Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Great Task of Praying for Rain, Your Chance to Copy Scriptures
It was time to go to the private school again.
The guard came to escort Shen Ningning as usual.
While they were in the carriage, the guard said with a smile, "Miss Shen, the Lord County Magistrate has secured an opportunity for you."
Shen Ningning blinked her round eyes curiously. "What kind of opportunity?"
"The State Preceptor observed the stars last night and predicted rain within the next two days. So the Emperor and the Crown Prince are preparing to lead the court officials to the Heavenly Temple to perform a ritual to pray for rain."
"To show sincerity, the Lord County Magistrate has brought a statue of the Rain Goddess from the temple. He is asking all the students in your school to copy the ’Rain Prayer.’ The day after tomorrow, when the Emperor goes to the Heavenly Temple for the ritual, he will have someone present the Rain Goddess statue and the scriptures together."
Shen Ningning thought for a moment. "Praying for rain... all we have to do is copy the scripture?"
The guard turned the reins slightly and said with a smile, "Yes. Miss Shen, you must seize this chance. This is a gesture from the Lord County Magistrate."
"If all goes well this time, after you complete your preliminary studies at the private school in a year, the Lord County Magistrate will have a way to send you to study at the National Academy in the Capital City."
"The Lord County Magistrate has been busy helping in the Capital City these past few days, so he tasked me—this humble servant—with informing you of the situation. He has already spoken with the teachers at the school. Please, Miss Shen, you must take this seriously."
Shen Ningning lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the passing land. Most of it was cracked and barren, with not a blade of grass to be seen.
It was only 7:00 AM, but the sun was already high in the sky. The glaring, intense sunlight burned the earth like a ball of fire.
The long-parched Cangyun Country was indeed in desperate need of a timely rain.
Shen Ningning nodded emphatically, her eyes sparkling. "I’ll definitely copy the scripture very carefully!"
They arrived at the private school.
Before class began, Mr. Huang also told everyone about the task of copying the ’Rain Prayer’.
When the statue of the Rain Goddess was brought out.
Everyone gasped in amazement.
The statue was only as long as an upright palm, carved entirely from the finest Mutton Fat Jade. Its features were lifelike, appearing both stern and merciful.
The Rain Goddess held fragrant herbs used to summon rain in one hand and a compass in the other.
Coiled around the hem of her skirt was a dragon, said to be her mount.
According to legend, the Rain Goddess rode such a dragon to spread clouds and bring rain everywhere.
"Students, the Emperor and the Crown Prince have been fasting for two days for this ritual. This shows just how important this rain is to us."
"Therefore, for the next two days, all academic lessons other than our regular classes will be temporarily suspended. Each of you is to copy one version of the ’Rain Prayer’. The day after tomorrow, they will be sent to the Capital City, where the Lord County Magistrate will present them to the Emperor to show the determination of our Guangyang County."
As he spoke, Mr. Huang looked at Shen Ningning. "Shen Xuezhi, your handwriting is neat and tidy. I will place the scripture you copy at the very top. You must write it well."
After all, the County Magistrate himself had given the instructions.
This task of copying scriptures to pray for rain was an opportunity for Shen Ningning to distinguish herself.
Shen Ningning nodded at once. "Don’t worry, teacher, I’ll be very careful!"
Mr. Huang nodded and began to lecture from his book.
Lan Qian, however, was glaring at Shen Ningning, her gaze so intense it felt like it could burn a hole through her back.
’A little pauper who can only live in the mountains actually wants to be in the spotlight?’
’No way!’
The ’Rain Prayer’ wasn’t long, but to copy it carefully, one had to calm their heart and mind.
So, for the next two days, the school did not hold regular classes. Everyone stayed in their rooms, diligently copying the scripture.
Shen Ningning was especially meticulous.
By the next morning, she had already stayed up all night to finish copying the text.
Just as she was laying it out in her room to let the ink dry, Lan Qian’s voice came from the doorway.
"Shen Ningning!"
The little one turned her head to see Lan Qian holding an inkstone, paper, and a brush, about to enter.
Shen Ningning’s little face tensed. Her soft, sweet voice was urgent. "Wait a minute, don’t come in!"
How could Lan Qian possibly listen to her?
She stepped inside directly!
But Lan Qian never expected that as soon as she lifted her foot, she would be tripped by something!
With a THWACK, she fell hard.
The prepared ink in the inkstone she was holding splashed all over her face!
The fall hurt like hell!
She opened her mouth, the ink staining her teeth black, and burst into angry tears.
"Shen Ningning! You actually set me up?!"
The little one walked over and kindly helped her up.
On her small face, there was surprise, but not a hint of regret.
Shen Ningning’s voice was sweet and soft. "Lan Qian, I’m sorry. It’s because you brazenly spied on me last time and barged into my room without permission."
"To copy the scripture in peace, I stretched a cotton thread across the doorway. Are you alright?"
Lan Qian was so angry she felt like her lungs would explode.
How could she possibly be alright?!
She looked back.
What had tripped her was, indeed, a cotton thread stretched taut from left to right, tied near the threshold!
"Shen Ningning, you vicious little snake! You did this just to hurt me!" Lan Qian cursed, not mincing her words.
The little one blinked her innocent eyes. "I did warn you. I told you not to rush in, but you didn’t listen to me."
Lan Qian was completely at a loss for words!
"You... you!" Ink trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her lips were swollen from the fall. In Shen Ningning’s eyes, she looked like the cured sausages her grandma made.
Shen Ningning puffed up her little cheeks, trying hard not to laugh.
But she couldn’t hold it in.
"Pfft..."
"You dare laugh at me?! And here I was, being so kind as to bring you ink!"
"Everyone has the same inkstone and ink. Why would you need to bring me any?" Shen Ningning blinked her long, thick lashes.
She wasn’t a fool. She didn’t believe it for a second!
Lan Qian found herself at a loss for words. Just as she was about to forcibly tear up the scripture Shen Ningning had copied, Lu Shaoyuan’s voice came from the doorway. "What happened?"
"Brother Shao Yuan!" Lan Qian immediately wailed. "I was bringing ink to Shen Ningning, but she set a trap and tripped me! I’m hurt."
Lu Shaoyuan had just finished copying his scripture. He heard from his Attendant Student that a candle had been lit in Shen Ningning’s room all night long.
So he suspected she hadn’t slept and had just brought her breakfast from the dining hall.
Only to see this scene.
His suspicious gaze fell on Lan Qian, then shifted to Shen Ningning.
Compared to Lan Qian’s hysterical accusations, the little one just stood there obediently, her skin fair and her eyes bright, like a small pearl that couldn’t be bothered to speak.
Lu Shaoyuan then said coolly to Lan Qian, "Don’t you have anything better to do?"
"Everyone is busy copying the scripture, worried they won’t finish in time, yet you have the spare time to bring ink to Shen Ningning?"
Chided so fiercely, Lan Qian faltered. "I..."
Lu Shaoyuan shooed her away impatiently. "Go back to your room!"
If it weren’t for the ink covering her face, Shen Ningning would have seen that Lan Qian’s original expression was even blacker than the ink!
She was afraid of Lu Shaoyuan, so she could only scamper away with her tail between her legs.
Shen Ningning turned back to arrange her copied scripture.
Lu Shaoyuan walked over and placed a plate of breakfast on the table.
The little one glanced at it—a steamed bun and a cup of soy milk.
’I can’t possibly eat this!’
She was waiting to go into the Immortal Realm later to eat the braised beef noodles that Aunt Liu made last time!
The thought of those firm, chewy noodles coated in a fragrant meat sauce, with dozens of hearty pieces of beef and bright green bok choy piled high in the bowl...
Shen Ningning couldn’t stop her mouth from watering.
Her voice was soft. "You can have it. I’m not hungry."
Lu Shaoyuan cleared his throat. He didn’t know how to persuade her to eat. Saying too much would make it seem like he cared about her, and it wasn’t as if he knew Shen Ningning that well.
"Um... Lan Qian probably wasn’t being nice enough to bring you ink," he said, deciding to return to the previous topic after a moment of thought.
Shen Ningning’s clear eyes were full of lively intelligence. "I know. The cotton thread was to guard against her."
Lu Shaoyuan glanced at the thread tied to the doorway and couldn’t help but laugh.
"You’re pretty smart."
Just then, the teacher sent someone to find Lu Shaoyuan, so he had to leave.
As he left, he reminded Shen Ningning, "Eat the bun. Otherwise, if you get hungry, you’ll have to wait until noon to eat again."
