Chapter 26: Acts of Kindness
June 15th was the day when Ye Zhen was diagnosed with Shen Xian, but many doctors at that time said that the pregnancy was not good, so Ye Zhen began to give porridge to the people every month, hoping to get blessings from the gods.
Fortunately, Shen Xian was born very healthy. Ye Zhen thought this was a kind deed by a deity who saw her when he passed by, so she gave birth to Shen Xian. So every year on June 15th, she would set up a tent in the city to give porridge. All day long.
After so many years, Shen Xian has been following him since she was a child.
Ye Zhen started to prepare the porridge the night before and ordered people to steam a lot of steamed buns and steamed buns. She was worried and went to the kitchen to supervise.
Shen Xian is in the room choosing clothes to wear tomorrow. Something too gorgeous is not suitable, something too dignified is not suitable, the color is too bright and vulgar, and the color is too light and some people may not be able to see it because of their bad eyesight.
She had a headache choosing. She looked at the closet of clothes and couldn't find anything she could wear tomorrow.
"Miss, the third lady is here."
Shen Xian: "Ayao? Please come in quickly."
It was already dark. Shen Yao was standing in the yard holding a night light. When she saw Shen Xian coming out, she immediately trotted over.
"Why did you come here alone? Where is the girl with you?"
Shen Yao smiled and said, "I told her not to follow." After saying that, she took Shen Xian's hand with one hand and said hopefully, "Second sister, I heard that you and your aunt are going to give porridge to Guoxiang Temple tomorrow. I want to go too, can you take me with you? I want to do good things with my second sister."
"Of course you can, but you have to get up earlier and you can't sleep in late."
Shen Yao knew that she had agreed, and smiled with crooked eyes: "Second sister, don't worry, I will be waiting at the door of the house early tomorrow."
In fact, needless to say Shen Yao, Shen Xian originally planned to ask Xiang Nong to find her later.
She was brought up by her concubine to be timid and cowardly. If Shen Xian wanted to change her, she could only take her with her and let her see and expand her horizons. Fortunately, she was also eager to learn.
Shen Yao was still smiling when she left. If Shen Xian hadn't looked at her, she would have jumped up.
Going to soup kitchen is a hard job. Why is this kid so happy?
When he turned around, he suddenly saw Xiang Nong staring in the direction Shen Yao was leaving with an unhappy look on her face, saying, "Young lady is really kind-hearted. She is helping others to show her face."
Shen Xian frowned: "Xiang Nong, what are you talking about?"
Xiang Nong lowered her head fiercely, knowing that she had said something she shouldn't have said, but she still finished her words.
"My servant feels that Third Miss Shen is not pure in mind. Now she always travels with you. Almost everyone in Kyoto City, who didn't know her before, now knows that there is Third Miss Shen. There are also some people who want to compare Third Miss with you. It’s the third lady who is better than you, I don’t think so.”
She feels that the best young lady in the world is her Miss Shen Xian. Miss Shen San is just someone who uses Shen Xian's reputation to climb up the ladder.
I even want to show my face at the soup kitchen tomorrow.
Shen Xian poked Xiang Nong's forehead and said in a stern voice: "It's your turn to discuss the affairs of the master's family?"
Xiang Nong pursed her lips and did not dare to speak any more.
Shen Xian took a deep breath and said: "I know what A Yao is thinking, but we are sisters after all. If she can be good, the Dingguo Palace will not be bad either."
Anyway, it was just a matter of convenience for me to take her with me, so why bother with it?
After saying that, she gave up after coaxing Xiang Nong.
Sure enough the next morning, when Shen Xian followed Ye Zhen out of the house, she had already seen Shen Yao and her personal maid.
Seeing the two of them, he quickly bowed and said, "My aunt, my second sister."
Ye Zhen nodded lightly, and Shen Xian smiled and said, "Have you been waiting for a long time?"
Shen Yao smiled and shook her head, then looked at Ye Zhen cautiously, fearing that she would say the wrong thing and make Ye Zhen unhappy, but from the beginning to the end, Ye Zhen just stared at the servant bumping things into the carriage, and then was helped into the car.
On the way, the anger in the car was a little strange. Shen Xian was joking with Ye Zhen, and sometimes had to take care of Shen Yao's mood and talk to her. She seemed a little busy. She didn't relax until the three of them got off the carriage at Guoxiang Temple.
If she didn't get out of the car, all the topics she could talk about in her life would be exhausted.
"Three benefactors."
The headmaster of Guoxiang Temple was waiting at the door early.
He was the one who retrieved Shi Ling from the people. Now he was very old and needed help to walk, but he still put his hands together and bowed slightly in the direction of the three of them, and they quickly returned the greeting.
Ye Zhen said: "Nao Nuo is in charge."
Jingkong chuckled and shook his head: "This is a kind act, not a nuisance?" After speaking, he turned to the little novice monk beside him and said: "Hurry up and take some donors to the stall."
Before Shen Xian left, she couldn't help but look at Jingkong a few more times. Jingkong felt his eyes on her, and then she smiled softly and compassionately and asked, "Does this female donor have anything to ask?"
Shen Xian pursed her lips and shook her head.
"Oh? I must have seen it wrong because of my old eyesight."
Shen Xian bit her lip and bowed to say goodbye, then turned around and followed Ye Zhen away. When she turned back, she could no longer see Jingkong's figure.
Soon, the servants put the cooked porridge and steamed buns on the table, and put a big sign in front of it with the four characters "Free Porridge". Soon beggars gathered around, but they were all stopped. Ye Zhen scolded and went to line up.
Shen Xian took Shen Yao and handed them steamed buns.
"Thank you, miss!"
"That's great. You don't have to go hungry today. Thank you two ladies!"
"The ladies are really beautiful and kind-hearted."
Shen Xian's face remained unchanged after experiencing this every year, but Shen Yao's face turned red when she was praised and didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, Shen Xian's sharp eyes spotted a familiar carriage running past the entrance of Guoxiang Temple, and turned the corner and disappeared.
Jingkong was waiting at the side door. When he saw Shi Ling's carriage coming, he quickly took a few steps forward. It took him a long time to come back to his senses until Shi Ling got off the carriage. He wanted to salute and say hello, but was stopped by Shi Ling.
Said: "The host doesn't have to be like this."
Jingkong looked at him with a complicated expression. He almost opened his mouth but only said one sentence: "...How is your life, Prince?"
After saying that, he smiled and said: "You are already a prince, so you must live a good life, so be happy."
Shi Ling pursed his lips and looked away: "Today, my brother asked me to come and beg the illuminated golden Buddha to enter the palace."
"I've asked people to get ready, come on." After saying that, he gave way and wanted Shi Ling to go first, but Shi Ling raised his hand to let Qing Kong go first.
After entering the temple through the side door, you can see the situation at the main entrance. Shi Ling felt that the Guoxiang Temple was very noisy today, so he couldn't help but frown and look at it, but he saw a familiar person.
He stopped suddenly.
Shi Ling could only see the side of her face, but he also knew that Shen Xian was smiling at the moment, with a gentle look on her face as she handed the bun in her hand to a begging child. She didn't know what she said to the child to make him laugh. He laughed, and then Shen Xian gave him another steamed bun.
Inexplicably, Shi Ling remembered what she said that day.
"Your Majesty was young because I hadn't appeared yet. If I met Your Majesty, I would definitely take good care of you."
Shi Ling's hand behind his back suddenly tightened.
Chapter completed!