Chapter 185: Rain Prayer Ritual
Chapter 185: Rain Prayer Ritual
The House of the Crown Prince had set up a high altar.
Under the huge high altar, firewood was prepared, piled up into a small mountain-like heap.
According to Zhu Houzhao, since they wanted to move the heavens, they had to do it thoroughly.
If Li Chaowen could not pray for rain, they would have to use a more extreme method, such as… starting a fire and burning Li Chaowen as an offering to the Dragon King.
Hundreds of years earlier, Crown Prince Zhu Houzhao already understood employee incentive mechanisms, and Fang Jifan expressed great appreciation for this.
Li Chaowen… cried again.
Though his tears had dried up in recent days, hearing these truths made him feel his tear glands could still squeeze out some liquid.
Fang Jifan looked up at the high altar, which was ten zhang high and very magnificent under the golden sunlight, especially eye-catching.
Zhu Houzhao stood shoulder to shoulder with him, and while looking up at the high altar, he also saw the clear sky without any sign of rain.
Would it rain on such a day?
Zhu Houzhao felt very uncertain and could not help but glance sideways at Fang Jifan, asking, “Will it really rain?”
“Yes,” Fang Jifan nodded solemnly and said gravely, “We must believe in our grand-nephew, Li. He is even willing to risk his life for this.”
Zhu Houzhao let out a long sigh. “Master Yang and Master Wang are very angry now.”
Master Yang and Master Wang naturally referred to Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua.
There are no secrets that do not leak out, and these two, the Supervisor and Junior Supervisor of the Household of the Heir Apparent, were almost vomiting blood now.
Fang Jifan remained expressionless and unmoved.
Whether they vomited blood or not had nothing to do with him.
“This Palace also heard that Master Wang is very worried; it seems his son has run into trouble.”
Wang Shouren?
Fang Jifan was a bit confused. What act was Wang Shouren putting on this time?
“They say he has developed hysteria.”
“Oh,” Fang Jifan let out a dry laugh. Based on his understanding of Wang Shouren, hysteria was definitely not the case. He estimated that Wang was pondering something again—ah, no, a Sage-like thinker like Wang Shouren must be deep in thought.
“Old Fang, This Palace thinks…” Zhu Houzhao hesitated before saying, “This Palace thinks tomorrow’s rain prayer is not very reliable; it feels like something might go wrong…”
Fang Jifan patted his shoulder. “Don’t be afraid. My grand-nephew is not even afraid of death; are we cowards? We are friends, sharing both good times and bad.”
Zhu Houzhao gave Fang Jifan a disdainful look. The scene where Fang Jifan patted his butt and ran away, leaving him alone in the Warm Pavilion, was still vividly remembered!
“This Palace does not believe your words. You are someone with a Brain Illness; you might just pretend to be sick when the time comes and the matter will pass.”
Uh… Had he really thought of that?
Fang Jifan’s face reddened slightly, then he looked very determined and said, “I am not that kind of person; why does Your Highness think of me that way!”
…
Longquan Taoist Temple
News from the Capital had inevitably reached Longquan Taoist Temple.
A Taoist quietly entered Zhang Chaoxian’s room and whispered a few words quickly.
Zhang Chaoxian could not help but sneer lightly, not even lifting his eyelids, and said calmly, “Tianzheng, look at the weather. Are there any signs of rain?”
The Taoist named Tianzheng hurriedly replied, “Master, no. It has been dry for over two months now, and there is still no sign of rain.”
Zhang Chaoxian snorted coldly. “Li Chaowen, driven into a corner, is making a desperate move. He embezzled the temple’s property and is a disgrace to Longquan Taoist Temple. Knowing he is doomed, he wants to fight back from a desperate situation, so he dares to defy The World by attempting to reverse his fortunes through the Rain Prayer Ritual.”
As he spoke, Zhang Chaoxian burst into laughter, his wrinkled face full of mockery.
“A good-for-nothing like Li Chaowen dares to challenge me? Is he even worthy? Does the heaven grant rain just because one asks for it?”
Thinking of this, he found it increasingly ridiculous. Naturally, Li Chaowen would not be able to pray for rain.
He would just sit back and wait for the joke.
However, the next moment, he could not help but shake his head.
Zhang Chaoxian thought to himself, “The only thing to fear is that Grandmaster Uncle. This person was actually enfeoffed as the Newly Established Count; he is not someone to be provoked easily.”
So, he slowly stood up, walked to the windowsill, and from there, he could see the beautiful scenery of Yuquan Mountain.
The beautiful scenery lifted his spirits, and his worries immediately vanished. He could not help but speak slowly.
“Send another sum of silver to the Capital, and ask the Manager of the Taoist Registry Department in the Ministry of Rites to speed up the revocation of Li Chaowen’s daoist registration. Hah… Rain Prayer Ritual… what a joke.”
“Yes…”
…
The Rain Prayer Ritual was about to begin.
The entire Capital was also in an uproar.
At the Eastern Palace, even from several streets away, one could see the high altar towering inside the high walls.
The temporary high altar reached into the clouds, looking especially grand under the golden glow.
In the neighborhoods, the news was spreading everywhere.
Unfortunately, Fang Jinglong was about to leave on a long journey.
He felt immensely reluctant in his heart—unwilling to part with his son, unwilling to leave the joy of bragging with old friends in the Capital, unwilling to part with so many people.
But he knew that this trip to Guizhou was unavoidable, not only because of the Imperial Decree but also because the Fang Family had built their fortune through meritorious service. His father and his grandfather had fought their way out from piles of corpses, leaving behind their legacy for him.
He should do the same, relying on the glint of swords and shadows on the battlefield, surviving countless dangers to secure a brighter future for his son. He was merely following the path of his ancestors, leaving behind more blessings for his descendants.
So, Fang Jinglong did not think about staying longer but resolutely chose to set off.
Accompanying him were the old brothers he had selected from the army, those old fellows who, during the New Year, would pinch Fang Jifan’s thin arms and legs and comment extensively.
Some of them were silent, some were missing arms or legs, but they all had one advantage: having stayed in the army for a long time, they were very familiar with military and battlefield matters. This time, to command the Mountain Brigade, he needed these old brothers to help out.
In battle, they might no longer be useful, but in training soldiers, each of them was an expert.
At the dock of the Grand Canal, several official boats with black awnings were floating on the water, having waited for a long time. The personal guards had already carried the luggage on board.
When Fang Jinglong left, he did not wake Fang Jifan. He hoped his son could sleep a little longer, as his son was still growing and would be expected to carry on the family line and have many children to expand the Fang Family. Therefore, Fang Jinglong did not dare to disturb him at all.
His son was always in Fang Jinglong’s heart. Filled with paternal affection, Fang Jinglong looked back at the Capital, as if he could see through the city walls and countless rooftops to his own home.
That day, Fang Jifan’s five disciples got up very early. They had long known that their Grandmaster was going on a long journey. As grandsons—ah, no, as grand-disciples—how could they not come to see him off?
Tang Yin and the others bowed and saluted. “Grandmaster, have a safe journey.”
Fang Jinglong sighed, patted their shoulders, and said with emotion, “You… have worked hard.”
He knew his own son. Thinking about these Scholars, he felt quite sorry for them. Once they entered the Fang Family, it was like diving into the deep sea; the hardships were something only Fang Jinglong understood.
The five disciples all looked blank.
At that moment, they heard the porters crossing the pier nearby, whispering, “I heard that the Newly Established Count—the one newly enfeoffed, who they say performed great merits—and the Crown Prince are going to pray for rain tomorrow.”
“Can it really rain?”
“Look at the weather; does it look like it will rain?”
“If it doesn’t rain, wouldn’t it become a joke?”
“Shh, be careful with your words.”
…
Their voices were not loud, but Fang Jinglong heard them clearly. His old face could not help but redden, and he felt very uncomfortable.
Was he going to be laughed at?
Lost in thought, he could not help but look at Tang Yin and the others, scanning their faces one by one.
He thought they would feel the same as him, but all five disciples remained calm, eyes fixed on their noses and noses on their hearts, seeming completely unaffected!
Fang Jinglong nodded secretly. These guys were amazing. They remained unruffled even if Mount Tai collapsed before them; they had the demeanor of great generals.
“Let’s go.”
He took a deep look at the Capital and resolutely stepped onto the pier, leaving a broad back to the five grand-disciples.
…
In the distance, Fang Jifan looked far toward the dock, searching for his father’s boat. The boat had already left the dock and was sailing downstream.
Actually, Fang Jifan had gotten up early, but he just could not bear the scene of father and son parting. Watching the boat go far, Fang Jifan took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.
The sky was still clear and cloudless. Fang Jifan could not help but feel guilty and silently asked himself.
Would it rain?
Thinking this, he felt he was being too fussy.
At this point, he didn’t care about that anymore. Having come this far, he had to believe in himself.
Most importantly, he had to have confidence in his grand-nephew!
Early the next morning, at the break of dawn, Fang Jifan hurried to the House of the Crown Prince.
Zhu Houzhao, however, was holding an almanac in a daze. Seeing Fang Jifan, he quickly waved him over. “This is not right, not right. Today is not an auspicious day.”
As we know, rain prayers required choosing an auspicious time and day. Zhu Houzhao clearly lacked confidence again, scratching his head, his face more bitter than a bitter gourd. The almanac clearly stated—Great Inauspicious.
Fang Jifan looked at Zhu Houzhao’s anxious face and could not help but comfort him. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. We are doing a Buddha-style rain prayer.”
“…” Zhu Houzhao’s face suddenly changed. He threw the book in his hand away, his bright eyes wide open, glaring at Fang Jifan, with an impulse to strangle him.
“Are you following the Taoist way or the Buddhist way? You are going to get This Palace killed!”
Fang Jifan quickly took a few steps back from Zhu Houzhao, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face.
“We are cultivating both Buddha and Tao. Your Highness, hurry, it’s about to start.”
Zhu Houzhao felt like he had boarded a pirate ship and could not get off.
He roared in his heart, this was going to get him killed!
Below the high altar in the House of the Crown Prince, almost all the officials and Eunuchs had gathered.
Led by Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua, the officials looked up, dumbfounded, at the high altar and at Li Chaowen, who was tied up and crying underneath it.
Their hearts were breaking.
Liu Jin and the others seemed very curious. Eunuchs, after all, were more inclined to believe in such things, covering their mouths and whispering among themselves.
In fact, not only within the Eastern Palace but outside it as well, the place was already packed. Many people peered over the high walls, looking from afar at the high altar in the House of the Crown Prince.
It was said… that at noon, the altar would open for the ritual, and then they would pray to the gods to send down sweet dew.
Therefore, many spectators were paying close attention.