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Night draped over Fanyin Temple like a sheet of black silk, wrapping it in darkness.
Silence reigned. Only a few flickering candle flames swayed gently in the temple’s halls, their glow barely holding back the night.
Then suddenly, the stillness was violently torn apart by the sharp clash of blades and spears. The sound of battle erupted abruptly, an intrusion that seemed all the more jarring against the hushed backdrop of the temple.
Yet, just as quickly as it came, the commotion vanished.
In the blink of an eye, everything fell silent once more.
Quan Minghe, his face concealed behind a menacing mask, stood in the shadows. Though his expression remained hidden, an oppressive aura of darkness radiated from him.
He returned to the room arranged for him within the temple.
Today, he had taken great care to erase any trace of his identity, disguising himself before entering Fanyin Temple. Yet despite his precautions, an assassination attempt had still found him.
It was clear now—there was a traitor in his ranks.
“Master, are you all right?”
Zhao Cong, who had been standing by, was visibly anxious, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
“It’s nothing.”
Quan Minghe spat out the words icily, but his gaze remained fixed on the wound on his arm—a shallow cut, yet one that carried deep implications.
Without hesitation, he reached for the hem of his robe and tore off a strip of fabric. With swift, practiced movements, he wrapped the cloth around his arm, his expression as frigid as ever.
“What did you find?”
“Master, tonight’s assassins may have been sent by the former Jinlin Kingdom.”
“I don’t know what methods they used, but they somehow learned that you would be coming to Fanyin Temple tonight. They had been lying in wait for you since early on.”
The master’s whereabouts had been exposed—this was his failure to bear.
They had believed this journey had been planned flawlessly, with every precaution taken and every route guarded. Yet, a critical leak had still occurred.
Who had the audacity to betray the master’s movements?!
Zhao Cong clenched his jaw in silent fury.
Under the flickering candlelight, Quan Minghe’s gaze shimmered unpredictably, like cold stars shifting in and out of sight in the night sky.
The room was deathly silent, broken only by the heavy breaths of the two men. The suffocating tension sent a chill down Zhao Cong’s spine.
He knew punishment was inevitable for this assassination attempt.
But more than that, the true culprit—the traitor who had revealed the master’s location—deserved nothing less than death.
Once they returned to the palace, he would personally ensure that every person in the master’s circle was investigated down to the last detail.
Before Quan Minghe could analyze the situation further, an unsettling sensation spread through his body.
A sudden wave of heat surged from deep within him, rushing through his limbs like fire.
“Damn it!”
Quan Minghe cursed under his breath, his brows furrowing tightly.
“Master, what’s wrong?”
A sharp, unfamiliar desire ignited within him, intensifying with alarming speed.
He clenched his molars.
And in that instant, realization dawned.
Something he had struggled to make sense of before now became disturbingly clear.
“Bring me a woman.”
Quan Minghe’s voice was hoarse as he fought to suppress the unbearable heat coursing through him.
Zhao Cong’s pupils contracted in shock.
His gaze instinctively flickered to the wound on the master’s arm.
The blade had been laced with an aphrodisiac?!
What kind of despicable assassin would resort to such a lowly tactic—poisoning their weapon with such a drug?
Could it be… someone from the harem?
A flood of speculations rushed through Zhao Cong’s mind, but there was no time to dwell on them now.
“Yes, Master. I’ll send someone immediately.”
Not daring to delay, Zhao Cong turned on his heel and left the room.
At the entrance, he swiftly gathered a few men and led them on a frantic search for a woman.
But Fanyin Temple was a place of Buddhist purity—there wasn’t even a single nun, let alone an ordinary woman.
“Where on earth am I supposed to find a woman for the master?!”
The moonlight poured down, casting a silver glow over Fanyin Temple, which stood atop the mountain.
Two young women ascended the narrow path leading to the temple. Their goal was the Tree of Fate, known for granting prayers for love and marriage.
During the day, this place would be crowded with people, but at night, only the two of them remained.
“Miss, why did you insist on coming to Fanyin Temple at such a late hour?”
A young maid, dressed in a yellow robe with her hair neatly tied in a servant’s bun, asked anxiously.
Xi Tong had served her mistress since childhood. This time, when her lady traveled to Qianjing for her upcoming marriage, she had stubbornly insisted on visiting the temple late at night—no matter how much Xi Tong tried to dissuade her, it was useless.
Fortunately, they had not yet entered the capital, and being in the countryside, there was no one to stop her lady from acting on her whims.
Shen Yuling lifted her head slightly, gazing at the temple, which looked even more solemn and majestic under the moonlight. Her eyes then fell on the Tree of Fate, filled with longing.
“Since I’m about to be married and haven’t even met my future husband, I thought I’d come to Fanyin Temple to pray. I have so many wishes to make!”
She smoothed out the folds of her light pink deep-collared robe, its fabric flowing elegantly.
Pressing her palms together, she turned toward the Tree of Fate in prayer.
The cross-collared design of her robe should have seemed a little old-fashioned.
But on her, with its impeccable cut, it accentuated her slender neck and fair, snow-like skin.
Bathed in moonlight, her complexion gleamed with a soft, dreamlike radiance.
At her waist, a delicate silk sash in a pale lavender hue secured a jade pendant—round, smooth, and translucent.
When she moved, the jade emitted a crisp, melodious sound.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Xi Tong, watching her mistress, was momentarily stunned.
Who could possibly resist such beauty?
Shen Yuling gently touched her own radiant face.
“Do you think I’m beautiful?”
Xi Tong nodded without hesitation.
If her mistress wasn’t beautiful, then there was no such thing as beauty in the world.
Shen Yuling smiled. “Then my first wish is—”
She closed her eyes slightly, her expression devout.
“First wish: May my husband be handsome, with starry eyes and sword-like brows, his grace shining bright, his beauty like jade, stirring hearts.“
After all, both her parents were exceedingly attractive, and she herself was quite beautiful. Naturally, her future husband had to be an exceptionally good-looking man as well.
Xi Tong couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.
Her mistress’s thoughts were so straightforward and adorable.
Shen Yuling opened her eyes and brushed a strand of ink-black hair between her fingers.
“Second wish: May my beauty never fade, my face like the moon in bloom, my black hair flowing as years pass gently.“
She was at the age where she adored her own beauty. Of course, she hoped to remain youthful and radiant forever.
When she reached her third wish, a blush crept onto her cheeks, her gaze turning even more wistful. Her voice softened.
“Third wish: May our love never wane, may we stay together without regrets, sharing joy from dawn to dusk.“
Xi Tong teased her with a grin.
“Miss, your wishes are truly wonderful. I’m sure the heavens will hear them and grant you everything you desire.”
Shen Yuling playfully smacked Xi Tong’s arm.
“Trust you to say such sweet things.”
Though she chided her maid, her heart was filled with anticipation.
Excitedly, she continued to make more wishes.
“Fourth wish…“
“Fifth wish…“
Though Shen Yuling kept her voice low, the excitement and hope in her tone were impossible to conceal.
With a heart full of dreams, she whispered her wishes into the serene night of Fanyin Temple, weaving her hopes for the future into the silence.