Chapter 149: Heavy Rain
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The Imperial Ancestral Temple was built in a separate palace on the left side of the imperial palace. Inside were the memorial tablets of the ancestors of the royal family and some people who had made great contributions to the country.
At ten o’clock in the afternoon, the Emperor led the civil and military officials and the commoners of the capital to gather at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. After a ritual prayer, the Emperor knelt in the middle of the palace hall with the Empress. Their attitude was pious.
Behind them knelt the Prime Minister and other first-rank ministers.
The commoners of the capital knelt at the outermost area and bowed. They prayed silently and were very pious.
There were many people, but it was abnormally quiet and solemn.
Tang Jinghong’s secret letter to the Emperor did not say anything about Qingzhi praying for rain. The Emperor’s heart was unpredictable. Me did not want to push Qingzhi into such a dangerous situation. He only said that he wanted the Emperor to pray for the people of the world and appease the wrath of the heavens.
Outside the capital, there was a towering mountain peak called the Heavenly Cloud Peak. The peak was vertical and smooth. It was difficult for ordinary people to climb it. Only those with excellent martial arts could climb it.
The top of the mountain peak was hidden in the clouds all year round, looking like the place where immortals lived.
At this moment, a woman and a man were standing on the top. The woman was beautiful, and the man was handsome. If anyone could see through the clouds, they would definitely feel as if they were looking at an immortal couple.
Chu Qingzhi looked in the direction of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and said softly, “Jinghong, after 1 pray for rain, I’ll sleep for three days. Don’t worry about me. I’ll wake up in three days.”
Tang Jinghong hugged Chu Qingzhi tenderly and said in a gentle voice, “Qingzhi, will it hurt your body? If it does, don’t do it. The rain will fall eventually. It just needs some time.”
He had protected the country and the people, but now, he wanted to protect Qingzhi more. Everything else was secondary.
Chu Qingzhi leaned her head on Tang Jinghong’s broad shoulder and shook her head with a smile. “It won’t hurt your body. I’ll just be exhausted and need to recover.”
She patted Tang Jinghong’s back. “The auspicious time is here.”
“Qingzhi, don’t force yourself.” Tang Jinghong let go of the person in his arms and retreated to the side to watch quietly.
Chu Qingzhi sat cross-legged on the mat and reached out her hands to form a seal. Her movements were very fast and looked extremely complicated. As her hands moved, golden spiritual light appeared around her fingers.
After the seal was formed, it slowly floated into the sky. During the process, it kept getting bigger. At the same time, the spiritual power in Chu Qingzhi’s body was being consumed rapidly.
Chu Qingzhi was bathed in a golden light. Her hair fluttered even though there was no wind. She looked like a fairy.
Chu Qingzhi looked up at the complicated golden seal that kept rising.
Tang Jinghong also looked up at the seal flying up and did not know how to describe the shocking scene.
The golden seal spread out to an infinite size, so large that it seemed to be able to envelop the entire sky. It was magnificent and shocking. When it flew to a height that was difficult for the naked eye to see, a golden light flashed and it turned into a golden dragon. In the clouds that were dyed golden, a dragon’s roar could be vaguely heard…
At this moment, the commoners of the capital looked up at the sky with their mouths agape.
Many years later, when everyone recalled this scene, they would still be in awe.
Not long after, a strong wind blew around them, and the sky was covered in dark clouds in the blink of an eye. Lightning flashed, and deafening thunder sounded in everyone’s ears.
The sound was so loud that it shook everyone.
Someone cried from excitement. “Is it going to rain?”
“Is it going to rain?”
“I think it’s going to rain.”
The Emperor in the Imperial Ancestral Temple opened his eyes that were slightly red. Had his ancestors finally answered his prayer?
With this rain and the blessings he asked for the people in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, his throne would be further stabilized from now on.
Thinking of this, he smiled slightly.
After being on the tenterhooks for the past six months, he could finally relax. He lay prostrate on the ground and kowtowed to his ancestors.
The ministers behind him lowered their heads with different expressions.
Of course, everyone in the Emperor’s faction was very happy. This round of competition could finally come to an end with this rain.
Some were happy, while others were sad.
On the mountain peak, Chu Qingzhi’s face turned pale. Even her pink lips had lost their luster and color. She looked like a seriously ill patient.
Tang Jinghong half-knelt beside her, ready to hold her at any time. He stared at her intently, not moving for a moment. He didn’t even allow himself to blink.
Suddenly, a drop of rain fell on his face. It was cold, wet, and moist. He reached out his slender fingers to touch his face and looked at it in disbelief. “Rain? It really rained…”
As soon as he finished speaking, the rain suddenly poured down.
Chu Qingzhi finally exhausted her last bit of spiritual power. She closed her eyes and fainted.
Tang Jinghong hurriedly carried Chu Qingzhi and flew down the mountain peak to a nearby courtyard. This was his good friend’s place. Usually, no one lived here, so he specially borrowed it to prepare for today.
He pushed open the door and placed Chu Qingzhi on the bed. He helped her take off her wet clothes, shoes, and socks. He covered her with the blanket and wiped her hair. After everything was done, he waited quietly at the side.
Qingzhi said that she would wake up in three days.
The capital, the surrounding county cities, the villages around the county cities were all nourished by the heavy rain.
Everyone ran into the rain to cheer, jump, and sing. They were several times happier than during the New Year.
Far away in Xu City, as well as the refugees on the way to Xu City, their lifeless bodies were all revived by the heavy rain. Everyone was singing and dancing in the rain like children, drinking the precious rain in large mouthfuls as if they had been reborn.
Wan Zhilin stood in the corridor outside the inn and looked at the heavy rain. Despair rose in his heart.
His last hope was extinguished by the heavy rain. He quickly instructed his subordinates to prepare to return to the Northern Border at once. If he did not leave now, he would not be able to leave later.
The Emperor stood under the eaves of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and reached out to catch the water droplets that fell from the roof. He was very grateful for Tang Jinghong’s secret letter. If not for him, he wouldn’t be able to make the most out of the sudden rain..
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