latelenovela Chapter 97 Guning Temple
Chapter 97 Guning Temple
After Xiao Siyue left, Xiao Qinian thought for a moment, picked up a pen, and wrote a letter.
He trusted his daughter, and since he had no way to verify the effects of alcohol himself, he could only write to Shen Junru and ask the imperial physician to try it.
He wrote a letter explaining the situation, and then gave the alcohol and the letter that Xiao Siyue had given him to Li Bing, asking her to take them to the capital.
Hopefully, this alcohol will really work. You know, once the plague breaks out, the whole city will basically be wiped out.
After returning to her room, Xiao Siyue gave Chunlan and Lanyi some instructions, then sat at her desk in a daze.
Unexpectedly, she seemed to have done something big again. Before, she only thought about using alcohol to make perfume and give Xiao Qinian a recipe. She didn't expect Xiao Qinian to care so much about it.
However, her current distillation apparatus is made of wood and bamboo, which is not very good. How wonderful it would be if she had a glass still.
……
Early that morning, Xiao Siyue and Lin Qin planned to go to Guning Temple, which was not far from Qianyuan County, to offer incense.
According to Lin Qin, Guning Temple has a history of over a thousand years and is said to have produced a very powerful master in the past.
Most importantly, the ancient Ning Temple is known for its accurate divination.
As a modern person, Xiao Siyue didn't really believe in these things before, but now that she has traveled through time, she has developed a sense of awe towards temples.
For their safety, Xiao Qinian specially arranged for several people to protect them when they went there.
After getting into the carriage, Xiao Siyue was still a little drowsy. As the carriage swayed, she fell asleep again, leaning on Lin Qin's shoulder.
When Xiao Siyue opened her eyes again, the sun was already out.
"Mother, where are we?" Xiao Siyue asked, rubbing her eyes. She felt a little uncomfortable from sleeping, and her neck was stiff.
"They haven't even left the city yet." They had only been gone for less than half an hour.
Is your neck uncomfortable?
As Lin Qin spoke, she reached out and rubbed Xiao Siyue's skin.
"Hehe, thank you, Mom." Xiao Siyue chuckled, twisted her neck, and was fully awake.
After about half an hour, they finally arrived at the foot of Guning Temple Mountain.
"Mother, do we really have to climb up the mountain ourselves?" Xiao Siyue asked uncertainly, looking at the mountain that seemed to have no top.
"Of course, let's go quickly." Lin Qin said, reaching out to pull Xiao Siyue up and preparing to climb the mountain.
Xiao Siyue frowned, her face full of worry. It would take at least an hour and a half to climb to the top of the mountain. She had hardly exercised in the past few years, and this would exhaust her.
I don't know who told her that climbing the mountain herself would show more sincerity.
Xiao Siyue really didn't want to climb up, but Lin Qin pulled her along, so she had no choice but to follow.
The steps, built by an unknown person, were extremely steep. After climbing for a while, Xiao Siyue was too tired to walk any further and sat down on the steps to rest.
Xiao Siyue looked down and felt a little dizzy.
Wow, you've climbed this high!
After resting for a while, she continued climbing. She kept stopping and starting, and Xiao Siyue estimated that she had been climbing for more than an hour and a half.
"We've finally arrived," Xiao Siyue said. After stepping onto the last step, she saw a pavilion in front of the temple and quickly ran down to sit on a stone bench to rest.
Xiao Siyue lay on the stone table, panting heavily. She was exhausted and hungry.
Looking at Lin Qin sitting down next to her, although she was also a little out of breath, she was in much better condition than her.
Looking at the other maids, whose faces were flushed and who could barely breathe, Xiao Siyue couldn't help but wonder if she was the only one who was feeling weak.
Her body was already weak at only eight years old.
When she grows up, she won't...
Thinking of this, Xiao Siyue quickly shook her head. No, she would have to incorporate physical exercise into her daily studies from now on.
After resting and regaining her strength, Xiao Siyue finally had the energy to take in the surroundings of Guning Temple.
The temple is surrounded by ancient pine and cypress trees, which are swaying gently in the breeze.
From the outside, Guning Temple is not very spectacular; it looks like an ordinary little temple.
However, upon closer inspection, traces of history can still be seen on the temple walls, giving one a profound emotional impact, as if one were witnessing a temple that flourished with incense offerings a thousand years ago.
A huge cauldron stood at the entrance of the temple, with the incense sticks inside already half-burned.
After Xiao Siyue and her mother lit three incense sticks outside, they walked into the temple.
Upon entering the courtyard, Xiao Siyue saw that directly in front of her was the main hall. Standing outside, she could see a huge Buddha statue standing majestically, looking down upon all living beings with a kind and benevolent expression.
Xiao Siyue followed Lin Qin into the main hall, where several young monks were doing their homework.
Kneeling on the prayer mat beneath the Buddha statue, Xiao Siyue sincerely kowtowed to the statue, praying in her heart.
Immediately afterwards, a middle-aged monk took a divination stick, first drew one for Lin Qin, and then gave it to Xiao Siyue.
Xiao Siyue held the divination stick container and silently recited a prayer, hoping to draw a very auspicious one, before shaking the container with both hands.
With a 'thud,' a bamboo skewer fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Xiao Siyue quickly picked it up and saw that it was the sixteenth fortune stick.
The young monk beside him said, "You may go over there to have your fortune told."
Xiao Siyue looked over and, sure enough, saw a monk on the left side of the main hall interpreting a fortune stick for Lin Qin.
Xiao Siyue got up and walked over there. Lin Qin had already finished interpreting the divination sticks.
The fortune teller said, "Don't force things. Once you've made a decision, don't regret it, or you'll only lose more."
Xiao Siyue was still a little confused when she heard this. What did this mean? What had her mother chosen, and now she regretted it? Just as she was about to ask, she saw Lin Qin take back the fortune slip in her hand and smile at Xiao Siyue.
But Xiao Siyue looked at that smile, which seemed to not reach her eyes and appeared somewhat forced. Could something have happened?
Xiao Siyue guessed that Lin Qin had drawn a bad lot and was a little unhappy.
I was still thinking about how to comfort her later.
"Benefactor, please give me your fortune slip," the monk who was interpreting the slip said, extending his hand.
Xiao Siyue quickly came to her senses: "Thank you for your trouble, Master."
"A dream of wealth and glory must eventually end; a reflection in a mirror or the moon in the water is always empty."
When Xiao Siyue heard the poem the monk spoke, her heart skipped a beat. She knew the poem: "A dream of wealth and glory." Did it mean that what she wanted would eventually be lost?
But she didn't really want anything, so it seems that drawing lots isn't accurate either.
That's true, these kinds of things are generally a matter of belief; if you believe, they exist, if you don't, they don't. Just let nature take its course.
After figuring things out, Xiao Siyue felt much better and decided to go with Lin Qin to try the vegetarian food at the temple.
The vegetarian meal was passable, but not exactly delicious. Xiao Siyue filled her stomach.
Seeing that Lin Qin hadn't touched her food much, he knew she was probably still thinking about the fortune slip from before, so he decided to take her for a stroll around the area around Guning Temple.