My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

Ever since Wang Shi entered the family, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has always been good.

Even though Old Madam Wei was very strict and had her own ideas, and occasionally disagreed with Madam Wang, Madam Wang took over the management of the household and became the matriarch of the Wei family.

The old lady would then be considerate of her feelings and would only tell her privately where she had done something wrong.

This was the first time in so many years that she had been scolded by her mother-in-law, with even maids and servants present.

Wang's face flushed red and then turned pale. She said in a low voice, feeling wronged, "Mother, I was just concerned about Zhao'er. She is carrying the eldest grandson of the emperor."

"You're really confused. It's precisely because she's pregnant with the emperor's child that we need Xun'er to go in and help her."

"She's heavily pregnant and can't serve the Crown Prince. What will happen if another vixen gains favor at this time?"

"Xun'er is a member of the Wei family after all. It's better for her to be favored than for other women to gain power. Besides, she's easy to control. Whether she can get pregnant or not is entirely up to Zhao'er, isn't it?"

"You're too easily swayed."

Wang was scolded and had no way to express her bitterness. She would rather someone else be favored than have Wei Nanxun enter the palace to consolidate her favor.

In her opinion, this niece was too cunning. Previously, when the whole family tried to force her to enter the palace, she refused no matter what. Now, she had suddenly changed her mind. She must be trying to use a retreat as a means to advance and attract the Crown Prince's attention even more.

Men are all like that; the more unattainable something is, the more they value it.

Other concubines might be able to keep Wei Mingzhao in check after she gave birth to her eldest son, but if Wei Nanxun enters the palace, given her cunning, she'll surely trample Mingzhao underfoot.

However, Old Madam Wei was not on the same side as her. She only cared about whether the Wei family could gain power, and it didn't matter to her which granddaughter was favored.

Wang was unable to persuade her mother-in-law, and dared not disobey her, so she could only secretly lament her predicament.

She had to find a way to stop Wei Nanxun from entering the palace.

Seeing that her daughter-in-law was obedient and did not argue anymore, Madam Wei's mood finally improved.

“I’m practically half-buried. Who am I planning all this for? Isn’t it all for you and Dalang’s Wei family? You can’t afford to be so foolish.”

"Yes, daughter-in-law listens to her mother."

"Why didn't I see Xun'er today? I heard she's been coming to have breakfast with Mother these past few days."

Madam Wei rubbed her throbbing temples and said, "Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and she went to the temple to offer eternal lamps for her birth mother."

Wang smiled and said "filial piety," but in her heart she was secretly complaining.

In the past, the old lady looked down on Yan Niang the most, calling her a down-and-out merchant's daughter, and almost wouldn't even let her into the ancestral graves.

Now that she values ​​Wei Nanxun, she even finds the merchant girl she once looked down on agreeable. She truly only cares about profit and has no regard for Wei Mingzhao's life or death.

Wang stayed and chatted with him for a while before getting up and going back to the front.

As soon as she stepped out of the hospital, she changed her timid demeanor from before, clasped her hands together, and looked at Song Hetang with extremely fierce eyes.

At this moment, her most trusted confidante, Fang's mother, quickly walked over and whispered a few words in her ear, causing her expression to change drastically.

"Where are the people?"

"He's waiting at the gatehouse. He's tall and burly, one of our guards is as strong as several of our guards. He has a scar on his face, a broad knife at his waist, and speaks in a vulgar way. He looks like a wanderer of the martial world. He's shouting for Second Master to come out."

Did they say what they wanted to discuss with Second Master?

"That man refused to speak, but he had a very loud voice and kept calling out the Second Master's name. When someone went up to chase him away, he chopped the knife into a pillar, scaring everyone away."

Wang had always disliked the second wife's family, and now that she learned that someone had come to her door seemingly seeking revenge, she felt even more upset and ashamed.

"Wei Rongde usually puts on such a convincing act, appearing honest and upright that even the old lady was fooled by him. Who would have thought he was such a troublemaker? No wonder Wei Nanxun is just as cunning and scheming."

"What should we do now, Madam? Should we send someone to find the officials?"

Wang's first reaction was naturally to seek help from the government. If that person continued to make a fuss, the entire Wei family would suffer and lose face.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly remembered what the old lady had said earlier: that the family had gone to the temple to offer lamps.

She now realized that this wasn't a ceremony to offer lamps at all, but rather a trip to escape debt collectors.

They were certain that she would step in and resolve the matter, allowing them to reap the benefits without lifting a finger.

That's a brilliant plan!

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. The servant who accompanied the Second Master said that he went to the pawnshop yesterday and apparently pawned quite a few land deeds and shops. I wonder what he used them for."

Madam Wang frowned immediately. The reason why the family had been able to live so comfortably all these years, with a glamorous appearance and food, clothing and other necessities no less than those of other high-ranking officials and nobles, was all thanks to the money that Wei Rongde brought back every year.

She had long heard that Wei Rongde's business was doing very well, but the amount of money he brought back was decreasing year by year.

She had always suspected that he had falsified accounts and embezzled money to purchase property.

Actually, she would have turned a blind eye if it were just a little bit of money, but it wasn't just a small amount; it was a huge fortune that could rival that of the imperial merchants.

"No matter what he does with it, his money shops and connections are all from the Wei family, and everything he pawns belongs to the Wei family! No, we can't let him embezzle the family fortune. I have to tell the old lady about this."

"Madam, this matter cannot be rushed. We need to come up with a solution and have solid evidence, otherwise the old lady's mind will be biased."

Madam Wang also felt that what she said made sense. The old lady had even taken a liking to that merchant girl, so she might sacrifice the interests of the eldest son's family to favor that father and daughter.

"Do you have any good ideas?"

"We can split up!"

Wang shook her head subconsciously: "When my father-in-law passed away, we couldn't divide the family property. Now that my mother is still alive, she won't allow it."

Moreover, with Wei Nanxun, this precious gem, around, Mother would be even less likely to agree.

"What if the Second Master and the Seventh Miss do something detrimental to the Wei family?"

Wang immediately realized that this scarred-face man was perfect for her to use against. As for Wei Nanxun, since the old lady wanted her to marry into the Eastern Palace, she would make the old lady give up on that idea completely.

-

Unlike the restless people in the capital, Wei Nanxun felt as if she had been released from a cage as soon as she stepped out of the city gate, feeling incredibly free and at ease.

She did want to go to the temple to pray for her mother, and at the same time, she also wanted to leave that oppressive and suffocating place.

This time, we're going to Huangjue Temple, which is a day's round trip from the outskirts of Beijing.

The reason for choosing that place is twofold: firstly, it's far enough away from the troubles in the capital, allowing my father and younger brother to completely relax.

Secondly, she had her eye on a horse ranch at the foot of Huangjue Temple. Ever since Pei Ji taught her to ride a horse last time, she had been longing to ride again.

Fortunately, her father was not a rigid person, and he also thought it was a good thing for girls to learn to ride horses.

To prepare for the horseback riding trip, she specially brought riding gear and even chose the most skilled rider from among her father's entourage to teach her and her brother.

They were among the first to leave the city when the city gates opened, arriving at Huangjue Temple just in time for lunch.

The mountain path was steep, and Huangjue Temple was located halfway up the mountain. She initially insisted on walking up the path herself with her father and brother.

They hadn't even gone halfway when they were already panting heavily and had to get into a sedan chair and be carried up the mountain.

Upon arriving at the temple, they found that young monks were already waiting for them.

Wei Nanxun assumed that her father had sent someone to inform them in advance, since their family offered eternal lamps here every year, and the money they spent on incense was enough to rebuild a Guanyin temple.

"This way, please, Benefactor Wei."

The young monk first led them to the side room to put away their luggage. The father and younger brother's room was next door. She had her own courtyard, with only a wall separating the two sides, so both sides could hear each other if they spoke loudly.

It's both safe and appropriate.

The only thing that bothered Wei Nanxun was that there was a side room in her courtyard right next to hers.

The doors and windows were tightly closed, so no one could be seen living there, but there was a thin piece of paper stuck to the door.

This was a method she learned when she ran away from home last time: she would put something on the door, and if it fell off or disappeared, it meant that someone had been in her house.

The person who lives here must be a meticulous person.

With that thought in mind, Wei Nanxun put down her luggage and followed the young monk who was leading the way to the dining hall for lunch.

Huangjue Temple is the largest temple in the suburbs of Beijing, and its Buddhist statues and halls are extremely magnificent and majestic.

Many high-ranking officials and nobles would offer eternal lamps here, rest and worship Buddha. Even the vegetarian dishes were made very exquisitely. Although there was no minced meat, they had the aroma of meat and tasted even better than eating real meat.

After lunch, Wei Nanxun followed Wei Rongde to the main hall to offer incense and pray for blessings.

Wei Rongde visits this place to worship Buddha every year when he returns to Beijing, and this time he also made an appointment with the abbot to give a sermon and pray for blessings well in advance.

Although Wei Heyu's leg injury had almost healed, he had walked too much on the mountain road today, and several blisters had formed on the soles of his feet.

So he was told to go back to his room to apply medicine and rest, otherwise he wouldn't be able to go horseback riding tomorrow.

Wei Nanxun originally only respected Buddha, but was not a devout Buddhist. It was after her rebirth that she felt that there were indeed gods and Buddhas protecting her in the dark.

In this life, I will always go into Buddhist temples to offer incense and pray for blessings, adding a little to the incense offerings.

But when asked to recite scriptures, her Buddhist nature had not yet been awakened. Seeing that her father was listening attentively, she dared not make a sound to disturb him.

I happened to see a divination stick container on the table next to me, and on a whim, I went over and drew one.

'The 26th Fortune Stick: Auspicious Fortune Stick'

This was Wei Nanxun's first time drawing lots, and she was overjoyed to draw such an auspicious lot. Could this be a sign that the division of the family property would be successful?

She immediately looked around the hall, wanting to find someone to interpret her fortune slip.

She saw a young monk standing at the side door of the main hall, while her father was still listening attentively to the sutra. She tiptoed out through the side door.

"Young master, may I ask who can interpret these fortune slips?"

The young monk looked extremely young. He glanced at her and quickly lowered his head: "Abbot, can you help me? Please come with me."

Wei Nanxun, without suspecting anything, followed after him, clutching the red token in her hand.

The young monk led her out of the main hall through the long corridor, around to the rear hall next to it, and then up the central steps until they stopped at the highest point, the Arhat Hall.

The surroundings had completely changed; the grandeur and magnificence of the main hall were gone, replaced by lush bamboo groves, creating an exceptionally secluded and tranquil atmosphere.

To the left of the Arhat Hall are many closed rooms, which look like they are used by monks for worship.

The young monk pointed to the innermost room and said, "The abbot is inside. Please come in."

He stopped there.

Wei Nanxun was somewhat hesitant, after all, she had suffered too many losses, but thinking that this was a pure Buddhist place, there should be no shady dealings.

Besides, she just drew a very auspicious fortune stick; surely nothing bad can happen to her now.

She paused for a moment, then lifted her skirt and walked over.

He paused outside the door and gently knocked.

An old yet peaceful voice came from inside, saying, "Come in."

He didn't even ask who came or what their purpose was, which only made the person inside seem more powerful.

Wei Nanxun no longer doubted, pushed open the door and entered. The rich sandalwood incense wafted out, and in front of her was a Buddhist shrine as tall as a person, enshrining a pot-bellied Maitreya Buddha. White smoke-like incense rose and swirled up from the ceiling.

Lifting the bamboo curtain beside the Buddhist shrine reveals an elegant meditation room, where a lean, white-bearded old monk sits cross-legged on a prayer mat.

This is Master Wuhui, the abbot's uncle at Huangjue Temple. He is widely recognized as the monk with the highest level of enlightenment and the most Buddhist nature, and he should have succeeded him as abbot.

But more than the empty title of abbot, he preferred to travel around preaching.

He rarely spends time in the palace throughout the year, and this time it just so happens that he returned from his travels a few days ago.

Wei Nanxun did not know his identity, but upon seeing his appearance and the peaceful aura he exuded, she instinctively felt that he was a master of profound Buddhist teachings.

She immediately stopped, clasped her hands together in a gesture of respect, and said, "Greetings, Master."

“Benefactor Wei, there is no need for such formality. Please have a seat.”

Wei Nanxun was surprised: "Master, you have such supernatural powers that you even know my surname."

At that moment, a low laugh came from the darkness.

For some reason, it sounded somewhat familiar.

Wei Nanxun paused for a moment and turned around abruptly, only to find that there was another person sitting cross-legged in the shadows opposite Master Wuhui.

He was wearing a dark-colored casual suit with a few auspicious cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread on the hem. It was simple and understated, no wonder she hadn't noticed anyone there at first.

She usually saw him with his hair tied up, but today it was loose, with only half of it pulled back and tied up with a jade hairpin. He looked lazy and casual, and even had a bit of a scholarly air about him.

It's like a handsome young scholar who, if placed in a tale of the strange and supernatural, would surely be bewitched by a fox spirit.

When he was injured and in distress, she thought he was a scholar, but back then he was weak and pale, while today he is a young master raised by a wealthy family.

Wei Nanxun had never seen him like this before, and couldn't help but take a few more glances.

She only snapped out of her daze when the man opposite her smiled slightly and let out a laugh.

He looked at Pei Ji and then at the old monk behind him: "Your Highness, what brings you here?"

Pei Ji didn't answer her question, but simply reached out his hand to her: "Come here."

Wei Nanxun still remembered the scene when the two parted last time, and she never expected to run into him here. She felt a little uncomfortable and had no idea how to get along with him.

"I've come to have my fortune told by a master, so there's no need for Your Highness to trouble yourself."

Pei Ji seemed to have heard something interesting, and even his usually indifferent eyes showed a hint of a smile.

He has a handsome appearance, and his bone structure is even more exceptional. He is actually very good at smiling, but most of the time he is as cold and sharp as a snow-white sword, making people afraid to look him in the eye.

Not to mention seeing him smile.

His voice was low and husky with a hint of languor, unlike his usual cold tone, and more casual: "How do you know I can't solve it?"

Wei Nanxun genuinely didn't believe it, thinking he was joking, especially in front of the master.

A blush crept onto her face as she looked away.

Pei Ji chuckled and said, "Don't believe me? Then ask Monk Wu Hui."

The Venerable Master Wuhui across from him softly uttered Amitabha: "A monk does not lie. Benefactor Pei is indeed skilled in interpreting divination slips."

Wei Nanxun was skeptical, but since the master had said so, she had no choice but to hand over the red slip of paper she was clutching tightly.

"Then I'll trouble you, Your Majesty."

Pei Ji stretched out his arm and opened his palm to her, and she had no choice but to put it in his hand.

When his long, slender fingers closed, they gently brushed against her palm, making her even more afraid to look at him.

He slowly examined the words on the fortune slip, and said in a low voice with a slight smile, "The twenty-sixth slip, an extremely auspicious one."

"It's a good fortune slip, Miss Wei. All your wishes will be fulfilled, and..."

He paused for a moment, looked up at her intently, and said, "The peach blossoms are approaching."