Marry Brother Bo?
Chu Wan blinked. Brother Bo is very nice, but wouldn't that make her seem hypocritical for always calling Brother Bo her brother?
The more she thought about it, the more conflicted she became, finding herself caught in a dilemma.
"Qiao Sheng!" Seeing Chu Wan blush, Jun Heng felt that Qiao Sheng's words and actions were really inappropriate, and scolded her, "Don't talk nonsense."
Qiao Sheng made a face, appearing obedient on the surface, but actually resentful at all.
This person is so rigid. He doesn't pursue lifelong happiness himself, and he won't allow others to matchmake his cousin with his in-laws' younger sister. Does he think everyone should remain unmarried for life?
Sigh, to be honest, she was really foolish to fall for someone like him.
“Shuangshuang’s sister is my sister too, so naturally I have to take good care of her,” Wang Hongbo said.
What he said made perfect sense. Chu Wan, who was too shy to look up at him, immediately found a lifeline and said loudly, "Brother Bo is right, Cousin Sheng, don't laugh at me."
Well, well, she was just being presumptuous. She kindly tried to matchmake them, but they didn't appreciate it.
Qiao Sheng snorted and said, "I won't say anything. Let's hurry on our way."
After saying that, he took the lead and rushed out.
This minor incident did not significantly affect the four people's journey; they were only slightly later than originally planned, arriving at the Jun family temple at 3:45 AM.
As it is a family temple, it naturally does not receive offerings from outsiders. Therefore, although it was neither early nor late, the area outside the mountain gate was so deserted that only ancient pine trees could be seen, without a single person in sight.
The four men tied their horses outside the mountain gate, climbed the stone steps, and Junheng pulled the door knocker to knock on the temple door.
A short while later, the wooden door opened inward, and a young nun peeked out from the crack: "Who are you looking for?"
"I am Junheng, the eldest son of the second branch of the Marquis of Runan's family. I have come to visit my cousin Wushuang."
Junheng introduced himself and explained his purpose, thinking that he would be able to pass without any hindrance. However, the young nun said, "Oh, please wait a moment, benefactor, while I go back to my master."
After saying that, he closed the wooden door, leaving Junheng and the others outside.
Wang Hongbo went forward to push the door, only to find that it was bolted from the inside and could not be opened at all.
Fortunately, the wooden door opened again not long after, and this time it was Abbess Qingchen, who was in charge of managing the Jun family temple.
"So it's the eldest young master and young master Bo." The Jun family visits the ancestral temple every year during the Qingming Festival to pay respects to their ancestors. Abbess Qingchen recognized them and greeted them naturally.
"Master," the two returned the greeting in unison.
Junheng added, "We've come to visit Wushuang. These two are Wushuang's close friends."
Master Qingchen lowered her eyelids, not even glancing at Qiao Sheng and Chu Wan, and replied indifferently, "Young Master, I am truly sorry. The Marquis has instructed that the Third Miss needs to cultivate in peace and quiet here, and cannot meet with anyone who comes. During this period, we also cannot receive any guests."
Since it was the Jun family temple, everyone in the temple naturally obeyed the head of the Jun family, namely Marquis Jun Shu of Runan.
Everyone watched helplessly as the wooden door closed again.
Even someone as composed as Junheng would find it hard to remain calm after being turned away at his own ancestral temple.
“There’s another way to get in and out of this temple,” he suddenly said. “There’s an ancient tree in the backyard, with lush branches that extend over the wall. We can use that tree to climb in.”
Junheng had come here every year since he was a child, so he was very familiar with the terrain. He immediately led the three of them around to the outside of the back wall.
Qiao Sheng and Chu Wan were girls who had never done anything as crude as climbing walls and trees before. However, with the full assistance of Jun Heng and Wang Hongbo, two "experts", they quickly and successfully completed their first experience.
"I didn't know I was so agile." Chu Wan clapped her hands and laughed. "I'll show off to Shuangshuang when I see her later. Cousin Sheng and Brother Bo will be my witnesses."
However, there are always gaps between reality and ideals.
Led by Junheng, they arrived at the room that was supposedly arranged for Wushuang.
I pushed open the door, and the room was quiet; there was no one in sight.
Sunlight streamed through the lattice window, illuminating the layer of dust accumulated on the mahogany square table in the room.
"It's so dirty, how can anyone live here?" Chu Wan pouted. "Brother Jun, did we go to the wrong place?"
"No." Qiao Sheng pointed to the screen in the corner of the room. "Look there."
Two garments hung on a rosewood carved four-sided screen: one embroidered with cherry blossom pink butterflies, and the other embroidered with lotus flowers.
"It's Shuangshuang's clothes!" Chu Wan cheered, but then her face fell. "How come I can only see the clothes but not Wushuang? Where did Wushuang go?"
Junheng frowned and said, "Just now, Abbess Qingchen said that my uncle asked Wushuang to meditate. She may have gone to the main hall to study scriptures and worship Buddha with the other abbesses. Let's wait patiently for a while before we talk about it."
They could wait, but He Yao couldn't wait any longer in the capital.
Her wedding date was set after the Double Ninth Festival. Now that the Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, how far away can the Double Ninth Festival be?
He Yao was unwilling to marry into the harsh northern frontier and was preoccupied with finding an opportunity to break off the engagement.
Early that morning, she said she was going to the Marquis of Runan's residence to learn cooking skills, but after leaving the princess's residence, she ordered the coachman to go to the palace.
After entering the palace, He Yao went straight to Cining Palace.
Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, she deliberately cried out in exaggerated distress, "Something terrible has happened!"
The Empress Dowager had just finished her Buddhist prayers and was in a state of great tranquility when she was disturbed by this noise. She was slightly displeased and scolded, "What are you yelling about? You have no manners at all."
He Yao said very cleverly, "A Yao knows she was wrong. It's just that it concerns Uncle Chu Yao, which is why A Yao was so nervous."
"You know that's your uncle, you can't call him by his name directly," the Empress Dowager admonished again.
However, among all her grandchildren, she favored Chu Yao the most because his father had died young. So, without waiting for He Yao to apologize, she urged him directly, "What is it? Tell me quickly."