Seeing this scene, Huzi whispered, “The spectacle is really quite grand.”

Shopkeeper Zhong felt inexplicably proud: “Naturally so.”

The master always acted in a way that either remained silent or created a sensation. As a master, she was an outstanding decision-maker, and now as a saint, naturally she was also an outstanding saint.

“The time has arrived!” At this moment, someone loudly announced, and immediately ceremonial music began to play.

In the pattering light rain, Qin Yining in snow-white gauze robes slowly emerged from the hall, surrounded by eight Taoist nuns in gray robes. Behind her, walking out of the great hall, was the young Emperor in bright yellow dragon robes.

Upon seeing this scene, the common people all knelt down and loudly called out: “Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live forever!”

Yuchi Yan’s heart surged with heroic feelings, filled with the exhilaration of commanding mountains and rivers with passionate words. He raised his hand slightly, his gaze falling upon Qin Yining who had already walked to the front of the incense table.

Qin Yining took out three incense sticks, lit them, and inserted them into the incense burner. She formed a Taoist hand seal she had just learned. Her slender white fingers flew gracefully, and combined with her snow-white dress, the hand seals looked extremely beautiful, inexplicably creating a sacred feeling.

Most astonishing was that the three incense sticks burned rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, consumed completely in the blink of an eye.

“Disciple of the Qin clan, kowtows to the heavenly gods, respectfully requesting the heavenly gods to provide guidance!”

As her words fell, nearly a hundred Taoist nuns began chanting scriptures in low voices. The women’s voices rippled outward in circles, making the already sacred scene appear even more solemn.

Huzi, Shopkeeper Zhong, and Mu Jinghu watched as Qin Yining in white robes, together with the eight Taoist nuns behind her, began dancing with uniform yet strange steps, waving their wide sleeves. Their arms moved in the same arc, every turn stepped to the same rhythm. Qin Yining’s dress flew up in the wind, giving the feeling she might ascend with the wind at any moment. Revering heaven, revering earth – the scene was so strange yet possessed a sacred beauty.

Huzi secretly marveled – his future princess had actually learned to “dance to the gods”?

The common people were now truly filled with complete reverence for the “Saint.”

After witnessing with their own eyes how the three incense sticks in the burner burned out rapidly, and seeing such a sacred and beautiful dance to heaven, everyone pressed their palms together and began praying in their hearts.

Under the tension, Qin Yining nearly missed a step. This dance was something she had hurriedly learned just now. Fortunately, she had a photographic memory and remembered the movements after seeing them once. Though clumsy, since the common people were all laymen, she could manage to get through it. Finally reaching the last few steps, the nine people pressed their foreheads to the ground in unison, performing a grand salute to the altar.

A Taoist nun lit a talisman paper and began chanting.

In the light rain, the talisman paper burned more vigorously than usual. A gust of wind blew the half-burned talisman paper spinning up into the air, then it burned completely and turned to ash. That image made the common people feel certain that the heavenly gods had sensed their sincerity.

When a Taoist nun whispered a reminder, Qin Yining stood up and kowtowed: “Thank you, heavenly gods, for your guidance. This disciple is infinitely grateful.”

Hearing Qin Yining say this, the common people all breathed a sigh of relief and looked toward the altar with hope.

Yuchi Yan witnessed the entire process, and even now his eyes kept flashing with images of Qin Yining’s slender waist that could barely be grasped in one hand and her flying skirts when she turned. His heart felt like it was on fire.

Qin Yining stood up.

The hundred Taoist nuns parted like the Red Sea, making way for Yuchi Yan.

Yuchi Yan stepped on the red carpet down the marble steps and walked toward Qin Yining.

The common people could only see their young Emperor’s refined and composed bearing, and could see the Emperor conversing quietly with the Saint. The Emperor’s face was full of smiles, while the Saint respectfully lowered her eyes in response.

The scene looked truly beautiful and pleasing to the eye.

Some commoners whispered: “The Emperor is so handsome, truly a perfect pair with the Saint.”

“Indeed.”

“If not for us, for the stability of Great Yan Dynasty, the Emperor and Saint would have already married.”

“Exactly, the Saint was originally to become Empress, but for our sake she could only pursue cultivation.”

…

The common people chattered away, their hearts full of gratitude toward the Emperor and “Saint,” but deep down they still felt this pair was extremely well-matched.

Shopkeeper Zhong listened with reflected glory – with the master’s talents, being Empress would be more than adequate. These common people were quite perceptive.

Huzi was so angry his nose nearly went crooked.

How could that brainless fool be worthy of comparison with his prince? Only Qin Yining was worthy of a peerless hero like the Prince with his literary and military talents. Were these commoners blind? Were they stupid? They must be saying this because they had never seen the Prince’s heroic bearing! A weak fool of an emperor had intimidated them – if they saw the Prince, wouldn’t they immediately kneel and call him a “deity”?!

Yuchi Yan and Qin Yining were actually just making small talk.

Yuchi Yan whispered in a breathy voice: “Your dance was beautiful. We didn’t know you could also dance.”

Qin Yining also replied in a breathy voice: “Reporting to Your Majesty, that wasn’t dancing. Your subject’s daughter doesn’t know how to dance, it was just being forced by circumstances.”

Yuchi Yan whispered again: “How did those incense sticks burn so quickly?”

“Those were special incense bought from street swindlers, they burn just that fast. Specially found to support the show.”

Just as the two were talking, the rain that had been falling for nearly half an hour gradually stopped. Strong winds blew the dark clouds apart, the sky actually cleared, and a rainbow appeared in the sky.

Qin Yining and Yuchi Yan looked up at the rainbow, both somewhat stunned.

Qin Yining thought: This rainbow came at perfect timing.

Yuchi Yan thought: It seems Qin Yining indeed has the ability to protect the nation’s fortune. Whenever she resolved matters, nothing failed to go smoothly. Now there was even a rainbow in the sky, further proving she was favored by Heaven.

The common people now had smiles all over their faces.

What was originally just a natural rainbow after rain now seemed to glow with golden light in the people’s eyes.

Qin Yining stepped back a few paces and stood beside the Taoist nuns.

Yuchi Yan now had to continue performing his act.

He declared loudly: “All you people, Master Xuan Su has told Us the method revealed by Heaven. We will next execute according to this method and will definitely solve everyone’s food problems.”

The common people were overjoyed, some even cried with excitement.

Everyone repeatedly kowtowed, crying out: “Long live!”

Yuchi Yan returned to the hall.

The imperial guards and Jinwu Guard members began organizing the common people to leave the villa.

The common people came full of hope and left joyfully. In this altar ceremony to question Heaven, the coincidental clearing after rain pushed the entire process to a new sacred height.

Outside the villa, Mu Jinghu said: “I won’t return with you. I still need to continue fulfilling my promise. That Emperor is very concerned about the fox’s bride – we must still be careful.”

Huzi cupped his hands toward Mu Jinghu: “Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Mu.”

Mu Jinghu returned the salute, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Shopkeeper Zhong and Huzi left together.

The villa that had been noisy just moments before was now quiet again.

Li Yanyan, who had witnessed the entire process, was already frowning with clenched fists, her fingernails digging into her palms without her noticing.