Chapter 115: Must Not Lose to the Previous Life

"Of course I can keep going. I have climbed this mountain so many times; surely I wouldn't lose to a child!" Seeing Qin Wanru far ahead, the Grand Princess cast aside her earlier melancholy and stepped onto the stairs with a determined, competitive spirit.

Up ahead, Qin Wanru continued to climb step by step. Shui Ruolan had long since run out of energy and was resting halfway up, leaving only Qin Wanru and her maid, Yujie, to push onward.

Yujie had grown up in the mountains, so although she was tired, she could still endure it. Qin Wanru’s physical condition, however, was inferior to hers. By now, her face was deathly pale, and even her naturally rosy lips had lost their color, yet she continued to climb.

"Miss, shall we stop and rest for a moment?" Yujie, seeing that she was at the end of her strength, reached out to support her.

Qin Wanru shook her head. She barely had the strength to speak, driven only by a fierce resolve to climb higher; only by reaching the top could she hope to catch the attention of the Grand Princess of Rui'an.

In her previous life, she had encountered endless misery and lived in a world of darkness and despair. On this "Path of Self-Reflection," she had climbed with all her might, desperate to reach the peak and demonstrate her piety to the Buddha, hoping for a turning point in her fate. That was what had caught the Grand Princess's eye, leading the noblewoman to openly praise her persistence.

In this life, reborn, she could not afford to lose to her past self!

Her breathing grew increasingly heavy. Amidst the labored gasps, she could almost taste the metallic scent of blood in her throat. Gritting her teeth, she pushed harder. She didn't look back to see how many steps she had covered, nor did she look up to see how many remained. Driven solely by sheer tenacity, she climbed upward, one footprint at a time.

"Look, that girl is still walking!" When Nanny Gao stopped to let the Grand Princess rest, she looked up and was surprised to see Qin Wanru still ascending.

The Grand Princess wiped the sweat from her brow and squinted. Though she was advanced in age, she hiked often, and her stamina surpassed that of most people her age—especially the noble ladies and misses, few of whom could ever keep pace with her.

Yet, the girl who looked like a porcelain doll was still climbing without a single pause. It piqued her interest; the child’s resilience was truly astonishing, and she felt a strange, familiar fondness for her.

"Find out which family that girl belongs to later!" the Grand Princess couldn't help but say. To have such resilient persistence at such a young age!

"As you command, Your Highness," Nanny Gao replied, wiping the sweat from her own forehead.

"Let’s go. We can’t let ourselves be outdone by a little girl!" The Grand Princess chuckled, resumed her pace, and adjusted her breathing as she continued upward.

Passing by Shui Ruolan, she took a deliberate look and realized that the woman was no longer young—at least twenty-five—and must be the girl's mother. The Grand Princess offered her a kind smile, and Shui Ruolan, who had stopped to rest due to the heat, politely returned the gesture. Her gentle and kind demeanor left a favorable impression on the Grand Princess. Both mother and daughter, it seemed, were well-bred.

It was near the final stretch that Qin Wanru lost her footing and nearly fell. Yujie tried to catch her, but she too was exhausted. Her footing was unsteady and her reactions sluggish; she only managed to grab one of Qin Wanru's hands. Seeing Qin Wanru’s face turn as white as snow and her body tilt to the side, Yujie realized the danger and quickly used her other hand to half-embrace her.

"Miss, what happened?"

Qin Wanru leaned on Yujie, gasping for air. Her palm-sized face was deathly pale. It took a long while for her to regain her focus.

"I... I think I twisted... twisted my ankle," Qin Wanru panted, suppressing the metallic taste of blood in her throat. Sweat poured down her face as if it were the height of summer. She felt lightheaded.

"Miss, let me carry you the rest of the way!" Seeing that the end was not far off, Yujie knelt in front of her.

"No need... I will... make it up myself," Qin Wanru shook her head.

"But you’ve injured your ankle! How will you climb?" Yujie asked, filled with worry.

"It's fine... I just need... to rest a moment." Qin Wanru shook her head firmly again, gasping for air and closing her eyes as the world spun. She had truly overexerted herself; her body felt so weak she didn't want to move. She reached down to touch her ankle. It was painful, but not severely so; the injury didn't seem critical. "I... I will be up there soon!" she insisted, struggling to stand.

Seeing her resolve, Yujie helped her to a large, flat rock by the side of the path, a spot clearly used by many travelers for rest. As Yujie knelt to check the ankle, Qin Wanru stopped her with a wave of her hand.

"Wait until we reach... the top. There are too many people here... it wouldn't be proper," Qin Wanru said, wiping the sweat from her face with a handkerchief. The etiquette of noble families was strict; she could not reveal her ankle in such a public place.

"Young lady, are you alright? Do you need help?" Nanny Gao, supporting the Grand Princess, finally reached that step. Seeing Qin Wanru, pale as snow, being supported by her maid, the Grand Princess gestured for Nanny Gao to ask. The girl had climbed such a long way, and she looked unwell.

"Thank you, Nanny... I am quite alright!" Qin Wanru smiled and shook her head.

"What happened to your foot?" Nanny Gao asked with concern, noticing Qin Wanru gingerly holding her foot off the ground.

"I accidentally... twisted it," Qin Wanru bit her lip, showing a childlike shyness.

"To keep walking even with a twisted ankle—what a stubborn child!" The Grand Princess walked over, feeling a sudden, inexplicable affection for the girl. Whether it was her delicate features, her unyielding temper, or her resilience, everything about her reminded the Grand Princess of someone from her past. Her heart softened, and she asked with concern.

"Thank you, old madam. I... I am really fine," Qin Wanru said, smiling as she reached for the stone to try and stand to pay her respects.

"You are injured, no need for formalities!" Seeing the pale face under the sweat-drenched hair, the Grand Princess felt even more pity. She waved her hand to stop her. "How will you make it up looking like this? Let someone carry you. It’s only a few steps left!"

"Thank you for your concern, old madam, but I hear this is the 'Path of Self-Reflection.' Since I have come this far, I wish to finish it on my own!" Qin Wanru gave a shy, childlike smile, her sweaty, pale face looking rather disheveled.

"Very well. Then I shall walk with you today!" The Grand Princess laughed and reached out to support her.

There were indeed only a few steps left, but most people, once they reached the state Qin Wanru was in, would refuse to take those final steps, viewing them as an insurmountable mountain due to a lack of willpower.

When Qin Wanru stood at the top and saw the magnificent temple, she let out a long breath of exhaustion. Yujie helped her to a stone bench to wait for Shui Ruolan. Nanny Gao sat the Grand Princess down opposite them. Being older, the Grand Princess was also gasping for air. There was hot tea available on a stone table, and Yujie poured two cups for them.

"Which family are you from? I don't recall seeing you before," the Grand Princess asked after taking a sip of tea and catching her breath.

"My father is General Ningyuan, who has just arrived in the capital to report for duty," Qin Wanru replied with a faint smile.

Her skin was white and translucent as snow. Now that she had recovered slightly, a soft flush returned to her cheeks. Her large, bright eyes, framed by long lashes, looked clean and gentle, and her crimson lips gave her an air of vibrant beauty, yet she maintained an aura as cool as snow. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, the Grand Princess would have found it hard to believe that such a delicate girl could possess such resilience.

"A true daughter of a military family, indeed impressive!" Though the Grand Princess was not familiar with General Ningyuan, she had a natural affinity for military families, finding them more straightforward than the scheming civil officials. Her praise was sincere.

"You are too kind, old madam!" Qin Wanru lowered her head, smiling with modest embarrassment.

"When did you arrive in the capital?" the Grand Princess asked, looking at her with a pleasant mood.

"Only yesterday. Having heard of the reputation of the Huaguang Temple, I came here early this morning with my mother," Qin Wanru replied candidly and obediently. She was open and poised, a truly likable girl.

"Is that your mother down there, the wife of General Ningyuan?" the Grand Princess asked casually.

"She is my mother, but she is my father's equal wife; she was originally my father's cousin," Qin Wanru bit her lip, hesitating. Her words were intentionally vague.

"Your father's cousin?" The Grand Princess sensed there was more to the story and repeated it with interest.

"She was brought into the household to look after me. I... I am a handful, and my father was worried about me!" Qin Wanru became even more ambiguous. She spoke with a hint of unease, twisting her handkerchief between her fingers, appearing as though she didn't quite know how to phrase it.

Having seen much in her life, the Grand Princess understood that there was more behind the scenes, so she did not press further. Instead, she said, "I am hosting a banquet at my residence in a few days. Would you like me to send an invitation for you to come and play?"

"Who are you?" Qin Wanru asked, lifting her clear, watery eyes in confusion.

"Our mistress is the Grand Princess of Rui'an!" Nanny Gao stepped forward from behind the Grand Princess and smiled.