Chapter 137 Spirit-Watching Temple

Chapter 127: Lingwei Temple

Qiu Heng listened quietly as the old lady scolded her, then handed her a piece of pastry: “Grandmother, try the osmanthus cake Fang Zhou made.”

The old lady took the pastry, her face stern: “Don’t change the subject. What did I tell you when you went to Prince Fu’s place?”

“Then next time Princess Rongning invites me to play cuju, I’ll refuse, so the ball doesn’t go rogue…”

“It’s not about refusing or not—” The old lady couldn’t finish.

Bottom line, this girl was born to stir up trouble!

“Grandmother.”

“Go on.”

“Tomorrow, I want to go to Lingwei Temple.”

The old lady instinctively objected: “A young lady always wanting to run around outside—stay home and behave.”

Qiu Heng’s face twisted with hesitation: “Grandmother, there’s something I’ve never had the guts to tell you.”

The old lady’s heart clenched: “What is it?”

“When the Crown Prince’s place caught fire, I saw the bodies of the eunuchs who died in the fire. One had fallen from a high spot, his neck snapped…” Qiu Heng’s voice shook a little, her hands twisting a handkerchief. “After that, I kept having nightmares. I figured I’d come back and get a peace talisman from the temple… Grandmother, if you’re worried about me going alone, would you come with me?”

The old lady subtly scooted aside: “In that case, go early tomorrow and come back early. Make sure to bring plenty of people with you. Oh, and take Nanny Yu along. Having a steady old maid with you will set my mind at ease.”

Qiu Heng blinked innocently: “Grandmother, you’re not coming?”

“Ahem, I’m old. Going out every day is too hard on my health.”

“Then rest well. Tomorrow, I’ll take Nanny Yu and Fang Zhou.”

“Mm.”

Qiu Heng smiled slightly and took a bite of the osmanthus cake.

Her grandmother was superstitious, terrified of bringing bad luck. Playing on that weakness worked pretty well.

The next morning, Qiu Heng, along with Fang Zhou and Nanny Yu, got into a carriage and headed to Lingwei Temple.

On the way, Nanny Yu munched on pastries, in a good mood.

Finally, Fang Zhou was back, so there were snacks again.

The Sixth Miss had also grown up, knowing to bring her along instead of making her, a governess, secretly deliver things to men outside.

“Sixth Miss, we’re at Lingwei Temple.” The carriage stopped, and the driver’s voice came through.

Qiu Heng stepped out of the carriage and looked up at the temple ahead.

Lingwei Temple was built halfway up a mountain, with gentle slopes and smooth stone steps. It wasn’t too early; some people, like Qiu Heng, were just arriving, while others were already heading out.

Qiu Heng lifted her skirt and climbed the steps, with Fang Zhou and Nanny Yu close behind.

“Have you ever been to Lingwei Temple, Nanny Yu?”

“I came a few years ago. Their talismans are pretty famous.”

Qiu Heng smiled: “Then I came to the right place for a peace talisman.”

As soon as they entered the temple, the smell of incense hit them—a crisp, clean scent of cypress.

Led by a temple attendant, Qiu Heng offered incense at the Hall of the Three Pure Ones.

“Master, I heard a highly skilled True Man has recently come to the temple. How can I meet him?”

The attendant had heard this question a lot lately, but it was the first time a young girl had asked.

He gave Qiu Heng a second look and said, “In two days, there will be a Dharma assembly led by Master Miaoqing.”

Master Miaoqing—Qiu Heng’s heart skipped a beat.

Her master’s Daoist name was Changqing, just one character different. Could this Master Miaoqing, who had attracted Prince Fu’s visit, be her master?

“Thank you, Master, for telling me.” Qiu Heng didn’t ask further.

Since there was a public Dharma assembly, she could come back and check it out then.

Afterward, the attendant went to see to other worshippers, and Qiu Heng led Fang Zhou and Nanny Yu toward the back.

In the back was the Star Lord Hall, a place for praying to avert disasters and prolong life, and for getting talismans.

Before they could get close, a well-dressed servant woman blocked Qiu Heng and said haughtily, “Miss, please stop. Our lady is offering incense in the hall.”

Qiu Heng glanced at the hall door and frowned slightly: “Does Lingwei Temple have a practice of clearing the area? The attendant didn’t mention it.”

The servant woman looked Qiu Heng up and down, lifting her chin: “Our lady is sincerely praying and dislikes being disturbed. Perhaps the attendant forgot to remind you.”

Seeing the servant woman adorned in gold and silver, exuding superiority, Nanny Yu guessed she came from a prominent household and didn’t want Qiu Heng to get into trouble. She whispered, “Miss, let’s wait—”

Before she could finish the word, Fang Zhou charged forward and tackled the servant woman.

The servant woman let out a scream, followed by more screams.

Fang Zhou pinned the woman down, kicking and hitting wildly, as if possessed.

Nanny Yu stood dumbfounded, unable to react.

Hearing the commotion, a woman emerged from the hall. Seeing the scene outside, she was shocked: “What’s going on here?”

Qiu Heng hurried over, pulling Fang Zhou up and calling her name: “Fang Zhou!”

Fang Zhou shuddered, her eyes clearing: “Miss, I—”

“It’s fine.” Qiu Heng quickly squeezed Fang Zhou’s hand, offering quiet reassurance.

“Qiu Liu, it’s you!” The young woman beside the woman spoke angrily.

Qiu Heng steadied herself and looked over.

It was Fang Rui, the prime minister’s daughter, who bore a clear resemblance to the woman beside her.

Qiu Heng had seen Fang Rui with another lady during the autumn hunt, but not this one, so she wasn’t sure of their relationship.

“Miss Fang.”

The woman, surnamed Yang and the eldest daughter-in-law of the prime minister’s household, seeing they knew each other, asked coldly, “Rui’er, who is she—”

"Mother, she's that Sixth Miss Qiu!"

"From the Earl of Yongqing's household?" Knowing Qiu Heng's identity, Madam Yang's expression darkened further. She glanced at the servant who had just gotten up and asked coldly, "What exactly happened?"

The servant, disheveled from the beating, said, fuming, "Just now, this young lady wanted to enter, and I said you were burning incense and asked her to wait a moment. But then this young lady's maid rushed over and started hitting and kicking me..."

The servant grew angrier as she spoke.

For heaven's sake! As the most trusted stewardess beside the Prime Minister's Madam, she had never endured such treatment.

What a humiliation, what a disgrace!

Madam Yang's face darkened as she looked at Qiu Heng. "Sixth Miss Qiu, if you were unwilling to wait, you could have said so outright. Instead, you allowed your servant to assault someone directly. Isn't that way too arrogant?"

"Mother, that's just how she is. She even slapped Su Su hard in public earlier."

Sensing that Fang Zhou was about to speak, Qiu Heng gently touched her hand and gave a slight curtsy to Madam Yang. "It was my failure to restrain my maid properly. I apologize, madam."

"Apologize?" Madam Yang had come to burn incense and pray for her son's health today, already in a foul mood, and this incident made it even worse. Coupled with her prior knowledge of Qiu Heng's reputation, her disgust deepened.

Of course, the reason she refused to let this slide and vented her anger was that she knew the young lady before her was from the Earl of Yongqing's household.

To Madam Yang, even the old madam of the Earl of Yongqing's household would have to be courteous in her presence. Why should she tolerate a mere girl?

"Sixth Miss Qiu, with just a word of apology, is my stewardess to suffer humiliation for nothing?" Madam Yang stared at Qiu Heng expressionlessly. "Your maid represents your own dignity. I won't argue with a young girl like you. I'll just send someone to ask your family's old madam how she raised her granddaughter."