Li Baojia screamed. After a long time, realizing that she did not fall to the ground, she finally had the courage to open her eyes.
The two looked at each other and froze.
Li Baojia froze because she knew the person.
He was the son of Duke Jing'an, Zhou Ji'nan, and the crown prince's cousin. She had seen him in her previous life.
Zhou Ji'nan froze completely because he bumped into a girl and wrapped his arms around her waist. The girl was beautiful with big watery eyes. At that moment, because she was panicking, her eyelashes fluttered like a small fan and her skin was as fine as a freshly peeled egg.
Also, from the angle they're at, he could even see tiny golden hairs on her face.
Li Baojia stood up in a panic, while Taotao hurried to hold her.
Zhou Ji'nan put his hands behind his back and quietly twisted his fingers. The feeling of holding the slender waist seemed to be still there, soft and not full of grip.
"Sorry, Miss. No offense intended."
Zhou Ji'nan stood in place. He was dressed in white clothes which made him look like a gentleman. His pretty eyes were charming and elegant. Every person he looked at would be attracted.
"No... Nothing."
Li Baojia blushed at his gaze. She just wanted to leave quickly, so she left after she blessed and saluted.
Taotao was angry while standing beside her and whispered in a slightly resentful voice, "Bad guy!"
She thought, "This place is so wide. Why do you have to stand behind Miss Baojia?"
Besides, the man just wrapped his arm around Miss Baojia's waist and didn't let go, and he even stared at her with that look. How shameless!
Zhou Ji'nan was still staring at Li Baojia's back when she left.
A well-dressed gentleman beside him smiled and said, "She is gone, Ji'nan. Come back to your senses!"
Zhou Ji'nan gently kicked him in the leg and laughed. "Fuck you."
On the other side, Li Baojia gently squeezed Taotao's hand, signaling her to stop talking.
Taotao might not know, but she knew very well.
Zhou Ji'nan looked gentle and weak. In his previous life, he always appeared as a gentleman, but he was the most impressive in training soldiers.
During the war in the northwest region two years later, he would bring 30,000 troops to break out and repel 50,000 enemies beyond the Protectorate River. He would become famous for this battle, and everyone would know his name.
Although Taotao's voice was not loud, he could probably hear.
Also, she didn't believe that Zhou Ji'nan would think anything of her. After all, they had met in the previous life. However, nothing happened. They didn't even talk.
However...
Her mother was bent on having her enter the imperial palace because she did not want her to marry someone worse than Sister Rulan's husband.
Although Duke Guangping's official position was higher than that of Duke Jing'an's son, his family was still no match for Duke Jing'an's family, which controlled 100,000 soldiers and was under the command of the crown prince.
Her father had always wanted to strengthen the ties with the crown prince, so even if she did not marry the crown prince, she would still be able to meet her father's requirements as long as she married a noble son from the crown prince's camp.
If it was Duke Jing'an's son, she believed he could save the Li family from the later calamity.
Even if he couldn't, he still had something to do with the crown prince, so perhaps the crown prince would also help her.
Li Baojia was over there imagining the future. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that the method was feasible.
It didn't even have to be Duke Jing'an's son. The crown prince had several major families under his command that could be considered.
Zhou Ji'nan sneezed and stroked his nose. He was completely unaware that he had been targeted by a girl.
Li Baojia had a deep feeling that she had found the best path.
She thought she could solve all the problems without having to spend her life in the imperial palace.
The heavy fog in front of her seemed to have been lifted.
But then, she immediately thought of another serious problem.
She didn't go beyond the door, so where could she find such a suitable man?
It would be easier if it was before. Currently, every person in Imperial City knew that she was going to marry the crown prince, so who would be willing to and dare to marry her?
Li Baojia, who had just felt that the future was bright, was a little worried again.
Taotao stood aside and felt very puzzled when she saw Li Baojia changing her mood quickly.
The two of them walked out of the main temple door and passed a partial temple. Many people were inside and everyone was a woman.
Li Baojia asked curiously, "Taotao, what is this place?"
Taotao took a look and said, "Miss Baojia, this is the Matchmaker Courtyard, which specializes in marriage. It is said to be very effective."
"I didn't know there was a place to seek marriage here," Li Baojia said curiously.
"Lingyuan Temple covers a large area. So, in addition to the main courtyard, there is also the Yunping Courtyard for peace, the Matchmaker Courtyard for marriage, the Xuanqing Courtyard for luck, and so on. There are many courtyards."
"Is it really that good?" Li Baojia asked doubtingly.
She wondered if it really worked. How could there be so many smitten men and women in the world?
Taotao came close to Li Baojia and asked mysteriously, "Miss Baojia, do you remember the elder daughter of the imperial censor's family?"
"The elder daughter of Censor Wang?"
"Yes, it is said that Miss Wang had to mourn for three years because of the death of Old Mrs. Wang and was not allowed to marry. She was very demanding and had been delaying until she passed the age of marriage. Even when she became an old girl, she was waiting to marry at home."
"And then what? She came here to seek marriage?"
"Yes. It's so coincidental. She just came to the temple a few months ago to pray to the Matchmaker, and on her way home, the eldest son of a big family in Jiangnan fell in love with her at first sight and decided to marry her. Now, the two families have matched their birth dates. They are about to choose an auspicious day for their marriage."
"Really?" Li Baojia was immediately intrigued.
Taotao laughed. "But you don't need to pray, Miss Baojia. Isn't your marriage long predestined?"
Li Baojia dragged Taotao in line there. Only one person could enter the courtyard at a time, and if she didn't get in line now, she didn't know when she could get in.
"It's an uncertain matter. Let's go and pray."
After hearing this, Taotao said, "You are right. You have to ask Matchmaker to solidly stabilize the marriage line between you and the crown prince."
Li Baojia quickly booed in her heart and sincerely hoped that the Matchmaker did not hear this.
It was Li Baojia's turn. She lifted her skirt and went inside, putting on incense.
A black figure stopped in front of the courtyard. Zhou Ji'nan, who followed behind, asked in confusion, "Your Highness, why don't you move?"
Following his gaze and looking into the courtyard, Zhou Ji'nan saw a pink figure kneeling upright on a mat.
He thought, "It's her?"
Li Baojia cleaned her hands, knelt on the mat with her hands together, and modestly closed her eyes. "Matchmaker is on the top. Please accept my obeisance."
Then, she kowtowed seriously and said inwardly, "I hope Matchmaker can give me a perfect husband... Duke Jing'an's son is the best... Of course, I can't be too greedy. It's okay if the other party is not so good..."
Zhao Yi, who was outside the courtyard, listened to Li Baojia's thoughts and played with the jade in his hand without any expression.
He thought, "Isn't her marriage already fixed?
"Why is she here to ask for this? She likes Zhou Ji'nan?"