Xu Jia pondered for many days before gathering the courage to look for her mother.
Mrs. Xu was sitting on the divan drinking tea, Song Fang sat on the left lower seat, while Aunt i was on the right, using snacks to tease Song Fang’s pair of little lucky stars, creating a harmonious atmosphere in the room.
Xu Jia entered and paid her respects to her mother and sister-in-law, before sitting down next to Song Fang.
Song Fang said, "Haven’t seen you go out for quite a while, are you feeling unwell?"
She actually wanted to ask if Xu Jia was hit hard because the Li Family canceled the betrothal, but such words weren’t easy to say directly, only skirting around the issue.
Xu Jia, being intelligent, imdiately caught the hidden aning in her sister-in-law’s words, smiled and shook her head, "There’s nothing much the matter with my health, just thinking about how my mother and sister-in-law ran around for , looking for a husband, all to no good result, maybe it’s because I’m destined for an unlucky marriage?"
"Don’t talk rubbish!" Mrs. Xu scolded her, "What unlucky marriage? Clearly, your fate isn’t here yet, once it arrives, even if I wanted to hold onto you, I couldn’t."
Aunt i, upon hearing this, looked over, "How about going to the temple to draw a divination slip for peace of mind?"
"I also feel it’s ti to ask for a slip, let the master elucidate." Influenced by Granny Song since childhood, Song Fang sowhat harbored superstitions, "I heard that Master Xu Yun at Fahua Temple is a much sought-after and accomplished monk, if we can find a way to et him, perhaps he could change Jia Jia’s marital fate."
Ghosts and spirits are things Mrs. Xu originally didn’t quite believe in, but now after hearing Aunt i and Song Fang, she was sowhat swayed and didn’t forget to ask Xu Jia’s opinion, "What do you say, should we go to this temple or not?"
"Aunt and sister-in-law both think we should go, then I naturally have no objection, let’s find so ti." Xu Jia nodded.
Going to Fahua Temple for divination was actually Xu Jia’s reason for coming to see her mother.
Following Yun Huai’s suggestion, he planned to choose a day for the Yun Family to co propose marriage, but Xu Jia felt it was too sudden and might frighten her mother, rather it was better to first ask for a divination slip, let her mother believe her marriage is already moving, and a good match is near.
It’s essentially a necessary tactic, given the Yun Family’s too prominent reputation, no matter how noble the Western Marquis Mansion is, a Xu Family daughter is completely unfit for Master Yun, especially since she had an unhappy previous marriage.
When Yun Huai heard her ntion Fahua Temple, he didn’t object, just said he would arrange everything.
Xu Jia thought that Yun Huai’s arrangent involved finding Master Xu Yun to help make the slip more convincing.
However, she couldn’t have imagined, while she was still discussing the incense offering trip with her family, news from Fahua Temple spread widely; in rely two days, most of the Capital knew.
—Master Yun went to Fahua Temple seeking a marriage divination, Master Xu Yun predicted, the thousandth person to enter the temple on the Qiqiao Festival would be the destined person for the Sixth Son.
Master Xu Yun’s skills were witnessed firsthand by Wen Wan and Song Wei, indeed he is an extraordinary and accomplished monk.
If he says so, then it must be true, there can neither be one more nor one less, it must be precisely the thousandth.
Hence, the Capital boiled over, maidens’ hearts fluttered, adding makeup and making new clothes, all eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Qiqiao Festival, each holding onto hope of becoming the lucky one spoken of by Master Xu Yun.
Xu Jia understood Yun Huai’s intention; it was rely a guise to let her be that "fortunate one", then the public would have fewer opinions about their union.
But making such a grand spectacle just to marry her, is that really a good idea?
For the first ti, Xu Jia felt that power truly is a wonderful thing; having power and influence, he could marry whover he wanted, regardless of the other’s status, and silence everyone.
Such action, if done would let the whole world know about wanting to marry her, made Xu Jia feel a warm sense of being cherished.
Perhaps daughters inherently desire romance, so even if she’s rational, faced with Yun Huai’s sensational act in the Capital, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Mo Xiang, upon hearing this, almost went crazy with excitent, "Miss, let’s try it!"
Xu Jia raised an eyebrow looking at her, "Didn’t you say Yun Six Lang only likes celestial beauties, not common won? I have no special talents, going would be inviting ridicule."
"That’s different now." Mo Xiang said, "Before going to Fahua Temple, there were countless outstanding won waiting for Master Yun to choose, naturally, the prettier and higher the status, the greater the chance. But now it’s different, with Master Xu Yun’s condition there, no matter if the thousandth one is beautiful or ugly, high or low in status, that is the destined person, he must marry. So, Miss, give it a try, you’re beautiful, fairly born, most importantly, you have martial skills and know Master Yun, maybe he will indeed fancy you."
Xu Jia sighed, "Knowing the Sixth Son is choosing a wife, many won wait for the Qiqiao Festival to display themselves; that’s less than one in a thousand odds. How could one easily stand out among so many won? It’s too difficult."
The more she analyzed, the more Xu Jia felt like she had won the grand prize, as so many won in just the Capital were eager to try, she didn’t know how many others elsewhere were in line, and for Yun Huai to choose her among so many, such luck she could only attribute to a previous life of accumulating virtues and saving lives, thus fortune arriving.
Mo Xiang listened and couldn’t help but feel regretful, "Miss, are you really not going to try? By then, we can cover our faces with a veil so that no one recognizes us. If you’re luckily chosen, it would be a blessing. If not, no one would know it was you, so we wouldn’t be embarrassed."
Xu Jia smiled and shook her head, "I won’t try, but the Qiqiao Festival is a good day. It is indeed suitable to visit the temple, ask for fortunes, and consult divinations. Go tell my mother that we intend to go during the Qiqiao Festival."
Although the young lady was visiting to burn incense, Mo Xiang still saw a glimr of hope. Her originally disappointed face was instantly lit up with a smile, "Since Miss is willing to go, I’ll also tell Madam later to pick so fabric from the storeroom to make you a new dress."
...
Fahua Temple.
Under the Suoluo Tree outside Master Xu Yun’s ditation room, Yun Huai, dressed in a white robe, was leisurely sitting and playing a ga of chess with the master.
Master Xu Yun placed a stone and looked at the young man opposite, "The news has already spread. When does Master Yun plan to have soone bring the Buddha’s Relics?"
Yun Huai, with his slender jade-like fingers, pinched the black stone and slightly curled his lips upon hearing this, "On the destined day when the destined one becos mine, the Buddha’s Relics will naturally beco the treasure of your temple."
The so-called "destined one" was naturally a false notion. Yun Huai and Master Xu Yun exchanged terms, and to obtain the Buddha’s Relics, Master Xu Yun told the first lie of his life.
"Being able to find her, Master Yun’s vision is indeed extraordinary."
Yun Huai heard the implication and paused his actions in the ga, "Please enlighten , Master."
"You and she share no destiny." Master Xu Yun said, "The reason you have today’s result is due to past causes. The cycle of destiny has been overturned, luckily she is not a calamity-demon from the world of mortals, otherwise, she would not be tolerated by the mandate of heaven."
"I am a man of Jianghu." Yun Huai said, "I do not believe in destiny nor in reincarnation. All my actions are nothing more than following my heart’s desire."
...
The Song family also received news of Yun Huai’s search for a wife.
Having just passed the period of national mourning, the household could finally eat at openly. Before the al, Wen Wan had already asked the kitchen to make so at pies for Jinbao, Duobao, and Yan Li to eat.
Because of this period of vegetarianism, the three little ones had lost quite a bit of weight, the flesh on their cheeks almost gone, which made Wen Wan especially distressed as she looked at them.
As she was distributing at pies to the three little ones, Song Qi hurriedly lifted the curtain and ca in from outside.
Wen Wan handed the pie in her hand to Yan Li and asked, "What’s the matter?"
Being asked like this made Song Qi a bit embarrassed. She paused before saying, "We have a holiday on the day of the Qiqiao Festival, Third Aunt, I want to go out to have fun."
Wen Wan asked her, "Where do you want to go?"
Song Qi blushed, "I’m about to graduate from the Hongwen Academy. My mother says I’m of age and should look for soone. I naturally want to go to a temple to pray for marriage so that I can have so peace of mind."
A girl of Song Qi’s age being in the throes of youthful longing was understandable. Wen Wan did not laugh at her and just said, "There is a Yuelao Temple across the bridge on East River Xinglong Street, we can go there!"
"No..." Song Qi’s eyes flickered, "I want to go to Fahua Temple, I’ve heard that Fahua Temple’s divination slips are the most accurate."
Upon hearing her ntion Fahua Temple, Wen Wan raised an eyebrow, seemingly understanding sothing.
On the day of the Qiqiao Festival, most of the girls in the capital would flock to Fahua Temple, not for incense offerings, but hoping to try their luck and beco Yun Liulang’s destined one.
Could little Song Qi also be having thoughts about Yun Liulang?
Thinking that she was the only niece left at ho, Wen Wan thought it was just for fun and didn’t really matter, so she conceded, "Since you’re going, you shouldn’t go too plainly. I’ll have Linglong take you to the storeroom to pick out so fabric, and I’ll have it sent to the embroidery workshop to have a dress made for you as soon as possible."
Song Qi bead with a smile, "Thank you, Third Aunt."
After Song Qi left, Wen Wan was still pondering whether she should send an invitation to Song Fang and the others since the Qiqiao Festival was so lively. That evening, a servant from the Xu Family ca with an invitation, saying they planned to go to Fahua Temple for incense on the day of the Qiqiao Festival and wanted to invite Wen Wan to join them.
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