Chapter 344 Determination
The abbot of Shouqing Temple withdrew his hand, felt Qian's pulse on her left hand again, and asked, "Did you change the medicine?"
"No," Qian flatly denied. "I've been taking the usual medicine. Master, tell me, is it because I serve Laojun so devoutly that he's rewarding me? Anyway, I feel much better. In my dream, I felt that the kind-looking old immortal looked familiar, but I couldn't remember who he was. But today, when I went up the mountain and saw Laojun's statue again, I recognized him immediately. They look almost identical."
The abbot of Shouqing Temple couldn't help but be stunned. If we talk about piety, could she be more pious than himself?
But he didn’t dream of Laojun either?
He has seen many believers like this. Many people even said that they dreamed of the God of Wealth, and the statue was exactly the same as the statue of the God of Wealth placed in the temple.
But those people did not get any windfall, while Qian's pulse really became strong from a sick appearance.
The abbot of Shouqing Temple was in deep thought.
His medical skills are just as average as those of the old doctor down the mountain. I'm afraid even the imperial physician in the capital wouldn't dare to say how great he is, after all, the human body is full of mysteries.
Maybe it's really the blessing of God?
As soon as the abbot of Shouqing Temple looked up, he met three pairs of sharp eyes. Qian hoped that he could agree with her, while Zhou Sanlang was simply curious whether his mother was really blessed by the gods and was in good health?
Manbao thought this was very interesting and wanted to hear what the abbot of Shouqing Temple would say.
The abbot of Shouqing Monastery grinned warmly, "Congratulations, Mr. Qian, for receiving the blessing of heaven. Your health has indeed improved greatly."
There was a glint of surprise in Qian's and Zhou Sanlang's eyes.
Zhou Sanlang couldn't help but shout excitedly, "Master, are you telling the truth? Is my mother healed?"
The abbot of Shouqing Temple stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Of course, this is the best reward Laojun has given your mother. Only the most devout believers can receive such a benefit. It is also the fate between your mother and Laojun."
Zhou Sanlang nodded vigorously and said repeatedly, "Master, don't worry. From now on, everyone in our family will serve Master Tianzun and kneel down to worship him three times a day."
Qian: ...This silly boy, doesn’t the incense cost money?
But when she looked down and saw Manbao again, Qian hesitated again. Perhaps it was really the blessing of Lord Tianzun?
Wuliang Tianzun, I am so guilty...
Qian picked up the basket at her feet and pushed it to the abbot of Shouqing Temple, saying piously, "Master, the portrait of Laojun in my home is a bit old. I would like to take another one back."
"Of course, of course. It just so happens that the temple just recently consecrated a portrait. Please go back later. Next time you come to the mountain, remember to bring the old portrait to the temple and burn it to increase your merit."
Qian agreed.
The abbot of Shouqing Temple glanced at the young Taoist priest Daohe beside him. Daohe immediately walked forward with a smile, picked up the basket and went to the kitchen.
The abbot of Shouqing Temple led Qian to the front to pay homage to Laozi again, and by the way, oh no, he solemnly handed the portrait to her.
Manbao was already used to this kind of situation and didn't want to go, so he fell behind, turned around, and followed Daohe into the kitchen.
Daohe carefully took out the eggs and put them away, then poured the rice into the rice jar. He handed the basket to Manbao and asked, "Do you want me to help you carry it to the front?"
Manbao shook his head, glanced at their rice jar, and said, "You don't have much rice left."
"Yes, our Taoist temple was also affected by the disaster this year." Daohe was quite familiar with Manbao. He simply leaned on his hands, sat on the stove, and spoke to her with his legs swaying. "And the believers were also severely affected by the disaster. No one likes to bring food when they come up the mountain to worship the Lord of Heaven."
"So what did they bring?"
"Most of them came empty-handed. Some brought some vegetables, and some brought some black steamed buns." Daohe sighed, "We grow quite a lot of vegetables in our temple, and we couldn't eat all the vegetables they brought. Master and the others are currently tearing them apart and drying them in the sun, planning to make them into dried and pickled vegetables for winter."
“Don’t you grow winter wheat?”
"I've planted it, but Master said we don't know what the harvest will be like next year. If it's not good, Masters Shoucai and Shoushi will have to go down the mountain to become wandering monks."
Manbao felt a little disappointed. "I was thinking about eating the dumplings they made at the temple fair next year."
Going down the mountain to travel is one of the ways for Taoist temples to avoid natural disasters and man-made disasters. When a Taoist temple is not enough to support so many people, some Taoists have to go out to travel.
On the way, they would perform rituals, tell fortunes, explore feng shui, and treat illnesses in exchange for money to make a living. After the natural disasters or man-made disasters were over, they would return to the Taoist temple.
There are only six people in their Taoist temple. Daohe and Daoxu are young, so the master cannot go out, and Shoufang is not well-trained, so in the end, the only ones who can go out are Shoucai and Shoushi.
Manbao carried the basket and went to the front hall with Daohe, their heads bowed, and saw Qian reverently taking the portrait of Laojun from the abbot of Shouqing Temple.
Daohe said sincerely: "It would be great if your mother could go up the mountain every day."
"No," Manbao, who was originally worried about him, immediately said, "You can worship Master Tianzun at home."
Every time my mother goes up the mountain, she always brings some rice and eggs. Her family doesn’t have much, okay?
"But we definitely don't worship piously in the temple," Daohe said with a serious face, "We must serve the Lord Tianzun piously."
"We are devout, from body to heart." Man Bao said with a serious face, "If you don't believe me, just watch me kowtow to the Lord Tianzun."
After saying that, he put down the basket, walked to the cushion and knelt down. Looking at the tall portrait of Taishang Laojun in front of him, Manbao bowed respectfully and kowtowed three times in a row.
Qian was happy, and the abbot of Shouqing Temple was also very happy. He said "good" three times in a row, then helped Manbao up with his own hands, touched her little head and said: "Wulian Tianzun, Taishang Laojun will bless you."
Manbao nodded vigorously and looked at Daohe proudly.
Daohe looked at his master with a look of disappointment.
Zhou Sanlang felt that Lord Tianzun was very useful, so before leaving, he kowtowed three times, begging Lord Tianzun to bless his wife to have a safe delivery and for both mother and child to be safe.
The mother and her two children went down the mountain happily, feeling extremely satisfied.
Qian, in particular, felt the uneasiness that had been lingering in her heart since yesterday afternoon disappear. She held Manbao tightly and whispered, "When you get back, you should pay your respects to the Heavenly Master, okay? You're his fairy, a descendant of his, who has experienced tribulations and calamities. You have some affection for him. Ask him to bless you with everything that's best in this world."
Manbao opened his mouth wide, "Mom, when did I become a fairy?"
Zhou Sanlang was also confused. How come the youngest sister turned into a fairy in the blink of an eye?
"Of course you are a fairy," Qian said affirmatively, "Didn't you hear what the abbot of Shouqing Temple said? I recovered from my illness because of the favor of the Heavenly Master. But why did the Heavenly Master favor me? I was about to be taken away by the gods, but then the Heavenly Master appeared."
(End of this chapter)
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