"Kiu Nyu! Is this something you can just casually talk about?!"
Xi Wei was smart, he was the youngest patriarch of the Wei family and the former Jade Scholar. Of course he knew what Kiu Nyu meant when he talked about their choice.
It was about the owner of the throne. Since they lost Prince Han as backer, they couldn't choose any other prince because no one would take a chance to believe them. Not only they used to be in the enemy's camp, their family wasn't strong enough to give them support in court. After all, the dynasty didn't lack talented literatis.
"Pack your bag and go to Taring Temple."
"Brother Xi-"
"No!" The always calm Xi Wei slapped the table, "We've indulged you enough, we didn't do anything to you after your foolish act, but this one is out of the line. Without my summon, you can't come home!"
Kiu Nyu was officially grounded. Not just any grounded, but she was sent to the most remote Dewas temple on top of the mountain.
Brother Xi Wei was obviously mad, he talked to the grandma and she personally wrote a letter to her acquaintance nun. The still angry grandma finally talked to her as days of her departure approached.
Knowing it was useless to beg pardon to any of them, Kiu Nyu changed from her old decadence.
In her free time, she copied books, practiced calligraphy, and made delicious food. She occasionally went out to tea parties with Mrs. Wei, and she was neither humble nor overbearing. When Mrs. Wei saw it, she felt extremely pleased. She wanted to intercede for her granddaughter, but Xi Wei had warned her before not to soften her heart unless she wanted Kiu Nyu to turn into a path with no return. So she grit her teeth and just enjoy the granddaughter's filial piety.
With the former patriarch and wife retiring in the mountains, the current Madam Wei was Xi Wei's wife. A merchant daughter with good appearance and temper. She finally pregnant after 3 years of marriage and Mrs. Wei hurriedly took Kiu Nyu to offer incense to Linzhi Temple on the outskirts of the city to offer incense, pray for blessings, and relax on the way.
Unexpectedly, the road between enemies was narrow. As soon as the grandmother and granddaughter entered the Dewas temple, they accidentally met an acquaintance - Prince Han Ji, and his newly married Princess Consort Lu Xu.
People tend to wear thinner material in the summer, so did Kiu Nyu.
She wore a light blue kebaya dress with flower pattern brocade, looking delicate yet alive. During the movement, the intricate flower fluttered gracefully, and the skirt swayed with splendor, reflecting the light. A black silk belt was lightly tied around the waist, with a fragrance pouch ribbon hanging on it.
Han Ji was offering incense from the Buddhist temple. When he came out, he saw a familiar figure not far away.
He came to offer incense and did not bring any imperial guard. The abbot was afraid that the visiting visitors would collide with the two nobles, so he arranged for several nuns and monks to stop others dozens of steps away, and only let them inside once Prince Han moved to the monastery.
And Kiu Nyu was standing in the crowd. Compared with the women, the girl was not too tall, but because of her beautiful appearance and graceful posture, she was particularly eye-catching like pearls and jade among the rubble.
She was graceful and beautiful, with a charming smile. At that moment, Han Ji's eyes were glued to her body and it was difficult to look away.
He was stunned for a moment, then remembered the past entanglement, and subconsciously took half a step back. Fortunately, in full view of everyone, he did not hide in the end. He only pretended to straighten his clothes, lowered his eyebrows, and maintained a serious attitude.
Lu Xu on the other hand quickly looked away and retreated to Prince Han's side to hold his arm.
The fragrance of Dewas offering lingered in front of the temple, and squirrels from nowhere ran over, shaking the dead leaves and falling. Unfortunately, Kiu Nyu had a special perception about that man. Although her head was down, her hand helping her grandma was a little bit tense. She noticed their movement from the corner of her eyes.
Mrs. Wei held her granddaughter's hand and offered her a comforting smile. Only Dewas knows how much she hated herself to actually meet this pair of cheating people! She wanted to pray to Dewas for the safety of her future great grandchildren but she actually encountered a pair of snakes!
Turning around or not, people would still chew their tongue anyway. Since her granddaughter had the courage to come to their wedding, then what if they met in public space?
My Wei granddaughter had nothing to be ashamed of! She was only unlucky to love a scumbag!
Thinking calmly, she could actually understand why Han Ji made such a choice.
In the past, Han Ji was the late emperor's favorite grandson and was favored by all, but now the current emperor favors someone else. If Han Ji wanted to seize the crown prince title, the Xu family, who enjoyed the emperor's favor as a Prime Minister was obviously a better helper than the Wei family which was heir to poetry and calligraphy or the Nyu family that only has a little military power. Kiu Nyu's side was not good at political maneuvering.
Now that the emperor was ill, he was anxious to consolidate power and the reason for this marriage was probably for this.
Since Han Ji chose power and regarded feelings as insignificant, even if Kiu Nyu went there hundreds of times, it would not help.
But being able to understand does not mean that you can accept it.
Although she was a bit arrogant in the past, she had always shown her sincerity and love, risking her life to save him several times. Whether Han Ji was in love with someone else, or whether he forgot her for the sake of profit, it can be considered that he was forced by the situation, and everyone has his own desires.
But those rumors were like sharp swords thrust into her soul, causing her to despair and drown in the icy middle of the lake in the coldest winter. Han Ji let things happen and stood idly by, which was heartless.
Seems like Kiu Nyu must drown in the freezing lake again. It was such a joke that those movements still cause pain in her heart. She mocked herself and her smile got brighter. The couple betrayed her feelings and planned her downfall step by step, she should at least make them a little bit uncomfortable as an interest.
"Grandma, Sister Ju finally got pregnant. I want to pray in the back hall for my future nephew or niece."
Mrs. Wei wanted to refuse but she saw a familiar twinkling in the granddaughter's eyes. It was the same joy anytime she was planning some mischief. So she held back her laugh, "Alright."
Sensing Prince Han's gaze again, Kiu Nyu folded her hands in front of her, saluted over there, and then walked to the head nun with Mrs. Wei in her arms, saying, "Master, my grandmother and I want to pay respects to the Dewani Dewas in the back mountain. Is it convenient?"
"Donor, please come this way." The governor monk put his palms together in salute and pointed in the direction.
Kiu Nyu thanked him and left with Mrs. Wei, surrounded by several servants.
The corners of her skirt sprinkled with flowers were stacked like waves. Her gait was neither fast nor slow, her figure was tall and graceful, and her neck was long and slender.
Looking from the side, people could only feel that her posture was very beautiful, elegant and proper.
This gesture was unexpected.
It was completely different from the tearful cries when he visited the house frequently before, which surprised Han Ji.
He was originally afraid that Kiu Nyu would get entangled and the relationship would be unclear, so he always avoided it. But now that he saw her not squinting, he lost some of his worries.
Because the pilgrims around him frequently glanced at this place, secretly watching the excitement, after all, he had an old relationship with the Wei family, and it would be embarrassing if he just stood stiffly.
Then he moved a little and said, "Mrs. Wei."
Mrs. Wei stopped in surprise and immediately saluted, "Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?"
Prince Han walked over and said as if nothing had happened: "I have been busy lately and I haven't paid a visit to your residence. I will visit soon to meet Uncle and Aunty Wei."
Mrs. Wei confused for a split second then smiled, "The visit won't be necessary, Your Highness. My son and daughter in law are no longer in the capital."
The polite and respectful gesture was the same as usual.
"I don't know Uncle Wei is currently traveling. I'm sorry for my abrupt words."
The smile deepened, but somehow it sent shivers down to Han Ji's spine. This was the same posture when his grandfather knew he made a mistake but playing dumb to see him made a fool of himself.
"My son is no longer the patriarch, Your Highness. He and his wife are living a leisurely life now."
Then the realization hit him. The patriarch change especially in aristocratic family was an official business, it must be reported to the government and the nobles was given a sealed notices. Just how much Han Ji tried to avoid the Weis for not even knowing such a public and big matter?
Han Ji made a fool of himself indeed.
Regardless of the grandchildren's entanglement, the late Imperial Tutor was the emperor's teacher after all. Who was he disrespecting for not knowing such a big event!
Han Ji saluted in stricter posture, "The junior is reckless. I hope for Madam's compassion."
Mrs. Wei quickly swept to his entourage and him before finally returning the proper salute, "I won't dare, Your Highness."
Prince Han then dismissed his salute and so did his entourage, his eyes moved towards Kiu Nyu, wanting to speak, but he was afraid of arousing her willful entanglement and causing an unpleasant scene.
During the hesitation, Kiu Nyu raised her eyebrows slightly and said softly: "I was ignorant in the past, Your Highness. I no longer care about you, and you don't have to hide from me in the future."
The voice was extremely low, but it was calm and gentle.
Mrs. Wei took a step forward, blocking his gaze. "If there is no other instruction, we'll excuse ourselves, Your Majesty" "
Prince Han stood there, his brocade clothes and jade belt swaying slightly in the wind, with an indistinguishable expression on his face.
Putting aside these months of balancing and dodging, the person in front of him was once the one he loved, and from being a childhood sweetheart to being here now, it was inevitable that people will have mixed feelings in their hearts.
More than ten years have passed by in a blink of an eye, and the vows of unwavering love between them that day were still in his ears, but now they were strangers to each other. He has married someone else, and she will marry someone else in the future. Looking at how bad her reputation got, marrying far away was her only option. There would be no hope of meeting each other in the future.
At that moment, Prince Han suddenly realized that he might have really lost her.
He fixed his eyes on Kiu Nyu's back and didn't look back until she turned the verandah. He was stunned for a moment while his mind was surging.
When Lu Xu saw it, she secretly bit her teeth and almost crushed the brocade handkerchief in her hand. She was annoyed that Mrs. Wei and Kiu Nyu didn't show her respect when she was clearly the Princess Consort Han, but she also needed to bow her head with her husband when he misspoke.
She walked over, took Prince Han's arm and pulled it twice, and then the man came back to his senses, as if he was just dreaming.