Li Man'er, seated in a carriage arranged by Madam Guo, swayed along the road towards the Medicine King Temple. Two maids stayed close by her side, never daring to relax.
Li Man'er’s mood remained unaffected. "You two can relax a bit. If someone sees you, they'll think you've been kidnapped!" she said.
"Young lady, please speak softly," the green-clad maid said nervously. "We are all Madam's people. Speak softly."
When they had left the house, the maids had considered asking Li Man'er to bring along a couple of guards for strength in case of trouble. To their surprise, Li Man'er refused, saying guards were a burden and of no help.
"What are you afraid of?" Li Man'er opened the food box and shared the brought food with the two maids. "Eat your fill first, then you'll have the energy to watch the show."
"This servant cannot eat," Ziyan said, putting the pastries back. "Besides, we just had breakfast."
Green-clad maid was much the same. Her heart fluttered erratically, making her feel unwell, and she couldn't eat a thing.
"You two clearly haven't been through much. If you follow me, you can't be timid," Li Man'er said. "How about this: if you follow me, you can learn martial arts from now on?"
"Learn martial arts?" Green-clad maid frowned. "Young lady, this servant is not capable. I heard martial arts are practiced from a young age. For someone like me, my arms and legs are probably stiff, I can't practice."
"Yes!" Ziyan also said. "We are clumsy, we're afraid we won't learn."
Li Man'er stuffed all the pastries in her hand into her mouth, looking like a hamster.
Ziyan quickly poured her a cup of tea. "Young lady, quickly swallow and calm down."
With the fragrant tea in her belly, Li Man'er felt much more comfortable.
"Practicing martial arts is mainly for strengthening the body. Although you are a bit older, it's not completely impossible to practice. If you have strength in your body and your bones are stronger, even if you can't fight, you'll get sick less often, and when you marry and have children, you'll suffer less..."
"Oh my, young lady, what are you saying?"
"Exactly, exactly. If outsiders hear this, it will be terrible."
Li Man'er blinked her eyes. "What did I say?"
Marry, have children, these things cannot be said? Cannot be said?
The carriage swayed for nearly two hours before finally arriving at the Medicine King Temple. The surroundings were indeed beautiful, with green mountains and clear waters, lacking the unique hustle and bustle of the capital but possessing a fresh, secluded charm like a paradise.
If Gan Zhao Temple was grand and magnificent, then Medicine King Temple was a quiet and serene mountain temple.
"Eldest young lady, the mountain gate is ahead. Our carriage cannot go up; we need to walk up the mountain," Madam Yu's task today was to watch Li Man'er, to prevent her from causing trouble and ruining the Madam's plan. One had to be cautious, as Li Man'er was not the same as before.
"Alright!" Li Man'er said. "Fortunately, I'm smart. I wore simple clothes today, so it will be more convenient to go up the mountain."
"The eldest young lady is wise," Madam Yu said, showering her with compliments, as if she couldn't praise Li Man'er enough. The Madam said that flattery was a very effective tactic.
"Madam praises me too much." Li Man'er, with her two maids, accompanied Madam Guo towards the mountain gate.
Madam Guo smiled throughout the journey, trying to please Li Man'er in every way. Sometimes she called her quiet and sensible, other times she called her beautiful and intelligent. In short, her intention was the same as Madam Yu's: to make her lose her temper and her sense of direction.
There's a saying: to make something perish, one must first make it go mad. That was probably their intention!
The early morning sun was not yet too harsh. They walked and rested, and in less than fifteen minutes, they arrived at the main hall.
The Medicine King Temple was not large, with only a dozen rooms in total. The main hall was not as grand as a side hall of Gan Zhao Temple, and the incense was also very ordinary.
But they were not here to worship the Medicine King. What did it matter if it was small?
This was Li Man'er's first time here, and she was naturally curious. Although she looked around, her peripheral vision was focused on Madam Guo.
The temple keeper and Madam Guo were exchanging glances, probably signaling each other! They clearly had a transaction, and they thought she was blind.
"Man'er, greet the temple keeper."
Li Man'er walked over and nodded slightly. "I greet the temple keeper."
The man looked her up and down. A glint flashed in his eyes. He thought, "Incredible! This young lady before me has an extraordinary bearing and unparalleled beauty. She truly looks like the Nine Heavens Profound Lady descended to the mortal realm. No wonder Madam Guo has nurtured improper thoughts.
"Truly..."
"A sin!"
"Both benefactors, please go to the main hall to offer incense."
Li Man'er followed Madam Guo inside.
Green-clad maid and Ziyan followed Li Man'er closely. Although they appeared calm, anyone with discerning eyes could see their unease.
Fortunately, Madam Guo and Madam Yu were focused entirely on Li Man'er, so they overlooked their unease.
The two offered incense and prayed for family well-being. Madam Guo added incense oil money, and Li Man'er followed suit, offering a considerable amount of money.
Don't be afraid of her losing out; she would reclaim it with interest later.
After worshiping the Medicine King, they also worshiped several deities enshrined in the side halls, such as Granny Tang Yao and Lady Dou Zhen. Li Man'er had never heard of them.
Regardless of their fame, they were all gods, and all must be worshiped.
After three kowtows and nine bows, they were sweating.
By now, the sun had risen, shining intensely, making one feel drowsy.
"Man'er, since it's your first time here, why don't you walk around yourself? If you get tired, you can rest in the meditation room. After we have a vegetarian meal and a short nap at noon, we can leave when it's cooler in the afternoon."
Li Man'er smiled. "Madam truly thinks of everything." She was true to her word. Since the conflict at the County Princess's mansion, Li Man'er had only referred to her as Madam.
Madam Guo didn't mind. She thought, "Before long, you might have to call me Aunt. Then we'll truly be a family."
Li Man'er, with her two maids, went to admire the scenery. Madam Guo gazed at her intently, as if looking at a walking, shining treasure chest.
Ning Ruying's dowry had arrived in the capital by boat. To say it was ten li of red dowry would be an understatement. In many years, the capital had not seen such a grand spectacle.
Li Man'er had inherited her mother's fortune and was extremely wealthy. Moreover, the Ning family had been sending her things all these years. Her wealth must have accumulated to a considerable extent. If all this money were spent on her future, it might even elevate the Guo family.
Thinking of this, Madam Guo's eyes grew greedy. She whispered to Madam Yu, "Don't let the eldest young lady walk too far. It will be time for the vegetarian meal soon."
Madam Yu understood. "Yes, Madam, rest assured. This old servant knows."