Seeing that the monk and his servants did not believe him, he simply smiled and said nothing more. “Ladies, I misspoke, but this fortune stick is indeed a very rare and auspicious one. It is a good omen, and your wishes will surely be fulfilled.”
Luo Chaoxi gestured to Hua Ping not to be rash or impulsive.
"It's alright. The fortune slip is a good one. How to interpret it depends on how you think about it. I'm grateful for the master's auspicious words today. If my wish can really come true, I will definitely come back to fulfill my vow in the future."
"Good, good, good."
After saying that, she made no further attempt to interpret the divination slips and left with the painted screen.
The monk watched the departing master and servant, but smiled without saying a word. What he hadn't mentioned was that since the temple was built, this fortune stick had only been drawn by three people: one became the Empress Dowager of the previous dynasty, and two became the Empresses of the previous dynasty.
As night fell, at 1:15 PM, the monks of Baohua Temple finished their evening prayers, and the entire temple fell into silence.
Baohua Temple occupies a large area, and the side rooms and courtyards where pilgrims stay are some distance from the main hall. As night falls, the courtyard and surroundings fall into silence, with the faint sounds of cicadas and insects. The cool mountain breeze is refreshing and invigorating, making it a truly peaceful place.
No wonder the emperor stayed in this place for more than a year without returning to the capital.
Luo Chaoxi knew that Wei would send someone to Jinyang Prefecture tonight, so she turned off the lights and went to bed early to give them an opportunity.
It also creates an opportunity for yourself.
Sure enough, before midnight, faint footsteps could be heard outside the window.
"Host, be careful, they've secretly put sleeping pills in." The system warned in my mind.
Luo Chaoxi immediately took an antidote pill, then quietly got up and hid behind the door.
A thin bamboo tube quietly reached in through the window, and a wisp of smoke drifted out. After waiting for a while, the person outside seemed to think it was about time, opened the window to let in some fresh air, and then jumped in.
Luo Chaoxi glanced at them and saw that there were three people on the other side, all dressed as servants.
While they were inside the room, Luo Chaoxi opened the door and ran out, her legs moving incredibly fast.
Hearing the noise, the three thought someone had come in and instinctively hid. When the footsteps disappeared, they quickly looked towards the bed, only to find it empty.
"Damn it! That woman ran away, hurry and chase her!"
The three hurriedly chased after him, only to catch a glimpse of a white hem disappearing around the corner outside the courtyard.
"The old lady instructed that the person be sent over tonight; we can't let her escape!"
The three of them immediately gave chase.
Following the system's instructions, Luo Chaoxi ran towards Murong Ling's courtyard while keeping a respectful distance from the three men behind her, ensuring they wouldn't lose her but also wouldn't catch up with her.
They chased after her until they reached a small courtyard in the distance, where the white figure disappeared. None of the three could see which courtyard Luo Chaoxi had run into, so they had to split up and search one courtyard at a time.
People who could live in courtyards were generally wealthy and noble. They couldn't disturb them, so they had to sneak into the courtyard to search, which made the process much slower.
There were no servants guarding Murong Ling's courtyard, so Luo Chaoxi easily slipped into his room.
The room was lit with candles, and no one was inside. She found a corner to hide in.
A moment later, footsteps were heard at the door, and a tall, upright figure walked in from outside. As soon as he entered, he paused.
There was an unfamiliar atmosphere in the room, and a faint fragrance floated in the air. It was very light, but the man at the door still managed to detect it keenly.
Murong Ling frowned, and his handsome face, as if carved by a knife and axe, was quickly covered with frost.
Someone broke in.
Murong Ling's cold gaze swept around the room, landing on a corner of white peeking out from the narrow gap between the screen and the wooden cabinet.
He turned and moved closer to the white figure. When he reached the cabinet, he stretched out his long arm and roughly pulled out the person hiding in the crevice, throwing him to the ground.
"Who told you to hide here? Are you looking for death?"
"ah!"
The woman gasped, her soft voice filled with shock and fear. Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, held terror as she timidly looked up at the man in front of her.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. A thief broke into my yard, and I ran away. In my panic, I came into your yard to hide."
Murong Ling looked down at the woman who had fallen to the ground in a disheveled state. When he saw her face, his eyes flickered slightly, and he recognized her as the woman who had asked for a fortune during the day.
Upon closer inspection, she was even more stunning than when I had glimpsed her during the day. Her face was flawless, whiter and smoother than the finest mutton fat jade, and her features were exquisite, as if meticulously sculpted.
A person is more beautiful than a flower; this is certainly true.
Unlike during the day, the beauty's eyes were filled with tears, she was flustered and helpless, her long black hair was draped down, and her slender back trembled slightly with fear, she was extremely pitiful.
"Get up." Murong Ling took a step back, his tone softening slightly.
Luo Chaoxi had just been forcefully thrown to the ground by him, and her palm scraped against the ground, causing a burning pain. She cursed this rude man several times in her heart, but her face still looked pitiful.
Upon hearing this, she carefully used the wooden cabinet next to her to stand up.
Murong Ling then noticed that the other woman was only wearing a white undergarment, the soft, close-fitting fabric outlining her voluptuous figure, which was clearly visible in the candlelight.
Even the collar of her clothes was torn open quite a bit because of his pulling action. As soon as she stood up, her snow-white skin and a full curve of her breasts were unavoidably seen by him.
Murong Ling awkwardly looked away. "Get out."
Luo Chaoxi bit her lower lip lightly, hesitated for a while, and then mustered up the courage to speak in a low voice, "They seem to still be looking for me outside. Can I hide here with you for a while?"
"I promise I won't bother you. I'll just stand by the door and leave as soon as they're gone."
Her response was Murong Ling's cold and ruthless voice, "Hurry up and leave."
"I'm sorry to have bothered you, I'll be leaving right away."
Large tears rolled down her cheeks. Luo Chaoxi couldn't help but sob softly. She then curtsied to him and slowly walked past him.
As she passed by, the scent that Murong Ling smelled became stronger. It was a very pleasant fragrance, light and elegant, like a combination of floral and fruity aromas, which made one's mind clearer.
However, as Luo Chaoxi reached the door, the fragrance gradually faded, and a familiar, sharp pain suddenly swept over her, causing Murong Ling's expression to change slightly.
This pain had always been a constant companion to him, and he had thought he had long since become numb to it. But just now, the same headache as before seemed to have resurfaced, making him belatedly realize that during the time the two of them were confronting each other, his headache seemed to have... improved?
At least he could be sure that it didn't hurt just now.
Murong Ling quickly realized it was the fragrance he had just smelled.
"stop!"
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