Gu Jingqi was greatly alarmed!

She loved her stunningly beautiful sister-in-law most, and also loved eating the pastries from her Yilou! She couldn’t let her brother be confused and foolishly lose such a wonderful wife!

So Gu Jingqi began very diligently inquiring about her eldest brother’s recent activities from Shen Xiling, volunteering to take on the important task of advising her eldest brother.

Shen Xiling naturally knew her little sister-in-law had misunderstood, but it was inconvenient to explain the subtle situation between herself and Gu Juhan—they hadn’t grown distant due to any rift, but merely because she didn’t know how to interact with him anymore. Gu Juhan probably sensed her awkwardness too, which was why he actively avoided being alone with her for extended periods.

She truly didn’t know how to handle such matters. Previously, the people and situations around her had been very simple. Even when complications like Third Young Master Qi had emerged later, that person had stepped forward to shield her, so she actually had no experience dealing with such entanglements on her own.

She was too inexperienced in worldly matters.

However, Shen Xiling wasn’t too pessimistic. She still felt in her heart that she had misunderstood, since she felt there was no deep connection between herself and Gu Juhan. Moreover, he had known about her situation with that person from early on—there was no reason he would develop feelings for her. Taking it a step further, someone like him, a favored son of heaven with so many women who admired him, even if he had momentarily been confused and developed some fondness for her, it would surely dissipate quickly.

The General was an upright gentleman who would never put her in a difficult position.

Thinking this way, Shen Xiling’s emotions relaxed considerably. She smiled at her little sister-in-law, laughingly saying she was overthinking, then discussed with her what they should eat after returning to the city from Jade Buddha Temple. The little girl’s attention was indeed quickly diverted, no longer pursuing the twists and turns between her brother and sister-in-law.

Today the area below Zhemo Mountain was very lively.

The sunlight was bright and quite warm, and the scenic spring mountains were most suitable for outings. Below the mountain, nobles gathered like clouds, all waiting for the imperial procession to arrive so they could accompany Emperor Wei up the mountain to pray for blessings. Ordinary pilgrims were not permitted to approach today; only a few renowned lay practitioners were allowed to occupy positions at the foot of the mountain.

Abbot Huijue of Zhemo Mountain also led a group of Buddhist disciples in welcoming Emperor Wei at the mountain’s base. This abbot was advanced in years, with white hair and beard, appearing kind and benevolent. Because he had been invited to the palace to chant sutras and pray for blessings when the Crown Prince was born, he was much favored by the imperial family and consequently highly sought after. Many noble families usually enjoyed inviting this master to visit their mansions, and if the master was too busy to go, they would eagerly attend ceremonies he hosted instead—all very enthusiastic.

Today, while waiting for His Majesty at the foot of Zhemo Mountain, the nobles weren’t content to remain idle and all crowded around to chat with the master.

When Duke Yanguo’s carriage arrived, Abbot Huijue was already completely surrounded, but when the Gu family members alighted, they still received courteous treatment from the master’s disciples, especially Shen Xiling, who was invited to speak with the abbot.

This wasn’t because the abbot was snobbish, but rather because Duke’s wife had always been devoutly Buddhist and had even contributed considerable silver for the temple’s renovations over the years, making her a benefactor of immeasurable merit. It was natural for the abbot to have some relationship with her.

Though Shen Xiling was invited, when she glanced from the carriage window she saw the abbot was already surrounded so tightly that not even water could pass through. Having no desire to join this commotion in public, she declined the invitation from the young monk and alighted from the carriage with Gu Jingqi.

Duke Yanguo’s mansion was naturally among the most prestigious, drawing crowds wherever they went. As soon as Gu Juhan dismounted, he was surrounded by many court colleagues, while Shen Xiling was surrounded by ladies from various mansions, immediately separating the two by a considerable distance.

Nearly all the noble families in Shangjing knew about her recent illness, so when the various madams came to greet her, they inevitably asked about Shen Xiling’s health one by one. Even Lady Pingjing, who had never been particularly harmonious with her, couldn’t avoid convention, saying half-courteously, half-mockingly: “I heard the other day that Madam fell ill, and quite seriously too. I wonder if you’ve fully recovered now—can you tolerate the wind? Madam appears to have lost quite a bit of weight again. You must take good care of yourself.”

Though she spoke words of concern, her eyes held some provocation, as if saying Shen Xiling’s fortune was thin, that her poor health meant she was destined not to enjoy good fortune for long.

Lady Pingjing’s close friend Lady Zhong, seeing this situation, quickly covered for her friend, smiling attentively at Shen Xiling and saying quite submissively: “With the Duke’s devoted love, Madam naturally lives in joy without worry. But this matter is my fault—I think my tea gathering was poorly organized and caused Madam to catch cold and fall ill. It’s truly sinful.”

Shen Xiling exchanged a few polite words with her, then she continued: “There’s also the matter of that hairpin. The other day I had Yuan’er deliver it to Madam, but unexpectedly it wasn’t the right one. Please give me a few more days, Madam—I will surely find it and return it to its rightful owner.”

Shen Xiling hadn’t been particularly familiar with these madams to begin with, and today she was even less inclined to engage in false pleasantries with them. Her mind was entirely occupied with that person—both fearing he might use some excuse not to come, leaving her unable to see him, and not knowing what she should say if they did meet.

They were old acquaintances separated for five years… seeming closer than anyone else, yet also more distant than anyone else.

Her heart was very complex at this moment, both desperately longing to see him and feeling an inexplicable nervousness.

She was extremely nervous, so nervous that… even her hands were trembling slightly.

She truly had no energy left for pleasantries with the madams, so she only gave bland responses. However, the ladies from other mansions wouldn’t let up, still coming one by one to pester her with conversation, greatly annoying her.

Fortunately, Qin Shi came over later and helped deflect much of the socializing. After a while, Gu Juhan also walked over to find her, discovering she was trembling slightly.

He couldn’t tell whether she was nervous about soon seeing that person or if she was genuinely feeling unwell. Very worried, he moved closer to her and asked: “Xiling?”

Shen Xiling tried hard to control her body, but the trembling was uncontrollable. She didn’t know why she was so abnormal, even feeling palpitations—sensations she hadn’t experienced during her previous attempts to find him.

She herself found it puzzling.

Seeing her face had grown somewhat pale, Gu Juhan’s frown deepened. With people everywhere around them, it was inconvenient to speak, so he extended his arm to shield her without actually touching her, protecting her as they moved through the crowd.

The watching madams, seeing Duke Yanguo dote on his wife so tenderly, were all secretly envious. How could they continue pestering Shen Xiling with conversation? Naturally they all tactfully made way, allowing the couple to go somewhere less crowded for private words.

Gu Juhan protected Shen Xiling to a secluded spot, lowered his shielding arm, and asked: “Are you feeling unwell again?”

Shen Xiling shook her head but unconsciously pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating extremely fast.

With a pale face, she looked at Gu Juhan and asked: “…Will he come today?”

Gu Juhan was startled, only then understanding who was responsible for her current state.

He sighed, his heart relaxing somewhat with relief that her body was unharmed. After a pause, he answered: “Yes, he will definitely come today.”

Shen Xiling frowned: “Really?”

“Nothing happens without reason three times,” Gu Juhan smiled at her. “Haven’t you already looked for him three times? This is the fourth time—it won’t come to nothing again.”

This reasoning was quite ethereal, clearly sounding even less believable, yet Shen Xiling actually believed it, probably because she had done all she humanly could and the rest was left to fate—she preferred to believe in these ethereal things.

She smiled at Gu Juhan and nodded. Just then, she heard the noisy, mixed sounds of crowds, and in the distance she could see banners fluttering and palace attendants like clouds, with the vague shadow of an imperial procession.

Emperor Wei had arrived.

As the head of the court’s military officials, Gu Juhan naturally had to go forward to welcome the emperor. He hurriedly gave Shen Xiling a few more words of care, then strode toward the direction of the approaching imperial procession. Shen Xiling remained in place to calm herself, struggling to settle the strange feelings in her heart, then also hurried back to the crowd.

Qin Shi and Gu Jingqi, seeing her return with a poor complexion, thought she had fallen ill again and immediately clustered around her with Lian Zi and Wan Zhu, all asking if she felt unwell.

She had no attention to spare for answering, only staring intently at the imperial procession approaching from the distance, and behind it, vaguely, carriages of Great Liang design following along.

Though the crowd was so noisy, she could still faintly hear… the sound of bronze bells swaying.

Ding-ling.

Ding-ling.

Ding-ling.

…Exactly the same as ten years ago.

Her trembling became even more severe.

The people around her were all alarmed by this sight, not knowing what to do. Just then the imperial procession arrived before them, leaving them no choice but to kneel with everyone else and cry “Long live the Emperor!” Under the heavy swaying banners, Emperor Wei in bright yellow descended from his palanquin, accompanied by Empress Zou, the Crown Prince, and that princess who had married from afar from Jiangzuo.

No.

No.

None of them.

None of them were the person she sought.

She knelt and rose with the crowd, her body already swaying unsteadily, yet still unwilling to give up, searching everywhere, finally spotting Great Liang officials among the dense crowd.

She strained to look.

…Finally, she saw him.

Qi Ying.

It was just a very distant figure that could easily be missed if one wasn’t careful, yet she could still see him, just as when facing court interrogation years ago—among all the civil and military officials, so densely packed, she could see no one else, only him.

She had always been able to see only him.

Most people present had never seen that world-renowned Great Liang envoy. Those like Lady Pingjing and Lady Zhong had been eagerly anticipating since the polo match, and though they finally got their wish today, unfortunately they were too far away to actually see anything clearly, and were quietly complaining at this moment.

But Shen Xiling had no complaints. Even though he wasn’t looking in her direction and all she could see was a blurry profile, this alone was enough to calm her trembling.

She was so satisfied.

Only at this moment did she realize that she had never hoped for completeness with him, didn’t even hope to be closer to him at this moment. Merely gazing at him from afar through the crowd was enough to satisfy her—like a mysterious question five years in the making finally had an answer, like a simple story had finally received its verse… She vaguely felt this was the final outcome.

Miraculously, she stopped trembling.

At that moment she again remembered the Buddhist sutra her father had taught her many years ago: “In one snap of the fingers there are sixty moments, in one moment nine hundred births and deaths.”

She finally understood. In that instant when she caught sight of him through the crowd from afar, the past events known only to the two of them came flooding back layer upon layer, clearer and more real than dreams. At that moment there were indeed countless births and deaths constantly occurring.

Making her even more confused.

Yet also seeming like sudden enlightenment.

Author’s Note: The last time Wenwen recalled this Buddhist sutra was on the day young Master Qi returned from Nanling County to Fenghe Courtyard to find her. Calculating it out, it really has been a long time. PS: The next chapter advances the plot, with their formal reunion coming very soon. After they’re together this time, they’ll never be separated again.