"Daoist Qiu Shan, you know my predicament. I just couldn't let go, so I left the palace after our wedding and haven't been back since."
Wei Shuxuan poured out her inner distress in great annoyance. Since no one knew her true identity, she couldn't find anyone to confide in. If her true identity were discovered by others, she didn't know what kind of commotion it would cause. She might be regarded as a monster, and that would be troublesome.
"The old man understands your difficulties. However, this is very unfair to my disciple. You two are already husband and wife. Shouldn't you face any problems together?" He Qiushan rarely spoke in such a serious tone.
"Do you think I haven't thought about it? It's just..." Wei Shuxuan hesitated. She had seen so many couples in modern times end up divorced. Maybe deep down, she was afraid that her marital relationship with Xin Zizhao would eventually develop an indelible rift because of her true identity.
"Little girl, but if you don't try, how will you know the final outcome?" He Qiushan looked at Wei Shuxuan kindly.
He Qiushan's words left Wei Shuxuan speechless. She propped her chin up and said, "Daoist Qiu Shan, how could I not understand what you're saying?"
"Heheh, since you understand, that's good. The old man believes that Zizhao has been waiting for you to return in the palace. The old man knows his character very well."
Wei Shuxuan really didn't want to discuss this topic anymore. She waved her hand and said, "Daoist Qiu Shan, let's talk about something else. I want to know something about Xin Zizhao's past. Could you tell me a bit?"
"Hahahahaha, little girl, running away is not an effective solution," He Qiushan still looked at Wei Shuxuan with a smile. Disciple Zizhao, the master has helped you this far. It depends on how important you are in the little girl's heart. "However, if you want to hear, the old man can tell you something about Zizhao's past."
In the early morning, the Qiuling Mountain Taoist Temple was surrounded by a faint mist. Crystal - clear dewdrops gathered on the green grass around it and fell along the tips of the leaves, wetting the soil below.
Wei Shuxuan had a long chat with He Qiushan in his cultivation room last night. Their heart - to - heart talk didn't last long. The rest of the time was spent talking about Xin Zizhao's past. As a result, they talked very late. If He Qiushan hadn't urged her to go back and rest, they might have talked until dawn.
"Miss Wei, are you up? If you are, please come to the dining hall with me for breakfast."
Not long after Wei Shuxuan got up, a young Taoist boy from the temple came to wake her up and asked her to go to the dining hall for breakfast.
"...... I just got up. Please wait a moment, little Taoist boy. I'll come out soon after washing up."
"Yes. Please hurry, Miss Wei. Master and the others are already waiting for you in the dining hall."
"Okay, I know."
Wei Shuxuan had to wash up, change her clothes as quickly as possible, and then followed the young Taoist boy waiting outside her room to the dining hall.
He Qiushan only hosted them for one night. After breakfast in the morning, he sent someone to escort Wei Shuxuan and the others down the mountain.
Going down the mountain was much easier than going up. Sima Yongheng looked at Wei Shuxuan and asked, "Sister Xuan, did you go to see Daoist Qiu Shan last night?"
"...... Yes. How did you know?" Wei Shuxuan had no intention of hiding this. But how did Sima Yongheng know that she had gone to find He Qiushan? She narrowed her eyes and looked at Sima Yongheng seriously. "You little rascal, did you sneak out without resting?"
"Wronged, Sister Xuan. I was just a bit hungry in the middle of the night, so I went to their kitchen to look for something to eat. All I could find were apples. On my way back to the room, I saw you asking the little Taoist boy where Daoist Qiu Shan's room was."
Wei Shuxuan carefully observed Sima Yongheng's expression. It didn't seem like he was lying. "Okay, then. I'll just assume it was a coincidence."
"So, Sister Xuan, did you go to talk to Daoist Qiu Shan about that guy named Xin Zizhao?" Sima Yongheng asked quite directly. He was so ignorant that he didn't even know the courtesy name of the current emperor of the Yulong Kingdom!
Just as Xin Shang was about to flare up, Wei Shuxuan reached out her hand to stop him. "Xin Shang, don't say anything unnecessary."
Then, Wei Shuxuan looked at Sima Yongheng and smiled. "Yongheng, why do you think so?"
"Because... every time they mention the name Xin Zizhao, your expression changes, Sister Xuan. Although I'm just a kid who can't read people's expressions well, I can tell that Xin Zizhao is special to you."
"...... Okay, let's not talk about unnecessary things for now. Let's just go down the mountain first."
Wei Shuxuan didn't answer Sima Yongheng's question directly and skillfully changed the topic.
Back at the inn, Wei Shuxuan went straight to her room. The moment Wei Wei saw her go into the room, her profile looked extremely serious. After she went into the room and closed the door, Wei Wei angrily knocked on Sima Yongheng's head as if to vent his anger.
"What are you doing, Brother Wei?" Sima Yongheng covered his head innocently and looked at Wei Wei strangely, who had suddenly hit him.
"Let you talk nonsense," Wei Wei looked down at Sima Yongheng. His dark eyes showed no light, only a deep and dangerous blackness. "You've made Miss unhappy. Although you say you can't read people's expressions, you should know what to say and when. Don't just talk randomly. It will make people dislike you."
After Wei Wei finished speaking, he gave Sima Yongheng a cold look and then turned around and went back to his room. Sima Yongheng was hurt by Wei Wei's cold look. He stood there stunned in the inn corridor. After coming to his senses, he didn't dare to go back to the room for fear of being kicked out by Wei Wei.
After Wei Shuxuan heard what Sima Yongheng said, she wasn't angry. It's just... it turned out that she had been so obvious. Even a fifteen - or sixteen - year - old kid could tell her special feelings for Xin Zizhao. Maybe Daoist Qiu Shan was right. She was too stubborn and too concerned about her own secrets. Maybe if she confessed to Xin Zizhao, everything might be different.