The Wenshu Monastery built on the mountain couldn't accommodate all the cavalry and infantry, so they were stationed at the foot of the mountain.
Emperor Jianxing only took Chu Yin, Lu Jingchen, and other family members, along with ten warriors, twenty eunuchs, and ten maids to the monastery.
As Yan Mountain was towering, Chu Yin ascended in a palanquin.
Along the way, lush green trees, vibrant summer flowers, and the chorus of birds made it feel like being in a painting.
The two children were captivated by the sights.
Reaching halfway up the mountain, the mist swirling around made it feel like a fairyland.
Lu Jingchen suddenly exclaimed, "Father Emperor, this must be the Lingquan spring! It's just as you described to me before."
Hearing the sound of water, Chu Yin looked to the side and saw a white rainbow cascading down the cliff, creating snow-like sprays, the cool breeze bringing a shiver to all.
Truly a perfect retreat from summer heat.
The Wenshu Monastery was just ahead.
Everyone dismounted from the palanquins and walked towards the monastery.
The abbot was already waiting, leading a group of monks to kneel and welcome the Emperor.
Emperor Jianxing commanded them to rise: "It has been, I reckon, thirty years since I last visited this place."
His last visit was at the age of fifteen, accompanying his father for a summer retreat.
The abbot nodded, "What is sown is reaped, everything is predestined."
Such an explanation, attributing everything to fate, seemed like an easy way out, but the Emperor knew that even the revered monks were not above worldly matters, choosing safe and unremarkable words, neither commendable nor blameworthy.
The Emperor didn't mind, expressing his wish to revisit familiar places.
The abbot then ordered the monks to leave and led the way himself.
Wenshu Monastery, with its centuries-old history, was awe-inspiring, not just for its grandiose halls like the Heavenly Kings Hall and the Mahavira Hall, but also for the thousand-year-old ginkgo trees in the courtyard.
Princess Baocheng, recalling childhood summer retreats here with her brother, chatted incessantly, pulling the Emperor into her reminiscences. Lu Jingchen joined in, flattering the elders, while Chu Yin preferred to enjoy the scenery, exploring here and there with the children, her eyes never resting.
After a complete tour, everyone was somewhat tired and proceeded to the guest rooms.
The room Chu Yin stayed in was nestled among bamboo and flowers, ancient and serene, cool and pleasant.
Lengdong, however, was not satisfied: "You can tell it's quite old, the paint on the door is even peeling off."
"That's what makes it good. A brand new and lavish place would be less interesting," Chu Yin touched the old window, listening to the distant sound of wind chimes, "It's really cool here, too bad it's not easy to come."
Such a grand entourage was indeed exhausting; a private visit in disguise would have been preferable.
Chu Yin suddenly thought about her previous life, wondering if Lu Jingzhe would have taken her here for a summer retreat had she not died young.
She remembered that summer was also quite hot, but she never complained to him.
Despite the intense heat, Lu Jingzhe continued reviewing memorials and handling state affairs, never missing an early court session. As the Empress, how could she bother him with such trivial matters?
But now she suspected that if she had mentioned it, he probably would have agreed.
This place wasn't far from the capital, and the idea of the two of them disguising as commoners to escape the heat seemed incredibly fun.
The corners of her mouth involuntarily lifted.
But her smile faded soon after.
That was Lu Jingzhe from her previous life; in this life, she still didn't know when he would start to like her.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Lengdong saw a young novice monk.
"He's here to deliver tea," she said.
Chu Yin invited him in.
The twelve-year-old novice monk, with a cheerful demeanor, said, "Your Highness, this tea is grown in Yan Mountain and steeped in Lingquan water. You'll surely like it," he carefully handed it to Lengdong, cautioning, "Please be careful not to scald your hands, Your Highness. The room may be cool, but the water is still hot."
Lengdong chuckled, "Is this novice treating the Crown Princess like a child, thinking she can't even drink tea properly?"
"You may leave now," she said.
The novice monk bowed and left promptly.
Chu Yin took a sip and found the tea to have a subtle orchid fragrance, slightly sweet, and beautifully shaped like crescents. She decided then that she must buy some to take back to the palace when leaving.
Compared to Wenshu tea, Junshan Silver Needle tea is also not inferior, a favorite of Empress Jiang.
However, today's tea was brewed by Jiang Yuyuan.
"I didn't expect you to have such skill, truly dexterous and thoughtful," Empress Jiang complimented, then asked, "Are you really feeling better?"
"Yes, thanks to your summoning Physician Xu. Although I'm not fully recovered, walking isn't an issue anymore, so I was thinking of leaving the palace today."
"Why leave when you haven't fully recovered? I've told your aunt that I would take good care of you. Stay a couple more days."
"Then I'll be troubling you again."
"It's no bother, see, you've already made tea for me, haven't you?"
Jiang Yuyuan pursed her lips, "Your Majesty, may I go out for a walk then? Lying down for several days, I feel a bit stiff, my legs are sore."
"Sure, you can walk around nearby."
Jiang Yuyuan quickly thanked her.
However, her walk led her to the path between Qianqing Palace and the Eastern Palace.
The carriage suddenly stopped, and Dong Ling reported, "Your Highness, Miss Jiang is sitting by the roadside, looking quite uncomfortable."
Lu Jingzhe glanced out the window.
The young lady had furrowed brows, her forehead covered in sweat, appearing as if she had fallen ill again.
But wasn't she supposed to be in Kunning Palace? What was she doing here?
"No need to concern ourselves," he said.
However, before the coachman could resume driving, Jiang Yuyuan had already approached the window.
"Cousin, it's lucky I ran into you. I just went out for a walk and suddenly felt dizzy again..."
"Where is your maid?"
"I don't know; I'm not familiar with this area." She clutched the window frame, her pale fingers peeking through like petals of an epiphyllum. "Cousin, could you give me a ride? I really can't walk anymore. Cousin, I feel so unwell."
Her voice was soft and weak, quivering at the end. He instantly recognized this as coquettish behavior.
His Crown Princess often behaved like this, and he had become quite sensitive to it. However, while Chu Yin's coquettishness aroused his desires, Jiang Yuyuan's did not.
It seemed his weakness was specific to Chu Yin.
Lu Jingzhe gave Dong Ling a slight nod.
Understanding his signal, Dong Ling directed the coachman to continue.
The carriage moved forward immediately, and Jiang Yuyuan's fingers, not withdrawn in time, were scraped by the window frame, causing a piercing pain.
Holding her injured fingertip, she could hardly believe it.
Was Lu Jingzhe too heartless? Even if he didn't want to help her, couldn't he have waited for her to retract her hand?
Was he blind?
Jiang Yuyuan was almost furious with Lu Jingzhe.
At that moment, she no longer wanted to be his concubine.
Just then, Qingshuang arrived, "Miss, why did you walk off so quickly? I almost got lost... Why are you here?" Noticing her injured finger, "You're hurt? We need to get a physician immediately."
No physician could cure the pain in her finger, let alone the pain in her heart. Jiang Yuyuan bit her lip, cursing Lu Jingzhe inwardly, but ultimately, she was still unwilling to give up. The more he behaved like this, the more she couldn't accept it!
She had been calling him "Cousin" for so long, thinking of him constantly, yet he never once regarded her as a "Cousin."
Even in a regular relationship, he didn't need to treat her like this, did he?
She wouldn't resign herself to defeat.
Jiang Yuyuan gazed at her swollen fingertip, determined to find a way to win over Lu Jingzhe.
She took a deep breath, hiding her finger in her sleeve: "Don't mention my injury to the Empress, it's a minor matter. I don't want to bother her anymore."
"Okay," Qingshuang nodded, "Shall we return to Kunning Palace now?"
"Yes," Jiang Yuyuan replied, looking up at the darkening sky.
Considering today's events, there was no need to stay in the palace anymore. She had to think of another strategy.
What a pity.
This should have been the perfect opportunity, especially with Chu Yin away.
..................
The Lingquan spring on Yan Mountain was light and elegant, its spray like clusters of snowy plum blossoms, gently falling like light rain.
Chu Yin reached out, feeling a cool sensation in her palm.
Lu Xiu and Lu Zhen, watching, cried out, "Mother, we want to do it too!"
Xiao Dou and Qi Niang quickly lifted the two young ones.
Four little hands stirred, splashing water.
"We touched it!" they exclaimed joyously.
Tang Feiyan glanced at the children and bit her lip, "I don't understand what I did to displease Father Emperor. Everyone can go, but not me. Husband, what do you think? Did I say something wrong?"
Lu Jingchen, unable to help her, tried to console her, "The fact that I can go is already a grace from Father Emperor. We shouldn't be too greedy. Besides, what's there to see in the fields? There might be lots of insects; you wouldn't like it."
"If the Crown Princess can handle it, why can't I? She goes, and I can't. It's just..."
"You see, you're comparing yourself to the Crown Princess again! She's going because she recommended Minister Yi. How can you not understand this?" Lu Jingchen patted her back, "Be sensible, don't think too much."
How could she not be troubled? She was the only one excluded.
"Could it be because I haven't borne you a child?" Tang Feiyan's lips quivered, "We've been married for so long, and I've never conceived. Perhaps Father Emperor holds a grudge against me for it."
"......"
"Look at the Crown Princess, she has twins. Even though they're noisy, they're continuing the family line for the Crown Prince. But we don't even have children to make noise." The more she thought about it, the more upset she became, starting to tear up.
Tang Feiyan was genuinely distressed about not having children, and Lu Jingchen understood, speaking gently, "Father Emperor wouldn't blame you for this. Don't upset yourself unnecessarily."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Really."
But Tang Feiyan remained skeptical, suddenly pulling Lu Jingchen's hand, "Let's go, let's leave this spring..." she whispered something in his ear, and Lu Jingchen panicked, "No, we can't."
"Why not?"
"This is a monastery."
"As long as it doesn't get out."
"......"
The two of them tugged back and forth. Chu Yin, watching from a distance, found it quite curious.
She had only seen Lu Jingchen dragging Tang Feiyan away, never the other way around. While she was pondering, she heard Lu Zhen ask, "Mother, should we tell Father? He can't see this."
"Yes, this is Lingquan. Remember it well to tell Father... Also tell him how much you miss him, so much that you even dream about him, understand?" Chu Yin wouldn't allow the relationship between Lu Jingzhe and the children to become as distant as in her previous life.
Lu Zhen tilted his head, "Then will Mother also tell Father that she misses him?"
"......"
Did she need to tell him?
Before coming to Yan Mountain, she had already told him, using many embarrassingly bold methods.
But Lu Jingzhe, that block of wood, showed no reaction at all.
Now, as a dignified and composed Crown Princess, she certainly wouldn't tell him a second time that she missed him.
