Chapter 90: Coming to Ask for a Favor
Chapter 90: Coming to Ask for a Favor
Yun Xiang returned to Mr. Chen’s room.
She put the bag of Preserved Fruit on the table.
She lowered her head and saw the Jade Pendant placed on the table.
She recalled the incident where the Jade Pendant had floated earlier.
Yun Xiang didn’t dare touch it.
She just glanced at it twice.
Then she went to wait at the door.
At that moment, Tang Mingjing walked over.
“Tang Mingjing asked, “Is Mr. Chen in his room?”
Yun Xiang said, “In reply, Young Master, Mr. Chen said he wanted to take a casual walk and sent me back first.”
“He is not here, so I will come back later.”
Tang Mingjing meant to leave.
But he suddenly looked at Yun Xiang.
He paused for a moment.
He asked, “How long have you been in the manor?”
Yun Xiang lowered her head and replied, “I have been in the manor for one and a half years.”
Tang Mingjing nodded slightly.
Then he asked, “What do you think of Mr. Chen?”
Yun Xiang didn’t understand why the Young Master asked that.
But she still answered honestly, “Mr. Chen is very kind.”
Tang Mingjing smiled.
He said, “I meant how Mr. Chen treats you.”
Yun Xiang felt hesitant.
She didn’t know how to answer.
“Mr. Chen, he…”
“What is it?”
Yun Xiang raised her hand.
She said, “Mr. Chen treats me very well. Mr. Chen even teaches me to read characters. Earlier when he went out, he bought some Preserved Fruit. But he didn’t taste a single piece and gave it all to me.”
She bowed her head.
She explained, “Young Master, I didn’t want to take it. But Mr. Chen insisted on giving it to me. So, so…”
“I beg Young Master to punish me!”
Tang Mingjing’s eyes lit up when he heard this.
He laughed and said, “Why would I punish you?”
Yun Xiang looked at the Young Master with confusion.
Tang Mingjing thought for a while.
He asked, “If, I mean if, I told you to follow Mr. Chen from now on, would you be willing?”
“Huh?”
Yun Xiang was caught off guard.
She didn’t know how to answer for a moment.
Tang Mingjing saw Yun Xiang looking flustered.
So he smiled.
He said, “I was just asking casually.”
He didn’t press further.
Instead, he said, “When Mr. Chen comes back, remember to call me. I need to talk to him about something.”
After saying that, he left.
Yun Xiang stood at the door.
She recalled what the Young Master had just said.
She pressed her lips together.
Her expression looked dazed.
The City God saw Chen Changsheng extinguish the Incense and Candles.
His tense heart settled.
It was so close!
Just a little more!
If he had really bowed at that time, his golden body of worship would have dispersed.
The City God followed the Celestial Immortal out of the City God Temple.
Chen Changsheng spoke then.
He said, “I did not mean to offer incense. I came because I wanted to ask you about some things.”
The City God bowed his head respectfully.
He seemed afraid of this man.
He said, “Celestial Immortal, ask away. I as a minor god will answer everything I know.”
Chen Changsheng asked directly.
He said, “After people die and are taken to the Netherworld Tribunal, the Judge of the Underworld passes judgment. Then the Wandering Spirit moves toward Rebirth for the next life. Is all of this handled by the Netherworld Tribunal of the City God Temple?”
The City God replied.
He said, “Does Celestial Immortal mean the Path of Reincarnation?”
“Yes,” Chen Changsheng nodded.
The City God explained at once.
He said, “In reply, Celestial Immortal, the reincarnation of souls follows the Heavenly Dao. Although City Gods have the power to judge, whether there is a next life is up to the heavens.”
Chen Changsheng asked again.
He said, “But what about Cultivators or Immortals? When they die, do they come under the City God? If they don’t enter the Netherworld Tribunal, will they have a next life?”
The City God thought after hearing this.
Then he spoke.
He said, “Celestial Immortal, I have only held this post for over a hundred years. I have never encountered an Immortal passing away. But according to records from previous City Gods, it is said: ‘When Immortals die, their bodies and powers vanish. Their souls enter the heavens and return to dust. This didn’t mention Reincarnation or the Netherworld Tribunal. So as a minor god, I don’t know for sure.”
He shifted his tone.
He added, “Probably, they are not under my authority.”
Chen Changsheng murmured to himself.
He said, “Is that so…”
The City God kept his head bowed.
He said, “Yes, it is.”
Chen Changsheng frowned slightly.
He asked again, “But what if the soul of an Immortal comes to you?”
“This…”
The City God was taken aback.
He had never thought of such a question.
Chen Changsheng suddenly thought of a possibility.
He said, “As I understand, the Wandering Spirits taken to the Netherworld Tribunal are recorded in books. If I asked you, City God, to look up a certain soul from hundreds of years ago for me, could you find it?”
The City God pondered.
He said, “Do you have an exact time?”
Chen Changsheng said, “I only have a rough estimate. At least seven hundred years ago, up to thirteen hundred years ago.”
“That is far back…”
The City God felt uncertain.
But he didn’t dare refuse.
He said, “If the soul is recorded, we should be able to find it. But Celestial Immortal, you would have to wait a few days, since it’s…”
Chen Changsheng waved his hand.
He said, “It’s fine. Waiting a few days is no problem.”
Chen Changsheng told him that if found, to come to Tang Manor to see him.
The City God agreed.
He immediately sent someone to check.
Chen Changsheng didn’t stay longer.
After saying farewell to the City God, he returned to Tang Manor.
By then, the sky had completely darkened.
A candle was lit in the room.
Chen Changsheng saw Yun Xiang standing at the door.
He asked, “Why are you standing here? Why not go inside to study?”
Yun Xiang replied, “I am waiting for you to return.”
Chen Changsheng raised his hand.
He said, “Come in.”
“Yes,” she replied.
She answered and then followed him into the room.
She hesitated a moment.
She said, “Mr. Chen, Young Master came earlier. He said he wanted to talk to you about something. He told me to call him when you came back.”
“Is that so,” Chen Changsheng stopped in his tracks.
He said, “To save you a trip, I will go find him.”
Chen Changsheng, who had just entered, turned back and went out.
With Yun Xiang guiding him, Chen Changsheng arrived at the study of Tang Manor.
Tang Mingjing was reading at that moment.
He heard the noise at the door and looked up.
He quickly put aside what he was doing and stood to greet him.
Tang Mingjing said, “Mr. Chen, why did you come? I was going to see you.”
“It saves us both a trip,” Chen Changsheng smiled warmly.
Tang Mingjing invited him to sit down.
Chen Changsheng asked, “Did something happen?”
“It concerns Shiyuan and the other two.”
Tang Mingjing explained, “As you instructed, I took them to the City God Temple to bow. The other two were fine after coming out. But Shiyuan, he was not.”
Chen Changsheng said, “The City God is fair in rewards and punishments. But that’s only for the dead. Your friend must have done so many bad things that the City God wouldn’t help him. Although he will get better, he will suffer longer.”
Tang Mingjing sighed.
He said, “I’ve told him before. But he wouldn’t listen. So now this outcome is his own fault.”
He didn’t bring it up again.
Instead, he said, “Actually, I came to find you because I needed to ask for a favor.”
“Ask away,” Chen Changsheng said.
“You must be skilled in the Art of Divination. That day, you saw my impending trouble at a glance.”
Tang Mingjing continued, “To be honest, Mr. Chen, our family has been in business for years. But lately, we’ve faced many setbacks. My dad has been so worried his hair has turned gray. I hate to see him upset. So I beg for your guidance.”