Chapter 34 - ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 34
Upon learning that the Princess Yongning was visiting, the abbot of the Ci’en Temple personally welcomed her. After paying their respects to the Bodhisattva in the front hall, he led the Princess and her entourage to the rear Buddha hall. There, they found another Bodhisattva, surrounded by numerous candlesticks filled with lamp oil. The candles were burning steadily, and the wicks were bright, filling the air with the unique scent of lamp oil, which gave off a somewhat heavy feeling for no apparent reason.
A young monk was reciting scriptures with the sound of a wooden fish, and a sense of tranquility permeated the Buddha hall. The abbot led Princess Yongning to one of the candlesticks and said, “We replenished the oil just two days ago. There’s no need to add more for our esteemed guest today.”
Princess Yongning nodded, gazing at the candlestick. A small orange flame flickered gently, not very bright, as if a gentle breeze could blow it out at any moment. However, it continued to burn quietly and stubbornly.
“This is the Eternal Flame,” Princess Yongning explained. “After my daughter, Qiang’er, passed away, I started lighting this Eternal Flame in Ci’en Temple for her. I come here every month to offer my prayers and blessings. It’s been ten years now.”
This revelation caught Li Zhizhi off guard, reminding her of the rumors that Princess Yongning had a daughter who had tragically died, and her name was Qiang’er.
She looked at the small candle, with its tiny wick and weak flame, yet it had endured for so many years because someone came every month to add lamp oil, light incense, and pray for it. Li Zhizhi felt a mixture of emotions, including envy and bitterness, realizing that there were indeed good mothers in the world. Her misfortune was simply a result of her own circumstances, and not everyone was as unfortunate as her.
Thinking of this, Li Zhizhi felt increasingly sad. She stood there with a sense of self-disgust, as if something heavy was pressing on her, making it hard to breathe. She had dared to wish for something she shouldn’t have.
“Why are you crying?” Princess Yongning’s surprised voice brought Li Zhizhi back to reality. She suddenly realized her vision was blurry, blinked her eyes, and quickly wiped them. She didn’t know how to explain the situation and was worried that it might appear overly dramatic to others. So, she decided to lie softly, “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I suddenly remembered my late mother, and it made me emotional.”
The abbot, who had been listening, chanted a Buddhist prayer and kindly suggested, “If you wish, you can also light an Eternal Flame in our temple for your late mother and pray for her every day.”
Even if her mother was not actually deceased, Li Zhizhi had no intention of lighting an Eternal Flame for her. She would be content not to harm her in any way. However, the abbot’s suggestion was well-intentioned, and Li Zhizhi didn’t know how to refuse it. While she was struggling to come up with a response, Princess Yongning suddenly said, “It’s been a while since I last saw A’yang. I wonder where she’s gone.”
Li Zhizhi seized the opportunity and suggested, “Let’s go find her.” Princess Yongning agreed with a smile and took Li Zhizhi’s hand. The two of them left the Buddha hall together. The pure and warm sunlight streamed in from the eaves, and the early summer weather was pleasant. The sun was not too hot, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of unknown plants, creating a delightful atmosphere.
Princess Yongning didn’t rush to find Xiao Rulei. Instead, she strolled around the temple with Li Zhizhi, like taking a leisurely walk. She had been here many times and was quite familiar with the temple. She patiently introduced the scenery to Li Zhizhi and shared many Buddhist stories. Some of them Li Zhizhi could understand, but some were beyond her comprehension.
Every time during these moments, Li Zhizhi felt like a fool. She secretly resented herself for not studying Buddhism properly in her past life. Even if she had memorized a few scriptures, it would have been better than her current situation, where she couldn’t even hold a conversation.
Seeing the bewildered look on the young girl’s face, her clear and bright eyes filled with innocence, Princess Yongning couldn’t help but feel even more affectionate. She couldn’t resist pinching Li Zhizhi’s cheek and said with a smile, “You’re really adorable.”
Li Zhizhi’s face instantly turned red. In an instant, she understood how Xiao Rulei felt. If she had wings, she might have already flown away by now. This was just too…
At that moment, Princess Yongning suddenly turned her head, and her gaze became very sharp, like an arrow, with a chilling intent that made people shiver.
Li Zhizhi had never seen that kind of look in her eyes before. It was difficult to describe, both cold and fierce. If the person in front of her were prey or an enemy, they would likely have already met a gruesome end.
“Your Highness?”
Princess Yongning quickly returned to her usual gentleness, took Li Zhizhi’s hand, and explained, “Someone has been watching us over there, and it seems they’ve been following us for a while.”
She comforted Li Zhizhi with the words, “No need to be afraid. Since they are so secretive, they probably won’t dare to confront us openly.”
Li Zhizhi gathered her thoughts, nodded, and Princess Yongning said, “Let’s continue.”
As they walked in the direction of the main hall, just after turning a corner, Li Zhizhi unexpectedly saw a familiar figure. The clothing and the face were both familiar, and a woman with a smiling face approached them. In an instant, she realized who the person Princess Yongning had seen earlier was.
The person who had been secretly following them was none other than Madam Li. When had she joined them? Was it before they entered the temple or after they entered? Or perhaps… when Li Zhizhi left the mansion?
At that moment, Li Zhizhi’s emotions were in turmoil, and she had to use all her strength not to scream uncontrollably. She stared at Madam Li’s repugnant face, trembling uncontrollably like a cat that had been severely frightened. She didn’t even notice that Princess Yongning was gently patting her back, silently comforting her.
“Why are you here?”
Li Zhizhi’s voice was low, suppressing her hidden anger, and lacking any hint of respect, especially with Princess Yongning present. Madam Li felt that she had lost face but didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. She chided, “You, child, disappeared early in the morning without a word and came out to play without notifying anyone at home. You had me worried sick.”
Her feigned concern and familiarity made Li Zhizhi almost want to retch. She realized that when you despised someone to the extreme, you would experience a kind of dizziness and a suffocating feeling, making it hard to even breathe.
Madam Li was busy greeting Princess Yongning with a fawning and ingratiating smile, and Li Zhizhi’s mind was buzzing so loudly that she couldn’t make out what Madame Li was saying. There was a voice in her head urging her to take Princess Yongning away from this place as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, what would Princess Yongning think when she saw Madam Li’s true, ugly face? Would she suspect Li Zhizhi of intentionally getting close to her, scheming to use Xiao Rulei as a means to attach herself to the princess, just like what happened with Xiao Yan? Li Zhizhi couldn’t bear to contemplate these thoughts any further. She didn’t care about being impolite and forcefully interrupted Madam Li, addressing Princess Yongning, “Your Highness, shall we go?”
The smile on Madam Li’s face froze instantly, like a mask, appearing rather ridiculous. She glared at Li Zhizhi with frustration and scolded, “I’m in the middle of a conversation with Princess Yongning. Do you understand any manners, you child?”
“It’s alright,” Princess Yongning gently put her arm around Li Zhizhi’s shoulder and patted her, speaking kindly and amicably, “I’d like to chat with Madam Li as well. If you find it boring, you can go and play with A’yang, alright?”
Li Zhizhi had no interest in playing at the moment. She wished she could tear Madam Li to shreds and devour her whole, making sure she would never appear in front of Princess Yongning again in her lifetime.
Madam Li was unaware of Li Zhizhi’s thoughts and eagerly agreed, “Yes, yes, go play with Seventh Princess. I’ll chat with Princess Yongning.”
Li Zhizhi ultimately didn’t leave; she couldn’t trust Princess Yongning to be alone with Madam Li. Surprisingly, Princess Yongning didn’t press her further. There happened to be a small pavilion nearby, and they all took a seat inside.
Princess Yongning sat in the main spot, and Madam Li initially attempted to sit beside her. However, as soon as she barely touched the seat, Princess Yongning turned to Li Zhizhi and smiled, “Why are you standing? Please, have a seat.”
So Madam Li had no choice but to sit on the other side of the pavilion, where the shade of the trees shielded her from the sun. It was early summer, and the weather was not too warm, but the mountain winds were quite strong. In no time, she shivered, and her face turned pale. Still, she had to endure the discomfort.
Li Zhizhi listened to their conversation, and it had to be said that Madam Li was skilled in social interactions. She could talk and be entertaining. Apart from her overly obsequious attitude and somewhat insincere tone, there was not much else to criticize about her. For a while, they seemed to be having an enjoyable conversation.
Li Zhizhi watched her mother with an expression of delight on her face, as if she had just eaten something extremely sweet, but she found it utterly sickening. It was only because of Princess Chang’s politeness and willingness to engage in the banal small talk that they continued.
As they conversed, the topic eventually shifted to Li Zhizhi, with most of the questions coming from Princess Chang. Madam Li was clever in her responses, and when she couldn’t answer, she improvised, making it seem believable.
Throughout the conversation, Princess Yongning maintained a mild smile on her face, appearing very gentle. However, Li Zhizhi keenly sensed that something was off. Princess Yongning’s gaze towards Madam Li was quite distant, as if there was a barrier between them. Li Zhizhi had witnessed this kind of distance in both Xiao Yan and Qingluo.
At that moment, Li Zhizhi’s heart sank, as if something was tugging at her, causing an inexplicable pain. Madam Li remained oblivious to this and believed that Princess Yongning was treating her warmly and with great enthusiasm. Several times, Li Zhizhi wanted to interrupt their conversation, but each time she looked at Princess Yongning, she held her tongue.
When Madam Li thought that the timing was right and purposefully put on a concerned expression, sighed, and said, “It’s a troubling matter, but my daughter is approaching the age of adulthood.”
Princess Yongning promptly inquired, “Coming of age is a good thing, but why does Madam feel troubled?”
Madam Li appeared concerned on the surface but was secretly thrilled. She replied, “I don’t want to trouble Your Highness, but I haven’t found a suitable noblewoman to perform the coming-of-age ceremony for my daughter. The date is approaching next month, and I still haven’t arranged everything. It’s been causing me a lot of anxiety.”
Princess Yongning thought for a moment and then said, “This is easily solved. I happen to have some free time in the next few days. If Madam doesn’t mind, I can personally oversee the coming-of-age ceremony for your daughter.”
Li Zhizhi was momentarily stunned, and Madam Li was overjoyed. Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Really? Oh my, I don’t know how to express my gratitude to Your Highness.”
Princess Yongning smiled and added, “I have one condition, though.”
Madam Li hadn’t expected such good fortune and hesitated for a moment. She then asked politely, “What is Your Highness’s condition?”
Princess Yongning gently said, “The coming-of-age ceremony for your daughter must be officiated by me personally. No need to involve anyone else.”
Madam Li hadn’t anticipated such a condition, and she was momentarily taken aback before responding with feigned politeness, “Is that not too much trouble for Your Highness?”
Princess Yongning simply replied, “It’s no trouble. As I mentioned, I have some free time on the 18th of May.”
Madam Li quickly said, “In that case, I humbly entrust this matter to Your Highness.”
Princess Yongning nodded slightly and didn’t say anything further. Madam Li, who was astute, knew it was time to leave. She addressed Li Zhizhi with a sweet smile, “I just remembered that there are some matters I need to attend to at home, so I should head back. Please, keep Princess Yongning company, and be sure not to be impolite.”
After bidding farewell to Princess Yongning, she left, walking briskly as if she were floating on air.
The atmosphere grew quiet, and Li Zhizhi’s eyes fell to the patterns on the stone table, which had fine lines like a spider’s web. It was a sign of age.
Suddenly, Princess Yongning asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Li Zhizhi looked up at her, opened her mouth, and softly asked, “Your Highness, are you really going to oversee Li Suwan’s coming-of-age ceremony?”
“Hmm?” Princess Yongning was slightly surprised, but for some reason, she started to smile. She was quite beautiful, and her smile was as warm and radiant as a lotus blooming in autumn, making it difficult to look away.
Li Zhizhi found it all quite perplexing. At that moment, a gentle hand landed on her head and softly stroked her, just like always, with warmth. Princess Yongning had phoenix-shaped eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, giving her an air of nobility without being unapproachable. Xiao Yan and Xiao Ruyue also had such phoenix-shaped eyes, truly befitting their close familial relationship.
“My sweet little one,” Princess Chang said with a hint of amusement, “Are you unwilling to have me oversee your coming-of-age ceremony?”