Wei Yichen knew what was waiting for him.
As he had his dinner, Song Yuhua was looking at him with an accusatory look. Like he had hurt her deeply. Wei Yichen pretended to not see it and carried on.
But it did not escape the eyes of Wei Huan and Wei Wenwen. Wei Huan frowned imperceptibly like he already did not want to deal with it.
Wei Wenwen did not have lunch with them as she went to the temple with her friends and stayed there for lunch. Now that she was dining with the whole family, she also felt the masked undercurrents.
She asked with worry on her face, "Mother, what is troubling you? Tell Wenwen, I'll try to help Mother."
Song Yuhua just shook her head and looked even sadder.
Wei Huan asked in an even tone, " What happened, Ai Fei?"
Song Yuhua then 'reluctantly' opened her mouth, " I am just worried about Yichen. He sent a lot of servants back today, I wonder if something happened. And if the servants at his courtyard also are even enough for him..."
Wei Huan looked towards Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen unhurriedly put his chopsticks down and said, "Need not worry. I just feel that the courtyard is very crowded with a lot of them. Also, when I went to the temple two days back, I met a monk and he told me that I'll be facing life-threatening danger within the next month."
"So the monk suggested to me, to decrease the human presence around myself and be more in touch with nature to connect with my soul on a spiritual level. And also told me to abstain from meat eating. So I ask Father for permission to eat at my courtyard, as I shall not spread my bad luck onto my family."
All of it was, of course, complete nonsense. He did go to temple a few days back but this was definitely not what happened.
Song Yuhua raised her eyebrows in surprise. And Wei Wenwen interjected with reasons like, how inconvenient would it be and all. Wei Yichen simply denied it as he simply did not need so many servants. She also whined about how it was sad to not eat good meals for Wei Yichen. Wei Yichen did not reply. He simply waited for Wei Huan's answer.
Wei Huan indifferently waved his hand and said it was fine as long as he was happy. He did not inquire any further.
Wei Yichen was happy to receive this treatment as he really wasn't interested in explaining things to anyone.
Song Yuhua though uncharacteristically did not say anything and seemed to be in deep thought.
In this atmosphere, Wei Yichen took his leave while thinking to himself, ' I'll get out of here. Soon, very soon.'
*****
The Next Day.
A pleasant morning. Golden sun rays shone on Wei Yichen's fair face through the window gap. He had a pink flush from just rising and looked very energized. It seemed as though he had made peace with his mind and his surrounding happenings.
He accepted the situation he was in and he understood that he stood alone here. And the one who'd help him would be himself.
Aunty Lee made a simple but delicious breakfast. Wei Yichen ate it in a good mood. It was nice not to see unpleasant faces early in the morning. He felt really good today. He got ready. He planned to visit the Buddhist temple today.
Wei Yichen and Shi Yu set off to the temple with prepared things. He wanted to pray to Buddha for peace of mind and a smooth upcoming journey.
The temple was situated in a tranquil environment with lush greenery around it. The air was filled with the earthy fragrance of incense, mingling with the sweet aroma of blooming flowers.
As Wei Yichen stepped inside, the creaking of ancient wooden doors echoed softly, creating a symphony with the distant sounds of rustling leaves and the gentle hum of prayer chants.
It felt so peaceful here, early in the morning. Wei Yichen stepped inside with serenity in his heart. Then he prayed silently and meditated there for a while.
Golden beams of light were shining from carved windows. They seemed as though they wished to kiss the feet of the idol. It was a sacred and picturesque site. Wei Yichen silently took it all in.
After visiting the main Abbott, he went for a stroll around the temple.
The scenery around the temple was breathtaking. With the wind, trees appeared to be whispering together. The path beneath his feet was paved with smooth stones, and the occasional crunch of gravel punctuated the quiet surroundings.
Wei Yichen especially loved sitting next to the shimmering lake in the temple. The water was translucent and you could see the flora floating about leisurely underneath. The rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds formed a natural symphony, soothing his mind as he immersed himself in the tranquil ambiance.
He sat there for some time and got up to leave. In no time, the sun would rise over their heads. It's better to go early.
When exiting through the gate, he saw a man. The man donned a serious expression. With his strong build and bloodthirsty aura he appeared to be very dangerous. As well as he somewhat resembled the fifth prince.
Wei Yichen wondered about who this man could be. Meanwhile, the man noticed his gaze and turned to look at his side. Their eyes met.
A polite smile appeared on that handsome face, which made the danger around him seem like one's illusion. With that smile, he seemed to know Wei Yichen.
Wei Yichen just wished to leave. He did not want to interact with any royalties as of now. But sadly he couldn't always do what he wished to do. Hence he went forward and greeted the man with a deep bow.
The man nodded and went into the temple. His subordinates followed behind. The question remained, who was this person? And how did he know him? He believed these royalties wouldn't pass a smile to every passing person.
Anyway, it wasn't like Wei Yichen could investigate it by himself. So he had to temporarily let it go and move towards the Wei's. He still had plans for tomorrow. So he needed to get some things sorted out at home.
Thanks for delving into the story! Your readership means a lot.