A Young Woman's Heart

Mo Xueyao couldn't name these shoes. They looked a bit like embroidered shoes, but the patterns were much prettier.

And it's not flat; the heel is a bit high, not like a high-heeled shoe, but more like a platform shoe...

The previous pair was size 36, and then her mother brought out size 33 shoes. These were a bit small for Mo Xueyao, who was size 34, but they were still acceptable.

After all, if it's too big, it's easier to fall.

"It's a bit tight... I'll leave it like this." She muttered as she stood up and took a couple of awkward steps.

"Alright, let's escort our goddess on her journey!"

As I stepped outside, my father was already standing at the door with the borrowed camera. The flash went off a few times, capturing the moment.

"Stop taking pictures, stop taking pictures, it's making my eyes hurt..." Mo Xueyao rolled her eyes, but was gently patted on the shoulder by her mother.

"Yaoyao, don't make those faces."

"I know—"

"And you're not allowed to have a crooked mouth!"

"..."

Mo Xueyao's elaborate attire was mainly white and red with black stripes trimmed with gold.

The clothes were covered with all sorts of decorations; even the slightest sway would make them jingle and clang.

The blue eyes added a touch of mystery to the outfit.

The old Taoist priest said that hundreds of years ago, the earliest goddess was blue-eyed—she is the woman depicted in the murals of the Taoist temple.

"This is truly a goddess descending to earth!" The old Taoist priest sighed, stroking his long beard, which made Mo Xueyao want to tug at it as well—it must feel amazing.

Li Wanyan arrived late, after Mo Xueyao had boarded the palanquin pulled by four oxen.

Her clothes were much simpler and more professional.

Her clothing featured ink-wash patterns of the Four Sacred Beasts. After she stood beside Mo Xueyao, someone handed her a mask shaped like a ghost or deity, which looked incredibly intimidating.

No wonder he's a near-divine guard...

For some reason, Mo Xueyao felt that the face on the mask actually matched Li Wanyan quite well...

It's not that they look alike, but rather that their temperament is similar.

The palanquin finally started moving, and the villagers all gathered around it, shouting something.

The atmosphere was exceptionally lively.

The sound of firecrackers became more frequent.

Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan didn't need to move; they could just stand.

However, the palanquin pulled by the oxcart was actually not very stable, especially on such a country road, it was still a bit bumpy.

The Jiangnan region is rich in waterways, and this small mountain village is no exception.

Soon, the oxcart arrived at the shore, where a large boat was moored. Strong men shouted slogans as they carried the palanquin off the oxcart. As soon as so many people got on the boat, the entire boat visibly sank a few feet, making Mo Xueyao panic and almost lose her balance.

Li Wanyan subtly took her wrist, and for some reason, she always felt that there seemed to be a smile hidden behind that mask.

There were many small boats next to a large ship, and many people even rowed out their canoes.

Mo Xueyao vaguely heard someone on the small boat next to her pointing at her and shouting, "Look, isn't that sister pretty!"

"How beautiful!" The child clapped his hands innocently.

She couldn't hear anything from behind because the surrounding noise was too loud.

The old Taoist priest stood beneath the palanquin, chanting incomprehensible incantations... or perhaps Taoist magic?

Mo Xueyao knew nothing about these things, but she gradually began to find them somewhat novel.

She had participated in several sacrificial ceremonies before, but each time she was just a spectator on a small boat next to the gods.

Standing on the palanquin as a goddess, that was truly a first for me...

"I have already been here. The river god accepted the gifts and came out to greet me..."

Mo Xueyao vaguely understood the few words the old Taoist priest recited.

It didn't feel like a worship ceremony for deities, but rather like an emperor making a grand tour.

In Country Z, gods are probably the least respected beings. They are actually just embodiments of natural forces, much like officials with their own duties.

People have awe for them, but not excessive fear. If those 'gods' fail to do what they are supposed to do, they will still overthrow them.

This reminded Mo Xueyao of a poem by Zhang Zongchang:

The Jade Emperor is also surnamed Zhang, so why is he making things difficult for me, Zongchang? If it doesn't rain within three days, first we'll tear down the Dragon Emperor Temple, then we'll bombard your mother with cannons.

That's why the old Taoist priest's words carried a hint of both kindness and severity.

"In the name of the goddess, I pray to Heaven for eternal peace..."

So... it turns out the so-called goddess was just a pretty face, all she had to do was stand still.

The rituals were all performed by the old Taoist priest.

"Ah... my neck is a little sore." Mo Xueyao wanted to raise her hand to tap her neck, but thinking of her current appearance, she put it down with great difficulty.

Be elegant... Be elegant...

She could only keep telling herself to use the lively scene to distract herself.

Listening more closely, Mo Xueyao also discovered that the old Taoist priest was actually complaining.

"Heaven above, last midsummer, the rain god neglected his duty, and there was no rain for a whole month, causing crops to wither and die in large swaths..."

"Pfft...cough." Mo Xueyao couldn't help but clear her throat, almost bursting out laughing.

There are probably only a handful of companies in the world that dare to criticize 'God' like this.

Although she didn't laugh out loud, her body still trembled slightly, and as the ship rocked, the glittering gold accessories made an even crisper sound...

……

Chapter Forty-Three: Light Steps

The sight of so many boats seemed to have raised the river level, and the waves created by the oars seemed to have brought forth some ripples.

Mo Xueyao placed her hands, folded together, in front of her lower abdomen. After such a long time, her hands were starting to ache.

I don't know how long I have to hold this position, but I can't let go of it, otherwise, not to mention whether it looks good or not, I'll definitely get a scolding from my mother when I get down.

"Haven't we arrived yet?" Mo Xueyao muttered softly.

Li Wanyan, standing to the side, merely turned her head slightly; her masked face made it impossible to discern her expression.

Mo Xueyao felt that it had taken about two or three hours, but in reality, it was less than half an hour before the large ship slowly sailed to the shore and stopped.

The palanquin was once again carried off the large ship. This time, there was no oxcart; instead, the group of strong men carried it together, chanting "Heave-ho!" as they walked until they stopped in front of a Taoist temple.

The mottled walls were slightly yellowed, and much of the rapeseed on them had peeled off. Some of the divine patterns were even missing a face, while others were missing half a body...

But it seems the villagers have no intention of repairing them.

The marks of time have given it a weathered look, but it is precisely because of this weathering that the sense of antiquity that spans hundreds of years is even stronger.

The palanquin was parked right at the entrance.

"We respectfully invite the goddess to the palace!" The local dialect was used, but Mo Xueyao understood it.

If spoken in Mandarin, perhaps this intonation would be lost, giving the feeling of singing but not quite singing.

"Walk slowly," the mother said in a low voice from under the palanquin. Mo Xueyao almost lost her footing as she took her first step, and it took her a full two seconds to readjust.

Perhaps to accentuate Mo Xueyao's elegant gait, Li Wanyan deliberately walked with long strides, her decorative sword swaying gently. This dashing and capable appearance truly gave her the air of a bodyguard.

If Mo Xueyao, having been a girl for over a year, still doesn't know how to act like a lady, then her learning ability is rather poor.

Reality is not a nonsensical story you can just imagine; the process of going from a boy to a girl is far from as easy as you might think.

Compromise is common—unless she wants to go against the grain.

The results of my usual studies are displayed here.

Mo Xueyao gently lifted her left foot and then slowly lowered it—she first slowed down her movements, then gradually sped them up a little, and finally stabilized them on a baseline, thus maintaining a natural and elegant demeanor.

People were all watching from outside; the hall was empty.

It seems she has to go in first.

The ornaments on the gorgeous clothes jingled and tinkled, as if playing a unique melody.

The high threshold is a bit difficult for the clothes at this time to cross.

Li Wanyan gently supported her arm to help her maintain her balance as she stepped into the main hall.

After she came in, the others quickly followed.

The statue of the Taoist patriarch inside the hall is not tall; it is actually only about the height of a person.

It looks like it was made to a 1:1 scale.

But for a statue, it appears somewhat 'small'.

Mo Xueyao felt that they had arrived at their destination, so she slowly stopped.

An old Taoist priest handed him a cup of strong liquor that he could tell just by smelling it, his cloudy eyes staring quietly ahead.

She paused for a moment, then took it, tilted her head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

In that instant, the entire hall seemed to fall into a moment of deathly silence.

Immediately, a lot of good-natured laughter was heard.

Some people even teased, "Great! The goddess is so generous!"

"Ahem..." The old Taoist priest coughed lightly and said in a low voice, "I'm not telling you to drink it... I'm telling you to hold it in your mouth and then spit it into the bottle..."

"Huh? Oh, oh..." Mo Xueyao nodded. "Then... what should we do?"

The old Taoist priest did not answer, but instead handed the cup to the person next to him.