The wooden door closed, and Gan Qiongying stayed inside for a full half hour before it reopened.

At that time, she was radiant and extremely excited.

She came out and stuffed all the money she had brought with her into Dingzhen's hand, saying, "If you have any requests or need anything, just send someone to me. I will do my best to help you."

Dingzhen's expression remained unchanged. After accepting the silver note, he looked at Gan Qiongying and said, "Princess, you are very righteous. Today you have sown a good seed, and tomorrow you will surely reap a good harvest."

Gan Qiongying waved her hand, still not quite believing it, and said with a smile, "Then I'll be leaving. I'll send someone to contact you here from time to time in the future."

Dingzhen nodded, but soon raised his hand, took off a string of Buddhist prayer beads from his own wrist, and personally wrapped them around Gan Qiongying's hand.

"This is the Bodhi tree that I carry with me every day. I have been chanting sutras before the Buddha for over a thousand days. Perhaps it can protect the princess from a bloody attack."

Gan Qiongying looked down and saw that it must have been worn on her wrist for quite a while, as it had developed a patina.

Logically speaking, it would be difficult to explain to Li Hua if she brought back a string of beads, but Gan Qiongying's eyes darted around and she asked Dingzhen, "So, has this been blessed?"

Dingzhen pursed her lips and nodded.

Gan Qiongying said, "That's perfect."

She planned to take it back to Li Hua and tell him that she had obtained the peace bracelet from the temple. Ding Zhen had even said it could ward off evil spirits, so it would be even better if it worked.

After achieving her goal, Gan Qiongying stopped lingering, waved goodbye to Dingzhen, and, as it was almost time to meet Lihua, hurriedly headed out of the temple with Manyue.

Manyue remained silent, and Gan Qiongying knew she wanted to ask what she and Dingzhen had been doing, but Gan Qiongying deliberately kept quiet.

She wouldn't tell anyone about this, and she also ordered Manyue never to mention it to anyone.

Full Moon naturally listened to Gan Qiongying, but she couldn't help but have wild thoughts. She hoped that the princess wouldn't devote herself to the prince consort, but she was also afraid that the princess would devote herself to the monk... That Dingzhen was indeed quite good-looking.

They descended the mountain at a rapid pace. Along the way, Caihong and Queqing, who had been sent away by Manyue to guard the temple entrance, also followed Gan Qiongying. The group hurried to the foot of the mountain.

When Gan Qiongying arrived, Li Hua had already returned, and it was just past the time they had agreed to meet.

"Did you come back a long time ago? Why didn't you send someone to the temple to look for me!" Gan Qiongying knew from Li Hua's appearance that Li Hua must have been waiting for her here for a long time.

Li Hua smiled and touched her temple, saying, "Princess, please get in the carriage. There's a hot spring in the estate; you can soak in it tonight to relax."

"The doctor had already made arrangements and was waiting early." Gan Qiongying and Li Hua helped each other into the carriage and headed towards the manor.

The two of them were talking about what they had seen and heard in the temple. Gan Qiongying leaned on Li Hua's shoulder and listened to him talk about wearing a red lucky ribbon.

Gan Qiongying then said, "I tied it too. That tree is about to collapse under the weight. I was just saying that the Bodhisattva is probably too busy to handle it."

She gently swung her legs, bumping them against Li Hua's legs in rhythm with the carriage.

Li Hua, with a smile on her face, said, "It's alright, the Bodhisattva will surely protect us."

Li Hua never believed in fate; he only believed that human effort could make things happen. In his life, he would never let go of Gan Qiongying.

The two talked slowly again. The carriage was not traveling fast up the mountain. Gan Qiongying was clearly excited, but for some reason she fell asleep leaning against Li Hua.

When she was jolted awake by the nightmare, she was breathing rapidly, her mouth was dry, and she could make a series of gasping sounds in her throat.

"We've arrived. Were you having a nightmare?" Li Hua touched Gan Qiongying's forehead, which was covered in cold sweat.

Gan Qiongying instinctively raised her hand and slapped Li Hua away.

The Buddhist prayer beads wrapped around Li Hua's wrist jingled, and Li Hua's expression hardened.

As the sun set, the interior of the carriage was dimly lit. For some reason, Gan Qiongying suddenly felt that Li Hua's expression was somewhat strange.

If I had to choose an adjective, I would call it gloomy.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Li Hua's voice was still so gentle, and Gan Qiongying dodged her slightly, but she didn't seem to mind at all.

He then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from Gan Qiongying's forehead.

Gan Qiongying hummed in agreement and nodded, saying, "Indeed... I had a nightmare."

A nightmare she hadn't had in a long time.

She dreamt again of being chased by horses, with Zhongli Zhen on horseback, looking down at her with a mocking and cruel gaze as she ran miserably through the mountains.

When the horses completely surrounded her, her hands were bound with ropes, and she ran behind Zhongli Zhengzhen's horse.

He kept begging for mercy, but not for Zhongli to truly let him go; instead, he begged him to "save him."

Whom did she ask Zhongli to save?

Gan Qiongying reached out and rubbed her groggy head.

Gan Qiongying grabbed Li Hua's wrist and said, "What a terrible nightmare."

"It's alright, I'm here. Don't be afraid." Li Hua touched Gan Qiongying's face slowly and gently, with a hint of probing, afraid that Gan Qiongying would push him away again.

Gan Qiongying laughed: "I'm not afraid."

She looked at the human skin mask on Li Hua's face. Today, Li Hua was leaving the mansion as the prince consort, and he had put on the mask with the gentle appearance he used to wear.

Gan Qiongying was somewhat relieved that he was wearing the mask; otherwise, she wouldn't know how she would react if she opened her eyes to see 'Zhongli Zhengzhen' after escaping from that terrifyingly realistic dream.

Gan Qiongying threw herself into Li Hua's arms and said, "With you here, of course I'm not afraid of anything..."

"We've arrived, let's get off the bus."

Gan Qiongying reached out to pull Li Hua, and as she raised her hand, the prayer beads on her wrist rattled once more.

Gan Qiongying glanced down and immediately added, "Oh, right, I got you a blessed bracelet from the temple! Here you go."

"It can ward off blood evil and ensure safety."

Gan Qiongying took off the bracelet, pulled it over Li Hua's wrist, and wrapped it around his wrist in circles.

Li Hua's fingers were long and slender, and the string of beads on his wrist, though just Bodhi seeds, had the feel of a fine jade carving.

Li Hua was indeed a living god of wealth, exuding elegance and nobility. Even with a wooden fork wrapped around his body, he looked like an expensive item.

Okay.

"You asked for this for me?" Li Hua turned her wrist, her eyes bright, and flicked it with her other finger, already quite fond of it.

Gan Qiongying was a little embarrassed, but she nodded anyway. Even couples need white lies, right? She asked, "Do you like it?"

Li Hua nodded, turned his head and kissed Gan Qiongying's cheek, then whispered in her ear, "I like it."

"I like everything you give me."

Gan Qiongying blushed and her ears burned.

He thought to himself, "Oh no, I'm doomed. Li Hua can even say sweet nothings now."