Killer Queen + 18

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Today was a hectic day—because none other than the current Prime Minister, Lord Yuwen Xiu, had come to visit the General's estate with his whole family in tow.

Xiao Li followed her parents outside to greet them, and that's when she saw two stunningly beautiful girls.

The two girls looked quite alike, but they each had their own unique charm.One was calm and graceful, while the other was lively and full of energy.

"Ali? Are you Ali?" The moment they laid eyes on each other, the energetic girl practically flew into Xiao Li's arms. "Wow, you've gotten so pretty! A hundred times prettier than when we were kids!"

Xiao Li blinked at the girl in surprise. What a character—who compliments people like that?

Before she could even react, the girl was already at her side, grabbing her hand."Come on, Ali, say something! Don't tell me… you don't remember me after all these years?"

Xiao Li really wanted to give her an awkward smile. Sure, she had inherited a good number of Xiao Li's childhood memories—but the truth was, she couldn't remember this girl at all.

Luckily, her mother had given her a heads-up before they came out. She'd mentioned that they'd be meeting two childhood friends—daughters of the Prime Minister: the elder sister, Yuwen Ruoxue, and the younger one, Yuwen Ruocai.

Looking at the cheerful girl in front of her, who seemed about her age—maybe seventeen or eighteen—Xiao Li took a guess. This must be the younger sister, Yuwen Ruocai. Her mother had told her they'd been absolutely inseparable as kids.

"Ali…" Ruocai was starting to get anxious. "Say something, will you? You really don't remember me?"

"Pfft—" Xiao Li couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. "I just wanted to see if the grown-up Ruocai is any different from the little one. But look at you! Aside from being a total beauty now, you're still the exact same!"

"You little sneak! You were messing with me!" Ruocai huffed and playfully punched her on the shoulder. But Xiao Li dodged with a grin.

"Hey now, Miss Ruocai! I've had some training, y'know. Can't hit me so easily anymore—hehe!"

Their playful back-and-forth instantly livened up the atmosphere. After Ruocai introduced her, Xiao Li stepped forward to greet Ruoxue as well. With the General's wife and the Prime Minister's wife leading the way, the three girls entered the inner courtyard together, chatting away like old friends.

By late afternoon, the Yuwen sisters had to return with their parents. The three said reluctant goodbyes. But just as they were leaving, Ruocai suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, Ali, do you still remember that time when you were leaving for the border with the General, and the rest of us went with our moms to Daming Temple to pray? We asked Buddha to protect your family and bring you back safely. Back then, the three of us even made a little wish in secret—that if we ever saw each other again, we'd return to the temple together to give thanks. Do you remember?"

Xiao Li smiled at her. "Of course I remember. That was your idea, wasn't it?"(Not really—her mom had filled her in just before the visit. Apparently, she used to count the days, hoping to reunite with the sisters as soon as possible.)

Ruocai was thrilled. "Then how about this—we pick a day and go to Daming Temple together, light some incense, and keep our promise. What do you think?"

The moment she heard "go out and have fun," Xiao Li was all in."Sounds great! I've been wanting to go out anyway. Just let me know when you've picked a day, and I'll join you."

Sure enough, Ruocai was the kind of go-getter who didn't wait around. The next morning, she dragged her sister out of bed, gathered a few servants, and rolled up to the General's estate in a carriage.

When the guards came in to report their arrival, Xiao Li was in the front courtyard practicing Tai Chi with the old general.

She had come up with the idea after learning that the General, having once suffered serious injuries, could no longer engage in intense physical activity.In modern times, Tai Chi is recognized worldwide as a perfect low-impact exercise for older adults. And for someone like the General—who had spent his whole life training—suddenly being told to stop everything? That'd be more painful than death. Tai Chi was the perfect solution.

Not only did it loosen the joints and stretch the muscles, but its slow, controlled movements focused on cultivating the mind, energy, and spirit. With regular practice, it offered real benefits for health and wellness.

After thinking it through all night, Xiao Li pitched the idea to him as a self-invented fitness routine. The General, touched by her thoughtfulness, eventually agreed to give it a try.

Just as they were in the middle of a session, Ruocai came charging in behind the guard.

"Let's go, Ali! The weather's perfect today! Let's hike up Phoenix Mountain and head to Daming Temple!"

Seeing Ruocai so fired up, Xiao Li couldn't help but catch her enthusiasm. She glanced at her father, who chuckled and waved a hand.

"Since Lady Ruocai's already come to fetch you, why not go have some fun?"

"Thanks, Dad!" Xiao Li playfully gave him a martial salute before dashing off with Ruocai like a bird set free.

"Slow down, girls! Ali, don't forget to bring some guards with you!" the General shouted after them, laughing.

Ruocai turned and flashed him a grin. "Don't worry, Uncle General—we've got our guards with us too. Nothing's gonna happen to Ali with us around!"

The weather was lovely that day.

After riding halfway up the mountain, they got out and hiked the rest of the way to Daming Temple. The scenery was breathtaking, and the fresh air was invigorating.

At the summit, they realized Daming Temple's reputation was no joke. Worshippers had come from all directions to offer incense, and the place was packed.

Following the Yuwen sisters, Xiao Li entered the Grand Hall. The three girls lit incense and fulfilled their old promise, then wandered off to draw fortune sticks.

Ruocai leaned in and whispered to Xiao Li, "Actually, my sister came here today with something on her mind."

Sure enough, after making a sincere prayer, Ruoxue pulled out a stick, blushed, and ran off to the fortune teller to get it interpreted.

Ruocai watched her go and giggled for a while before turning to Xiao Li. "Hey, since we're already here, why don't we draw fortunes too?"

Xiao Li smiled. "Sure. But first, tell me—what kind of fortune is our Miss Ruocai hoping for? Romance? Or… haha!"

Ruocai's face turned bright red. "You little brat! Always teasing me. Just wait till we get home!"

They each drew a stick and went together to have them interpreted.

Meanwhile, Ruoxue returned with a red face and a hint of sadness in her eyes.

The two younger girls immediately noticed something was off. "What's wrong, sis? Was it a bad fortune?"

Ruoxue just shook her head. "It's okay. The master said… some people are destined to go through more hardships than others. That's all."

Xiao Li gave her a warm smile. "You're absolutely right, Sister Xue. No rain, no rainbow. As long as you stay true to your heart, you'll get what you want one day."

Ruoxue looked up and smiled back. "Thank you, Ali. You really said exactly what I needed to hear."

"Alright, alright, Ali! Let's show the master our fortunes too—maybe we'll get some cool surprises!" Ruocai was already holding out her fortune stick.

The old monk took the stick and smiled kindly. "Second Miss, are you also here to ask about love, like your sister?"

Ruocai blushed instantly, looking down and fidgeting before shyly replying, "Well… Master Liaoran, could you take a look?"

Liaoran smiled gently and opened her fortune scroll. But as he did, his brow subtly furrowed.

Xiao Li caught the change in his expression and was about to ask, when the monk suddenly lifted his sleeve and coughed softly. Then he extended the scroll and said with a warm smile, "Second Miss, you drew an excellent fortune. Before the end of the year, you'll be under the same roof as your beloved."

Ruocai beamed with joy.

Then it was Xiao Li's turn.

She stepped up and said calmly, "Master, I just want to know what kind of luck I'll have in the future."

The monk accepted her stick, unrolled the scroll, and suddenly looked up in surprise.

This time, Xiao Li clearly saw his reaction—and her heart skipped a beat.

"Master, you can tell me directly. I'm not afraid of what the fortune says—good or bad." She didn't want him pulling the same stunt as before, so she laid it out up front.

Unexpectedly, the monk stood up from the cushion behind the incense table, put his palms together, and chanted, "Amitabha. If the young lady doesn't mind, may I have a private word with you?"

Xiao Li looked at him, confused. She turned to see the Yuwen sisters both staring at her curiously.

"What's in that scroll that you can't say out here?" she asked, still skeptical.

But the monk insisted. "This fortune concerns your entire life's destiny. I must ask to speak with you privately."

Ruocai gave her a reassuring smile. "Ali, since the master insists, you might as well go with him. We'll wait for you here."

Xiao Li hesitated a moment longer, then nodded.

She followed the monk to a side hall with a small private room.

At the door, Master Liaoran asked her to wait outside, then stepped in alone.

A moment later, he came back and motioned politely. "Please come in. Our abbot, Master Liaokong, is inside waiting for you."

"What?" Xiao Li froze. What kind of fortune had she drawn that it even involved the abbot of Daming Temple?

Still, since she was already here… she figured she might as well go find out.

"....."