A Young Woman's Heart

The person next to him immediately poured some wine from a ceramic wine bottle, filling another glass.

This cup is not small; it weighs at least two and a half ounces.

Mo Xueyao took the wine glass, but within seconds she had already forgotten what she had just said.

—Because she subconsciously finished drinking it again.

After all, people usually drink alcohol directly; there's no reason to hold it in your mouth and then spit it out.

Even the stern-faced old Taoist priest couldn't help but grin.

"Little girl, are you... alright?" His slightly accented Mandarin, coupled with his expression, was truly hilarious.

"Huh? Sorry..."

"I mean, are you... drunk?"

"Are you alright?" Mo Xueyao looked as if nothing had happened; her face was even so fair that there wasn't a trace of blush on it.

The third cup was finally handed over. This time, Mo Xueyao remembered and didn't drink it. After the old Taoist priest handed her a particularly exquisite jade bottle, she imitated Lin Daiyu from Dream of the Red Chamber, gently covering her mouth and spitting out the wine.

"Whoosh~ Go up the mountain!" the old Taoist priest shouted, shaking his head as he led the way. Mo Xueyao and the people behind him followed him through the main hall, up the steps that looked like they had just been repaired, and all the way to the top of the low mountain.

A little below the mountaintop, there was a spacious area where most people stopped. Only a few strong men carried large wine jars up, put them down in front of a yellow clay platform, and then quickly went down to rejoin the crowd.

Besides a mud platform, there is only a stone tablet with small seal script written on it. Although it is a bit difficult to read, most of it is still understandable.

It was basically just a recounting of the history of the Taoist temple. After a cursory glance, Mo Xueyao only remembered the year 31 of the Hongwu reign.

Then, the old Taoist priest poured the wine from the jade bottle into the large vat of yellow wine and gently stirred it with the copper spoon.

Then comes the recitation of a spell, or more accurately, words of flattery to Heaven, Earth, the Great Dao, and all the gods and immortals...

Anyway, they would recite a line and pour a spoonful of wine, which would then be spilled on that yellow clay platform.

The open space below the mountaintop was bustling with noise, and many children wanted to run up to see what was happening, but their parents held them back.

Mo Xueyao was no stranger to the feeling of being the center of attention, but this was, after all, a relatively solemn sacrificial ceremony, and as an inexperienced 'goddess', she was still a little nervous.

Finally, the sound of gongs and drums ended, signifying the end of the sacrificial ceremony.

There was still more than half a bottle of wine left in the vat. Mo Xueyao was very curious about what to do with the wine that she had essentially spat on.

It would be such a waste to throw away the whole vat.

But who would want wine that has been 'contaminated'?

However, the truth is... there are quite a few people who want it.

As soon as it ended and the wine vats were carried away, many people brought their own bottles to fill up with the wine.

The liquor she had tasted was mixed in with this rice wine.

Even though the quantity is so large, it has been diluted to the point of being invisible.

But I still feel disgusted psychologically.

It's like throwing a pair of worn briefs into a kettle for high-temperature sterilization, and then using it to boil water. Even if you know the water is clean and bacteria-free, you still feel disgusted and can't bring yourself to eat it.

"Mom, aren't they disgusting...?" Mo Xueyao looked at her mother who had walked up to her side and couldn't help but mutter to herself.

"What's disgusting about it? My Yaoyao is so fragrant and clean, they'd love to drink your saliva! Besides, you're a goddess now, so that wine has been blessed by you!"

Mo Xueyao lowered her head and rolled her eyes, then saw a number of children rushing over.

Those who were timid would peek from a distance, while the bolder ones would grab her hand or hug her leg...

This seems to be tacitly approved by the adults. Could it also be part of the so-called 'blessing'?

Not good at dealing with children, she felt like her head was about to explode, as if a thousand cicadas were chirping in her ears.

"Alright, alright, the goddess is coming down the mountain, everyone please make way!" The mother quickly clapped her hands, but her voice was drowned out by the noisy crowd.

Li Wanyan used her sword to push away the children who were clinging to her like sticky candy. When the children saw her 'ghost face' mask, they all backed away in fear.

However, there were still some bold individuals who dared to directly cling to Li Wanyan's leg...

"Wow, the goddess guard is actually an older sister!"

"Sister, sister, please take off your mask and let us see you!"

Finally, the old Taoist priest had to chant a few incantations and stick yellow talismans on the foreheads of several of the naughtiest children. By both frightening and coaxing them, he managed to maintain order and allow Mo Xueyao to descend the mountain normally.

But this isn't the end of it...

Mo Xueyao sat quietly on a high platform in the Taoist temple for an entire day.

In superstitious terms, it takes a whole day to send the real goddess away—because she is now possessing Mo Xueyao's body.

You can't let her possess you when you want her and then drive her away when you don't, because that would make the goddess unhappy.

It also allows others to admire the goddess—after all, she can only be seen once a year.

Moreover, the goddess was exceptionally beautiful this year, and many people gathered below the platform. When someone tried to take a picture, they were immediately stopped by the older people.

"Huh, is taking pictures not allowed?"

"Of course not. If the goddess's soul were captured, she would be angry and punish her."

"Ah... my dad took it this morning..."

The old Taoist priest standing by the platform widened his eyes in surprise: "What? That brat..."

"Well, we've already taken the photos, so let's just consider it a memento," Mo Xueyao said, trying to excuse her father. She felt it would be a real shame if she didn't commemorate the day after all the 'suffering' she'd endured.

"Oh well, it's already been filmed, it wouldn't be good to delete it, but I have to tell him that he can't film anymore."

"It's alright, let them take pictures. What era are we living in? Let's not be so superstitious." Those in the audience could never have imagined that the goddess, sitting regally, would utter such words as she parted her lips…

"I'll go down and talk to him," the mother quickly said, to avoid making the atmosphere even more awkward.

"I'm hungry, Mom, could you bring some food up later?"

"No, you can only eat tonight."

"what?"

"Goddesses do not eat the grains of the mortal world."

"Grass."

"Cough!!"

"..."

……

Chapter Forty-Four: The Starry Sky Still Covers This Land

The sun was blazing overhead.

Although it is winter.

Yet, even though she was wearing heavy clothes, Mo Xueyao was still drenched in sweat.

Moreover, as the sun slowly moved past its zenith, Mo Xueyao's hunger became increasingly intense.

"Gurgle..."

The sounds coming from her and Li Wanyan's stomachs almost simultaneously.

"Cough..." Mo Xueyao coughed loudly on purpose, but the old Taoist priest standing in front pretended not to hear anything and stood there calmly.

Not eating breakfast or lunch is something an ordinary person simply couldn't endure.

Although Mo Xueyao didn't exercise much, maintaining her balance on the palanquin was actually no easy task!

Although it doesn't require much physical exertion, it can still cause hunger to arrive earlier.

Moreover, there was nothing in my stomach, so I was both thirsty and hungry.

Mo Xueyao gently licked her lips, about to speak, when she thought of the possible rejection she might receive.

This old Taoist priest is very rigid; nothing he says will work.

But ordinary lies can't fool him.

But if I don't give it a try, I feel a little unwilling.

Mo Xueyao's large, jade-like eyes darted around, their azure hues perfectly matching the color of the sky.

As she pondered this in her heart, Li Wanyan, who was beside her, seemed to sense her intention and turned her gaze slightly towards her.

Although the mask concealed her face, Mo Xueyao still raised her eyebrows, signaling for her to cooperate.

Beneath the mask, Mo Xueyao nodded slightly. After more than ten minutes of preparation, she finally uttered her first words: "Ah, the human world..."

The old Taoist priest in front seemed not to have heard clearly; he was looking down, lost in thought.

Those gathered closest to the center were mostly children; the adults mostly lost interest after watching for a while.

Goddesses are beautiful, but after seeing them so many times, they no longer seem novel.

Only the children's boundless curiosity continues to sustain them, filling them with a desire to explore.

However, it seems that more children are curious about what Li Wanyan looks like under the mask...

"The world is so fleeting, it's been so long since we last met," Mo Xueyao said again, her expression solemn, tinged with a sense of vicissitude and nostalgia, her tone much softer, "Little Taoist, what year and month is it now?"

The old Taoist priest turned his head with some doubt and saw Mo Xueyao sitting upright in the palanquin, her eyes seemingly unfathomable.

It is as deep as a still, ancient well.

He was momentarily startled, but then forced himself to remain calm, turned around, and gave a slight bow.

"My Lady Goddess...?"

"I have slumbered for a thousand years, and only now have I awoke, to find that the world has changed beyond recognition." Mo Xueyao slightly raised her left hand, as if supporting something. "Today, the power of my vows far surpasses that of previous years. I wonder why this is? Is the land of China facing imminent peril?"

"Your Majesty the Goddess..." The old Taoist priest finally showed a look of fear, bowing deeply, "This is a golden age..."

“A prosperous era…” Mo Xueyao turned her head slightly and naturally supported her temple with one hand—something she had learned from TV dramas.

"It is...a golden age."