As soon as they stepped out of Tianxiang Tower, Shen Mingzhu tugged at her father's sleeve and said coquettishly,
"Dad, I suddenly feel like going to Huguo Temple to pray for the family and offer incense. Why don't we go together?"
[Dad, go, go! Take plenty of guards with you!]
Shen Changyuan looked at his daughter's expectant face and smiled as he agreed.
"Okay, let's take more and hurry up."
Shen Mingzhu was delighted with her father's suggestion and happily boarded the carriage, heading towards Huguo Temple outside the city.
A group of Hanlin scholars emerged from the restaurant.
"Scholar Su, shall we still go?"
Su Huaiyuan looked at everyone and said in a serious tone,
"You all go back and get back to work."
After saying that, he took his personal servant and guards and rode straight to Huguo Temple.
Everyone: ...What a jerk!
Su Huaiyuan didn't care what his colleagues thought; he just wanted to go to Huguo Temple to see what the future mighty general looked like.
That afternoon, many people flocked out of the city, making the guards think that some escaped criminals had left the city and they were chasing after them.
At this moment, at the foot of Huguo Temple Mountain, a disheveled beggar in tattered clothes is begging with a broken bowl in his hand.
Unlike other beggars, he didn't beg verbally; he just knelt there, motionless.
Kind passersby might throw in two or one copper coin, and the person would just leave it there without picking it up. But if a beggar nearby dared to snatch it, he would get a beating.
At this moment, a richly dressed young man suddenly became very displeased with the beggar in front of him, especially by his arrogant demeanor.
He was given money, but he didn't even kowtow to express his gratitude.
"Hey! You stinking beggar, I've given you some money, aren't you going to kowtow right now?"
The beggar remained unmoved.
"Hey, you stinking beggar, are you deaf, mute, or just a block of wood?!"
After saying that, he kicked the stone under his feet, and it hit him directly.
The beggar remained unmoved.
This is infuriating!
"Hello!"
Finally, the young master ordered his servants to rush forward and beat the man until he was bruised and swollen and collapsed on the ground.
"Pah! You damned beggar! You deserve it!"
The beggar lay motionless on the ground.
Passersby shook their heads when they saw this, and no one stepped forward to help.
Soon, Emperor Jingyuan's men arrived.
There are several beggars here, and I don't know which one is the person they're looking for.
If it doesn't work, take them all back with you!
People from the Su, Lin, and Shen families followed closely behind, only to find a pool of blood when they arrived.
Trying to identify the future general!
The group then set off at the foot of Huguo Temple.
Taking away any beggars they see!
"What's going on? Are beggars not allowed at the foot of Huguo Temple?"
"Isn't it said that Huguo Temple often distributes porridge? That's why these beggars occasionally come to try their luck."
So what's happening today?
Many people were discussing this.
On the mountain, Shen Jiaojiao's heart suddenly ached.
"ah!"
"Miss, what's wrong? Should we call a doctor to take a look?"
Shen Jiaojiao waved her hand, feeling as if something very important had left her.
"No need, Xiaotao, I'll just rest for a while."
Xiao Tao looked at her young mistress with heartache and whispered,
"Miss, you've been wronged!"
"What's there to feel wronged about? I wasn't born into the Marquis's family. I'm already very grateful that my parents let me stay in the Marquis's family!"
"Miss~~~"
"alright!"
Shen Jiaojiao patted Xiao Tao's hand generously and gracefully.
They then went to the back room to rest.
Her departure left many worshippers deeply saddened.
Sure enough, if she's not the biological child, she's not the biological child. This spoiled young lady must have suffered a lot of injustice.
"Alas... fate is cruel!"
"Yes, if she were the daughter of a marquis, she would definitely be a prince's consort, as she is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But now, she can only be a concubine!"
"His Highness the Second Prince is also benevolent. I heard that he argued with His Majesty on reason and finally obtained the position of a concubine."
"What a loyal and righteous person!"
Upon hearing all this, Shen Jiaojiao smiled slightly and said nothing.
...
Shen Mingzhu rushed over, but saw nothing.
[Guagua, a gambler father, a sick mother, and a broken sibling! Someone wanted to do a good deed and save him, but missed the opportunity? Look, who rescued the poor little guy?]
[Host, it is Lord Qin Zhao, a trusted confidant of Emperor Jingyuan!]
All right.
Shen Changyuan chuckled as he looked at Shen Mingzhu's disappointed expression.
"Alright, let's go offer incense."
"Yes, Father."
She said it was an excuse to come and offer incense. Although it was made up on the spot, she went all out and followed Shen Changyuan up the mountain.
[Guagua, have you checked if Shen Jiaojiao's century-old wild ginseng has been dug up yet?]
[Host, not yet!]
[Great! Let's hurry and go dig for wild ginseng. A hundred-year-old wild ginseng must be very valuable.]
[Hmm, it can save lives host, so it must be valuable.]
Shen Mingzhu quickly perked up and hurried up the mountain.
"Dad, hurry up, we have something to do later."
"Good, good, good! Mingzhu."
Knowing that his daughter was rushing off to dig for century-old wild ginseng, he was anxious and wished he could fly up there himself.
When Su Huaiyuan heard that Shen Mingzhu was going to dig for wild ginseng, he wanted to go too!
He has never personally dug up a century-old wild ginseng in his entire life!
I want to dig!
Shen Mingzhu and Shen Changyuan offered incense and even donated money for incense oil.
Then Shen Changyuan followed Shen Mingzhu to the back mountain.
Looking at the lush, green trees, Shen Changyuan tentatively asked,
"Daughter, are we really going to go into the back mountain? There are many wild animals, snakes, insects and rodents this time of year."
"Dad, it's alright, don't worry!"
[Guagua, why is my dad such a coward! I'll buy some snake repellent!]
[OK! ]
In no time, Shen Mingzhu had tied her trouser legs, taken out a bottle of medicine and applied it to her body, then looked up at Shen Changyuan.
"Dad, quickly tie up your trouser legs so that snakes and insects won't crawl up your legs. This is insect repellent, apply it quickly, let's go!"
[Guagua, quickly send me a map, I want to go dig for century-old ginseng!]
[Host, please look!]
Shen Mingzhu was very happy to see the map.
She hummed a song as she walked.
[The little girl picking ginseng, carrying a small backpack, barefoot in the early morning, walks all over the forest and hills. She picks the most ginseng! Oh my!]
Seeing his daughter's cheerful expression, Shen Changyuan was also much happier, and his steps quickened considerably.
As she got closer and closer to the century-old ginseng, Shen Mingzhu became increasingly cautious.
"Father, be careful!"
"Yes, daughter, you be careful too!"
"Hiss hiss hiss!!!"
"Hiss hiss hiss!!!"