CHAPTER 114: CHAPTER 114 TAOHUA TEMPLE OPENS

"Liu Yifan confessed!"

On the phone, Huang Xiumin’s voice was excited, "From the drowning case to the Li Yanjie case to your case, he confessed to everything!

Not only did he confess his own crimes, he even implicated his mother, but his father really didn’t participate from beginning to end. Although we suspect his father knew about it and maybe even helped secretly, there’s no evidence.

By the way, Liu Yifan also voluntarily asked the court to quickly pass judgment, so he can go to prison and atone for his sins."

Lin Wan was shocked, "Why?"

"Because he saw a ghost again last night, not a dream, a real ghost. He believes it’s because the Ghost Infant couldn’t hold back anymore..."

Lin Wan, "..."

"So, he thinks the reason the Ghost Infant hasn’t left is because he hasn’t been sentenced yet, the guilt hasn’t been confirmed..."

Is there really such a thing in this world?

Huang Xiumin said, "So, his attitude is excellent, voluntarily admitting guilt, voluntarily apologizing. His father finally showed up this time, Longxia Group compensated the victims and their families with a large sum of money, hoping they could reach a settlement with Liu Yifan."

Lin Wan frowned, "Is that so?"

"Yes, I guess they’ll be looking for you soon."

"I don’t want their money!"

Huang Xiumin said indifferently, "That’s up to you, anyway your partner doesn’t lack money."

"It’s okay for ordinary people, but what about Li Yanjie’s side?"

"I don’t know."

...

Lin Wan hung up the phone and continued practicing, Lu Zheng was guiding her from the side.

No choice, she didn’t practice yesterday, so she had to make up for it today.

"Did you hear that?"

"I heard it."

Lu Zheng nodded, with Lin Wan’s speaker on, he would be deaf not to hear.

"Do you think there are really ghosts in this world? How come he sees one as soon as he returns?"

Lu Zheng shrugged, "How would I know? Maybe he has a guilty conscience."

Lin Wan nodded, "Probably lost his mind over something, but it’s good this way, saves Xiumin and them the trouble, just that this way..."

"What’s wrong?"

"A mentally unstable person, the court will likely be lenient."

Lu Zheng’s eyes turned, then he said with indignation, "Makes no sense, does it? Who knows if he was mentally unstable when he committed the crime? Isn’t this backtracking the cause from the result? If he’s lightly punished, what about the victims?"

Lin Wan looked at Lu Zheng, then reluctantly nodded, "That’s how the law is written, there’s nothing we can do."

"Knock, knock, knock!" A knocking sound was heard.

"Excuse me, is Miss Lin Wan at home?"

Lu Zheng and Lin Wan exchanged glances, someone came right after the call, Longxia Group really acts fast.

...

Unfortunately, Lin Wan didn’t even let them in, dismissed them with a few words, and the person was just an ordinary employee of Longxia Group, no need to be harsh.

She would respect the court’s ruling, as for the settlement agreement? Let it go to hell!

In the afternoon, before Lu Zheng left he asked, "In such cases of voluntary confession, how soon can the court give a verdict?"

"They still need to collect evidence based on his confession, and also check if he concealed anything. The fastest would be a month, I guess." Lin Wan said.

Lu Zheng understood, then left.

...

Winter snow flutters.

Despite the cold weather, and the peach trees in Peach Blossom Plain with their leaves fallen and branches withered, a group of people still arrived in the depths of the Peach Grove.

Because today is the day of the opening of the Taohua Temple.

Chief Clerk Li directed workers to hang the plaque of Taohua Temple, and after a performance by a troupe of performers, the County Magistrate read a blessing, then led the group in offering three sticks of incense to the Peach Blossom Fairy enshrined in the temple, marking the completion of the opening ceremony.

After all, it’s just a small local shrine built by the Yizhou prefectural government in the Peach Grove, without much ceremony.

In theory, given its small scale and lack of fame, usually, no one would come specifically to offer incense and pray; at most, people might drop by during a spring outing when the peach blossoms are in full bloom.

However, on this cold, snowy day, when the Peach Grove showed only colors of black and white, and no hint of pink was visible, there was still a crowd that followed upon learning of today’s opening, just to be the first to burn incense on the opening day.

The reason is, of course...

Because of that modest stele with just a few dozen words at the entrance of Taohua Temple.

"Peach Blossoms"

The peach tree blossoms evenly, its flowers bright. The maiden goes to be married, fitting her home and family.

The peach tree blossoms evenly, its fruit mature. The maiden goes to be married, fitting her home and chamber.

The peach tree blossoms evenly, its leaves lush. The maiden goes to be married, fitting her family.

The classic poem from "Classic of Poetry" has indeed stood the test of time.

When Shen Ying saw the inscription and learned it was handwritten by Lu Zheng, she was deeply moved and didn’t let him leave the house for a day.

Now, as the County Magistrate finished reading the dedicatory prayer and led in the offering of three sticks of incense...

"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"

"Whoa, what’s going on! So much? No way!"

Strands of Light of Fortune ceaselessly flowed into Lu Zheng’s Mind Jade Seal, stopping only when the wisps of smoke drifted and dispersed in Taohua Temple.

Two hundred and twenty-seven strands!

Lu Zheng was dumbfounded, the Peach Blossom Fairy is really taxing!

Combined with what Zhi Ma previously provided, the Light of Fortune in Lu Zheng’s Mind Jade Seal unprecedentedly surpassed the hundred threshold, reaching two hundred and fifty strands.

When did the Light of Fortune on Lu Zheng exceed fifty strands before? Now it directly multiplied by more than five times, leaving him stunned.

Moreover, these two hundred and twenty-seven strands of Light of Fortune could not have been taken from Shen Ying through attrition, there must have been an increase.

So, this also indicates that Shen Ying is destined to become a formidable figure in the future.

At least a millennia-old Ghost King, right?

"Hiss—"

Lu Zheng took a deep breath, feeling extremely thrilled.

The main point is, this was granted all at once due to the completion of the Taohua Temple, whether Shen Ying’s fortune will fluctuate with the incense prosperity of Taohua Temple remains unknown.

Lu Zheng glanced around, looking at the people braving the cold and snow, offering incense to pray for marriage and offspring at Taohua Temple, and swallowed hard.

Lu Zheng pulled aside a couple who had just finished offering incense, "At a Daoist Temple or monastery, you can also pray for marriage and offspring, why come here in the severe cold?"

"That’s not the same, Celestial Venerable True Monarch and Buddha and Bodhisattvas have too many responsibilities, the Peach Blossom Fairy specifically governs marriage and offspring, didn’t you read what’s on the stele?"

The husband seemed literate, speaking eloquently, "Fitting her home and chamber, fitting her family. Praying to the Peach Blossom Fairy can bring prosperity to the family, harmony, and a multitude of descendants!"

Lu Zheng nodded, understood.

The original plan was just to build a small Taohua Temple, serving as a local Earth God-like presence in Peach Blossom Plain, sharing some incense with Shen Ying as a reward for her contributions.

Unexpectedly, Lu Zheng used "Peach Blossoms" as a powerful weapon, unintentionally bestowing upon the Peach Blossom Fairy a symbol of family prosperity and fertility.

My goodness, is there anything more down-to-earth and aligning with the people’s desires?

Thus...

We see the scene of a bustling Taohua Temple right at its opening, with continuous incense offerings.

Not far away, Shen Ying was also standing there dumbfounded, feeling an inexplicable connection with the statue in the temple. The poem "Peach Blossoms" subtly resonated with her, and the Power of Incense contained in the statue increased at a visibly rapid pace.

She too was dumbfounded...