My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

He smiled at the young lady and said, "Lin Wanxiao, do you really think you can show me a sour face?"

After speaking, Chen Yi ignored the young lady’s embarrassment and strode out of the room.

As his figure disappeared from sight, Lin Wanxiao weakly knelt to the ground, her cheeks drained of color, unaware of how much time passed until Xiuhe hurried to see her, and she still hadn’t recovered.

............

There was no major activity in the Prince Mansion; most affairs had subsided, the ancestral temple assassination case long concluded. Though the upheaval lingered, it was mostly noise with little action, and the Divine Sect’s matters were already settled. The grand wedding had faded into quiet, and the Forbidden Army stationed at the Southern Border’s strategic throat had been leaderless, awaiting action due to Yang Chongwei’s death.

For the time being, the Southern Border was peaceful, and Chen Yi had nowhere to go, able to stay at the Prince Mansion as a leisurely Princess, accompanying his daughter.

Qin Yue had become more adorable and clingy.

The only downside was she was perhaps too clingy.

That afternoon, sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, casting mottled light and shadow on the study floor.

Just as Chen Yi wanted to take a moment of leisure, a small figure ran in "thump thump thump," pounced at his side and looked up with a delicate carved alabaster face, calling in a milky voice, "Daddy, play with me!"

It was Qin Yue.

Chen Yi lowered his head, looking at his daughter’s eyes reminiscent of her mother’s, although without serpent pupils, her eyes already had a slightly brave eyebrow shape. Unlike her strict father’s formidable majesty, they were filled with pure anticipation and joy.

Ever since driving away the ghosts, Qin Yue had become very close to him.

What caught him more by surprise was her constant requests for him to play, tugging at his sleeves, asking him to build blocks, tell stories, and even when he deliberately kept a stern face, she’d use her soft little hands to hold his face, lean in with a loud kiss, and murmur, "Daddy, smile, Daddy, be happy!"

This little one, she’s even coaxing her daddy to be happy.

This change was extremely unexpected for Chen Yi.

He distinctly remembered when he first entered the Prince Mansion, this little girl was often distant and afraid of him, sometimes even puckering her mouth to find Zhu E when he teased her.

But now, those past unpleasant times seemed never to have happened.

Children truly forget quickly, not remembering a bit of past displeasures.

Looking at his daughter’s carefree smile, Chen Yi was filled with emotion.

Then he thought, perhaps his deep, paternal love during this time had finally reached Qin Yue.

It’s just that fatherly love is as deep as a mountain, hard to express.

Chen Yi found it indeed difficult to openly reveal his feelings; when dealing with women, if two hearts don’t align, "love" becomes easy to utter with saccharine disgust to the other, yet when well-matched, words become hard to express, triggering the other to be even less open.

As for Qin Yue, Chen Yi sometimes wasn’t indulgent; he would tease her and also shower her with affection. Qin Yue seemed indifferent to his changeable nature, still joyfully clinging to him.

Watching these scenes somewhat annoyed Yin Weiyin.

In the past, she thought her decision not to have children was indeed right,

Once Chen Yi had a child, his thoughts were not focused on her or their duties.

Wasn’t this too much?

Although Yin Weiyin witnessed this, she couldn’t grow close to Chen Yi’s daughter; even if she didn’t intend anything, Chen Yi would still be on guard.

She couldn’t say she had no grievances; Yin Weiyin did carry some, with him always thinking the worst of her. As the First Lady, she could accommodate other women, certainly extending reconciliatory efforts towards family offspring.

Whether Chen Yi would afford her this chance...

Thinking thus, Yin Weiyin couldn’t help but resent Lin Wanxiao’s lack of action.

Of all the women, Yin Weiyin needed to practice Dao to become Immortal, naturally avoiding pregnancy; Min Ning, Zhou Yitang, Yin Tingxue were all far removed, Consort Dong was superficially acquainted, while the Prince and Princess had Qin Yue. Only Lin Wanxiao was suitable.

Yet this young lady seemed unable to bear.

Pixiu-like, swallowing so much without producing anything.

With silent frustration, Yin Weiyin watched Chen Yi chasing his daughter, feeling somewhat detached, rarely with such bitterness upon reflection.

Just as her thoughts flickered, a steady voice rang behind her, breaking her gaze.

"Immortal Lady Yin, what are you looking at so intently here?"

Yin Weiyin was startled, quickly suppressing all outward emotions, returning to her detached and transcendental demeanor, slowly turning around.

She saw Qin Qingluo standing a few steps away, clad in casual attire, his tall stature carrying usual authority, and those sharp serpent eyes studying her intently.

Yin Weiyin was momentarily at a loss, not expecting Qin Qingluo to catch her watching from afar. She collected herself, lowered her lashes, explaining calmly, "Nothing, just strolling and happened to pass by."

Qin Qingluo glanced in the direction Yin Weiyin had been looking, saw the distant frolicking father and daughter, his lips curling with a knowing smile touched with humor and subtle tolerance.

"Oh? Just strolling?" Qin Qingluo’s tone was leisurely, "Immortal Lady Yin, this path doesn’t seem to lead to your quiet room or guest quarters. If you wish to find Chen Yi, you could openly go over, no need to wander and watch from afar here."

Yin Weiyin slightly paused.

The Princess pondered briefly and unexpectedly issued an invitation in a straightforward tone: "Why not... come with me now?"

This proposal caught Yin Weiyin entirely by surprise.

Upon hearing, she faltered, a trace of panic flashed across her face, soon covered by calm.

Almost immediately, she straightened up, refusing with a nearly rigidly cool voice: "The Prince jests, I have no other business, merely passing by here. It’s time for evening lessons; I must return to my quiet room to meditate and practice, so I will excuse myself."

Before her words were finished, she didn’t wait for Qin Qingluo’s response, slightly nodded to indicate departure, then turned to leave, her steps appearing steady but slightly quicker than usual.

Soon after walking away, Yin Weiyin paused momentarily, stealing a glance through the dense corridors. She saw Qin Qingluo shouting from afar, reprimanding a dirty and wildly running Qin Yue to stop immediately, Chen Yi halted too, then lifted his daughter, and the Princess sternly scolded both.

Yin Weiyin slightly bit her silver teeth,

Commanding him so authoritatively, arbitrarily arranging,

How does she behave even more like the Madam’s posture?

.........

Three days after the wedding, it was the time for the temple visit.

This ritual has existed in antiquity, with a long-standing tradition.

According to the "Ritual," after marriage, the bride must choose a day to enter the husband’s ancestral temple, pay respects to ancestors, declare the marriage, symbolizing formal integration into the husband’s clan. This is the "temple visit ritual."

Its origin was among Zhou practices, flourishing in the Han and Tang eras, spanning millennia. Though details change with time and place, the core endures, seeking ancestral approval and blessings for the marriage through solemn ceremonies, thereby granting the bride clan status.

In established noble families like the Qin Family in Annan, this ritual is vital, with ceremonies conducted more elaborately and meticulously.

Today, it was Chen Yi, under the title of "concubine," who accompanied Qin Qingluo to the Prince Mansion’s ancestral temple for the temple visit ritual.

Both Chen Yi and Qin Qingluo wore formal attire. Qin Qingluo was dressed in a robe with a dark foundation and gold patterns, dignified and majestic; Chen Yi in more understated yet equally exquisite concubine attire.

They stood in the hall, amidst the ceremonial officer’s announcements, performing the ancient rites of incense burning, offering wine, and presenting sacrifices, followed by kneeling and bowing.

As incense smoke drifted, the ethereal vapor seemed to blur the boundaries of time and space.

While bowing, Chen Yi felt a subtle pull, promptly gazing at the swirling smoke, eyes sweeping past the dense lineup of tablets, eventually resting on the highest ancestor’s tablet.

In the swirling smoke, that tablet seemed to sway slightly, and then, as Chen Yi re-opened his eyes,

Amid layers of smoke, in a hazy interplay of light and shadow, a vague figure appeared once more, Qin Xuzhi watching them with interest, the ancestor smiling faintly.

"You two have finally ended up together, haven’t you?"