Sanfu Temple and Double Happiness
"Miss Qian, please come with us." Old Li bowed respectfully, his tone leaving no room for refusal.
Qian Jin looked puzzled at Ao Ming and Elder Shen beside her. Elder Shen stroked his beard, a knowing smile flashing in his eyes, while Ao Ming nodded gently to her, reassuring her. So, filled with curiosity, she followed the group to a clearing in the center of town that had already been leveled.
In the open space, almost the entire town's residents had gathered, men, women, and children, their faces beaming with expectant smiles. In the center of the open space, a huge red cloth covered the area, its contents unknown.
"Old Li, fellow villagers, what is this...?" Qian Jin couldn't help but ask.
Old Li stepped forward and spoke on behalf of everyone, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Miss Qian, no, please allow us to call you 'Immortal Qian'! You haven't been in our Luming Town for long, but you've done more for us than we've hoped for in several lifetimes! You've built the 'Beautiful Road,' constructed the 'Future Academy,' invited the Divine Physician Shen Lao and his apprentice, and now even the Earth God Temple is almost finished... For the first time in so many years, our Luming Town has been so vibrant and full of hope!"
He paused, looked around at the simple and sincere faces, and continued, "Our Luming Town is a no-man's-land. The flames of war on earth can't reach here, and the gods in heaven don't care about this place either. We didn't think much of it before, but now we feel that our town can't be without a guardian! This guardian isn't sent from heaven; it's chosen by us all in our hearts!"
As he spoke, he gestured to several young men. The men stepped forward and forcefully pulled open the huge red cloth!
Beneath the red cloth was not a building, but a polished blue foundation stone. Engraved on the stone were three powerful characters: Sanfu Temple.
Qian Jin was stunned when she saw those three words.
Old Li's voice was loud and clear, filled with utmost sincerity: "Miss Qian, we want to build this 'Sanfu Temple' for you! The 'Sanfu' refers to the blessings you have brought to our Luming Town—the blessings of smooth roads, peace and health, and a bright future! We recommend you to be our own deity, to be worshipped by our Luming Town for generations to come!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the villagers echoed his words, their eyes fixed eagerly on Qian Jin.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Qian Jin was instantly overwhelmed, her eyes welling up with tears. What had she done to deserve such pure and profound love and respect? She took a deep breath, suppressing a sob in her throat, and tried to explain in a calm tone, "Everyone's kindness... Qian Jin... I really... don't know how to thank you. However, this matter of offering incense, establishing a temple, and bestowing deities is no small matter; it requires an imperial decree from Heaven and approval from above. It's not something we can decide privately..."
The villagers seemed to understand, but their attitude was unusually firm. An old woman shouted, "Miss Qian, we don't care about those heavenly rules and regulations! We only recognize you! You are the god of our Luming Town!"
"Yes! We'll supply you!"
The situation became tense for a moment. At this moment, Ao Ming stepped forward, gently shook Qian Jin's hand, and said to the crowd in a gentle tone, "Qian Jin and I will always remember the kindness of our fellow villagers. This matter is of great importance. How about this, we first report this matter to the God of Wealth's Palace, where Qian Jin once served, so that the God of Wealth can report it to Heaven and see how the Heavenly Court decides. What do you think?"
Elder Can nodded in agreement: "Young Ao Ming is right. This matter must be handled according to the rules for the long term."
Seeing that the "immortals" all said so, Elder Li and the others calmed down and nodded in agreement: "Then let's listen to Immortal Qian and Young Master Ao!"
...
Stepping into the God of Wealth's Mansion again, Qian Jin and Ao Ming's state of mind was completely different from before. They felt less apprehensive as newcomers and more composed and grounded after experiencing the world.
Before they could even express their feelings, two golden beams shot over and enthusiastically circled around Qian Jin—it was none other than the two little boys, Jin Dou'er and Yin Bao'er.
"You're finally back!" she exclaimed joyfully.
Before the greetings could be finished, even more lively sounds came from inside.
"Qian Jin! Ao Ming!"
Lan Jie'er, Ban Ge'er, and Da Qiangzi also rushed over upon hearing the news. Lan Jie'er was as gentle as ever, Ban Ge'er was full of energy, and Da Qiangzi was still his usual radiant and loud-voiced self.
"We've been waiting for you!" Da Qiangzi hugged Ao Ming tightly, patting him loudly. He then tried to hug Qian Jin, but Ao Ming stopped him with a smile.
Lan Jie'er took Qian Jin's hand, looked him up and down, her eyes full of concern: "We've all heard about what happened in Luming Town. You've really accomplished something great!"
Ban Ge'er laughed and said, "The God of Wealth already knows you are coming today and is waiting for you in the hall."
The group chatted and laughed as they made their way to the main hall. Upon seeing the God of Wealth again, he still appeared as prosperous and serene as ever. After exchanging greetings, the God of Wealth stroked his beard and said, “I am aware of the villagers of Deer Cry Town's spontaneous desire to build a temple for you. It is indeed rare in the Three Realms for the people of the mortal world to choose their own deity and offer their own worship. Moreover, it seems that your ‘divine duty’ is not solely in charge of wealth, but also involves blessing a region… This matter involves many aspects and requires consultation with all parties before a decision can be made. Please be patient and stay in your residence for a few more days, awaiting news.”
Suddenly, as if remembering something, the God of Wealth asked curiously, "By the way, Qian Jin, is that treasure-hunting compass I gave you years ago still working? Did you find quite a few treasures with it?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Jin and Ao Ming exchanged a glance, both revealing a wry smile. Their minds flashed back to the near-death experiences of being chased by the ancient demonic dragon…
Ao Ming coughed and mumbled, "Uh... the compass... is very sensitive, guiding us to many... 'unexpected' places."
Qian Jin quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, yes, very rich in experience!"
The God of Wealth looked at the two strange expressions with a puzzled expression, but did not ask any further questions.
That evening, old friends from the Chen group gathered, naturally leading to a lively dinner. Amidst the clinking of glasses, everyone chatted about the various amusing things that had happened since they parted ways.
While munching on a spirit fruit, Da Qiangzi suddenly said, "Little sister, I heard you say that your Deer Cry Town has a lot of fruits, specialties, and rare herbs that are hard to find outside. Why don't you bring them out and sell them? They'd definitely be in high demand!"
Qian Jin slapped his forehead: "I've been so busy building houses, repairing roads, and setting up schools that I haven't really thought about this!"
Sister Lan gently reminded you, "I remember, didn't the God of Wealth of the Northern Road give you a token? With this token, you can sell your goods to the Northern Border, making a lot of profit. Deer Town has good products, so it's perfect for this border trade."
Ban Ge'er chimed in, "That's right. I've been frequenting the God of Wealth's place on North Road lately, and they really do lack these in-demand items. Having this token in your hand is a huge advantage."
Qian Jin felt a sudden sense of relief, raised his glass, and sincerely said, "Thank you all so much! It's been a long time since we last met, and you've already helped me solve another important matter! I toast you all!"
Ban Ge'er downed a bowl of wine in one go and laughed, "Actually, if you hadn't come back, we would have come looking for you too!"
"Oh? What is it about?" Qian Jin and Ao Ming asked in unison.
Ban Ge'er confidently took Lan Jie'er's hand, his face beaming with undisguised pride and happiness: "Of course I'm here to ask you for my wedding gift money! Lan Jie'er and I are getting married soon!"
After saying that, he deliberately gave Ao Ming a provocative look, his eyes clearly saying, "Brother, is my speed alright?"
Provoked by him and slightly tipsy, Ao Ming felt a surge of passion and downed a bowl of wine. Then, to everyone's surprise, he grabbed Qian Jin's hand tightly!
His face flushed crimson, his heart pounded like a drum, and as he looked at Qian Jin, he opened his mouth, but the words he had been holding back for so long came out as, "I...I...I..."
Just then, Qian Jin suddenly picked up the bowl of wine in front of her, imitated Ban Ge'er, and drank it all in one gulp. Then she slammed the empty bowl on the table with a clear, loud sound, tinged with a hint of drunkenness but unusually firm:
"There's no time like the present! Brother Ban, Sister Lan! Let's get married together! Ao Ming and I will get married too! Let's have our wedding together, two couples!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qian Jin felt dizzy and the alcohol took full effect. His body went limp, and he slumped onto the table and fell into a deep sleep.
She left behind a crowd in astonishment, followed by a huge cheer, and Ao Ming, who was stunned by her words and then overjoyed and at a loss for what to do.
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