Sweltering heat at noon. There are hundreds of small Buddha statues enshrined on both sides of the hall, and the green lanterns in the gauze of smoke cages reveal the faintly bright candlelight.
Master Liao Chen clasped his hands together and said, "I haven't seen His Highness for a long time."
He immediately looked at the woman next to His Royal Highness, glanced at her face, was slightly stunned, and said nothing.
Zhao Shi wore a string of dark black Buddhist beads on his wrist. He took them off, held them in his hand, and followed Master Chen into the temple.
Zhao Shimingzhu knelt on the tuanpu, and the Buddhist altar stood in front of them.
Mingzhu didn't dare to look up at the Buddha statue in front of her. The invisible majesty was suppressing the top of her head, and her heart was panicked and restless.
Taking the incense offered by Zhao Shi, he closed his eyes and made a few wishes to the Buddha statue with great piety.
The monks were chanting sutras in my ears.
Mingzhu didn't know how long she had been kneeling. Her knees ached and her legs were a little numb.
After reciting the sutra, Mingzhu was supported by Zhao Shi and stood up. She didn't know if she was suspicious or worried, but she always felt that the way Master Chen looked at her was a little different from others.
After coming out of the main hall, Mingzhu felt a little more relaxed.
However, I didn't feel comfortable for long. The nauseating feeling in my stomach came back again. I clutched my chest and wanted to vomit but couldn't.
Zhao Shi supported him, "Feeling sick again?"
Mingzhu's face was pale, and there was a thin mist in her dark eyes. She had a bad premonition in her heart, so she explained: "I feel a bit cold, so I'll be fine with something to eat."
It was just about to get dark. The mist that comes in the evening has a cool, sticky fragrance.
Zhao Shi grasped 's wrist and asked warmly: "What do you want to eat?"
Mingzhu swallowed her water and said without hesitation: "I want to eat spicy food, is that okay?"
Zhao Shi raised his hand and rubbed his head, "Okay, but don't you think you can't eat spicy food?"
"There is no taste in my mouth. Eat some spicy food to suppress the nausea."
"Okay. I'll let do it."
Zhao Shiming cooked two delicious and spicy dishes on another stove.
Mingzhu has been feeling hungry so easily lately, and even after eating half a piece of spicy fish, she is still not satisfied. However, Zhao Shi was not allowed to continue eating. He poured a glass of warm water and frowned, "It's delicious but you shouldn't eat too much."
Mingzhu used to be so hot that she couldn't even touch it, but now it's really unusual. Her forehead is so hot that she's sweating, and she still can't bear to stop.
He touched his round belly and said, "Okay, I'm full."
After swallowing the water, he suddenly asked: "Your Highness, where did the fish come from in the temple?"
Zhao Shi said: "Let the guards go to the clear spring in the back mountain to catch it."
"Will the young masters let them kill animals?"
The most taboo thing in Buddhism is killing. Since you come to pray for gods and blessings, it doesn't seem to be a good idea to do so.
Zhao Shidan said: "They killed and cleaned them outside the mountain and then brought them here."
Mingzhu nodded, nodded, and burped. Then she raised her eyes and carefully looked at Zhao Shi, and asked, "Your Highness, does the Bodhisattva think we are not pious enough?"
Zhao Shi's expression did not change, and he said calmly: "No."
Mingzhu only thinks about these worries now. It's obviously too late. The fish is almost eaten.
He was stunned for two seconds, placing his hands on his stomach, feeling even more uneasy.
…
Zhao Shimingzhu stayed in the temple for three days. He would go to the main hall every day to listen to sutras and worship Buddha. He also asked for a peace charm made of gold foil from Master Chen, saying that it would ward off evil spirits and expel ghosts and bring disaster. Turn into good fortune.
When Mingzhu got the gold foil, she looked carefully and saw four lines of incomprehensible poetry on it.
Collect the gold foil and put it in your purse for safekeeping. I heard my mother say before that these talismans and seals obtained from the temple should be hidden out of sight.
On the morning after leaving the Buddhist temple, Mingzhu met Miss Gu again in front of the mountain gate.
It was raining lightly outside, and I stood under the eaves holding an umbrella, with a sad expression on my face.
Mingzhu followed 's eyes and looked to the other side. It turned out that there was something wrong with 's carriage. The wheels were stuck in the mud, and the coachman couldn't push them out despite the rain.
The driver, wearing a bamboo hat, bent over and ran to Gu Shuyi, "Miss, I really can't push it."
Gu Shuyi stood alone in the green rain and mist, looking a little pitiful from behind.
Mingzhu turned her face and found that Zhao Shi's eyes seemed to be looking at Miss Gu. She was very understanding and poked the man's arm and said, "Your Highness, would you like me to help Miss Gu?" ?”
The rainy day is so humid that it makes me uncomfortable. Being trapped here is miserable.
Zhao Shi glanced at her coldly, but he felt pity for her.
After a long while, Zhao Shiju came down and said to the attendant behind him: "Go and help Miss Gu."
"."
The more hands you have, the more angry you will be. The wheels that were stuck in the muddy and wet soil were quickly pushed out by them.
Gu Shuyi looked at the man not far away, suppressed the joy on his brows, and was about to walk over to say thank you. However, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already boarded the carriage with his concubine.
After returning from Fuyuan Temple, Zhao Shi settled a matter on his mind.
It's already August, and in less than two months, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's wedding is due for the legitimate daughter of the Ming family.
Everyone in the Prince's Mansion was busy, especially those in charge, who were so busy that they had to pay attention to every detail.
Even the red candles in the wedding room on the wedding day had to be prepared by him personally before he could rest assured.
There will never be any mistakes in the marriage of His Highness the Crown Prince, and there will be no room for any mistakes. No matter how big or small, you have to have the best.
The red silk fabric to be hung on the wedding day had been shipped from Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau earlier, but the steward held it in his hand and touched it, and after looking at it carefully, he was not satisfied.
"This silk is not good enough. Go look for something better."
"."
"We also need to replace those red candles. The light is not bright enough and there is still a burning smell."
"."
"That's all for now, go down and do your work."
Mingzhu, who had always been dull, noticed the excitement in the house and became busy at home, keeping her feet off the ground.
Biying would not talk to her about these things, for fear that she would feel uncomfortable.
A concubine who walked into the house in a sedan chair justifiably got married, but the pearl girl only had to endure the humiliation and become a concubine.
During the ten days or so that she stayed in the Ming Mansion, Biying could tell that Miss Mingru was not good at trouble, and that she would inevitably use her status as a concubine to put pressure on Miss Mingzhu in the future.
Biying was worried in her heart, and turned around to see that Miss Mingzhu was still holding the water plate and eating deliciously. Some crushed ice was added to the meat, which was refreshing and thirst-quenching, and also dispelled the heat.
Biying didn't know whether she should be happy or not, because girls like us can still eat at this time.
"Girl, please be careful of your stomachache."
Mingzhu put a few orange slices into her mouth. They were juicy and sweet. She squinted her eyes at the sweetness and said, "I didn't eat much."
"You've already eaten two bowls." Biying looked at Miss Mingzhu's increasingly round face and said, "Girl, you seem to have gained some weight recently."
The appetite is also larger than before.
In the past, I couldn't eat even two ounces of food if I was coaxed to him. Now I don't have to watch him eat at all.
After half a stick of incense has passed, it’s time to eat something.
Mingzhu also knew that she had gained weight, her face had become rounder, and the flesh on her waist felt softer.
Blinked his eyes, "Wouldn't it look bad if I got fat?"
Biying shook her head and laughed, "The girl is even prettier than a fairy even if she is fat."
This is not a compliment. After Miss Mingzhu's face becomes rounder, the whole look makes her feel softer and makes her want to reach out and pinch her or rub her. After all, she really wants to love and care for her.
She is still childish, as charming and naive as a little rabbit that just came out of its cave. Innocent, pure and kind, soft and loving.
Mingzhu suddenly couldn't eat anymore. It had been several days since she came back from the temple, and her period this month had not come yet.
If you want to see a doctor to diagnose your pulse, it is best if you are suspicious and worried.
Mingzhu originally wanted to go to Zhao Shi and tell him that she wanted to leave the house. Then I thought about it, even if he agreed easily, he would still have someone keeping an eye on him in the dark.
As soon as I went to see the doctor, he immediately received the news.
In this way, Mingzhu simply gave up the idea of asking a doctor to diagnose her pulse.
He raised his face, looked at Biying seriously with his clear and transparent glass eyes, and asked: "His Highness, didn't you always drink medicine before?"
Biying didn't know why she mentioned this matter. Doesn't it hurt to think about it
"."
The medicine was stopped halfway, and after His Royal Highness had a falling out with the girl, he continued to make him drink the medicine again.
Mingzhu nodded, "Okay."
I probably think too much. After a few days, Mingzhu's appetite and sleep seemed to have returned to normal. She finally breathed a sigh of relief and took some free time to go to the pond in the backyard to see the red carps she raised.
The red carp in the pond were kept fresh and plump, and the color of the fish scales shone in the water.
Mingzhu walked back with satisfaction. On the way, she saw a boy carrying a big box and a small box.
There is a "囍" sign on the top of the box, and there are some items in the box that are useful for the wedding.
Mingzhu turned around and asked Biying, "What's the date today?"
"August twenty."
In other words, there is only more than a month left before sister Zhao Shi's wedding.
Mingzhu asked this question and said no more.
The banknotes I hid are enough to be sold for a lifetime, and the fire coupons are also ready.
Nowadays, everyone in the house is busy with wedding matters. During these days, they should not be able to care about it.
The more Mingzhu thought about it, the more satisfied she felt. She smiled and said, "It's pretty good."
Biying couldn't tell whether the smile on her face was genuine or forced.
"Girl, don't think too much."
"how come."
I feel that I am more excited than Mingru who is about to be the bride.
Mingzhu felt tired after walking for a while. When she returned to the house after seeing the koi, she planned to take a nap.
Mingzhu slept sideways on the bed and soon fell asleep.
I originally thought that I would dream about the strange Zhao Shi whom I had never seen before.
But in this dream, the man in front of me was much younger. He had a face that confounded all living beings, and his eyes were cold and indifferent. The expression was exactly the same as when I saw him for the first time.
The man was wearing a black cloak and stood expressionless in the snow. He looked at the white snow in the sky with a slight struggle in his eyes. He closed his eyes and uttered the most ruthless words: "Send the wine over. .”
When Mingzhu suddenly heard these words, it felt like a sharp barb was pierced into her heart, and countless barbs hooked and tore at the soft flesh of her heart.
In his previous life, Zhao Shi was indeed killed.