Chapter 452 Demonic Monk

As the morning mist began to dissipate, the steam from the steamer in the small kitchen became thicker and thicker.

Sun Tian was steaming osmanthus cake, while the other cooks were making a rich, delicious and exquisite breakfast, busy and orderly.

The meal was delivered to Yongning Pavilion. Qiao Wanyan asked the maid to clean her hands and gently wipe them with a clean handkerchief that smelled of tea.

After breakfast, I drank tea and waited for a long time, but still no one came from the doorman.

Zi Yuan said, "We agreed to go to the National Temple together today, why hasn't Chen Lingyi come yet?"

Qiao Wanyan put down the teacup and said slowly: "Miss Shen is the granddaughter of Prime Minister Shen, and she is the eldest daughter of a noble family. How could she take the initiative to come to me? Of course she is waiting for me to find her."

Zi Yuan heard this and scolded, "What kind of person is this? Is she worthy of going to see her? Miss, you can't give her face like this, she just doesn't know how to appreciate it!"

Qiao Wanyan only said two or three words and Zi Yuan became furious and looked angry.

Qiao Wanyan laughed, "Our Ziyuan is so cute when she gets angry."

Ziyuan: "Miss~"

Qiao Wanyan stood up and said, "Let's go, we will go directly to the National Temple."

The news that Qiao Wanyan went directly to the National Temple from the Shangshu Mansion reached Shen Lingyi's ears. She secretly sent someone to watch the Shangshu Mansion, just to wait for Qiao Wanyan to come to her on her own initiative and then go to the National Temple together.

She seemed to be so flattered that she completely forgot that she was a joke in the capital, and she even wanted to control others to show off her status.

"How dare she not wait for me? She was the one who asked me to go to the National Temple. Now she doesn't wait for me. She is such a jerk!"

Chu Lu said, "Maybe the Second Miss guessed that you had already gone, so she didn't look for you. The Second Miss has been very nice to you during this period, it doesn't seem like she did it on purpose."

Chu Lu did think so. She was Shen Lingyi’s maid, so she naturally wouldn’t speak for others for no reason.

Shen Lingyi was still dissatisfied after hearing this, "Since she didn't come as scheduled, why should I keep following her? I won't go today!"

Chu Lu immediately advised in a gentle voice: "Miss, the Tenth Princess has not sent us a visiting card for the summer banquet she is hosting in a few days. The Tenth Princess has invited almost all the young ladies in the capital. If we don't go, we will definitely be laughed at."

She continued to persuade him, "Everyone in the capital knows that Miss Qiao is the Tenth Princess's best friend. It is only natural for us to go to the summer banquet with Miss Qiao. You must take this opportunity to build good relationships with the ladies in the capital to pave the way for the future."

The relationships in the capital are complicated and intertwined, and when noble families marry each other, the relationships become even deeper.

The young lady is an outsider to begin with. If she doesn't build good relationships, she won't get far in the capital city where human relationships are more important than anything else.

Shen Lingyi frowned, "Really? Why is this capital so troublesome? It's better to live a carefree life in my hometown."

It's such a small place, everyone knows that I am the daughter of the Shen family and my grandfather is the prime minister of the dynasty. Who wouldn't be polite to me when they see me?

Now, I have to humble myself and build good relationships with others.

Shen Lingyi followed him after all, and ran into Qiao Wanyan who was drinking tea in a teahouse outside the city.

She got off the carriage with a somewhat unhappy look on her face and walked over. Before she could speak, she saw Qiao Wanyan asked in surprise, "Sister Lingyi, why are you here? I thought you were in front and was thinking about finishing my tea quickly before chasing you!"

It turned out to be the case, just as Chu Lu said.

"You asked me out, and I thought you would come to see me, so I kept waiting for you. But when I asked you about it, I realized you had already left."

Qiao Wanyan frowned, "It's my fault. I was not thoughtful enough. I hope you won't mind."

Shen Lingyi let out a long breath, "Forget it, it's not a big deal. Why do you suddenly want to go to the National Temple? It's so hot that people really don't want to move."

Qiao Wanyan smiled and said, "Baozhu is going to hold a summer banquet in a while. I wanted to go to the National Temple to pray for her safety and blessings. I thought my sister should be fine, so I went with her. But I didn't expect that my sister didn't want to go."

Speaking of the Tenth Princess, Shen Lingyi's eyes moved slightly.

"Of course I won't refuse you if you ask me. Shall we go to the Tenth Princess's summer banquet together? The servant in the mansion lost the invitation for the summer banquet due to a mistake. I'm afraid there will be some trouble without the invitation."

Qiao Wanyan smiled and said, "Okay."

I lost the banquet invitation. You really love to lie.

The National Temple remains the same as usual, except that the abbot has been replaced.

The current abbot is an old monk in his fifties.

The new abbot was elected by all the monks of Huasheng Temple and sent to the palace for the emperor to decide. The emperor did not believe in these things, so he naturally agreed without any objection.

Qiao Wanyan was kneeling and burning incense in the Main Hall, praying for blessings. She seemed to suddenly think of the funny thing that happened in the Main Hall that night and laughed out loud.

Shen Lingyi beside him asked, "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly laugh?"

Qiao Wanyan shook her head. "I don't know why, but as soon as I entered the National Temple, I felt warm and happy. Maybe it's because I saw the Buddha."

"The donor has a connection with Buddha."

Qiao Wanyan stood up and turned around, and saw a monk in his fifties wearing a cassock.

It is the new abbot, Abbot Huihe.

Abbot Huihe put his hands together and nodded slightly with a smile, "There are auspicious clouds lingering between the donor's eyebrows, and golden light falls on the shoulders. The donor is a person with a predestined relationship with Buddhism."

Shen Lingyi turned her head to look at a ray of golden light that happened to be reflected from the window on her shoulder. It was just a coincidence. This old bald donkey was really good at making up stories.

Qiao Wanyan was talking to Abbot Huihe, and Shen Lingyi felt like an outsider beside them, with no sense of existence at all.

Why did everyone notice Qiao Wanyan first? Just because she was born with a good-looking appearance?

Shen Lingyi left alone. Qiao Wanyan saw her but did not call her or chase after her.

"I will have someone deliver the peace and blessings you requested to your meditation room later. I hope you can go back tomorrow and ask Minister Qiao for my help."

"Of course, I'll have to trouble you, Abbot."

Qiao Wanyan nodded slightly and left, heading straight to the backyard.

Jingxin is no longer the abbot, but the emperor has pardoned him and allowed him to remain in the national temple.

The new abbot arranged accommodation and tasks for him. He also said that it is a great step to admit one's mistakes and improve oneself. In the future, he should concentrate on worshipping Buddha and not get involved in worldly affairs. He also asked other people in the temple not to bully him.

The monks listened to them and were naturally harmonious in front of the abbot, but they were no longer harmonious when the abbot was not around.

Although they are monks, they still have human nature. We cannot think that they are pure and kind and that we can trust them without any reason just because they wear monk robes.

They were not happy with Jingxin, who was still young but had taken the position of abbot.

Bu Gan Jing Xin was raised by Abbot Zhiyuan, so it was natural that the position of abbot fell on him.

"What are you standing there for? Why don't you mop the floor in the breezeway?"

"You still think you were the abbot respected by everyone in the past? Wake up! You are now a demon monk. I heard that people outside are cursing you!"

"You did such a filthy thing in the Great Hall, and almost burned to death the daughter of the Minister of Revenue to avoid being seen. The Emperor actually spared your life. You are really lucky."