Liangshan Temple was bustling with worshippers, many of whom came to pray for blessings. The group first followed Chen Yuancheng to the main hall to pay their respects to the Buddha, while Xiao Yunying followed behind, observing the postures of others and bowing together.
Chen Yuanyao knelt on the prayer mat next to her and asked curiously, "Sister Yunying, don't you not believe in Buddhism?"
"Shh, you can't say that in front of Buddha."
Xiao Yunying made a shushing gesture and stood up with Luo Sheng's outstretched hand: "Since we're already here, there's no harm in paying our respects. Who knows, we might need Buddha's blessing someday."
She doesn't consider Buddhism a religion; she just thinks it's something she does occasionally. She wouldn't have the patience to set up a small shrine at home and worship every day, or to copy scriptures every day.
After everyone finished their prayers, they went together to the area next door where they could draw lots and have them interpreted.
Several elderly monks sat at a long table. The one on the right had just seen off another group of worshippers and was tidying up the bamboo sticks.
Chen Yuanyao pulled Xiao Yunying over first: "Master, we'd like to draw lots."
Zuo Qingzhi squeezed to Xiao Yunying's other side as if competing with Chen Yuanyao for favor: "I want to draw lots too."
The monk handed over the bamboo tube, and Xiao Yunying took it and gave it to Zuo Qingzhi first: "You go first."
"Thank you, big sister." Zuo Qingzhi took the bamboo tube, gave Chen Yuanyao a smug look, and began to shake the bamboo sticks.
Chen Yuanyao said with dissatisfaction, "Sister Yunying is biased. She is my biological sister after all. I, an outsider, can't compare to her."
The monk then handed over another bamboo tube: "Don't worry, benefactor, there's another divination stick container here."
Xiao Yunying thanked her, took the divination stick container and handed it to Chen Yuanyao, coaxing her, "I gave it to her first because I saw that you are much more mature than her and not as childish as her. Here's another one for you."
Two sentences were enough to appease Chen Yuanyao: "Thank you, Sister Yunying."
After receiving the bamboo stick, Chen Yuanyao quickly shook it, producing one before Zuo Qingzhi. Without even looking at it, she took it to the table next to her to have it interpreted.
Zuo Qingzhi, as if in a competition, took the bamboo sticks and handed them over. The monk glanced at the bamboo sticks in the bamboo tube, took out two new sticks from under the table, put them into the stick container, and handed them over.
Xiao Yunying had Luo Xin and Chen Yuanxuan shake the rock first, and then she shook it with Zheng Yunwan.
Zheng Yunwan looked at her bamboo slips, then at Xiao Yunying's hand: "Sister Yunying, let's go interpret the slips."
Xiao Yunying took the mediocre fortune slip she had drawn and headed to the table for interpreting it. As soon as she entered, she heard Zuo Qingzhi wail, "Why am I destined for bloodshed while she manages to escape misfortune? Is there any way to break this curse?"
The monk who was interpreting the divination slips said meaningfully, "The divination slips of the two benefactors complement each other. Bloodshed and good fortune are both within your control. Only one of the two can be fulfilled."
Xiao Yunying approached and asked, "Master, do you mean that the two of them will be in danger at the same time because of one thing, and as for who will survive safely, it depends on their choices, and only one of them can be safe and sound?"
Chen Yuanyao thought about it for a moment, and it seemed that what the master said really made sense: "What? That sounds scary. How could the two of us be in danger? My family has not offended anyone."
She thought for a moment: "But my elder brother said that Qingzhi's father offended a lot of people recently because he strongly petitioned for severe punishment of those who embezzled military funds. If something happens to me, it will definitely be because of her."
Zuo Qingzhi slapped her arm: "What nonsense are you talking about? You can blame me for things that didn't happen. I don't think this fortune is accurate or that it was interpreted wrong. I don't believe it anyway."
She threw the fortune slip on the table and went to the back to talk to Chen Yuancheng.
Chen Yuanyao went to another table to watch Chen Yuanxuan interpret the divination slips; neither of them seemed to care about the matter.
Xiao Yunying, however, asked curiously, "Master, how can we break through their tribulations?"
"Being with you is the only solution."
Xiao Yunying frowned slightly, implying that their misfortune was caused by her.
Zheng Yunwan nervously grabbed her sleeve: "Sister Yunying..."
Xiao Yunying patted her hand reassuringly and placed her own mediocre fortune stick on the table: "Master, please interpret my fortune stick."
"May I ask for your birth date and time?"
She and the original owner shared the same birthday, so she didn't hesitate to mention the original owner's birth date and time.
After hearing her birth date and time, the monk looked puzzled for a moment, then sat down, wrote a fortune slip, and handed it to her.
Xiao Yunying didn't answer: "Master, I haven't said what I'm asking for yet."
"Your family is harmonious, your life is prosperous, your marriage is happy, and your children are plentiful. The only thing you need to ask about is whether it is auspicious or inauspicious."
Xiao Yunying was surprised that the other party was so accurate, and felt that he might have some real skills: "Then can the master be straightforward and tell me if I will encounter any calamities in the future?"
The monk didn't speak, but simply placed the fortune slip in his hand on the table.
Xiao Yunying glanced down, her expression freezing for a moment.
"All knowledge and learning can bring disaster."
She read the short sentence aloud, then suddenly looked up and said, "Master, you are truly an enlightened monk, and indeed very capable. I would like to ask one more question: is there a way to resolve this matter?"
"You don't need to be too obsessed with keeping certain secrets. Only by giving them up appropriately can you ensure the safety of yourself and those around you."
"Is that so?" Xiao Yunying pondered and thanked him, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Master. But I only believe in myself and not in fate. There are some things that cannot be said, and that's all."
The first thing that came to her mind was her origins.
Currently, apart from Luo Sheng, who knows the whole story, even the brothers Chen Yuancheng and Luo Chen and Luo Yang don't know the specifics. They can only rely on their rich imaginations to make wild guesses, but they can't find the answer.
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