Chapter 637 Praying for Blessings?
One night passed.
Shenfu.
As dawn broke, Shen Wantang was awakened by the sound of cuckoos.
"Miss, Madam has sent someone to say that she will be taking you and the eldest young lady to the temple to offer incense today. Please hurry up and get ready!"
Shen Wantang sat up: "Why did she suddenly decide to go to offer incense? And why did she want to take me with her?"
"They said they were going to the temple to chant sutras and pray for the master's well-being, so that he could get rid of illness and disaster."
"That's even stranger. If she didn't poison Father's illness, how could she have the nerve to go to the temple to pray for Father's well-being?"
“I also feel something is wrong. Why don’t you pretend to be sick and not go? I have a feeling she has ill intentions.”
"Hmm, you have ulterior motives, don't you?"
Shen Wantang, on the contrary, became interested: "Then I have to go and see what she's up to."
Du Juan looked worried: "Miss, the Madam is in the open, while you are in the dark. You mustn't get into a fight at a time like this. The Madam has definitely already arranged everything and is just waiting to scheme against you!"
Shen Wantang suddenly laughed: "Don't worry, when it comes to scheming, no one can outsmart your young lady. My good stepmother even resorted to such a stupid trick as poisoning my father, just so she could have an excuse to go to the temple to pray for him. If I didn't go, her act would fall apart."
"Then, would you like to take the lapis lazuli and lapis silver with you?"
"Bring them along, of course we must! My stepmother is foolish, but I'm not. How can I go into danger alone? Of course, I must bring my most capable helper!"
Du Juan was relieved and smiled, "That's much safer."
After washing up, Shen Wantang changed into a light and comfortable lotus root pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and then instructed Du Juan, "Bring two more sets of clothes."
"Miss, what kind would you like to bring?"
"One set similar to what I'm wearing, and one set—"
Shen Wantang paused for a moment, then asked Qin Xin, "What clothes is Shen Mingxuan wearing today?"
"This servant will go and find out."
After Qin Xin finished speaking, she ran out in a flash.
A moment later, she ran back: "The young lady is wearing a dark green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and a jade hairpin in her hair!"
Shen Wantang nodded: "Dujuan, bring another set of dark green clothes."
Luckily, she had recently had a lot of new clothes made, otherwise she really wouldn't have been able to pick out a dark green outfit.
"Yes, Miss, would you like to wear a jade hairpin as well?"
"That won't be necessary."
Qin Xin leaned close to Shen Wantang and whispered, "Miss, when I went out just now, I ran into Sanshui. Sanshui came to remind you to be careful in everything you do. Madam has a lowlife who keeps someone outside, and he does all the dirty work for Madam."
Shen Wantang smiled slightly: "Okay, I understand."
It seems that Sanshui is afraid she won't want him, so he's starting to try to show his value.
After getting ready, Shen Wantang left the courtyard and followed Madam Qi out.
Inside the carriage, Shen Mingxuan's cold gaze swept over Shen Wantang: "When did you get this dress made, little sister? I've never seen it before! Did you make it secretly behind my back? This fabric must be the finest feather-soft gauze, right? Where did you get the money to buy it?"
Shen Wantang slightly raised her chin, her tone deliberately revealing a hint of boastfulness: "Sister, have you forgotten? Among the gifts of thanks from the Duchess, there was a piece of Feather Soft Gauze. The maids just made it for me using that fabric. How is it? Isn't it beautiful? It's the first time I've ever worn this color!"
Shen Mingxuan pouted: "The material is of course good, but it's a pity that it's not suitable for you to wear. This color is too tacky for you."
Shen Wantang, of course, wouldn't tolerate her and immediately retorted, "Since you're so honest, I can't lie to you. To be honest, what you're wearing is even worse! It's too old-fashioned, and the color makes people think you stole Madam's clothes! You shouldn't wear this anymore, it's so ugly I can't bear to look at it."
Shen Mingxuan clenched her fists in anger: "Shen Wantang, you!!"
Qi's icy gaze swept over them, and she said in a sinister tone, "You've become increasingly sharp-tongued. Your sister was just joking with you, but you've gone and trampled on her to death, deliberately making her unhappy!"
Shen Wantang looked like she didn't understand: "I was just joking with you, sister. What, can't you even take a joke like this now? I misjudged you. I thought that if you joked with me, I could joke with you too. Turns out you can't? Then you shouldn't joke around like that anymore, it's so boring."
Shen Mingxuan gritted her teeth, unable to utter a single word for a long time. She could only glare at Qi Shi in annoyance, resenting her for talking too much.
Madam Qi sneered and pointed her finger at Shen Wantang's nose, saying, "You are so young, yet you are so competitive and intolerant of others. How can you be so vicious? I don't know who you took after. Our Shen family does not have such a despicable temperament as you."
Shen Wantang's eyes were sharp, but her face was smiling: "Our Shen family? My sister and I are of course members of the Shen family, but if I remember correctly, Madam's surname seems to be Qi?"
Madam Qi's face darkened: "What do you mean by that?!"
"It doesn't mean anything. Isn't Madam's surname Qi? What is Madam's surname then? Did she change it?"
Qi's lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
She sneered inwardly. This wretched girl won't be smug for long. Soon she'll show her that even if she doesn't have the surname Shen, she can still kick her out of the Shen family!
Want to marry into the Duke's mansion? Dream on!
Seeing that Madam Qi remained silent, Shen Wantang's heart sank slightly.
This is not in line with Qi's character. In the past, she should have already lost her temper, or even started a fight.
But she actually endured it!
She definitely planted a huge conspiracy in the temple, a conspiracy that would ruin her reputation as an illegitimate daughter, which is why Madam Qi was too lazy to engage in verbal disputes.
Shen Wantang's eyes were filled with sarcasm. She had better not have any wicked thoughts. If she dared to do so, she would not be polite!
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped.
When Shen Wantang got out of the car, she realized that this was not the most popular Fazhen Temple, but Guyuan Temple, which was not far from Fazhen Temple.
Although they are close in distance, the number of worshippers at Guyuan Temple is far apart. There are very few worshippers at Guyuan Temple, and even fewer monks inside.
However, in return, as long as you donate a few taels of sesame oil here, you will receive great preferential treatment.
It seems that Madam Qi had already made all the arrangements, so as soon as they arrived, a monk came to greet them and then quite attentively led them to offer incense and accompanied them in chanting sutras and praying for blessings.
The excuse for going out today was to chant sutras and pray for Shen Guannian, to ward off illness and disaster, so Qi still had to put on a show.
The chanting lasted for the entire morning.
Qi knelt in front, while Shen Wantang and Shen Mingxuan knelt behind.
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