Nightfall

The citizens, who were kneeling in front of the sacrificial altar and who were piously worshiping, were still devout. The surrounding onlookers were making catcalls in unison. This scene was just like the situation that jugglers were performing in Scent Workshop, during which they showed something dangerous to appeal spectators’ attention.

The ceremony praying for the rain to move had officially ended. The little Taoist boys were preparing to move the sacrificial altar and practice things into the Taoist temple, but the sky suddenly turned dark and at this moment the spring rain began to fall. Sangsang held her hands to open the big black umbrella, then lifting her small black face to take a complacent glance at Ning Que. Those in the crowd without umbrellas scattered quickly and hid under the eaves of houses on the street, watching and pointing at those several embarrassed Taoist boys. Their mocking and scoffing could be faintly heard…

Ning Que who witnessed this scene could not help but laugh. Suddenly he thought of one thing, and then again looked at the old rickety Taoist who was still in the rain. Ning Que’s eyes were full of more shock than sympathy.

He believed his own eyes. The previous wooden swords and talisman papers were not tricks, and then they might only be… means of cultivation! To think with the knowledge taught by Lv Qingchen, even if the old Taoist had not entered the third state named No Doubts State of cultivation, he at least had been at the second state named Perception State for a long time!

Besides West-Hill, the Chang’an city probably had the most cultivators in the whole world. However he had never thought that he could meet a cultivator, while he was just hanging around with Sangsang, and the Taoist who was about to enter the real state was so pathetic to rely on these means to perform.

It was a pity that Taoist temple wanted to use this way to recruit believers. Master Haotian whom they worshiped could not help them out. That was true. Even those sages who were ever mentioned by Lv Qingchen and who had entered No Rules and Tianqi states could not summon wind and rain. Let alone the old Taoist without enough cultivation state.

Ning Que slightly frowned, watching the door of the Taoist temple gradually gathering. He was lost in thought.

Haotian Taoism, known as the only orthodox in the world, was respected in every country. The Taoist temple possessed countless fields and never paid taxes. Officers of different departments were honorable. When monarchs of such countries as the Great River Kingdom and the South Jin Kingdom ascended the thrones, they even needed blessings bestowed by the Great Divine Priest from Tao Sect of West-Hill to be recognized.

However, the onlookers’ earlier ridicule and mockery could tell that the status of Haotian Taoism in Tang Empire could not be compared to those counterparts. Although the Priest of South Gate of Haotian Taoism had been appointed as the Master of Nation in Tang, the entire world knew that the relationship between South School of Haotian and West-Hill in which the main temple for offering sacrifice to Heaven of Haotian Taoism was located was always ambiguous. The rights to confer temple deans of each Taoist temple in Tang were all in the hands of His Majesty. West-Hill was completely unable to intervene.

And even rumors went that when Tang Empire was first established, Haotian Taoism was forbidden from preaching in the empire.

Speaking logically, the incredibly strong Haotian Taoism known as the world’s first Orthodox and with hundreds of millions of believers, would not stand this pressure and humiliation. And actually they did not endure. Everyone believed that West-Hill Divine Kingdom was behind the attack of the Tang by 17 countries all those years ago.

Back then, the allied forces of 17 countries, which were reputed to have millions of soldiers, invaded the territory of Tang Empire, and they were directly and totally destroyed by cavalries of the empire that was as vigorous as the rising sun. And then, by taking advantage of this, armies of Tang Empire rode out of Yanggu Pass in waves and fought through numerous cities to conquer the whole world. After this grand battle, the so-called allied forces were disbanded like the melting snow. Tang Empire directly conquered three of the countries, and they now became the county named Hebei Province, which was squeezed the most heavily by Taizu (Founder of the Tang Dynasty) on his expedition to the north.

What was puzzling was that the West-Hill Divine Kingdom had stayed out of this magnificent battle, and the numerous hidden master-hands of Haotian Taoism never took the shot. Perhaps due to this reason, Tang Empire did not deliberately re-conquer Haotian Taoism in post-war forces re-division. It finally got the qualifications for preaching in Tang Empire.

After this battle, Tang Empire laid its own dominance in the world. Haotian Taoism still had most believers among the world. One was in the secularity while the other in religion. There was conflict within the sect. Since both sides did not have the confidence to defeat the opposite side, so they pretended the other did not exist, and gradually lost interest in attacking.

This situation remained the same for thousands of years up till today. Haotian Taoism still stood high above masses in other places, in which all the people were its believers. Yet in the territory of Tang Empire, even the smallest Taoist temple must pay taxes and even South School of Haotian Taoism, though controlled by the court had to send cultivators to perform tricks on the streets to attract followers.

Walking under the big black umbrella in the rain, Ning Que thought of the previous scene. He could not help but laugh and shake his head, and he said, “The old Taoist is really pitiful. Maybe the Master of Nation in the palace was the same.”

Sangsang held the big black umbrella with her right hand and shoulder, while in her left hand was a piece of cookie bought from a small stall. She was eating the cookie, and said with a lisp, “Young master, it seems that you like Chang’an, hah.”

“Each place and city have their way of supporting their inhabitants. Yet the taste of people can change the taste of the city in turn,” Ning Que smiled and replied. “Rather than saying that I like Chang’an, you might say that I like the people of Chang’an.”

He suddenly slightly frowned as he saying these. And he said, “Three four, seven… eight.”

Sangsang paused and froze for a moment and crammed the cookie into her small mouth. Her left hand quickly scratching the certain place on his back. Ning Que frowned and took the big black umbrella from her hand, and added, “No, it’s seven seven.”

“Got it.”

The Chang’an city rested in the continuous spring rain. In its straight streets and crooked lanes, among its cornice of high-rises, along the passerbys with umbrellas and raincoats, there was a walking big black umbrella that was like a dusty black lotus. Under the big black umbrella, Sangsang took the cookie with one hand and scratched Ning Que’s back on and on with the other. The young master’s and the handmaiden’s faces were full of joy.

…

…

There were probably no businessmen who would like the spring that was with such abundant rainfall in the Chang’an city, except those who sold umbrellas and carried carriage business, and brothels were no exceptions. Due to the accident that occurred at the side door a few days ago, House of Red-Sleeves was not only forced to suspend business for one night, but also became the target of rumors. Though the drizzling days were suitable for playing instruments and drawing, the brothel looked really cheerless in broad daylight.

Girls who were eligible to own small courtyards couldn’t withstand the loneliness but to gather in the front building today. After greeting Mistress Jian, everyone stayed together in the bamboo house to while away time, eating sunflower seeds and chatting. This situation suddenly changed at the moment Ning Que and Sangsang stepped into the building. All of a sudden, the building was filled with laughter.

A man around forty saw this scene from a quiet room of the topmost. He looked at these girls who worked under him. He could not help but frown and scold in a low voice, “All of you really think you’re noble ladies with nothing to do. Meng San, ask Mistress Jian… remember to be polite… who that lad is. If he has no background, you get him out of here. The ladies that I support aren’t for him to chat with.”

“I advise you not to mess with the lad, because… he is my last tenant.”

At the small wine table, a middle-aged man looked at him and said with a smile. An official sword that was usually strapped at the waist was put aside quietly. This person was the owner of all the shops on Lin 47th Street.