When she opened her eyes, a sharply defined face loomed large before her, and her scream died in her throat.
"Young Lord??!"
Zhou Congxian said, "Get dressed. We're going to White Horse Temple."
"Ah? White Horse Temple?"
Zhou Congxian turned and left the room, allowing Shuangjiang and He Mama to enter.
"Hurry up. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance."
Jiang Shiyao stared blankly at Zhou Congxian's retreating back. He wanted her to go to White Horse Temple?
In her previous life, Zhou Congxian had gone to White Horse Temple.
Something seemed to have happened there too—the wedding between Zhou Congxian and Song Jiyun, originally scheduled for autumn, was moved up to the season of Minor Heat.
But she hadn't gone then, so she had no way of knowing what exactly transpired at White Horse Temple.
By the time Zhou Congxian's servant urged them for the third time, Jiang Shiyao finally rushed to the entrance with Fu'er in her arms.
Three carriages stood at the entrance, fully prepared and ready to depart.
Zhao Shi lifted the carriage curtain and spotted Jiang Shiyao holding the child.
"Why is she here?"
Zhou Congxian replied, "Didn't you say you wanted to get a peace charm for Fu'er? I thought it would be best to bring them along."
Jiang Shiyao tightened her embrace around her daughter, inwardly grumbling: If you want to scheme against each other, why drag us mother and daughter into it…
Zhou Congxian glanced at the pair still rooted to the spot.
"Get in the carriage already."
White Horse Temple.
The most popular temple in the outskirts of the capital.
In all her years in the capital, Jiang Shiyao had only been here once—back when Fu'er was still in her womb.
Holding her drowsy, swaying daughter, she reminisced about events from her previous life.
It seemed that after returning from White Horse Temple, Zhao Shi had even quarreled with the Duke.
And it was after coming back from the temple that Zhao Shi stopped interfering in Zhou Congxian's marriage arrangements.
She even surprisingly accompanied them when they went to the Song family to deliver the betrothal gifts.
Could it be that the two were caught attempting something improper at the temple, causing Zhao Shi to give up her resistance and the wedding to be moved forward?
Jiang Shiyao shuddered.
She couldn't imagine someone as aloof as Zhou Congxian capable of such a thing…
The temple was situated on high ground. Standing on the mountain path beside it, one could see most of the capital.
The young lady of the Li family had already arrived. As soon as Jiang Shiyao stepped out of the carriage, she saw a beauty in purple robes paying respects to Zhao Shi.
Fu'er was fully awake by now. Gazing at the unfamiliar surroundings, she excitedly kicked her little legs, wanting to get down.
"Mother, mother! There are sugar figurines!"
The temple entrance was bustling with activity. On temple fair days, it was often too crowded to move.
Zhou Congxian looked at his excited daughter and took the money bag from his waist. "Take Fu'er to play. Don't go too far."
Another heavy money bag.
Jiang Shiyao clutched the money bag, her eyes curving into smiles. "Alright, I'll take Fu'er to play slowly. I promise we won't appear!"
Huh??
Zhou Congxian watched Jiang Shiyao, whose very back of the head radiated joy, then turned to his attendant. "What did she mean by that?"
The attendant gestured with his chin toward another direction. "Niangzi Jiang might have spotted that person over there."
Zhou Congxian followed his gaze and felt a throbbing at his temples.
Song Jiyun descended from her carriage, decked out like a festive display, her face full of impatience—until she saw him, when her expression swiftly transformed.
The attendant Wei Xun couldn't help but marvel; it was comparable to the acrobatic tricks at the temple fair.
No wonder the Young Lord avoided her like the plague.
Who knew if the Young Lord would ever manage to shake off this hot potato…
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Fu'er was like a cheerful little bird, holding a small rabbit sugar figurine in both hands. She gazed at it adoringly for a long time, unable to bear eating it.
Shuangjiang noticed a towering tree extending over the monastery wall, with numerous red silk ribbons tied to its branches.
Her ears turned pink as she whispered, "Young Madam, I'd like to go draw a fortune stick…"
Jiang Shiyao's eyes never left her daughter as she reminded her not to play too long. "Come back quickly. The Old Madam might come looking for us soon."
Fu'er, being over three years old, was at that curious age.
She crouched before a small stall, watching a little yellow puppy with wide-eyed wonder.
When the puppy stuck out its tongue to lick, Jiang Shiyao reached out in alarm to pull her daughter back, but Fu'er turned around with an amazed expression.
"Mother, it licked my hand!"
The stall keeper immediately smiled and said, "This puppy seems to have taken a liking to the young miss. Why don't you buy it for her as a companion, Madam?"
Fu'er instantly blinked her dewy eyes at her mother.
Jiang Shiyao looked at her daughter with concern. "Your father and grandmother wouldn't agree."
In all these years, aside from the chickens and ducks destined for the kitchen, she had never seen any live animals kept as pets.
Fu'er drooped her little head in disappointment.
"What's wrong? Why the long face?"
Zhou Congxian, tall and long-limbed, moved through the crowd and scooped his daughter up from the ground.
"Father!" Fu'er hugged his neck and gave him a kiss.
Then she blinked those same dewy eyes. "Fu'er wants this puppy."
Zhou Congxian looked down to see the little yellow dog blinking equally watery eyes up at him.
The stall keeper seized the opportunity. "Sir, this puppy was born here at White Horse Temple – it's quite special!"
"The dog has been with me for some time, but I've never seen it take to anyone like it has to your daughter."
Fu'er offered her precious rabbit sugar figurine to her father. "Fu'er will give Father her sugar figurine to eat, if Father will give Fu'er the puppy."
With the sweet scent of the sugar figurine filling his nostrils and his adorable daughter before him,
The gloom that had settled over him in the temple vanished completely.
The corners of his mouth lifted as he tapped his daughter's little nose. "Alright then, since Fu'er wants it."
"Yay! Father is the best!"
Fu'er smiled until her eyes curved into crescents, her entire world seeming to contain only her father in that moment.
Watching their similar faces, Jiang Shiyao felt a pang of emotion.
In her previous life, Zhou Congxian hadn't been completely indifferent to their daughter, but whenever he visited their courtyard, Fu'er was always already asleep.
The little trinkets he brought for Fu'er, the girl always thought they were from her mother.
Father and daughter rarely had moments like this to bond.
Later, when Fu'er moved to the Young Lord's courtyard, she could no longer see her daughter freely.
Thinking of this, Jiang Shiyao's heart chilled.
Zhou Congxian wasn't a good father – otherwise her Fu'er wouldn't have turned out the way she did.
The vendor deftly placed the puppy into a small bamboo cage.
Jiang Shiyao fished out a piece of broken silver from her purse and woodenly accepted the cage.
The stall keeper looked bewildered – everything had been fine just moments ago…
Shuangjiang returned quickly, clutching a small wooden fortune tag, the shy smile still lingering on her lips.
Jiang Shiyao handed the bamboo cage to Shuangjiang. "Looking so pleased – did you find some silver?"
Shuangjiang's smile deepened uncontrollably. "This maid drew a very fortunate stick!"
She had drawn a fortune for Zhang Lang – this year he would surely pass the imperial examinations with high honors. Then she would beg the Old Madam to release her from servitude.
As the group reached the mountain gate, Xiang Mama from Zhao Shi's side arrived. "Master Huineng is delivering a scripture lecture today, and the mistress is looking for the Young Lord!"
Jiang Shiyao reached out to hold her daughter. "Young Lord, you may go ahead. I'll take Fu'er to look around over there."
Zhou Congxian stepped aside. "Let's go together. Mother mentioned wanting to seek a peace blessing for Fu'er, and it's perfect timing with the master here."
Jiang Shiyao hesitated slightly. She had indeed heard of Master Huineng's reputation.
As a reborn soul, would the master perceive her as a ghost or monster and capture her…
Zhou Congxian had already strode away.
Shuangjiang asked, "Mistress, should we bring this puppy along?"
Jiang Shiyao glanced at the small yellow dog her daughter had just acquired. "We've never kept such pets in the mansion. I fear the mistress might disapprove."
"Take the dog to the carriage first. If anyone asks, say the Young Lord bought it."
"Yes."
In the main hall, Master Huineng, having finished his lecture, was speaking with Zhao Shi.
His gaze traveled over the crowd and settled on Zhou Congxian who had just arrived. Seeing this, Zhao Shi immediately urged her son forward.
"Master, this is my son, still unmarried. Could you read his fortune?"
On the other side, Song Jiyun stomped her foot in displeasure. Fortunately, she had followed along—otherwise, Zhao Shi might have asked the old monk to match Congxian's and Li Ruoshuang's birth characters!
Master Huineng chanted a Buddhist invocation but then placed his hand on Fu'er's head.
He chuckled warmly, "After extreme adversity comes prosperity. This young benefactor is blessed with both fortune and status, destined for endless blessings—a truly fortunate child."
Zhao Shi and Xiang Mama exchanged a glance.
Zhou Congxian bowed with his daughter in his arms. "Thank you, Master."
Little Fu'er blinked, then imitated her father—holding a rabbit sugar figurine in one hand and placing the other on her chubby belly.
She bowed with a milky voice, "Thank you, Master!"
Zhao Shi finally comprehended, "Master…"
Master Huineng chanted another Buddhist invocation. "Lady Zhou, with this girl in your household, the entire mansion shall be blessed. Amitabha."
Zhou Congxian looked at his daughter's round little face and happily bounced her in his arms. "Fu'er shall be Father's little lucky star from now on."
Fu'er beamed with a big smile. "And Mother too!"
Zhao Shi watched Master Huineng's retreating figure and murmured, "Only read the child's fortune, after all the incense money I donated."
Xiang Mama gently tugged Zhao Shi's sleeve.
Noticing her son's expression, Zhao Shi softened her tone. "Born from Jiang Shi's womb into our household, she's naturally a fortunate girl."
Jiang Shiyao stood at the entrance without entering. When she heard Master Huineng declare Fu'er's prosperous future after adversity, she covered her face with both hands and slowly crouched down, tears soaking through her fingers.
She rejoiced that her daughter would have peace and smooth sailing in the future.
Yet she worried—that the Zhou family might raise her daughter like an auspicious talisman, confined within deep mansion walls.
Hearing footsteps, Jiang Shiyao quickly wiped her tears and stood up.
The faded red cord on her wrist suddenly snapped, and a smooth white wolf-head jade pendant fell out.
Before she could pick it up, a hand was faster.
Jiang Shiyao recognized him instantly—the spendthrift who had given her silver notes at the carriage and horse shop.
"Young master, this is mine…"
Xiao Shu turned the jade over. Two characters were carved there, but they were too blurred to decipher.
He returned the jade to Jiang Shiyao. "I merely found the pattern familiar, as if I'd seen it at an old friend's home, so I took a closer look."
Jiang Shiyao said, "Perhaps Your Excellency misremembers. I am from Chuzhou, and this jade pendant is a keepsake from my late mother—a family heirloom from the countryside."
Xiao Shu did not press further, glancing instead at the crowd in the grand hall.
"So you are from the Duke of Ying's Residence. My apologies for the intrusion."
Clutching the jade pendant, Jiang Shiyao hurriedly bowed. "You honor me too much."
Xiao Shu nodded and turned to leave.
Only when he had gone far did Jiang Shiyao look down at the jade in her hand. The red cord hadn't been changed in over a decade—the knot was still the one her mother had tied.
Her mother had passed from a sudden illness before she could teach her how to make it.
As Xiao Shu stepped beyond the temple gate, he glanced back toward the grand hall.
That wolf's head design somewhat resembled the military token of General Meng's Black Wolf Army.
Who exactly was this woman?
Chuzhou…
After a long moment, he shook his head.
Everything in this world has its resemblances.