Chapter 59: The first release of Hou Tu Niangniang?
Jiangyang Prefecture, that night.
Xiyan led Wenyu through the city at a quick pace. Their figures, one green and one blue, were reflected on the long street, stretching the moonlight very long.
Judging from the moonlight, it was already past the latter half of the night, and daybreak would soon be approaching. Riding horses in the street was inappropriate, especially at night when everyone was sound asleep. Therefore, Wen Yu and Xi Yan did not ride their horses, but simply quickened their pace toward the outskirts of Jiangyang City.
"Wash the inkstone." Wen Yu called out, as if she remembered something.
"Ah? Madam Wen."
Xiyan didn't dare to slow down his pace at all. Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, he recognized Ah Yuan. In the middle of the night, Ah Yuan collapsed in front of the door of the Song residence, soaking wet. This didn't seem to be a good thing anyway.
He walked quickly in front, about half a step ahead of Wen Yu. Hearing Wen Yu's call, Xiyan quickly responded.
"Last time, your master asked you to send Ayuan home. Did you see what the situation was like at his house?"
As for the fact that Zhibai's residence is Ayuan's home, it is just Wenyu's speculation after all. She is not 100% sure. It's just that when she met Zhibai last time in Houchun Mountain, she heard her say that she lived in a dilapidated temple outside the city. Ayuan also said before that she lived in a temple outside the city.
I just don't know how many temples there are outside the city of Jiangyang, except for the Wutong Ancestral Temple on Houchun Mountain, which is the temple dedicated to her master, Lord Gou Mang.
"That can't really be considered Ayuan's home. It can only be said to be a place to shelter from wind and rain." Xiyan pondered and tried his best to describe the situation he had seen before with pertinent and appropriate words.
"It's a dilapidated temple that's been neglected, so it's a bit rundown. Inside, there are about ten children about the same age as Ayuan..."
When he had sent Ayuan home earlier, perhaps due to bad timing, he hadn't seen so many children. But when the young master had sent him to deliver some clothes last time, he had been very busy those days and only managed to go back at sunset, nearing nightfall. He had happened to see the children sitting around the fire, warming themselves and chatting, and that was when he saw them.
"A ruined temple?" Wen Yu asked in confusion.
She knew that it was a temple, but how could it be a dilapidated temple?
It is an ancient custom for mortals to build temples and Taoist temples, invite gods to take over, offer incense and pray for the gods' protection.
It's like the Wutong Ancestral Temple of her master, Ju Mangjun, on Houchun Mountain. The people of Jiangyang worship the God of Spring with incense, and her master often hides behind the statue of the God of Spring to listen to the troubles and wishes of mortals and try his best to help them realize them.
Therefore, her master also earned the reputation of "Wutong Temple, where all wishes are granted." Upon hearing the news, tourists and pilgrims came in an endless stream. In addition to the people of Jiangyang Prefecture, many people came from far away just to pray.
As a result, the incense at the Wutong Ancestral Temple became even more prosperous.
I don’t know which god’s name the temple Xiyan was talking about belongs to, and how it had fallen to this point, to the point that Xiyan even used the word “declined”.
"Madam Wen, you don't know—" Xiyan kept walking, not slowing down just because he was talking to Wenyu. He was obviously worried about Madam Zhibai. "In the past, Jiangyang Prefecture worshipped not only the Goddess of Spring, but also the Goddess of Earth."
Wen Yu's eyebrows twitched. Queen Hou Tu?
"Legend has it that she and the Goddess of Spring are both gods of the five ancient lands, and they are also sisters with a very good personal relationship. The Goddess of Spring is in charge of the plants and trees on earth, and Hou Tu protects the three mountains and five peaks. Both are highly respected female gods." Xi Yan remembered that when he was young, the Hou Tu Temple and the Wutong Palace were both very popular temples.
Apart from the fact that Wen Yu was somewhat noncommittal about this "good sister with whom she has a very good personal relationship", she had heard about some of the other parts.
In the past, when she was in the Spring Temple and had her master recite those scriptures under her command, she had seen records about the five gods. Her master, the God of Wood Ju Mang, and the God of Metal Rushou, lived in the east and west, the God of Fire Zhu Rong and the God of Water Gong Gong were in the north and south respectively, and the one guarding the center was the Queen Mother Hou Tu mentioned by Xi Yan.
It is said that Hou Tu, the supreme god, is in the central position and commands the four elements. Her status should be higher than that of her master, Lord Ju Mang. Moreover, her master is a man. How could he and Lord Hou Tu become sisters with "very good personal relationships"?
Wen Yu complained in his heart, it turned out that what you hear is not as good as what you see. The stories about gods and monsters circulating in the mortal world were really half true and half false.
"And what happened next?"
Since both are admired goddesses, how did it become like this today, with one sitting on the bustling Houchun Mountain, while the other is gradually declining and falling into ruin?
"Back then, the Houtu Temple and Wutong Hall were equally popular, with it difficult to compete. Later, for some reason, rumors spread among the people that the Houtu Temple had lost its power, and that the goddess Houtu had left in anger and no longer protected Jiangyang."
Xiyan frowned, obvious doubts creeping up his face.
"Plus, the Spring Goddess of Wutong Palace has always been known to grant requests, so the people naturally prefer to go to Houchun Mountain to pray to the Spring Goddess. The gradual decline of Houtu Temple is inevitable."
Xiyan tried to connect the Houtu Temple in his memory with the scene he saw when he visited Ayuan a few days ago, but he could not put them together.
"But I never imagined that, having only been with you for a dozen years since you moved to Shangdu, the Houtu Temple would be in such a state..."
Xiyan's face was full of disbelief, which made Wenyu feel deeply moved.
She had only read some descriptions of the Goddess Hou Tu in books in the East Heaven. Those few words were not enough to leave her with any special impression of the Goddess Hou Tu, not to mention that they had never met.
Generally speaking, if mortals provide for the gods, the gods should naturally give back to the human world. Just like her master, every spring, her master would travel the human world, whether it was spring plowing or sowing or some other wish, as long as it did not disrupt the order of the human world, her master would definitely help, accumulating merit along the way.
I wonder what's going on with this Hou Tu God? Since he receives incense, how can he turn a deaf ear to the prayers of mortals and pretend not to see them?
Does she know about the current situation of Houtu Temple?
Wen Yu made up her mind that after the matter of Zhi Bai Niangzi was resolved, she would find time to send a message to her master, or go back to the Spring Temple in person to ask her master to talk to Hou Tu Shen about the situation here.
While she was still thinking about what was to come, she heard the sound of washing the inkstone again.
"Mrs. Wen! Look!"
His steps in washing the inkstone gradually slowed down until he stopped. He stood three or two steps ahead of Wen Yu and raised his hand to point forward.
A hazy white light rose from the horizon, and the sun's rays emerged from the clouds, casting a shadow on the boundless earth. Suddenly, they climbed up the broken beams of the temple and leaked through the cracks in the roof tiles.
Wen Yu looked up and saw this scene. Although at a distance, Wen Yu could vaguely make out the dust dancing in the sunlight, rising up and not settling for a long time.
It is the bustle and noise of the dust, as well as the loneliness and old age of Hou Tu Temple.
She had originally thought that a dilapidated temple would not be magnificent, but Wen Yu had never imagined that it would be such a lifeless scene before her.
It is impossible for every god in heaven to be as respected as her master, Lord Ju Mang, and enjoy the most abundant incense in the world.
Of course, there are immortals who have no intention to do good deeds, lack magical powers, or are free from the world and do not care about the human world. What's more, mortals have always had choices when praying. This is why people often come to the temple of the God of Wealth and smile happily in the temple of marriage.
Therefore, there are bound to be deserted temples and forgotten gods. But even so, as far as the temples and Taoist temples that Wen Yu has seen are concerned, they are always connected to the fortune of the gods. As long as the divine power is abundant, the temple will not decline.
If that doesn't work, you can just clean up after yourself, just to save your own face. You know, there are also some gods who care about their reputation.
This Queen Hou Tu could actually watch her temple fall into disrepair and become just a wooden frame without doing anything to repair it.
According to Wen Yu's thinking, either this Hou Tu Niangniang was truly otherworldly and unconcerned with worldly affairs, just a carefree immortal; or she had suffered some hardship, her divine power had weakened, and she no longer had the blessings to nourish the temple and protect the world.
Wen Yu was shocked. If that was the case, she had to report the matter to her master immediately and ask him to make the decision.
"This is the Houtu Temple, where Ayuan and his siblings lived."
As they talked, Xiyan led Wenyu on. They had only taken a few steps, and after turning a corner, Wenyu and Xiyan arrived at the gate of Houtu Temple.
From a distance it looks dilapidated and run-down, but when you get closer you can see that it is quite tidy, and it looks like someone lives there. There is not a single trace of green on the steps, and they give off a white glow when you step on them.
Wen Yu released his spiritual energy to search for Zhi Bai Niangzi's whereabouts. As a fellow plant spirit, and having met her not long ago, Wen Yu quickly sensed that she was indeed in the Hou Tu Temple, but... her aura was extremely weak... almost imperceptible...
Normally, as long as there is a door, it is someone else's residence and people should not be allowed in without permission. However, Wen Yu didn't bother to knock on the door at this moment. Her heart seemed to be floating in the air, with a sharp blade hanging high above her head, which might suddenly fall down at any time.
She took three or two steps up the stairs, walked past Xiyan, and even forgot to say hello to Xiyan.
Just as she was about to push the door open, it suddenly opened from the inside and half a head popped out from the door frame.
It was a boy who looked older than Ayuan. He looked suspicious and wary as he kept pacing between Wenyu and Xiyan. He asked timidly, "Who are you looking for?"
Wen Yu was about to explain when a little girl poked her head out from the door. Her eyes passed Wen Yu and looked straight at the inkstone behind her.
"Brother Xiyan!" Her voice was filled with surprise and a sense of relief at being saved. "You're here, Brother Xiyan!"
After calling for Xiyan, she seemed to realize it belatedly and turned her gaze back to Wen Yu's face.
"You must be Sister Wen! It was Brother Yuan who went to find Sister Wen, right?"
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