Chapter 176: Sharing an Umbrella on a Rainy Day, the Buddha Mother Offers Ginger Soup

“How could it suddenly start raining on such a fine day!”
“You don’t understand, do you? The Buddha Mother has long observed the celestial signs and knew days ago that it would rain today!”
“If that’s the case, it seems strange. If she knew it would rain, why hold the sermon on the 15th? Couldn’t it have been another day?”
“Brother, the Buddha Mother’s sermon is a blessing for us and for all believers. But who knows if there might be impostors with ulterior motives? This kind of weather is perfect—with the heavy rain, it’s easy to distinguish between true believers and disguised spies. Don’t worry about everyone catching a cold; the local believers in Wangjiazhuang have already prepared hot ginger soup. Besides, believing in the Buddha Mother wards off all diseases—don’t you understand that?”
“As expected of the Buddha Mother. Those with insincere hearts have already left; only those who truly believe remain. That girl in the sedan chair is remarkable—she can still hold her ground despite the heavy rain.”
Hearing those voices fade away, Zhang Yue, who was standing by the small sedan chair with an umbrella alongside Hong Shou, couldn’t help but sigh in relief. His respect for the Buddha Mother grew even more. Knowing how to read celestial signs and using devotion to distinguish true believers from impostors—truly clever.
He was able to get here thanks to Liansheng’s unusually charming words, along with a few phrases from a secret report he had seen before, which allowed him to sneak into Wangjiazhuang. Yet, there were already five or six hundred believers here.
“Brother Yue.”
At the sound of her voice, Zhang Yue’s scattered thoughts snapped back to reality. His wet hair still dripped water, and inside the sedan chair was Meng Min. Though one was sitting and the other standing, though separated by distance, they were close to each other. Though not as close as before, seeing Meng Min’s surprised eyes and flushed cheeks in the heavy rain still warmed his heart.
“Fourth Sister, thank you.”
Just as they met, before they could say much, Meng Min noticed Zhang Yue’s extremely strange expression. When she leaned in, she saw those men in gray approaching. Though she didn’t understand why Zhang Yue, who didn’t resemble a believer at all, was here, nor why he seemed secretive, she instinctively had him hold an umbrella and stand in front of her sedan chair pretending to be a servant. Fortunately, Zhang Yue was dressed very inconspicuously, so no one noticed an extra person with her.

“If you want to thank someone, thank Hongxiu. If not for her seeing you, I wouldn’t have known you were here too. Shouldn’t you be handling official matters right now? How did you end up here?”
It was still raining heavily outside, and the sound of chanting could still be heard clearly. The atmosphere was naturally very different. As she spoke, Meng Min’s face was filled with concern. Most scholars didn’t believe in ghosts or deities, so she surely wouldn’t think Zhang Yue would believe in something like the reincarnation of a Buddha mother. Thus, she was filled with doubts and even a hint of worry.
Zhang Yue gave a bitter smile, thinking that this was actually the question he wanted to ask Meng Min. After all, the White Lotus Sect spread their teachings in the countryside, rarely entering county or provincial towns—this was undoubtedly a strategy of encircling cities from the countryside. Moreover, compared to the urban petty bourgeoisie, the rural farmers, who worked hard from dawn to dusk yet still struggled to make ends meet, were more likely to accept such doctrines and radical ideas.
But Meng Min wasn’t a simpleton. What was she doing here?
“I came because I heard someone was preaching here,” Zhang Yue could easily make up an excuse to deceive Meng Min, but after pondering for a moment, he decided to warn her instead. He said in a low voice, “Although the person chanting on that platform claims to be the incarnation of a Buddha mother, from what I know, they’re likely members of the White Lotus Sect.”
After all, Meng Min came from a family of meritorious officials. She had rarely heard of the White Lotus Sect, but she still understood the situation. The color drained from her face instantly. Thinking about how she had even considered relying on that Buddha mother to cure Lady Wu’s illness, she felt terrified.
Fortunately, she hadn’t brought those people to her home. If she had, it would be fine if nothing happened, but if something did, what could she do to make amends? Yet, Sister Lin mentioned this to Hongxiu, who then rushed to tell her, and she even asked repeatedly, even seeing Sister Lin’s son, who was now healthy and lively—was it all a lie?
Seeing Meng Min’s face turn red and pale, realizing she was in a state of turmoil, Zhang Yue didn’t feel right bringing up the matter further. Due to the cold weather, rain, and strong wind, his clothes were already mostly wet, and he shivered before speaking again, “I only learned about these things not long ago. I suppose there must be a reason for you, Fourth Sister, to be here as well. When this is over, go back early so as not to worry your uncles and aunts.”

Among the complex and difficult diseases in the world today, less than one-tenth can be cured by doctors; for the rest, people can only turn to gods and Buddhas or those claiming to have extraordinary powers. At this moment, Meng Min felt utterly confused. Seeing Zhang Yue looking at her with clear eyes, she felt a slight pang in her heart and nodded solemnly, saying, “I understand. Thank you, Brother Yue.”

Apart from the sound of rain, there was the incessant chanting that couldn’t be masked by anything else. Yet, the two people inside and outside the sedan chair turned a deaf ear to these sounds. Although Meng Min was sitting, she hadn’t gotten up for a long time and soon felt numb in her legs. Being meticulous by nature, she had prepared an umbrella in the sedan chair. Now, feeling suffocated due to her chaos of thoughts, she wanted to stand outside for a while, so after a brief thought, she lifted the curtain and stepped out, holding the umbrella.

Hong Xiu, who was good at observing, noticed fine beads of sweat appearing on the young lady’s forehead and realized that it was truly uncomfortable to stay in the sedan chair on a rainy day. Glancing around at the family members, she saw that they were all standing motionless in the rain, not looking around. With a quick decision, she slipped back into the sedan chair. This way, it wouldn’t cause trouble, and she wouldn’t have to stay outside in the rain—could this be considered doing what was right, as the young lady had suggested?

Zhang Yue saw Meng Min coming out of the sedan chair with her skirt lifted, her face filled with worry. He couldn’t help but wonder why she had come on this trip. As he was pondering, he heard a sudden cry. Then, a strong wind blew from somewhere, lifting the oil-coated umbrella from her hands. With a few crackling sounds, the bamboo-framed umbrella flew away in the wind. As some family members rushed to pick it up, Meng Min stood there stunned. He quickly moved his umbrella to cover most of her head from the rain.

Although the umbrella was retrieved, it was already dirty and damaged beyond repair, so the two of them had no choice but to share one umbrella. Gradually, the wind weakened, but the rain continued to pour. Even so, it was difficult for such a small umbrella to shield both of them from the wind and rain. He was half a head taller than Meng Min, and from his elevated position, he could almost count each of her eyelashes. The faint fragrance from her hair wafted toward him repeatedly.

With nothing else to do, he forced himself to talk, saying, “Fourth Sister, is Aunt still doing well?”

“Not long after we arrived in Qingzhou Prefecture, our mother fell ill. Several doctors were called, but none of their treatments worked, and she remained bedridden. Hearing that the Buddha Mother was skilled in acupuncture—unlike those who used ordinary talismans and potions—I pretended to go to a temple to fulfill a vow and stayed for a few days. I brought Hongxiu and the others here secretly, only to find it all in vain.”

Mengmin’s face showed sadness. After all, she had little memory of her birth mother, while Lady Wu had raised her since childhood—her kindness and affection were invaluable. Now, seeing Lady Wu lose so much weight in just over ten days, with some doctors saying she might not make it through the winter, Mengmin spent her days by her bed, watching her stepmother unable to eat anything. She too lost her appetite, yet how could anyone else understand that deep-seated despair?

Zhang Yue hadn’t expected Lady Wu to fall ill suddenly. When they disembarked, he remembered her still being in high spirits. Who would have thought such a thing would happen in just over ten days? Since he wasn’t a doctor, he couldn’t do much to help and could only offer empty comfort. Both of them fell silent afterward. It wasn’t until Hongxiu’s voice rang out that he snapped out of his thoughts.

“The rain has stopped! The rain has stopped!”

When he regained his senses, he saw the ground was still wet, though the torrential rain had vanished completely. Everywhere he looked, there were people with soaked clothes. Yet to him, those devout believers seemed to be in the same positions as before, as if they hadn’t moved at all. As he struggled to calm his unease, he heard Hongxiu ask a question again, and soon he saw a woman in linen clothes standing in front of him.

She had no makeup on her face, yet it radiated a gentle glow that inspired immediate trust. Despite the cold weather, she wore only a thin linen dress and simple black-and-white cloth shoes, making it hard to guess her age. She studied Zhang Yue and Mengmin before smiling slightly.

“There are often wealthy youths who come to listen, but only you, young lady, have braved the rain to do so. With such devotion, even the Buddha Mother would be moved. I wonder if you’ve come here for medical help or to pray for your family’s safety?”

If Zhang Yue hadn’t mentioned the words “Bai Lian Jiao” just now, such an unexpected surprise would surely have filled Meng Min with joy. But at this moment, all she felt was doubt. Just as she was at a loss, she suddenly felt someone gently touch her arm, and the overwhelming fear that had arisen from that question was instantly forgotten.

“My mother is seriously ill and bedridden. All attempts to cure her have failed. I heard that the Buddha Mother is skilled in acupuncture and can cure all diseases, so I came here specifically to ask if there’s any effective treatment.”

“Skilled in acupuncture?” The woman in the hemp clothes looked surprised and exclaimed, “Ordinary people come here seeking talismans or blessings. How did you know the Buddha Mother is skilled in acupuncture?”

This question surprised not only Meng Min but also Zhang Yue, who regretted not having asked her that question earlier. At that moment, he could only gently tap her hand twice more. Sure enough, Meng Min suddenly said, “It was Aunt Lin from my family who told me. She said her seven-year-old son was saved from danger last year thanks to the Buddha Mother’s acupuncture skills, so I came here wholeheartedly.”

“Aunt Lin… Hmm, there really was such an incident last year…”

The woman murmured to herself before smiling and saying, “Since you came here on someone’s recommendation, I needn’t hide anything. Originally, only those who believe in the Buddha Mother could receive her careful treatment. But since the Buddha is merciful and wants to save all beings, there should be no distinction between believers and non-believers. However, people’s hearts are unpredictable. Besides preaching, it’s not appropriate for the Buddha Mother to walk openly among mortals. If you truly want to save your mother, take her to Fu Qing Temple in Anqiu County.”

Before Meng Min could say anything, the woman vanished. Zhang Yue stared at her retreating figure. On the muddy road, her snow-white shoes were only slightly stained with mud, which made his expression even more solemn. Glancing at the platform where the chanting still continued, he faintly felt that, compared to the lavishly dressed reincarnated Buddha Mother, the woman just now seemed more like the Buddha Mother herself.

Meng Min’s responses earlier had been quite natural, but now her face turned pale. Especially the way the other woman seemed to float above the ground filled her with dread. Even though she was worried about her mother’s illness, she resolved not to take such a risk at this moment. Yet she still bit her lip, still harboring a hint of reluctance.

Not long after the clouds cleared and the rain stopped, the sermon came to an end. Soon, dozens of people came carrying buckets, and everyone in the grain-drying area was given a large bowl. Despite the heavy rain they had just endured, no one complained; they all drank the steaming bowls in one gulp. Even two honest farmhands came over to Zhang Yue and the others, smiling as they handed them rough ceramic bowls and filled them with soup from the buckets.

“This is ginger soup specially prepared by the Buddha’s mother—it’s more effective than ordinary ginger soup. You all got wet too; be careful not to catch a cold! Drink it quickly to warm your stomach, and go back and sleep for a while, and you’ll be fine!”

“Thank you for your kindness.” Though Zhang Yue really didn’t know what was in the ginger soup, he still accepted it with a smile and added, “My young lady has never liked ginger since she was little, and she also didn’t get wet. My family members can handle it. Seeing everyone shivering from the cold, it’s better if I drink it alone—let the rest share it among themselves.”

After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp and returned the bowl to the two men. Seeing them nod happily and leave with their buckets, he turned around and saw Meng Min staring at him with concern. He smiled and said, “It’s nothing serious. It’s just a little trick. I wouldn’t dare drink something I don’t understand.”

Peng Shisan, hiding among the crowd, peeked at the scene and couldn’t help but chuckle to himself—such a lucky coincidence in his investigations. This guy really had good fortune in love. But soon, his sharp eyes fixed on the brown-clothed man in the front three rows, as his left hand gently grasped the small object in his right sleeve.

Without it, how would he dare drink that ginger soup of unknown contents?