Chapter 1487
Wang Zhen Zhen On the day of the baby’s first month, Wang Chen held a banquet.
A hundred tables!
The Wang family certainly couldn’t fit that many tables inside, and in fact most of them were placed outside, from the front door along the alley to the street outside.
The neighbors, everyone, no matter high or low, young or old, male or female, as long as they wanted to eat, they could just sit down and eat. There was no need for a gift of money, either. Just eat your fill and wipe your mouth before leaving.
The food on the table was served one plate after another, and there was basically as much steamed bread and dim sum as you could eat.
For his daughter’s full-moon banquet, Wang Chen invited most of the chefs from the restaurants in the county town, and the cost of purchasing the ingredients alone exceeded one thousand taels of silver!
The banquet caused a sensation in the entire Qing’an County, and countless people came to join the fun when they heard the news.
Of course, not everyone could eat at the banquet, but as long as they came to congratulate the family, they were not left empty-handed.
Everyone was full of praise.
In the past, I only heard that people threw big banquets when they had a son, but I never imagined that County Magistrate Wang Chen would throw such a grand celebration after getting a daughter.
How much he loved his daughter!
Because of the grand scale of the celebration for Wang Zhenzhen’s first month birthday, many years later, many elderly people in Qing’an County still reminisce about how fragrant and delicious the steamed buns were that they were given.
The banquet was held in the streets outside the house, while Wang Chen’s own home was used to entertain the real guests.
Almost the entire county’s gentry and wealthy families came with generous gifts to congratulate them.
Some even came uninvited, licking their faces to beg for a pair of chopsticks.
Even the infant Wang Zhenzhen received dozens of gold locks for longevity, with a total weight of over 300 taels!
She was truly born with a golden spoon in her mouth.
Ye Xiangming also doted on his first granddaughter, and directly gave her a pair of exquisite jade pendants that had been passed down in the family as a gift.
He held Wang Zhenzhen in his arms, smiling and coaxing her, completely lacking the majesty of a county magistrate.
鈥淏lessings and infinite divinity!鈥�
Just as the family was enjoying themselves, a loud voice suddenly reached everyone’s ears.
The little baby in the swaddling clothes was startled, pouting and frowning, and was about to cry.
Ye Xiangming was furious and immediately returned his granddaughter to Ye Dai, ready to teach the loudmouth a lesson.
Who is so inconsiderate?
However, when he saw a Taoist priest who had just entered from the front door, his expression could not help but become solemn.
The other party was wearing a green Taoist robe, with long flowing white hair and beard, and a whisk in his hand, giving off an air of a sage.
Behind the white-haired old Taoist, there was also a middle-aged man with a stern expression.
Ye Xiangming’s heart sank.
For on the chest of the white-haired old man was a stunningly-painted picture of white clouds and the universe.
This was the emblem of the White Cloud Temple!
The White Cloud Temple was one of the three major Taoist temples in the Southern Li Kingdom, with a reputation that had lasted for hundreds of years. The successive temple masters were all powerful cultivators who were deeply trusted and respected by the imperial court.
An ordinary Taoist priest from the White Cloud Temple who went out travelling was treated with respect by local officials!
And this old Taoist priest with white hair is extraordinary at first glance.
As the saying goes, 鈥渋f it looks like trouble, it is trouble.鈥� An important figure from Baiyun Temple suddenly arrives in Qing’an County, and he arrives just in time for Wang Chen’s daughter’s first month celebration, which makes people suspicious.
鈥淚 am Zhang Xiaoshan of Baiyun Temple. I have the honor to meet Magistrate Ye and County Magistrate Wang.鈥�
The white-haired Taoist priest walks directly up to Ye Xiangming and Wang Chen, waves his whisk and gives a very elegant bow.
鈥淚t turns out that it is Master Zhang who has come to visit, and I apologize for my rudeness!”
Ye Xiangming was moved and immediately returned the courtesy, saying, 鈥楶lease come inside and sit.鈥�
Zhang Xiaoshan was the current head of the White Cloud Temple, and the temple had been bestowed by the Nanli court for hundreds of years. The head of the temple had the rank of a third-rank official, which was much higher than his rank as a seventh-rank county magistrate.
Wang Chen bowed without emotion, saying, 鈥滻 greet Master Zhang.鈥�
Although the head of the White Cloud Temple looked kind-eyed and virtuous, he instinctively felt wary.
After all, Wang Chen had previously killed a Daoist priest from the White Cloud Temple!
鈥淵ou two believers need not be so polite,鈥�
Zhang Xiaoshan said with a smile, 鈥淚 apologize for being presumptuous in coming today, but I had a sudden inspiration the other day, and calculated that a Daoist successor had been born, so I hurried over to explore the opportunity.鈥�
His face was filled with sincere joy: 鈥淚 never imagined that this natural Taoist child would be the daughter of County Magistrate Wang!鈥�
As soon as Zhang Xiaoshan finished speaking, the originally lively courtyard fell silent.
The title of the White Cloud Temple’s abbot was already extremely intimidating, and no one would have imagined that Wang Chen’s daughter would be the natural Taoist child mentioned by this enlightened person.
What a great blessing!
Zhang Xiaoshan looked at Ye Dai standing next to Wang Chen and said softly, 鈥淢rs. Wang, can I test your daughter’s aptitude?鈥�
Although Ye Dai was just an ordinary person, she was also shocked by the reputation of the White Cloud Temple’s abbot, but as the mother of a child, she instinctively felt that something was wrong and subconsciously took a step back.
Wang Chen put his wife and daughter behind him and said indifferently, 鈥淧riest Zhang, if you came to the wedding banquet, my family and I would welcome you. As for anything else, I’d rather you didn’t.鈥�
At this moment, Wang Chen was 100% certain that this old Taoist priest had come for a bad reason!
鈥淗uh?鈥�
Zhang Xiaoshan didn’t expect Wang Chen to be so disrespectful, and his face immediately fell. 鈥淲ang County Magistrate, you should think about it. I’m just looking out for your best interests!鈥�
Wang Chen was not afraid of turning his back on anyone: 鈥淭hanks, Zhang Guan Zhu, but you can go back to wherever you came from.鈥�
鈥淵ou are not welcome here!鈥�
The atmosphere in the Wang family compound was almost frozen.
No one expected Wang Chen to give the head of the White Cloud Temple, such a big shot, face.
And he even took a confrontational stance!
Was he going crazy?
Zhang Xiaoshan’s face was dark as night. The old Taoist priest said in a sinister voice, 鈥淲ang County Magistrate, I was going to spare you some face and not reveal the truth, but since you are so ungrateful, I can only tell you the truth!鈥�
鈥淵our daughter…鈥�
He pointed his finger at Ye Dai and shouted, 鈥淎ccording to my divination, she is the reincarnation of the Drought Demon and the source of all calamity. In the future, she will surely cause great chaos in the world.鈥�
鈥淔or the sake of the world’s people, I will take this scourge back to Baiyun Temple to suppress it with magic. If you dare to block me, you will be an enemy of the world!”
The head of Baiyun Temple, with his hair and beard standing on end, spoke with a fierce voice. His sudden outburst of imposing authority was terrifying, and his roars resounded in everyone’s ears like thunder.
Only Ye Dai, who was protected by Wang Chen, and the baby in her arms were unaffected.
Many people revealed pained expressions, feeling their heads buzzing.
They were also filled with terror.
The reincarnation of the Drought Demon? The source of the calamity?
If these two labels were affixed, would Wang Chen’s daughter still be alive?