Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 140

Yu Jiao smiled and said, “I don’t have any wishes to make, sister Fuling. You go ahead,” as she placed her coin into Yu Fuling’s hand.

“How could you not have any wishes?” Yu Fuling muttered. She held the coin tightly, took a deep breath, nervously clenched it for a moment, then leaned forward and tossed it toward the turtle in the center of the pool.

Unfortunately, it still didn’t go in. The surrounding crowd let out a collective sigh of pity.

“This is way too hard…” Yu Fuling missed twice in a row and couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. She sighed, “No wonder people say the Wishing Turtle Pond at Fahua Temple is magical. It’s so difficult to make the shot, anyone who does must be incredibly lucky!”

Lu Jin chuckled at her remark. “Let me throw one for you, sister.”

Without even changing position, he casually flicked the coin from his palm. Everyone thought the casual toss wouldn’t make it, but to their surprise, the coin seemed to have eyes, it flew straight into the stone turtle’s mouth at the center of the pond, landing with a crisp clang among the other coins.

Yu Fuling shouted excitedly, “He made it! It went in!”

“Make your wish, sister Fuling,” Lu Jin said with a grin.

The surrounding onlookers, hoping to hitch a ride on someone else’s good luck, quickly pressed their palms together and shut their eyes. Yu Fuling was a bit shy at first, but afraid someone else might snatch her wish, she closed her eyes too and silently prayed for her family’s health and for her brother to pass the provincial exam.

Yu Jiao stared at the ancient stone turtle in the pond, feeling a bit emotional, it had quietly carried the hopes of so many.

Yu Qizhe handed a coin to Yu Jiao and said softly, “It’s fine if you don’t have a wish. Just give it a try for fun.”

Hearing the way he spoke like he was coaxing a child, Yu Jiao smiled faintly. Do I really look like such a child to him? She shook her head, a subtle dimple appearing at the corner of her lips. “No need. You go ahead.”

Yu Qizhe, seeing her eyes fixed on him, rolled the coin between his fingers, then flicked it with precision. The coin flew straight into the turtle’s mouth.

The crowd gasped again.

Yu Fuling had just opened her eyes from making her wish and beamed. “Little brother, you made it too? You’re amazing! Quick, make a wish!”

Yu Qizhe glanced proudly at Yu Jiao, as if seeking praise. She gave him a thumbs-up, and he laughed quietly.

“You’ve still got it,” Lu Jin said, giving Yu Qizhe a light punch on the shoulder. He whispered, “Your martial arts have recovered?”

Yu Qizhe shook his head. The poison he suffered three years ago hadn’t just destroyed his body, it had ruined his martial arts too. All that remained now was a trace of inner strength.

“Little brother, hurry and make a wish!” Yu Fuling urged, still brimming with excitement.

Yu Qizhe looked down at Yu Jiao, whose face still carried a smile. He closed his eyes. In truth, he had no particular wish, but…

After making his wish, the four of them left the Wishing Turtle Pond. Yu Jiao wanted to visit the Twin Trees in the temple courtyard, so they headed to the rear of the Great Compassion Hall via the west corridor.

The Twin Trees of Fahua Temple were two banyan trees intertwined at the roots. Their trunks were thick, so massive it would take three grown men with outstretched arms to encircle them. The branches were lush, and the trees were adorned with red silk ribbons, all tied by people praying for love and marriage.

Lu Jin, ever thoughtful, asked a monk guarding the hall for three red silk ribbons. Having grown up at the temple, he was on familiar terms with the monks and, using his connections, even borrowed some brush and ink.

He handed the red silk and brush to Yu Fuling and Yu Jiao, smiling. “Sister Fuling, little sister Yu Jiao, the Twin Trees are said to be especially effective for love-related wishes. Want to give it a try?”

Yu Fuling blushed. She was to be married after the new year, and of course she hoped for a blessed union. Tempted, she took the ribbon and writing tools, turned away shyly, and began writing her wish on the silk.

Yu Jiao had planned to tease her a little, but seeing how flustered she was, she stayed quiet.

Lu Jin stuffed the remaining ribbon into Yu Qizhe’s hand. “Junior brother, why don’t you make a wish for love?”

Seeing Lu Jin in slightly better spirits, Yu Qizhe pinched the ribbon and glanced at Yu Jiao. “I already have someone,” he said with a faint smile. “Weren’t you just saying how lonely you were in the capital? Maybe you should wish for a wife.” He pushed the ribbon back into Lu Jin’s hands.

“You’re engaged?” Lu Jin asked curiously.

Yu Jiao overheard and looked over, her interest clearly piqued. Yu Qizhe met her gaze, smiled faintly, and nodded solemnly. “Mm.”

“Who’s the girl? Before you leave, you have to let me meet your fiancée,” Lu Jin pressed.

“She’s right here…” Before he could finish, Yu Jiao realized he was referring to her. Her face flushed pink, and she glared at him before turning away.

Yu Qizhe held back a laugh and quickly changed the subject. “There’ll be time for that later. You, on the other hand, you should be thinking about marriage.”

Lu Jin glanced at the red silk in his hand, and a certain girl came to mind. His expression grew distant. In a lane called Taoxi Alley in the capital, there had been a bean juice stall run by a mother and daughter surnamed Liang. Their bean juice was delicious, refreshing and sweet. 

Lu Jin had gone there a few times. Once, passing by on official business, he’d seen constables harassing the Liang girl and stepped in to help. After that, whenever he returned, she would shyly serve him a full bowl, even charging one coin less.

Before he left the capital, he had visited Taoxi Alley again, only to find the bean stall gone, replaced by a bun vendor. Now, the image of that shy-faced girl serving bean juice flashed in his mind. Maybe when he returns to the capital, he should try to find out her name.

By then, Yu Fuling had finished writing on her red silk. Lu Jin took up the brush and quickly wrote down his own wish, shielding it with his hand so no one could peek.

“Sister Fuling, want me to hang it up for you?” Lu Jin offered.

The lower branches of the Twin Trees were already filled with red ribbons; only the high ones remained bare. As a woman, Yu Fuling couldn’t climb up, so she blushed and handed him her ribbon.

Lu Jin, ever respectful, accepted it without looking. With a leap, he landed in the tree and tied both ribbons to separate high branches.

Watching how effortlessly he moved, Yu Jiao and Yu Fuling both looked impressed. After he jumped down, Yu Fuling asked, “Do you know martial arts?”

Lu Jin smiled modestly. “Just a bit makes me a little more agile than the average person.”

Despite his humble tone, Yu Fuling couldn’t help but admire him more. Hardly anyone around her knew martial arts, she’d only read about it in storybooks. Yu Jiao, however, was now quite curious how Yu Qizhe had come to know someone like Lu Jin.

After returning the brush, ink, and the remaining ribbon, the four of them left Fahua Temple and began descending the mountain.

Noticing that Yu Qizhe hadn’t once mentioned having her check on Master Huijue, Yu Jiao fell a step behind and walked beside him. She asked quietly, “Has Master Huijue’s illness improved?”