Chapter 201
The Young Masters continued their previous conversation, somebody asked. “Brother Hei, how did you get to know Miss Helian. In the past, she clearly was interested in Lord Murong, how come now, even the things you like to eat, or what you care about, she knows them like the back of her hand.”
Hei Ze smiled. “What does this have to do with you guys, whatever you guys need to do, go and do it, just don’t touch those beads of mine, understand?”
“We know, we know all too well.” Those two people smiled as they looked at each other.
At this time, Eunuch Sun already changed the teacup, and was going to offer it to his master when he discovered that the hollow of his palm was tightly clenching a remaining shard. No small number of blood beads already flowed.
Eunuch Sun subconsciously cried out in alarm, when he saw Baili Jia Jue seemed as if he was fed up as he tucked his hand inside his sleeve and wiped the stain in a composed manner. He then casually threw the white handkerchief to the side and also didn’t receive that cup of tea in Eunuch Sun’s hand. His apathetic expression appeared as if the person who was wounded simply wasn’t him.
Eunuch Sun also didn’t dare to say anything more and put the cup of tea to the side.
Hearing the young masters chatting and smiling, he felt ill all over.
It wasn’t for any other reason except that he felt that from the beginning, that smile plastered on the corners of His Highness’ mouth had yet to fade!
“Let’s go, let’s take a look at the hall in the front.” On Retired Emperor’s face was a wise and farsighted smile as he turned his head to say. “Presumably, you guys also want to know what kinds of wishes those girls are making.”
No small numbers of young lords’ faces reddened, after all, they’re all maturing teenagers, it’s impossible for their hearts not to hold a young girl they fancied.
On the road there, the bamboo forest swayed gently, the cool breeze blew. It didn’t feel hot at all and was absolutely leisurely and comfortable.
Wei Wei didn’t go with Helian Jiao Er and the rest of them to submit their prayers, yet also couldn’t drag them down, so she just simply sat under the flowering Chinese scholar tree at the gate to the prayer hall. Her body half leaned. Between the forest, the soft and light flower petals floated like snow as the tree swayed. Two petals randomly fell on the back of her hand. The scene was extremely beautiful.
When the crowd of young masters arrived and saw this scene, they paused in their steps and stared somewhat dazedly.
Hei Ze saw this sort of situation and was afraid that Retired Emperor would find fault, so he gave voice to remind her. “Why are you here?”
Wei Wei then opened her eyes and lazily ‘mm hm’ed once. When she saw the crowd of people gradually arriving behind Hei Ze, she calmly stood up politely, yet not intimately.
Retired Emperor hadn’t seen this side yet as his head was turned to look at the cloud of burning incense on the other side.
Hei Ze looked down. “In a moment, enter along with us. If you’re out here and seen by people with intentions, they might denounce you as someone who failed to understand our customs.”
“Fine.” Wei Wei yawned. The outside corners of her eyes still looked tired as she raised her head and looked, she accidentally saw Baili Jia Jue’s ice cold gaze at a not so distant place.
Wei Wei also didn’t know what he’s looking at that he’s staring so fixedly at her, the light in his eyes hidden so deeply it’s like a frosted ancient well.
Basically, the length of time this was maintained was too long, even those young masters standing by the side became quiet, looking at Baili Jia Jue, looking again at Wei Wei as they felt there’s something strange.
Wei Wei’s scalp also felt numb from the man’s gaze, and wanted to find a good time to look away.
When she heard Retired Emperor laugh. “Isn’t this the lass from the Helian family, what? You’re not going inside to pray and make requests?”
“This commoner was just about to go.” Wei Wei spoked as she bowed in propriety, then was going to go.
Retired Emperor was actually open-minded. “It’s fine. You don’t need to go alone, just come along with us.”
“Yes.” It didn’t matter to Wei Wei, in any case, when they entered in a moment, just knock twice on the bamboo cylinder*, then pray for blessing and so on until she didn’t need to anymore.
After he finished speaking, Retired Emperor just turned around and brought along a group of young lords to enter the hall.
Wei Wei was going to follow behind them and hide in peace.
It’s just that she didn’t think that Baili Jia Jue’s legs would be so slow. The two of them, one in walked front, one walked behind, Baili Jia Jue also didn’t speak, that indifferent expression seemed as if it didn’t recognize her.
Wei Wei’s fiddled with the armament component in her hands and also didn’t care about Baili Jia Jue’s attitude.
Just as she reached the steps to the stage, the person in front of her seemed to be stopping. Suddenly, she heard his deep voice say. “You seem to treat Hei Ze quite well.”
Wei Wei’s eyebrows jumped, not understanding why Third Prince suddenly uttered such a statement. When her gaze met the man midway, she only saw that pair of eyes so cold they didn’t contain any warmth whatsoever.
The surrounding atmosphere also condensed a few degrees lower, as he flung the long sleeves on his white clothes, Wei Wei watched that elevated and cold, tall and straight image of his back, and was rather perplexed…
Eunuch Sun ran over, and spoke quietly beside her ear. “Eldest Miss, please excuse me, His Highness has been in a bad mood.”
Wei Wei was going to say that she could tell, she just didn’t know why.
Eunuch Sun also didn’t have time to say more, as he followed two or three steps upwards.
Within the temple hall, one could faintly hear the sound of the shaking of the bamboo cylinder. One sound after another, extremely drawn out.
The servants also held their breaths as they stood, not daring to move randomly, afraid that any sound could disturb the tranquility and influence the prediction of their master’s fate.
When Wei Wei and the others entered, those young ladies already obtained a bamboo stick held in their hands and was standing to a side, they wanted to ask a temple master to tell their fortunes but hesitated. They looked up and saw Retired Emperor leading every family’s young master into the hall, and first stared blankly, then gripped the bamboo stick in their hand, their faces burst crimson, and one after another, bowed in salute.
Retired Emperor waved his sleeves to have them proceed, and even brought Abbot Fang Zhang, so that he could tell each of them their fortunes.
One ought to know that it wasn’t that easy to have their fortunes told at Hidden Spirit Temple. This temple was known for only reading three fortunes per day, beyond that, it wasn’t possible no matter how powerful you were.
However, they had no choice but admit that the fortunes told by Hidden Spirit Temple was indeed exceedingly accurate, within the capitol no few high officials and nobles made nothing of hardships to travel severals days just to wait in the early morning for these three chances to have their fortunes told.
That’s why once they heard that Head Abbot Fang Zhang will interpret their fortunes, each of those young ladies who’d obtained a bamboo stick became quite excited.
After all Fang Zhang rarely ever told fortunes. Even having him preaching a few words of exhortation here was more difficult than difficult.
It could be said that this time, he’s doing this for the sake of their convenience.
Each of them brought forth the fortune stick that they’d prayed for. Even though they hadn’t said what they’d prayed for, however, everybody knew that eight or nine times out of ten, they prayed to know their fate in marriage.
When Helian Jiao Er handed over her own fortune stick, she turned her face to the side and glanced at Baili Jia Jue, her pupils swayed bashfully, yet also seemed like she’s extremely lovable, as she stood by his left hand side in a natural manner.
Her maid was pleased to see her make this move. In the past, her lady was too reserved. Now, she finally knew to take a bit of the initiative, very good, very good.
Some of the young lords also saw this scene, and sadness clearly flashed in their eyes.
Wei Wei was still standing there mulling over what she could’ve done to have provoked Third Prince when she heard Hei Ze say. “Girl, why don’t you go draw one.” (obtain a fortune stick)
(*Many Chinese temples provide a way for visitors to pray and obtain an answer to their questions or requests by virtue of a bamboo cylinder containing a bundle of flat bamboo sticks inside. The person making the requests shakes the cylinder until one bamboo stick falls out. Interestingly, almost always, only one of the sticks will fall out first. On the stick are coded words which a monk can decipher and explain to you the chances your prayers would be answered or whether you’d meet with fortune or misfortune. Also search ‘Kau Cim’ or ‘Chinese fortune sticks’)