Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 421 Offering
Shen Chongzhen stared blankly at the scene before her.

Jingxuan seemed to have gone mad, her expression extremely deranged. If no one stopped her, she seemed determined to kill herself right there.

"Someone is coming."

Shen Chongzhen called out, and the jailer outside immediately entered.

"Quickly, pull her back."

The jailers were stunned when they saw Jingxuan like this. Only after Shen Chongzhen reminded them did they go forward to pull Jingxuan away.

But no one knew where Jingxuan got the strength, and she began to struggle desperately.

"Let me go, let me go..." Jingxuan cried out in anguish, "Buddha hasn't forgiven me yet, hasn't forgiven me yet..."

"Buddha, Buddha refuses to come out and see me..."

Jingxuan burst into tears as she spoke, reaching out towards the relic box.

“It’s all true, it’s all true. I saw it that day,” Jingxuan muttered to herself. “The Buddha was sitting in the middle of a lotus flower, surrounded by incense.”

"Buddha has truly appeared."

Jingxuan suddenly laughed as she said this: "I saw it."

But she quickly became filled with fear again: "Buddha came to punish me. I killed people, I did many, many evil things... so Buddha came."

"Hehehe, I will go to the deepest hell."

After saying this, Jingxuan began to cry: "I don't want to die... I can't die... If I die, I'll go to Avici Hell, I'll go to Avici Hell."

"Save me, save me!"

Jingxuan cried hysterically, her face covered in blood mixed with snot and tears, and her distorted features made her look particularly terrifying.

Seeing Jingxuan like this, Shen Chongzhen felt an indescribable sense of pleasure. He gritted his teeth, wishing he could make Jingxuan suffer a fate worse than death and make her experience ten times the pain that Fourth Sister had.

After looking at it for a long time, Shen Zhongzhen finally asked, "Is this really the reliquary you saw?"

Jingxuan did not respond, but just stared at the relic box.

Her appearance says it all.

Shen Zhongzhen examined the reliquary again, but the Buddha that Jingxuan had mentioned was not in the center of the lotus-shaped lid.

"Where is the Buddha you mentioned? I can't see him."

Jingxuan was provoked by these words: "Buddha was right there, but now he's gone... Buddha is gone, Buddha won't come anymore, he won't save me..."

She kept repeating this sentence and began chanting scriptures again, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the reliquary, tears streaming down her face.

"No...no...not yet..."

"Why isn't he coming anymore? Why isn't Buddha coming?"

Shen Chongzhen ordered the jailer, "Take her out!"

The jailer obeyed and continued to drag Jingxuan. Jingxuan, as if her life was in danger, flailed her arms and legs and let out a piercing scream.

Jingxuan's voice faded into the distance before Shen Zhongzhen came to his senses. He took a deep breath and turned to look at the relic box again.

In the center of the lotus flower, there was indeed no Buddha as Jingxuan had described.

Shen Chongzhen examined it for a while, then reached out and gently opened the reliquary. Looking inside, he felt a chill run down his spine and gripped the lid tightly.

Inside the reliquary, a porcelain statue of a high-ranking monk sits cross-legged.

Think again about what Jingxuan just said.

So, it was the eminent monk from the reliquary who appeared on the lotus throne?
Shen Zhongzhen's heart pounded rapidly. With trembling hands, he carefully closed the lotus lid, then solemnly knelt down and clasped his hands together.

Praying to Buddha to free Si Niang from suffering.

……

Madam Gao waited outside for a long time before finally seeing her husband come out carrying a sandalwood box.

"How is it?" Madam Gao asked anxiously.

Shen Zhongzhen carefully placed the box on the carriage before nodding to the lady: "Jingxuan said that what she saw was this relic box."

Madam Gao was unsure whether she was grieving or overjoyed. Overwhelmed by her intense emotions, her vision blurred for a moment, and she barely managed to steady herself by supporting herself with the help of the stewardess. Ignoring everything else, Madam Gao reached out and grabbed Shen Zhongzhen: "We will donate this reliquary to a pagoda."

Shen Zhongzhen nodded hurriedly, "Of course."

Madam Gao was at a loss for what to do and wished she could immediately take the reliquary to heaven.

Suddenly, she remembered something: "No...no..."

Seeing that his wife's expression had changed, Shen Chongzhen also became anxious: "What's wrong?"

Madam Gao said, "Madam Xie said that this reliquary should be taken back to Daming Prefecture and enshrined in Baode Temple." As she spoke, a worried expression appeared on her face.

It was as if the reliquary was her fourth aunt; once the reliquary was gone, she had no more attachments.

Shen Zhongzhen held onto Madam Gao tightly: "Don't worry, don't worry, perhaps we can still discuss it."

Since both are offerings, if the abbot of Baode Temple and Lady Xie agree, it would be the same to enshrine the relic box in Bianjing.

After being persuaded, Madam Gao calmed down.

After a moment, she looked at her husband and asked, "Shouldn't we take the relic box to the Empress Dowager for a look?"

Let the Empress Dowager know that what Jingxuan said is true.

Shen Chongzhen was pondering how to persuade the abbot of Baode Temple to exchange anything they had.

……

On the road from Daming Prefecture to Bianjing.

Monk Zhiyuan suddenly felt an itch in his nose and sneezed.

Seeing this, Yan Sui looked up with concern and asked, "Master, did you wear those ripped pants to bed last night? I told you, it's not warm enough for your bottom to be like that yet. Look, you've caught a cold."

Monk Zhiyuan reached out and patted his youngest disciple's head: "You haven't caught a cold. Perhaps someone is talking about your master."

Yan Sui said in a low voice, "That should be a good thing."

Monk Zhiyuan, however, felt that fortune and misfortune were unpredictable. Before even reaching Bianjing, he wanted to return to Baode Temple as soon as possible. Thinking this, he looked behind his young disciple.

The young apprentice was carrying a large bundle on his back.

Monk Zhiyuan's eyes twitched. Carrying so many things, as if he intended to stay for a long time, was really... not a good omen.

……

Bianjing (Kaifeng)

As Wang Yan stepped into his house, he saw several servants crowding around the gatehouse.

They all came with their master.

Since last night, the Wang family home has become lively, with a constant stream of people coming and going, clearly discussing a case from the Ministry of Justice.

Wang Yan had already heard that Xia Mengxian had resigned from his official post and was waiting at home for a summons from the Court of Judicial Review. Even so, everyone still needed to reach a decision on how to punish Xia Mengxian.

Just then, I saw He Tan walking towards me.

“I’m going back to Daming Prefecture,” He Tan said. “I’ve come to visit my aunt.”

Wang Yan nodded.

The two walked to a secluded spot, and He Tan lowered his voice: "How exactly did you arrange this? How did you manage to cause such a commotion?"

“It wasn’t me,” Wang Yan said. “It was all done by A Yan.”

He Tan looked at Wang Yan's proud expression and subconsciously pursed his lips.

I wonder who it was that was so wary and suspicious back in Daming Prefecture, afraid of being schemed against, but now they're all trying to get close to that person...

Madam Xie is truly remarkable; she has Wang Hechun completely captivated.

“Let’s go,” He Tan said. “Treat me to a drink tonight, as a farewell gift.”

Wang Yan replied without hesitation, "I'm busy."

While the people secretly watching the South City Wharf were too busy to leave, he took the opportunity to meet A-Yan.

Thinking that he would see the person soon, Wang Yan couldn't help but smile.