Chapter 87: The Mountain God's decree, the Daoist temple welcomes

There's still hot food in the pot, take care of yourself, I'm heading to the shrine first.

Hu Xiaocao has always been mature and sensible, rarely causing worry; the woman gave a few reminders and left, completely unaware of the little scheme Hu Xiaocao had in mind.

After seeing the woman walk away, Hu Xiaocao hurriedly tidied up, casually ate a few mouthfuls of food, and packed the rest into enamel cups to take on the road.

Bringing some dry rations and water was a given; fearing insufficient food, Hu Xiaocao also made a few corn pancakes.

After packing everything into her small satchel and making all preparations, Hu Xiaocao set off.

Relying solely on her own strength to leave the mountains is difficult; it's very far from town, and even trying to hail a ride on the mountain road isn't very realistic.

But this didn't stump Hu Xiaocao; she quickly came up with a plan.

"Zhang Dashu regularly hauls goods to town to sell, so I can hitch a ride on this trip."

Hu Xiaocao was lucky; Zhang Dashu hadn't left yet, was loading crops onto the truck, and seeing her arrive, he was somewhat surprised.

"Xiaocao, why are you here so early?"

Hu Xiaocao's eyes shifted, she gave a small smile, and took out her prepared excuse: "Mom's birthday is coming up; I've saved some money and need to go to town to buy her something."

Zhang Dashu didn't think much of it, patted her head and praised: "Xiaocao really is a good, filial child."

Zhang Dama standing nearby couldn't help teasing: "You can buy things in town; city goods are expensive."

Hu Xiaocao patted her satchel, looking confident: "Don't worry, Zhang Dashu and Zhang Dama, I'm all prepared."

Zhang Dama pinched Xiaocao's nose, saying, "You little imp, Old Zhang, you need to look after her more on the road."

Zhang Dashu nodded, "Don't worry."

Soon the small truck was loaded with crops, Hu Xiaocao climbed aboard, ready to depart with Zhang Dashu.

Hu Xiaocao had never gone far from home; this was her first time, and she sat in the truck without the woman's knowledge, feeling nothing but novelty.

Her little head kept turning, her small hand rested on the window sill, watching the scenery retreat outside.

Not far off, the big trees, passing birds, and the endless mountain range were quickly left behind.

After winding mountain roads, the vehicle reached the main thoroughfare where traffic noticeably increased; Hu Xiaocao had never seen so many cars.

She couldn't help exclaiming, "So many cars!"

Zhang Dashu glanced over, "What's this? In the city there are even more cars; sometimes a jam is like a dragon with no end in sight."

"Is it really that exaggerated?"

Hu Xiaocao couldn't help but gape, her anticipation for the trip to town growing, yet she hadn't forgotten that she still had a mission.

"Hey Zhang Dashu, do you know if there's a Daoist temple around here?"

"A Daoist temple? I don't know; why not just worship the Mountain God?"

Zhang Dashu usually doesn't pay attention to such things; hearing Hu Xiaocao ask, he found it a bit strange: "How come you suddenly asked about this?"

This answer was within Hu Xiaocao's expectations: "I was just asking casually."

As noon approached, they finally entered the city, casually ate some dry rations, and considered lunch settled.

Along the way, the green gradually dwindled; soon the original green forest was replaced by a concrete city.

The bustling modern metropolis and the remote mountain village were like two different worlds.

Even the streets seemed immaculately clean.

Looking at the buildings along the road, Hu Xiaocao felt her eyes dazzled, unable to take it all in; many things she didn't recognize at all.

Hu Xiaocao wanted to ask, but feared disturbing Zhang Dashu, so she held her questions and silently observed with her eyes.

The city and the village were truly worlds apart.

Their village, being mountainous and remote with winding mountain roads, is underdeveloped, with ordinary economic conditions; everyone lives in small one-story houses.

Moreover, with endless chores each day and no spare time to look around, Hu Xiaocao's knowledge of the outside world is extremely limited.

It's only recently that an observatory team came to the village; Song Yufei and her companions stayed a few days, bringing Hu Xiaocao much knowledge about the outside world.

Hu Xiaocao actually saw buildings here taller than the mountains, simply unimaginable how they could be erected.

Plus the streets were packed with cars and people, exactly as Zhang Dashu had said.

The vehicle slowly pulled over to the side of the road.

Seeing Hu Xiaocao's shocked expression, her mouth almost able to hold an egg, Zhang Dashu didn't mock her; he seemed lost in some memory.

"Xiaocao, if you have any questions, just ask."

Hu Xiaocao smiled embarrassedly; it turned out Zhang Dashu had long noticed her thoughts on the way.

"Why does the city build so many tall buildings, Zhang Dashu?"

"Zhang Dashu, the people in the city dress so nicely."

Hu Xiaocao chattered on like an oriole.

By the time she realized, she had already asked a barrage of questions, her chatter unstoppable like a flood.

Hu Xiaocao blushed slightly, "Zhang Dashu, are my questions too many?"

Zhang Dashu shook his head, finding Hu Xiaocao's frankness endearing.

"No, Xiaocao, you're already great; when I was young I also came here, and it wasn't this developed—I could barely tell directions and dared not wander, fearing kidnappers."

Faced with Zhang Dashu's encouragement, Hu Xiaocao instinctively straightened her small back.

Zhang Dashu still had things to do; he originally wanted to bring Hu Xiaocao along, then after finishing take her around: "When I'm done, I'll take you to buy a gift for your mother."

But Hu Xiaocao insisted on acting on her own; she would wait at the original spot for Zhang Dashu, then they'd return together.

Zhang Dashu was uneasy: "How would that work? If you got lost, what then? I couldn't face your mother."

Hu Xiaocao patted her chest: "Don't worry, Zhang Dashu, I have a good memory; I won't get lost, and I'll only stroll around nearby, definitely not wandering far."

"Besides, I've hiked the mountains alone before; this little thing won't stump me."

Hu Xiaocao patted her chest, "Don't worry, Zhang Dashu, I have a good memory—I won't get lost. Besides, I'm just strolling around nearby; I definitely won't wander far."

"Besides, I've gone up the mountain alone before—this small matter won't stump me."

Watching Hu Xiaocao put on a grown‑up act, trying to convince herself, Uncle Zhang couldn't help but chuckle, "But—"

Hu Xiaocao grabbed Uncle Zhang's arm and shook it hard, "Uncle Zhang, don't worry, the Mountain God Sir will bless me."

Uncle Zhang really couldn't withstand Hu Xiaocao's repeated requests and finally agreed reluctantly.

After all, the city's public security is fairly good, and there are surveillance cameras everywhere nearby, so Hu Xiaocao won't run into any bad people.

"So you mustn't run far off, watch the traffic around you, just stroll around this vicinity, and wait for me here—I'll come find you when I'm done."

Uncle Zhang added a few more reminders, after all he's the one who brought Hu Xiaocao out, so he certainly has to take responsibility for her safety.

Hu Xiaocao nodded repeatedly, "All right, Uncle Zhang, hurry up and go—I'll take good care of myself."

After Uncle Zhang finishes, it will already be afternoon; those few hours in between are enough for her to look around nearby for a Daoist temple.

As soon as Uncle Zhang left, Hu Xiaocao sprang into action; although she had plenty of time, she couldn't waste it, racing against the clock.

Moreover, if she didn't find it, she wouldn't know when Uncle Zhang would come to the city next, and she'd miss this good opportunity.

Although Hu Xiaocao wasn't familiar with the nearby roads, she had an excellent memory—once she'd walked a route she wouldn't forget; she glanced at the roadside signs, committed them to memory, and planned to return after finding the Daoist temple.

"Where exactly around here would there be a Daoist temple?"

Having no means of transport, and unwilling to spend that money on a taxi, she could only adopt the simplest method: asking for directions.

In the big city, life moves fast; everyone is rushing about, as if they have endless things to do.

There are housewives hurrying home to cook, workers scurrying about for a living, and laborers toiling under the sun—it's precisely this mix of all kinds of people that brings together the bustling human atmosphere.

A woman in her thirties walked past Hu Xiaocao.

"Auntie, hello—may I ask—"

Before she could finish speaking, the woman took a good look at Hu Xiaocao's appearance, casually shoved a few coins into her hand, and said, "Poor child, go buy something to eat."

Hu Xiaocao's clothes didn't quite fit; they were women's garments, and even after being taken in, the cuffs were still empty, plus there were patches sewn in places.

No wonder the woman mistook her for a little beggar.

Hu Xiaocao glanced at the money in her hand, hurried after her, and said, "Auntie, hello—I'm not a beggar, but I still want to thank you."

The woman stared, taking in Hu Xiaocao's bright big eyes; by the time she snapped out of it, Hu Xiaocao had already skipped away.

Watching Hu Xiaocao's retreating back, then looking at the money in her hand, the woman couldn't help muttering, "This kid is awfully cute."

Hu Xiaocao walked while looking around in all directions.

Soon a man in a suit and leather shoes passed by Hu Xiaocao.

"Sir, hello—may I ask if you know where there's a Daoist temple nearby?"

The man frowned, sized Hu Xiaocao up and down with a look of disdain, said nothing, and walked off, as if she were some flood‑borne monster.

Hu Xiaocao felt a bit discouraged, looked down at herself, and thought, "Although my clothes aren't as nice as theirs, they're not dirty either."

Usually new clothes are bought only for the New Year; most of the time her clothes are altered adult hand‑me‑downs or handed down from the neighbor's older sister when they no longer fit her.

It's hard to imagine that in this developed modern society there still exists such an impoverished mountain village.

Fortunately Hu Xiaocao is optimistic and cheerful; she quickly pulled herself together and kept asking passersby, but it wasn't going well.

Nowadays most people like to go to temples to burn incense and worship Buddha; moreover, temple incense flourishes, and there are many big and small temples, as numerous as the stars in the sky.

If you asked about that, perhaps nearly half of ten people would know.

But temples are easy to find, while Daoist temples are not; data once showed that the number of temples is a multiple of that of Daoist temples, which also added considerable difficulty for Hu Xiaocao.

She asked many passersby in a row, and they all waved their hands, indicating they didn't know.

"Little girl, why are you asking about a Daoist temple? I know there's a temple nearby with decent incense, and wishes there are very effective—why don't you go there instead?"

Faced with the uncle's enthusiastic recommendation, Hu Xiaocao felt a bit disappointed, "Thank you, uncle, but I must go to a Daoist temple."

The uncle was somewhat baffled, not understanding why Hu Xiaocao was so obstinate.

Hu Xiaocao kept inquiring, and after great effort she finally got an answer—but it was far away, actually in the neighboring province; she knew she couldn't make it there, so she had to give up.

By now, after walking so long, Hu Xiaocao's mouth was dry, her hair soaked with sweat and sticking to her face in strands; she wiped the sweat from her face.

Not far away, green trees formed a shady canopy, with stone tables and benches underneath where people could rest.

Hu Xiaocao walked over, intending to sit down and rest.

Here too there were plenty of people cooling off—some playing chess, some playing cards, others just chatting, gathering in small groups, and it was quite lively.

However, the ages were generally high, with hardly any young people.

Hu Xiaocao found an empty spot and sat down, her head drooping like a wilted plant; after asking for so long with no leads, her mood inevitably sank.

"Could it be that there's simply no Daoist temple around here?"

But she hadn't expected that the old gentleman nearby would hear her and reply offhand, "Yes, there is."

Hu Xiaocao immediately lifted her head, her whole spirit perking up, and hurried over to ask, "Grandfather, where around here is there a Daoist temple?"

The old gentleman stroked his chin, falling into thought.

"I seem to recall that there's a Daoist temple a few dozen li from here, I think it's called Shangqing Temple—though the place is a bit remote, it's not far; by car it's only about forty‑fifty minutes."

"Grandfather, could you tell me the detailed address?"

The old gentleman curiously sized up Hu Xiaocao, "What's a little kid like you doing going to a Daoist temple?"

"I'm asking on behalf of someone else."

The old gentleman didn't think much of it, borrowed paper and pen from someone nearby, wrote it down, and even sketched a simple route map, "Here, this is the spot—I don't know if it's still there."

Hu Xiaocao received the paper as if it were a treasure, "Thank you, grandfather."

No delay—she had to set off right away.

Hu Xiaocao had originally thought of flagging down a car to go, but when the driver quoted the price she was instantly discouraged—she didn't have nearly that much money, and she said somewhat embarrassedly:

"Uncle, I only have this much money—could you—"

Looking at the scattered bills in Hu Xiaocao's hand, most were a few jiao or five mao, the largest denomination being one yuan.

The driver shook his head, "It's not that I don't want to help you, little girl, but this money is nowhere near enough—I can't afford to lose money taking you. Besides, the trip still consumes a fair amount of fuel, and that place is quite remote; you'd better bring an adult from your family along."

Hu Xiaocao stood helplessly by the roadside, like an abandoned puppy, looking somewhat pitiable; those who didn't know might think she had gotten separated from her family.

Just then, a young man walked over, sized up Hu Xiaocao from head to toe, then bent down and asked, "Little friend, what's wrong? Did you get separated from your family?"

Facing the stranger's sudden approach, Hu Xiaocao remained wary, shaking her head without speaking.

The man seemed to notice her wariness, took out his ID, and said, "Don't worry, little friend, I'm not a bad person; uncle is a police officer."

Hu Xiaocao curiously lifted her head to look, but she couldn't recognize many characters.

But the name written on the police ID was—Xie Yixuan.

Xie Yixuan was off duty today, so he was wearing casual clothes; fortunately he had his ID in hand.

He had noticed Hu Xiaocao earlier, felt something was off, followed her all the way, worried the child might come to harm, and couldn't help but step forward to inquire.

Upon learning the other party was a police officer, Hu Xiaocao immediately relaxed.

Hu Xiaocao waved the slip of paper in her hand and said, "I need to go here, but I don't have enough money."

Xie Yixuan looked at the location on it; it was indeed some distance away, and he couldn't help but wonder, "Are you going alone?"

Hu Xiaocao nodded.

Originally I thought she had gotten separated from her family, but now it seems that's not the case.

Xie Yixuan felt a bit curious, "What are you going there to do?"

Hu Xiaocao lowered her voice, "Big brother, I'm telling you this because I see you're a police officer."

Seeing this, Xie Yixuan couldn't help but find it interesting, "Then go ahead and say."

"I was entrusted by the Mountain God to go find a Daoist temple."

Xie Yixuan listened, feeling somewhat helpless, having considered many possibilities but none like this; the little girl before him, though a bit odd-spoken, spoke earnestly, her eyes like black pearls, appearing especially lively.

"Everyone in our village worships the Mountain God, and it was the Mountain God Grandfather himself who came to me in a dream and told me this."

Xie Yixuan immediately became interested, "What's the name of your village?"

"Longyuan Village."

"Longyuan Village?"

Upon hearing that name, Xie Yixuan froze on the spot, feeling it was very familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

Suddenly he recalled that a case he had handled earlier occurred on the mountain near Longyuan Village.

Moreover, not long after, another case occurred there; although he hadn't participated at the time, he later heard Team Leader mention it, noting how strange the case was.

Moreover, to this day the killer hasn't been found, and the two cases have become unsolved mysteries filed away.

Most importantly, the villagers there insist that the Mountain God manifested his spirit to punish those wicked people.

Xie Yixuan suddenly felt surprised, "Little friend, is that the Longyuan Village on Yunshan Road?"

Hu Xiaocao blinked her eyes, "Big brother, do you also know our village?"

"I once went to your village to handle a case."

Upon hearing Xie Yixuan say that, Hu Xiaocao felt a sense of closeness.

Xie Yixuan pondered for a moment and said, "How about this? Let me take you there; after all, there's still some distance, and what if we run into danger?"

Seeing Hu Xiaocao insist on going to find that temple, Xie Yixuan proposed a compromise; as a police officer, he couldn't just stand by and watch Hu Xiaocao go alone.

Moreover, he was also very interested in the Mountain God's dream that Hu Xiaocao mentioned.

Hu Xiaocao excitedly nodded, "Thank you, big brother; I will repay you in the future, and Mountain God Grandfather will also bless you."

Xie Yixuan smiled and said nothing; he likes supernatural and strange tales, though he wasn't sure whether Longyuan Village actually had a Mountain God.

But judging from previous events, Longyuan Village and the nearby mountain are full of mystery, which intrigues him.

Afterwards, Xie Yixuan personally drove, taking Hu Xiaocao away.

Along the way, Xie Yixuan asked many things about Longyuan Village, including recent developments.

"So the strange astronomical phenomenon previously captured by the observatory was actually filmed at your place."

Xie Yixuan isn't an astronomy enthusiast; it's just that the video spread widely and even hit the hot searches, so he had heard of it.

Hu Xiaocao seriously nodded, "Yeah, back then many villagers saw it and said Mountain God Grandfather was showing his power."

"In that case, that mountain really is somewhat extraordinary."

Xie Yixuan also recalled the strange woman he had seen deep in the mountains before; after so long, he almost thought he had hallucinated then.

But everything Hu Xiaocao is saying now makes him doubtful again; perhaps it wasn't a hallucination after all.

However, a child's words can't be taken completely at face value; when he gets a chance, he should ask Team Leader for details of that case behind.

It's a pity that at the time he was on duty in the city, didn't follow along, and missed this great opportunity; Xie Yixuan regretted it so much his intestines turned green.

"The road ahead is rough; we can only get out here."

Xie Yixuan and Hu Xiaocao got out together, proceeded along the narrow path; after about ten minutes, an old-fashioned building came into view.

It doesn't cover a large area, rarely visited, but the environment is tranquil, with occasional insect chirps and bird calls, making it exceedingly quiet.

Between the green pines and cypresses, a red wall could be seen faintly; on the plaque, the three large characters 'Shangqing Temple' were written in vigorous brushwork.

This building must be quite old; after wind and sun exposure, the red surface on the walls has peeled off, revealing the mottled concrete gray underneath.

When they stepped onto the stairs, there was a cauldron with burnt incense sticks inside, and dust surrounded the cauldron, suggesting it hadn't been tended to for a long time.

All the way here, neither Xie Yixuan nor Hu Xiaocao had seen anyone.

Xie Yixuan tentatively called out, "Anyone there?"

Soon, two Daoists appeared wearing gray Daoist robes and Daoist caps; the leading one was older, with white sideburns, holding a whisk, and the one following behind should be his disciple, looking fairly young.

The old Daoist showed some surprise upon seeing their arrival.

"Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun."

"May I ask, esteemed patrons, have you come to worship or to offer incense?"

Xie Yixuan surveyed the surroundings; it was easy to see that the temple had been abandoned, which makes sense given its remote location, indeed somewhat inconvenient.

Hu Xiaocao showed a sweet smile, nodded at the Daoist, and said, "Hello, Daoist Grandfather, we're just here to have a look."

The old Daoist felt even stranger, after all there wasn't much to see in their temple.

A few years ago, the temple's incense offerings were barely adequate, but it was still too remote, the roads were in disrepair, making it hard for cars to get there, and with more and more tourist temples being built nowadays, few people came to such a place.

Over time, fewer and fewer people came, and soon the temple fell into decline; the people there gradually left, leaving only the two of them struggling to keep it going.

Nowadays, very few worshippers come; upon seeing Hu Xiaocao and Xie Yixuan, the old Daoist felt a bit surprised, and the young Daoist, being more blunt, said:

"Just look around? There's nothing worth seeing here."

Hu Xiaocao blinked her eyes, looking rather cute, and said, "Daoist Grandfather, actually I was asked to do this."

"Asked to do this?"

The old Daoist was somewhat surprised upon hearing that.

"The Mountain God Grandfather gave me a dream, asking me to help see if there's any temple nearby."

Upon hearing Hu Xiaocao's words, the old Daoist smiled.

Although he found it strange, he didn't think much of it, taking it as childish talk, and politely said, "If that's the case, please feel free to do as you wish, benefactors; if you have any requests, just let the old Daoist know."

He instructed the young Daoist beside him, "Serve tea to the two benefactors."

The tea fragrance was clear, crisp, and sweet; although I didn't know what kind of tea leaves they were, it had a unique flavor.

The two walked around the temple; because it was small, they finished quickly, spending little time.

Though the sparrow is small, it has all five viscera; everything that should be there is present.

Hu Xiaocao already understood in her heart, but she didn't know whether this temple could satisfy the Mountain God Grandfather.

She glanced at the outside sky, seeing that it was already late, she pulled Xie Yixuan and said, "Big brother, we can go back now."

Xie Yixuan had thought Hu Xiaocao would linger a bit longer here, but he didn't expect it to end so quickly.

"You're not going to look anymore?"

Hu Xiaocao nodded, "I still need to hurry back and tell the Mountain God Grandfather this news."

Xie Yixuan laughed in surprise, then decided to see it through, taking Hu Xiaocao to the place he had agreed to meet Uncle Zhang.

(End of chapter)