Volume 1, Chapter 12: Reunion at the Buddhist Temple

Shen Qingdai gazed at them silently, wishing to etch this moment of happiness deeply into her memory.

Once she broke away from the Liu family, she would be plunged into an endless storm; such mundane, simple happiness would likely become a rare luxury.

The journey to the temple was long, and Shen Muqing fell asleep on his mother’s lap halfway there. Fang Qiuxin asked in a low voice, "Is there no way to avoid these storms? If the three of us simply don't contend with them, we could live a quiet, simple life..."

Shen Qingdai looked steadily at Fang Qiuxin and interrupted her, her voice resolute. "Mother, these storms will find us whether we contend or not. Only when we stand at the pinnacle of power will our fate no longer be held in the hands of others."

Fang Qiuxin’s heart trembled violently. She let out a long sigh. "Very well. I suppose I should fight hard for the sake of your and Muqing's future."

Shen Qingdai looked away toward the mountain scenery outside the carriage window and said softly, "Mother, it is perfectly fine if you wish to remain in your own small courtyard. Your daughter will secure our future."

Fang Qiuxin patted her hand. "Do not push yourself too hard, Dai'er. You have me and Muqing behind you. In a few years, when Muqing grows up and earns his scholarly honors, he will be able to protect you too."

Shen Qingdai’s eyes grew warm. People are fragile because they have weaknesses, but they are also strong because of them. She obediently replied with a simple "Alright" and said no more.

Upon reaching the temple, Shen Qingdai stepped out first and offered her hand to assist Fang Qiuxin, while Nanny Fang carried Shen Muqing down and held his hand. Just as Shen Qingdai was asking the monk if there were any vacant guest rooms, Shen Muqing suddenly broke free from Nanny Fang’s hand and ran in a certain direction.

Shen Qingdai frowned. Muqing was not a reckless child, but she followed him, fearing he might offend some person of high status.

Shen Muqing ran straight up to a young man and grabbed his thin, coarse sleeve. His childish voice rang out, "Are you the top scholar of the Huaiyang Academy?"

Pei Jingzhu blinked, crouching down to look at Shen Muqing with surprise. "You know me?"

Shen Muqing nodded vigorously. "I do! You are Pei Jingzhu. I secretly attended your poetry gathering and even bought your collection of poems!"

Pei Jingzhu chuckled. "You are still so young; can you understand them?"

Shen Muqing blushed. "I haven't officially begun my formal education, but I am literate. There are parts I don't understand, but my sister does, and I always ask her."

Pei Jingzhu nodded and patted his small head. "It is a good thing to love reading. I hope to have the chance to read the poems you write in the future."

"I promise!" Shen Muqing said, looking at Pei Jingzhu with a serious expression, as if making the most solemn vow.

Pei Jingzhu reached into his robes, took out a copy of the *Book of Rites*, and handed it over gently. "I finished transcribing this today. I intended to take it to the bookstore after offering incense, but since we have this connection, I shall gift it to you. I hope your education goes smoothly and that you walk far on the path of learning."

Shen Muqing nodded heavily and received the *Book of Rites* with great care. "I know that a gentleman takes self-cultivation and moral integrity as his foundation. I will surely read and understand the *Book of Rites* thoroughly!"

Pei Jingzhu bowed his head slightly. Before he could stand, he looked up and locked eyes with Shen Qingdai, who had come to find her brother.

Both were stunned for a moment. Neither had expected to see the other here.

Shen Qingdai clutched the corner of Shen Muqing’s robe and broke the stiff silence with a touch of awkwardness. "Muqing, did he offend you..."

Pei Jingzhu also regained his composure. He coughed lightly to hide his earlier distraction, stood up, and resumed his upright posture, his face once again cool and distant. "Not at all. I actually feel quite a connection with him."

Shen Qingdai stammered, "That is good then..."

This sudden encounter left her at a loss for words. It had only been two days since they said, "Until we meet again." She had not expected that day to come so soon.

Catching sight of the *Book of Rites* in Shen Muqing’s hand, she chuckled, looking at Pei Jingzhu with a smile. "So, you gave me the *Lunheng* two days ago, and today you give my brother the *Book of Rites*. I did not realize Young Master Pei also moonlighted as a wandering book boy..."

The usually aloof and detached expression on Pei Jingzhu’s face twitched. The tips of his ears turned slightly red from her teasing, and he shifted his gaze, not daring to meet her eyes.

Shen Qingdai laughed to herself. He really was as stiff and boring as they said; a small tease was enough to make him this flustered.

Pei Jingzhu ignored her teasing, his clear, peach-blossom eyes calm and placid as he gazed at her. "You often interpret my poems with your brother?"

Shen Qingdai was baffled. She had not heard what he and Shen Muqing were discussing earlier. When Muqing asked her about those poems, she had no idea they were written by Pei Jingzhu. Therefore, her first reaction was a confused "Ah?" before she looked blankly at Shen Muqing.

Shen Muqing tugged on her sleeve, feeling a bit guilty. "Actually, the poems I asked you about before were all by Young Master Pei..."

The smile on Shen Qingdai’s lips stiffened. That was close; she nearly lost her composure. However, this Young Master Pei was truly learned, and since she might encounter him in the capital later, it would not hurt to establish a connection.

Thinking of this, her gaze toward him became a bit more fervent. "Young Master Pei is indeed a man of talent. My own learning is insufficient to fully interpret your poems, merely enough to provide a rough translation."

Pei Jingzhu’s expression remained unchanged, his voice still calm. "I am hosting a poetry gathering in two days. You may bring your brother to attend, and we can discuss them further."

Shen Qingdai cast him a subtly odd look. His eyes were clear, harboring nothing else, yet why would he be so direct in inviting her to such a gathering? He did not seem like someone ignorant of social etiquette—could it be that he truly did not understand the unspoken rules among noble families?

She pondered this internally, but replied readily, "I shall attend on time."

Pei Jingzhu nodded and descended the mountain first.

Shen Qingdai remained lost in thought. While she was well-versed in the schemes to deal with the Liu family and the underhanded tactics of the inner household, she was truly unskilled in matters of the heart. After all, in both her past life and this one, she had never given her true heart or feelings to anyone.

The reason she was perplexed was simply that Pei Jingzhu’s actions were prone to misunderstanding. Generally, few men would directly invite a woman to such events; it was usually handled by invitations between elders, or between women, or between men. If two families were interested in a union, they would exchange formal visits.

Yet, from what she could see, he did not seem to have romantic feelings for her. Thus, Shen Qingdai concluded that Pei Jingzhu was simply unaware of these subtle implications.

Regardless, this did her no harm. After all, no one else knew that she had been invited by Pei Jingzhu personally.