The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Grand Ceremony

The Deacon Monk brought along eighteen monks.

These monks lined up on both sides, with their hands clasped together and chanting Buddha’s name softly.

The Deacon Monk led Xia Wenjin down this path, all the way into the Zen Temple. When Xia Wenjin entered the courtyard, she found that this Zen Temple was larger than the one Kong Chan lived in.

Not only was it large, but it was also more secluded.

The Deacon Monk also showed Xia Wenjin around the layout of the entire courtyard. The Zen Temple was in the southeast, but not near the path by the hill at the back; it was built on the edge of a cliff. Opening the window, one could see the steep cliffs below.

Very secluded, very secluded indeed!

As long as the door to the Zen Temple was closed, no one would disturb her.

It’s said that the eighteen people at the door would stand guard around the perimeter to prevent anyone from disturbing her.

Such grandeur!

The Deacon Monk led Xia Wenjin to the central meditation room, opened the door, and a statue of Guanyin hanging on the wall came into view. The Bodhisattva with a kind and gentle expression was holding a chubby baby, and the artwork was exquisite and very pleasing.

The meditation bed was wider than the one in the previous Zen Room she had stayed in, and the bedding on it was softer.

Under the statue of Child-giving Guanyin was placed a large meditation cushion. On the small table beside the meditation bed was a stack of scriptures. In the corner, there was a desk with another stack of scriptures and the Four Treasures of Study for copying the scriptures.

The entire meditation room was simple and clear.

Besides the statue of Child-giving Guanyin, there were no other decorations on the wall.

The Deacon Monk said, ”Benefactor, tonight you will stay here. You may recite the scriptures or copy them. It is best if you do not sleep throughout the night. If you are indeed tired, you may take a short nap. The more sincere your heart is in seeking a child, the more likely the Bodhisattva will sense your sincerity and bless you with a precious child!”

Saying that, he went over to light candles, brightening the room, and lit some incense, saying, ”This incense is for calming the mind. If you feel there’s not enough light, you may light the candelabras on all four sides.”

Very considerate!

However, Xia Wenjin seemed not to notice at all. Her expression was a mixture of sorrow and hope, her eyes brightened up, and her already beautiful face became even more striking with this touch of light. She said, ”I hope this time Guanyin will have mercy and grant me a child. Otherwise, if I return home, I will have to arrange for a concubine for my husband!”

This expression, this action, this demeanor, this tone indeed belonged to a young lady from a wealthy family who desperately wished for a child but did not want her husband to take a concubine, hoping to quickly bear a child to secure her position.

The Deacon Monk lowered his eyes and said, ”Rest assured, Benefactor; our temple’s Bodhisattva answers all prayers! As long as the Benefactor is sincere, wishes will certainly be fulfilled!”

”Thank you, Master!”

The Deacon Monk said, ”If the Benefactor has no other questions, I shall take my leave!”

Xia Wenjin said, ”Wait, Master, where are my housekeeper and maid?”

The Deacon Monk said, ”Arrangements have been made for them elsewhere. This is the Zen Temple; tonight, only the Benefactor will be here. You may lock the main door of the Zen Temple. Outside, monks will guard the area, ensuring no one disturbs you, so please rest easy!”

Xia Wenjin said, ”Alright, Master, you can go about your duties!”

The housekeeper, servants, maids, and old maids were all arranged separately, leaving her alone in the entire Zen Temple, although so many monks were guarding outside. Still, she was told to be at ease?

Xia Wenjin went to the doorway, and the Deacon Monk said, ”There is only one key for this lock. Once you lock up, keep it on you. In the morning, you may unlock the door and get your breakfast.”

The door closed with a brass lock on it, the lock’s core thick and sturdy, and it was locked from the inside. This did seem somewhat secure.

Xia Wenjin said nothing more, closed the door, locked all the monks outside, held the key in her hand, and went back inside the courtyard.

She needed to check once more.

The Deacon Monk departed and went straight to the front hall; in one of the halls, he entered where there was another Buddha statue, and in front of a meditation cushion sat a monk. That monk was striking a wooden fish with one hand, holding a string of prayer beads between his thumb and forefinger with the other, moving them while chanting softly.

This monk was none other than Chief Master Ming Qing.

The Deacon Monk entered the hall and waited patiently.

Ming Qing’s hand, which was striking the wooden fish, stopped, and he opened his eyes, saying, ”How did it go?”

The Deacon Monk said, ”Reporting to Master, everything has been settled!”

”Any anomalies?”

The Deacon Monk shook his head, ”None whatsoever; the lady is eager for a child and very clearly does not want her husband to take a concubine. She couldn’t wait to lock the door and start reciting scriptures!”

Ming Qing nodded, saying, ”I have also observed her—she is indeed sincere and eager for a child!”

The Deacon Monk lowered his voice and asked, ”Does Master intend to handle this personally?”

Ming Qing glanced at him, speaking slowly, ”The Benefactor is so sincere; naturally, I must do my utmost to assist!”

The Deacon Monk lowered his gaze, ”As you command, Master!”

Xia Wenjin inspected every corner of the Zen Temple inside and out to make sure no one was around. The entire courtyard was just her alone. She even checked under the bed, moved the meditation cushion, and looked at the back of the painting. No mechanisms, no secret compartments.

She knocked on the walls, but there were no secret doors.

She also tapped the floor tiles—no basement or hidden empty boards.

In the end, Xia Wenjin sat back on the meditation cushion, casually picking up one of the scripture books.

The scripture was a handwritten copy, light yellow, exuding a faint ink fragrance, mixed with the scent of incense, still quite pleasant.

Incense and ink fragrance—smelling them brought a sense of comfort.

However, Xia Wenjin furrowed her brow and immediately closed the scripture upon catching the first whiff of aroma.

This scripture was a manuscript, and the ink used for copying seemed to have been mixed with a medicinal juice with a strong fragrance. That scent was faint, but the incense was much stronger, easily overlooked.

But Xia Wenjin wouldn’t overlook it.

She could even clearly identify the two distinct scents.

Non-toxic, but when the two scents mixed, they formed a seemingly toxic but harmless substance, not very serious, not even affecting the body much, merely inducing a drowsy sleep without notice, with no decline in spirits upon waking.

Some insomniacs might add this to their tea for sleep assistance.

But employing something like this required an extraordinarily skilled doctor.

After all, understanding the effects of these two substances together would require numerous experiments, and even after completing them, it would be considered a secret formula, not easily shared.

In her past life, Xia Wenjin was exhausted for a period over a matter concerning Huangfu Yuxuan, suffering from insomnia and anxiety, losing a lot of weight. Huangfu Yuxuan personally brought her a bowl of lotus seed soup, and she had smelled this scent before. Huangfu Yuxuan told her it was to help her sleep well.

And indeed it was. She slept until dawn without even a single dream, waking up refreshed the next day.

At the time, she thought it was Huangfu Yuxuan’s care and protection, his attentiveness and gentleness. In retrospect, the task she had to handle then was extremely meticulous and complex, leaving no room for error. Huangfu Yuxuan was worried about her being too exhausted and making mistakes. Even if there were no mistakes, he feared she’d collapse from exhaustion, and no one else could take over halfway!