Chongfei Manual [II]

Chapter 132.2

"Ah Luo, you've been smiling since you entered the carriage. How about telling me why you're feeling so happy?" Liang Yu Rong moved closer to her and asked with teasing expression.

Wei Luo looked at Liang Yu Rong. She didn't blush from embarrassment after hearing her teasing tone. After all, she had already heard a plentiful amount of shameful words from being together with Zhao Jie. Her face had already thickened into an impenetrable defense.

She said, "What's there for me to say? I haven't even asked you about your matter with oldest cousin Chang Yin. I heard that oldest cousin Chang Yin personally paid a visit to Marquis Ping Yuan's residence. What did he say to make your parents change their minds so quickly?"

As expected, Liang Yu Rong's face turned red. She pinched Wei Luo's waist and said, "How... How would I know? Daddy and mother never discuss my marriage with me."

Wei Luo skeptically looked at her. In the end, Liang Yu Rong was so embarrassed that she pounced on Wei Luo. The two of them messily landed on top of a blanket that was embroidered with golden clouds and birds. Their laughter never stopped and the subject of their conversation was dropped.

When they arrived at Qian Temple's entrance, the temple was strangely empty. It was especially quiet and peaceful without the normal worshippers that were as numerous as clouds.

There was a row of black-robed guards standing outside of the temple and the footsteps of the monks inside the temple were very quiet as if they were receiving an important guest. The young monk at the entrance originally wanted to stop them from going inside, but he hesitated after Wei Luo's identity was told to him. It wouldn't be good to offend either side. And so, he said, "Benefactors, please follow me."

Wei Luo and Liang Yu Rong walked into the main hall and saw a madam kneeling in front of the solemn and stately Buddha statue. She was wearing a deep red robe with wide sleeves and embroidered with a pattern of lotus flowers. Her hair was arranged in a qing hairstyle. There were two golden hairpins that had cat's eye gemstones inserted at an angle into her hair. Just from looking at her back figure, they could tell that she was undoubtedly a noble and glamorous madam. After that madam paid her respect to the Buddha statue by kowtowing three times, a girl that was wearing a cherry blossom-colored outer robe that was embroidered with lotus flowers in Su style helped her up. Then, they turned around and headed towards the entrance to leave.

(T/N: Below is an image of qing hairstyle. This hairstyle was mentioned in chapter 108.)

Under the comfortably warm sunlight outside of the hall, Wei Luo finally saw the madam's face. It was Noble Consort Ning, who lived in Zhong Hua Palace.

Wei Luo blankly stared at her for a moment before she paid her respect to her senior by saluting and saying, "Your Highness, Noble Consort Ning."

Liang Yu Rong followed her and also saluted.

Noble Consort Ning was one generation above them after all, so she had experienced more things and her conduct was more composed and mature than their's. She didn't show much surprise and only said with a faint smile, "I didn't expect to meet you here. It seems that I have quite a bit of fate with Princess Consort Jing."

Wei Luo closed her eyes slightly and pursed her lips into a smile. "Many thanks to your wondrous medicine from last time, Your Highness. My wound was only able to heal so quickly because of it."

She paused before adding, "Prince Jing's residence has been preoccupied with many trifling issues, so I haven't been able to go to the palace and personally thank Your Highness. I'll have to ask Your Highness to not blame me for this. I entrusted someone to deliver a paperweight and an ink-warming box. Has Your Highness received them?"

She wasn't actually busy with Prince Jing's residence's matters. Wei Luo was purely using it as an excuse. Since Zhao Jie and Empress Chen didn't like Noble Consort Ning, she naturally would avoid speaking to this person from an opposing faction.

Noble Consort Ning's smile was dignified and perfect. "That's not a big deal. It's only a bottle of medicine. Princess Consort Jing is so beautiful. If a scar was left on your body that would truly be a shame. Unfortunately, there's only one bottle of that medicine. I used almost half of it after His Majesty gave it to me. Was there enough left?"

Wei Luo nodded and her smile didn't change. "It was enough. Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness."

Noble Consort Ning nodded and the girl at her side finally had a chance to salute Wei Luo. Her soft voice was pleasing to hear, "Imperial sister-in-law."

The girl raised her head. Her bright eyes were her most dazzling aspect. There were only a faintly ripples in them. They were like deep pools of limpid water. A beautiful nose and small cherry lips followed her exquisite eyes. Her potential beauty was something that was rarely seen. However, this wasn't what caught Wei Luo's attention. It was her address of, "imperial sister-in-law". She was probably Zhao Zhang's newly married princess consort. She was Duke Ding's first branch's youngest daughter, Gao Wan.

Wei Luo didn't have much of an impression of this girl. Perhaps, it was because her family didn't have many dealings with Duke Ding's family. She only remembered that she was a well behaved and had a gentle and warm personality.

Wei Luo hadn't been engaged to Zhao Jie for a long time before Zhao Zhang turned around and got engaged with Gao Wan. They had also married a month earlier than her. There was an unavoidable intention of competition behind his actions, but no one said these words out loud.

Wei Luo went with Noble Consort Ning to the rear courtyard's guest room to talk for a while and found out that Noble Consort Ning wasn't feeling well, so she left the palace to come here to pay her respects to Buddha. Wei Lou said a few sentences to show concern, but she didn't say she would send Noble Consort Ning any medicine. After all, she had already paid back the favor from the bottle of medicine. Wei Luo also didn't want to have further contact with her.

*****

It was noon when they left Qian Temple. The sun was high up in the sky and the temperature naturally increased from the beams of sunlight.

After Wei Luo bid farewell to Liang Yu Rong, returned to Prince Jing's residence, asked a servant about Zhao Jie's location, found out that he was currently in the study, she started walking towards the study.