Chapter 306: No Rain, Offering Incense and Tribute
If it were something else, it might not have left a very deep impression on him, but since he was interested in comprehending the virtue of the Azure Dragon, he could not help but pay attention to the changes in the stars.
Although the astrological sign of Mars in the heart did not last long, Gong Mengbi already had an ominous premonition in his heart, but he did not know where this premonition came from.
But he soon had the answer.
After the beginning of spring, there is no more rain.
Even the south of the Yangtze River, despite its abundant water systems, cannot escape the bad weather.
Small rivers and streams dried up, ponds dried up, the land cracked, and crops were dying.
People are looking forward to rain every day, and people in various places are offering sacrifices to gods and praying for rain.
However, a good cook cannot cook without rice. Even gods cannot create things out of thin air when water vapor is scarce.
Those places guarded by the great gods may be blessed by the gods and have sporadic rain.
But gods who can do this are not everywhere.
Gong Mengbi's base is in Wuning, and many rivers in Wuning County are now managed by Yu Shiyi Niang.
There is no need to wait for him to visit you, nor is there any need to wait for him to visit you.
Yu Shiyi Niang often led Wang Xiang to control the clouds and rain, but their skills were not as deep as Gong Mengbi's, so what they could do was limited.
The county magistrate prayed for rain many times, mostly by worshipping the City God, the Dragon King, and Lady Lingxiao's E'nu. Qu Chenghuang did not have such ability, so he could only ask for help from Shiyi Niang.
Yu Shiyi Niang could not tarnish the reputation of the Dragon King and Lady Lingxiao. Although her magic was often effective, it could only bring some light rain in the second half of the night so that the crops would not completely die.
Every month when Gong Mengbi returned to Wuning County to teach, the five ghost gods would report these things to him.
Gong Mengbi was already quite satisfied. After he learned how to control the clouds and rain, he understood even more clearly how difficult it was to do anything at this time.
If there is insufficient water vapor, taking away the water vapor from other places is tantamount to killing people.
Only sporadic rain can fall with the support of the water system.
Compared with other places, even compared with Jinhua County, Wu Ning has done a good job.
Jinhua also experienced rain, and when it did, a grand ceremony was held. People gathered money, offered incense to the gods, and repeatedly urged them to pray. Singing and dancing were also performed to liven up the atmosphere, and treasures were sunk into the river. Only then could the Wujiang River god summon a little moisture, resulting in a light rain for the second half of the day.
Every grand sacrifice is an opportunity to plunder the people’s wealth.
One must pay incense tax when burning incense to worship gods, and bring offerings when offering sacrifices to the Dragon King, but if there is no response, it will not rain.
The witch said that some people were not sincere, and the Dragon King was displeased and refused to send rain. He would confiscate the homes of those who did not pay tribute or burn incense, and force them to kowtow and apologize in front of the Dragon King Temple.
Even though everyone is afraid of praying for rain, if there is no rain for a few days and the seedlings wither and die, they have to grit their teeth and pray for rain with tears.
Last year, Jinhua prefect Zhang lost the treasury silver, and this year he finally found an opportunity to fill the treasury bit by bit.
Among them were offerings from wealthy merchants, as well as the money extorted from the people.
Gong Mengbi listened to Fox's idle chatter, talking about the prefect and the Wujiang Dragon God, and sighed.
Huangfu Yuliu followed Gong Mengbi and said, "Natural disasters and man-made calamities are truly pitiful. All living beings are suffering from the torment of fire and water, and there's no telling when it will end."
When will it end? Gong Mengbi couldn't answer.
The purpose of cultivating immortality and seeking the truth is to escape from the sorrow and suffering of all living beings, and even to transcend the constraints and suffering of the physical body.
But when I look back at the countless people in this world, I wonder how many of them still remember that they too were struggling and unable to escape.
It is rare that Huangfu Yuliu, a fox from a noble family, still has some compassion in his heart.
Unfortunately, Gong Mengbi had no way to save the world from suffering. He could neither dismiss the governor nor kill the Dragon King of Wujiang River. He could only do what he could where he could exert his power.
As for the rest, we can only turn a blind eye.
But at night, Chen Xi flapped his wings and flew crookedly from Tangxi, and Gong Mengbi could no longer sit idly by.
The scales of the red-feathered snake cracked, blood gushed out, and many feathers on its left wing were broken. It crashed headfirst into the Lanyin Temple with a loud bang.
Gong Mengbi heard the noise and came out. He saw the fox and reported: "A winged dragon has fallen in front of the temple."
He was shocked when he heard it. The person coming out of the door was indeed Chen Xi, who was covered in injuries.
One of the two ruby-like horns on the red-feathered snake's head was broken off. When it saw Gong Mengbi, it finally felt relieved and fainted completely.
Gong Mengbi hurriedly checked his injuries and found that a tiny amount of magic power was wandering around in his body like golden needles, and he was injured inside and out.
External injuries are not fatal, but internal injuries are fatal.
Gong Mengbi placed one hand on the red-feathered snake to help it suppress the magic power in its body, and the huge dragon-like snake body turned into a young man.
Gong Mengbi asked several foxes to carry him to the temple. He looked around and did not see any pursuers. Then he cleaned up the traces on the ground and returned to the room to treat Chen Xi.
Xiao Qian wiped the blood off his body, twisted the towel and asked, "How did you get hurt so badly?"
Gong Mengbi said: "We'll know after he wakes up."
This was not Chen Xi's first time coming to Lanyin Mountain. Xiaoqian and Zhu Zhengxin both knew him.
Huangfu Yuliu took a look and without asking any more questions, he took out a pill from his bosom and said, "This is a rhubarb pill, it can heal wounds. I wonder if it can be used."
Jiaona also followed and said, "I know a little bit about medicine, so I can help."
Gong Mengbi thanked them and said, "I have already calmed his injuries. The rest will have to wait until he wakes up."
Yuliu and Jiaona tactfully retreated.
Xiaoqian stayed behind to look after Chenxi, while Gong Mengbi lit the incense burner to use the smoke to nourish his spirit and help him recover his magic power.
When Chen Xi woke up, it was already late at night.
As soon as Xiaoqian came to report, Gong Mengbi rushed over immediately.
When Chen Xi saw him, he forced a bitter smile and said, "I got into big trouble, but now I'm bringing trouble upon you."
Gong Mengbi glanced at him and said, "You said that, you don't consider me a friend."
Seeing Chen Xi remained silent, Gong Mengbi said, "He's just a fifth-rank cultivator. He can't do anything to me."
Chen Xi was startled and asked, "Have you seen him?"
Gong Mengbi said: "No, it was the alien magic power left in your body that told me. Tell me, how did you get involved with him?"
Chen Xi realized that he couldn't hide it anymore, so he sighed and said, "It's the Wujiang River God."
Gong Mengbi asked curiously, "Why would the Wujiang River God attack you?"
Chen Xi said, "You know it's not raining. Now that I'm the water god of Tangxi, believers are offering sacrifices to me, so I naturally have to do my best."
"But Tangxi originates from the Wujiang River, and its water veins are controlled by the Wujiang River God. I secretly sent rain without reporting it to the Wujiang River God, so he sent troops to punish me."
"I was no match for him. I was hit by his spell and had to flee in panic. I almost lost my life in Tangxi."
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