Rebirth and Marriage: I am the Mistress of the Palace

Shen Wantang listened quietly for a while, then nodded to Gu Qianning: "It is indeed Xiao Qingyuan. Besides him, there is another person, who should be the eldest son Yuan from the Wenbo Mansion."

"Yuan Zheng?"

"Correct."

"What are they doing in Fazhen Temple? If they say they are here to listen to the abbot's lecture, I don't believe it. Yuan Zheng is a playboy and a dissolute man. If he likes to listen to Buddhist scriptures and cultivate his character, then the sun will rise from the west."

Shen Wantang also felt that it was impossible for Yuan Zheng to come here to listen to the sutras, and it was also impossible for Xiao Qingyuan to come here. They must have other purposes for coming to Fazhen Temple.

It's just that - she's not interested.

She pulled Gu Qianning towards the meditation room and said, "It doesn't matter what they do in Fazhen Temple. Let's go to the meditation room to rest for a while and see what vegetarian dishes are available today. We'll eat here at noon."

Seeing that she didn't care about her husband at all, Gu Qianning couldn't help but sigh softly. It seemed that the rumors outside were true. The couple lived their own lives. Xiao Qingyuan treated the maids better than his wife, and Shen Wantang, the wife, was filial to her parents-in-law and took care of the palace, but she was indifferent to Xiao Qingyuan.

However, since Shen Wantang didn't care what Xiao Qingyuan was doing in Fazhen Temple, Gu Qianning didn't care either. They went into the meditation room together, drank tea and rested.

In another Zen room separated by a wall, sat Liu Nanshi and her nanny and maid.

At this moment, the maid was kneeling on the ground, holding the tea bowl in both hands and raising it high above her head.

The water in the tea bowl was freshly boiled. The maid's fingers were burned red and her whole body was shaking, but she dared not say a word.

Liu Nanshi sat on a chair, flipping through the Lotus Sutra, and said in a compassionate tone: "Zhuying, I have taught you so many times, why are you still so careless? The tea you handed to me was so hot that it almost burned my hand."

"It's because I read Buddhist scriptures all year round and have a compassionate heart that I can tolerate you making mistakes again and again. If it were another master, he would have dragged you out and beaten you to death long ago."

"I would never do such a thing as beating a maid to death, but I can't indulge you like this forever, so I'll punish you a little, and I hope you'll remember this lesson in the future."

Madam Sang beside her scolded the maidservant sternly: "Zhuying, why are you shaking? Kneel firmly! The young lady has been so tolerant to you, why don't you thank her?"

The fingers are connected to the heart. Zhuying's fingers were in unbearable pain. She was in so much pain that beads of sweat oozed out of her forehead and back. But she could only grit her teeth and say, "Zhuying thanks the young lady for her grace! The young lady is so kind and tolerant that Zhuying can always serve by her side. Please let Zhuying go this time. Zhuying will definitely remember the young lady's teachings and will never dare to be careless again!"

Her painful cry echoed in the empty Zen room.

But Liu Nanshi seemed to have heard nothing and continued to read her scriptures.

Since she didn't say anything, Zhuying could only continue kneeling with the tea bowl in her hand.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Nanshi finally seemed to come to her senses. She spoke in a gentle voice, "Madam Sang."

"The old servant is here. Does the young lady have any instructions?"

"The tea is cold. Are you trying to get me to drink cold tea?"

"This old slave deserves death! Please forgive me, young lady. I will add more hot tea for you right away!"

Nanny Sang picked up the boiling kettle and poured it directly into the tea bowl that Zhuying was holding.

The boiling water overflowed from the tea bowl and poured onto Zhuying's hands.

Zhuying couldn't bear it any longer, let go of the tea bowl, and cried out in pain.

The tea bowl fell to the ground with a bang and broke into pieces.

Madam Sang kicked her: "What are you screaming for? You can't even hold a tea bowl. This is the most expensive azure porcelain bowl. Even if I sell you a thousand times, you still can't afford the compensation! The young lady didn't hit you or scold you, but you started screaming like a ghost. Are you trying to attract everyone here?! Shut up!"

Zhuying was so scared that she quickly closed her mouth. She endured the severe pain but didn't even dare to cry out loud.

After the severe pain, she managed to get up, kneeling down and prostrating herself at Liu Nanshi's feet: "I am guilty, I broke the young lady's teacup, please punish me!"

Liu Nanshi put down the sutra, bent down, and helped her up with her own hands: "It's just a tea bowl, it's broken, so let it be. As long as you are okay, I'm glad. To me, no matter how expensive the tea bowl is, it's not as important as a human life."

"Madam Sang, why did you kick her? Look how scared you are to her. If someone doesn't know, they would think I'm mistreating my maid! What does she not understand? Just teach her well. Don't use violence next time. Remember that?"

Madam Sang knelt down hurriedly and said, "I know I was wrong. The young lady is kind and gentle. She doesn't blame Zhuying for breaking your favorite azure porcelain cup. It's me who was short-sighted and taught the maid a lesson. I overstepped my authority!"

Liu Nanshi bent down again and helped her up: "Madame Sang, you are already old, why do you kneel so easily? Be careful not to hurt your knees. Get up quickly."

Madam Sang was full of gratitude: "Thank you, Miss. It is a blessing for me to be so caring for you! Zhuying, Miss will not hold you accountable for your mistakes. Why don't you thank Miss quickly?"

Zhuying knelt down again in an instant, and she kowtowed: "Zhuying thanks the young lady, thanks the young lady!"

Liu Nanshi smiled faintly: "Okay, stop kowtowing. You've been with me for so long, don't you know that I don't like these rules? Get up, get another tea bowl from the box, and pour me some tea. I'm thirsty."

"Yes!"

Zhuying wiped her tears, opened the box they brought, carefully took out a tea bowl, and made tea for Liu Nanshi again.

After the tea cooled down a bit, she held the cup tremblingly and handed it to Liu Nanshi: "Miss, the tea is ready, please have some."

Liu Nanshi stretched out her slender hand and took the tea bowl.

Zhuying was extremely nervous, her heart was in her throat. No one could tell her fear, and no one could understand her terror.

She was afraid that Liu Nanshi would find fault with her again and find an excuse to punish her.

However, this time, Liu Nanshi drank the tea quietly, without complaining that it was too hot or too cold.

Zhuying's heart, which had been lifted up, calmed down a little.

A bean-sized bead of sweat dripped from her chin, but she didn't dare to wipe it or move. She just stood there silently, waiting for Liu Nanshi to speak.

Her master was moody and she was often punished for trivial matters, so she didn't dare to move, not even to move her eyes.

For example, just now, the tea she gave to Liu Nanshi was obviously not hot anymore, but Liu Nanshi still insisted that it was hot and then punished her to hold up the tea bowl.

Zhuying had no idea why she suddenly got angry, but it definitely wasn't because of the temperature of the tea.

She thought about it and felt that it was probably because she had met Gu Qianhan in the front hall before.