Chapter 40

Shen Chang'an said casually, "She's been like that since she was little. There are lots of things the rest of us take for granted that she won't allow."

No drinking untreated water, keeping cooked food separate from raw food, washing your hands before meals... She had rules for everything.

Li Xinyi looked at him. "And you still do as she says?"

"What choice do I have? My sister's been so dependable since she was little. I'm sure she knows things ordinary people don't."

Li Xinyi smiled and said nothing more.

After Shen Lantang returned home, her gloom only deepened. The maid's words kept circling in her mind, and her chest felt clogged with a murky weight.

"...Lan Xin! Lan Xin!"

Lan Xin hurried in. "Miss."

"Lan Xin, I need you to do something for me."

"Find out who this Reverend Xuanxin of Mystic Temple really is, what ties he has to the capital's powerful families, and how many people are using the Pregnancy-Safeguarding Talisman now. This may involve people in the imperial palace, so don't force it if you can't find out. Learn whatever you can."

"Yes."

After Lan Xin left, Shen Lantang remained lost in thought. At length, she turned to Baozhu.

"Baozhu, have we started preparing dinner?"

Baozhu said, "Uh, it's still a little early. The kitchen thought you'd be eating at home, miss, so they haven't started yet."

"Then tell them not to."

Shen Lantang waved a hand. "We'll eat with Mother tonight."

Shen Lantang did not always come even when invited, so Xie Madam was astonished when Shen Lantang sent word that she wanted to join her for dinner. Still, Xie Madam had come to regard her daughter-in-law with both surprise and approval, and she certainly would not refuse.

Shen Lantang arrived a little before dinner and chatted with Xie Madam until it was time to eat. With only the two of them at the table, there were not many dishes.

Shen Lantang ate slowly. After finishing a small bowl of rice, she felt comfortably full.

She looked at Xie Madam, uncertainty in her eyes.

"Mother, when I went to the temple a couple of days ago, did I offend the reverend?"

Xie Madam paused, then remembered how Shen Lantang had stopped Yan from drinking the water. Even this composed, sensible daughter-in-law of hers worried about offending people. She could not help smiling.

"It was a small matter. Why would a perfected master be angry? As cultivators, they would hardly brood over a few sharp words."

That's a good way to put it. I can use that the next time I talk back to someone.

"And Aunt? She won't be angry, will she?" Shen Lantang asked, still gazing at her with the clear, pleading eyes of a fawn.

"Even less so. You stopped Yan because you were looking out for her. Your aunt and Yan ought to be grateful to you. Why would they dwell on a single bowl of talisman water?"

"That's good to hear."

Only then did Shen Lantang smile as though a weight had lifted.

"By the way, Mother, what sort of place is Mystic Temple? Why haven't I heard of it before?"

"Mystic Temple was founded less than a year ago, so it's only natural you haven't heard of it. Reverend Xuanxin studied under Reverend Jiuqing, who has cultivated on Skyvault Mountain for over a hundred years. They say he is the reincarnation of a disciple of Perfected Jade Cauldron and needs only to attain the Dao to return to his divine station. Reverend Xuanxin is his sole true disciple."

"One day, Reverend Xuanxin happened to pass through Zhaojing just as the Fourth Prince had invited numerous reverends to his residence for a gathering to discuss the Dao. Reverend Xuanxin's understanding was profound, and his learning was immense. At the gathering, he debated one opponent after another and prevailed against them all. The Fourth Prince immediately made him an honored guest, then recommended him to His Majesty, who also came to appreciate him. To persuade him to stay, the Fourth Prince built Mystic Temple for him on His Majesty's orders."

The first part was utter nonsense, the sort of story scammers always told. Shen Lantang did not believe a word of it. The latter part, however, caught her attention.

The current emperor was fifty-three and had seven children, four sons and three daughters. His eldest son had been born to a secondary consort while he was still Crown Prince. Because her family was unremarkable, she had been granted the rank of Shuyi after he ascended the throne, only rising to consort when the First Prince grew older. The second prince was the current Crown Prince, born to the Empress.

The Fourth Prince was the son of the Noble Consort. Her family, the Liu Family, had served in government for generations and produced several capable ministers. Though her father had long since retired and returned home to avoid the constraints that came with his position, his uncles, cousins, and brothers still held important posts at court. The Seventh Prince, meanwhile, was not yet fourteen, and people seldom spoke of him.

Perhaps she had watched too many palace-intrigue dramas in her previous life.

Palace intrigue.

Dramas. Whatever the reason, Shen Lantang found the whole thing rather delicate.

Setting that aside for now, she smiled. "The reverend must be impressive."

"Indeed. Didn't you meet him a couple of days ago?"

I did. That's precisely why I'm worried.

Shen Lantang also asked about the Pregnancy-Safeguarding Talisman. Though it was fashionable among the powerful to seek blessings from Buddhist and Daoist temples, this particular talisman did not seem to have caught on in their households. In any case, Xie Madam knew little about it.

After returning home, Shen Lantang waited quietly for two days. Then Lan Xin came to report.

"Reverend Xuanxin is said to come from Skyvault Mountain in Cangzhou. But I contacted people from my hometown in Cangzhou, and they'd never heard of him or his master before. Reverend Xuanxin is now an honored guest of the Fourth Prince. Apart from the prince, he also has close ties with the Liu Assistant Censor's Household, Grand Academician Wang, and the Liu Ministry of Works Official's Household."

Those households all belonged either to the Fourth Prince's mother's family or to his maternal grandfather's students. In short, they were all close to the Fourth Prince.

"As for the Pregnancy-Safeguarding Talisman—"

At the mention of what concerned her most, Shen Lantang paid close attention.

"There are indeed plenty of rumors among the common people. They say the talisman carries a perfected master's protection and can safeguard a woman's unborn child. One talisman is supposedly worth several packets of medicine. Many people believe it now, and quite a few make special trips up the mountain to ask for one."

Shen Lantang suddenly understood why the talisman had spread among commoners rather than the powerful. Wealthy pregnant women usually had people dedicated to looking after them. They ate well, and neither mother nor child lacked nourishment, so most would never think to drink talisman water to protect a pregnancy. Zhaojing might be prosperous, but medicine was still a major expense for ordinary families. If one talisman truly could replace several packets of medicine, common people trying to save money would naturally keep climbing the mountain to ask for more.

Rankings

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