In a previous life, on the day of Laba Festival, a strange phenomenon occurred at Fahua Temple.
A sudden thunderstorm during a winter drought!
The attack collapsed the prayer platform at Fahua Temple, turning the elderly abbot who was chanting sutras and praying for blessings on the platform into a charred corpse, and also triggered a large-scale wildfire in the back mountain.
Not long after, rumors spread among the people that this was an ominous sign of a change of imperial power.
With this rumor as a prelude, the Crown Prince of Yan ascended the throne, and the change of imperial power proceeded relatively smoothly.
The rumor was fabricated by Prime Minister Li using the strange phenomena at Fahua Temple. It was at that time that Xie Jinyao learned of Prime Minister Li's ambition.
Naturally, she learned all of this from her husband in her previous life.
But she witnessed the lightning with her own eyes; she was praying for blessings in the square with the Xiao family at the time.
At that time, she was just the granddaughter-in-law of the Xiao family, and she knelt far from the Prayer Platform, so nothing happened.
But she witnessed thunderbolts crashing down from the sky and heard the host's screams.
After the lightning struck down the Prayer Platform, it moved to the back mountain, leaving the rest of the people unharmed.
This inevitably aroused suspicion among the people, who wondered if the abbot had committed some heinous crime and was being punished by heaven, and some even suspected that he was a demon.
Xie Jinyao thought of this matter when she was thinking about how to kill Ye Zhen.
Poisoning and assassination are not as perfect as letting Ye Zhen die from heavenly lightning.
As soon as Ye Zhen died, she would spread rumors that Ye Zhen was a monster, and that Heaven couldn't stand it, so it suddenly sent down divine punishment.
If the future Crown Princess is a demon, then will the Crown Prince, who has been missing for several years and suddenly reappears, also have problems?
Public opinion is a fearsome thing, especially among the most easily swayed masses. With just a little guidance, they will exaggerate their imaginations and wish they could see the crown prince as a monstrous flood, so how could they dare to support him?
At that time, Li Xiang will surely take advantage of the situation and find a way to abolish the crown prince.
She could kill two birds with one stone, punishing both Ye Zhen and the Crown Prince at the same time.
However, Xie Jinyao did not tell Li Xiang about what happened today, firstly because she wanted to give him a surprise.
Secondly, every time she spoke out before, the outcome would be inexplicably changed. She suspected that it was true that secrets of heaven should not be revealed, and that she had good luck. She wanted to make this happen secretly.
This matter is actually not difficult; all that is needed is for Ye Zhen to sit on the prayer platform during the Dharma assembly.
Ye Zhen is the future Crown Princess, so it's only natural that she would sit on the high platform to pray for blessings.
She could do all of these things, the only thing she wasn't sure about was whether the reborn Ye Zhen also knew about the Heavenly Thunder.
After all, that incident caused quite a stir back then. What if the old women guarding Ye Zhen heard about it and discussed it in front of Ye Zhen?
Therefore, Xie Jinyao planned to test the waters first. If Ye Zhen also knew about today's events, she would then begin her second plan.
In short, she was determined to kill Ye Zhen today.
Xie Jinyao's test was also very simple.
She found the pawn she had been laying the groundwork for a long time, Cui Yihuan.
"You said you'd donate 20,000 taels of silver just so Ye Zhen could sit on the Prayer Platform?"
Cui Yihuan was shocked, but even more so, she seemed reluctant to let go. "Why?"
“My silly sister, of course I did it for you. Although I paid for it, it was donated in your name.”
Once Ye Zhen dies, Cui Yihuan will be useless as a pawn. She won't be afraid to turn against her, nor will she admit that she has anything to do with this matter.
Xie Jinyao had already planned her escape route in her mind, but her expression remained sincere.
"Everyone knows that the Prayer Platform is usually reserved for those in high positions, but Ye Zhen is only engaged and has not yet officially entered the royal family."
If you treat her with respect today, won't she be grateful to you, and won't your life in the Marquis's mansion be easier from now on?
"But 20,000 taels is too much. Just to save face for Ye Zhen, I don't think it's worth it at all."
Cui Yihuan still hesitated.
Xie Jinyao knew that Cui Yihuan had a hard time making a living under her stepmother, which had made her petty and narrow-minded, which Xie Jinyao looked down on.
But it was precisely because of this petty nature that she was able to get close to Cui Yihuan so easily.
Xie Jinyao seemed to be thinking of Cui Yihuan's best interests at heart, and with her earnest and persuasive words, she convinced Cui Yihuan.
But she instructed Cui Yihuan, "Don't tell Ye Zhen yet. Wait until she has gained enough face at the Dharma assembly and returns to the Marquis's mansion, then you can casually reveal it to her. This way, not only Ye Zhen, but the entire Marquis's mansion will be grateful to you."
Unfortunately, Ye Zhen could not return to the Marquis's residence.
Cui Yihuan said with emotion, "Mingyue, you are such a kind person. No one has ever thought of me like this before, except for you."
Xie Jinyao outwardly complied, but inwardly she mocked Cui Yihuan for being so brainless.
The temple's head priest, having received the donation, granted Cui Yihuan's request.
For the temple, this is similar to who burns the first incense; there's no rule that someone must sit on the prayer platform.
Cui Yihuan represents the Marquis's mansion in public. The Marquis's mansion wants to elevate its own daughter and has donated such a sum of money, so there is no reason for the temple to disagree.
Moreover, the future Crown Princess will most likely become the future Empress.
Fahua Temple did not want to offend Ye Zhen.
He immediately sent someone to deliver a message to Ye Zhen.
Although Xie Jinyao was also heartbroken about the 20,000 taels, she knew that as long as this matter was accomplished, even if she needed 200,000 taels in the future, the Prime Minister would still give it to her.
What she wanted to know most right now was Ye Zhen's reaction, so she urged Cui Yihuan to go find Ye Zhen.
After hearing the monk's account, Ye Zhen was somewhat stunned. "The master wants me to sit on the Prayer Platform? Isn't that inappropriate?"
"The official said that the princess's donation of smallpox vaccination techniques and the construction of the charity hall are both acts of great kindness, and she is a person with great merit."
The Prayer Platform is a high platform for conveying prayers to Buddha and deities; those who have accumulated merit have a greater chance of their wishes reaching the heavens.
Xie Jinyao listened from the side, thinking to herself that money really can make the devil turn the millstone.
Even monks will speak sweet words for money.
Ye Zhen would probably find it hard to refuse.
As expected, Ye Zhen performed a Buddhist salute, saying, "In that case, I will follow the temple's arrangements."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
