Wrapped In Golden Branch - Chapter 20

Chapter 20
Did Princess start to like him?

“Mother, be careful with your words!” Pei Yizhi’s face was ashen, and his eyes were angry.

Mrs. Jin sneered, “You cheated without wiping your mouth. Why are you afraid of being talked about?” She stared at Li Kangning from head to toe with undisguised contempt and meanness in her eyes.

“Where did you find this little bitch? She is indeed good-looking but a little too coquettish.”

“Your elder brother is still missing, and you are so unscrupulous that you can enjoy the blessing of having two wives.”

Li Kangning was slightly shocked and even in disbelief. She suddenly realized—she was a princess of a country and the apple of the Emperor and Empress’s eye. Since she was born, no one had ever dared confront her like this.

Pei Yizhi frowned and wanted to explain her ident*ty, but Li Kangning stopped him. She lowered her voice and said, “There are too many people here. Let’s ignore her and go in first.”

Although secret guards were nearby, revealing her ident*ty would inevitably cause trouble. Seeing the Princess’s magnanimity, Pei Yizhi was even more ashamed to face her. They turned around and left, ignoring the woman talking nonsense behind them.

Seeing that they didn’t take her seriously, Mrs. Jin was furious. The steward Jiang, who accompanied her on the trip, looked impatient, lowered his voice, and said, “Xingyun, don’t stand here.”

Mrs. Jin’s taboo name was Xingyun. This name was given by her former master, the wife of Huai’an Marquis, Qiao Shuyun.

Mrs. Jin’s face was changed. Except for the man before her, no one would call her Xingyun for many years. Huai’an Marquis was dull and stubborn, but he was a lovesick man. Because his late wife, Qiao Shuyun, advised him to treat Xingyun and her son well before her death, he gave her the title of concubine. However, he had never stepped into Mrs. Jin’s courtyard or had another concubine for over twenty years. He devoted himself to guarding the child left by his late wife.

Mrs. Jin rem*mbered the business: “The Heir has been missing for half a month. What. What should we do?”

Steward Jiang was also worried. After all, the Heir was—he whispered, “The Marquis is not a helpful person; we still have to think of another way.”

Mrs. Jin suggested, “Why don’t I ask the Princess for help? It’s better to let the Princess order people to search than to look for it secretly like this.”

It just happened that she had just decided to expose today’s incident to the Princess. Let’s give him a taste of his medicine, and punish Pei Yizhi, that black-hearted bastard!

Steward Jiang pondered for a moment, “That’s good. I think the Princess has feelings for the prince; otherwise, why would she be jealous of him before?”

The more they thought about it, the more they felt it made sense, and they immediately headed towards the Princess Mansion. She was the biological mother of the Prince Consort, and the Princess would meet her as a mother-in-law.

At the same time, as soon as Li Kangning and Pei Yizi stepped onto the threshold of Longfu Temple, a little monk came to lead the way for them.

Longfu Temple was one of the court’s incense temples. Because it was in the east of the city, opposite the Huguo Temple, it was commonly known as the “East Temple.” After pa$sing by several towering ancient trees, they came to a small, rarely visited Buddhist temple. It was quiet and elegant.

When no one was around, Li Kangning asked, “Was that your biological mother just now?”

“Yes.” Pei Yizhi immediately knelt on one knee, his expression solemn, “Please forgive me, my mother…”

“Okay, okay!” Li Kangning interrupted him, “Get up quickly.” She said thoughtfully, “If you want to kneel, wait until you enter the temple. You may have to go to the battlefield later, so you must worship sincerely.”

As she spoke, she took the man’s big hand and walked inside. Looking down at the two people’s interlocked hands, Pei Yizhi suddenly felt a secret joy in his heart. Today’s outfit probably worked, and the Princess began to care about him.

Because the late Empress Dowager Cui believed in Buddhism, Li Kangning often copied scriptures and chanted sutras with her grandmother since she was a child. She felt that it must be because of her piety and respect for Buddhism that God gave her a warning in her dreams and let her avoid disaster. Now, she also wanted to pull Pei Yizhi to pray and ask for a peace amulet. It was still early when they left Longfu Temple, just past Weishi (1-3 pm).

It was a rare trip, so Li Kangning naturally wanted to have fun. Although she was a princess, she was not a secluded woman who never left the house. In addition to the annual northern and southern tours, her father and mother occasionally took them out of the palace incognito.

“Let’s go to Qingyun Tower for dinner before going back?” The girl smiled lightly, and the dimples at the corners of her lips seemed filled with honey, which was adorable.

Pei Yizhi’s breathing was slightly stagnant, and his heart skipped a beat. Immediately, his eyes smiled like stars twinkling, “Okay, I will follow my wife’s arrangements.”

Li Kangning did not expect him to call her like this, and her face instantly turned red.

Qingyun Tower was in the north of the city, a short distance from Longfu Temple, and the two got on the carriage again. This carriage looked ordinary, but it wasn’t. The interior was not only spacious but also well-decorated. The streets were bustling with people, and the carriages and horses could only move slowly.

The word “Madam” kept echoing in Li Kangning’s ears, and she was too embarra$sed to speak. Seeing her long silence, Pei Yizhi couldn’t help but feel a tightness in his heart.

After a while, he asked tentatively: “Princess, are you angry with me?”

Li Kangning blinked her almond-eyed eyes when she heard, “No, why would I be angry with you?”

Watching her loveliness, Pei Yizhi moved his eyes slightly, and his heart softened.

“Have you ever been to Qingyun Tower before? Their lotus chicken slices and crabs are extremely delicious. Even the imperial chefs in the palace can’t compare to them.” Li Kangning’s appetite was ar*used by thinking about the taste.

“I have never been there. Today is my first time to play in the capital.” The man’s handsome face was embarrassed.

Li Kangning was quite surprised. “You are the second son of Huai’an Marquis. How could you…”

“Since I can rem*mber, I have been living in the villa of Yanshan.”

When he said the word “Yanshan,” he stared at the eyes of the girl beside him.

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