Marquis Yue explained patiently: "I really didnt mean to make things difficult for you, but something suddenly came up in the palace and I was summoned."

  He Lean wiped the wetness from her eyes with her sleeve, gazing at him uncertainly and asked: "Then did your mother eat the thing? Can I go back to Xiangguo Temple now?"

  "I suddenly entered the palace, and I dont know the specifics either. Its too late now. Recently, there have been frequent cases of flying thieves in the capital, robbing people of their wealth and lives. If you insist on leaving now and something happens to you, I wont be able to explain it to Master Yikong. Lets stay at the Wangfu tonight instead."

  "But doesnt the Wangs residence have guards? Cant you let them send me back?"

  "The guards of the palace are protecting this palace."

  He Lean curled her lip and said: "The Temple of the Prime Minister is not far from the capital. You can just send two guards to escort me."

  "If the Wang Fu gets into trouble because of losing the protection of these two guards, can you take responsibility?" The King of Yue looked at her calmly.

  "Im just a poor little monk who can be seen as penniless at a glance, even if the flying thieves pass by me, they wont rob me of my money or take my life, after all, I am also a disciple under the Buddhas seat, killing monks and destroying Buddhism will bring bad luck for generations to come, no need for guards to protect"

  "How do you know he wont suddenly get upset and kill someone on a whim?"

  He Lean said suspiciously: "Why do I feel that youre saying so much just to keep me in the palace?"

  "Its not that I want you to, but my mother still needs you. As a disciple under the Buddhas seat, you should have a compassionate heart. The imperial physician has said that if my mother continues to refuse food like this, she will die of exhaustion. As a disciple under the Buddhas seat, can you really just watch her life slip away through your fingers?"

  King Yue said sincerely: "I promise you, as long as shes feeling better, Ill definitely send you back to Xiang Guo Temple."

  "This kings mansion wont eat you, what are you afraid of as a man?" The King of Yue saw that she still had doubts and raised an eyebrow with a smile: "Or should I say, can you bear the temptation of the beautiful maids in my mansion?"

  From the day he cut his hair, He Lean, dressed as a man, deliberately grasped his collar with a frightened face and said: "The maids in your mansion dont even let go of the little monk, its too scary, no, Id better return to Xiangguo Temple."

  "Youre just a thin, poor, and lowly thing. Even the lowest-ranking maid in my household wouldnt give you a second glance." The Duke of Yue patted her smooth head without mercy and said with a hint of mockery: "Its late, hurry up and go rest."

  Under He Lians insistence, she was settled in a simple wing room next to the kitchen woodshed, refused the maids kindness of drawing water for her to bathe, and quietly lay on the wooden bed with a thin mattress, staring blankly at the ceiling.

  Its probably because she just woke up, but now she cant sleep anymore. The pain of the sharp blade inserted into her chest in her dream is so vivid that it feels like it was just inserted into her body, and it hurts so much that she can barely breathe.

  In her past life, she was the first to commit adultery, seducing her sisters husband, which led to all the subsequent plots, schemes, grudges and hatred.

  At the moment she learned of her rebirth, she didnt have any thoughts of revenge, only a simple desire to live for herself once again.

  If possible, stay away from the homes of princes and nobles, dont bother with right or wrong, just be a small monk in Xiangguo Temple, cooking vegetables, occasionally hitting the wooden fish, reciting scriptures, and casually saying a sentence of "Amitabha", its quite fulfilling and interesting.

  At the time of the sun rising to three poles, He Lian was awakened by the soft voice of a little maid, and while still in a daze, she heard her say: "Young master, the king had instructed before going out that you should prepare lunch for the princess, but if you dont get up at this hour, it will be too late."

  He Lean resignedly shook off her drowsiness, washed up, and under the "supervision" of the little maid, went to the kitchen. After taking a look around at the fresh ingredients, she suddenly thought to ask the little maid: "Hey, do you know what Princess Wang usually likes to eat?"

  "The princess did not have a picky eating habit, but she had always loved floral scents."

  He Lean asked with a hint of hesitation: "Would you mind going to the lotus pond in the mansion to pick some lotus flowers, leaves and pods for me?"

  "Wait a moment, Young Master." The little maid left with a smile all over her face.

  While waiting, He Lian took out the purple and yellow yams and steamed them separately. She then divided the dough into two portions, added different colored sweet potatoes to each portion, and continued kneading. Next, she rolled them into cylindrical shapes, cut them into pieces about the size of a fingernail, and boiled some water. After that, she took one of the lotus leaves brought by Yaya, tore it into shreds, and cooked it together with the purple and yellow dough.

  When the soup in the pot is boiling, remove the fresh lotus seeds, take out the core and put them in. After a few seconds, serve on a plate, then cool with ice, and use lotus flowers as a trap. Use dough to pan-fry crispy and delicious thin pancakes. Finally, use the remaining clean lotus leaves to set the dish, and its called letting the maid take it out. About a cup of tea later, the maid came running back with joy:

  "Little master, theres still sweet soup and thin pancakes, the princess said she wants to eat a bit more."

  "Some are, miss, please feel free." He Lian said with a smile on his face.

  Haha, she can finally return to Xiangguo Temple!

  But just as He Lian was thinking about whether to leave the Wang Fu without saying goodbye or wait for Duke Yue to return before leaving, the maid came again, this time saying: "Young Master, the Princess has summoned you."

  “……”