Su Man said, "Don’t you know you’re a hundred times prettier than Princess Xiuning? What on earth does Brother Lu see in that princess? She’s spoiled, can’t bake tasty pastries, and doesn’t know how to make soup. In what way is she better than you?"
Xue Ning gave a bitter smile. "I don’t know, but loving someone doesn’t need any reason, just like not loving someone doesn’t need an excuse either. So, Man Man, don’t try to matchmake me with Brother Lu anymore. I don’t have any grand ambitions—I just want to live a peaceful and safe life."
Su Man said with heartache, "But Brother Lu can give you a peaceful and happy life."
That feeling of flesh being scorched slowly surged within her again.
Xue Ning looked deeply at Su Man and said calmly, "He can’t give it."
In this lifetime, she would no longer live in fear as she had before.
…
After seeing Su Man off, Xue Ning took out all the sachets she had embroidered for Su Zhan before.
Some had been given to him, only to be thrown away somewhere unknown.
Others he hadn’t even glanced at.
They still lay in her embroidery basket to this day.
Only after Bao Chan closed the door tightly did she quietly walk up behind Xue Ning.
The young lady had said there were spies from the other two branches in the courtyard, so she didn’t dare be careless and kept her voice low.
"Young lady, Princess Xiuning talked with Fourth Miss for quite a while before parting today. But they had their maids with them, so I couldn’t get close. From a distance, I couldn’t make out what they were saying."
Xue Ning’s expression remained calm as she picked up the sachets one by one.
Then, she cut them to shreds with scissors.
"Oh, young lady, what are you doing?"
Bao Chan tried to stop her, but Xue Ning pulled her hand away.
"These sachets aren’t well-made. I’m going to cut them up, burn them, and start over."
"You scared me to death."
After saying this, Bao Chan went to fetch the brazier.
Xue Ning expressionlessly threw the shredded sachets into the brazier.
The flames suddenly leaped high, and she hurriedly closed her eyes, her lashes trembling.
Only when the fire subsided slightly did she open her eyes again.
Watching the fabric turn to ashes was like watching the letters she had written to Su Zhan burn in the old mansion in Yongzhou before her death.
Once burned, it would be over. Once burned clean, it would be as if nothing had ever happened.
Her eyes were faintly tinged with red, but her heart felt an indescribable sense of relief.
"Young lady, they’re finally burned." Bao Chan moved the brazier aside and added, "Princess Xiuning has only just entered the manor. What could Fourth Miss be saying to her?"
Xue Ning’s lips curved slightly as she said nonchalantly, "What else could it be? Just trying to harm me, that’s all."
If she remembered correctly, in her previous life, after her marriage to Su Zhan was settled, Su Qing had grown increasingly displeased with her.
It was one thing for her to join Su Xi in making snide remarks and finding fault on ordinary days, but the most disgusting incident was when she nearly ruined Xue Ning’s reputation again, causing Su Zhan to dislike her.
Her affection with Su Zhan had always been shallow.
Because of Su Qing’s interference, falsely accusing her of being involved with another man, Su Zhan’s disgust for her deepened even further.
Although her marriage to Su Zhan was off in this lifetime, Su Qing’s ruthlessness remained.
It was probably around this time.
As long as she stepped out.
Su Qing would definitely make her move.
"Harm?"
Bao Chan’s small face turned pale with fear.
"She wouldn’t try to kill you, would she?"
Xue Ning smiled faintly, pinched the chubby cheek of the little maid, and reassured her, "Don’t worry. Your young lady has her own ways to deal with it."
…
Two days later, Xue Ning went early in the morning to pay her respects to Xie Laofuren and Madam Jiang.
Afterward, she boarded the Marquis's residence carriage from the back gate, traveling through two main streets before exiting the gates of Dongjing City.
The weather today was not particularly good, and the carriage swayed along the mountain path in the outskirts of the city.
It was colder outside the city than within, and the mountain road was covered with a light, misty snowfall.
Xue Ning held a warm hand warmer in her hands, with a rabbit fur scarf wrapped around her neck.
Occasionally, she lifted the curtain to glance outside. As the year-end approached, many families were heading to Zhenguo Temple.
On her way out of the city, she encountered two carriages, both heading in the direction of Zhenguo Temple.
The scenery outside the city was breathtakingly beautiful—green mountains and clear waters, blanketed in white snow, resembling an ink-wash landscape painting with deliberate blank spaces.
Xue Ning hadn’t taken the time to appreciate snowscapes in many years.
During those years in Yongzhou, every winter, she would feel afraid.
Afraid of the cold, afraid of falling ill, afraid of having no food, afraid that Su Zhan would ignore her.
Looking back now, it all seemed utterly ridiculous.
Even when life had become so difficult, she still clung to the thought that they were husband and wife, and that Su Zhan would one day come to take her home.
But in the end, what awaited her was a raging fire.
Xue Ning smiled self-mockingly, feeling a mix of sadness and relief.
Even though the carriage jolted so much it nearly brought her to tears, she didn’t find it more unbearable than her time in Yongzhou.
Upon reaching Zhenguo Temple, the carriage stopped at the mountain gate.
Xue Ning put on her veil hat, alighted from the carriage, and entered the temple with Bao Chan.
"Miss, there are so many people here."
In the past, Xue Ning would always shamelessly ask Su Zhan to accompany her.
Thus, this was Bao Chan’s first visit, and she was seeing such a grand spectacle for the first time.
Xue Ning paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "The Bodhisattva here is very efficacious."
Bao Chan’s eyes curved with anticipation. "Efficacious in everything?"
Xue Ning replied calmly, "Most efficacious in matters of marriage."
Bao Chan blinked, cautiously glancing at her mistress.
No wonder the young lady insisted on coming—she was probably here to offer incense for her parents and her husband, and then conveniently pray for a good marriage.
She must be praying for one with the Shizi, right?
Lately, although the young lady claimed she wouldn’t interact with the Shizi, she still visited Qiushui Garden every day.
And she was so diligent in impressing the old madam, all out of fear that the Su family might dislike her.
It’s just a pity that although the Shizi treated the young lady fairly well, he was always rather aloof.
Well, later she would also pray to the Bodhisattva for her mistress.
May the Bodhisattva bless the young lady and the Shizi to become a loving couple in the end.
Today was a day of rest, and Zhenguo Temple was bustling with worshippers, people coming and going.
Unaware of Bao Chan’s thoughts, Xue Ning entered the temple gate and skillfully made her way to the rear mountain side hall, where the longevity tablets of her parents were enshrined.
Along the way, she heard that the reason for today’s liveliness was that Master Miaolin was scheduled to deliver a lecture on Buddhist teachings in the courtyard.
As a result, many dignitaries and nobles had gathered here today.
As she walked, she encountered numerous young masters and ladies from wealthy families.
Fortunately, she had always been reluctant to go out, and Xie Laofuren also disliked her interacting with outsiders.
Thus, none of these wealthy individuals recognized her.
Keeping a low profile, she gathered her cloak and used her veil hat to conceal her face, only removing it after entering the rear mountain.
…
Su Zhan and his friend alighted from their carriage, and at a glance, he noticed the Marquis's residence carriage parked by the roadside, immediately frowning.
"Hey, isn’t that the carriage from Brother Su’s household?"
Xu Shengnian, the Ministry of Justice official, pointed at the carriage and smiled. "Does someone from Brother Su’s family also come to listen to Master Miaolin’s lecture?"
Su Zhan hadn’t heard of anyone from the residence coming to Zhenguo Temple for Buddhist teachings. He called over the carriage driver to inquire and only then learned that Xue Ning had come.
I had anticipated her fondness for chasing after him, but never imagined she would be so bold as to follow him all the way to Zhenguo Temple.
"Miss Xue insisted on going out alone and even went to Qiushui Garden to plead with the mistress. That’s why we were sent to escort her here. She has already entered the temple and instructed us to wait here."