Zhao Luoning, who had been deep in thought, finally showed some reaction. She held Liu Qingyun's hand and pleaded.
"Qingyun, could you arrange a carriage for me without alerting the people in the mansion?"
Cai Xue was shocked upon hearing this.
"Miss, are you leaving now?!"
Zhao Luoning immediately gave Cai Xue a rap on the head. She really had no idea what to do with this outspoken maid sometimes.
"For what reason did the mistress summon me?"
Cai Xue instinctively continued the conversation.
"She wants you to go to Zhaoming Temple to pay homage to the gods on her behalf."
Only then did Cai Xue suddenly realize.
If Zhao Luoning showed up now, she would surely be questioned about her disappearance. If she truthfully said that she had been delayed for a day because of having tea with Liu Qingyun, she would definitely be accused of failing to fulfill her duties as the mistress and being unruly.
Even if she managed to fob it off, Ji Shisu had made a big scene in Chenxiang Hall because of her. If she showed up now, it would only make the mistress lose face.
In that case, it would be better to simply disappear.
Anyway, the mistress had asked her to go up the mountain to offer Buddhist devotions, so this was just the perfect excuse.
In this way, she was going up the mountain because of the mistress's entrustment, and the mistress's face would also be saved. In the end, it would only seem that Ji Shisu was making a mountain out of a molehill and being unreasonable.
Thinking of this, Cai Xue nodded.
Yes, this second young master of the Ji family just liked to make a mountain out of a molehill and be unreasonable.
It was in line with his style.
Liu Qingyun also understood and quickly told someone to prepare the carriage and horses.
...
"Be careful on the way."
Liu Qingyun handed the parcel to Zhao Luoning. She had asked someone to prepare it specifically while getting the carriage ready.
"Thank you."
Zhao Luoning leaned half - way out of the carriage and held Liu Qingyun's hand.
Liu Qingyun shook her head with a smile and said.
"I'll take care of things with the mistress for you. You'd better hurry up."
Zhao Luoning nodded and sat back in the carriage. The coachman whipped up the horses, shouted "Giddy - up!", and the horses lifted their hooves and galloped forward.
Liu Qingyun didn't turn around and leave until the carriage had disappeared into the night and was completely out of sight.
#### Furong Courtyard
Ji Shisu stormed out of Chenxiang Hall and entered Furong Courtyard. Seeing that he hadn't eaten yet, the maids wanted to set out the meals, but Ji Shisu stopped them.
"Is there still no news of the second young mistress?"
Without even taking a sip of tea, Ji Shisu grabbed Yu Chi and asked about Zhao Luoning's situation.
"Reporting to the master, there is still no news. However, the people sent to Zhaoming Temple haven't returned yet. The second young mistress is as smart as a whip. She'll be fine."
Yu Chi's comforting words made Ji Shisu's pent - up emotions explode all of a sudden.
"As smart as a whip? If she were really that smart, she wouldn't have been stupid enough to cut her own wrist! If anything happens to Ning'er, even if it's my mother, I won't tolerate it anymore."
Ji Shisu slammed his fist on the table. Even the teacups on the table jumped up. Yu Chi, standing beside him, was trembling with fear. Just then, a servant rushed in in a hurry.
"Second master, there's news of the second young mistress."
Ji Shisu was overjoyed upon hearing this. He quickly stood up and asked.
"Have you found the second young mistress?"
The servant shook his head, and Ji Shisu's mood sank again.
"It was Miss Liu from the third young master's room who said that she saw the second young mistress just after noon. She even personally sent the second young mistress onto the carriage to go to Zhaoming Temple to pay homage to the gods."
Ji Shisu was skeptical and couldn't help asking.
"How could these two people who have nothing to do with each other know each other? Don't tell me you've colluded to deceive me."
"Oh, second master, even if I had the courage of ten tigers, I wouldn't dare to deceive you. The second young mistress will be fine. Please rest assured."
Yu Chi also helped to speak on the side.
"Yes, second master, acting like this won't help the second young mistress at all. It will only put her in a more difficult situation. I think you'd better calm down first. Wait until the people sent to Zhaoming Temple come back, and then make plans."
Ji Shisu of course understood what Yu Chi meant.
But as soon as he thought of the scene when Zhao Luoning cut her wrist, he couldn't help worrying.
So when he learned that Zhao Luoning hadn't come back since she was summoned by the mistress to Chenxiang Hall in the morning, the thought that made him panic involuntarily came to his mind.
Had his mother already told Zhao Luoning about Lianxiang? Did Zhao Luoning refuse to agree and anger his mother?
Zhao Luoning had such a strong - willed personality. What if she did something like that again?
Such thoughts made him lose his mind.
He rushed into Chenxiang Hall regardless and demanded the person from his mother in a way he had never been so tough before.
Just because he was afraid that the old incident would repeat itself.
Just because he wasn't sure if he could save her a second time.
After Zhao Luoning left the Ji Mansion, she rushed non - stop to Zhaoming Temple.
The Zhao family had a long - standing connection with Zhaoming Temple. The abbot Kongliao of Zhaoming Temple and she got along very well. So before she got married, she would go to Zhaoming Temple from time to time to discuss poetry and Buddhism with Abbot Kongliao.
Therefore, she was much more familiar with the mountain roads than ordinary people.
She led Cai Xue and the coachman and walked up along a steep path.
The night wind in the mountain was a bit cool, but the three of them didn't feel cold at all.
Cai Xue was sweating profusely from climbing. If it weren't for the coachman, a man, being present, she would have taken off her outer robe long ago.
Holding Cai Xue's hand, Zhao Luoning's breathing was also a bit chaotic.
The coachman was used to doing rough work and walking on mountain roads. He was the steadiest of the three. He led the way in front and would stop every few steps to wait for the two of them. Just like this, walking and stopping, they had unknowingly covered most of the way.
"You can reach the main road around the next corner. It's only a few steps away from Zhaoming Temple."
The coachman kindly showed Cai Xue the way. Cai Xue didn't even have the strength to reply. Leaning on the walking stick the coachman had found for her, she mechanically took steps, filled with remorse.
It would have been better to be scolded by the mistress.
A strong mountain wind blew at this moment, waking up the birds roosting in the forest. A few sharp bird calls rang out, and a group of black shadows flapped their wings and flew away.
Whether it was the mountain wind or the birds that had disturbed the bushes, there were gradually some noises in the forest. And on this desolate mountain road with a dim moon and few passers - by, the strange stories she had heard from the old people came to Cai Xue's mind one by one.
The bushes beside them moved, and Cai Xue was startled. She dropped the walking stick and quickly hugged Zhao Luoning.
"Whimper, miss, there's a noise over there."
Zhao Luoning shook her head helplessly and had to hold Cai Xue's hand. If it weren't for the situation, she wouldn't have brought Cai Xue, who was timid, to walk this mountain road.
Cai Xue clung tightly to Zhao Luoning's right arm and nervously looked around, afraid that something unclean would come out from somewhere.
The moonlight was getting dimmer, and the forest was extremely quiet. Even the chirping of insects had weakened a lot.
The coachman held a torch and led the way in front. Cai Xue clung tightly to Zhao Luoning. No one said a word, which made the environment even more eerie.
As they were approaching the main road, the mountain road gradually became flatter.
After walking on a flat road for a while, the heat from climbing the mountain had mostly dissipated. The sweat - soaked clothes were tightly stuck to their backs, and the coolness in the air seeped through the sweat and gradually invaded their skin.
"Miss, did you hear something? It sounds like... crying."