Chapter 19  

Not only did Xu Lianqiao not expect to see people from the Wei family at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha today, but even Mrs. Wei, who was getting off the carriage at the Wei Mansion, was shocked to spot the carriage of the Jiang Mansion. She automatically looked over and saw… her daughter in the crowd.

The way her daughter stood next to Prince Xuanwu, with her head lowered and her eyebrows down, reminded Mrs. Wei of how her daughter used to hide behind Mrs. Xu when she was a child.

“Mrs. Jiang.”

“Mrs. Wei.”

The two women greeted each other politely.

It’s well-known that Mrs. Marquis Ji of Yongchang was once married to Xu Chunli and gave birth to a daughter. However, for the sake of reputation, no one would bring up these old matters.

Even Mrs. Jiang knew that Xu Lianqiao was the daughter of Mrs. Wei, but when they met, she still acted like she didn’t know about it and remained friendly because of their families’ reputations. She addressed Mrs. Wei respectfully.

“Wei Jue has met Mrs. Jiang.” Wei Jue stepped forward first and greeted Mrs. Jiang.

Then the younger people greeted each other in turn.

The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

“Sister Jue is becoming more and more beautiful.”

Mrs. Jiang smiled at Wei Jue and nodded.

“No, Mrs. Jiang is too kind. I think Sister Xi is growing even more graceful and taller…”

Mrs. Jiang took Jiang Xi’s hand and added, sounding worried:

“Sister Xi is so tall. It’s nice to be smart, but if she could be as capable as Sister Jue and marry into a good family, I’d feel at ease as a mother.”

Jiang Xi felt awkward, as her marriage had been mentioned so suddenly. She muttered “Mom” softly.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Mrs. Jiang patted Jiang Xi’s arm and continued:

“You must learn from your sister, your mother. I don’t ask for much. But when will you memorize these virtues?”

Though mothers tend to protect their children, Mrs. Jiang had to admit her own shortcomings. After all, not everyone could be made the Princess of Chu by the Holy Emperor.

It seemed that if her father-in-law hadn’t insisted, Wei Jue might have ended up being her daughter-in-law.

It was indeed… a strange fate.

“Is Sister Xi engaged?”

The two families were walking up the mountain together when Mrs. Wei casually asked about Jiang Xi’s marriage.

“Not yet. Her father and I have just one daughter, and we want her to stay young for a few more years.”

“It’s better to make a decision earlier.”

Mrs. Wei leaned in and whispered something in Mrs. Jiang’s ear.

The more Mrs. Jiang listened, the more her frown deepened.

“Seriously?”

Mrs. Wei smiled, let go of Mrs. Jiang, and nodded.

“You think I’m joking? If you’re willing, this will be a good match.”

Mrs. Jiang hesitated. How could she possibly allow her daughter to endure the harsh, desolate northwest?

“Thank you, Mrs. Wei.”

Mrs. Wei just smiled and nodded in response.

She was thinking that by doing Mrs. Jiang a favor, she could expect kindness in return for… Lianqiao.

_

Amid the mountain temples, green trees and grass dotted with brightly colored flowers could be seen.

Occasionally, the breeze brought the fragrance of flowers.

Birds slowly flew among the treetops, their faint calls echoing.

Xu Lianqiao quietly followed Jiang Huai, walking behind the group.

After a few glances at Mrs. Wei earlier, she hadn’t paid attention to the others walking in front.

Ning Yuan felt some pain in his heart as he watched Xu Lianqiao, but he knew that exposing the false kindness of the people ahead would only make her uncomfortable.

“I heard…”

Ning Yuan cautiously started a conversation: “I heard that the osmanthus flowers behind the Buddhist temple are blooming nicely.”

Osmanthus…

At the mention of it, Xu Lianqiao smelled the faint fragrance in the wind, glanced at Jiang Huai, and said nothing.

He was too awkward to speak further.

“I’m fine. Your Majesty, you don’t need to comfort me.”

She had grown accustomed to this.

She wasn’t like a child crying for attention anymore.

When she was younger, her grandmother had taken her to live in the Temple of the Reclining Buddha for over a year, but she never regained her father’s affection to become a monk.

She should have realized by now that some things can’t be changed by human effort.

Seeing Jiang Huai still staring at her, Xu Lianqiao added:

“Didn’t the prince say that they are not worthy?”

A faint smile touched her lips, her eyes half-closed. Just looking at her like that made Ning Yuan’s heart ache.

“Do you remember?”

He had thought she wouldn’t take that moment to heart.

Xu Lianqiao nodded slightly: “Yes.”

“Actually… this Buddhist temple is not entirely a bad memory for me.”

Ning Yuan agreed. After all, they had both gotten to know this place.

Although… he wasn’t sure if the good things she referred to were because of him.

“Speaking of which…”

Xu Lianqiao remembered that she hadn’t personally thanked Jiang Huai for saving her.

Though their relationship later soured, he did save her once.

“What?” Ning Yuan’s tone rose, his eyes full of expectation.

“Speaking of which, the Crown Prince saved me behind the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. I should express my gratitude to him.”

Ning Yuan’s excitement vanished as his heart sank. He had thought she would mention him.

Instead, she was happy about Jiang Huai’s help.

Unease spread within him like a growing weed.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty.”

Xu Lianqiao tugged at his sleeve when she saw him lost in thought.

Ning Yuan hid the loneliness in his eyes, managed a smile, and muttered:

“It’s nothing, just a small matter.”

He had been with her long enough to know she was truly happy at the time.

A trivial matter…

Xu Lianqiao didn’t think it was small. After all, he had saved her from a flash flood.

But hearing his nonchalant response made her think he might not have cared much.

She couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

_

The two of them walked slowly up the mountain’s stone steps.

Jiang Huai continued to care for her, offering support when the trail became difficult.

When she nearly fell, he caught her in time.

However, Xu Lianqiao began to notice that he would deliberately avoid looking at her.

Before she could inquire further, they arrived at the temple.

Everyone went inside, burned incense, and worshiped Buddha.

By noon, Xu Lianqiao learned that they would stay in the temple for the night.

But no one had informed her to bring a change of clothes.

She glanced at Jiang Huai, who also seemed unaware.

“Don’t worry, I’ll borrow some clothes for you.”

For Ning Yuan, staying one night without a change of clothes was no issue. He had marched for days without changing his attire.

But he knew that Ah Qiao liked to stay neat and clean, so he left to find clothes for her.

After Jiang Huai left, Xu Lianqiao looked around at the room where she would stay.

The rooms in the temple’s backyard were quite similar to what she remembered—just older and more worn.

“Ahem, cough, cough.”

While making the bed, she accidentally choked on some cotton fibers from the quilt.

“Dong dong dong.”

As she bent down to cough, she heard a knock on the door. Turning around, she saw a young novice monk.

“Amitabha.”

“Is this Mrs. Jiang?”

Though confused, Xu Lianqiao nodded.

“I am. Is the little master looking for me?”

The young monk took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to her.

“Mrs. Wei asked me to give this to you.”

Before Xu Lianqiao could react, the monk hurriedly left, leaving the letter in the crack of the door.

Startled, Xu Lianqiao’s heart raced a little.

After a while, she opened the letter.

_

“Miss, do you think she will come?”

A maid asked Wei Jue nervously about the rockery in the backyard.

Wei Jue leaned against the fake stone, waving her brocade fan. She snorted at first, then casually replied, “Of course. She has no mother. She finally said she could see her mother once, why wouldn’t she hurry?”

She remembered, eight years ago, it was here that Xu Lianqiao had pushed her without warning, and a man had appeared out of nowhere and scolded her without explanation.

Additionally, Wei Jue was still upset about the incident at the Jinxiu Clothes Shop.

The maid beside her spoke up with concern:

“Miss, what if the master and his wife find out about this…”

“Hah, I’m afraid of that woman?”

She was just a stepmother, and Wei Jue didn’t think of her as a real mother.

Besides, what if they knew? Eight years ago, the stepmother had been too scared to make decisions for her daughter, and eight years later, she wouldn’t have the courage to do so either.

As for her father…

She was now the future Princess Chu. As long as no one was killed, her father wouldn’t dare to act, even if these matters were exposed in front of her.

At most, they’d be punished with house arrest for a few days.

It was all worth it to let out such a grievance.

Indeed, she had deliberately arranged this trip to Wat Pho.

Xiao Tao’er didn’t understand why her Young Madam disliked the wife of Crown Prince Xuanwu so much.

In Xiao Tao’er’s eyes, her Young Madam was very graceful and dignified in everything. Even the stepmother, whom she didn’t like, had never been humiliated publicly.

Their wife, although not of high status, was virtuous. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have remarried into the Xuanwu Marquis Mansion and become the first lady.

Before Xiao Tao’er could figure things out, they heard footsteps approaching them.