Chapter 178 [VIP]

Wuweizi didn't publicize his stay at Taiqing Temple, but as a Taoist practitioner, he saved many people during his time in the capital. Rumors circulated throughout the city that there was an old immortal at Taiqing Temple with profound Taoist magic and superb medical skills.

The Prince of Jin must have come upon hearing the news.

A prince insisted on breaking in, and the abbot couldn't stop him, so he could only send a young Taoist boy to deliver the message.

Gu Zhizhu chuckled coldly.

"Thank you, junior brother," Gu Zhizhuo said gently. "Please don't worry, abbot, just bring the person here."

“Cousin Zhuo…”

Xie Danling peeked out from inside the house. "Brother Chen, you're here too. Would you like some bamboo leaf cakes?"

Xie Yingchen replied with an "okay".

"What color do you want?"

"Red!"

"Where is my cousin Chen?"

"Same."

"Okay!" Xie Danling replied cheerfully, then popped her head back inside.

After Xie Danling arrived yesterday, she was too lazy to return to the palace and wanted to stay with her for a few days, so she also invited Gu Zhijiao and the others to stay.

On a whim, they decided to make bamboo leaf cakes. Several people ran to the back mountain early in the morning to collect bamboo leaves and then busied themselves in the small kitchen. Gu Zhizhuo was still a little tired from moving around, so she stayed in the yard, basking in the sun and waiting to eat.

Xie Yingchen dragged a small stool over and sat down next to her. The cat, who had been lounging on the recliner with its belly exposed, suddenly sat up, sniffed him, slapped his leg, jumped off the recliner, and walked away with its head held high.

"Master, let me do it."

Wuweizi did not use cinnabar to grind; he used a mortar and pestle.

Cutting cinnabar into pieces the size of a fingernail and slowly grinding them into powder is an extremely meticulous task. Wuweizi handed him the mortar and pestle, gave him a few pointers on the technique, and continued the previous topic, saying, "Zhuo'er has accumulated merit, so his life is not meant to end."

"I told you so," Gu Zhizhuo snorted proudly, "and you still don't believe me."

She turned to the side, pointed to the mortar and pestle, and instructed, "Young master, you should grind in one direction, with the pestle close to the edge, so that the cinnabar will be ground finer."

Xie Yingchen stared at her fingers; her nails, which were usually healthy and pink, were now somewhat pale.

He asked, "Believe in what?"

"How annoying! Young Master's eyes are too sharp." Gu Zhizhuo twisted the truth in front of him, complaining, "Master, Young Master says he doesn't believe you."

Wuweizi found it interesting and stroked his beard, saying, "The energy of merit transforms into rosy clouds and auspicious light. This is the first time in my life that I have ever seen such a phenomenon."

Xie Yingchen crushed the cinnabar and obediently ground it slowly in one direction, saying, "The daily records of Emperor Taizu state that when the True Man Xuanxin ascended to heaven, there was a radiant glow descending upon the world, and auspicious clouds covered the sky for three days before dissipating."

"Emperor Taizu said, 'The True Man Xuanxin saved the people from chaos, and his merits are beyond measure.'"

Xie Yingchen wouldn't have believed these things before.

Just like he never believed in fate.

Now, as long as Yao Yao can get better, he is willing to worship all the gods in heaven.

He believed in gods, destiny, merit, and all things mysterious and enigmatic.

“I regret that I was unable to see Master Xuanxin when he was alive.” Wuweizi could not tell whether it was the same as the glow when Master Xuanxin ascended to immortality. He sighed, “In any case, this is only good for Zhuo’er.”

That's right! Even if there were things Xie Yingchen couldn't understand, he didn't intend to delve into them.

"Zhuo'er's decline has recovered by about 70-80%. You are connected to her by fate, and with your luck protecting her, you can rest assured for now."

"Abbot, the person is just ahead, isn't he?"

The Prince of Jin's stern voice broke into his ears. Gu Zhizhuo raised his hand, indicating to Xie Yingchen to focus on grinding the cinnabar and not to interfere.

She leaned back in the recliner, resting her chin on her hand, and a small dimple appeared at the corner of her lips.

The gate to the courtyard opened.

Gu Zhizhuo raised an eyebrow, meeting the Prince of Jin's astonished gaze, and blurted out, "You, what are you doing here?!"

"The prince's information is really outdated."

The Prince of Jin's gaze swept around the small courtyard, and when he saw Wuweizi, his face lit up with joy.

Even though Wuweizi was only wearing the simplest Taoist robe, he had the air of an immortal and was clearly no ordinary person.

Prince Jin assumed Gu Zhizhuo had also come seeking medical treatment, so he ignored her and stepped into the small courtyard, accompanied by a strong smell of blood.

Xie Qiyun, wearing a veiled hat, sat silently on a bamboo palanquin carried by two servants.

"A real person."

The King of Jin eagerly approached Wuweizi, adopting an extremely humble posture: "I seek a true master..."

Gu Zhizhuo picked up the whisk on the table, stretched out his hand, and blocked his way: "Oh dear, Prince Jin, no one can save your son's illness. Even if you beg my master, it will be useless."

"Master?"

The Prince of Jin was dumbfounded.

He glanced at Gu Zhizhuo, then at Wuweizi, and seeing that Wuweizi did not refute him, his breath hitched.

He heard about Xia Guang's matter, but he only thought that Xie Yingchen was creating momentum for the throne, just like Xie Jing had insisted on making the Ji family's daughter a woman of destiny.

Changfeng once said that Miss Gu is a member of the Taoist sect.

Changfeng also said that only by seeking help from Shangqing Temple could such backlash be resolved.

He originally planned to have his son treated by the True Man Wuweizi before inquiring about the backlash, whether it was through sacrifice, rituals, or some other method, he was willing to do it.

If Wuweizi were Miss Gu's master, wouldn't all his plans fall through?!

It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head; his last glimmer of hope had been torn to shreds right before his eyes.

Gu Zhizhu flicked his whisk and cleared his throat: "Xie Shanxin, what brings you here? If it's for marriage compatibility analysis, this marriage is inauspicious."

"you……"

The Prince of Jin took a step forward.

She pretended to do some calculations with her fingers and said in a serious tone, "However, if Xie Shanxin were to choose someone else, the marriage would surely be very auspicious."

The Prince of Jin paused, knowing full well that she had no good intentions, but still couldn't help asking, "Who?"

"Lord Cheng'en!"

Prince of Jin: ?

Gu Zhizhuo said earnestly, "The divination shows that the Duke of Chengen and the young master are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. If Your Highness were to persuade the Duke of Chengen to marry into the family, they would surely live in harmony and everything would go well. Perhaps this auspicious event would even cure the young master's illness."

Congratulations!

Gu Zhizhuo cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, looking quite pleased with himself.

The Prince of Jin turned pale with anger and charged at her, but Chong Jiu was faster, drawing her sword and standing in front of Gu Zhizhuo.

Heeding her words, Xie Yingchen, who had been obediently grinding cinnabar without interrupting, looked up and let out a cold snort.

The Prince of Jin felt a sudden unease.

His hand was raised in mid-air, then abruptly pulled back.

"Miss Gu, please stop joking." Prince Jin's voice was as cold as if it contained ice shards.

Gu Zhizhuo slowly shrugged: "I told you that the marriage was inauspicious, but the prince didn't believe me. What? The prince dares to entrust the heir to my hands."

The Prince of Jin was utterly disheartened.

He really didn't dare.

The feud between him and the Gu family is irreconcilable.

But what other hope could he have besides Taiqing Temple?

He no longer dared to look at his son's face; he was just clinging to life day after day.

Even with the best medicine, he could only slow down the bleeding from his wounds. If this continued, how many more days could he live?!

Prince Jin stood in the middle of the courtyard, his gaze meeting Gu Zhizhuo's in mid-air.

He hesitated for a long time before calling out, "Master..."

Gu Zhizhu interrupted him, saying only, "Since Your Highness doesn't trust me, why should you ask my master to go to such lengths for you? It's not good to have both."

She said with a smile, "If Your Highness trusts me, then let the young master marry the Duke of Cheng'en, and let me see your sincerity."

"Honestly, this way, I guarantee the young master can live for another six months."

"It can be said to be a match made in heaven."

She completely ignored the Prince of Jin's increasingly dark expression, pointed to herself, and proudly said, "I am known as the Divine Calculator. What I say is never wrong."

"Nonsense!" The Prince of Jin, having gathered his strength, could no longer contain himself and said with a flick of his sleeve, "Let's go."

"May Your Highness rest in peace."

His face was ashen. The servants carried the bamboo palanquin around a corner and followed cautiously, not daring to utter a sound.

The abbot smiled gently at Gu Zhizhuo, secretly gave him a thumbs up, and followed him out.

The Prince of Jin walked faster and faster.

Changfeng died, and even though he wasn't implicated, he was tormented by the backlash day and night, unable to see a way out.

A mix of emotions choked him up, making his chest feel tight. He didn't even notice Qingping walking out of the bamboo grove. The abbot, however, saw him and silently shook his head at him.

Qingping hid behind the bamboo grove for a while, and once the Prince of Jin had gone far away, he quickly returned to the small courtyard.

He definitely doesn't want to run into the Prince of Jin.

The Prince of Jin and his son were covered in a dark, ominous aura.

If he gets attached to her and insists that she perform some kind of ritual for them, all the merits she's accumulated through her cultivation will be wasted. Qingping entered the small courtyard and closed the door tightly.

He asked with lingering fear, "Master, the Prince of Jin and his son wouldn't be here to see you, would they?"

"I've dealt with him." Gu Zhizhuo raised his chin. "I guarantee he won't dare come back."

Later, have the young master send a few people to keep watch quietly.

Qingping praised, "Junior Sister is so clever."

My master cultivates the Tao of the Tianxin School. Healing the sick and saving people is the Tao he has cultivated for eighty years. If Prince Jin is truly begging for help, my master cannot refuse, otherwise his Tao will be destroyed.

Qingping also moved a small stool over and sat down, watching Xie Yingchen grind cinnabar. He stroked his chin and said, "Grind it finer."

"Senior Brother Qingping, did you go to the capital today?"

Upon hearing this, Qingping turned around and said, "Yes, how did you know?"

Someone in the capital invited him to look at the feng shui. He went early in the morning and worked for several hours, leaving him hungry and exhausted.

"Your pocket."

Forehead?

"pocket!"

"Ah!" Qingping was startled. He looked down and was surprised to find that his sleeve had been torn. With trembling hands, he reached inside and pulled his hand out through the tear.

The sleeve pocket was empty; there was nothing inside.

"The money's gone!"

Qingping was dumbfounded. He kept touching himself up and down, but he couldn't find his money bag anywhere.

Finally, Qingping cried.

"It must be that little beggar, it has to be him!"

As he was leaving the city gate, a little beggar refused to walk properly and insisted on pushing him.

"Sigh." Gu Zhizhuo sighed, "I told you long ago, Senior Brother, it's unlucky for you to change your Daoist name."

Qingping wiped her face with her sleeve, crying very sadly.

Xie Yingchen: ?

Gu Zhizhuo leaned close to his ear and said in a loud voice, "Senior brother has five deficiencies and three lacks; he's destined to be unlucky and has no wealth."

I see.

"It's alright, senior brother is used to it, he'll be fine after crying for a while."

Qingping looked at her with a mournful expression. Couldn't they just whisper to each other?

"Master, the bamboo leaf cakes are ready."

Xie Danling ran out excitedly, carrying a small bamboo basket in her hand.

The tabby cat followed at her feet, meowing and begging for food.

The fragrance of bamboo leaves wafted through the rising steam, and Qingping sniffed, his attention immediately drawn to it.

The small bamboo basket contained dozens of glutinous rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves, each only the size of a wine cup's rim, bright red and quite beautiful.

The cat lowered its head and sniffed, then, uninterested, ran off to chase after the butterfly.

"My cousin is making the second batch."

"Master, you eat first."

The two cousins ​​grew up together, and Xie Danling's charming and obsequious manner was exactly the same as Gu Zhizhuo's.

Wuweizi took one, ate it, and praised it, saying, "Not bad."

Xie Danling proudly said, "My proud cousin might be able to do it."

Wuweizi was getting old and couldn't digest glutinous rice very well; he would only eat one and then stop.

Qingping wiped away her tears, picked up a bamboo leaf cake, took a bite, and tried to soothe her disappointed heart.

tasty!

"What's wrong?" Xie Danling asked with her eyes.

Gu Zhizhuo pulled her aside and talked for a while, which made Xie Danling sympathize and hand him another pancake.

Qingping ate several in a row: "Junior Sister, what do you think I should change my Daoist title to?"

"Get rich quick?"

Gu Zhizhuo thought earnestly for him: "A real person who gets rich overnight. Auspicious."

"Nonsense!" Wuweizi slapped her head with his whisk.

“I think so too.” Xie Danling clapped her hands happily, while Qingping stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Master, you see..." Qingping said obsequiously, "There's a saying that you should make up for what you lack."

Wuweizi ignored him, calculated with his fingers, and said, "We can find it."

Xie Danling laughed and chatted. A little while later, Gu Zhijiao and the others also came out. Gu Zhijiao was carrying a small bamboo basket with green bamboo leaf cakes inside.

The coloring is all made with fruit juice, and the fruit flavor is sweet and refreshing.

Upon seeing Xie Yingchen, the girls greeted him warmly as "Big Brother-in-law," which pleased Xie Yingchen greatly. He then promised to let them choose the Mongolian horses that were being presented as tribute this year.

The small courtyard was bustling with activity.

Xie Danling took a bite of the bamboo leaf cake: "Cousin Zhuo, are you going back to the capital?"

Gu Zhizhu went to see Wuweizi, who shook his head and said, "Stay here and recuperate for a while."

Xie Danling said impatiently, "Master, Master, please let me stay too. My mother agreed."

She looked up at him with phoenix eyes similar to Gu Zhizhuo's, her eyes moist, making it hard for him to refuse.

The same applies to Wuweizi.

Xie Danling raised her arms high, overjoyed.

“Cousin Zhuo, let’s go for an autumn outing. Let’s invite Cousin Xing and Cousin Can too. The maple forests on Qiuye Mountain are at their most beautiful this time of year.”

Gu Zhizhuo was eager to try.

Unfortunately, she can't go anywhere for the time being.

Even though I'm gradually getting better, I still feel dizzy and lightheaded, and I get tired and sweaty all over easily.

Let alone climbing mountains, even walking from the small courtyard to the Sanqing Hall would be exhausting.

She patiently began to learn feng shui and astrology from her master, and Xie Danling also studied with her.

Xie Danling didn't understand feng shui, but she was very quick to grasp astrology. She understood it as soon as she heard it and learned it with great interest.

Wuweizi administered acupuncture to her daily and specially prepared a batch of pills for her. It took a full half month for her to recover to about 70-80% of her condition, at least enough to ride a horse and draw a bow. As for anything else...

"Only when Chen'er ascends to the throne can the Mandate of Heaven be established."

"The injuries you sustained due to the backlash from the Heavenly Dao will also be completely healed."

Gu Zhizhu nodded repeatedly, humming in agreement.

When Xie Yingchen came to pick her up, Wuweizi personally escorted them back to the capital, and took the opportunity to visit Yongle Temple in the capital with Qingping.

The abbot of Yongle Temple specially invited him to give a sermon.

They left the temple early in the morning, and by the time they arrived in the capital, it was not yet noon.

"Master, shall we go to Tianxi Tower for a meal, and then take you to Yongle Temple?"

Wuweizi smiled and agreed.

The small building behind Tianxi Tower was not yet completed, so they sat in the elegant seats facing the street in front.

Xie Yingchen poured tea for Wuweizi, but before he could even sit down, Qingping suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!"

What?

"It's that little beggar who stole the silver! It's him."

The little beggar that Qingping was pointing at was diagonally opposite Tianxi Tower. He was about twelve or thirteen years old and had his back to them. A silver light gleamed between his two fingers.

Gu Zhizhuo had sharp eyes; she saw that it was a small, thin blade. The little beggar was using it to cut open the drawstring of someone's purse.

Gu Zhizhu clenched his fist and said excitedly, "I'll go catch it!"

"Zhuo'er," Wuweizi called out to her, "Now, great fortune has fallen upon Chen'er."

He looked at the little beggar and said meaningfully, "Go."

A note from the author: