Chapter 476

On the eighth day of the fourth month,

at two quarters past noon (after 11:30 AM),

in Xinling Ward of the Bianjing inner city,

at the entrance of the Great Xiangguo Temple,

the little Li Ju standing there flicked its braided horsetail.

On the horse's back,

Xu Zaijing used his hand to shield his eyes from the dazzling sunlight and looked toward the towering towers on both sides of the main gate.

The Great Xiangguo Temple opens five times a month, and each time it is the busiest market in Bianjing City!

Today happens to be the Buddha's Birthday, so the flow of people at the entrance of the Great Xiangguo Temple is surging and shoulder-to-shoulder, very much like a prosperous commercial street of later generations.

"That young master! You can go now!"

After the monks maintaining order at the side gate stopped the pedestrians, they shouted toward the Xu family's carriage party.

Xu Zaijing nodded to the monk, and after nodding and greeting the passersby who gave way, he protected the Xu family's carriages with Zaihang and Zhu Qinghu and drove into the temple.

After the carriage party entered the temple,

the side gate was closed again by the monks inside.

The lively noise was much lower than before.

Xu Zaijing looked out and saw a long, snow-white high wall for disaster prevention and fire protection on the left, a temple courtyard with a closed side gate on one side, and the carriages parked in the distance could be seen at a glance along the aisle in front.

The Great Xiangguo Temple covers a large area.

After walking along the road for quite a while,

the group finally stopped at the entrance of a courtyard.

After Xu Zaijing and his elder brothers dismounted, they saw the high monk with white hair and beard, accompanied by a little novice monk, standing at the entrance with his hands pressed together, and hurriedly pressed their hands together and bowed in salute.

Madam Sun, who had stepped down from the carriage, said apologetically to the high monk: "Master, we came to visit and pray for blessings today without an invitation, sorry for the disturbance."

"It is fate that the benefactor can come; there is no such thing as a disturbance. Please come in."

Madam Sun turned back to look at Madam Zhu and her two daughters-in-law who had dismounted, and nodded with a smile.

Xu Zaijing stood to the side, waiting for his mother, aunt, and others to get out of the carriage and take the maids and Mamas into the courtyard.

Qingyun leaned behind Xu Zaijing and said: "Young Master, that looks like the Chai family's carriage next to us."

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look at the row of carriages and said: "How do you know?"

"I saw the little servant beside Jing Ge'er."

Xu Zaijing nodded, then took Qingyun and the three little maids who had just gotten out of the carriage and followed him toward the courtyard.

After walking in the courtyard for a while,

Xu Zaijing saw his mother, Madam Sun, smile and walk a few steps faster to greet the Madam standing at the entrance of the main hall.

Madam Chai looked at Madam Sun, who was walking over, with a full face of smiles:

"Sister Sun, why did you come here today? I specifically chose a time when there were few people, I didn't expect to meet you, it's truly fate!"

Madam Sun smiled and said: "Our family has a happy event today, and seeing that the time is still early, we took advantage of the day to come to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings."

Hearing this, Madam Chai's smile paused slightly, then she looked curious and said: "Oh? What happy event is it?" As she spoke, she also glanced at Xu Zaijing behind Madam Sun.

Madam Sun smiled, looked at her sister-in-law, and whispered a few words to Madam Chai.

Madam Chai was stunned, her smile grew even brighter as she looked at Madam Zhu and Zhu Qinghu, and sighed: "That is truly a happy event!"

"Oh my, why am I keeping you at the door? Let's go, let's go in!"

Madam Chai said, and walked into the main hall with Madam Sun.

Xu Zaijing and his two elder brothers walked at the end.

After following everyone inside and bowing to Chai Jin, who was waiting at the door, they talked together and walked into the main hall.

On the way, Zhu Qinghu looked at Chai Jin in confusion and said: "Jing Ge'er, why are you always laughing for no reason?"

Chai Jin glanced at Xu Zaijing, smiled, waved his hand, and said: "It's nothing, I just remembered some interesting things after returning home."

Afterward, Xu Zaijing and the others followed the elders to burn incense and pray for blessings, and also sprinkled some incense oil money for blessings. Because it was near noon, everyone ate vegetarian food together in the side room of the temple.

After the meal,

Xu Zaijing listened to the lively and noisy sounds coming from outside the courtyard and got up, saying: "Mother, Aunt, I'm going outside for a stroll."

Madam Sun, who was talking to Madam Chai about anecdotes in Bianjing, waved her hand without turning her head.

Seeing this, Zaihang, Zhu Qinghu, and Chai Jin also got up and left one after another.

The four of them walked toward the lively courtyard outside.

Chai Jin shook his head from the side and said: "Listening to the elders chat, it seems that the promotion of this Master Hong and the marriage of that young lady are both going to fall through."

Xu Zaijing and the other three all nodded.

Just now in the side room, all four of them had heard many anecdotes.

During these days, the most discussed topic in Bianjing is no longer 'the Kang family's lax management leading to servants stealing money', but 'the Hong family daughter's lack of self-respect'.

"I hadn't heard of this before, why has it become so noisy recently?"

Zhu Qinghu said with some confusion.

Chai Jin said from the side: "Jing Ge'er, you and Liang Liu Lang have always been close, didn't you get any news from him?"

Xu Zaijing nodded: "There is some."

The other three all leaned in to listen.

"I heard that the young Master Yu, who returned to the capital before serving in Xiangzhou, is about to be promoted, and that Master Hong is also about to be promoted."

"And Liang Liu Lang said that it was the Yu family who first spread the news that the Hong family young lady entered the Qin family's carriage and was engaged to the Dongchang Marquis family."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, he didn't say anything more.

Zaihang said: "Isn't it said that the Hong family young lady is engaged to the Gu family's fifth branch? How..."

Chai Jin said uncertainly: "Fifth Young Master, this young Master Yu, he wouldn't also want to enter the Ministry of Works, would he?"

Xu Zaijing shook his head: "I didn't really ask about that."

Zaihang sighed and said: "We should have stayed in the side room, maybe we could have heard some of the inside story!"

Xu Zaijing smiled, stepped over the threshold, and walked forward.

After walking for a while,

the group, along with their maids and attendants, entered the lively central courtyard.

When a vendor saw Xu Zaijing's party, he shouted loudly and enthusiastically solicited customers.

Xu Zaijing didn't buy anything, but the three maids behind him, including Qingcao, bought quite a few things.

After strolling for a while,

"Would you young masters like to stop and take a look?"

Hearing the well-dressed vendor speak,

Xu Zaijing and the others looked at each other and stopped at a bow and sword stall.

The vendor brought out a beautifully decorated long sword. After Zhu Qinghu took it, he gave a thumbs up and said:

"Take a look, this is a Bai Gao sword just transported from Xingqing Prefecture. The quality is this!"

"Clang!"

Zhu Qinghu drew the long sword, looked at it, tapped it lightly with his finger, and nodded: "Oh, it really is from Bai Gao! The quality is not bad! How much silver?"

"Three hundred guan."

Zhu Qinghu smiled and put down the long sword.

"Sigh, sigh, young master, you can take it for two hundred and eighty."

Looking at the vendor's appearance, Qingyun put on a straight face and waved his hand: "You don't even look at where this person returned from."

The vendor was stunned, looked at Zhu Qinghu's physique and momentum, and laughed: "Disrespect, disrespect, could it be a brave warrior returning from the Western Army?"

Zhu Qinghu bowed in salute.

"Then you can take it for two hundred and fifty guan..."

Xu Zaijing smiled and shook his head.

Chai Jin stood to the side and pointed to the half-piece of fish-shaped green stone the size of a palm placed in the center by the vendor: "Let me take a look at that stone."

"Young master, good eye, authentic Gongzhou whetstone, priced at forty guan!"

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing, Zaihang, and Zhu Qinghu all smiled noncommittally.

Xu Zaijing patted Chai Jin on the shoulder and said: "If Jing Ge'er likes it, I'll send you a few pieces tomorrow."

Chai Jin was stunned and laughed: "The thing my family's steward discovered, it wouldn't be that they all ended up in your pocket, would it?"

Xu Zaijing nodded proudly.

Qingyun stood to the side, holding a few bowstrings in his hand, and said: "Young Master, the bowstrings at his place are quite good."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Buy a few more!"

After some bargaining, the transaction was completed.

The vendor held the long sword in his hand, watched the group walk away, and sighed with regret.

"Vendor, I'll take that two hundred and fifty guan long sword!"

A passerby who had been watching the excitement from the side said.

"Go, go, go, do you even know quality?"

As he spoke, the vendor put the long sword back into the wooden box in front of him.

After walking forward for a while,

the group stood in front of another stall hanging saddles and reins.

Looking at the attire and temperament of Xu Zaijing and the others,

the vendor, who was telling a customer "Take a look, this is a Northern Liao saddle...", stopped his words, handed the customer to a little servant on the side, and said: "Young masters, what do you want to buy?"

Zhu Qinghu pointed to the saddle from just now and said: "Bring that Northern Liao saddle for me to see."

The vendor whispered:

"Young masters, you all look like people who know quality, so I won't make a fool of myself... hehehehe."

Zhu Qinghu and Zaihang continued to look at the stall, while Xu Zaijing stood to the side and continued talking with Chai Jin.

Chai Jin looked at the lively surroundings: "Previously, my younger brother and I came every year on this day. For the past two years, my mother has been in the capital, so it's been my mother and me."

"Ah? Jing Big Brother came to worship Buddha?"

Chai Jin shook his head, thought for a while, and continued: "This Great Xiangguo Temple also does some business involving money. My family's money is useless at home, so it's better to let this Great Xiangguo Temple help lend it out and earn some interest."

Xu Zaijing nodded and glanced at Chai Jin.

Chai Jin understood and smiled: "My family lends money out, and the interest is only ten percent."

Xu Zaijing was confused: "Wouldn't this let people take advantage of the low interest?"

Chai Jin replied: "Then that has nothing to do with my family."

Inside the Great Xiangguo Temple,

in a quiet little courtyard,

there were two attendants with long swords at the courtyard entrance.

The two attendants were very alert, their eyes scanning back and forth from time to time.

However, the places where the arm guards were tied on their arms looked somewhat raised, as if they were bandaged.

Inside the courtyard room,

Zhang Shipan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

The monk kneeling opposite him said respectfully in a low voice: "Senior Brother, do not blame yourself. No one could have predicted that such a situation would occur."

Zhang Shipan's beautiful and feminine face was very calm. His eyes turned and he said: "That scoundrel of the Xu family is really hard for me to deal with. If he is not removed, I cannot leave the Imperial Palace! Like today, it takes so much effort just to pass a message! Can the station send experts to help?"

The monk whispered: "Senior Brother, I cannot give an answer to this matter. Let me send this matter back to the station and wait for news."

Zhang Shipan nodded and continued: "Also, you know about the opportunity prepared for the Prince of Yan before. I think it can be done for me once too."

The monk had a difficult expression on his face: "Senior Brother, you are thinking too simply! The reason it succeeded before was because it was outside Bianjing, and the Prince of Yan moved brave soldiers, wore armor, and used strong crossbows to be so smooth! Otherwise, just the experts around that young lady would be a huge trouble."

Zhang Shipan said with a straight face: "Don't worry about these things, just tell the Buddha Makeup Station about my plan."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

"How is the contact in the south? Has there been any letter from the station?"

The monk said: "Senior Brother, now the Great Zhou Imperial City Division is becoming increasingly powerful, and there has been no news from the south yet."

Glancing at Zhang Shipan, the monk continued: "Even if there was contact, I, Junior Brother, wouldn't be able to see it."

Zhang Shipan pondered for a while, nodded, and said: "Also, let the station find a way to transfer some people I can use easily to Bianjing, preferably those from Beizhou."

The monk nodded: "That's not difficult, money can get this done."

"As soon as possible."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Zhang Shipan stood up and walked outside.

When he reached the courtyard entrance,

Zhang Shipan turned back.

In the sight of passersby, Zhang Shipan pressed his hands together and bowed respectfully to the monk.

The two attendants following Zhang Shipan also bowed in the same way.

Great Xiangguo Temple,

central courtyard,

under the bright afternoon sun,

among the vendor stalls,

Xu Zaijing and the others continued walking.

Xu Zaijing didn't have anything in his hands, but Qingyun behind him was carrying quite a few things, most of which belonged to the three maids, including Qingcao.

Among them was a rattle-drum that Qingcao claimed she bought to help Xu Zaijing—convenient for Xu Zaijing to give to children like his nephews and nieces.

If Xu Zaijing couldn't give it away, Qingcao could also give it to some newlywed sister.

Withdrawing his hand from a carefully crafted bamboo mat,

Xu Zaijing said to the back: "Qingcao, buy three of these mats to take back."

"Yes, Young Master."

At this moment,

Zhu Qinghu bought some delicious melons and fruits that had been washed clean by the vendor at the stall in front and distributed them.

Xu Zaijing took the fruit but didn't put it in his mouth, instead looking not far away.

"Jing Ge'er, what's wrong?"

Chai Jin followed Xu Zaijing's gaze and asked.

Xu Zaijing looked at a person not far away who was panting with his hands on his hips in anxiety, and waved his hand: "Nothing!"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing walked forward.

"Big Brother Gao, what happened? Is there anything I can help with?"

Hearing Xu Zaijing's voice, Gao Yunqing, who was looking around, turned his head with a shudder, tried to calm his breathing, squeezed a smile on his face, and said: "Jing, Jing Ge'er, why are you here?"

Xu Zaijing pointed to where he came from with the hand holding the fruit and said: "I accompanied my family to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings."

Gao Yunqing nodded repeatedly and said: "Oh, oh! So that's how it is!"

"Don't worry, Jing Ge'er, there's nothing urgent, you don't need to intervene, you're busy, you're busy!"

As he spoke, Gao Yunqing wiped the sweat from his forehead and bowed in salute.

"This brother, don't be so polite, just say if there's anything, if we can help, we are naturally duty-bound."

Chai Jin said with a smile, looking at the sweat on Gao Yunqing's hands.

Gao Yunqing wiped his hands on his clothes, looked at Zhu Qinghu and Zaihang who had leaned over, and said sincerely: "Jing Ge'er, young masters, really, no need! Small matter, small matter!"

As he spoke, Gao Yunqing stood on tiptoe and waved to his subordinates not far away.

The Imperial City Division soldiers not far away had faces full of excitement and walked toward this side with smiles.

On the way to the central courtyard of the Great Xiangguo Temple,

"Young Master, shouldn't we wait outside the temple?"

Listening to the attendant's words, Zhang Shipan shook his head: "Go to the busiest central courtyard, just say we got separated from those who followed us just now."

"Yes, Young Master."

Zhang Shipan kept a straight face, feeling the gazes directed at him.

Among these gazes were shy young ladies holding fans and wearing veils, and some were men with surprised and curious expressions.

"You bunch of thieves, what are you looking at!"

Zhang Shipan cursed to himself.

The attendant who followed rubbed his forearm and said: "Young Master, perhaps this bunch of rascals thinks you are a woman dressed as a man."

"Shut up!"

The attendant responded sheepishly.

After speaking, Zhang Shipan quickened his pace.

When he reached the side gate of the central courtyard of the Great Xiangguo Temple,

the attendant looked at Gao Yunqing walking from the crowd and said:

"Young Master, it's a small official from the Imperial City Division."

"Hmm."

Zhang Shipan showed a smile on his face, bowed with an apologetic smile, and said: "Gao..."

Gao Yunqing looked back in horror, then turned his head and shouted loudly toward Zhang Shipan: "Run! Run quickly!"

(End of chapter)