On the way to Xiling Mountain, Gu Jiangli could still hear some rumors in the carriage.
Most of them were whispering about how this favored concubine, who was pregnant with a child destined for disaster, still had to go up the mountain to pray for blessings.
Upon hearing this, the emperor wished he could rush off his carriage with his sword and behead those who were gossiping.
Gu Jiangli stopped him again: "Your Majesty, let the people say what they don't understand. Once Heaven feels Your Majesty's and your concubine's sincerity, it will send down heavy rain, and then the people's prejudices will be eliminated."
The emperor embraced her apologetically, saying, "My beloved consort is so kind and generous. Those people have no idea how good you are. They believed some rumors without question. If it rains heavily after the prayer, I will make those people feel ashamed for the words they used to insult you today."
Gu Jiangli shook her head, indicating that she didn't care about those things.
After a day and a night of bumpy travel, they finally reached the foot of Xiling Mountain.
To show their sincerity, they abandoned the sedan chair and chose to walk.
Gu Jiangli was heavy and would pant after walking only a few steps; the climb was much more difficult than she had imagined.
What should have been a half-day journey to the summit took them a full day to complete.
The emperor had to carry her across many steep sections of the road, which caused some delay.
However, none of the people traveling with them complained.
They were very supportive of Gu Jiangli's actions in praying for the people, and took good care of her along the way.
Fortunately, Xiling Mountain is not too high, and they reached the temple at the top of the mountain smoothly at night.
The abbot of the temple had been waiting outside the door for quite some time.
Upon seeing them, he hurriedly came out to greet them.
"This old monk greets Your Majesty and Consort Xian," the old monk said.
The old monk was probably the abbot of the temple, around sixty years old, with a kind face and a gentle demeanor; he was a kind old man at first glance.
A younger monk standing next to the old monk also greeted them, but he didn't speak; he simply put his hands together in front of his chest and bowed slightly.
Gu Jiangli could see a hint of impatience in his lowered eyes.
It's like the expression on the face of a homeowner meeting an unwelcome guest.
Similar to the monk's opinion of them, Gu Jiangli disliked the monk from the first glance.
The old monk immediately followed up with:
“This old monk is Daoyuan, and this is my fellow disciple Daocheng. Your Majesty, this journey up the mountain must have been very arduous. Why don’t you rest at the monastery for a while?”
The emperor held Gu Jiangli in his arms. He wasn't tired, but his beloved concubine, heavily pregnant, must be exhausted from walking such a long distance.
"Alright, then I'll trouble the abbot to lead the way."
They were led to the backyard of the temple, where a row of rooms had been prepared in advance, specially for them.
The emperor and she were settled in quickly.
He gently wiped the sweat from her forehead. "My dear, you've worked hard. Get some rest. We'll get up again tomorrow to pray for blessings."
Gu Jiangli was indeed extremely tired, to the point that she could fall asleep the moment she touched the bed and closed her eyes.
Seeing that she had fallen into a deep sleep, the emperor finally felt at ease and lay down beside her.
————
On the other side, inside the temple's main hall.
Dao Cheng said with a face full of disdain, "Senior brother, I really don't know what you're thinking. Haven't you heard? It hasn't rained for months this year, and the people are having a hard time. It's all because of that woman's child. That child looks like a jinx."
"In my opinion, not only that child, but that woman is no good either! Look at her, with that seductive look, she's completely bewitched the emperor. With his eyes glued to her, how can he possibly spare any sincerity to pray for the people's well-being?"
"I heard that in the palace, the emperor even neglected the morning court for her sake. He was so infatuated with her that he ignored the affairs of the court. Isn't she a vixen who brings disaster to the country and the people?"
"Now they even have the audacity to call it praying for rain and blessings for the people. Ha, what a huge joke! It's all just for show."
"Just you wait and see, life in the temple is tough. That woman is used to the fine clothes and delicacies in the palace. She definitely won't last a day before she starts clamoring to go back to the palace!"
"It's such a waste of our energy. We spent so much time building the altar and cleaning their house. It's all for nothing."
Dao Yuan's pale eyebrows furrowed. "Dao Cheng, how can you speak so harshly as a monk? Her Majesty and Her Highness came to Xiling Mountain without fear of hardship for the sake of the people. Consort Xian was pregnant, yet she still dragged her heavy body up Xiling Mountain. Isn't this sincerity enough?"
"As for the other things you mentioned, they are just hearsay. Whether His Majesty has neglected state affairs is not something you and I can judge."
"You've only met His Majesty and His Majesty once, yet you already harbor so much prejudice against them. That's really inappropriate."
"Go and prepare the altar. His Majesty and the Empress will need it first thing tomorrow morning."
Dao Cheng snorted coldly and muttered something as he walked toward the altar.
"Hmph, just you wait. No matter how clean this altar is, it can only be used for one day at most."
————
Gu Jiangli slept for one night. The conditions in the temple were indeed not as good as in the palace. The bed was very hard, and the vegetarian meals were extremely simple.
However, Gu Jiangli did not utter a single complaint.
After eating vegetarian food and washing up, they followed the emperor to the altar.
The altar was placed in the very center of the temple courtyard.
As Gu Jiangli and the emperor walked over, they passed Dao Yuan and Dao Cheng.
Daoyuan still had a kind expression, while Daocheng still looked down on people.
Gu Jiangli nodded slightly to them, and then came to the altar with the emperor.
Praying for blessings isn't actually that difficult; it just requires sincerity and perseverance.
She is not lacking in perseverance, nor is she lacking in sincerity.
Right now, the person who most wants it to rain quickly, besides the farmers, is Gu Jiangli.
This is the most effective way for her to get rid of the infamy.
So, during the prayer process, she did whatever the emperor did.
Throughout the entire day, she did everything from offering incense and kowtowing to listening to sutras while kneeling for a long time, without uttering a single complaint or even frowning.
Daoyuan stole an admiring glance for her.
Dao Cheng looked on incredulously, not believing that she could actually do that.
"Daocheng, you saw it too. Your previous guesses about His Majesty and Consort Xian were all untrue. Today's prayer was just as earnest as His Majesty and Consort Xian's. They are doing everything they can for the people."
"If you continue to use your petty mind to maliciously speculate about His Majesty and the Empress, that's really wrong of you. Think about it carefully."
Daoyuan left after saying those words.
Dao Cheng was left alone, clenching his fists and looking resentful.
Just then, a woman's voice came from behind him: "The abbot is such a hypocrite. He's just putting on a good show and he's eager to speak up for them."
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