Chapter 359: Fated with Buddha

Chapter 359: Fated with Buddha

"Aunt Qiu, I’m begging you," Li Bihan dropped to her knees with a thud, "Bing Zhi is truly my heart and soul. Even if I were to be buried alive, I couldn’t bear to see him suffer like this!"

Seeing her kneel, Aunt Qiu immediately stopped with any further persuasion and waved her hand, granting her permission, "Concubine Li, go ahead."

"Thank you, Aunt Qiu, thank you, Aunt Qiu."

With the permission granted, Li Bihan quickly got up and, with endless gratitude, walked out.

Ling Long watched her go, "Qiu Ling, sis, what if the young mistress is unhappy about you letting her go like this?"

Aunt Qiu turned to look at her, "Do you think raising kids is a walk in the park? Handling the mansion’s endless chores is tiring enough. The young mistress also has to take care of the children; she’s got her hands full!"

Hearing this, Ling Long nodded in agreement.

Indeed, the young mistress has already brought up two sons and a daughter. It’s not like she’s jumping at the chance to raise Li Bihan’s kids too.

Aunt Qiu sighed deeply, "Concubine Li just doesn’t get it. The young mistress is willing to raise her kids—that’s a huge favor!"

Once out of Qiu Xiang Courtyard, Li Bihan spat fiercely to ward off the bad vibes.

Today, she had to swallow her pride in front of them, but one day, when her son inherits the Marquis’s Mansion, she’ll make them pay ten times over!

With permission secured, she hopped in a carriage and made a beeline for Guangji Temple in the suburbs.

Cheng Yunshuo had been soaking up Zen teachings at Guangji Temple for over a month.

The more time he spent there, the more at ease he felt. By day, he even joined Master Yuan Qing in temple practice.

His mind was more at peace than ever.

The void and anxieties of the past seemed to be replaced by the morning bells, evening drums, and the steady flow of Buddhist teachings.

Cheng Yunshuo was never one for big dreams. Back in his younger days, he’d dreamed of doing something to earn his family’s respect, but he didn’t have the guts to follow in his father’s footsteps and make a name on the battlefield, nor did he want to be like those spoiled rich kids who lived for pleasure.

So, he stuck to his duties, moving from the Imperial Guards to the Royal Guards, doing the same old routine day in, day out.

Over time, he felt crushed by the monotony.

Mediocrity is the deadliest trap. He lacked the courage to strive for excellence, nor did he have a reason to fall into depravity. He had children and parents; everyone was watching him, pressuring him.

At this point, he realized the importance of having someone to love.

With so many people filling his mediocre life, if there was someone he loved among them, then life wouldn’t be so hard.

Every night, returning to the Marquis’s Mansion, only when he saw that face did he feel a fleeting sense of satisfaction.

For that satisfaction, he could keep giving, could turn a blind eye, could pretend not to hear.

But he didn’t know when that sense of satisfaction had disappeared.

He was suddenly killed by the mediocrity of life.

Every day he had to face the hollow, hopeless days.

Until he came to the temple.

"Mr. Cheng, Amitabha."

While Cheng Yunshuo was helping the temple’s young monks clean the main hall, the voice of Master Yuanqing came from behind.

"Master Yuanqing, Amitabha." Cheng Yunshuo turned and bowed to him.

Master Yuanqing smiled serenely at him, "Mr. Cheng, as our guest, you don’t need to bother with these chores."

Cheng Yunshuo held the broom, "I find doing these chores calming."

Master Yuanqing smiled even more serenely, "Amitabha, Mr. Cheng, you have a bond with Buddha. How wonderful."

At that moment, a woman’s voice came from behind.

"What are you talking about? That’s nonsense!"

Li Bihan stepped forward, suppressing her anger, "Our Crown Prince is the heir to the Ningyang Marquisate, destined to inherit the title and accomplish great things. How can he be tied to Buddha, doing such trivial tasks here every day!"

"Bishuo, what brings you here?" Cheng Yunshuo, seeing the approaching Li Bihan, asked with dissatisfaction.

"Crown Prince," Li Bihan emerged from behind Master Yuanqing, her watery eyes looking at him, "You’ve been gone so long, Bishuo was worried about you."

Today, she wore a light pink dress and simple hair accessories, making herself appear younger and more vibrant.

And more like the woman from his past.

Her eyes, no longer pitiful, now sparkled with life as she gazed at Cheng Yunshuo.

This was the culmination of her month-long effort.

She had sought out Qiu Kui, who had served Xing Dairong the longest, to subtly learn about Xing Dairong’s daily style and mannerisms.

All for this moment, to rekindle Cheng Yunshuo’s feelings.

Sure enough, Cheng Yunshuo was stunned by the transformed Li Bihan.

At that moment, Master Yuanqing interjected with "Amitabha," breaking Cheng Yunshuo’s gaze.

Master Yuanqing still smiled gently at him, "Mr. Cheng, you have a visitor. This old monk will take his leave."

"Amitabha." Cheng Yunshuo responded to him, bowing as he watched Yuanqing leave.

After Master Yuanqing left, Li Bihan stepped forward gracefully, eyeing the broom in his hand. "Crown Prince, you’re too noble for such tasks."

Cheng Yunshuo spoke, "At the temple, it’s just a way to pass the time with small tasks."

"This is no small task." Li Bihan continued to look at him with shining eyes, heartbroken, "Crown Prince, you’ve never done such things at the mansion."

"Alright, what brings you here?" Cheng Yunshuo interrupted her chatter.

"Your servant just came to check on you." Li Bihan blinked, her watery eyes mirroring those in Cheng Yunshuo’s memory.

That day, Li Bihan stayed at the temple as well.

When Qiu Ling and Ling Long heard from the servant that Concubine Li had stayed with the Crown Prince at the temple, they felt duped once more.

Didn’t Li Bihan say she was going to ask Cheng Yunshuo to release Cheng Bingzhi? How did she end up staying there instead!

Qiu Ling anxiously waited for Lu Lingyun to return and then told her about the matter, fearing her reprimand.

Fortunately, Lu Lingyun showed no reaction upon hearing it. She simply said, "If she wants to stay there, let her stay."

It would be good for both of them to worship Buddha together.

Her lack of reprimand immediately relieved Qiu Ling.

Lu Lingyun had always adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards the concubines competing for attention, as she herself did not compete for Cheng Yunshuo's affection.

She had plenty of other things to take care of!

The next day, Lu Kuan's wedding took place, and the banquet was attended by a large number of officials from the Imperial City.

These weren’t connections from Lu’s father, of course, nor were they many of Lu Lingyun's own acquaintances; most came for Lu Kuan.

Congratulations poured in, as everyone knew that the Lu Family was currently in the spotlight.

Lu Lingyun herself was soon surrounded by noblewomen from the Imperial City, all eager to get to know her, all complimenting her on her impressive brother and her marriage into a prestigious family.

As the crowd flattered Lu Lingyun, a woman on the outskirts of the crowd clenched her teeth in frustration.