Chapter 41 The Fox Spirit Appears: "Worship him? You might as well worship me..."
The fox was munching on the toasted bread slices with a loud crunch, oblivious to Xie Yunchuan's surprised gaze behind him. He was still foolishly commenting on the taste of the bread slices, "I think it would taste even better with a little more chili and salt."
Tinglan sat down, fully aware of the gazes behind him, but completely unconcerned. He naturally tucked the little prince's loose hair behind his ears and then tore the roast chicken into small pieces for him.
She's incredibly virtuous and considerate, her gentleness is almost frightening.
Even if Xie Yunchuan had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare use these words to describe the Ninth Prince.
He suddenly had a strange premonition that he couldn't look anymore, or he would be in big trouble. He immediately turned his head and stared blankly at his food.
That's a high-ranking official, not some ordinary eunuch. Even the emperor might not dare to ask him to serve him casually. How come Your Highness is so casual about it, as if it's perfectly normal?
After much thought, I still couldn't figure it out. I could only conclude that His Highness was indeed extraordinary and unique! He could actually command the Ninth Prince.
Tinglan had never had much of an appetite. He ate a few bites and then put down his chopsticks. He tilted his head and watched the little prince eating heartily, his cheeks bulging, eating with great concentration, like some kind of little animal eating. A smile involuntarily appeared in his eyes, along with a strong possessiveness that he himself was unaware of.
*
The atmosphere along the way was relatively relaxed and pleasant. The fox spent his days eating and drinking, chatting with his good friends, and having a great time.
But as we got closer to our destination, the scenery outside the window changed. Occasionally, families of disaster victims would pass by, barely clothed and emaciated. They would stand by the roadside, staring blankly at the rumbling convoy.
The fox looked down at the snack box in its arms, placed the snacks on the small table, and wrapped them together with the dried chicken in oil paper.
"Your Highness wishes to distribute food to the disaster victims?"
The fox nodded.
“There are some prepared provisions in the back carriage. I’ll have someone take them there,” Tinglan suggested.
"But I don't think those taste good."
"Then we'll send them along with what His Highness prepared."
The fox nodded and stepped forward to shake Tinglan's sleeve. "Thank you, you're the best."
Tinglan smiled helplessly. The little prince always seemed to be like this, naturally kind to everyone, even showing a slight compassion to his enemies.
The city was in sight, with towering walls and a plaque bearing the two large characters "Lingyang". If one ignored the starving disaster victims, it was indeed a magnificent city.
The grain carts had already entered the city, and according to the plan, porridge should have been distributed in the city, but judging from the situation at the city gate, it seems that something else has happened.
Tinglan frowned and gave instructions, "Wait for our people to send back a message before making any plans. Don't reveal your identities yet."
The fox sat close to his best friend, his little bundle now bulging on his lap, and held onto Tinglan's sleeve, looking somewhat nervous.
"What do you need me to do later? What if someone comes out to rob us?"
Tinglan turned around and smiled, gently squeezing the little prince's hand in return, "Your Highness only needs to stay with this servant."
The fox nodded solemnly.
The carriage slowly drove into the city. The soldiers guarding the city gate were also pale and thin, and asked weakly, "Who are you? Why are you coming this way?"
"The caravan is passing through your area and will sell some grain along the way."
"Then you've come to the wrong place. We don't have any money to buy grain here. You'd better leave quickly. There are bandits around here. Those people come down to rob and kill every few days."
The Imperial Guard, quick-witted as ever, handed over a bag of dry rations along with some loose silver, saying, "Didn't we hear that the imperial court's disaster relief grain has been distributed?"
"So what if we come down? Most families in this city have lost their land. After this batch of grain is used up, we'll still be doomed." The guard sighed, holding the dry rations. "Thank you. You even treated me to a meal."
The Imperial Guards returned with mixed expressions.
The convoy stopped in front of the only inn in town that was still open. Such a large group of people entering was quite eye-catching.
Among the onlookers, there were a few shifty-eyed men who stared at the convoy for a long time before hurriedly running away, their destination unknown.
Tinglan got out of the car, and the fox followed closely behind him, as if afraid that someone would suddenly jump out from behind the trees by the roadside to launch a sneak attack.
He gently patted the young prince's hand and said softly, "You must be tired from your journey. Your Highness, please go to your room and rest for a while. I still have a few people to see."
The fox immediately shook its head, "No, I want to stay close to you."
"How about we meet at the inn? Don't worry, Your Highness." Tinglan was actually quite pleased with the young prince's request.
He was an extremely possessive person, wishing that the little prince would be with him every moment, never even taking his eyes off him.
The fox trotted up to the second floor of the inn, sat on the bed in the room, and tested the softness of the mattress with its bottom.
Tinglan's guests arrived quickly, climbing in through the window.
"Reporting to the Commander, the first batch of grain we brought has been distributed, but according to my observation, it is still only a temporary solution. Local wealthy families are hoarding grain and speculating, temples are acquiring real estate, and those mountain bandits are said to be somewhat connected with them."
The fox listened from inside, crunching on peanuts.
The sound startled the subordinate who was giving his report. He looked up and saw that his superior was calm, so he was relieved and continued his report.
"The people here are so religious that they are almost obsessed. It would be difficult to forcibly shut down the temples."
The fox continued to crunch on the peanuts.
What do they believe?
"It's different from other places. They have all sorts of beliefs, which I really don't understand. Some even worship fox spirits."
The fox next door immediately perked up its ears and confidently put its hands on its hips.
There are actually people who believe in foxes! Hehe, our foxes are really amazing!
Meanwhile, in a magnificent courtyard within the city, the shifty-eyed man reported to a middle-aged man, "Master, a cavalry has just entered the city; they don't seem like ordinary people."
"Did you see who was leading the group?"
"I've seen clearly. There are two men in that carriage, both quite young. They seem like brothers. Could they be people sent down by the imperial court? Should we make some plans soon?"
"What's the panic? Do you know who this task is assigned to? The Ninth Prince, who is he? Why would he come to this desolate place? Even if he did come, why is it like this? It should be a huge celebration, with all the officials in the area kneeling at the city gate to welcome him."
The middle-aged man took a sip of tea to moisten his throat. "But we can't let our guard down. We should continue to send people to keep an eye on them. It's best to be careful. But if they really are sent by the Ninth Prince, that would be good."
I wonder how much money it would cost to make offerings to the Ninth Prince?
The fox and his best friend went out shopping. They both wore ordinary clothes and didn't bring any valuables. The fox even brought an empty little floral cloth to carry the things he bought.
The Imperial Guards and Xie Yunchuan followed at a distance. The young general had already suppressed bandits in this area and, fearing being recognized, had painted his face black.
Even with this attire, they were far too conspicuous in the city; a casual glance was enough to tell they came from outside.
The market was deserted, the ground was muddy, and there was hardly a person in sight.
"Why is nobody here?" the fox muttered, looking around. He was looking for a place to buy something.
Tinglan waved, and Xie Yunchuan, quick-witted as ever, rushed forward. "I know, there's a dojo nearby with a lot of people. I went there once before."
The fox walked happily forward, carrying his bundle in his arms. Although he didn't know what the temple was, he figured it must be a place where things were sold.
Xie Yunchuan led them, in a winding and unsteady manner, to a main road, where a magnificent temple stood before them.
Xie Yunchuan turned around and said to them in a low voice, "What kind of fox are they worshipping here? I don't even know which deity it is. When I came here years ago, the incense was quite popular."
As he spoke, he pushed open the door, and now he could truly feel that the incense was burning brightly.
The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood mixed with the smell of smoke and fire, and people were coming and going in the courtyard.
The fox blinked and thought, "This doesn't seem to be a place to sell things. Did I bring my bundle for nothing?"
The sound of chanting could be heard from inside the house, and there were colorful paintings on the walls.
There is no trace of disaster in this place.
Ji Qing was a little curious, after all, he had heard that foxes were worshipped here, but he had never seen anyone worship foxes before. He looked around to see if there were any of his kind, so that he could maybe exchange some feelings with them.
But he was bound to be disappointed. Upon entering the main hall, he found that the altar indeed contained a fox dressed in colorful clothes.
Ji Qing looked up and was very unhappy. "This statue is not well made. We foxes don't stand like this. Besides, who wears clothes when they reveal their true form?"
That's strange. Being naked is so comfortable. Fox fur is so beautiful, why would you cover it up with clothes?
The fox pursed its lips, put its hands in its pockets, and walked into the hall.
Inside the room, several richly dressed middle-aged men sat on prayer cushions. Among them, the man in the first seat, wearing a strange Taoist robe, spotted Ting Lan at a glance and realized that this person must be of extraordinary status. He walked over with a smile and asked, "May I ask what brings these kind souls here?"
"We are merchants passing through. We heard that this place is very efficacious, so we came to offer incense."
The fox continued to sneer, clearly disdainful.
You might as well worship me instead of him. Give me a roast chicken, and I can get anything done for you. Just tell me who to beat up, and I'll kick their ass.
There wasn't a single fox in the entire hall, no, the entire temple. Not even a single ordinary fox, let alone one that had become a spirit.
And this guy, you can tell at a glance he's a conman. He doesn't seem as reliable as Zhou Yiqing. Tinglan, don't fall for his tricks.
The swindler over there was talking to Tinglan, but the fox didn't listen carefully. He just looked around and stared at the murals on the wall.
Of course, Xie Yunchuan saw all of this and immediately made a mental note: when you arrive in an unfamiliar place, observe the environment first and don't rush to speak; this will make you appear very classy.
Only when the other party confidently declared that they would show them what it meant for a fox spirit to manifest did Ji Qing turn around with his arms crossed.
Ah, Tinglan, look here! This is the fox that has manifested its power!
It's a real fox, a powerful fox spirit that can even transform into a human!
The fox walked over angrily and stopped in front of the swindler.
Watching the swindler manipulate the teapot with a thin thread, making it float and pour water, pretending it was suspended in mid-air.
The fox sneered, its disdain growing stronger.
What is this? I haven't played this game for over a hundred years.
When the swindler saw that he had actually raised his head, he asked with a smile, "Young friend, is there any problem? The fox spirit is right here in the hall, and she doesn't speak recklessly."
The fox immediately laughed in anger, reached out and snatched the cup, snapping the thin thread and causing the man to stumble.
So, under everyone's watchful eyes, the refined young man casually toyed with the bronze cup in his hand. His sleeve slid down, revealing a section of his white jade-like wrist. His expression was indifferent and aloof. He stretched out his finger and casually touched the bronze cup.
The cup immediately made a crisp sound and turned into a crystal clear glass bead.
The boy casually tossed the glass bead back, seemingly quite disdainful.
The beads bounced a few times on the table, making a gurgling sound as they spun around.
The fox chuckled softly, its voice still languid, a cold glint flashing in its eyes. "Looks like you, fox spirit, aren't as clever as me."
Look! Tinglan, look!
I'm amazing!
I'm way more shrewd than this piece of crap; you'd better beg me.
It really works.
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