After Jiang Qingyi left, Yan Ruxue brought the carriage back to the scene of the incident and woke up her mother, maid, and the guards.
When Madam Yan awoke, she was startled and quickly asked her daughter if sothing had happened.
Yan Ruxue explained that they had encountered assassins, but fortunately, an Immortal had been passing by and saved them.
Hearing that her daughter was unhard, Madam Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Madam Yan decided against visiting the Buddhist Nun at Baideng Temple. Instead, she hurried back to their estate with her daughter to tell her husband what had happened.
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Yan Zhen, imdiately went to the Pri Minister’s Mansion.
When Yan Shanao learned of the event, he was enraged and ordered a full investigation.
Assassinating the family of a Court minister was a serious cri, to say nothing of the future Empress of the Zhou Kingdom!
He suspected that other Noble Clans, unhappy with the Yan Family’s growing power, had sent people to assassinate Ruxue.
Regarding the assassins’ appearances, Yan Ruxue said they were masked and she didn’t get a clear look.
As for why she didn’t ntion Jiang Qingyi, Yan Ruxue felt there was no point.
Jiang Qingyi was the Sect Leader of the Wanjian Sect. What could anyone do to her?
’As things stand now, I’m no match for Jiang Qingyi.’
’And Jiang Qingyi knows I can’t touch her.’
’In that case, it’s best to maintain this delicate balance for now and not escalate things.’
For Yan Ruxue, what she wanted most was to have her wedding with Xiao Mo proceed peacefully.
That was her bottom line.
’If she dares to interfere again...’
The young woman’s eyes narrowed, her golden, vertical pupils filled with majesty.
"Miss..."
Just as Yan Ruxue was doing embroidery in her room, a maid’s voice ca from outside.
"Enter." Yan Ruxue’s eyes returned to normal.
The door opened, and Xiao Chun and Chief Eunuch Huang walked in, followed by several Palace Maids from the Imperial Palace.
"Greetings, Miss Yan." Chief Eunuch Huang bowed.
"Greetings, Chief Eunuch Huang." Yan Ruxue curtsied in return, her gaze falling on the Palace Maids behind him.
"Miss Yan, since the enthronent ceremony has been delayed by a few months, the Textile Bureau has made so alterations to your phoenix crown and brocade. Would you like to try it on? If you don’t like it, we can still make changes," Chief Eunuch Huang said with a smile.
"Then let’s try it on." Yan Ruxue nodded, not refusing.
"Help Miss Yan change," Chief Eunuch Huang said to the Palace Maids behind him.
"Yes."
The Palace Maids closed the door and helped the young woman out of her dress.
When they saw the skin of the woman before them, their eyes couldn’t hide their astonishnt and admiration.
They had never seen such fair and delicate skin, like silk spun from pure white snow.
Two incense sticks’ ti later, the clothes were changed, and the Palace Maids had even applied makeup on Yan Ruxue.
When the woman, dressed in the phoenix crown and brocade, stood before everyone, they were all stunned.
Yan Ruxue possessed world-toppling beauty, a dignified and elegant temperant, a majestic bearing, and yet a scholarly air.
If a woman like this wasn’t the Empress of the Zhou Kingdom, who else could be?
Finally, after Yan Ruxue discussed a few more details with Chief Eunuch Huang, she took off the phoenix crown and brocade. Chief Eunuch Huang then took his leave with the Palace Maids.
"Miss, you look so beautiful in the phoenix crown and brocade! Even though I’m a girl, my heart can’t help but flutter," Xiao Chun said joyfully, tugging on her lady’s arm.
"What good is it if you think it’s beautiful? His Majesty is the one who has to think so."
"His Majesty will definitely find you beautiful! Maybe, just like in the history books, he’ll stop attending morning court altogether," Xiao Chun said playfully.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Have you no sha?"
Yan Ruxue lightly tapped the spot between Xiao Chun’s eyebrows, sat down in a chair, and took out a book to read.
"Miss, I’ve seen many scholars reading this book, *Knowledge and Action Combined*. Last ti, I even heard the Master say that *Knowledge and Action Combined* ranks among the top ten works of the Confucian School, and that every disciple of the school should read it at least once. But why doesn’t this book have the author’s na?"
Xiao Chun asked curiously.
Hearing Xiao Chun’s question, Yan Ruxue’s gaze flickered slightly.
After a long mont, the young woman looked up and said gently, "That’s because a long, long ti ago, the scholar who wrote this book did sothing that made many people very unhappy."
"What was it?" Xiao Chun asked curiously. "Can you tell the story, Miss?"
Yan Ruxue shook her head. "It’s just a rumor. It might not even be true."
"That’s alright, Miss. I love hearing these kinds of stories," Xiao Chun said, her interest piqued even more.
"Alright."
Yan Ruxue smiled, organized her thoughts, and began to speak slowly.
"This story... well, it begins four thousand years ago. The world where the Human Race lived was called the World of Ten Thousand Laws, and the world where the Demon Race lived was called the Demon Race’s World. At that ti, the relationship between the Human Race and the Demon Race was extrely tense.
In this environnt, a scholar from a small fishing village traveled to the North Sea State Capital and took the entrance examination for Bailu Academy..."
...
「Zhaokong Mountain, Baideng Temple.」
As the sky grew darker, the number of worshippers praying at Baideng Temple dwindled.
Not until the sun had completely set did Hui Ming, the Abbot of Baideng Temple, see off the last worshipper and close the temple gates.
Hui Ming walked into the temple’s main hall.
At the very front of the hall stood a giant Golden Buddha Statue.
Before the Golden Buddha Statue, a woman in a Monk’s Robe was kneeling on a prayer mat.
She looked up, her eyes eting the Buddha statue’s.
At the young woman’s feet lay a round, fleshy ball with wings.
Its na was Chaos. It was genderless, one of the four great Ancient Fierce Beasts.
A thousand years ago, when Hui Ming was still at Kongnian Temple, he had seen the young woman return with this very Ancient Fierce Beast by her side.
"We are grateful for Senior Sister’s lecture to the common people and the monks of Baideng Temple today."
Hui Ming, who looked like a man in his seventies, put his palms together and bowed to the young woman.
"Mm," the young woman nodded, her gaze returning to the Buddha statue.
"Senior Sister..." Hui Ming took a letter from his sleeve. "Master asks for your return. He says his ti is short and he wishes to see you one last ti."
"Grandpa is trying to trick again." The young woman lowered her head. "Monks do not tell lies, yet Grandpa has tricked into returning four tis already."
"..."
Hui Ming was at a loss for words. Their master was indeed quite different from an ordinary monk.
But even so, their master was still the current head of the Buddhist Dao.
Hui Ming changed the subject. "An official from the Imperial Palace ca by earlier. In four months, the Sovereign of Zhou will marry the Empress. If Senior Sister is still here, they hope you will offer a blessing for the occasion."
The young woman did not answer.
Hui Ming didn’t press the matter.
He stepped forward and placed his master’s letter and the invitation from the Zhou Kingdom beside the young woman.
Finally, Hui Ming put his palms together in a bow, chanted a Buddhist mantra, and withdrew.
Once again, the young woman was alone in the great hall.
"Migoo..."
An incense stick’s ti later, Chaos, who was by the woman’s feet, woke up and flew in front of her.
"You’re awake," the young woman said.
"Migoo." The round ball bobbed its body as if nodding.
"We’re at Baideng Temple in the Zhou Kingdom right now."
"Migoo."
"Yes. We’ll stay here for a while. I have a feeling we might be able to find him here."
"Migoo, migoo..." Little Chaos happily spun in circles in front of the young woman.
But after a mont, Little Chaos stopped, its wings drooping as if lowering its head, looking sowhat dejected. "Migoo..."
"But what if we find him and he doesn’t recognize ?"
The young woman’s eyes blinked gently.
"It’s alright."
The young woman reached out and gently stroked Little Chaos.
"Even if he can’t rember , it’s enough that I rember him..."
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