"What's wrong?" Madam Nian frowned.

"It's from the concubine's side; they took in a maid. She's a refugee." Cui Ling got off the carriage early in the morning, saw clearly, and returned to report to Madam Nian.

"Hmph, there are too many people fleeing. Can we possibly take them all in?" Madam Nian rolled her eyes.

Fourth Master led the women on their way to Huangjue Temple, finally arriving just before lunch. As everyone alighted from the carriage, a young monk who had been waiting to greet them came out to welcome them.

Lanqin discovered that the number of people coming to Huangjue Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha was really bad. The open space in front of the temple was filled with carriages, making Lanqin realize that even in ancient times, there was a problem of "carriages" overflowing.

Fourth Master led his female relatives into the house, followed by a welcoming monk. Lanqin immediately recalled the time when she had just transmigrated, when she was led here by Anjia to seek her future, and the scene where she met Fourth Master on the back mountain.

“Nianxue, do you still remember that year when I came here to worship Buddha, and Mother even invited the abbot here to read my fortune?” Lanqin couldn’t help but ask Nianxue, who was standing beside her.

“Of course I remember. That abbot said that Master’s destiny was exceptionally noble. Sure enough, Master has achieved it now,” Nianxue said.

Lanqin smiled, suddenly thinking that she should have the abbot read her fortune again.

The group followed Fourth Master into the temple. After passing through the tall temple gate, the words "Main Hall" came into view. Lanqin had once mocked the temple, thinking that the main hall was not as grand and imposing as the royal temple she had imagined. Now, however, the entrance to the Main Hall was filled with people standing in twos and threes.

Lanqin immediately spotted the Third Prince's wife, and upon closer inspection, she also saw that the Eighth and Ninth Prince's wives had arrived.

Fourth Prince naturally saw his brother's family members, so he turned to Lanqin and the other women and said, "You all go with Consort to burn incense over there. I'm going to talk to the abbot. The peach blossoms on the back mountain are in full bloom; you can go and see them. I'll stay with the abbot up ahead. Come back for lunch, and we can have a vegetarian meal together at the temple."

No one raised any objections, so Fourth Master headed towards the temple gate where the abbot was. Lanqin didn't want to be the leader either, so she turned to the women following behind and said, "Why don't we split up and meet here at noon, then go together to find Master for a vegetarian meal?"

Naturally, Nian didn't like following behind Lanqin, while Song and Geng were happy to be with Lanqin, and Wu didn't voice any opinion. So the five of them split into three groups: Lanqin, Song, and Geng were together, Nian acted alone, and Wu also acted alone.

Lanqin, along with Song and Geng, were helped by their maids and walked towards the main hall. Lanqin had to bow to the Third, Eighth, and Ninth Princess Consorts who were standing together talking.

"Oh, isn't this the concubine of the Fourth Prince's household? You've brought the princesses out to worship Buddha?" The Third Princess looked Lanqin up and down a few times before saying sarcastically.

"Our master has assigned us a task, so I won't bother you ladies any longer. I'll take my leave!" Lanqin said directly, too lazy to waste words with the Third Princess. Song and Geng, who were behind her, also bowed and prepared to leave.

"Halt!" Seeing that Lanqin didn't take her seriously, the Third Princess Consort felt a surge of pent-up anger. It turned out that the Third Prince's concubine, Tian, ​​had come with her, but had already gone elsewhere with him. She, the principal wife, was left standing there, ignored by everyone.

Lanqin paused, turned slightly to the side, and smiled, saying, "I wonder if the Third Princess Consort has any further instructions?"

Lanqin was also annoyed at this moment. She had finally come out and was in a good mood, but she just had to run into this Third Prince Consort who always looked down on her, while the Eighth and Ninth Prince Consorts were just watching and laughing at her.

"I didn't tell you to leave, how dare you leave!" The Third Princess was enraged by Lanqin's arrogant attitude. In fact, she was angry with Tian Shi, but the Third Prince protected her, so she had nowhere to vent her anger. Now that she saw that Lanqin was all alone, she wanted to take it out on her.

The Eighth Prince's wife stood aside, watching the fire from the sidelines, while the Ninth Prince's wife remained indifferent, as if it were none of her business.

"I wonder what brings you here, Third Princess? My master asked me to offer incense and prayers to the Buddha for the princes and princesses in the household. I cannot bear the responsibility of delaying you." Lanqin felt a surge of anger running through her mind. Was this Third Princess's brain completely filled with straw?!

The Third Princess Consort was speechless for a moment. She had been so busy getting angry that she realized the other woman wasn't a concubine in her own household, and she couldn't really control her. The Eighth Princess Consort, seeing the Third Princess Consort's silence, felt a surge of disdain and then said, "Concubine Consort Niu, the Third Princess Consort actually wanted to go in with you to pray to Buddha, didn't she, Third Sister-in-law?"

When the Third Prince Consort heard the Eighth Prince Consort say this, she quickly added, "That's right, does Consort Niu not want to?"

Lanqin's heart sank. The Eighth Prince's wife was indeed formidable. Her words could have deterred the Third Prince's wife, but with the Eighth Prince's wife's response, she, as a secondary prince's wife, could not back down.

"If the Third Princess Consort is willing to go together, I will naturally be happy to follow!" Lanqin said through gritted teeth.

So, Lanqin and her entourage, along with the entourages of the Third, Eighth, and Ninth Prince's wives, marched in a grand procession towards the Great Buddha Hall. Inside, they saw some noblewomen already praying to Buddha. Upon seeing Lanqin and her group enter, they all automatically stepped aside, perhaps intimidated by the imposing presence of the principal wives, causing them to scatter.

The young monk inside, who was serving worshippers, held one hand in front of his chest and said to Lanqin and the others, "Benefactors, please offer your incense money over there and collect your incense and candles before you come forward to kneel and worship."

The Third, Eighth, and Ninth Prince's wives naturally went first, while Lanqin and the other two waited behind. There were only three kneeling cushions available, and besides, Lanqin and the others weren't of equal status to the First Prince's wife.

Lanqin and the others watched listlessly as the Third Princess and the others knelt, offered incense, kowtowed, and made wishes before silently standing up. Lanqin had intended to wait until they went to draw lots, after which they would automatically stop paying attention to her, but her beautiful wish was immediately shattered.

"Consort Niu, you go and collect the incense. We'll wait here." The Third Consort clearly didn't want to let Lanqin and the others off immediately.

Lanqin could only curse "Damn it" silently in her heart before following the rules to give incense money and then get the incense.

When Lanqin knelt at the feet of the Buddha, she truly believed that people have past and future lives. Otherwise, why would she have transmigrated here? Before, when Lanqin first transmigrated, she didn't believe in ghosts and gods. But after spending these few years in the Fourth Prince's inner quarters, she began to wonder if her current appearance was her past life.