Both worlds are like dreams

The two got on the carriage and headed for the Yue Lao Temple in the south of the city. However, they were soon attracted by the various food and acrobatics on the street, so they gave up the carriage and walked instead, playing while heading towards the Yue Lao Temple.

In the end, Mo Xingyue was too tired to continue and got back on the carriage to continue her journey.

But he bought a lot of food and drinks and took them on the carriage.

The journey that was supposed to take an hour and a half actually took more than three hours.

The Yue Lao Temple in the south of the city is the largest, busiest and most efficacious in Shangyang City. So even though it is already afternoon, there are still a lot of men and women who come to seek marriage, regardless of age.

There is a garden behind the Yue Lao Temple, planted with various auspicious flowers. Xue Huang and Mo Xingyue took a look around first.

There was also an old man tending to the flowers and plants in the garden, and an old woman giving out flowers, but the recipients were all pairs of men and women.

Mo Xingyue asked the girl next to her curiously, "Why do so many people want her flowers?"

"Is this your first time here?" the girl asked with a smile. "This old man and his wife met and fell in love in Yue Lao Temple when they were young, and they are very loving and now have many children and grandchildren. But they have worked here all their lives. They believe that such a good relationship is due to the blessing of Yue Lao, so these brilliant flowers are carefully maintained by them. Everyone thinks that the flowers planted by the loving couple favored by Yue Lao are spiritual, so they all come here to ask for a flower to take home and raise, and hope that Yue Lao can bless them to have a happy marriage."

"Is it so effective?" Mo Xingyue opened her eyes wide. "Then can I also ask her for one?"

The girl smiled and said, "Girl, do you have a sweetheart? You have to bring your sweetheart with you before I can pray."

"I haven't yet." Mo Xingyue shook her head.

"My mother-in-law said that it is a good omen only if two people come together to pray. You'd better find someone you like as soon as possible, and then come back to pray." The girl smiled and left.

Xue Huang patted her shoulder and said, "Since we can't ask for flowers, let's go to the wishing fountain over there and make a wish first."

"Okay." Mo Xingyue responded.

The two came to a circular pond with a fountain inside. The water flowed repeatedly. Someone nearby explained, "This is called a long stream of water, which means a happy and long-lasting marriage. Gentlemen and ladies, you can throw a few coins and make a wish, asking Yue Lao to bless you to meet your good partner."

Xue Huang took out a copper coin and handed it to Mo Xingyue, "Do you want to make a wish?"

Mo Xingyue pushed Xue Huang's hand away, and under her puzzled gaze, he grabbed a handful of copper coins from his purse and threw them all in, then closed his eyes and made a pious wish.

Xue Huang smiled helplessly, threw the coin in, closed her eyes and made a wish.

When she opened her eyes, she found that everyone around her was looking at them.

The man who was talking by the wishing well earlier said with a smile: "You two girls, you are so beautiful, are you still worried about your marriage?"

Xue Huang smiled faintly, "What we are looking for here should be the right marriage, to be together till old age, and to be together forever."

"What the young lady said makes sense," the man said with a smile, "I wish you all a happy marriage!"

Xue Huang saw Mo Xingyue open his eyes with a pious look on his face, "What kind of wish did you make? Why are you so serious?"

"Of course I came here to seek marriage. I just hope that the person I meet can accompany me for the rest of my life, treat each other with respect and dignity." Mo Xingyue said with a smile. She no longer expected to have the love that Xue Huang and Gu Qinglan had, she just hoped to live a free and happy life. "What about you? I don't need to guess, you are asking Yue Lao to bless you and Brother Lan to be together forever, right?"

"Yes, but I also hope that you can get what you want." Xue Huang answered sincerely.

"I will," Mo Xingyue said with a smile, "and you will too. Remember to ask Brother Lan to accompany you to ask the old woman for a flower next time."

"Although we both have feelings for each other, we haven't officially said the word 'like' yet."

"Now, all the noble ladies and princes in Shangyang City know that you have a special relationship, but until the moment of marriage, there will always be people who are thinking about you."

Xue Huang poked her forehead and said, "Shame on you."

"I'm thinking about you. You like him and he likes you, so you should let everyone know that you will not marry anyone but him, and he will not marry anyone but you."

Xue Huang thought for a moment, "Not bad! Simple and crude logic, I like it."

"I'll tell you in secret, your current status is very special. Although the emperor cannot grant you a marriage directly, there are many people who want to marry you. Moreover, the emperor wants to win you over. Do you think he will let you marry one of my brothers?"

"I can't marry anyone!"

"Then you better hurry up." Mo Xingyue said with a smile. "In a few days it will be the Qiqiao Lantern Festival, a good day for you to pledge your love for each other for three lifetimes. Remember to ask Brother Lan to go with you. I promise that after that day, the whole Shangyang City will know that you are a couple."

Xue Huang pulled her towards the Yue Lao statue and asked, "Are you going out that day?"

"I don't know if my father will let me out. To be honest, I have never seen the Qiqiao Lantern Festival in Shangyang City."

"Go and ask Fifth Brother for help. If he asks, your father might agree."

"I'll go back and try."

As they were talking, the two of them came to the statue of Yue Lao, knelt on the cushion and worshipped Yue Lao devoutly.

"Grandpa Yue Lao," Xue Huang said as she bowed, "Please bless us. If we can get what we want, I will build a big Yue Lao temple for you one day."

Mo Xingyue couldn't help but smile, "I just said it in my heart."

"I'm afraid he can't hear me." Xue Huang said with a smile.

"You can draw lots over there, let's go and draw some too." Mo Xingyue pulled her over, and they each drew out a bamboo stick from the bamboo tube.

There are many people in the temple, and naturally many people come to ask for divination. There are long queues in front of the masters who interpret the divination.

Xue Huang glanced around and found that only an old man with a white beard in the corner was ignored. He covered his face with a fan and curled up in a recliner to enjoy the cool air.

She walked towards him.

Mo Xingyue's face was full of doubt. "Look, there's no one in front of him. How can he solve it?"

"You don't know, the masters are often the most inconspicuous ones." Xue Huang pressed her down on the stool, "Master, can you interpret the fortune?"

"Two ingots of silver. If you don't understand, just leave." That was all the old man said. He seemed a little impatient. He probably thought they wouldn't pay that price, so he didn't bother to pay any attention to him.

Mo Xingyue raised her eyebrows. It was the first time she had seen such an arrogant person, so she said, "If you can solve it, I will give you two ingots of gold."

"really?"

"But if you fool me, I will let her smash your stall." Mo Xingyue said with a smile.

The old man took off the fan and looked at Xue Huang and Mo Xingyue. He saw that although they were dressed simply, the fabrics were all top quality, and the hairpins, rings and jewelry were not ordinary items. Coupled with their demeanor, he knew that he had encountered a big deal today.

He took the fortune from Mo Xingyue's hand and took a look at it. "It's a very good fortune, but the girl's marriage is not here yet. Although there will be twists and turns in the process, you have the help of a noble person, so you can resolve it."

"Aren't your words too ambiguous? Isn't it too easy to make money?" Mo Xingyue said helplessly.

The old man didn't care, he just said calmly: "Girl, you were born in the richest family in the world, you have all the wealth and honor, which means your marriage is destined to be very bumpy."

After saying this, Mo Xingyue was stunned for a moment. The most wealthy family should refer to the imperial palace, right? How did he know that? "Then when will my marriage arrive?"

"There's no rush."

"Then where is it?"

The old man pointed behind her.

Mo Xingyue looked at him in confusion. Behind him was a thick and strong Yue Lao tree, which was hung with red silk. "What do you mean?"

"Fate comes and goes as it's meant to be, girl, you will meet the person you want to marry."

"What? You want two ingots of silver?"

The old man didn't answer her, but looked at Xue Huang, "You want to interpret the fortune too?"

Xue Huang glanced at the stick in her hand and handed it to the old man, "Since you've already prayed, you should explain it."

However, the old man did not take it. He looked at the stick with a frown on his face, and his expression became serious. "Girl, you have too much to bear. There are too many variables in your marriage. I'm sorry I can't answer you."

"What do you mean?" Mo Xingyue asked puzzled.

"Two girls, I won't take your money today. If one day you really get what you want, you can come to fulfill your wish. Because fate is something mysterious and unpredictable. If you know the ending in advance but are powerless to change it, isn't it a tragedy?" After the old man finished speaking, he picked up the fan again to cover his face and stopped talking.

Mo Xingyue was confused, "What do you mean?"

Xue Huang patted her shoulder, signaling her not to ask any more questions. She took out a silver ingot from her waist and placed it on the table, "Thank you, Master. This is the money for interpreting the divination. My fate has nothing to do with others, and naturally it will not affect you, Master."

After saying that, she pulled Mo Xingyue away from the stall.

After walking out, Mo Xingyue couldn't help but ask: "Why did you give him money? He didn't say anything useful."

Xue Huang smiled and said, "We don't need that ingot of silver anyway."

Mo Xingyue choked and said, "That's fine. After all, he didn't say nothing."

"Where do you want to go next?" Xue Huang asked.

Mo Xingyue looked at a group of people crowded under the tree and tied red silk to the tree, and asked curiously: "What are they doing?"

"It is also a way to pray for marriage. Red silk is a red string. You can tie the red string to the tree to pray for marriage. There are also marriage cards. You can write your wishes on them and then hang the marriage cards on the marriage tree. When Yue Lao sees them, he will tie the red string for you."

"Then let's go too!" Mo Xingyue immediately pulled Xue Huang over and bought two marriage cards.

She hesitated for a moment and wrote two lines: I don't ask for fame and fortune, I just want to meet a good man.

Xue Huang only wrote six words, which were her and Gu Qinglan's names. She didn't care what the old man said just now, the person she liked was Gu Qinglan, and no matter what she faced, she would not give up.