Chapter 44: You Are so Capable (2)
Translator: Guy Gone Bad
It reminded Wu Ruo of his family"s ritual in the previous life. He pulled Hei Xuanyi"s sleeve and said, “Wu family will have a ritual at Xiangpu Temple the day after tomorrow. What about we go have a look then?”Hei Xuanyi looked in the distance and then turned to Wu Ruo.
“What do you say?” Wu Ruo pressed.
Hei Xin gave a hollow cough trying to tip him, “Ma"am, Xiangpu Temple is on the highest mountain outside the town.”
What he meant was that Wu Ruo couldn"t make it with that enormous body, even if someone carried him, especially in such a snowy weather.
Of course Wu Ruo knew what he was implying, but he had to go.
Hesitating for a while, Wu Ruo tried to suck up to Hei Xuanyi, “Hei Xuanyi, you are so capable. You can figure out how to take me there, right?”
Hei Xin smiled and said no more since Wu Ruo trusted his lord so much.
Hei Xuanyi had to make it happen since his wife already said so, “I will get it covered.”
Wu Ruo smiled and then turned his eyes to Numu"s direction, but he already lost the mood to watch the ritual.
It was not a good feeling to rely on Hei Xuanyi so much. He was afraid that Hei Xuanyi might treat him like how he treated Ruan Zhizheng before. It would be for the best if he could gain his own spiritual power so that he could protect himself.
After the ritual, Numu and his fellow wizards took the worms away for practice.
On the Winter Festival, before the sky even turned bright, Wu Ruo was dragged out of bed by Hei Xuanyi. He was dressed multiple layers of clothes and a thick cloak. After they had breakfast in the dining hall, they got on the carriage and left out of town.
About five li( a Chinese length unit which equals 500 meters long) outside the city, the carriage halted suddenly.
“Why do we stop?” Wu Ruo frowned.
Hei Xuanyi gave him a lazy look.
All of sudden, Wu Ruo could feel that the carriage was going straight up, and then the horses started to run even faster than before, but he no longer heard the hoofs.
Soon He Gan said outside, “Here we are, my lord.”
“We arrived? Where? At the foot of Xiangput Temple?” Wu Ruo was surprised.
He Gan then brushed open the curtain.
As Wu Ruo got out of the carriage, he saw name big words of the temple"s name up on the gate, meaning that he had already been at the Xiangpu Temple.
“How did we get up here?” he asked curiously.
Hei Gan didn"t answer him.
Wu Ruo a.s.sumed that it should be those ghosts around Hei Xuanyi who carried them all the way up here.
“Welcome to Xiangpu Temple.” A guest-receiving monk came over and greeted them.
“Have the Wu family arrived yet?” Wu Ruo asked.
“They are halfway up the mountain. They will probably be here in an hour.” The gust-receiving monk answered.
Wu Ruo felt chilled because of the cold wind and tightened his robe, “Then we are going to take a tour around first.”
“Please.” After the guest-receiving monk left, those folks who went up the mountain to see the ritual gradually arrived in twos or threes. Soon the temple was packed. It was the busiest day since it started to snow.
The folks burned the incense to pay their wors.h.i.+p first and then waited outside for the Wu family.
Before long, Wu Bufang and his offspring flocked into Xiangpu Temple. All the folks cheered for their arrival.
Wu Ruo dragged Hei Xuanyi to walk over as he saw Wu Qianqing and others were all arrived, “Father, mother, big brother, Xi.”
“Ruo, what are you doing here with Xuanyi?” Wu Qianqing was a bit surprised.
“Xuanyi never sees what Wu ritual is like. So I bring him here.”
“But how did you get up all the way here?” Wu Xi was curious.
Even she felt exhausted to make it here, not to mention her second elder brother.
Wu Ruo wore a mysterious smile, “I am not gonna tell you.”
“You are so bad.”
Wu Qiangqing whispered as he saw the Wu family had gone far away, “Ruo, have you found the one who could make magic weapons?”
“Yes.” Wu Ruo nodded as he cast a glance at Hei Xuanyi.
“When are you going to start?”
“Still have to wait.” Wu Ruo said, eyes narrowed.
He couldn"t use the materials for now.
“Good. I know you know what you are doing. I won"t interfere then.”
Wu Ruoqing and the family walked into the temple and stood in formation as they used to do.
Since Wu Ruo was married, it didn"t matter if he attended it or not. Therefore, he stepped aside and watched the ritual with Hei Xuanyi.
The ritual was tedious although they did not have to do the praying dance like the wizards did.
First, Wu Bufang paid homage to the G.o.ds in the temple, as the chief of the family. Then he stood on the altar and read the long blessing speech. After that, led by him, all his offspring paid homage to the G.o.ds in all directions and read blessing and prayed for good.
No one was allowed to make a sound during the entire process, even including the onlookers. Therefore, the ritual was quiet and solemn.
At last, Wu Bufang needed to pledge the presence of a G.o.d and asked the G.o.d if they were going to have a safe and sound year in the coming year.
It was an important part. Everyone held their breath. Ordinary people couldn"t feel the existence of G.o.ds. Even Wu Bufang had a weak connect with the G.o.ds.
After Wu Bufang asked the question with respect, he inserted three incense sticks into the furnace. When the incenses were still burning, his heavy face finally put up some smile.
All of sudden, all three incense sticks cracked broken.
Everyone was mortified.