The princess regretted it.

Now, returning to the spot, Jin An slowly approached and, with a mixture of emotions, patted the ancient tree. The rough bark brushed against her palm, a texture that inexplicably brought a sense of peace to her. She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the vast canopy. At this point, the tree was devoid of leaves, sparsely hanging from the branches, shivering in the breeze.

Beneath the tree, a thin layer of newly fallen yellow leaves lies, each a note, recording the rhythm of the changing seasons. Yet, from its sturdy branches, winding and twisting in all directions, one can still see the ancient tree's former luxuriance and splendor. At this moment, the ancient tree, in harmony with the adjacent Buddhist temple, creates a profound sense of desolation.

Han Shuang, alertly taking advantage of Jin An's distraction, quietly slid around to the side of the Buddhist hall, her steps as light as a cat, making no sound at all. She swiftly moved along the wall, skirting around the other side. Then, cautiously, she poked her head out, her gaze sharp at the two people following behind her. After recognizing who they were, she retraced her steps, approached Jin An, and whispered, "Princess, it's Princess Jiaoyu and her maidservant."

Upon hearing this, Jin An's brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of annoyance flashing in her eyes. She clapped her hands as if to brush off something dirty. Her gaze drifted towards the mysterious Buddhist temple to the side, a sudden hint of interest emerging in her eyes. "Never mind, it looks like we can't go to Concubine Chun's place today. Since they're so interested in following us, let's grant their wish. I'll take you around the temple and see how long they can follow us." With that, Jin An, with a frosty expression, reached out and forcefully pushed open the temple's old door.

Accompanied by a series of creaking sounds, the door was like an old man who had been sleeping for a long time and was suddenly awakened. It made a dull and harsh sound reluctantly, breaking the original silence here and startling several birds nesting nearby.

The Buddhist temple was so quiet that it seemed a little eerie. The courtyard was covered with mottled walls and weeds growing in the cracks of mossy stone slabs. When you entered the temple, you would find that it was dimly lit. The only few rays of sunlight struggled to squeeze in through the gaps in the high windows covered with dust and cobwebs, like thin golden threads, weakly sprinkling on the ground.

On the walls, mottled murals loomed, their faces blurred by the erosion of time, as if gazing at the intruder with an enigmatic smile. The candles in the candlesticks before the Buddha statues had long since burned out, their wax accumulated into bizarre shapes, like the remains of some ancient ritual. In the corner, some worn scriptures lay.

Jin An and Han Shuang stayed in the temple for a moment, as if time had stood still. Soon, they emerged from the mysterious temple. Strangely, the box Han Shuang had been holding was gone.

Han Shuang pretended to look around, his smart eyes scanning the surroundings vigilantly, as if he was checking to see if anyone was following him.

Jiaoyu and her servant, who were hiding in the corner, held their breath and shrank back, trying to hide themselves completely for fear of being discovered.

Han Shuang quietly gave Jin An a look, hinting at Jiao Yu and the other's hiding place. Jin An understood, and with a hint of a meaningful smile, he left with Han Shuang, light but mysterious steps.

After the two figures completely disappeared from sight, Jiaoyu and her servant slowly walked out from their hiding place, but found that there was no trace of Jinan and the other two around.

Cuiguo was puzzled and whispered to Jiaoyu, "Princess, this Buddhist temple has been uninhabited for a long time. What on earth are Princess Jin'an and the others doing here?"

Jiaoyu did not answer immediately, but walked slowly towards the door of the Buddhist hall. She slowly said, "Didn't you notice that the box in Hanshuang's hand is missing? There must be secrets in it that they don't want others to know. If you want to know what they are doing here, just go in and find out." After that, she turned her body to the side and winked at Cuiguo, indicating her to come over and open the door.

Cuiguo looked at the eerie Buddhist temple with some hesitation, but she knew she couldn't escape. She had no choice but to step forward and slowly push open the old door. As she pushed harder, the door creaked again, opening a small gap.