Time Travel: The Noble Family
Chapter 299 - Chapter 299 Chapter 111 Seeking Help_3

Chapter 299: Chapter 111: Seeking Help_3 Chapter 299: Chapter 111: Seeking Help_3 Ma Chengteng passed the letter to Ma Peng. After reading it, Ma Peng exclaimed in surprise, “Sister wants to go to Zhaohua Temple to pray for blessings for Old Madam? It’s considerate enough to recite scriptures and chant Buddha’s name at home for Old Madam; why bother going to Zhaohua Temple and enduring such hardships?” Everyone knows life on the mountain is austere.

Ma Chengteng hesitated on whether to fulfill Yueyao’s wish. He knew well that Yueyao was stubborn, and he probably couldn’t stop her from going to the temple to pray for blessings if he didn’t help.

After a long contemplation, Ma Chengteng still gave in. If Yueyao insisted on doing this, he would help make the arrangements. Temples like Zhaohua Temple usually have special quarters reserved for distinguished families to stay, which are delicate and comfortable, but these quarters are not easy to book.

Ma Chengteng didn’t want to share these unpleasant matters with Zhuang Ruolan, so he composed himself before entering the room and asked with a smile, “Has the child been well-behaved today?” It was Ma Peng’s first time being a father, and he was both excited and anxious, insisting on spending time talking with the child every day.

Ruolan touched her belly and said, “The child has been very well-behaved today.” They say pregnant women often have severe morning sickness, but her pregnancy had been calm with no particular reactions. The experienced mothers suggested that this could indicate a girl.

Ma Chengteng wasn’t at all upset upon hearing this news. As long as his daughter-in-law could give birth, grandchildren would eventually come. Both of them were young, so he wasn’t in a hurry.

Hearing that the child would be a girl, Ma Peng repeatedly praised the sweetness of having a daughter. Their reactions alleviated any pressure on Ruolan, and even Cai Yun and Cai Yi didn’t feel bad about marrying into the Ma Family anymore. With a mother-in-law who favored boys over girls, learning that the child would be a girl could lead to a cold shoulder and relegation to a secondary wife. Additionally, although Ma Peng allowed Ruolan to bring back Chu Xia, he never visited Chu Xia’s room and had been loyal to Zhuang Ruolan. Ma Peng was not sweet-talking, but he often brought back pastries and trinkets from outside to make Zhuang Ruolan happy; such behavior warmed her heart and earned the maids’ praise.

Not just Cai Yun and Cai Yi, but even Zhuang Changhe no longer felt that Ma Peng was unworthy of Zhuang Ruolan. Zhuang Changhe knew that ever since his sister got pregnant, his brother-in-law would return home right after official duties unless absolutely necessary, and hardly ever attended social gatherings.

Ma Peng touched Ruolan’s belly and smiled.

Ma Peng thought he had hidden his feelings well, but Ruolan still noticed his unease and asked, “My lord, if something is troubling you, please talk to me. Isn’t it said that ‘three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang’? Moreover, keeping everything bottled up inside is not good for your health.” Ruolan seldom interfered in Ma Peng’s affairs, especially his official duties. The clear division of roles within Duke Mansion–men handling external affairs and women taking care of the home–was something Ruolan had fully embraced. However, this time, Ruolan felt that her husband’s unhappiness must be related to Yueyao.

After hesitating for a moment, Ma Peng said, “It’s about my cousin. She said she wants to go to Zhaohua Temple to pray for blessings for Old Madam Lian. It’s almost October, and the weather will soon turn cold. Yueyao going to Zhaohua Temple at this time will mean enduring great hardships on the mountain. I don’t want her to go, but father said my cousin is stubborn and wouldn’t listen. Father is planning to find a small courtyard for her to stay in.”

Ruolan was taken aback upon hearing this and asked, “Cousin said she wants to go to Zhaohua Temple to pray for blessings for Old Madam Lian? Is she planning to stay for quite a long time?”

Ruolan frowned and added, “This is a problem. The small quarters provided by Zhaohua Temple for people to stay in are very scarce, and they are all taken up by officials and nobles from Capital City year-round. Without sufficient status, it’s impossible to borrow one.” Zhaohua Temple does provide quarters for those who stay to pray for their families or for peace, but being an Imperial Temple, only the rich and noble stay in those quarters; it would not be easy for Yueyao to gain access.

Ma Peng nodded and replied, “Yes, my cousin said she wants to go to Zhaohua Temple. She hasn’t spoken to us about the hardships she faces in Lian Mansion, and this is the first time she has taken the initiative to ask. Father wants to indulge her this time.”

Ruolan pondered for a while before responding, “My lord, my maternal family also has a long-term rented courtyard at Zhaolin Temple, but it’s not inside the temple grounds; it’s located outside. That courtyard is also quite plain; I wonder if cousin would be willing to stay there?” Zhaohua Temple had very few quarters, which could be counted on two hands, so during major renovations, a row of small quarters was built on the outer side of the temple. There weren’t many, only about twenty, and their very existence was to relieve the internal pressure.

The arrangements in these small quarters were very modest, mainly for those who need a place to stay long term at the temple. Despite these quarters being small, containing just a few simple rooms, without power or status, they were hard to rent. You had to at least be someone significant in Capital City, or else, even with money, you wouldn’t be able to stay there.

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