Seven years.
Coincidentally, a little over six years ago, after he voluntarily confined himself to the Yan region to practice Buddhism, the Jiang family severed ties with the Prince of Yan's Mansion.
It was also such a coincidence that after the Princes of Zhou and Qi entered the capital, when all the forces were speculating that the Crown Prince was about to cut off his own right - hand men, they were surprised to find that the forces supporting the Prince of Yan actually emerged one after another.
The strength of these forces was so great that the Crown Prince, who had been sitting firmly in the Eastern Palace, suddenly began to retreat steadily. Even though the people were detained in the capital, he dared not take their lives for a long time.
The Jiang family took advantage of the situation and started to visit their relatives again.
Their ability to adapt to the changing situation was obvious.
Song Yinghuai twirled the Buddhist beads and walked past Jiang Jinyue without reaching out to help her up.
"Cousin, there's no need for such formalities. Rise."
Jiang Jinyue's face stiffened slightly, but she quickly recovered. She straightened up on her own and put on a gentle and considerate smile again.
"Cousin is a person of high status. It is only proper for Yue'er to pay such a great courtesy."
Song Yinghuai nodded slightly and sat down. He didn't answer but just lowered his eyes and twirled the Buddhist beads in silence.
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Concubine Yao saw that the situation was not good and quickly broke the awkwardness. "Huai'er, there are guests in the mansion today. Don't go back to the Lotus Sound Pavilion for dinner. Have it here in the Evening Fragrance Hall. You and Yue'er haven't seen each other for many years. You two can catch up during the meal and strengthen your relationship!"
Jiang Jinyue smiled. "Yes, cousin. I've heard that the customs in the Yan region are different from those in Jiaodong. I'm very curious and would like to hear you talk about them!"
Song Yinghuai slightly raised his eyes and stopped twirling the Buddhist beads. He replied quite seriously,
"Since I voluntarily chose to practice Buddhism, I've lived a secluded life and rarely left the mansion. I'm not familiar with the customs in the Yan region, but I do know a little about Buddhist doctrines. If cousin wants to hear me talk about folk customs, she may be disappointed."
Jiang Jinyue's face stiffened again, and then she forced a smile. "I also like to hear about Buddhist doctrines."
"In that case..." Song Yinghuai seemed interested. He stared at Jiang Jinyue and asked, "Then I'll discuss it with cousin."
"Recently, I heard Master Guangzhi from the Great Compassion Temple talk about Buddhist doctrines. He said that one should not enter a temple alone, two should not look into a well together, three should not hug a tree, and four should not turn back. I wonder what cousin thinks?"
The smile on Jiang Jinyue's face completely disappeared. She stammered for a while before forcing a smile again.
"Yue'er has only read books like *Rules for Women*, *Classic of Filial Piety for Women*, and *Biographies of Exemplary Women* since childhood... I don't quite understand the Buddhist doctrines that cousin mentioned."
Song Yinghuai slightly curled his lips. "It doesn't matter. Master Guangzhi's Buddhist doctrines are always profound. Ordinary people can't fathom their deep meaning. Even after six years of practicing Buddhism, I've only barely grasped a little..."
He paused, and his eyes suddenly became sharp.
"One should not enter a temple alone is a warning about unknown risks. Temples are dark and complex, and it's easy to encounter danger. The master means to tell us that we should always keep a clear head and think, and distinguish right from wrong. As Confucius said, 'When a man travels all over the world, he will recognize the right way.' It means the same thing."
Jiang Jinyue bit her lips hard. Her big eyes looking at Song Yinghuai were filled with confusion.
"Cousin... are you saying that Yue'er is a danger?"
"No." Song Yinghuai said calmly. "I'm just discussing Buddhist doctrines with you. Didn't cousin say that she likes to hear about Buddhist doctrines?"
She didn't like it!
Jiang Jinyue felt her head buzzing.
She was completely confused and didn't understand a single word.
Song Yinghuai continued, "Two should not look into a well together is a warning that when we are with people we are not familiar with, we need to be vigilant against their betrayal. We should have a sense of defense. After all... who can guarantee that your ally won't take advantage of your unpreparedness and push you into the well one day?"
Jiang Jinyue staggered.
This time, she was sure that Song Yinghuai was hinting at the fact that the Jiang family had stood by and severed ties with the Prince of Yan's Mansion back then!
Her eyes quickly filled with mist, and her voice was pitiful. "Cousin, Yue'er is only sixteen years old... I don't understand anything. Back then, back then..."
She wanted to say that back then, she was just a nine - year - old girl, and she had no control over the affairs between the Jiang and Song families.
Song Yinghuai smiled gently. "I know you are young, so I'm just telling you some truths. If you can understand a little, it can be regarded as some wisdom I give you as an elder brother."
Jiang Jinyue almost choked. "... Thank you, cousin, for your guidance."
"Does cousin still want to hear?"
Jiang Jinyue: ...
She actually didn't want to hear.
But if she said no, she would offend Song Yinghuai on the first day she came to Yanjing.
Jiang Jinyue gritted her teeth and said, "... I want to hear."
Song Yinghuai didn't seem to notice the embarrassment on her face at all and continued to talk gently,
"Three should not hug a tree together means that two people can join hands to harm the third person. Therefore, choosing allies carefully is a crucial step. If you have poor judgment and choose the wrong allies, the whole army may be wiped out... As the Buddhist scriptures say, 'If you see a Buddha, kill the Buddha; if you see an ancestor, kill the ancestor.' It means the same thing."
Jiang Jinyue's face suddenly changed.
Song Yinghuai was warning the Jiang family to choose their side carefully.
Between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yan, if the Jiang family made the wrong choice, it would be a disaster of destruction!
"Cousin!" Jiang Jinyue called out tremblingly. "The Jiang and Song families are blood relatives. Our relationship can't be severed. Cousin and aunt can rest assured..."
Concubine Yao saw the panic on her face and the deathly pallor on her beautiful face. She felt extremely heart - ache and interrupted Song Yinghuai.
"Oh! You can discuss Buddhist scriptures with Yue'er, but why are you scaring her like this? How old is she? You're scaring her like this!"
"Poor thing." Concubine Yao put her arm around Jiang Jinyue's back and comforted her. "Your cousin is just too obsessed with Buddhism. He talks about Buddhist doctrines to everyone. Don't take it to heart."
Jiang Jinyue nestled in Concubine Yao's arms and looked up with an innocent look on her face. "How could I? I've been deeply inspired by cousin's words!"
"The female school in the mansion has never taught these things. What cousin said is very new to me."
"You're such a sensible and proper girl. You're not like those vulgar country girls who only know how to flirt with their masters all day long..."
The meal was eaten with each person having their own thoughts.
After Jiang Jinyue returned to the east wing room, she took off her hairpin as soon as she entered the door and threw it on the dressing table. She sat down angrily.
The accompanying maid, Zhuier, quickly picked up the jewelry and hairpins. She asked blankly,
"Third Miss, why are you so angry? Today, I saw you chatting happily with the old princess and the prince!"
"What do you know?" Jiang Jinyue gave her a disdainful look. "Aunt really likes me, but I'm not sure about cousin. He used the discussion of Buddhist doctrines to mock and warn the Jiang family several times. You're so stupid. You can't hear it!"
Zhuier replied carefully, "I have limited knowledge. The words of the noble people are full of mystery. I really didn't understand... So, Third Miss, do you mean that the Prince of Yan doesn't take a fancy to you?"
"He doesn't!" Jiang Jinyue twisted the handkerchief and said angrily. "He's really a block of wood, a clay idol! He has no worldly desires at all!"
"What should we do then?" Zhuier was worried. "Will the family send Miss's name list to the capital? And what about the concubine?"
It turned out that on the surface, Jiang Jinyue was as famous as her two older sisters in Jiaodong and was known as one of the "Three Beauties of the Jiang Family". However, in reality, her situation was not so glorious.
The eldest and second daughters of the Jiang family were both born to the main wife and were legitimate daughters.
Jiang Jinyue was born to a concubine and had a hard life.
She had known her own status since childhood and had lived carefully, for fear of making a mistake. She had been walking on thin ice, and that was how she had earned the honor of being on par with her two legitimate sisters today.
However, this year, when the imperial court's draft began, the two legitimate sisters immediately got engaged to the local noble families, and the quota for the draft fell on Jiang Jinyue.
Jiang Jinyue naturally didn't want to enter the palace to serve the emperor who was older than her father. So, while the Jiang family was watching the situation between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yan, she volunteered to go to Yanjing.
She decided to bet her future on Song Yinghuai!
Jiang Jinyue pondered for a while and said, "I've heard that cousin dotes on the maid in the Lotus Sound Pavilion. I'll find a chance to meet her tomorrow."