Chapter 1640 - 597: The Fake True Heiress (18)_3

There were also one or two men, stealthily mingling among them.

All of a sudden, He Tiantian’s Medicinal Food Restaurant became a sensation among the common folk.

Of course, these are stories for later.

As of now, Zhou Qianniang was just a poor abandoned wife that He Tiantian had recently taken in, not yet having rebuilt her confidence or established new values!

"Alright! I’ll go have a look!"

Hearing Zhou Qianniang’s report, He Tiantian went to the backyard to check on the herbs being dried.

"Very good! Sister Zhou, you’ve done a great job!"

He Tiantian was very satisfied; Zhou Qianniang was indeed a diligent and meticulous person.

With her around, she not only doesn’t need to cook and clean, but she can also save the effort of handling the herbs!

And with such a companion, her small courtyard no longer seemed so deserted.

In the future, if someone tried to climb over the wall again, He Tiantian would have a witness and wouldn’t be at a loss for words.

"...I, I was just following your instructions, hardly worthy of your praise!"

Zhou Qianniang felt inferior and timid.

In her husband’s home, no matter how much she worked or how well she did, she would never be met with a smile, let alone praise.

She had been constantly belittled by her husband’s family, believing she indeed wasn’t good enough and was merely a useless hen wasting food at her husband’s home.

After He Tiantian took her in, she worked desperately hard, thinking that these were her duties.

She was also prepared to be scolded despite doing the work.

However, instead of disdain, there was no scolding, let alone beating.

The young lady even praised her efficiency and good work.

For the first time, she received recognition; for the first time, she was praised. Zhou Qianniang’s humble posture seemed to straighten up a bit!

Her confidence was slowly being rebuilt.

...

Soon, it was the Lower Yuan Festival.

Lady Wei sent a carriage ahead of time to pick up He Tiantian from the Medicinal Food Restaurant.

He Tiantian did not decline and temporarily left the restaurant in Zhou Qianniang’s care while she boarded the carriage.

Rocking all the way, they left the Capital City and arrived at Qingyun Mountain in the South Suburb.

Qingyun Temple is located halfway up Qingyun Mountain.

At this time, on the mountain road leading to Qingyun Temple, various styles of carriages were lined up like a winding serpent.

He Tiantian poked her head out of the carriage window, looking up and down, unable to help but click her tongue: "Has the entire nobility of the Capital City come?"

Such a spectacle was even grander than a banquet held at the palace during the New Year’s Day.

After all, the people who could attend the palace’s New Year banquet had to meet certain rank requirements.

Whereas the Qingyun Temple’s retreat ceremony didn’t have many restrictions, as long as one had an official position, a title, or even was a somewhat respectable imperial merchant, they could join in.

As such, there were many guests.

The road was congested with horses and carriages, truly the biggest event in the Capital City.

He Tiantian sat in the carriage, eating snacks while watching the noisy traffic jam outside.

After waiting on the mountain path for nearly half a day, it was almost noon when He Tiantian’s carriage finally arrived at the temple’s mountain gate.

Beyond that, the road was not suitable for carriages.

Everyone disembarked here, with those of high status switching to sedan chairs while most people walked.

He Tiantian followed the crowd, walking with the noblewomen and noble ladies dressed in luxurious clothes and adorned with pearls and jewels to enter Qingyun Temple.

The courtyard in front of the main hall was the venue for the blessing ceremony, with seats and mats arranged around.

The Taoists of the temple had arranged everything in advance, and guests were seated according to their status and rank.

Although He Tiantian could sit with Lady Wei in the front area, she did not want to join in the bustle.

Because the Marchioness and members of the Ma Family were also in that section.

He Tiantian didn’t want to be misunderstood or make it appear as if she was persistently clinging to Marquis Nanning’s Mansion.

She found a seat towards the back, nestled in an inconspicuous corner.

Soon, Eldest Princess An Le arrived, personally greeted by the temple master.

This most esteemed noblewoman, who even the Emperor had to respect, exuded a magnificence that He Tiantian could almost feel from afar.

With her arrival, the blessing ceremony at Qingyun Temple officially began.

"Ha!"

At first, He Tiantian was quite interested.

In previous worlds in books, He Tiantian had been a Taoist and even a swindler, so she was quite familiar with Taoism.

There was also an inexplicable sense of closeness.

But the blessing ceremony before her eyes wasn’t a traditional Taoist ceremony; it mixed in many other elements.

It seemed overly ingratiating towards the royal family, lacking in purity and missing the essence of the Taoist natural order.

He Tiantian yawned out of boredom.

Alas, if not for wanting to personally witness the famous scene of a major revelation, He Tiantian would have rather feigned a call of nature to escape.

Fortunately, the grand show soon unfolded—

Perhaps trying to dazzle during the blessing ceremony, the Qingyun Temple Master performed a sword dance and, imitating street performers, attempted a fire spray.

Unexpectedly, the fire wasn’t controlled well, or perhaps a mountain breeze played havoc, causing the flames to surge fiercely.

The Eldest Princess An Le, seated in the front row, was startled, and the surrounding noblewomen scrambled in fright.

"Your Highness, be careful——"

A young woman, bearing an eight or nine-part resemblance to Princess Qi, rushed over to support Eldest Princess An Le...