“Over here.” Qi Shuo calmly led Lin Hao to the flower trellis. “Does Second Miss Lin have business with me?”

Lin Hao looked at Heir Prince Jing’s calm and unruffled face, feeling somewhat hesitant.

She had the distinct feeling that Heir Prince Jing would not be easy to fool.

Seeing her remain silent, Qi Shuo didn’t press her, a gentle smile hanging at the corners of his lips.

For a moment there were no human voices, only the chirping of birds and the soft humming of insects.

“It’s like this—” Though Lin Hao felt uncertain inside, her expression was exceptionally composed. “I heard from the princess that the Crown Prince has been coming to the manor frequently lately.”

Qi Shuo looked at her deeply and nodded. “Mm.”

“Is there someone surnamed Fang by his side?”

“I haven’t noticed anyone like that.” Qi Shuo’s gaze darkened slightly, making his depths unfathomable. “Does Second Miss Lin know this person?”

Lin Hao shook her head. “I don’t know him, but I suddenly had a dream—”

Qi Shuo assumed a listening posture.

“I dreamed that this person surnamed Fang turned into an enormous fierce tiger and opened his mouth to devour Prince Jing’s manor.” Seeing that Qi Shuo hadn’t shown any expression of amusement, Lin Hao fabricated more naturally. “The more I thought about it, the stranger this dream seemed, so I wanted to give Heir Prince a warning.”

Qi Shuo’s eyes held a smile. “Many thanks for Second Miss Lin’s warning.”

He thanked her so readily, without even a single word of doubt, which instead made Lin Hao feel it wasn’t real.

“It was just a dream… Heir Prince need only pay slight attention to this person.”

Did he not find her words absurd and laughable at all?

Qi Shuo said earnestly, “There are no dreams without reason. I will pay special attention to this person.”

Lin Hao fell silent for a moment.

If someone like Heir Prince Jing went to a fortune-telling stall, wouldn’t the fortune teller swindle him out of his entire family fortune?

Qi Shuo chuckled softly. “Does Second Miss Lin have other dreams you want to tell me about?”

The corner of Lin Hao’s mouth twitched slightly. “I thought… Heir Prince wouldn’t believe in such things.”

She had prepared many arguments to persuade him, even prepared herself for him to think she was ill.

Wasn’t this going a bit too smoothly?

Qi Shuo’s tone held slight surprise. “How could that be? I find what Second Miss Lin says credible.”

Lin Hao’s thoughts became somewhat subtle in this instant.

Footsteps could be heard running from the distance.

“Second Miss Lin, take care. I won’t see you out.” Having said this, Qi Shuo paused, then smiled. “If you have any more dreams about me in the future, I’ll have to trouble you to warn me again.”

“Oh—” Lin Hao wanted to emphasize they were dreams about Prince Jing’s manor, but the young man had already walked out of the flower trellis, heading toward the direction from which the young servant was running.

Returning to the garden of the General’s manor, Lin Hao sat on a long bench in a daze for a while.

Heir Prince Jing had believed her, right? Then he should warn Prince Jing to pay attention to Fang Chengji. If they could detect actions by Fang Chengji that were detrimental to Prince Jing’s manor, perhaps they could avoid the fate of the entire household meeting with disaster.

However—how could Heir Prince Jing so easily believe someone else’s dream!

Thinking about this, Lin Hao didn’t know how to evaluate Qi Shuo.

To say he was a bit foolish—but he trusted her so much, that didn’t seem appropriate.

Yes, Heir Prince Jing was an honest person.

“Ah Hao, why are you sitting here?”

Lin Hao came back to herself and looked at the young woman approaching.

“Elder Sister.”

Lin Chan came to sit beside her, reaching out to pinch her slightly reddened cheeks. “How long have you been sitting here? Your face has gotten a bit red from the sun. Even though it’s autumn, you can’t stay outside the whole afternoon.”

“Has it?” Lin Hao touched her cheeks and asked with a beaming smile, “Did Elder Sister come looking for me?”

“Mother said in a couple days she’ll take us to offer incense at Qinglu Temple. Have you packed your things?”

Qinglu Temple was in the suburbs outside the capital. Though not as convenient as going to the large and small temples within the capital, its incense offerings were abundant. It was said that whether seeking wealth, prospects, marriage, or offspring, it was all very efficacious.

“Ah, right, we’re going to Qinglu Temple.” Lin Hao remembered.

Lin Chan shook her head helplessly. “When Mother mentioned this, I noticed you were distracted. Sure enough, you didn’t listen.”

Lin Hao smiled sheepishly.

Recently, there had indeed been many things on her mind, causing her to overlook some daily matters.

“Why did Mother suddenly want to go to Qinglu Temple?”

Lin Chan’s face reddened slightly. “While the weather isn’t cold yet, it’s good to go out and walk around, rather than Mother being cooped up at home all day.”

Observing her elder sister’s reaction, Lin Hao smiled. “I understand now. Are we going to pray for Elder Sister’s marriage match?”

Lin Chan raised her hand and swatted her once. “Don’t tease me. You’re not young either—if we pray, we’ll pray together.”

Afraid her younger sister would tease her more, Lin Chan pulled Lin Hao to her feet. “Hurry and pack your things. Mother says we’ll stay at Qinglu Temple for two days. Being away from home isn’t as convenient as being at home, so we need to bring everything we need.”

Lin Hao returned to Luoying Residence and instructed Baozhu to make many pastries to take along.

Two days later, Madam Lin took her two daughters out, heading toward the outskirts of the city.

Once they left the city, with mountains and wilderness all around, the autumn atmosphere grew even stronger.

Lin Hao lifted the carriage curtain, surveying the scenery outside.

“Is there something so interesting outside that you’re watching so intently?” Lin Chan, riding in the same carriage, leaned over.

“Elder Sister, look at the golden yellow in the fields, and the maple leaves dyed red by frost—how beautiful.” Lin Hao was clearly in good spirits, pointing outside the carriage window with a smile.

She had traveled this road before.

When she fled the capital, it had been the twelfth month. All along the way there had been no intoxicating scenery of golden yellows and light reds, only barren mountains and withered grass, desolation as far as the eye could see—just like her desperate, helpless mood, unable to see the road ahead.

Now, to be able to leisurely go offer incense with her mother and sister—the joy in her heart was something only she understood.

Lin Chan smiled as she looked outside.

The chaotic sound of hoofbeats quickly drew near from the distance. Several young men came riding on horses.

The fine horses ran past the carriage, stirring up a gust of wind and dust.

Lin Chan lowered the carriage curtain, her expression somewhat subtle. “Second Sister, did you see clearly who those people on horseback just now were?”

Lin Hao’s eyesight was good. Though those people had passed quickly, she had seen two familiar faces.

“I think I saw Wen Feng.”

The other familiar face was the top scholar Yang Zhe.

Lin Chan sighed with some emotion. “I didn’t expect this cousin to become the most promising member of the Wen family.”

Lin Hao smiled.

Wen Feng was a decent person, but after what had happened, they were destined not to be close.

Lin Chan clearly understood this as well and quickly changed the subject. “At this time, there should be many people going to Qinglu Temple…”

Lin Hao took out a piece of osmanthus cake and handed it over.

The carriage continued without stopping for over a shichen before finally arriving at Qinglu Temple.

Qinglu Temple was situated halfway up the mountain and required walking up. Fortunately, the mountain wasn’t too high. After walking until they were slightly perspiring, they reached the mountain temple entrance.

A guest monk led the mother and two daughters to the temple’s special lodging area for incense offerers. Soon a young novice brought vegetarian food.

The young novice was seven or eight years old, with a round, tiger-like head that was very adorable.

Lin Hao slipped him a package of osmanthus cakes. Delighted, the young novice thanked her repeatedly, revealing a smile with a missing front tooth.

“Benefactor, you can walk around to the west. The maple forest there is very beautiful.”

“Many thanks for the reminder, young master.” Lin Hao said with a smile.

The young novice was somewhat embarrassed. He tucked the osmanthus cakes into his robes and quickly walked away.

After eating the vegetarian meal and resting briefly, Madam Lin took her two daughters to offer incense. Unexpectedly, they encountered someone they knew.