[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son":3,"chapter-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Am the Xu Family's Son",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2307829,4510,"Chapter 51: Bianjing Temples and Shrines","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>Malnutrition had made the little maid thin and dark, but her eyes were bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go wait in that room.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qingcao entered the room carrying a kettle of hot water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she stepped inside, she felt a wave of warmth on her face—the room was occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked up and recognized the person inside, then flinched in fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing’s master was simply too terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qingcao trembled, her grip loosened, and the porcelain kettle slipped from her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Plop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the person in the room appeared beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kettle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice was hoarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qingcao shuddered, realizing she had nearly dropped her master’s belongings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hurriedly knelt and picked up the kettle from beneath the terrifying man’s feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coachman said nothing more, tightened his coat, and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Th-thank you, Uncle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coachman ignored her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qingcao looked outside: beside the wide riding field, the kind but frightening uncle had already led out the horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far away, two figures were sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This seems to be a good household,” Qingcao thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After more than half an hour,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing and Qingyun entered the room beside the field, having finished their training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warm room woke Qingcao, who had been drowsy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kettle had been placed atop the water tank and was still warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing and Qingyun each drank some water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sweating, they went to the heated room to wash, but did not wash their hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When dawn broke, Xu’s children and Sun Shi had dressed and boarded the carriage with heated water tanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main gate of the Xu household swung wide open as two horses and three carriages departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When passersby asked, the gatekeeper merely said they were visiting Xingguo Temple, Guangyuan Temple, Yùqing Shrine, and others to pray for their family and the Great Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing rode the Lilu, the imperial gift horse, which was leaving the Xu household for the first time and was slightly excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after Xu Zaijing calmed it a few times did it settle down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The purple lamb-skin cloak gifted by the Empress had been trimmed with extra fur edges by the family’s seamstress and now draped over Xu Zaijing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small portion covered Xu Zaijing; most of it hung over the Lilu’s back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the cloak was too large.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a padded undergarment beneath, so on this winter morning, riding the horse, Xu Zaijing felt no cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire Bianjing, roughly estimated, held nearly two million people—unimaginable compared to his past life on Earth, but in this era, it was a supermetropolis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early on, servants and laborers were often seen walking along the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coal carts also passed by; upon seeing the Xu family, especially Xu Zaijing atop his towering steed, they immediately stood respectfully aside to avoid disturbing the nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing nodded in greeting to anyone who yielded the way, regardless of status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This surprised many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who could read saw the “Xu” character on the carriage and quietly memorized it—future conversation fodder:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps one day, over wine,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>this man would say: “Among Bianjing’s noble young masters, those with manners are rare—I stepped aside, and he nodded to me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But others disagreed: “I met a noble from a Duke’s household—he spat at me! Manners? What nonsense!” Then the two began arguing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closest temple to the Xu household was Xingguo Temple; the family would pray there first, then proceed to Guangyuan Temple, and finally stay overnight at Yùqing Shrine before returning home the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When daylight fully broke, the Xu family’s procession arrived near Xingguo Temple; the streets grew increasingly crowded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Steamed buns~ Fresh out of the steamer~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wontons, wontons, hot wontons—warm your body~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crab meat buns~ Lamb buns~ Bamboo shoot meat buns~” (Buns with fillings—not modern steamed buns)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vendors’ calls echoed endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usually, entire families operated stalls: some prepared, others cooked, while children cleaned bowls and chopsticks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charcoal fires burned; steam rose from roadside steamer baskets, occasionally releasing mouthwatering aromas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many carriages were parked roadside, servants carrying ceramic or wooden bowls to collect food and carry it back to their masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eating a bowl of hot soup in the cold weather was truly comforting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Xu family’s masters and maids had no such concerns—the carriage interior was not cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing was drawn in by the scent of lamb buns on the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He directly ordered Qingyun to buy a whole steamer basket of buns; he took two for himself and distributed the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Freshly steamed lamb buns, filled with other spices, were delicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Delicious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing gave the vendor a thumbs-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, noble patron.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged vendor bowed deeply in thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was a Bianjing resident; he had seen many nobles at Xingguo Temple, but this young master’s horse was unusually majestic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing was enjoying his meal when Sun Shi’s maid, Xiaoju, approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Jing, Lady Sun says you should eat less meat—the gods in temples only eat vegetarian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I’ll tell Mother I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finished the remaining buns in one bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ooh, hot~~~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pingmei and Anmei, riding with Sun Shi, could only sigh at the buns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a short rest, Sun Shi and her two daughters stepped down from the carriage and began walking toward Guangyuan Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaiduan and his two brothers also dismounted; Xu Zaijing removed his purple lamb-skin cloak and put on a cloak instead, following behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Servants and maids led the way ahead, attended behind—very grand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all the Xu family, except Xu Zaijing, the other four children had grown much taller; thus, Xu Zaijing remained the smallest in stature among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, riding a horse already quite tall, he had a certain endearing contrast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Lilu did not dare to gallop just because its rider was small—Xu Zaijing’s legs gripping its flanks were no joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Sun added oil money at Guangyuan Temple, praying for the Xu and Sun family sons guarding the northern borders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She burned her own hand-copied sutras, bowing devoutly before each Buddha statue, then requested the temple’s senior monks to pray day and night for the Great Zhou’s imperial heir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monks asked whether this was a public or private prayer, then hurried into the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Sun Shi leave Xingguo Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they departed, temple monks loudly proclaimed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady of the Marquis of Yongyi prays for the imperial heir, offering—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a public prayer,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a way for the temple to elevate its status and advertise—after all, noble families came to this temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving Xingguo Temple, the Xu family rode another hour to Guangyuan Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following nearly the same ritual, after bidding farewell to the temple’s abbot, the family arrived at Yùqing Shrine as the sun sank low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriages and horses followed behind as the family walked up the mountain; Xu Zaijing was fine, but the others in the Xu family suffered—especially Pingmei and Anmei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accustomed to staying indoors, they were already tired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But remembering they prayed for their father, they pressed on stubbornly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carriages and horses passed constantly along the path—clearly, Yùqing Shrine’s incense offerings rivaled the other two temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing gazed at the scenery along the way,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>grand halls, side chambers, altars\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>wondering where Wu Da’s sixth son met Mo Lan—never mind that, the scenery here was top-tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After resting one night at Yùqing Shrine, the next morning the Xu family burned incense and prayed there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qingyun, tending to the horses in the guest courtyard of the Daoist shrine, looked puzzled at the person before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the sign on the carriage behind: “You’re from the Dongchang Marquis’s Qin household?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you for your support, esteemed readers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please vote.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please invest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All kinds of requests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1285,"2026-06-20T10:32:38.675Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f70bc056bc53039d28c327f5f9b1dfa558012d9ee4d2ae6ea9a1213150ac7eff","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-52","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-50",790,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-the-xu-family-s-son-cover.jpg"]