Aoyama

Chapter 434 City God’s Temple

The carriage swayed and rattled as it made its way to Plum Blossom Ferry, the wooden wheels creaking and clanging against the bluestone slabs.

As you turn out of the alley, Fuyou Street is exceptionally lively.

More than ten servants from the Chen family stood on the street carrying bamboo baskets, handing out wedding cakes and lucky money to passersby.

The wedding cakes are from the time-honored Zhengxinzhai brand, and the fillings include red dates, peanuts, longan, and lotus seeds.

The lucky money consisted of five coins wrapped in red paper, and everyone who saw it received one. Some people would pretend to come and collect lucky money by repeatedly passing by Fuyou Street, but the servants of the Chen family didn't get angry; they would give out lucky money every time someone came.

Even if they make two hundred trips back and forth, it would only cost them one or two taels of silver, which the Chen family doesn't need.

Chen Ji sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked out. He heard a passerby ask curiously, "What great joy is happening in the Chen family?"

The servant of the Chen family replied with a smile: "Today is the day when my Chen family goes to the Qi family to receive auspicious omens. Since the wild geese have not yet returned north, my Chen family has simply prepared two golden geese as a small betrothal gift."

Passersby stared in astonishment: "Good heavens, a pure gold goose! May I ask, which young master of the Chen family and which young lady of the Qi family have tied the knot?"

"The Chen family's legacy, the Qi family's illustrious future!"

Congratulations! May you have a long and happy marriage and many children!

The pedestrians spoke auspicious words and received the red envelopes.

They took out copper coins and discarded red paper, spreading red all over the street, creating a sense of universal joy and celebration. Chen Ji sat silently in the carriage, watching as an observer.

Xiaoman, holding the little black cat, sat opposite him and peeked out from behind the curtains: "Young Master, with the Chen family's grand wedding ceremony, doesn't that mean the whole city knows you're getting married? Then you..."

Xiaoman lowered her voice: "When do you plan to leave? You've been in a year of decline, so the wedding will definitely be a year from now. But what if you don't rescue the princess before the wedding? Wouldn't you still have to marry Miss Qi?"

Chen Ji calmly replied, "One year is enough."

As the Crown Prince said, Renshou Palace and the Six Livestock Farm are no different, and there is no enmity between them. If you want something, you only need to be able to exchange it for something of equal value.

Xiaoman tentatively asked in a low voice, "If you leave, what about Miss Qi San..."

Chen Ji looked out the window.

Regardless of what kind of person Qi Zhaoning is, and regardless of whether he cares about this person or not, his departure ultimately hurt the other person deeply.

But Chen Ji was never a soft-hearted person, nor was he a kind one. If he had to choose someone to hurt, he would choose the one who would make him feel the least guilty.

However, at that moment, Chen Ji saw a familiar figure standing among the pedestrians through the gap in the curtains, coldly watching his car.

The other person wore a straw hat with the brim pulled low and straw sandals on his feet, always looking like he was ready to fight at any moment.

Like the biting winds of the north, it swept across the plains of Longhua Prefecture in the north and over the mountains and rivers of Fengsheng Prefecture.

Si Cao Gui.

The other party has returned to the capital and must have heard about what happened. This time, it's probably not just a simple loyalty test.

Chen Ji pondered for a moment. What's meant to happen will happen, and what needs to be resolved will be resolved.

He lifted the carriage curtain and whispered to the driver, "We're not going to Meihua Ferry anymore, we're going to the City God Temple in Chongnanfang."

……

……

There are four City God Temples in the capital, located in the east, west, south, and north.

Different City God Temples enshrine different City Gods.

The North City God Temple is not far from Andingmen. Inside, the City God is enshrined as Li Xian, a military general from the previous dynasty.

The West City God Temple is located further west on Fuyou Street, and it enshrines Huo Guang, a great general of the Han Dynasty.

The South City God Temple is located next to the overpass and enshrines Zhang Bian, the founding general of the Ning Dynasty.

The East City God Temple, also known as the Chongnanfang City God Temple, enshrines Chaoyunzi, the sixth Celestial Master of the Huangshan Taoist Court.

For three hundred years, the Taoist and Buddhist sects debated scriptures, with the Taoist sect losing nine out of ten times. The Buddhist sects suppressed the Taoist sects for more than three hundred years with the "Laozi's Conversion of the Barbarians" theory.

Daoting lost all his properties in the capital region, leaving only these four City God Temples struggling to survive. Even his followers have dwindled, and the temples are now deserted.

Thanks to Zhang Li, a Taoist priest from Huangshan who was not doing his proper job, he used the folk tale "Four Dreams of Bianliang" to bewitch young people and rekindled some of the temple's incense offerings.

Now, the Four Dreams of Bianliang have spread to the Southern Music Bureau in Jinling and have become very popular.

The carriage stopped in front of the City God Temple. Chen Ji jumped off the carriage and saw a wooden sign standing in front of the temple, which read in bold strokes, "The place where the Patriarch Chao Yunzi transmitted the teachings to Li Changge."

Devout men and women lined the gate in an endless stream, all coming to pay homage to Li Changge's master, Chaoyunzi.

Chen Ji was stunned for a moment before he remembered that there seemed to be such a thing in the Four Dreams of Bianliang.

Li Changge wasted twelve years in the bustling capital, and after a heartbreaking separation from the princess, he left the capital in despair. On his way, he passed by a city god temple and met Chao Yunzi, who was traveling among humans, bestowing ordination and talismans. He then tied up his hair and began to cultivate Taoism.

He walked into the City God Temple, where the bronze cauldron in the courtyard was burning brightly with incense and white smoke rising.

Zhang Li's large blue ox was not tethered and was guarding the cauldron. White smoke cascaded down like a waterfall, occasionally swirling into the ox's nose.

The devout men and women gathered around the blue ox, marveling at its beauty. Chen Ji narrowed his eyes slightly. "The path to the Mountain Lord?"
wrong.

He recalled the beginning and end of his encounter with Zhang Li, and he had never felt any palpitations... He wondered if this green ox spirit could also cultivate, or if this big green ox simply liked the smell of smoke?

At this moment, a voice came from the distant main hall: "The creation of heaven and earth brings good fortune, and all things are complete on this auspicious day and time. If you draw this lot, it is no small matter. If you are loyal and upright, the emperor will proclaim your virtue. Oh my, young lady, you have drawn this lot. You are truly a person with great fortune..." Chen Ji looked up and looked past the bronze cauldron. She saw Zhang Li setting up a table outside the hall and interpreting lots for people.

The young woman across the table listened in bewilderment: "Taoist Master, what do you mean?"

Zhang Li smiled mysteriously: "Drawing this fortune signifies success in your career, abundant blessings, a just judgment in your lawsuit, a cure for illness, a bountiful harvest of mulberry and hemp, a happy marriage, the birth of a child, and the return of a traveler. This is an extremely auspicious fortune!"

The young woman exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Then I want to see Li Changge."

“Ah, this…” Zhang Li was speechless, his gaze wandering until it passed through the white smoke on the bronze cauldron and saw the traces of time.

His eyes lit up: "Look, isn't Li Changge here?"

The woman turned her head and looked at him with displeasure: "What Li Changge? Li Changge is much more handsome than him."

Chen Ji walked around the bronze cauldron and said to the woman with a smile, "You're right, this Taoist priest is talking nonsense, don't believe him."

He pulled Zhang Li up from the table: "Taoist priest, let's go to the back and settle this score."

Zhang Li was dragged towards the back hall, feeling guilty, and said, "Why are you settling accounts when everything is fine..."

Chen Ji stopped in the backyard, let go of Zhang Li's hand, and stared straight at him: "Has the Daoist Master written any new stories lately?"

Zhang Li quickly replied, "No, no, I've been busy lately looking for the person who leaked the secret of the Daoist Court's 'All Gods Descend Upon the Abode'."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Does the Daoist really think I was drunk yesterday? Prince Fu led his horse through the bustling city, amidst the crowds, and you were writing furiously by the side. Surely you weren't writing Daoist scriptures?"

Zhang Li's eyes darted around: "You little rascal, you want something from me, don't you? I saved Xiaoman and that little monk last time, so I don't owe you a favor."

Xiaoman, holding the little black cat, retorted, "No, it's me who owes the Taoist priest a favor, and you still owe my young master a favor."

Zhang Li cried out in anguish, "What use is your favor to me?!"

Xiaoman pouted: "Don't be so sure of yourself, I'm pretty capable."

Zhang Li found a step to sit down and looked up at Chen Ji: "Speak, what is it? Consider it repaying a favor to you."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "I need to take care of a few things. Xiao Man and Luo Zhui Sa Jia need to stay at the City God Temple for a few days."

Zhang Li stroked his chin: "You've encountered some difficulties? What kind of difficulties could make you entrust these two people to the Dao Court for care?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "Daoist, there's no need to ask any more questions. Just tell me whether it's feasible or not."

Zhang Li pondered for a long time: "Okay, but a favor can only be done for one person. If you want both of you to live in the City God Temple, you have to promise me one thing."

Xiaoman said angrily, "How can you, a Taoist priest, be so shrewd in your calculations? Young master, please ignore him. What difficulties have you encountered? The little monk and I will go with you..."

Chen Ji turned to look at her quietly: "Don't be silly."

Xiaoman shut up in a huff.

Chen Ji turned to Zhang Li and said, “It’s not just this matter. If I am safe and sound in a few days, I will come to pick them up. But if something happens to me, I will trouble the Dao Court to send Xiaoman to the Longmen Inn in Guyuan, where I will meet her.”

Upon hearing this, Xiaoman realized the seriousness of the matter.

The Dragon Gate Inn is the passageway to leave Ning Dynasty. If it weren't for something of great importance, our young master would never have chosen this way out.

Chen Ji continued, "As a condition, you can write me however you like in the next story, Daoist. Also, if I have nothing else to do, I can help the Daoist Court and the Buddhist Sect have another debate."

"Is that really true!" Zhang Li sat on the stone steps, pondering, "Could it be that the imperial court is going to issue you another arrest warrant? Otherwise, why would you have fled to that godforsaken place, Guyuan? This is no small matter; crossing the Taihang Mountains and passing through Taiyuan Prefecture, the journey is long and fraught with checkpoints..."

Chen Ji asked in a deep voice, "What does the Daoist want?"

Zhang Li smiled nonchalantly: "It's so much easier to talk to smart people."

He pulled out a blank book from his pocket, and then took out the brush that he used as a hairpin from his hair bun: "Write the three characters 'Li Changge' on this book cover, shall we?"

The front yard was filled with the noise of devout men and women, while the back yard fell silent.

Looking at the wordless book, Chen Ji was certain that writing down his name was no simple matter.

At this moment, Zhang Li's expression was exceptionally serious, just like the day Jin Zhu bet on him... It seemed that the other party was gambling.

But as the chief disciple of the Huangshan Taoist Temple, Zhang Li obviously doesn't need to cultivate the path of the official. What is the other party betting on?
Zhang Li stared intently at Chen Ji: "What, you don't dare to write it? It seems that the little girl's life isn't that important."

Chen Ji smiled and took the brush: "Daoist, there's no need to goad me."

Just as he was about to put pen to paper, Zhang Li suddenly said, "I won't take advantage of you. You'll benefit from signing your name, and I can even give you a divination."

"What divination?"

Zhang Li laughed and countered, "That depends on what you want to calculate?"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "I need to find someone. Taoist priest, can you tell me if he's still in the capital and where I should look for him?"

Zhang Li asked, "What's his surname?"

Chen Ji said firmly, "Your Majesty."

Zhang Li tapped his thumb on his knuckles: "It's still there, go look for it in the outer city."

"Thank you," Chen Ji said no more. He picked up his brush and wrote three words neatly on the blue cover of the wordless book: Li Changge.

(End of this chapter)