The carriage couldn’t go directly up the mountain, so getting to the temple was never easy.

Pei Yan didn’t let Mei Wanying and Ling accompany him. He rode out of the city alone, keeping a low profile.

Shortly after he left, a heavy rain began to fall.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared. The once-clear sky filled with dark, oppressive clouds, making it seem as if night had fallen.

Ling had never seen anything like it in her life and hid in Mei Wanying’s arms, terrified.

But she hadn’t forgotten Pei Yan. Ling said worriedly, "Papa... not home..."

Though terrified herself, she still craned her little neck to look outside, hoping to see if her papa had returned.

Those innocent eyes were filled with worry.

Blood ties were a wondrous thing. Pei Yan hadn’t been in her life for long and had even played tricks on her, yet Ling still cared for him and wished him well.

"Papa, come back soon..."

The little one mumbled, "Don’t let the wolves... carry him away..."

When Mei Wanying went out of the manor on business, she would leave Ling with Mrs. Mei.

Sometimes, when Ling misbehaved, Mrs. Mei would scare her with stories about wolves.

Having heard them many times, Ling took them to heart. Right now, she was genuinely afraid that her papa would be carried away by a wolf.

Mei Wanying, too, wished Pei Yan were home.

If she had known the weather would turn, she wouldn’t have let Pei Yan go get a peace charm for her.

She knew Pei Yan’s stubborn nature. Unless they were completely estranged, he would always keep a promise he made to her.

Even in a downpour, he would go up the mountain to get that peace charm.

Pei Yan had always been stubborn and wouldn’t easily change his mind.

Mei Wanying was filled with regret. ’He so rarely gets to visit Jiangnan. I should have made him stay at the manor to spend more time with me and Ling.’

She quickly sent people to find Pei Yan and tell him to come back immediately.

All she had asked for was for her family to be safe and sound.

With such heavy rain and thunder, if something happened to Pei Yan on the mountain, wouldn’t that be the very opposite of her wish?

Even after sending her men, Mei Wanying was still uneasy. She paced the room, holding Ling.

But there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t just run out of the city and cause more trouble.

All she could do was wait.

Ding Xiang comforted her, "The Emperor is protected by the True Dragon. He’ll be all right. Please don’t worry so much, my lady."

It would have been better if she hadn’t said anything; once she did, Mei Wanying became even more worried.

Pei Yan’s status was unique. ’There are plenty of people who want him dead. What if someone tries to assassinate him?’

Mei Wanying’s thoughts ran wild, and she was restless.

The rain grew heavier and heavier, showing no signs of stopping.

With every clap of thunder, Mei Wanying’s heart beat faster. After all this time, she was once again consumed with worry for Pei Yan.

Candles were lit in the room. Ling asked Mei Wanying, "Papa... is he scared?"

She was so scared she needed her mama to hold her.

If Papa was scared, there was no one to hold him.

At this thought, tears welled up in Ling’s big, clear eyes.

’Poor Papa.’

Mei Wanying coaxed her, "Your papa is a great man who can stand tall and protect Mama and Ling. He isn’t scared."

’Papa protects us, but who protects Papa?’ Ling thought, and she mumbled the question out loud.

Mei Wanying said, "He’s very strong. He can protect himself. He doesn’t need anyone else to protect him."

’Pei Yan’s skills were formidable. As long as no one was holding him back, he could protect himself.’

’Even in this terrible weather, he would know what to do.’

At that thought, Mei Wanying breathed a small sigh of relief.

But Ling asked, "Papa... doesn’t have a mama?"

A child’s train of thought jumps so quickly. Mei Wanying froze, momentarily lost for words.

Ling spoke very slowly, stammering out her question, "Papa’s mama... why doesn’t she come... and protect Papa?"

Besides, she had never met Papa’s mama.

Ling was genuinely confused.

She had a mama, and her mama had a mama. So why didn’t Papa have a mama?

Mei Wanying hadn’t thought about that venerable figure in the Capital City for a long time.

Now that Pei Yan had ascended the throne, that woman had become the Empress Dowager. With no one above her to keep her in check, the Harem was her domain.

Given Empress Dowager Gu’s way of doing things, she had probably already selected several rounds of consorts for Pei Yan.

Mei Wanying trusted Pei Yan; she knew there was no one else by his side for now.

Mei Wanying didn’t want to speculate wildly about what the future might hold. Living in the present was the best choice.

Hugging the little one in her arms tightly, Mei Wanying said, "He has a mama, too. She’s in the Capital City. She is also your... grandmother."

After Ling was born, Empress Dowager Gu had sent many gifts.

As long as Empress Dowager Gu didn’t try to snatch the child away, Mei Wanying wouldn’t deny her gestures toward Ling.

Nor would she stand between them and forbid them from acknowledging each other.

Ling was Mei Wanying’s bottom line.

If Empress Dowager Gu was good to Ling, she could put their unpleasantness aside.

But if Empress Dowager Gu had other ideas, then there would be nothing left to say between them.

And she would never let Ling meet Empress Dowager Gu!

Ling was very curious. "What does... grandmother look like?"

Mei Wanying replied, "She looks a lot like your papa."

Ling couldn’t picture it, so she asked again, "Does... grandmother like me?"

"She does."

Mei Wanying gently patted Ling’s back. "It’s okay if other people don’t like us. We just won’t like them back." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Ling understood that.

’She doesn’t like people who aren’t nice to her!’

She nodded vigorously and mumbled that when she met her grandmother, she would have to see if her grandmother really liked her.

If her grandmother didn’t like her, then she wouldn’t like her grandmother.

Finally, Ling added that the grandmother she liked best was the one at home.

Mei Wanying couldn’t help but smile. Listening to her daughter’s innocent words, the tension inside her began to ease.

The mention of "grandmother" made Ling think of Mrs. Mei. Worried her grandmother might be scared of the thunder, she said she wanted to go protect her.

Mei Wanying squeezed her little arms and legs. "Then you have to eat more and grow up big and strong, so you can not only protect us, but also protect yourself."

Hearing this, Ding Xiang burst out laughing. "My lady, big and strong? Wouldn’t that make her a brawny fellow?"

Ling took after her lady; you could tell at a glance she was destined to be a great beauty. Ding Xiang really couldn’t imagine what she would look like "big and strong."

A young lady should be delicate and graceful to be considered beautiful. If she grew up brawny and stout, it would hinder her marriage prospects.

But on second thought, Ling was the most beloved Little Princess. No matter what she looked like, finding a match would not be a problem.

Ding Xiang then felt that with her status, Ling needed a sharp mind and the ability to protect herself more than a pretty face.

’Being a little sturdier... might be a good thing after all.’

The phrase "brawny fellow" made Mei Wanying laugh. She pinched her daughter’s little cheek. "No matter what Ling looks like, she will always be the apple of our eye."

Ling grinned, her fear forgotten. She was just about to say something when another deafening crack of thunder boomed across the sky.

She was so frightened she burrowed straight into Mei Wanying’s embrace.

Mumbling, "Papa, come back soon..."

’Papa is so tall and strong. If Papa were here, she and Mama wouldn’t be scared anymore.’

The very man Ling was chanting for, Pei Yan, was kneeling piously before a statue of a deity, praying that his Ah Yin would live a long and healthy life.

He was willing to trade his own years of life for a lifetime of peace for his Ah Yin.