After speaking with the abbot, Jiang Xuesui knelt on the cushion and sincerely prayed to the bodhisattva.
"This believer burns incense, first not for wealth and honor, second not for family prosperity, but only for the health and safety of the Jiang and Wen families, and for my father to live a long life."
Then she thought of her father's expectations for Wen Qiao.
"Bodhisattva above, bless my cousin A Qiao to be listed among the top scholars."
Hailan, hearing this, asked, "Miss, won't you pray for your own marriage?"
Jiang Xuesui shook her head and said nothing.
Around noon, a young novice invited Jiang Xuesui and her party to eat vegetarian meals in the rear meditation rooms. In the corridor, they saw Wen Yuanhuan far off, tugging and pulling with a young, handsome man.
Jiang Xuesui quickly told the novice that urgent business prevented her from eating here. She led Hailan and the maids out of the temple, leaving only Jinping and Yuming to secretly investigate the situation with Wen Yuanhuan.
After a while, Jinping and Yuming returned to the carriage.
Jinping said, "That young man is Xu Ye, the eldest son of the Duke of Wei's mansion. At yesterday's polo match, the Lady Wei Duke and Lady Sang exchanged betrothal gifts, essentially settling the marriage between Eldest Young Master Xu and Eldest Miss Wen. They're just waiting for the Duke of Wei's mansion to come and formally propose."
Yuming said indignantly, "Usually, Lady Sang and Eldest Miss Wen have treated Second Miss Wen well enough. How could Second Miss Wen do such a shameless thing?"
Jiang Xuesui knew that Wen Yuanhuan had high aspirations. After Concubine Miao remarried, Lady Sang, fearing being accused of mistreating the concubine-born daughters, made sure that whatever Wen Yuan'ai, her own daughter, had, Wen Yuanhuan and Wen Yuanle also had. If there weren't enough good things, they went to Wen Yuanhuan and Wen Yuanle first, and only then to Wen Yuan'ai.
But seeing that this Eldest Young Master Xu could get involved with an unmarried young lady, his character was probably not great.
A blessed woman does not enter an unblessed family.
Jiang Xuesui was only angry that Wen Yuanhuan was an ungrateful wretch, but she didn't feel sorry for Wen Yuan'ai.
Xu Ye and Wen Yuanhuan left Xiangji Temple and went to the nearby Yunqiao Tower for a meal.
Jiang Xuesui told Hailan to take the other maids and servants back to the Duke Xiangguo's mansion, while she, Jinping, and Yuming secretly followed the pair.
Yunqiao Tower was bustling with business and had no private room available for Jiang Xuesui's party.
A servant who followed Wen Qiao came down to ask for tea, recognized Jiang Xuesui, and came over to pay respects.
Jiang Xuesui quickly went upstairs and entered the private room where Wen Qiao was.
"The vegetarian food at Xiangji Temple isn't good, so you came here to find something to eat?" Wen Qiao said.
"Aren't you the same? You left good food at home to come here and eat alone." Jiang Xuesui took the menu; it was all spicy dishes. No wonder Wen Qiao chose to eat here.
But she couldn't handle spicy food well. Even a little chili in a dish would require rinsing it several times with warm water. And with her mouth scalded yesterday, one bite would be torture.
Wen Qiao sent his servant to buy some soft, light dishes from nearby eateries.
Jiang Xuesui knew Xu Ye and Wen Yuanhuan were in the next room, so she pressed her ear to the wall to hear their conversation.
"Is there a monkey show next door?"
Wen Qiao asked.
Jiang Xuesui shushed him and concentrated on listening.
Wen Qiao came over and knocked on the wall, the sound making Jiang Xuesui's ears ring.
Jiang Xuesui glared at him.
Wen Qiao: "It's time for lunch."
"I'm here to catch an adulterous couple, not to eat," Jiang Xuesui said, then glanced at him disdainfully.
"Xu Ye has long been involved with Second Sister. She's even pregnant—over two months—" Wen Qiao stopped.
Jiang Xuesui was at the edge of her seat. "Good brother, go on!"
"After you finish eating, I'll tell you," Wen Qiao said seriously.
Jiang Xuesui couldn't wait. When the food arrived, not waiting for the dishes from other eateries, she wolfed down a bowl of plain rice.
Putting down her chopsticks, she looked at Wen Qiao, who was still chewing slowly.
"I'm done. Brother, talk now."
Wen Qiao picked up a piece of sour-spicy fish and put it in his mouth. "After I finish eating, I'll tell you."
Jiang Xuesui crossed her arms and stared at him motionlessly.
Wen Qiao chewed each bite a dozen times and took forever over his rice, making her heart burn with impatience. It felt like an eternity.
The servant returned with two food boxes, laying out a dozen dishes on the table, all Jiang Xuesui's favorites.
But now, even dragon meat would be tasteless to her. She hated that Wen Qiao was purposely eating even slower than usual to tease her.
Finally, when Wen Qiao finished eating, he still had to wash his face, rinse his mouth, and drink tea.
Frustrated by his servant's slow movements, Jiang Xuesui wrung out a hot towel herself and handed it to him. Even more annoyed by Wen Qiao's lack of speed, she snatched the towel, pressed it firmly on the back of his neck, and roughly wiped his face.
Wen Qiao's fair skin reddened from her vigorous rubbing, as if engorged with blood.
Seeing Jiang Xuesui about to help him rinse his mouth, Wen Qiao dreaded that she might grab him by the neck and force tea down his throat.
"Don't move. Stay away from me."
"Brother, didn't I serve you well?"
Jiang Xuesui pouted her red lips.
"It's lucky you were born a noble lady. If you were a maid, you'd starve to death," Wen Qiao said bluntly.
Jiang Xuesui pouted again, took a teacup from the servant, waited for Wen Qiao to rinse his mouth, then offered him the tea. Imitating Wen Ying's manner, she said gently, "Eldest young master, please have some tea."
Wen Qiao found her affected, coy manner amusing. He struggled to suppress his smile, took a sip of tea, and then said, "Yesterday's polo match was just a show by Lady Wei Duke and my mother. They were really afraid that Second Sister's belly couldn't be hidden any longer. Lady Wei Duke refused to let Second Sister marry Xu Ye as his principal wife; she insisted on taking my elder sister as her daughter-in-law. My mother, ever the pushover, and fearing Grandmother's scolding, agreed to this marriage to cover up the disgrace."
"Why should Eldest Sister sacrifice because Second Sister did wrong?" Jiang Xuesui wanted to go back and tell Old Madam Wen.
Wen Qiao saw through her intention.
"If you rashly tell Grandmother, she'll only fall ill from anger. She would probably still agree with my mother's approach."
Jiang Xuesui thought it over repeatedly. "As long as Lady Wei Duke agrees to let Second Sister marry Xu Ye as his principal wife, Eldest Sister won't have to marry him." She came up with a mischievous plan and discussed it with Wen Qiao.
Wen Qiao neither agreed nor disagreed.
"You're so reckless. If this plan fails, aren't you afraid the Duke of Wei's mansion will pin it on you?"
"What if they do? At worst, I'll make Xu Ye marry into my family as a secondary husband. Would he agree? Would his family agree? Anyway, my father would never allow an impotent man to be my husband." Jiang Xuesui gave a wicked smile.
"I wonder who will be able to endure you in the future, you venomous woman," Wen Qiao said indifferently.
"I only hope that brother will marry a venomous woman in the future. You have a venomous tongue, and she has a venomous heart—a match made in heaven." Jiang Xuesui retorted.