Liu Bei: My younger brother is a deity.

In the seventh year of Yongping, Emperor Ming dreamed of a golden man, sixteen feet tall, with sunlight shining from his neck, who flew to the palace courtyard.

The following day, when asked of his ministers, the Grand Historian Fu Yi replied, "I have heard that there is a god in the West named Buddha. Could Your Majesty's dream be of that?"

The emperor then dispatched more than ten people, including the court official Cai Yin and the scholar Qin Jing, to India to seek Buddhist teachings.

In the eighth year of Yongping, Cai, Qin, and others bid farewell to Luoyang and traveled ten thousand miles westward.

When they arrived in the Yuezhi Kingdom, they met the Indian monks Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaraksha. They saw Buddhist scriptures and a white felt statue of Shakyamuni, and invited the two monks to go east to China to spread Buddhism.

In the tenth year of Yongping, the two monks, at the invitation of the Han envoy, returned to Luoyang with scriptures and images carried on white horses.

Emperor Ming was overjoyed and personally received him with great courtesy, temporarily placing him in the Court of State Ceremonial.

In the eleventh year of Yongping, the emperor ordered the construction of a monastery three miles north of the imperial road outside Yongmen Gate in western Luoyang.

In remembrance of the white horse carrying the scriptures, it was named White Horse Temple.

The character "寺" (temple) originated from the "寺" (temple) of the Honglu Temple, and later became a general term for Buddhist temples.

Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaraksha translated the Forty-Two Chapters Sutra in the temple, which is the first Chinese Buddhist text translated into Chinese.

For more than a hundred years afterward, eminent monks from the Western Regions and India arrived one after another, translating Buddhist scriptures without interruption.

A total of 192 works were produced, comprising 395 volumes.

Baima Temple thus became the foundation for the eastward transmission of Buddhism and the origin of Eastern Buddhism.

It was early spring, and the incense at Baima Temple was burning brightly.

Since its construction during the Yongping era, the White Horse Temple has undergone more than a hundred years of development and is no longer what it was when it was first built.

Merchants gathered along both sides of the imperial road in front of the temple, with banners and canopies like clouds.

The temple grounds are filled with numerous Buddhist halls and towering pagodas, and the sounds of bells and chimes are ever-present.

Devotees from all directions, some arriving by carriage, others on foot, streamed along the road, shoulder to shoulder.

The monks, clad in robes and carrying prayer beads, traveled back and forth translating scriptures and preaching the Dharma, their voices, both Chinese and Sanskrit, blending harmoniously.

Merchants from the Western Regions and monks from India brought rare and precious incense to offer as offerings, creating a scene of enchanting fragrance and smoke, making it the premier scenic spot in the western suburbs of Luoyang.

On this day, Lady Cai Yong, accompanied by her two daughters, also came to the temple to offer incense.

Lady Cai Yong was a devout Buddhist and visited the temple several times a year with utmost piety.

The eldest daughter, Cai Wan, attended him closely, while the younger daughter, Cai Yan, followed closely behind, her bright eyes looking around curiously.

However, Cai Wan had her own plans in mind when she came with her mother.

She had already secretly arranged with Liu Quan to meet in person during this temple visit.

Before entering the temple, Cai Wan saw Liu Quan waiting at the temple gate through the gap in the carriage curtain, mainly because Liu Quan was really too conspicuous.

Just as she was wondering how to contact Liu Lang, she saw him subtly wave at her, so she followed the carriage into the temple.

"Liu Jun has discovered me. Could this be a case of telepathy?"

Cai Wan was overjoyed when she caught a glimpse of three women secretly following her husband, Liu Lang, into the temple.

The three women were clearly in cahoots, pointing and gesturing at Liu Lang while laughing and joking.

"Hmph, a bunch of little sluts!" Cai Wan cursed inwardly.

Furthermore, Liu Quan followed the Cai family's carriage into the temple, but did not rush to meet Cai Wan in secret.

He also noticed the three women following behind him and decided to shake them off first.

The three women following Liu Quan all wore veils. The woman in the lead was voluptuous and was none other than Lai Ying'er, a famous courtesan from Luoyang.

The two women following behind were Bian Linglong, one of whom was tall and had a graceful figure. She was the one who had watched Liu Quan play Cuju that day.

The other person was petite and graceful; even without showing her face, her figure exuded charm.

This woman's surname is Ren, and her given name is Hongchang.

"Linglong, this young master is walking so fast, let's hurry up too," Ren Hongchang whispered.

Bian Linglong felt secretly embarrassed, thinking to herself, "I must have lost my mind! How could I have followed those two guys and done that stalking thing?!"

He hurriedly said, "Why don't we go back? This situation... is really not good."

Upon hearing this, Lai Ying'er covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Her laughter was like pearls falling onto a jade plate, melodious and captivating.

She raised her hand and brushed aside the light veil hanging from her hat, revealing half of her fair chin. She turned her head to look at Bian Linglong and said slowly:

"Linglong, you're talking about going back now? Just now in front of the temple gate, who was it that was standing on tiptoe, staring at that Liu family boy so intently his eyes almost popped out?"

Bian Linglong's face flushed, thankfully covered by her veil. She felt her ears burning and stammered, "I... I was just looking, who... who was following him..."

Ren Hongchang smiled and gently tugged at Bian Linglong's sleeve, whispering, "Alright, alright, we're already here, let's just go and take a look. We might exchange a few words, but we won't do anything out of line."

"Isn't this going too far?" Bian Linglong thought to herself.

Lai Ying'er raised an eyebrow and teased, "What are you afraid of, dear sister! We're just visiting the temple and enjoying the spring scenery, and it just so happens that we're going the same way. If he can walk this path to Baima Temple, why can't we?"

As she spoke, she swayed her waist and took graceful steps, already catching up with them. She turned back and waved to the two of them, "Hurry up, if you dawdle any longer, you won't even see them anymore."

Bian Linglong stomped her foot, feeling both ashamed and angry, and secretly cursing herself for being bewitched.

Unfortunately, Ren Hongchang had already pulled her along, so she had no choice but to resign herself to her fate and walk quickly for a few steps.

Although she said she accepted her fate, she knew in her heart that she was willing.

Liu Quan was about to shake off the three women behind him when he came to a wall in the temple and suddenly saw two poems written on it. He couldn't help but stop and look at them.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be the two Buddhist verses he had composed that day at Liu Yu's residence.

He thought to himself, "The White Horse Temple really moves fast."

Looking at the signature at the end of the poem, it is clearly written as "Liu Quan".

"At least they know what's good for them; they still have some conscience."

When the three women saw Liu Quan stop, Lai Ying'er said happily, "We must say a few words to Young Master Yu this time. Linglong, don't drag us down any further."

Ren Hongchang laughed and said, "Just now outside the temple gate, if it weren't for Linglong's delay, Sister Ying'er and I would have already spoken with Young Master Yu."

All three women came from families of entertainers, but their circumstances differed.

Unlike Bian Linglong, Lai Ying'er and Ren Hongchang did not have the protection of their fathers.

Despite his lowly status, Bian Yuan's exceptional skills made him famous throughout Langya. After arriving in Luoyang, he quickly gained renown and became a frequent guest of the scions of prominent families.

Although he was strict in teaching his daughter to dance, he did not allow her to go out and serve guests. Therefore, although Bian Linglong was skilled in the arts, she was never forced to socialize.

Lai Ying'er and Ren Hongchang were raised by their master from a young age, learning to dance and play music. Once they grew up, at the tender age of fourteen, they had to go out to serve guests.

Fortunately, both of them were geishas who sold their art but not their bodies. They would never give themselves up unless they met someone they liked who was willing to be with them.

Therefore, Ren Hongchang is still a virgin; while Lai Ying'er has seen many people and those she associates with are all powerful and influential figures.

This is why Lai Ying'er and Ren Hongchang are far bolder than Bian Linglong in public.

Lai Ying'er and Ren Hongchang were about to pull Bian Linglong along a few steps.

Suddenly, a burly, dark-faced man stepped out from the side, blocking the three women's path. He cupped his hands and said, "Ladies, my master invites you to come and have a chat."

Lai Ying'er recognized the man as Liang Gang, a trusted retainer of Yuan Shu. "Is it Young Master Yuan who is looking for us?"

Liang Gang: "Exactly, please!"

Lai Ying'er thought to herself, "That Yuan Gonglu has such a keen eye for women! Even though I've covered my face, he still recognizes me!"

Yuan Gonglu was also Lai Ying'er's lover, but Lai Ying'er was willing to serve him because of his status; she didn't like him at all.