"Madam Wang, the mistress has ordered that she will take the Fourth Miss to Anguo Temple in three days. Please make arrangements as soon as possible."
In the Rongjing Courtyard, Madam Wang stared fiercely at the maid below, wishing she could kill her and the mistress behind her with her gaze.
But no matter how many scenarios she imagined in her heart, the words she finally said could only be: "This servant understands. Please convey my message to the mistress, asking her to rest assured."
"Alright."
Having gotten the answer she wanted, Liusu didn't pay any attention to the woman on the upper seat and left the courtyard neatly.
"What does she think she is!"
After the figure disappeared from sight, another set of porcelain in the room had long since met its end. Madam Wang stared fixedly at the direction where Liusu disappeared, with all her resentment having nowhere to vent.
"That bitch giving me a cold shoulder is one thing, but what is her maid?!"
"Miss, please keep your voice down!"
Nanny Wang quickly grabbed Madam Wang. After dismissing all the maids in the room, she patiently advised, "Miss, this old servant knows you're not convinced, but now that the mistress has come out of the small Buddhist hall, please bear with it!"
"Why should I?"
Madam Wang shook off Nanny Zhao's hold. Her deep - brown eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Why should I endure her? If she won't let me live in peace, I won't let her either!"
At dawn, the stars faded, and a faint glow appeared on the horizon. However, in the prime minister's mansion in the capital, the morning candles were already lit.
"Fourth Miss, we're going to Anguo Temple today. Are you up?"
The voice belonged to Liusu, the head maid beside Lady Lu. Since the maids for Lu Yinxi hadn't been selected yet, Lady Su sent Liusu to the Luoxia Courtyard as an emergency measure.
The young girl was never one to stay in bed. When Liusu entered with the maids, she had already dressed herself and was sitting obediently in front of the dressing table.
An hour later
Lady Lu and Lu Yinxi got into the carriage hand in hand. The coachman then whipped the horses, and the "tapping" sound of the horses' hooves gradually faded into the morning mist in the distance.
They didn't notice that after they left, a figure behind the carriage rushed in another direction.
Anguo Temple was located on the mountainside of Jialan Mountain on the outskirts of the capital. There was a bumpy dirt road in the middle. Normally, it would take two hours to get there on horseback, and even longer by carriage.
"At this speed, we won't arrive until the third hour of the day. Xi'er, have something to eat first."
Since they were in a hurry, neither Lady Lu nor her daughter had breakfast. They only brought some snacks.
Looking at the snack in Lady Lu's hand and her eager eyes, Lu Yinxi resignedly lowered her head and took a bite of the red - date cake.
Since they recognized each other, Lady Su had been eager to pour all the motherly love she had missed over the years onto her youngest daughter, mainly in the form of feeding.
After a few days, Lu Yinxi had grown accustomed to it from the initial discomfort.
Seeing her daughter enjoying the cake, Lady Lu's heart softened. She picked up a lotus - seed paste cake.
"Xi'er, try this one."
"Okay."
After swallowing the cake in her mouth, the young girl leaned towards her mother's hand and was about to take a bite. However, at that moment, the carriage suddenly braked. The sharp neighing of the horses pierced through the carriage wall.
"Mother, be careful!"
Lu Yinxi reacted quickly. As soon as she heard the horses neigh, she immediately reached out and grabbed Lady Lu, trying her best to stabilize their figures so that they wouldn't be thrown out due to inertia.
I don't know how long it took, but the neighing finally stopped, and the carriage became stable. The surroundings fell into complete silence.
The young girl carefully lifted a corner of the curtain and found that they were on a mountain road. There was lush greenery on both sides, hiding a deadly threat.
If she guessed correctly, that ray of light just now should have been the sunlight reflected off a weapon.
Someone wanted to kill them!
Realizing this, Lu Yinxi couldn't help but curse in her heart.
She knew that going out at this time would bring no good!
Everyone knew that the power of words was an extremely powerful skill, but in fact, it had many limitations. Besides the severe pain when using it, one would also be extremely unlucky for some time after using it.
This was one of the reasons why the young girl didn't like using the power of words.
But now, if it really came to a life - threatening moment, she wouldn't have a choice.
"Madam, are you alright?"
Just when her nerves were on edge, Lu Yinxi didn't expect to hear the coachman's voice. He didn't run away?
"I'm fine. What's going on outside?"
"Madam, don't worry. They're just a few petty thieves!"
As soon as the voice fell, the chaotic shouts and the sound of swords clashing came into their ears.
The young girl protected Lady Lu behind her and stared intently at the curtain.
She had to protect her mother, so she couldn't rush out rashly. She wondered if the coachman could handle it.
"Mother?"
Feeling the warmth on the back of her hand, Lu Yinxi subconsciously turned around. What she saw was Lady Lu's gentle smile. She looked extremely calm, which made the young girl think for a moment that it wasn't them who were being attacked.
"Xi'er, don't worry. Lu Hu is your father's man. He can handle those people outside."
So Lady Lu meant that the coachman knew martial arts?
The doubts in her heart grew stronger. Lu Yinxi felt like there was a messy ball of wool in her head that she couldn't untangle.
As far as she knew, Prime Minister Lu was a civil official. How could an ordinary coachman in a civil official's mansion know martial arts?
And why did Lady Lu lock herself in the small Buddhist hall thirteen years ago?
While she was deep in thought, the chaotic sounds outside had stopped at some point, leaving only Lu Hu's voice.
"Madam, Miss, we can continue on our journey."
"Alright, let's go."
So fast?!
Lu Yinxi subconsciously lifted the curtain. All she saw was the yellow - brown mountain road and the early - spring scenery on both sides. The blood and corpses she had expected were nowhere to be seen.
Who on earth was this Lu Hu?!
Seeing the confused look on her daughter's face, Lady Lu had no intention of explaining. She just tightened her grip on her hand.
Xi'er was still by her side. She would never let her leave again!
An hour later, the carriage stopped again.
"Madam, Fourth Miss, Anguo Temple is here."
It wasn't a festival today, so there weren't many pilgrims in the temple. Led by a young novice monk, the mother and daughter smoothly entered the main hall of the temple.
After leading her daughter to pay homage to the Buddha statues, Lady Lu said, "Xi'er, mother has to go and find the abbot. Why don't you go and have a look around?"
Although Lu Yinxi was puzzled, she didn't refuse. She left with Liusu.
After learning from a young monk that the peach blossoms behind the mountain were in bloom, the young girl walked towards the back mountain excitedly.
The petals were fluttering everywhere. A look of surprise flashed across Lu Yinxi's eyes, and she subconsciously took a few steps closer to the peach trees.
So this was what real peach trees looked like?
In her previous life, when she was born, it was already the third year of the apocalypse. All the plants had either mutated or died out. So this was the first time she had gotten so close to a peach tree.
"I didn't know that the Fourth Miss was also a lover of peach blossoms."
A familiar voice sounded behind her. Liusu immediately stepped in front of the young girl and looked warily at the suddenly - appeared man.
"Why is it you again?"
Seeing that face, Lu Yinxi couldn't help but sigh in her heart. What kind of fateful encounter was this? Why did she keep running into this man everywhere?
"I didn't expect to meet the Fourth Miss here either."
If the meeting at the Lu Mansion was a pre - meditated one by Shang Luoshu, this time it was truly a coincidence.
"In that case, Your Highness can enjoy the flowers in peace. This humble girl will take her leave first."
The young girl curtsied to the man and was about to leave with Liusu.
However, just as she took a step, a black figure suddenly leaped out of the forest and knelt beside Shang Luoshu.
"Your Highness, there are thieves approaching!"