Chapter 106 Priest

The eunuch's crazy look was like a basin of cold water poured over the heads of the few palace servants who were still standing!

Plop! Plop!

As if being held down by an invisible hand, the remaining palace maids and eunuchs also lost their knees and knelt on the ground in unison!

"Oh my God...it's true...there really are gods..."

"Last night... I seemed to hear some noise..."

"The golden-armored divine being...entered Miss Shen's room..."

Whispers, like will-o'-the-wisp, drifted among the crowd, bringing with them a heart-pounding chill.

But Lu Jiuxiao didn't care about that!

The enthusiasm in his eyes remained undiminished. He held up the divination plate and was the first to push open the simple wooden door of the side courtyard!

Squeak——

A smell mixed with a faint smell of blood and a strange fragrance hit me in the face!

The scene inside the house instantly caught everyone's attention!

I saw a slender figure with its back to the door.

It’s Shen Yan!

Hearing the noise, Shen Yan turned around suddenly!

When he saw the crowd pouring in from the door, especially Lu Jiuxiao at the head, and the emperor and empress dowager in dragon robes—

Her face, which had been relatively calm, turned pale in an instant!

"ah!"

She took a step back like a frightened rabbit and almost tripped!

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty the Empress Dowager?"

Her voice trembled, filled with fear and disbelief!

Lu Jiuxiao stared at Chen Yan with a sharp gaze!

He stepped forward step by step, his voice filled with unquestionable majesty, yet he lowered it deliberately, as if he was afraid of disturbing something!

"Miss Shen San,"

“Have you been here taking care of Miss Shen Er?”

Shen Yan nodded subconsciously, her eyes dodging, her hands nervously twisting the corners of her clothes, her knuckles turning white.

Lu Jiuxiao took a step closer and lowered his voice:

"Just now...did you see any strange vision?"

“I…I…”

Shen Yan seemed to be frightened, her lips trembling, and she couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

Just when everyone thought she was going to deny it, she suddenly raised her head and pointed to a corner of the room!

The voice was sharp and thin, full of fear!

"Light! A... a very bright red light!"

“Just now!”

"Like...like it flew in from the window! In an instant...it...slipped into Second Sister's...body? I don't know!"

She was incoherent and crying!

"I... I hadn't seen it clearly yet, and hadn't reacted yet... you... you came in!"

After she finished speaking, she seemed to have exhausted all her strength, her body swayed, her face turned even paler, and she looked frightened.

This stuttering and frightened look, in the eyes of everyone, was more convincing than eloquent speech!

It was as if he was really frightened by the sudden miracle!

Everyone's eyes, involuntarily, were cast towards the bed!

I saw Shen Jiao lying there peacefully with her eyes closed.

Unlike her pale and weak appearance before, her face now had a strange redness?

His breathing was steady and his expression was peaceful, as if he was just fast asleep.

But that rosy face looked particularly dazzling in this dim and strange atmosphere!

A barely perceptible gleam flashed in Lu Jiuxiao's eyes!

He took two steps forward, and then—

With a plop!

He actually knelt straight in front of the bed!

He lowered his head and spoke in a very low voice with an almost humble piety, as if he was afraid of disturbing some sleeping giant!

"Welcome the God!"

Lu Jiuxiao's kneeling was like a signal!

Crash——

Inside and outside the house, all the palace maids, eunuchs, and even some low-ranking officials who followed, all knelt down!

"Welcome to the God!"

"The Heir of God has arrived!"

"God bless Dayin!"

For a moment, low prayers, exclamations, and sobs mixed together to form a huge wave of sound!

The emperor stood there, his face ashen, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves!

He looked at the absurd scene in front of him!

Looking at the mad Lu Jiuxiao! Looking at the terrified Chen Yan! Looking at the strangely rosy Chen Jiao! Looking at the servants and ministers kneeling on the ground!

And there’s the eunuch outside the door who’s still twitching and shouting “God”!

He knew better than anyone that this must be an elaborate scam!

But……

Look at the glint in the Queen Mother's eyes!

Look at the ministers’ eyes that are filled with surprise, doubt, yet also with a hint of expectation!

Look at this scene that is almost out of control!

Public opinion! People's hearts!

I have been completely overwhelmed by this so-called 'miracle'!

If he were to forcefully expose it now, he would probably be immediately accused of "going against the will of heaven" and "disrespecting the gods"!

It may even shake the foundation of the country!

The emperor took a deep breath and felt a tightness in his chest!

He knew, whether he believed it or not, admitted it or not—

From this moment on, Chen Jiao, the woman carrying the wicked child, will be branded with the stigma of 'fate'!

No matter how reluctant he was, he had to accept this scene!

***

News from the palace always spreads like wings!

What’s more, it is such an earth-shattering event that concerns the “heir of God” and “destiny”!

In less than a day!

The entire capital city was in an uproar!

In the streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns, the mansions of the rich, and even among the peddlers and hawkers, everyone was talking about the same thing!

"Have you heard? The second young lady of the Shen family!"

"Which Shen family?"

"Who else could it be! It's the one who caused trouble at Putuo Temple before!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Don't talk nonsense now!"

"What's wrong? What's wrong?"

"Oh my God! Don't you know? That Second Miss Shen is not pregnant with an ordinary baby!"

"ah?!"

"It's the heir of God! The offspring of God!"

“Is this true?!”

"It's absolutely true! Yesterday, the seven stars aligned, and everyone in the palace saw it! A golden-armored divine being, no, I heard it was the Mars Lord, the God of War! A red light entered Miss Shen's belly!"

"Mars?!"

"Yes! Lord Lu Jiuxiao made the divination himself! The Emperor and the Empress Dowager witnessed it with their own eyes!"

There was a sound of gasps from the crowd!

"Oh my god... no wonder..."

"No wonder they said it was in Putuo Temple... It turns out it was a fairy back then... a fairy..."

The person who spoke had a trembling voice, filled with an inexplicable awe!

"That's right! Putuo Temple is a pure Buddhist place, and it's supposed to be efficacious! She got pregnant there, and coincided with the seven-star alignment, a divine omen. If she's not a goddess, what could she be?!"

"Goddess of Heaven! The Goddess of Heaven has descended to the world!"

"Da Yin will prosper! This is a good omen!"

For a time, the name "Chen Jiao" seemed to have wings and flew to every corner of the capital!

From being a laughing stock for getting pregnant before marriage, she suddenly became the "chosen girl" that everyone is paying attention to!

Conception at Putuo Temple, seven stars in a row bring down the gods!

This title is even more famous and prestigious than that of a princess in the imperial palace!

Just when Shen Jiao's fame was at its peak, another person's name was mentioned repeatedly.

The third prince, Xiao Jingren!

“Hey, do you remember, before… who said that the child in Miss Shen’s belly was his?”

Someone mentioned it cautiously.

"It's the Third Prince!"

Someone answered immediately!

"Yes! It's the Third Prince! The one who caused all the commotion back then!"

"At that time... I thought the Third Prince was... ahem..."

Some people seemed to be hesitant to speak, with a look of embarrassment and fear on their faces.

"Now it seems...tsk tsk!"

"Yes! Think about it! When no one knew it was the heir of God, the Third Prince stepped forward and took the initiative to take responsibility!"

"This responsibility! This kindness!"

"If you weren't open-minded and broad-minded, how could you dare to acknowledge this child of 'unknown origin'?"

"I understand!" Someone slapped his thigh and suddenly realized it!

"The Third Prince is not taking responsibility at all! The gods chose him!"

"Yes! A descendant of God must have a father, right? A mortal father!"

"The Third Prince is the 'Priest' chosen by the gods!"

"Father! Yes, yes, that's right! That's a good word!"

"To bear the name of the Father of the Divine Heir in a mortal body! What an honor! What a virtue!"

"A wise king! The Third Prince is truly a wise king!"

"That's right! It seems that the Third Prince's future is definitely... limitless!"

The wind direction changes so quickly!

But it only took one day!

The third prince Xiao Jingren, who almost got into trouble because of his style and the reputation of the royal family, has also transformed himself!

He became known as the "wise king" by the people, recognized by the gods and possessing extraordinary temperament and virtues!

He is the "priest" chosen by the heir of God!

It was as if all the previous discussions about him being impulsive, reckless, and even a bit unbearable had disappeared with the "red light"!

The wind direction in the capital has completely changed!