RMWDS -Chapter 254 Protected by the Mountain God

“What’s this? Lord Liang, are you not going to bow when you see me?”

Princess Ningyu lazily lifted her eyelids, her gaze sweeping over him. Her tone was light and casual, yet carried unquestionable authority.

Liang Chen suddenly snapped back to his senses.

His face alternated between red and pale, as though he had just been slapped hard across the face.

He hurriedly lifted the hem of his official robe and dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing respectfully.

“Your servant, Liang Chen, greets Your Highness the Princess.”

“You may rise.”

Princess Ningyu waved her hand dismissively. Her tone remained indifferent, as though she were merely brushing aside an annoying fly.

“Since you’re here, sit down and join me for a meal. Consider it a favor from me.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Liang Chen bowed once more before carefully standing and taking a seat at one of the guest tables.

Servants quickly brought out the dishes.

The table was filled with delicacies from the mountains and seas, an extravagant feast laid out in dazzling variety. Every dish was exquisitely prepared and fragrant. The food was served on fine white porcelain from official kilns, making the dishes appear even more appetizing.

Yet Liang Chen had no appetite whatsoever.

He only felt uncomfortable from head to toe, as if sitting on a bed of needles.

His back remained ramrod straight as he sat there, not daring to look around. He could only stare fixedly at the white porcelain bowl before him.

But from the corner of his eye, he kept catching glimpses of the four handsome young men attending to the princess.

They fussed over her attentively, smiling and chatting.

From time to time, Princess Ningyu laughed and joked with them, her voice soft and charming—a complete contrast to the cold indifference she had shown him moments earlier.

She was treating him, the imperial envoy, as though he were completely invisible.

This wasn’t hospitality at all.

It was humiliation, deliberately staged for him to see.

At long last, the meal ended.

The servants cleared away the dishes and brought out freshly picked Longjing tea harvested after the rain.

Princess Ningyu accepted a silk handkerchief, dabbed the corners of her lips, and took a sip of tea.

Only then did she finally raise her eyes and look directly at Liang Chen.

Holding the white porcelain teacup, she slowly stroked the cup’s surface with her fingertips before speaking leisurely.

Her tone was calm and casual, yet carried an indescribable sense of pressure.

“Come to think of it, my memory isn’t very good. What was your name again?”

Liang Chen: “…”

He had introduced himself only moments ago.

There was no way the princess could have forgotten so quickly.

She was obviously humiliating him on purpose.

Looking at him, Princess Ningyu continued casually,

“I only remember that the previous Director of the Imperial Observatory seemed to have the surname Su.”

“You… wouldn’t happen to be surnamed Su as well, would you?”

A chill ran down Liang Chen’s spine.

Could it be that the princess knew his original name—Su Liangchen?

Did she know even more than that?

Not daring to think further, he quickly set down his teacup and bowed.

“Reporting to Your Highness, my surname is Liang, and my given name is Chen.”

“Is that so?”

Princess Ningyu raised an eyebrow but did not pursue the matter.

“Then perhaps I remembered incorrectly. After all, I deal with too many affairs every day. It’s difficult to remember people and matters that are of no importance.”

Yet the more casually she spoke, the more uneasy Liang Chen became.

He had the distinct feeling that what she had just said was not a casual remark.

It sounded much more like a warning.

“Now that the meal is over,” Princess Ningyu said as she set down her teacup and rose to her feet, smoothing the folds of her skirt, “let’s go.

Father sent you here to inspect the feng shui of the Prayer Temple and check on the construction progress, didn’t he? I’ll personally take you there right now, so that when you return, you won’t go speaking nonsense in front of Father.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I shall obey your instructions.”

Liang Chen immediately bowed in response, but inwardly he sneered.

Trying to stall for time? Putting on an act?

No matter how much you delay, it won’t change the fact that the Prayer Temple was destroyed by the flood.

Once we arrive at the site and everyone sees that mess, let’s see how long you can keep pretending!

A grand procession soon departed from the Princess Manor and headed toward the Prayer Temple construction site in the rear mountains of Xuanwu Mountain.

Seated in his carriage, Liang Chen busied himself planning how he would pick apart every flaw and embellish his report to the Emperor. The more he thought about it, the more certain he became of success, and the humiliation he had suffered earlier gradually faded.

After an hour’s journey, they finally arrived at the construction site.

Liang Chen eagerly lifted the carriage curtain, expecting to enjoy the spectacle.

But the moment he saw what lay before him, the smile on his face froze.

He sat there dumbfounded.

There was no devastation.

No ruined foundations.

No scattered timber or bricks.

No despairing craftsmen.

Instead, what greeted his eyes was an orderly and bustling construction site.

Most of the temple’s wooden framework had already been erected. Massive timber pillars stood straight and sturdy, supporting the skeleton of the grand structure.

Hundreds of craftsmen worked efficiently at their assigned tasks.

Some built walls.

Some installed beams and columns.

Some transported materials.

The sounds of work chants, hammering, and sawing filled the air. The site was lively and energetic, yet not chaotic in the slightest.

What shocked Liang Chen the most were the carved decorative panels stacked nearby.

Dark-brown boards were piled neatly together.

Each one was smooth and flawless, with perfectly cut edges and corners.

Exquisite patterns covered their surfaces.

Layer upon layer of auspicious clouds flowed in graceful lines.

Mythical beasts stood proudly, so lifelike that even the strands of their fur seemed visible.

Lotus flowers bloomed elegantly, their petals arranged in delicate layers as though they might open fully at any moment.

The craftsmanship surpassed anything he had ever seen in the Imperial Palace.

Liang Chen rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be mistaken.

He jumped down from the carriage and hurried over to the stacks of panels.

Reaching out, he gently traced the carvings with his fingers.

His fingertips glided across the smooth surface.

The fine texture and the cold solidity of the wood told him one thing:

This was all real.

Princess Ningyu walked over and folded her arms, watching him with an amused smile.

Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

“What is it, Lord Liang? You look rather disappointed. Could it be that you were hoping the Prayer Temple project would be in terrible condition—a complete disaster?”

Liang Chen snapped back to reality.

His face alternated between red and pale as he frantically waved his hands.

“No, no, no! I would never think such a thing! I was only… only concerned because I heard that South Xiang Province had suffered continuous heavy rains. I feared the temple project might be delayed because of it…”

“Concerned?”

Princess Ningyu let out a cold laugh and looked toward the distant green mountains.

“Then Lord Liang is mistaken.

South Xiang Province has suffered from a prolonged drought. Crops failed, and the people suffered greatly.

This rainfall came at exactly the right time.

It ended the drought and saved the harvests.

It is a great and auspicious blessing.

Besides, I have long said that Xuanwu Mountain is protected by the Mountain God and filled with spiritual energy. Everything here proceeds smoothly.

A little wind and rain amount to nothing.”

She turned back to Liang Chen.

Her gaze was sharp enough to pierce through his thoughts.

“On the other hand, Lord Liang, as Director of the Imperial Observatory, you are responsible for celestial phenomena and the calendar, yet you cannot distinguish between an auspicious omen and a disaster.

Instead, you seemed to be hoping that a flood would destroy the Prayer Temple and delay the project.

One has to wonder what your true intentions are.”

“Y-Your servant would never dare!”

Terrified, Liang Chen immediately dropped to his knees.

Cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

“I merely misspoke for a moment! I absolutely meant no such thing! Please see the truth of the matter, Your Highness!”

“Get up.”

Princess Ningyu waved her hand dismissively, unwilling to waste any more time on him.

“Since you’re here, then properly inspect the feng shui.

Otherwise, when Father asks you about it later, you’ll have nothing to say and will only disgrace the name of the Imperial Observatory.”