Da Li Temple - Chapter 61.1

Chapter 61.1
The Bride’s Substitute

Pale sunlight poured down from the gauze window, hitting Lin Wanqing’s slightly closed eyes. She rolled over and froze at the sight of the never-before-seen golden furniture behind the woven satin screen.
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“Miss,” Lailuo called to her from the side, tidying up the screen.
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Only then did Lin Wanqing remember that after the family banquet in the palace the day before yesterday, the two didn’t return to the Da Li Temple but stayed at the Heir Mansion.
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Su Moyi went to Zichen Hall before dawn and didn’t return for the whole night yesterday. The Da Li Temple had been idle lately, so Lin Wanqing wanted to see how Lailuo was doing in the Heir Mansion, so she decided to stay for one more day before leaving. However, she wasn’t too used to living here, so when she woke up in the morning, she would lose her memory every time.

Lailuo saw her waking up, quickly cleaned her face with water, and brought tea to rinse her mouth, waiting for her to change her clothes.
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Lin Wanqing was not used to having someone beside her and resisted for a while, but Lailuo refused to comply. She had to let her fetch some breakfast, and only then did she take the opportunity to clean up quickly.
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This courtyard was Su Moyi’s, and usually, other than sweeping, he didn’t let anyone else in. Now that Lin Wanqing was staying here, he only arranged for Lailuo to wait on her.
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Outside the screen, Lailuo had already begun to arrange her breakfast – golden milk pastry, mandala cake, dragon and phoenix pastry (*) —
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Of course, there were several other breakfasts that she couldn’t even name, and several kinds of congee were scattered all over the table.

T/N: ancient cake names are so hard to translate, so I translate them literally.
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“…… ” Lin Wanqing sighed, wondering when Lord Su became so wasteful. She marched over, picked up a round stool, sat down, hit a bowl of peach porridge, and was about to take a bite, but she saw that Lailuo on the side was looking at her in a daze.

“Have you eaten?” Lin Wanqing asked, her eyes sweeping the food in front of her.
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Lailuo shook her head and then nodded.
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Lin Wanqing guessed that she was craving these foods. After all, the Heir Mansion’s snacks were exquisite, and she had never even seen them on the streets of Sheng City.
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Lailuo came from Hu Land, and after arriving here, she was sold to a brothel, so it looks like she should never have seen any good food. She waved her hand at Lailuo and said, “I can’t finish them alone. Come and eat with me.”
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Lailuo was hesitant, pursing her lips, and whispered, “When I arrived at the mansion, Mama said that I can’t eat with Master.”
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“But I’m not your master,” Lin Wanqing said, pouring her a bowl of congee, “I’m just a guest in this mansion.”
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Lailuo didn’t seem to understand these complicated and cumbersome etiquettes in the Nan Dynasty. Thinking Lin Wanqing was a guest, she didn’t insist anymore and sat beside her.
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Lin Wanqing pushed the bowl of congee to her and said, “Eat.”
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Only then did Lailuo reveal some smiles and happily ate.
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She gave Lailuo another milky pastry and asked, “I see you’re not too old; you shouldn’t be eighteen yet, right?”
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Lailuo shook her head and said vaguely with the pastry in her mouth, “Almost.”
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“Oh,” Lin Wanqing nodded and asked, “Then what will you do in the future? Do you still have family in Hu Di?”
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Lailuo shook her head. “I was sold here when I was three. I can’t remember where my home is anymore.”
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“Oh ……” Lin Wanqing was a bit sorry, thinking that if she had nowhere to go, staying in the Heir Mansion wouldn’t be impossible. It would just be her softening up and playing nice again, begging Su Moyi.
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“What about you, Miss?” Lailuo asked, her blue eyes curiously staring at her and blinking.
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“Me?” Her question stumped Lin Wanqing, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to answer.
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“Are you going to marry that very fierce lord?”
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“Very fierce lord?” Lin Wanqing pondered momentarily before understanding that she should be talking about Su Moyi. For a moment, she thought it was funny; that person didn’t look at anyone with a good face, so the only impression he left on Lailuo was the word ‘fierce.’
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Lin Wanqing smiled, didn’t say anything, only added another piece of dragon and phoenix pastry to her bowl.

Seeing that she was kind and willing to listen to her, Lailuo opened her mouth and added, “I don’t think you two are compatible.”
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“Oh?” Lin Wanqing only thought she was being straightforward, “How is it not compatible?”
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“I heard from Mama that he is the Heir, a well-respected official.” Lailuo swallowed the cake in her mouth, looked at Lin Wanqing, and said thoughtfully, “In the past, when I was in the brothel, there were often some rich merchants or official’s wives who brought their servants to cause trouble and beat the vixen to death.”
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“These men can have several women. Do you want to fight over a man with someone else and beat up a vixen all day long?”
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Lin Wanqing looked at her solemn yet naive look and joked, “Didn’t you say he was fierce? Since he’s so fierce, is there a girl willing to be with him?”
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“But even if there’s no girl, he’s still a Heir, and behind him is the Heavenly Family and the imperial court. Everyone said that the royal family is ruthless, even with the strong feelings today; how does Miss know that they won’t be worn away over time afterward?”
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Lin Wanqing was stunned at these words. It wasn’t because she was worried that Su Moyi would have another woman by her side, but the phrase ‘the royal family is ruthless’ reminded her of her aunt who died in the Cold Palace. She suddenly felt annoyed, so she no longer answered Lailuo’s words, burying her head in congee.
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The sudden silence also made Lailuo quiet, and the two stopped talking and finished eating what was in their bowls.
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After breakfast, Lin Wanqing changed into men’s clothing to go to Da Li Temple. When she was about to leave the house, Lailuo summoned her.
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“Miss,” she looked at Lin Wanqing with a complex expression, “I’m alone in this Heir Mansion, and I don’t know anyone. People see that I’m a Hu, and they don’t want to get close to me. So, in the future, if nothing is happening in this mansion, can I go to the Da Li Temple to find you?”
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“This ……” Lin Wanqing was embarrassed.
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Lailuo looked at her carefully, with indescribable expectation and nervousness in her eyes.
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Such a look stabbed Lin Wanqing. She had suffered from that kind of unsupported suffering, so towards this girl who was about the same age as herself, she also felt some sympathy. After a long time, she nodded and said, “You can come to me when Lord Su is not around, but only in my courtyard. Don’t go elsewhere, understand?”
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“Okay!” Lailuo nodded her head and smiled brightly.
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This time, Lin Wanqing exited the Heir Mansion and went straight to Da Li Temple. She got up a little late, and it was nearly noon when she arrived there.
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Lin Wanqing felt that today’s Da Li Temple is strange. Not to mention Su Moyi’s absence, even Ye Qing disappeared. In the past, when it was time to go to work, even though there were not a lot of magistrates, at least they were everywhere. But today, the entire place looked empty.
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Lin Wanqing inexplicably detected a tense atmosphere.
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“Recorder Lin!” An urgent gasp accompanied by footsteps came from far away.