Wasn't Ling'an Temple the very temple where she was mistakenly swapped by Mrs. Ye eighteen years ago?!
Seeing Jiang Mian's strange expression, Taoist Yuan Zheng asked, "Why such a reaction, Lady Jiang?"
Li Zhao looked back at Jiang Zhiqing, who was leaning against the carriage wall and already sound asleep. Pondering for a moment, he asked, "Mujin, I remember you said that your mother gave birth to you at Ling'an Temple back then, and then the Ye family's lady mistakenly swapped the babies?"
Jiang Mian nodded vigorously.
Taoist Yuan Zheng also stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, "Yes, I've also heard Lady Jiang mention this matter."
A thought flashed through his mind. He pinched his fingers and calculated again, then said, "Madam Jiang's current state is a very typical case of soul - leaving syndrome. Something must have happened at Ling'an Temple back then, causing her soul to escape from her body, which is why this happened. Perhaps, the turning point lies within Ling'an Temple."
On their carriage, there was an unconscious Xiao Jingcheng and a silly Jiang Zhiqing. They couldn't enter the city. They had to find another place to stay. They mustn't stay outdoors.
It seemed that they had no choice but to go to Ling'an Temple.
Jiang Mian and Li Zhao exchanged a glance. Father and daughter both felt that this might be a divine guidance. They immediately made a decision, "Let's stay at Ling'an Temple tonight. We'll talk about other things tomorrow."
Under the cover of the night, the two carriages quietly left without disturbing the guards at the city gate of Tianyuan County at all.
The night road was difficult to travel. Even though Ling'an Temple wasn't far away, it still took them a full one and a half hours to arrive, and it was already close to the end of the Hai hour.
Ling'an Temple was hidden in the mountains. At night, the temple gate was tightly closed, and only a few lamps were lit in the meditation courtyard.
Jiang Mian and the others knocked for a long time before a young novice monk came to answer the door.
"What brings you esteemed guests here so late at night?" The young novice monk half - covered the door and looked at Jiang Mian and Mo Zhizhang, asking with a rather vigilant look on his face. He didn't seem to intend to step aside.
Jiang Mian felt something strange. She showed a kind smile and said, "We're really sorry to disturb you so late. The young master should know that there was a big flood in Cangzhou recently. Our family managed to escape death and intended to go north to seek refuge with relatives. But because we were unfamiliar with the road conditions, we were delayed on the way for a long time. Now we can't make it into the city. We saw the firelight in the mountains from afar, so we came up to take a chance."
"I wonder if the young master could be more accommodating and let our family stay in the temple for the night? We'll donate some money for the incense to the temple. We'll leave early tomorrow morning and won't disturb the masters' religious cultivation."
After listening to Jiang Mian's explanation, the young novice monk frowned and thought for a while, then said, "This little monk can't make the decision. Let this little monk ask the senior brother and then inform the esteemed guests of the result."
After saying that, he closed the big door.
After the young novice monk left, Jiang Mian put away her smile and frowned, saying, "Ling'an Temple is the most prosperous temple near Tianyuan County. On the first and fifteenth days of every lunar month, many common people come up the mountain to worship. Why are they so on guard against visitors?"
Mo Zhizhang said leisurely, "The pilgrims who come to the temple to worship on the first and fifteenth days only move around in the main halls. If we stay overnight, we'll have to enter the side rooms of the meditation courtyard. Perhaps, there's some dirty secret there."
"As for what the secret is, we'll know after we enter the temple."
After a while, the young novice monk who answered the door came back. Sure enough, he rejected Jiang Mian and the others, "Sorry, esteemed guests. The side rooms in the meditation courtyard are now full of people. They're all the victims of this flood. There really isn't any space left. It's only ten li from here to Tianyuan County. You should be able to arrive within an hour if you ride fast."
Sure enough, they were rejected.
Jiang Mian became even more determined to stay.
She secretly pinched herself and said tearfully, "Young master, really can't you be more accommodating? My elder brother accidentally hit his head during this flood and has been unconscious ever since. And my mother, she's a silly woman. She really can't rush on the road in a hurry."
"Please, young master, be more accommodating?"
Li Zhao then spoke up, "We don't expect to stay in the side rooms of the meditation courtyard. As long as you can make a sheltered eave for us, it'll be enough."
He put his hands together and bowed slightly, saying, "It's said that those who've left the family are compassionate. We hope the young master will have mercy on us and be more accommodating."
The young novice monk bit his lower lip hard, and a look of hesitation flashed in his eyes.
To dispel his suspicion, Jiang Mian even lifted the curtain of the carriage to let him see Xiao Jingcheng lying unconscious in the carriage.
The young novice monk's gaze fell on Taoist Yuan Zheng who was driving the carriage. "And who is this? He's wearing a Taoist robe. Is he a Taoist priest?"
Before Taoist Yuan Zheng could speak, Jiang Mian said, "This is my uncle. He's not a Taoist priest. His clothes were damaged during the escape. On the way, he met a dead Taoist priest and took his clothes to change into."
After saying that, she looked at the young novice monk with a pair of innocent big eyes.
Taoist Yuan Zheng also chimed in, "That's right, that's right. Look at my clothes. They're dirty and torn. If it weren't for the desperate situation, how could I wear this?"
The young novice monk had no choice but to say again, "Then... you wait a bit. I'll go and ask."
The big door was closed again. But this time, Jiang Mian and the others didn't wait too long. After a while, the big door was opened again. Along with the young novice monk just now, there was also a slightly older monk in his twenties.
The young monk bowed to Jiang Mian and the others with his hands together and said, "My junior brother told me all about your situation. It's really unfortunate. Our meditation courtyard has also taken in many people taking shelter from the disaster. There really isn't any empty space left. But considering your situation, we still decided to let you stay."
"There's a side hall in the front yard that's relatively spacious. It can be cleaned up a bit and you can stay there. However, we'll have to open the door to welcome the pilgrims at Chen hour tomorrow. I'm afraid you'll have to leave before then."
Li Zhao said, "It doesn't matter. As long as our family can have a place to stay, it'll be enough. We'll leave in time early tomorrow morning and won't hinder the pilgrims from offering incense."
The young monk said, "Then follow me. By the way, does the unconscious esteemed guest... need our help to carry him?"
He looked into the carriage at Xiao Jingcheng. Jiang Mian quickly said, "No, no. My second brother will do it."
After saying that, she looked at Mo Zhizhang. "Second brother, I'll leave big brother to you."
Xiao Jingcheng, hiding inside the yellow dog and squatting beside Jiang Mian: "..."
Mo Zhizhang: "..."
He had said before that this junior nephew of his was really good at assigning tasks to others.
Smiling, Mo Zhizhang said, "Sure, I'll take good care of 'big brother'."
Xiao Jingcheng shivered and closely followed Mo Zhizhang's side, his beady eyes warily staring at him.
This guy better not do anything to his body at this time!