Jimo Qiao flew a kite yesterday, played on the swing, and visited every corner of the Flying Eagle Manor.
So when she got up early in the morning, she pestered Chai Yan and asked him to go to the nearby Haoyue Temple with her. She said that she had carefully seen what the Haoyue Temple looked like after coming to Muyue Kingdom for so long.
Chai Yan readily agreed. After all, he was just out for fun. If he didn’t walk around and look around, it would be meaningless.
Seeing Chai Yan agree, Jimo Qiao immediately became happy.
However, Chai Yan still made a request, that is, everyone should change out of their Taoist uniforms and go to the temple dressed like ordinary people, otherwise it would attract too much attention from others.
Jimo Qiao naturally has no objection. She agrees to whatever she wears anyway, as long as she can go out and play.
After breakfast, the four of them changed out of their Taoist uniforms. Chai Yan was still a scholar, Jimo Qiao was still a rich lady, and Cheng Jiu and Yu Tie were still servants.
Hearing that Chai Yan and the others were going to the Haoyue Temple, Gumoor immediately summoned all the city defense soldiers he had brought with him to prepare to escort them to the temple.
When Chai Yan saw so many people, he immediately said to Gu Moor: "Mr. Gu, there is no need to work so hard, right? We are just going to the temple to have fun, and if you lead such a large group of people with you, you will scare the people worshiping the gods.
It will be boring for us when we play."
Gumoor said: "Taoist Priest, the eldest prince and the eldest prince concubine have told you that we must protect your safety. If something goes wrong, I cannot bear this responsibility."
Chai Yan talked for a long time, but Gumol refused to let go and insisted on taking people to follow Chai Yan and the four of them.
In desperation, Chai Yan had no choice but to say to Gu Moore: "Mr. Gu, since you must bring people to follow and protect us, can the method of protection be slightly modified?"
"Adaptation?" Gumoor didn't understand what he meant.
Chai Yan said: "Mr. Gu, do you think this is good? When we get near the temple, you can ask everyone to spread out, pretend to be ordinary people or pilgrims, and follow quietly nearby. Don't follow us in such a large group, okay?"
Gu Moer thought about it and thought it was feasible, so he immediately nodded and said: "Okay."
Chai Yan added: "Also, please ask everyone not to bring weapons, so as not to scare tourists and pilgrims, and cause chaos again."
Gumoor responded: "Understood."
Immediately afterwards, Gumol ordered everyone to leave the weapons that could not be hidden on their bodies, and only brought some weapons such as daggers and darts that did not need to be exposed.
Soon, Chai Yan, Gu Moor and others got on the carriage, and several carriages slowly headed towards the Haoyue Temple.
The Haoyue Temple is not far from the Flying Eagle Manor. The carriage traveled for less than half an hour before arriving at the foot of the mountain where the Haoyue Temple is located.
Because most of the way up next was filled with steps, Chaiyan and others got off the carriage and walked instead.
After walking along the steps for a while, the surroundings were gradually covered by green trees. Although the sunlight was very strong, the dense branches and leaves could still block most of the strong light, and only a little sunlight could get through the gaps in the branches and leaves.
The chirping of insects and birds can be heard from time to time, and occasionally the fragrance of flowers can be heard, making people feel relaxed and happy.
"Wow, this place is so comfortable! I finally understand why the eldest prince wanted to build the manor here." Jimo Qiao walked up the steps while enjoying the fresh air.
Chai Yan said with emotion: "This place reminds me of Anping Temple. When I go back, I have to find time to visit it."
"Anping Temple?" Jimo Qiao asked hurriedly: "Is it the temple where you were rescued from trouble?"
"Yes." Chai Yan said.
Jimo Qiao asked: "How is it compared to here?"
"What's the comparison?" Chai Yan smiled: "I just saw the environment here and remembered it."
The four of them were chatting while walking, while Gumoor and four others followed a few feet away, and the rest of the people had also dispersed.
From the foot of the mountain to the entrance of the temple, everyone walked for less than half an hour.
"Haoyue Temple."
Chai Yan looked at the plaque in front of the temple door and read out the words on it softly.
Jimo Qiao looked around the temple gate and said, "Brother-in-law, this is not much different from our temple in the capital, except that the color of the walls is different."
Chai Yan smiled and said: "Don't jump to conclusions so early, we haven't even gone in yet."
After saying that, Chai Yan took the lead and walked towards the temple, and Jimo Qiao and the other three immediately followed.
The temple is very quiet. There are not many pilgrims who come to worship the gods. There are only a few people in twos and threes, and there are both men and women.
In the Haoyue Temple, a statue of the Haoyue God about two feet high stands majestically in the main hall. The pilgrims in front of the statue are kneeling on the ground and praying for their wishes.
Chai Yan walked around the hall, then walked up to the monk and donated some sesame oil money.
The monks at Haoyue Temple are different from Buddhist monks. They do not need to be tonsured, and they do not need to observe many Buddhist precepts. If they do not want to be monks, they can go home to work in the fields, marry a wife and have children.
When the monk saw that Chai Yan had donated money for sesame oil, he handed Chai Yan some incense sticks, indicating that he could pray to the gods for his wishes.
Chai Yan was not here to worship God, so he asked Jimo Qiao: "Do you want to worship?"
Jimo Qiao thought for a while and said, "You're already here, so let's pay our respects."
After Chai Yan gave Jimo Qiao three sticks of incense, he asked Cheng Jiu and Yu Tie: "Where are you?"
Yu Tie immediately shook his head and waved his hands, saying no.
Cheng Jiu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "I pay my respects."
With that said, he took three incense sticks from Chai Yan's hand and went to light the incense next to the candle.
When Jimo Qiao saw Cheng Jiu also coming to worship God, he was a little surprised and said, "Why do you worship God too?"
Cheng Jiu said seriously: "I just want to ask the gods to bless me and let me go back to see Situ Jing as soon as possible."
Jimo Qiao laughed as soon as he heard this, nodded and said, "Yes."
Next, they lit incense, worshiped the Haoyue God one after another, and lit incense in the incense burner in front of the statue.
Before leaving the main hall, the monk told Chai Yan and others that there was a safe well behind the main hall. As long as you drank the water from the well, you would be safe.
Jimo Qiao immediately became interested and said: "Let's go to the back and take a look. I also want to drink some well water to keep myself safe."
So, Chai Yan and the others left from the back door of the main hall and walked in the direction of Ping An Well.
After passing through a path and a Zen room, the four of them saw the safe well.
In Chai Yan's opinion, this is a very ordinary well. It is probably wrapped in some story and gradually gained its current fame.
Jimo Qiao ran to the wellhead to take a look, and then immediately ran back: "Brother-in-law, I don't have anything to hold water."
Chai Yan flipped his wrist, and a large white porcelain bowl appeared in his hand: "Here, take it and use it."
Jimo Qiao was so happy that he took the bowl with both hands and ran to the well. Yu Tie and Cheng Jiu also hurried over to help.
Not long after, the three of them came back, Jimo Qiao holding a large bowl full of well water.
"Brother-in-law, take a sip too, this water is so sweet," Jimo Qiao said.
Chai Yan happened to be a little thirsty, so he lowered his head and took a big sip, and immediately felt extremely cool.
"Well, it tastes really good." Chai Yan praised.
Later, Chai Yan gave Cheng Jiu and Yu Tie a bowl and asked them to drink some to relieve the heat and fatigue.
After the four people drank the well water, they were hesitating which way to go to continue visiting the temple, when they heard several pilgrims discussing the "practice stone" next to them.
After listening carefully, it turned out that they were talking about a training stone used to practice Iron Finger Kung Fu. It was said to have been used by an expert who lived in the temple a long time ago.
After the few pilgrims who were discussing left, Chai Yan asked everyone: "It just so happens that we also go to see the practice stone, how about it?"
"Okay!" Jimo Qiao was the first to agree.
Cheng Jiu and Yu Tie were also somewhat interested in this "Iron Finger Kung Fu" and immediately expressed their agreement.
The next moment, Chai Yan and the others followed the pilgrims who had walked away and went to the practice stone...