She's a maiden with her own thoughts and ideas... but since she's now in the mortal world, she should think like a human being, shouldn't she? When in Rome, do as the Romans do...

  Guo Sheng's mind wandered, and he thought for half a day about the girl's origins, as well as all sorts of ghosts, monsters, immortals, and mortals that he had heard about. It wasn't until after a good while that he finally pulled his thoughts back together.

  How will Mingtao Mountain Villa handle this matter?

  It's definitely not going to be handled directly, so who will it be handed over to? Hengshan County? I'm afraid Wu Ye won't agree... Li County Magistrate's ability is strained even in a small county like this, he doesn't understand the situation, but Wu Ye does.

  Considering the overall situation, the Empress Dowager is a shrewd person, with Jin Xiang and the Jin family backing her. She has a young son who will come of age next year, for his sake... having one family dominate everything would be most unfavorable to her!

  This case must be handed over to the Constitutional Court!

  Well, then this loophole of his can be easily filled.

  Guo Sheng thought carefully again, and after thinking of everything he could think of, he made up his mind. He rushed straight to Hangzhou City, running wildly through the night, and entered the city at dawn. He then rushed directly to Mr. Qin's small courtyard.

  Mr. Qin had just gotten up and was brushing his teeth when he saw Guo Sheng rush in, covered in sweat and dust, and was startled. "What's going on?"

  "Get me two buckets of well water and find a set of clothes for your master." Guo Sheng first instructed the servant, then spoke to Mr. Qin, "It's a bit of a matter, but it's not urgent now, let me wash up first. For these two nights and one day, I've been from Hengshan County to Hangzhou City, from Hangzhou City to Jiangning Prefecture, and again from Jiangning Prefecture back to Hangzhou City... this sweat... look at this, the clothes are all sweaty, let me wash up first before we talk."

  Guo Sheng only fetched well water, and the young servant brought it very quickly. Guo Sheng stood in the courtyard, wearing only a pair of underpants, with a large towel soaked in well water, wiping and rinsing continuously.

  Mr. Qin washed his face clean, and Guo Sheng also finished bathing.

  "Brother Guo is really in good shape." Mr. Qin was full of admiration and praise.

  "I'm used to it." Guo Sheng put on Mr. Qin's clothes, which were a bit loose and short, barely passable, fastened his belt, and sat down on the kang.

  I've brought back a dozen or so Hangzhou breakfast dishes, including steamed buns, pan-fried dough sticks, crispy oil pancakes, pearl wine porridge, three fresh eel soup, several small noodle bowls, scallion roasted pork ribs and more, filling the entire table.

  "I'm not being polite anymore, I'm starving!" Guo Sheng called out, picked up his chopsticks and started eating. He wolfed down the food like a storm, clearing nearly 70-80% of the table in one go.

  Mr. Qin was so tempted by what he ate that he had two more pan-fried buns and a bowl of three delicacies soup than usual.

  The young servant cleared away the breakfast, brewed tea, and Guo Sheng comfortably exhaled a long breath. After drinking half a cup of tea, he looked at Mr. Qin dismissing everyone else before speaking in a low voice: "Going to Jiangning Prefecture was my idea. In a moment of haste, I thought of using Fifth Master's name as an excuse to ask about preparing festival gifts."

  "Red envelope......" Mr. Qin had just said two words when he suddenly stopped and motioned for Guo Sheng to continue.

  "I took it upon myself to remind the boatman: after the New Year's festival, it will be His Majesty's thirty-fourth birthday."

  Mr. Qin looked at Guo Sheng in astonishment, and Guo Sheng met his gaze. "Something big has happened, but I can't tell you about it, sir." Guo Sheng sighed sorrowfully. "This matter, no one can talk about, yet we cannot not remind the Grain Intendant's Office. Don't worry, sir, as long as the Grain Intendant's Office is vigilant, everything will be safe and sound."

  Mr. Qin looked at Guo Sheng, opened his mouth but couldn't ask anything, he had already said so much, how could he ask further?

  "I'm back, this time at the county office of Hengshan... Alas, it's a busy autumn! At County Magistrate Li's place, I've been out for a whole day now. To be honest with you, sir, on this critical occasion, if I'm not there for even one day, I won't feel at ease. Sir, in the next few days, you might not see Fifth Master, but don't worry, he's all right, and I'll take my leave."

  Guo Sheng said, got up and walked out, Mr. Qin followed behind to see him off. Watching Guo Sheng ride away on his horse, he felt a bellyful of puzzlement and unease, but couldn't figure out what was going on.

  ………………

  Mingtao Mountain Villa's people, and Li Xia directing Guo Sheng alone, are worlds apart. In the evening, regarding the Xiguan Town licentious worship case, Lu Yi here has investigated a bit.

  Lu Yi arranged his thoughts and entered the study of the King of Qin. The King of Qin sat behind a long table, while Jin Xuan stood by the window, listening intently to Lu Yi's report.

  Up to now, there are two and a half places in total. The second one is located in Xikou Town, Hengshan County. The first one is in Qiaodong Town, Yanguan County, and the third one is in Sanyang Town, Yanguan County. The three-bay hall was just capped yesterday, and now there's only an old woman guarding it every day.

  The so-called Dharma Master of Xigou Town, commonly known as Cao Xing, now known as Yuanrong Fashi, previously known as Deqing. He is 31 years old this year.

  Cao Xing was poor since childhood. At the age of six, he went to a temple called Shengshou Temple by himself. It is said that at that time, there were only three or four monks in Shengshou Temple, and they often did not eat enough. Now even the temple no longer exists.

  One year after arriving at Shoulong Temple, Cao Xing followed his master Liuyun to Jin'an Temple to hang his monk's certificate. Three years later, Liuyun died in Jin'an Temple. One year later, Cao Xing left Jin'an Temple and wandered outside for two or three years before joining Dinghai Temple.

  Cao Xing grew up to be very handsome, eloquent and quick-witted. He soon gained the favor of the abbot at Dinghai Temple and became the temple's guest monk at the age of twenty.

  Two years later, Cao Xing and Dao Zhen, a nun from the Kuangzhao An temple a mile away, became intimate friends. A year later, Dao Zhen became pregnant, shaved her head and returned to secular life, buying a small house in Ming Shui Town. At the end of the year, Dao Zhen had a difficult childbirth and both mother and child died.

  A year later, Cao Xing left Dinghai Temple and wandered around, hanging out his signboard. A year after that, he entered Ning'an Temple. After a year had passed, the guest monk of Ning'an Temple suddenly fell ill and died, so Cao Xing took over as the new guest monk of Ning'an Temple.

  Ning'an Temple is a large temple. In the second year after Cao Xing became the guest monk, he bought a house and land for his younger brother Cao Wang in Baihe Town. At the end of the year, Cao Xing had an affair with Yang Chen's wife from Shangxi Village, five or six miles away from Ning'an Temple.

  Yang Jia's master Yang Jun was a scholar, and Yang Chen Shi's husband Yang Qing had already taken the county exam. Yang Chen Shi had been married for two years without any news, and her mother-in-law was anxious to hold a child, arranging for her son to take a concubine. Yang Chen Shi was so anxious that she went everywhere to pray for a child at the Buddha temple, where she met Cao Xing.

  Cao Xing was extremely bold and had an affair with Yang Chen's wife behind the statue of a god, where they were discovered by a young monk; at that time, Yang Chen's wife was already six months pregnant.

  Ning An Temple's abbot Kong Que saw off Xiao Shami from afar, and using the excuse that Cao Xing had violated the precept against holding money, he expelled Cao Xing from Ning An Temple.

  Six months later, Cao Xing changed his name to Yuanrong Dashi and claimed that he had opened the Heavenly Eye, and was famous for seeking sons and blessings.

  The temple in Qiaodong Town, Yanguan County was built by Yang Chen's family with 200 taels of silver. Within half a year, the reputation of Cao Xing's efficaciousness in granting children had spread throughout Qiaodong Town and then rapidly to surrounding areas.

  Cao Xing then invited his younger brother Cao Wang over, who became the second master, with the Buddhist name De Rong. The one in Xigou Town was presided over by Cao Wang, while the one in Sanyang Town belonged to Cao Xing's cousin Yang Kan. Two months ago, Yang Kan had just become a disciple of Cao Xing and was learning magic.

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