“Miss, the Pingyang Houfu is being so persistent. Why don’t we go pay respects to our ancestors another day?”
Ningzhu stamped her foot in anger, genuinely worried that Mu Yao would be subjected to Zhang Shi’s nitpicking and scolding again.
Mu Yao was amused by her reaction and reached out to poke the little maid’s chubby cheeks, her tone completely unconcerned.
“We’re going. Why wouldn’t we go?”
“Zhang Shi followed us for no other reason than to test where my intentions truly lie. What I want is precisely for her to come along.”
Ningzhu tilted her head, puzzled. “Miss, have you forgotten how Zhang Shi spoke of you before?”
A cold glint flashed through Mu Yao’s eyes. “You remember that day Zhang Shi came into contact with me. Make sure to tell Granny Wang about it, and have her spread the word well.”
“Let everyone know that the wife of the Pingyang Houfu personally came to Qingshan Si to converse with the young lady of the Mu family.”
Ningzhu was stunned for only a moment before quickly grasping her young lady’s intent.
“Miss, you want Granny Wang to spread the news so that those families watching from the shadows will think that the Pingyang Hou’s earlier veiled warnings were all just an attempt to keep the prize for himself!”
“My Ningzhu has grown quite clever.” Mu Yao smiled and pinched her cheek.
“Even without my ten million taels of gold as a dowry, just the countless connections behind the Mu family alone—do you think those people in the capital are fools?”
“They simply don’t want to offend the Pingyang Houfu. But if they learn that the Pingyang Houfu’s so-called warnings were meant to hoard all the benefits for themselves, do you think they’ll let the Houfu have its way?”
Ningzhu immediately shook her head, looking at Mu Yao with even greater admiration.
“If Miss were a man, you’d surely win the position of Prime Minister at court!”
That remark made Mu Yao laugh. She gestured for Ningzhu to go make the arrangements while she herself rose and walked slowly toward the ancestral hall within the temple grounds.
Behind Qingshan Si had always been the Mu family’s ancestral shrine. Later, by the late emperor’s grace, the Mu family shrine was permitted to remain in place and receive half of Qingshan Si’s incense offerings.
Such honor—yet now, the people were gone and the tea had gone cold.
Mu Yao stepped forward with proper decorum, added some lamp oil, and bowed in worship before kneeling on the ground, her eyes reddening as she looked at the two memorial tablets above.
“Father, Mother, your daughter has been unfilial. I could not marry into the Houfu as you wished. But Lu Zhi treated me so—I cannot bear to waste my entire life.”
“I have come to Qingshan Si in hopes of meeting Master Liao Chan, to seek a future opportunity and restore the Mu family’s fortunes!”
With that, Mu Yao kowtowed three times, the sounds echoing heavily, before slowly rising and withdrawing from the ancestral hall.
Gazing at the full moon hanging high in the sky, she drew her outer robe tighter. “Let’s return to the room.”
Ningzhu looked at the tear stains at the corners of Mu Yao’s eyes with heartache and tried to comfort her: “Miss is a fortunate person. Surely you will meet Master Liao Chan this time!”
Knowing the girl was trying to console her, Mu Yao still held little hope for the matter.
“Master Liao Chan wanders the four seas. Even the Emperor tried repeatedly to summon him to the palace and failed. How could I possibly have such good luck?”
Ningzhu opened her mouth but didn’t know how to respond, so she fell silent.
Knowing what the little maid wanted to say, Mu Yao steadied her breath. “Meeting Master Liao Chan is a matter of fate. I’ll stay here for a few days—if I don’t encounter him, then it simply wasn’t meant to be.”
“Just remember to spread the word about what I told you.”
Ningzhu knew the importance of the task and nodded gravely, not daring to be careless.
…
Mu Yao, who had thought she wouldn’t see Yan Xun again after the boat excursion, now looked at the carriage parked not far from the temple, a flicker of surprise passing through her eyes.
Yan Xun had come to Qingshan Si too?
“Miss, that looks like Chu Wang’s carriage? Doesn’t Chu Wang not believe in such things? Why would he come to the temple to pray?”
What Ningzhu said was also what puzzled Mu Yao.
Seeing the carriage curtain being lifted, she quickly lowered her own curtain to block the view, as if afraid of being seen.
“He probably came for amusement. No need to pay him any mind—let’s go to the back courtyard first.”
She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but she felt a gaze piercing through the carriage curtain and landing on her.
Still, Mu Yao didn’t dare lift the curtain to look.
Meanwhile, Yan Xun, who had just stepped down from his carriage, raised an eyebrow as he watched the carriage heading toward the back courtyard in the distance.
Changqing, the fool who didn’t fear death, sidled up, followed the man’s gaze, then grinned. “Your Highness, this subordinate swears Miss Mu seemed to speed up the moment she saw Your Highness’s carriage!”
A cold glare shot his way, and Changqing quickly covered his mouth.
“Are you saying Miss Mu dislikes this prince?”
Changqing shook his head like a rattle-drum, terrified of silently receiving another kick.
Yan Xun let out a cold snort, glanced toward the back courtyard, then followed the abbot into the temple.
On the other side.
Mu Yao paid some silver and instructed the driver to return for her the next day.
Only then did she bring Ningzhu to this meditation room that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
The furnishings inside were all as they had been—everything her mother had placed there during her lifetime.
Looking at the carved wooden doll on the cabinet, Mu Yao picked it up with eyes full of nostalgia, not forgetting to ask behind her, “Has Granny Wang been taken care of?”
Ningzhu nodded.
“The moment the Pingyang Hou’s wife set out, Granny Wang released the news. By the time Miss returns to the residence tomorrow, Granny Wang will surely have several visiting cards in hand.”
Before the poetry gathering, she had to decide on her companion.
After all, with only less than seven days remaining between the poetry gathering and the Mid-Autumn family banquet, if she couldn’t find someone to stand by her side, she might truly end up guarding the imperial mausoleum.
She absolutely could not let that happen!
Clutching the wooden doll in her hand, Mu Yao steadied her nerves and instructed Ningzhu to bring the offerings to the ancestral hall for the ancestor worship ceremony.
The rites were elaborate and solemn, and Mu Yao did not make a single misstep.
By the time she emerged from the ancestral hall, two hours had already passed.
And in one glance, she spotted Zhang Shi, the wife of Pingyang Hou, sitting in the pavilion with an impatient expression!
Perhaps having seen her come out of the ancestral hall, Zhang Shi set down her teacup with irritation and snapped sharply, “Miss Mu, do you know how long this lady has been waiting for you!”
Mu Yao looked at her domineering demeanor and greeted her with a graceful, proper bow.
“I beg your pardon, Lady Pingyang Hou. The rites at the ancestral hall were extensive and time-consuming. It is this young woman’s fault for making you wait so long.”
The mention of the ancestral rites forced Zhang Shi to swallow some of her fury.
She had been so blinded by anger that she had forgotten the very reason Mu Yao had come to Qingshan Si.
Remembering the ten million taels of gold now weighing on Mu Yao’s shoulders, Zhang Shi steadied her breathing and softened her expression. “It is I who was careless, forgetting such a matter. How could I blame you? I consider you as good as my daughter-in-law of Hou Fu.”
Mu Yao lowered her eyes to conceal the cold glint that flashed within them, feigning alarm as she took a half-step back.
“This young woman would not dare presume upon Hou Fu’s status. Please, my lady, do not jest.”
Zhang Shi’s face suddenly darkened. Though the person before her appeared meek and submissive, there was an uncharacteristic air of defiance about her. She snorted coldly. “It’s been only a few days, Miss Mu, and you’ve certainly grown sharp-tongued.”
“Now it seems even my Hou Fu is beneath your notice.”
A shadow passed through Mu Yao’s eyes as she lifted her gaze with a faint smile, neither humble nor haughty.
“Hou Fu is noble and distinguished, while this young woman is but an orphan. Were I to enter Hou Fu, I fear I would only tarnish its reputation.”
Zhang Shi gritted her teeth in fury, abandoning all pretense of aristocratic composure as she barked, “Reputation?! What reputation does my Hou Fu have left after what you’ve done! And here you are, playing the part of the considerate one!”