The next day, Hongzhou got up early, gave Geng a reason, and went to the stable alone to fetch his horse. He specially wore a dark blue straight robe, with a belt inlaid with gemstones and jade around his waist, and a matching embroidered bamboo sachet hanging down from it, making him look quite handsome and elegant.

"So early? They haven't gotten up yet!" Hongli was wearing a moon-white straight robe with a ribbon tied around his waist. He had expected Hongzhou to come, so he got up early as well.

"Why did you come too?" Hongzhou also wanted Hongli to come with him, so that if anything happened, there would be someone to discuss it with, but he was too embarrassed to ask Hongli for it.

"If I don't come, I'm afraid you'll mess things up," Hongli continued teasingly. Last night, he had told Lanqin in detail about Hongzhou and Ulanara Xueying. Although his mother had promised him she wouldn't ask about it, he still felt a little guilty and revealed Hongzhou's feelings to her.

“If you have something to do, you don’t have to come with me.” Although Hongzhou said this, the smile on his face betrayed him.

"Alright, let's go. Let's go to Tantuo Temple first and figure out the layout of the place." Hongli walked past Hongzhou and went inside to choose a horse.

As the sunlight began to brighten on the horizon, two black horses, as smooth as satin, galloped out from a side gate, their hooves clattering on the bluestone bricks as they ran away.

The two arrived at Tantuo Temple early in the morning. Hongli then took Hongzhou directly to the steward, explained that he had come to pray for the elders in his family, and gave him a heavy bag of incense money.

Often, the abbot of a temple doesn't manage worldly affairs; that's handled by the monks specifically in charge. Hongli chatted with the monk for a while, then stuffed a bag of silver into his hand—enough to almost buy a golden statue. The monk, with his large head, square ears, and bloated appearance, was overjoyed at the sight of the silver.

He assured Hongli that he would do everything he was told to do.

"All arranged. When they arrive, they'll arrange for Xueying to draw lots alone. When she's alone with you, take the opportunity to confess your feelings to her," Hongli said, patting Hongzhou on the shoulder.

Hongzhou's face turned red, and his heart couldn't help but tighten. He even stammered and could only nod.

"It's nothing serious, don't be nervous. She's just a woman; if it's not her fault, just let it go as soon as possible," Hongli comforted her.

After saying this, the two brothers went to a side room in the temple to catch up on their sleep. It would take another hour for them to get some rest.

Meanwhile, the Fujin (princess) led Hongshi, Irgen, Shuzhen, and Xueying out the door. Hongshi rode a horse outside, while the women each traveled in a sedan chair. Their respective maids walked alongside the sedan chairs, and two guards followed behind.

Tantuo Temple was located in the south of the city, not far away. The group strolled leisurely through the streets toward the temple.

Xueying raised her slender hand, opened the "window" of the sedan chair, and looked out. She saw that there were many pedestrians on the street, and various vendors' cries could be heard all over the place.

She quickly lowered her hand and stopped looking outside.

She had been staying at the mansion for several days, and as the Fujin's niece, she couldn't very well meet that person. So apart from that one encounter at the door that day, she hadn't had a chance to see him again.

Although Xueying had made a solemn vow to her father that day, she was now at a loss. As for Hongzhou, he often lingered at the entrance of the main courtyard, so she had no choice but to hide inside and dared not come out at all.

At 9:00 AM, the group finally arrived at Tantuo Temple. Hongshi went in first to negotiate with the head monk, asking them to set aside a special area for the Princess and her entourage to offer incense. Being members of the Prince's household, they naturally couldn't kowtow and offer incense with ordinary people. The head monk readily complied with Hongshi's requests, instructing a junior monk to escort the Princess and her party into a private room not open to the public for Buddhist worship.

The princess, accompanied by three young women, knelt before the Buddha, closed their eyes, clasped their hands together in front of their chests, and silently recited scriptures. After the princess and the others finished reciting the scriptures, a monk stepped forward and said, "Honored guest, why don't you go and draw a fortune stick for marriage? The fortune sticks in our temple are very accurate."

The princess turned to Xueying and said, "Go and ask for one yourself. They don't need to. Let's go for a walk outside, and come find us after you've drawn your fortune slip."

Xueying had no intention of asking, but since the Fujin (principal wife) had spoken, she didn't object anymore and followed the monk to draw a marriage fortune slip. She followed the monk through the covered walkway, through a flower-shaped side gate, and into another courtyard. There wasn't a single outsider there; it was all monks. Xueying carefully remembered the way she had come, lest she get lost later.

"Esteemed benefactor, we have arrived. The box for drawing lots is inside. Please go in and draw a lot," the monk said, pressing his palms together.

Xueying nodded and went into a house alone, where a clay statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva was displayed.