting to refute, but her age made it impossible for her to refute.
After a long while, she said, "I am your master's wife, so I am of the same generation as him. My seniority is at least higher than yours. Listen to me, go to sleep."
Si Yi: "..."
To avoid her nagging any further, he simply walked a little further away.
Wen Nongnong: "..."
The boy's strong sense of disdain was really unpleasant.
"If it weren't for your master's sake, I wouldn't bother with you. Eunuch Wang is much more lovable than you."
Si Yi: "..."
He said coldly, "That must disappoint you. This time, the master didn't send Wang Houde."
Wen Nongnong put her hands on her hips. This kid was really not cute at all. Oh well, if he wanted to stay on night duty, so be it. She didn't want to bother with him anymore.
But before going inside, she couldn't help but say, "You're still growing. If you keep staying up late, you might not develop properly and won't be able to find a wife."
Si Yi's temple throbbed, and he looked at her with a gloomy expression.
She slammed the door shut.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, somewhat puzzled as to how his master could tolerate her.
The music continued until dawn, just like the night before.
Wen Nongnong was not bothered by the music. She slept very well. When she opened the door, she found that Si Yi was gone. She thought that he had listened to her and gone back to his room to sleep. Just as she was feeling a little relieved, she saw the young man walk in from outside the courtyard with a grim expression.
"Si Yi, where have you been so early in the morning?" she asked hurriedly.
Si glanced at her and said indifferently, "The back mountain."
Wen Nongnong was taken aback, but then she understood and asked, "So, are there any clues?"
Si shook his head. "I didn't find anything."
Wen Nong Nong frowned. "That person is too cunning. But what exactly is his intention? Playing music on the back mountain for two consecutive nights, there can't be anyone that bored, right?"
Si Yi remained silent, her lips pursed, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing that he looked a little unwell, Wen Nongnong comforted him, "Don't think too much about it. Anyway, there are so many people staying at Huangming Temple, and the Imperial Guards are guarding it, so nothing should go wrong."
"That would be for the best," Si Yi said calmly.
"Alright, there's nothing else to do today. You don't need to come with me. Go and rest. I'm going to find Consort Atuo to offer incense and draw lots together in a little while."
Si nodded. "Okay."
Seeing that he agreed so readily this time, Wen Nongnong was a little surprised and couldn't help but take another look at him.
Si Yi ignored her and turned to leave the courtyard.
"Hey, didn't you say you were going to rest? Why are you running outside?" Wen Nongnong called out from behind.
Si Yi ignored her and gradually walked away.
Wen Nong Nong shrugged helplessly. After finishing her vegetarian meal, she went to find Atuo Jianghua. The two of them walked hand in hand toward the main hall of the temple, the Mahavira Hall.
When the two arrived, there were already many noblewomen and concubines inside offering incense.
Kneeling before the Bodhisattva, they clasped their hands together, their faces devout, and murmured prayers.
Wen Nongnong took A Tuo and Jiang Hua to collect the incense, then knelt on the prayer mat, bowed three times to the Bodhisattva, and immediately a young monk came over and put the incense in the incense burner for the two of them.
Wen Nongnong knelt on the prayer mat, her hands clasped together.
Whether it's useful or not, since she's here, she prays to the Bodhisattva to bless her parents and brothers and sisters-in-law with health and safety, and that Gu Linchao will live a long and healthy life. She also prays that she and Gu Linchao will be a loving couple, and that Gu Linchao will pamper her for the rest of his life...
After she finished making these wishes, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have asked for a bit too much.
I wonder if the Bodhisattva remembered what she said?
Just then, a loud "whoosh" sound came from the side.
She turned her head and saw Atuo Jianghua holding a divination tube, drawing lots.
She shook the divination stick container, and one stick suddenly slipped out and fell to the ground.
Atuo Jianghua picked it up, looked at the words written on it, but didn't understand what they meant.
"Nongnong, what does this mean?" She handed the slip of paper to Wen Nongnong.
Wen Nongnong took the slip and saw a line of words written on it: "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl." She read it aloud softly.
Atuo Jianghua pressed, "What exactly does that mean?"
Wen Nongnong said, "This is a marriage fortune slip, but I don't quite understand what it means. Let's go find a master to interpret it."
“Okay.” Atuo Jianghua nodded with interest. She had never done this before in Xinjiang, and she found it quite novel.
In the room next to the main hall, there sat a monk who specialized in interpreting fortune sticks.
Guided by the young monk, the two took the fortune sticks and went to find the place.
"Master, what does this fortune slip mean? Please help us interpret it," Wen Nongnong said, handing over the fortune slip in her hand.
The one interpreting the fortune slip was an elderly monk. His eyes, which had seen the vicissitudes of life, understood the meaning after just one glance at the slip. He looked at the two of them and asked, "Who drew this fortune slip?"
“It was I who asked for it,” Atuo Jianghua said immediately.
The master looked her over, said "Amitabha," and then said, "This is the worst of the marriage fortune slips. According to the meaning of the slip, the young lady's love life may be full of hardships."
A-Tuo Jiang Hua's eyes widened. "A bumpy road in love?"
"That's right. The Weaver Girl is trapped in the sky and can only meet the Cowherd once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The same is true for the girl. It will be very difficult for her to meet her beloved."
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