Luo Ling Yu was a petty person, and petty people do petty things – after learning Lu Er Lang Lu Xian’s usual whereabouts at Kaishan Temple, she sought out monks through the back door, ensuring she could successfully eavesdrop when Lu Er Lang spoke with Buddha.
When the time came to hear secrets that shouldn’t be heard, she could simply turn and leave, pretending not to know; but Luo Ling Yu reasoned that with Second Cousin sighing every day lately, and his peculiar expression that day when he mentioned dreaming of Lu Yun’s death, this information itself made her suspect that Second Cousin’s worries might be related to Lu Yun.
Lu Yun had already left, yet still caused such anxiety among his family members. He was truly troublesome.
Arriving at Kaishan Temple with her sister, and seeing Zhou Lang and other noble ladies helping, Luo Ling Yu and her sister naturally went to greet them, introducing her sister. Upon seeing Zhou Lang, Luo Ling Yu wasn’t surprised to see Prince Chen Liu Shu there as well. Luo Ling Yu only gave the young prince a meaningful look – Lu Yun’s friend was strange indeed, making time despite being busy to follow Zhou Lang wherever he went. Surely he wasn’t this close with Lu Yun?
When Miss Luo arrived, the busy Lady Chen Chen Xiu snorted and turned away.
Seeing Luo Ling Yu’s approach, Zhou Yangling was particularly delighted. Due to poor health, after standing in the scorching sun briefly, Zhou Yangling rested in the shade while softly explaining the current situation to Luo Ling Yu. It turned out that through Zhou Yangling’s connections, Kaishan Temple was willing to hire some refugees to help with temple work, sheltering them. In this era, major temples held great power and owned many properties. Being associated with Kaishan Temple, a famous temple in Jianye, meant refugees who had fled to Jianye at least wouldn’t starve on the streets. Zhou Yangling, Chen Xiu, and others were here today helping Kaishan Temple settle these refugees.
These were all results of Zhou Yangling’s month of hard work. While Zhou Yangling was busy with these matters, Luo Ling Yu had merely sat at home keeping accounts, managing her cosmetics shop, helping Lu Yun manage finances, and occasionally giving charity to refugees when in a good mood. Facing Zhou Yangling’s gentle countenance, Luo Ling Yu felt ashamed and had a sense of being outdone. This feeling lasted only an instant before Luo Ling Yu dismissed it. After all, Zhou Lang was a man, with different specialties from her. She could accept men being more capable than her.
Eyes bright, Luo Ling Yu was never stingy with praise: “Zhou Lang’s such talent and compassion for others’ suffering, I can’t compare.”
Though Miss Luo only offered one compliment, Liu Shu felt pride well up. Before Zhou Yangling could be modest, the usually quiet Prince Chen had already softly said: “Zhou Lang is wonderful.”
Luo Ling Yu: “We only know how to distribute porridge, but Zhou Lang can think of solving the root problem. Zhou Lang, how are you so capable?”
Prince Chen grew even happier: “…Sister Luo speaks truly.” Luo Ling Yu’s name was truly difficult to pronounce; he had to rehearse it many times in his mind before speaking. Previously he had followed Lu Yun in calling her “Cousin Luo,” and now he followed Zhou Yangling in calling her “Sister Luo.” Meanwhile, Liu Shu thought to himself that Zhou Zibo was better – Zhou Zibo’s name rolled off the tongue, much better than Luo Ling Yu. The self-satisfied Liu Shu was truly fickle.
There he goes again.
Zhou Yangling helplessly glanced back at Prince Chen: “Your Highness, please stop praising me groundlessly. I haven’t done much, yet you praise me as if I were extraordinary.”
Luo Ling Yu’s eyelid twitched: these two men, exchanging glances, were strange.
“Zhou Lang, Sister Luo, Sister Chen… why are you all here?” As they talked while recording information from the queuing refugees, a lady’s joyful call came from afar.
Everyone looked up to see Princess Ning Ping’s party arriving leisurely behind the dense crowd of queuing refugees. Upon seeing so many people there and hearing their reasons, which were so righteous, the young Princess Liu Tang’s face slowly turned red as she said softly: “…Madam Lu invited me to pray to Buddha. Why hasn’t she arrived yet?”
This was a naive princess. How could Madam Lu be looking for her to pray to Buddha? Madam Lu knew her son would come and had tricked Princess Ning Ping into coming to Kaishan Temple. To create opportunities for the children, Madam Lu wouldn’t come at all.
Guessing Madam Lu’s intentions, Luo Ling Yu looked sympathetically at Liu Tang. Such a simple princess would surely be thoroughly controlled by her mother-in-law in the future. Meanwhile, little sister Luo Yun Sha, who couldn’t get a word in earlier during the adults’ conversation, finally jumped forward, feeling she had found a kindred spirit – “Princess Sister, I’m Shan’er, we’ve met before!”
Naturally at the Lu residence.
Liu Tang lowered her head, hurriedly greeting the beautiful young lady.
But with Liu Tang here and Madam Lu absent, Liu Tang seemed quite lost. Luo Ling Yu knew Madam Lu’s purpose was to have Liu Tang meet Lu Er Lang Lu Xian, but she didn’t expose this, only smilingly inviting Liu Tang to join them in helping settle the refugees. Miss Luo said languidly: “Since you have nothing else to do anyway.”
Thus their group grew by one more person.
Today was truly quite lively.
Zhou Yangling and Prince Chen were there, Chen Xiu and several ladies who had been providing disaster relief for many days were there, Luo Ling Yu led her sister to help, and the princess bustled about… After a while, someone joyfully called out “Sister Luo.” Luo Ling Yu turned to see Qi San Lang Qi An, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. Qi San Lang was free today and came to tour Mount Zhong with companions. Unable to find his promised companions halfway, Qi San Lang could only come to Kaishan Temple to wait. He never expected that Luo Ling Yu, whom he had admired for so long, would also be there.
Luo Ling Yu gave him a polite smile, and Qi San Lang was immediately enchanted, beginning to stutter: “Sister, I- I want to invite you…”
Not good!
Luo Ling Yu’s heart skipped a beat, seeing from Qi San Lang’s manner that he seemed about to express his feelings. In the past, she would have been carried away with pride, but now she had Lu Yun, who was so jealous and also misunderstood that she was pregnant. At such a time, she absolutely couldn’t let anything unexpected happen. So, before the infatuated Qi San Lang could finish speaking, Luo Ling Yu gently interrupted him: “How does Third Brother know your friend will come to Kaishan Temple to find you? Mount Zhong is so big, why not ask the abbot to help look?”
Luo Ling Yu enthusiastically helped Qi San Lang look for his friend, smoothly diverting the topic whenever Qi San Lang tried to speak. Qi San Lang was somewhat slow to react, only realizing after a long while what the lady didn’t want to hear. Qi San Lang’s eyes dimmed, and as he left with the monk, he looked back at Miss Luo several times – originally he had wanted to ask her if she would be willing to be with him if he convinced his family not to take concubines but to marry her instead.
…But Luo Ling Yu didn’t give Qi San Lang the chance to speak.
After appeasing Qi San Lang and encouraging the young lord to bravely search the mountain for his friend, Luo Ling Yu returned to the temporary pavilion to continue distributing items to the refugees. Zhou Yangling was again unwell and went to rest, accompanied by Prince Chen. Luo Ling Yu watched somewhat enviously, slightly jealous. Zhou Lang had someone to accompany him, while she had to put on airs under the hot sun. She wondered what her Brother Xue Chen was doing.
Her Brother Xue Chen had never taken care of her like this. Earlier when he saw her, he usually showed disdain; later when he saw her, he mostly teased her… In short, he had never stayed by her side caring for her when she was doing something as Prince Chen did. Zhou Lang was even a man, while she was a lady!
The lady calculated in her heart how to guide Lu Yun to cherish and dote on her when she went to see him in Nanyang. To change his arrogant, aloof temperament, make him bow his head before her. Making Lu Yun bow his head… Imagining Lu Yun praising her and helping her with tasks, the thought was so sweet that Luo Ling Yu happily laughed out loud. She loved Lu Yun, loved him so much that thinking of him made her joyful and impatient. Besides gold, silver, and power, this was what moved her heart most in the world.
But turning back, Luo Ling Yu met Lady Chen Chen Xiu’s disgusted gaze.
Luo Ling Yu: “…?”
Lady Chen spat softly, contemptuous: “Flirting with everyone, fickle as water. How could Lu Xue Chen fancy you?”
Luo Ling Yu: “…What nonsense are you speaking?! Who told you about Third Cousin and me?”
She was particularly sensitive to words like “fickle” now, as Lu Yun had warned her before leaving “Don’t marry other men.” She was also wary because although outsiders might have some guesses, they shouldn’t be able to confirm her relationship with Lu Yun.
But Chen Xiu was the one who had witnessed their kiss. Even now, remembering what she saw that night made Chen Xiu’s heartache. Luo Ling Yu’s glory made Chen Xiu feel strange until now. Though she now thought she should give up on Lu San Lang, seeing Luo Ling Yu like this, she couldn’t help but feel indignant on Lu San Lang’s behalf – “Zhou Lang on the left, Qi San Lang on the right. Any young lord who’s spoken three sentences with you falls head over heels. Hmph, too bad Lu San Lang doesn’t know your true nature. If he were here and saw you flirting with Zhou Lang and Qi San Lang like this, how could he still care for you?”
Luo Ling Yu found this extremely amusing: …so she was jealous?
No matter, she could make Chen Xiu even more jealous.
Though she couldn’t say about Qi San Lang, Luo Ling Yu was almost certain Zhou Lang had no feelings for her.
But Luo Ling Yu maintained a calm expression, only lowering her head. Seeing her silence, Chen Xiu felt emboldened and said several more harsh words to Luo Ling Yu. When she saw Zhou Yangling and Prince Chen coming over, Chen Xiu’s anger had mostly dissipated, so she stopped speaking. However, when Zhou Yangling looked toward the two of them, Luo Ling Yu raised her head, glancing at her.
The lady’s beautiful eyes were filled with clear tears, misty with grievance.
Zhou Yangling’s heart tightened immediately, coming to comfort Luo Ling Yu: “Sister, why are you crying? Who upset you?”
Crying?!
Chen Xiu’s head suddenly felt huge, and her previous nightmare-like experiences of dealing with Luo Ling Yu gave her an ominous premonition… Sure enough, the next moment, Luo Ling Yu who had remained expressionless just now raised her tear-filled eyes, biting her lip with moist eyes, only choking back sobs without speaking. Even a beauty’s tears were a visual pleasure.
From afar, young lady Luo Yun Sha, happily playing with Liu Tang, saw her sister’s situation and sighed: …sister was starting again.
Though Luo Ling Yu was so affected, she particularly made Zhou Yangling care deeply for her, coming over with concern and comfort. The delicate lady simply leaned against Zhou Lang’s shoulder, biting her lip and whimpering.
Prince Chen Liu Shu’s face turned slightly pale, his eyes darkening. He struggled to suppress his dislike of ladies getting close to Zhou Lang, mentally repeating “This is Lu Yun’s woman,” “I cannot be unhappy.” Zhou Lang was a man, after all, meant to take a wife and have children… he couldn’t say anything.
Luo Ling Yu leaned on Zhou Lang’s shoulder sobbing for a while, vaguely feeling that Zhou Lang’s shoulder seemed to have some padding… As she was about to look closer, Zhou Yangling smoothly changed position, pulling the grieving lady away from his shoulder. Under Zhou Yangling’s encouraging and gentle gaze, Luo Ling Yu asked between sobs: “Zhou Lang, you’re good to me, is it because you harbor romantic feelings and want to marry me? You couldn’t simply like me and treat me as a sister?”
Zhou Yangling said gently: “Of course, I treat you as a sister.”
While lowering her head and sobbing, Luo Ling Yu secretly gave Chen Xiu a meaningful look when Zhou Yangling wasn’t paying attention: See, he’s good to me without reason. Jealous? How dare you say I’m fickle!
Chen Xiu: “…”
But this wasn’t enough.
Luo Ling Yu turned to look at Prince Chen: “Young lord also cares for and cherishes me without any romantic intentions, right?”
Zhou Yangling also looked at Prince Chen.
For an instant, Liu Shu felt dazed, as if being stared at by both Zhou Zibo and Lu Yun simultaneously, the pressure immense. Prince Chen, like his friend Lu Yun, saw through Luo Ling Yu’s act at a glance. He couldn’t understand what Lu Yun loved about such an affected cousin, what Zhou Lang loved about her. But with Zhou Zibo’s somewhat threatening gaze upon him, Liu Shu paused before reluctantly responding: “Yes.”
Luo Ling Yu finally broke into a smile through her tears.
Just then, though her eyes were teary, she still keenly spotted Lu Er Lang Lu Xian walking from the temple entrance direction – this was her real purpose. Luo Ling Yu quickly called out to him. Hearing Luo Ling Yu’s voice made Lu Er Lang’s scalp tingle, wanting to avoid this cousin who had been pestering him these past two days. But when Lu Xian casually glanced over and saw two clear teardrops on Luo Ling Yu’s rosy face, he was stunned.
Then Lu Er Lang forgot his original intention to avoid Luo Ling Yu and came over furiously: “Cousin, who bullied you? Why are you crying like this?”
Luo Ling Yu: “No one bullied me…”
Lu Xian: “You’re a guest lady at the Lu family, rest assured, even with Third Brother away, no one in Jianye can bully you…” His eyes fell on Chen Xiu, the only one among them with an uncomfortable expression. Lu Er Lang said: “Lady Chen, I know you have some conflicts with my cousin. But my cousin is delicate, unlike you, please don’t make her cry.”
Chen Xiu’s face darkened: “I made her cry?!”
Chen Xiu was the one who wanted to cry! She looked at Luo Ling Yu in panic – how could someone be like this?! She had only said a few words to her, yet she brought all these people to pressure her. Now she was even sobbing behind Zhou Lang, what was she crying about anyway?
Chen Xiu had grievances she couldn’t express, as these people believed Luo Ling Yu more, thinking Luo Ling Yu had been wronged. Luo Ling Yu hadn’t even looked at her once, yet she had become the villain. Chen Xiu was so angry she didn’t even want to defend herself, and with reddened eyes, she threw down her work with a bang and turned to leave.
Under the scorching sun, the lady walked away rubbing her eyes. Behind her, Zhou Yangling sighed, gently poking Luo Ling Yu’s forehead: “You…”
Indeed he knew perfectly well.
This time Luo Ling Yu truly blushed.
Zhou Yangling turned back to chase after the truly crying Chen Xiu, but with his poor health and Chen Xiu’s swift steps, after turning a corner, Zhou Yangling couldn’t find her and had to return helplessly. Upon returning, Luo Ling Yu was gone, embarrassed, having run off somewhere, and Lu Er Lang was also gone. Only the composed Prince Chen Liu Shu remained accompanying him, along with the uneasy Princess Liu Tang and the unperturbed young lady Luo Yun Sha.
Chen Xiu left Kaishan Temple with reddened eyes, encountering several refugees outside. These refugees were ones she had helped before, and seeing the lady, they wanted to come talk to her. But Chen Xiu couldn’t care less about dealing with people, and upon reaching her carriage, she ordered her servants to drive down the mountain. She couldn’t stay a moment longer anywhere Luo Ling Yu was!
Those refugees wondered: “What happened to Lady Chen?”
A middle-aged man’s vulgar voice came from behind: “Bullied by a Lu family cousin, heh, I saw the whole thing.”
Among the refugees stood a quiet young man. Hearing the middle-aged man begin to manipulate people again, stirring up conflicts between noble families, the young man turned his face away. After a while, when several refugees were discussing heatedly, the middle-aged man crept over, putting his hand on his shoulder: “Hey kid, finished your punishment so quickly? Thick-skinned, able to climb the mountain like this.”
The bamboo forest rustled in the wind, leaves scattered everywhere, as the youth standing against the wall, maintaining some distance from other refugees, kept his cold expression.
The middle-aged man saw the youth ignoring him and ground his teeth in hatred, but could do nothing about this tight-lipped fellow. He looked around to see if anyone was paying attention and hurriedly whispered in the youth’s ear: “Lady Chen lost to Miss Luo in their battle of wits. But no matter, the Chen family has great influence, while Miss Luo relies on others’ charity. This is such a good opportunity to stir up conflict between the Chen and Lu families, we must seize it.”
The youth still said nothing.
But the middle-aged man knew he was listening: “Look, aren’t we receiving Lady Chen’s aid? You and I should manipulate these refugees, spread some propaganda among them, incite their anger, and make them demand justice for Lady Chen. Pick a time, let these refugees surround Miss Luo… heh, what man wouldn’t want to get close to such a beauty?”
His eyes showed lust as if already imagining the weak, pitiful lady surrounded by refugees desiring her. If she had no one to protect her, falling into their hands. That lady with her slender waist and full breasts, her smooth skin, surely the taste would be…
The youth turned his head away in disgust but agreed.
This person was their superior officer for this mission to the Southern Kingdom; before the mission was complete, he truly couldn’t kill this man. But in his heart, the youth had already killed him many times, just waiting for the mission to be done to kill all those who had humiliated him. Once things were finished, what did it matter if he returned alone or with a group?
…
After teasing Chen Xiu, Luo Ling Yu knew when to stop, not daring to truly drive Chen Xiu mad. When Lu Er Lang went to discuss with the temple master, the monk Luo Ling Yu had arranged earlier to inform her. After a while, the monk said Lu Er Lang had gone to the small Buddha hall in the back courtyard to speak with the Bodhisattva alone, and Luo Ling Yu quietly crept over.
Previously arranged, outside the small Buddha hall where Lu Er Lang was, it was quiet and serene. Green bamboo forests and Buddhist statues show wisdom. The lady lifted her skirts, tiptoeing past the grove and trellises to reach outside the hall. She stood outside the window, drawing close, and because it was particularly quiet here, she could hear Lu Er Lang’s voice from inside.
Lu Er Lang’s voice was extremely low: “Bodhisattva, Third Brother is about to die, in no more than half a year, how can I prevent this? I want to go directly to Nanyang, but Cousin Luo also wants to go, isn’t that just like my dream? Wasn’t it the same in the previous life? Moreover, my parents won’t agree to me going to Nanyang. In the dream, they only agreed after the war ended… now… must Third Brother die?”
“First I dreamed of him pierced by countless arrows, then I dreamed of him dying in the snow. All around the same time. Cousin Luo first married the Prince of Hengyang and then lived a lonely life. Just how many past lives are there? Bodhisattva, perhaps in previous lives, I begged you like this, and that’s why you gave me a chance to change fate? Such past lives, do they mean… deep love leads to early death? What should I do, Bodhisattva, please give me a sign.”
…
Outside, Luo Ling Yu’s scalp tingled, her mind exploding into blankness.
She thought in terror, what was Second Cousin saying? What past lives, what about Third Brother having to die? Would Lu Yun die? Had Lu Er Lang gone mad?
If others heard such words from Lu Er Lang, they would surely think him mad. One doesn’t speak of supernatural forces, Lu Er Lang’s obsession would surely get him locked up. People rarely believe in things they haven’t experienced.
But why, Luo Ling Yu wondered, clutching her rapidly beating chest, did she somewhat believe?
She had heard “Lu Yun,” she couldn’t pretend she hadn’t heard.
The lady pressed her face against the window, body bent low, trying to hear more clearly. In her urgency, she easily revealed her presence. Leaning too low, her face accidentally bumped the wooden edge of the window. In the silent surroundings, even this faint sound drew attention.
The young man’s muttering inside suddenly stopped.
Luo Ling Yu’s palms were sweaty, and her mind was blank. Her skirts spread like opening lotus petals as she looked up to see the young man walking out of the Buddha hall. She saw this youth looking at her with complex emotions: “Cousin Luo… what did you hear?”
…
What was she willing to hear?
This was a chance to move forward or step back. There seemed to be a great door ahead, and opening it would reveal a different world.
Sweat beaded on Luo Ling Yu’s nose.
…
After a long, long while, Lu Er Lang heard his cousin smile slightly. She bowed her long neck, voice slightly hoarse: “Second Cousin, there are no past lives. Have you never considered that your dreams might be… predictions of the future?”
There were never any past lives, but rather possible future paths constantly changing. Yet Lu Er Lang had encountered all this… Lu Er Lang’s eye twitched.
After the lady calmed down, her clear eyes sparkled with flowing light. She said softly: “If you can predict everything that will happen in the future… if these things are related to Third Cousin, will you tell me?”
Lu Xian: “…Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed.”
Luo Ling Yu laughed lightly: “Second Cousin, heaven’s secrets have already been revealed. Perhaps heaven meant for you to reveal them.”
Lu Er Lang: “You don’t think I’m mad?”
She looked at him: “Actually, I don’t believe in these things… but Second Cousin, regarding Lu Yun’s matters, even if I don’t believe, I must listen. Second Cousin, are you willing to tell me?”