I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 215 Let's pay homage to the God (+5)

Li Xuan temporarily stayed on Yunmeng Mountain to cultivate. All the masters and disciples on Yunmeng Mountain were very interested in the pill that had been bestowed upon him, and every day when the lame man meditated and exhaled, he was surrounded by many people.

The two children, Sanshui and Chuyi.

He threw a tantrum and begged relentlessly, which earned him the chance to go down the mountain together.

At a young age, he happily carried his bundle, with some dried biscuits and a little silver in his pocket. He obtained two long swords from his master and swung them with great skill, creating a whooshing sound.

"This is the way to roam freely with a sword!"

Chu Yi stood next to Sanshui, with the yellow paper cat rubbing against them, and squinted with delight.

Sanshui cheered.

"Let's go find our senior. We heard he's going to Kuaiji in Yuezhou."

……

……

The large ship sailed through several mountains and rivers.

When traveling downstream, they could travel a hundred li a day. But when going upstream or encountering storms, they would stop and make stops along the way to replenish supplies and trade. After traveling for about two months, they finally arrived in Hangzhou.

After getting off the boat, the cat no longer needs to eat fish every meal.

Jiang She smoothed out the wrinkles on his sleeves. Chen Hong had been talking to him for a long time and looked extremely sad.

Jiang She had no choice but to reveal the truth: he was actually going to Kuaiji to visit a friend, and it just so happened that he was in the same place as this great painter, so he would go to Kuaiji sooner or later. He was disembarking in Hangzhou now because he had other important business to attend to, which is why he was allowed to unslip his sleeve.

We entered the city.

Jiang She stood on the bustling street.

As far as the eye can see, there are green tiles and white walls, rows of lotus flowers, and long boats sailing under the bridge, pushing aside the lotus leaves on both sides. A dozen or so men, shirtless, are shouting slogans as they hurry along.

Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu stood to the side and glanced at it.

"Sir, they are preparing for a dragon boat race."

Jiang She stood on the bridge for a while, looking around, with a warm breeze blowing in his face.

"It's almost May again."

The last time it was May, four years ago, Jiang She received a protective talisman at Qingxu Temple. He heard the same thing all the time: vendors constantly hawking mugwort.

At that time, Cheng Zhi, the magistrate of Xiangyang County, asked him to eliminate the sects of several swindlers.

Four years have passed.

I wonder how Magistrate Cheng is doing now, and whether he has been promoted.

The temple built for him has been unresponsive to prayers for so many years, so no one probably burns incense there anymore.

This is truly a fortunate thing.

It was already hot in Jiangnan by the end of April.

They walked to the South Market, squeezed into the crowd, and trudged to a tavern for lunch.

Jiang She ordered a small skewer of mutton for the cat, while he ate cold noodles himself.

This dish is actually somewhat like cold noodles. The noodles are cooked and then soaked in icy well water, making them cool and chewy. Add to that seasonings and shredded meat, and it has a unique flavor.

The cat ate from its own plate, but kept glancing at Jiang She's bowl.

"You want some cold noodles too?"

The cat remembered that it shouldn't speak in front of people, as it would scare them to death, and shook its head.

Jiang She tapped on the table and called over the waiter.

"Could you make another bowl of cold noodles, a smaller portion, just a bite or two? I'll pay for it."

The waiter, hearing the first part, thought the man was trying to freeload, but when he heard the last part, "pay as usual," his brow relaxed.

He said with a smile.

"Of course, I'll go and ask the cook to make an extra portion right away."

The waiter worked quickly, turning around to report to the kitchen.

As Jiang She was eating, an old woman outside suddenly appeared, beaming with joy, carrying a swaddled baby in a red cloth. She turned and slipped into the pharmacy across the street.

Some people were setting off firecrackers and banging drums outside the pharmacy.

Inside the pharmacy, the old woman said happily.

"Dr. Wang, thank you so much! My child is celebrating his 100th day today. If it weren't for your remedy for having a child, I wouldn't have been able to have this grandson so easily..."

He spoke very loudly, and even Li Bai heard a few of his words.

He said to Yuan Danqiu:

"How can a baby who is only a hundred days old withstand this kind of torment?"

Outside the pharmacy, there was a deafening commotion of gongs, drums, and firecrackers. Could the ears of a baby in swaddling clothes withstand that?
Even the doctor in the pharmacy was startled. He waved his hands repeatedly, went outside, and advised them to stop the gongs and drums and not to light any more firecrackers, for fear of frightening the child.

It suddenly became much quieter outside.

The old woman reassured him and even came out to talk.

“I got a peace charm from the temple for my grandson, he’s sure to be healthy and free from illness and worry.”

"The temple keeper said that my son couldn't have a child because the yin energy was too strong. After drinking the talisman water a few times, he felt much better. This grandson was born at night, so he'll be very lively on weekdays and can't be too quiet..."

Jiang She looked up and examined the scene with great interest.

The doctor found it utterly absurd.

He observed the child's complexion and carefully took his pulse, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Nothing has gone wrong yet, but we can't let this happen again. If such a young child gets frightened, it will be difficult to call him back."

The old woman nodded as she listened, though it was unclear how much of it she had taken to heart.

"Sir, your noodles are ready!"

The waiter came over carrying a flat bowl.

The bowl is wide and shallow, making it look like a large portion, but it can actually be finished in just two chopsticks. The restaurant owner is probably thinking of keeping things in mind, worried that customers might be unhappy if they see too little noodles.

Jiang She handed him the money and called out to the other man.

Pointing to the old woman outside still talking about the talisman water, Jiang She asked:

"What kind of temple are they talking about? I'd like to go and see it too."

The waiter noticed that these men were dressed like scholars, and their accents weren't from their area.

He put the money away and said with a smile:

"Sir, you may not know, but some of our temples are very efficacious."

“I also recognize Aunt Wang. Her wife had been married for five years but hadn’t given birth to a child. She had visited all the pharmacies in the city, and had been to the pharmacies across the street at least five times.”

"This grandson was actually born through a temple, which seems a bit inappropriate... but we can't say anything about it."

"The temple you asked about is in the county below. If you go west, you'll have to go all the way to Yuqian County."

"Many people burn incense there; you can easily find out by asking around."

Jiang She expressed his gratitude.

After the waiter left, he didn't use the large bowl. Instead, he carefully transferred the cold noodles from the bowl to the cat's own plate. This made it easier for the cat to eat, and it was also convenient for the restaurant, so as not to cause any complaints from other customers.

After finishing their meal, they leisurely inquired about the directions.

We headed towards the county the man had mentioned.

……

……

"Homage to the God!"

The county was bustling with activity early in the morning.

The magistrate stood among a group of county officials and wealthy households, leading everyone in the sacrificial ceremony.

There is a strange custom in this county: people worship a deity, but they don't know the deity's name and just call him "the deity." This custom has been around for many years.

The deity has many disciples, each with their own area of ​​protection. Some can grant children, some can turn stones into gold, some can make merchants rich, and some can protect health...

Surprisingly, it works quite well.

Music began, and an ethereal atmosphere filled the air.

A shrine was placed in the center of the platform.

There are more than a dozen statues on each side, and the order of all the statues is strictly regulated and cannot be overstepped. It is said that this has been passed down for many years, and each position has its own significance.

A few years ago, there was a man named Silang. One day, for some reason, the statue of a deity suddenly broke. He asked him about it with concern, but the temple keeper told him not to worry about it.

The sacrificial ceremony involved a great deal of procedures.

When the county magistrate first arrived in Yuqian, he remembered feeling dizzy and lightheaded, but now he is quite familiar with the place.

He cleansed himself and fasted for several days before beginning to recite the prayer prepared by the officiant.

Raise your voice—

"In the seventeenth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Great Tang Dynasty, the year of Ji Si... Wang Gan, a literary official and magistrate of Yuqian County, offered sacrifices to the divine deity."

"We humbly worship the revered deity who established this land and nurtured our people. With boundless virtue, all things prosper. He protects all beings, nourishing countless families. Spring prayers and autumn thanksgiving are performed, and the rites are solemnly observed. Now, in the middle of summer, evil influences arise, and poisonous insects invade. We respectfully lead our officials in performing the usual sacrifices, offering our livestock..."

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)