Yu Tang also didn’t want to be separated from Pei Yan.
Since they had married, they had never been apart.
But she kind of wanted to go offer incense to the Buddha.
Since her rebirth, she seemed to have never properly thanked the Buddha.
She proactively wrapped her arms around Pei Yan’s neck and said in a low voice: “How about you come with me to Tanzhe Temple? I’ll only stay there for two nights.”
If Xu Xuan weren’t going with her, she would definitely return home that same evening.
She was no longer accustomed to spending nights away from home.
Pei Yan was somewhat tempted, but he felt he couldn’t encourage Yu Tang’s tendency to place him in a secondary position, nor could he let her know his thoughts. So he responded with a cold face: “I’ve already made plans with Zijing to climb Phoenix Ridge tomorrow.”
Yu Tang was somewhat disappointed.
If Pei Yan was climbing mountains with Zhou Zijing, it definitely wasn’t for leisure—more than likely he had matters to discuss with Zhou Zijing.
“Alright then!” She released her arms from around Pei Yan, then asked: “Will you spend the night at Phoenix Ridge?”
“Mm!” Pei Yan responded. “Since you won’t be home anyway, I might as well stay out for two days with Zhou Zijing.”
That aggrieved appearance made Yu Tang feel guilty. She quickly said: “This time is rather special! It just so happens I can arrange it with Madam Yin. If she weren’t accompanying me, I definitely wouldn’t go.”
“It’s fine!” Pei Yan pretended to be magnanimous: “With you having something to do, I can go out without worry.”
It could only be this way.
Yu Tang felt she should go out less in the future. She continued coaxing Pei Yan in a low voice: “I heard from Madam Yin that the vegetarian dishes at Tanzhe Temple are quite good. I’ll see about buying you some local specialties to bring back, alright?”
“Mm!” Pei Yan responded coldly again, urging Yu Tang to rest early. “I still have an appointment with Lord Fei early tomorrow morning.”
Tomorrow was a rest day.
Yu Tang quickly agreed. When she went to wash up, she was inevitably quick and efficient, wanting to spend time talking with Pei Yan. But Pei Yan wasn’t in that mood. After a few words, he blew out the lamp and embraced Yu Tang in passionate intimacy. Thinking that Pei Yan would still have to meet Lord Fei and Zhou Zijing alone tomorrow, Yu Tang’s heart softened and she let Pei Yan have his way.
Pei Yan ate his fill, but Yu Tang was so exhausted that she overslept the next morning. By the time she finished getting ready to go out, Xu Xuan had already been waiting for her in the flower hall for nearly an hour.
Yu Tang couldn’t help saying: “You should have just woken me up. Making you wait like this makes me feel so embarrassed.”
Xu Xuan laughed heartily: “I know you always get up early. If you suddenly slept in, you must have been exhausted.” After saying this, she widened her eyes and looked at her: “You’re not pregnant, are you? When I conceived, in the beginning I just wanted to sleep all day.”
“No!” Yu Tang shook her head somewhat dejectedly.
She was counting the days—it was impossible she could have conceived at this time.
Xu Xuan didn’t press further. She took her hand and said: “What’s there to worry about? Some people just conceive children later. Like my third sister-in-law—she married in and only gave birth to her eldest son after three years, but once she had him, she had two in three years, bearing five sons in succession. Even my mother said she couldn’t take it—only results without flowering, looking at boys running all over the place, her head ached.”
Yu Tang knew she was trying to comfort her and smiled with pressed lips.
The two of them boarded the carriage together.
The carriage belonged to the Yin family. Probably to accommodate Xu Xuan, it was both spacious and stable, with various games and chess sets for entertainment—the chess pieces could even stick to the board. There was also a place for a small clay brazier, perfect for brewing tea or cooking sweet soup.
Yu Tang pressed her lips together and smiled again.
This must be why Yin Mingyuan insisted on using the Yin family carriage, right?
She recalled Yin Mingyuan’s expression that day when he came to pick up Xu Xuan and she told him she was going to stay at Tanzhe Temple for two days with her. She couldn’t help asking: “Yin Mingyuan didn’t make a fuss after going back, did he?”
“A bit at first.” Xu Xuan smiled, her smile fleeting before dimming: “Later I told him I was a bit scared, and he didn’t say anything more.”
Yu Tang couldn’t help saying: “Don’t worry. Look at you—your health is good, and you still have two months before giving birth. The midwives and birth attendants at home are all prepared. Nothing can possibly go wrong.”
Hearing this, Xu Xuan immediately recovered her previous smile: “I know! I just wanted to come out and have fun, that’s all.”
But Yu Tang felt she was putting on a brave front. However, there was nothing she could do about this—only Yin Mingyuan could comfort her, or perhaps when they got to the temple and she drew a good fortune lot.
But Yin Mingyuan cared for Xu Xuan so much—he should have thought of this too, right?
Yu Tang chatted and laughed with Xu Xuan, quickly diverting her attention.
At noon they stopped the carriage by the roadside, ate some dry provisions they had brought, then continued their journey. They didn’t arrive at Tanzhe Temple until dusk.
Just as Xu Xuan had said, Tanzhe Temple was at its most scenic.
Green trees provided shade, birds sang and flowers bloomed. Having just passed the Buddha Bathing Festival, some celebratory decorations hadn’t been taken down yet, while the number of pilgrims was at its lowest. The guest master at the temple had already been informed by the Yin and Xu families and specially assigned an eloquent master to receive them, arranging a very fine courtyard for their rest.
A’Lan, who had come along, clicked her tongue in wonder. Touching the black lacquered mother-of-pearl furniture, she said to A’Xing: “Back home, having just one canopy bed like this for your dowry would make people envious for a lifetime. I never imagined that a mere temple would use such fine things to receive guests. Being able to follow Madam and see the world, I haven’t lived this life in vain!”
A’Xing was as lively as A’Lan, but because A’Lan had been selected by Pei Yan to enter the household, she appeared bolder. A’Xing was better at reading people’s expressions. Hearing A’Lan say this, she smiled: “The temple probably doesn’t let just anyone stay in such a courtyard, right? I saw earlier—when that guest monk opened the courtyard gate, the key was kept separately. This place must be for receiving distinguished guests.”
A’Lan didn’t care: “What does it matter what it’s for? Being able to follow Third Madam and stay here is something I can boast about for a lifetime.”
A’Xing didn’t speak.
She was also planning to stay with the Pei family for life.
She said to A’Lan: “I’m going to help Sister Qing Yuan pack things. Do you want to come with me?”
They were temporarily learning proper conduct under Qing Yuan, but Qing Yuan felt they were Yu Tang’s dowry maids and was quite polite to them. A’Lan took this politeness as kindness. A’Xing felt that if she wanted to stay, she couldn’t take others’ politeness for granted. She usually went to help Qing Yuan whether there was work or not, and Qing Yuan quite liked her.
A’Lan didn’t think so much about it. She immediately said: “Of course. Let’s go together.”
Some things—seeing them and admiring them was enough. The work that needed to be done still had to be done well.
They just hadn’t expected that upon leaving, they would run right into Pei Yan and Lord Yin.
Hadn’t Third Master said he was going to Phoenix Ridge?
They just didn’t know who the other two unfamiliar-looking men with Third Master were.
A’Xing immediately ran cleverly to report to Yu Tang and Xu Xuan.
Yu Tang and Xu Xuan were extremely astonished and quickly supported themselves on the maids to leave the hall.
One of the two people A’Xing and the others found unfamiliar was Zhou Zijing. The other, Yu Tang truly didn’t know.
He appeared to be in his thirties, about the same height as Pei Yan. His features could only be called regular, but his bearing was extremely composed, giving off an imposing sense of profound depth like a mountain or deep pool. At first glance, one could tell this person was no simple matter.
Xu Xuan had already exclaimed in a low voice: “Fei Zhiwen! What’s he doing here?”
Yu Tang was also startled.
Was this the Fei Zhiwen that Pei Yan had mentioned to her?
Yu Tang couldn’t help but study him more closely.
Whether in appearance or physique, he was quite outstanding. Why would Madam Fei still…
She couldn’t understand it.
But she felt a sharp gaze fixed on her.
She immediately looked in that direction and saw Pei Yan’s face full of displeasure.
Yu Tang quickly focused all her attention on Pei Yan, smiling sweetly at him.
Pei Yan’s expression visibly brightened. He introduced her to Fei Zhiwen: “This is my wife!”
Fei Zhiwen smiled at Yu Tang in a friendly manner.
Though the smile was faint, it gave an extremely warm feeling, making one’s impression of him doubly favorable.
Madam Fei… must have water in her brain, right?
Yu Tang speculated, quickly collecting herself and curtsying to Fei Zhiwen before standing beside Pei Yan. While Xu Xuan was exchanging greetings with Fei Zhiwen and Zhou Zijing, she asked him in a low voice: “Why did you come to Tanzhe Temple?”
Pei Yan said lazily, as if casually: “Later everyone changed their minds and felt Tanzhe Temple would be good too.”
Wasn’t it because they had come to Tanzhe Temple?
Yu Tang smiled.
Over there, Xu Xuan was already chatting with Zhou Zijing and Fei Zhiwen. When she looked over, Fei Zhiwen was speaking with Xu Xuan: “In the blink of an eye, you’ve become a mother too. This journey must have been tiring—are you alright?”
His voice was somewhat deep but carried a warmth, making people feel that although he was very serious, he was a gentle person.
Yu Tang couldn’t help but look at Fei Zhiwen a few more times.
Sensing her gaze, Fei Zhiwen not only smiled at her but also nodded.
Pei Yan snorted coldly beside her.
This Pei Xianguang!
Yu Tang didn’t even know what to say. She could only lower her sleeves and quietly grasp Pei Yan’s hand.
Pei Yan stopped snorting and whispered in Yu Tang’s ear: “Later I’ll rest with you.”
Yu Tang hadn’t yet recovered her wits when she heard Zhou Zijing laughing heartily over there, pointing at Yin Mingyuan and Pei Yan: “These two fellows—I see they’re using the pretext of leisure to accompany their wives. Brother Fei, let’s not bother with them. Let’s go have tea with the abbot!”
Fei Zhiwen smiled slightly, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He agreed with Zhou Zijing: “Alright! If I remember correctly, they were the ones who invited us, not the other way around, right?”
Yin Mingyuan didn’t have Pei Yan’s thick skin. He said somewhat embarrassedly: “I’m just accompanying, just accompanying!” As he spoke, he looked toward Pei Yan.
Pei Yan immediately said: “I only invited Brother Zhou today, didn’t I?”
Zhou Zijing was startled, then pointed at Fei Zhiwen: “Oh my, what are you going to do? I was invited, Mingyuan was encountered along the way. Only you followed along uninvited.”
Fei Zhiwen smiled but quickly raised his eyes to glance at Yu Tang.
Yu Tang was at a loss.
Pei Yan had already said: “It’s getting late. Let’s settle in first, shall we? We’ll have dinner together tonight.”
Zhou Zijing still had his former temperament, as if delighting in chaos: “Earlier I thought the four of us would be together and reserved a courtyard. Now it’s just Brother Fei and me. I think we shouldn’t waste this incense money—Brother Fei and I will suffer a bit and squeeze in with you all.”
Yin Mingyuan knew that Pei Yan and Zhou Zijing had come out for other purposes. He looked toward Pei Yan.
But Pei Yan didn’t take the bait. He laughed coldly twice: “That incense money—you talk as if you donated it. How about this—let’s just say the expenses for coming to Tanzhe Temple this time are on you?”