Chapter 33 - Qingsong Temple

The Qingsong Temple was built near the mountains. On the way here, one could admire the towering ancient trees and the surrounding mountains, as well as the forest. It was a quiet and refreshing scenery with shades everywhere. While following along the mountain path, they saw a pavilion housing a tablet, and the temple was behind it.

Although the temple wasn’t as impressive as the modern temples, it had a dignified and clean atmosphere, making it well-respected.

Regarding peace and silence… There were noises behind the door. Clearly, the temple couldn’t be associated with quietness at this time.

“Is it normally so lively here?” Shen Ziqiao was brought to the plaza by Zhao Di and Yin Hua, and she saw the bamboo shed. The people inside were putting on the show of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

Zhao Di and Yin Hua were immersed by the drama and they couldn’t shift their gazes away at all. Hearing Shen Ziqiao’s question, they just reacted and hurriedly responded, “It’s not normally like this, it just got livelier recently.”

“How many times a year do people from the opera come to perform?” Shen Ziqiao didn’t mind the girls being absent-minded. Instead, she found it to be familiar since she was like this when she was young as well.

“No one in the village could afford to watch an opera, and masters don’t frequently come here. Therefore, we haven’t watched an opera before.” Yinhua said.

Glancing at the village, the only rich family here was the Shen Family. However, masters didn't come here much, so they obviously didn’t invite troupes over to perform an opera.

Shen Ziqiao smiled and patted the girls’ heads. “Go ahead and watch the opera. I’ll go stroll around nearby.”

Zhao Di said in fear, “No, no. This maid will accompany you.”

“I’m old enough to know where I’m going. You can go ahead. Once you finish watching it, meet me by the door over there.”

“Third Miss…” The two girls didn’t dare to abandon Shen Ziqiao to go watch an opera after all, and they glanced at her feeling like they were in a difficult situation.

Shen Ziqiao walked straight towards the main hall and refused to allow the girls to follow her.

Zhao Di and Yin Hua glanced at each other before looking at Shen Ziqiao, who was walking away. After the two confirmed that the Third Miss brought them over so that they could watch the opera, they then headed up the mountain.

Third Miss is very nice!

They happily ran to the shed and the two chubby girls squatted in a corner to listen to Iron-Crutch Li singing.

Shen Ziqiao walked around the main hall of the temple before offering an incense. She noticed that although the temple didn’t seem as wide on the surface, there was a lot of space in the back hall.

Behind the front hall was the back hall. She naturally wouldn’t go visit the dining hall and the side rooms out of boredom.

She arrived at the Xujing Pavilion under the mountain and, as expected, she saw the fruit garden that the servant girls were talking about. She could tell that it was nearing the harvest season due to the fruits on the tree. There was going to be a good harvest this year.

Glancing into the distance, there were many different types of trees around, forming a forest. The air was fresh and cool, and the wind blew gently in the quiet forest. This made her think of her hometown.

She had lived in the countryside when she was little and had often seen such a scenery. After she moved to the city, she was always living a busy life and had long forgotten about this relaxed and idle state of mind.

What a pity that she could never return to that state of mind.

Shen Ziqiao slightly teared up. After transmigrating to this baffling place, she was always worried and terrified that she might become a cannon fodder in the next second. If that happened, not only would she not be able to return to the modern world, but she also probably wouldn’t even know how she died. She tried her best to not think about this and to think positively. However, this didn’t mean that she didn’t miss her hometown and her family.

She really wanted to… To scroll through her Weibo and eat some junk food.

Sometimes, to some people, it was a type of blessing to live an unhealthy lifestyle.

In this unfamiliar environment, she was forced to be brave and face her challenges. No one could be strong for her.

“Why are you here?” An unhappy and questioning voice rang from behind and interrupted Shen Ziqiao’s trip down memory lane. She turned around to see a middle-aged man wearing a deep blue crew neck glaring at her in alarm. She thought about it before recalling who the man was.

It was Qi Zheng’s servant, the one she seemed to have heard people call Uncle Qun.

Shen Ziqiao wiped her tears and returned a harsh glare. “Why is it your business why I’m here?”

Uncle Qun looked down on Shen Ziqiao ever since she boasted about her efforts and wanted a reward, shamelessly asking 1,000 silvers from himself. He thought that Shen Ziqiao had appeared here for Qi Zheng, so he immediately disliked her.

“Our Young Master doesn’t owe you anything anymore. Stop pestering our Young Master.” Uncle Qun said.

Shen Ziqiao spat and then said, “Who cares about your Young Master?”

Uncle Qun thought that Shen Ziqiao was looking down on Qi Zheng and misunderstood him to be a “retard,” so his face was red from anger. “You… You are not worthy of our Young Master.”

Qi Zheng didn’t tell Uncle Qun that Shen Ziqiao already knew that he was pretending to be stupid.

“I’m not worthy of him?” Shen Ziqiao suddenly laughed and saw the figure behind Uncle Qun. “He’s the one that is stupid and an idiot. So, am I not worthy of him or is he getting carried away with his dreams?”

“Ignorant!” Uncle Qun humphed and replied, “In short, don’t think about marrying our Young Master.”

Shen Ziqiao faintly smiled and replied, “Even if you beg me, I won’t.”

Uncle Qun was furious. She dared to look down on the Young Master? He was about to scold her when he heard Qi Zheng’s voice. “Uncle Qun, what are you doing here?”

“Young Master!” The moment Uncle Qun heard Qi Zheng’s voice, he suppressed his anger and replied to Qi Zheng in a gentle voice, “Why did you come out?”

Qi Zheng walked to Uncle Qun’s side and said something in a low voice, but his deep eyes were trained on Shen Ziqiao.

“But…” Uncle Qun knitted his eyebrows and glared at Shen Ziqiao, feeling ill at ease for leaving Qi Zheng by himself. That Third Miss Shen didn’t act like the daughter of a noble and refined family at all!

“Go ahead.” Qi Zheng patted his shoulders and walked towards the pavilion Shen Ziqiao was at.

Shen Ziqiao raised her chin and looked at him arrogantly. But when he walked closer, she noticed that her imposing manner and confidence were shattered. Qi Zheng had an even more powerful imposing manner...

He stood in front of her and looked down. There was no smile on his handsome and serious face, and she felt as though she was looking into an abyss when she gazed into his deep eyes. If she made eye contact with him for too long, she might accidentally drown in his gaze.

“Don’t bully Uncle Qun. He’s an honest man.” Qi Zheng said in a gentle and deep voice like the notes of a cello.

Shen Ziqiao raised her sharp eyebrows and said, “I’m also a sincere and honest person. Young Master Qi, don’t bully me.”

“A sincere and honest person wouldn’t ask me for 1,000 silvers.” Qi Zheng said faintly.

“Stingy!” Shen Ziqiao despised him. He, Qi Family’s Young Master, would care about those little silvers?

Qi Zheng stared at her fair-white and smooth face, saying, “You don’t need to worry about Uncle Qun begging you in the future because I’m going to marry a virtuous woman.”

Was he trying to say that she wasn’t enough of a virtuous woman and didn’t fit his criteria for marriage at all, so Uncle Qun won’t even bother to beg her to marry his Young Master?

Shen Ziqiao wanted to sit on him and crush him to death!