Chapter 858: Receive Punishment Together
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“You’re so elegant. The Crown Prince is being punished, but you’re still in the mood to raise flowers and grass. You’re simply unbecoming.”
Wei Ling couldn’t mcle tne anger In ner eyes. Even It sne ate a lot ot good things, she was still getting old.
Her two sons were at odds with her, but as long as the emperor was one of them, she could be the queen dowager steadily. No woman could climb over her head.
But now, Zhou Heng actually wanted to give up the position of Crown Prince. It was simply the biggest joke in the world. For such a woman, she was really capable.
As she thought about it, Wei Ling felt her anger rise.
When Su Xiaoling saw that it was Wei Ling, she immediately bowed to her. “Greetings, Mother.”
Wei Ling had never liked her. Over the years, their relationship had been very calm, but she liked her two grandsons.
Wei Ling came with anger. Su Xiaoling was the same as before. She only wanted her to speak less and wait for Wei Ling’s anger to subside.
Wei Ling did not let Su Xiaoling get up. She looked at Su Xiaoling with killing intent in her eyes.
Wei Ling was already dissatisfied with this life, but as long as Zhou Heng was the Crown Prince, she would be the Empress Dowager in the end. However, it would be different if Zhou Heng was not the Crown Prince.
When the new Crown Prince appeared, Zhou Liao, Zhou Ying, and Zhou Yan would all have their own mothers. When the time came, she would feel aggrieved as an empress dowager. The woman who had once lowered her head to her could be above her. And the source of these misfortunes was all because of Su Xiaoling!
If not for her, Zhou Heng would continue to be the Crown Prince.
Wei Ling calmed herself down and said, “Heng’er made a mistake, and so did you. Follow me to the monastery to atone for your sins.”
Su Xiaoling was silent. At this moment, she didn’t know if Wei Ling had ulterior motives.
While she was hesitating, Wei Ling had already questioned in a low voice,
“Why, Su Xiaoling, will you not listen to me?”
Su Xiaoling quickly shook her head. “Mother, calm down. I’m willing to go with you.”
Su Xiaoling could not refuse. She could only agree.
Wei Ling’s eyes turned cold as she said coldly, “That’s for the best. Get up and follow me.”
Wei Ling came suddenly and didn’t give Su Xiaoling any extra time. If she wanted to resist, Wei Ling had a reason to suppress her.
As long as Su Xiaoling was Zhou Heng’s wife, she had a reason to take her away. In the past, Zhou Heng would definitely stop her, but now, Zhou Heng could not even take care of himself.
As a mother-in-law, who would dare to say anything when she disciplined her daughter-in-law?
Su Xiaoling didn’t have time to make arrangements and followed Wei Ling.
Guanxin Monastery was not famous, but its geographical conditions were very harsh. However, rich ladies liked to go there and said that it was because they worked hard in the mountains that they appeared sincere.
As a result, the other temples became deserted.
Since the empress wanted to bring the crown prince consort to pay her respects to Buddha, the monastery naturally made arrangements in advance.
Wei Ling was getting old, so it was still a little difficult for her to walk on such steep steps. She looked at Su Xiaoling, whose expression was normal, and was not in a good mood.
“Mother, be careful.”
Su Xiaoling knew that Wei Ling didn’t like her, so she didn’t deliberately curry favor. She was concerned, but one could tell that she was just being polite.
After the fusion of the foreign lands, many places changed. Only then did the changes in the area around the mountains and rivers become greater.
It was precisely because the mountain became much higher that the Guanxin Monastery became so steep.
It took a full eight hours to go up the mountain. It was already dark by then.
“Sleep early after eating the vegetarian food. Wake up tomorrow morning and pray to the Buddha.”
Wei Ling said coldly to Su Xiaoling.
Su Xiaoling nodded. She was tired from the journey. She had to pay her respects to Buddha here for half a month and could only return to the palace after half a month. She only had Dou Fu with her.
She wasn’t stupid. She could feel Wei Ling’s hatred for her, but she couldn’t not come. She wasn’t an ordinary woman who didn’t have a way to protect herself. In this half a month, she just had to be careful.
After dinner, they returned to the house arranged by the temple to rest.
Su Xiaoling said to Dou Fu, “Dou Fu, you should sleep too. There’s no need to keep watch. The empress won’t do anything openly.” What she had to guard against was in the dark.
Dou Fu nodded.
The next morning, Su Xiaoling was woken up to pay her respects to Buddha.
The empress had also changed out of her luxurious clothes and was dressed in simple and elegant clothes.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law did not speak. They were both meditating quietly.
The first day was peaceful.
The next day was also peaceful.
Dou Fu was assigned a lot of work every day.
Su Xiaoling also had to copy Buddhist scriptures every day. She also had to help clean the temple and plant vegetables.
Su Xiaoling did not find it difficult because she had grown up with these things. It was too easy for her.
However, she didn’t expect to do this with Wei Ling.
In this life, Wei Ling was born rich and noble as the empress. She had never done any hard work, but in front of Su Xiaoling, she would not admit defeat. It did not matter if she did not do it well. She just had to do it.
It was not strange that Su Xiaoling did well. She was a farmer’s daughter to begin with. It would be strange if she did not do well.
They were busy every day, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
They could return to the capital the day after tomorrow. Su Xiaoling couldn’t help but wonder if she was wrong.
Perhaps Wei Ling really just wanted her to pay her respects to Buddha?
At night, Dou Fu smiled and said, “Young Lady, we’re finally going back. Just be careful tomorrow.”
Su Xiaoling nodded. “Okay.”
Tomorrow was the last day. If Wei Ling really wanted to do anything to her, it would only be tomorrow.
She couldn’t think of a way for Wei Ling to do it. Everyone must know that she and Wei Ling had come to pay their respects.
If anything happened to her, Wei Ling couldn’t stay out of it.
There had to be a perfect reason for her to escape.
She fell asleep thinking about it.
At dawn, she got up and prayed to Buddha.
Dou Fu was not by her side. For the past ten days, Wei Ling had found an excuse to send her out to do work.
After today’s Buddhist rites, Su Xiaoling thought that she had to plant vegetables, but Wei Ling said to her, “Today, we’re going to pick wild fruits. Some wild fruit trees in the mountains are ripe. With Master leading the way, we’ll go pick some too. We’ll go back tomorrow. It’s good to bring some back for the children to eat.”
Wei Ling looked easygoing and didn’t look abnormal. Su Xiaoling looked at her and nodded. “Okay.”
Two monks led the way. Wei Ling brought two maidservants with her, each carrying a basket.
Su Xiaoling was also carrying a basket.
She was not unaccustomed to walking on the mountain path. Gradually, she let go. She recognised many wild fruits.
Wei Ling looked at Su Xiaoling and couldn’t help but say, “You’ve been the crown prince consort for so many years. You’ve lived in luxury for so many years, but you haven’t forgotten your roots.”
Su Xiaoling smiled and replied calmly, “I won’t forget this.”
This was a lifetime of memories that were engraved in her bones. How could she forget them?
Wei Ling didn’t ask further. She just followed quietly and picked some wild fruits.
She had sacrificed half her life for this plan. She wanted to do it, but she could not sacrifice herself. Zhou Heng and Zhou Zhi were both lunatics with no conscience. If she did not do it well, they would really go crazy..