Chapter 79 Something's Wrong at Fohua Temple
The giant python ate the cheese with ease because of its height advantage. It didn't even need to jump; it just stood there, opened its mouth, and caught it.
"No rush, there's more!"
Xie Mianmian then tossed several more, and the three children jumped up and down trying to catch them with their mouths, making the children laugh out loud.
Perhaps she could climb onto the roof, hang the cheese on a long pole, and fish for it like fishing. That would be so much fun, Xie Mianmian thought.
"Awoo~" The little wolf cub ran to Xie Mianmian's feet and rubbed against her, whimpering softly.
It was the smallest, and its two elderly fathers were so preoccupied with fighting that they didn't care whether it lived or died, and neither of them got a single piece to eat.
"Sweetie, you can have all of these."
Xie Mianmian picked up the cheese and placed it in her palm, then held it out to the little wolf cub. It ate it in one bite, and then reluctantly licked the child's palm.
Feeling wet and itchy, Xie Mianmian reached back and touched the little wolf cub's furry head and back.
At this moment, Xie Mingyi and Wen Shuwan walked over from the corridor, talking to each other.
“Sister-in-law, it seems that the Xie family is having a bad year, and there is an impending disaster. I’m feeling very uneasy. I think it’s time to go to Fohua Temple to pray.”
"We really should go and get a peace charm for everyone. I've heard that Master Qianjing's divination is extremely accurate. Is that true?"
"It's true, but it's rare to see him on ordinary days, let alone since he's been in seclusion recently."
Xie Mianmian, with her sharp ears, caught the words "it's time to go," picked up the little wolf cub, and ran over, "Where are we going to play? Mianmian wants to go too!"
Xie Mingyi gently stroked the child's nose with her fair index finger. "Little gossip, always going wherever the excitement is."
She remembered that her father had been busy with official business and hadn't been home for several days.
Upon receiving the imperial decree, Xie's father immediately worked with the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to make arrangements for the people along the Grand Canal before and after the earth dragon's rebirth.
The Ministry of Revenue sent people to notify the village heads of each village, who then went door-to-door to inform the villagers to take precautions, pack up their valuables, and evacuate to a safe place immediately if an earthquake occurred.
The Ministry of War dispatched personnel to key intersections, ready to send troops to the rescue immediately should any danger arise.
Many people think this is baseless, and it's ridiculous to be so alarmed over a child's casual joke.
But then one day, the largest earthquake in the vicinity of Beijing in nearly a century actually occurred.
Even the emperor, who was reviewing memorials in the palace, felt the building shaking. Under the protection of his guards, he ran outside the palace and frowned as he looked into the distance.
He sighed, wondering how many more people would suffer because of this.
The arrangements for this earthquake were excellent; when the disaster struck, both the people and the officials remained calm and organized.
So much so that despite the sensational earthquake, the casualties were only a few dozen.
The actual number of casualties from the flood predicted by Lin Ruoxue was far less than ten thousand.
Since the discovery of the voodoo doll, Lin Ruoxue has been going all out to impress the emperor, even at the cost of her own safety, revealing several heavenly secrets to him.
Many of these predictions came true, and the emperor praised her highly and trusted her even more. However, this time the flood predictions took a terrible turn.
Over time, some noises began to circulate.
"This is some kind of female official in charge of prophecy from the Imperial Observatory. She has no skills whatsoever and just talks nonsense. She's not even as capable as a five-year-old child."
"If that's all, then don't stay in your official position. Go back and have a baby."
Hearing these gossips, Lin Ruoxue smashed a teacup, startling the Third Prince who was passing by.
She murmured fiercely, "Xie Mianmian, so it was you."
Besides being grateful to the emperor and officials, the people also learned that it was a child who had given them the opportunity to avoid disaster and survive.
The people were filled with emotion and praised him, wondering if it was a celestial child who had descended to earth to save them.
One village, called Xiahe Village, was even worse. A hunched old woman gathered the villagers and, under the leadership of the new village head, built a shrine in their honor.
People usually build shrines in honor of those who have made great contributions to the local community, to express their gratitude and respect.
The ancestral hall in Xiahe Village is simple in construction, but clean and tidy, and has a touch of childlike charm. Inside, it enshrines a little girl with double buns.
The old woman would often go to clean, and would kneel on the prayer mat and devoutly chant, not for anything else, but only hoping that her little benefactor would be happy and safe.
Rewind to before the earthquake. On this day, the women of the Xie family were sitting in a carriage, preparing to go to Fohua Temple.
Xie Mingyi lifted the curtain and looked at the person sitting on horseback outside.
He lazily held the reins, his waist and abdomen rising and falling slowly with the horse's movements.
Xie Mingyi joked, "What brings you here today, Third Young Master Xie, to the temple to pray for blessings?"
This kid used to always love to run around, and now that he's a Lieutenant General, he's nowhere to be seen all day. Xie Mingyi looked at her younger brother and felt that he had grown up a lot without her realizing it.
Xie Huaijin said with a smile, "How could I let the frail women in my family go on a long trip alone? I had no choice but to accompany them."
An apple was suddenly thrown from the carriage and hit him. "Speak properly."
Xie Huaijin raised his hand and deftly took the apple, casually wiped it on his chest, and took a bite with a "crunch".
“Some of the people who have been coming to the city recently are a bit strange. Some are bald and wearing headscarves, some are wearing monks’ robes, and some look like ordinary people, but we found good quality prayer beads in their bags.”
Xie Huaijin became serious. "Considering all the signs, I suspect that there may be a problem with a temple."
Moreover, he could smell a faint sandalwood scent and a strange, fishy smell on those people, faintly discernible, even through the tip of his nose.
Wen Shuwan leaned closer and asked, "But Fohua Temple is the largest temple in the capital, and Master Qianjing is in charge of it. Could something still go wrong?"
Xie Huaijin swallowed the apple in his mouth. "It's hard to say. We'll know when we go and see."
Soon they arrived at the entrance of Fohua Temple, where Xie Mianmian was carried off the carriage by her third brother.
There weren't many worshippers at the temple today, only a handful.
The young monk standing nearby saw the newcomer and his eyes lit up, a look of greed and determination flashing in them. But as he lowered his eyes and then opened them again, he transformed back into a gentle and harmless monk.
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