How did such immense wealth fall into my family?

Chapter 25 Guidance
Master Daoyi was writing scriptures in his Zen monastery when a small head suddenly appeared at the door. Seeing that it was Little Dog Sheng, Master Daoyi deliberately teased him. "What's wrong? Can't get any food?"

"Hehe..." Little Dog Sheng walked in with a fawning look on his face. "Do you recognize medicinal herbs?"

Master Daoyi took a brush and tapped it on the little dog Sheng's nose, instantly turning the tip of Sheng's nose black. "You and your grandfather have been outside Longhua Temple for so long, how could you not know whether this humble monk recognizes medicinal herbs?"

"Hehe..." Little Dog Sheng raised his sleeve and wiped his nose. "My grandpa and I saw a blade of grass that looks a lot like a medicinal herb, and we'd like to ask you to take a look. If it is a medicinal herb, we'll try to pick it; if not, then forget it. The place where that grass is growing is quite dangerous."

Master Daoyi placed the brush on the brush holder and stood up. "Let's go."

"Hehe..." The little dog rubbed his hands together, his face full of flattery. "I'd also like to ask you for some rice porridge. Hehe..."

Master Daoyi glanced at the little dog, Sheng. This child clearly didn't like to trouble others. Now she was asking him to help her look after medicinal herbs, and then begging him for rice porridge…

Master Daoyi thought for a moment and then took the dog Sheng to the kitchen.

The young monk on duty in the kitchen quickly bowed to Master Daoyi upon his arrival. "Greetings, Master! What are your instructions?"

Master Daoyi pointed to the little dog Sheng. "Do you have any rice porridge? This young friend would like some rice porridge."

The little dog quickly bowed to the young monk. "Greetings, young master, thank you for your help."

The young monk returned the greeting. "No trouble at all. There's some left over from this morning; I'll heat it up for you."

"No need, no need. Just put it here for me, I want more soup." Xiao Gousheng took a bamboo tube off his waist. The weather is still quite hot, and the hot rice soup might spoil if it's put in a bamboo tube.

Hearing her say that, the little monk thought to himself: "She really is a little fool. Soup can't fill you up like rice." The little monk looked towards Master Daoyi.

Master Daoyi nodded, and the little monk did as Xiaogousheng said.

After thanking the young master, Xiaogousheng led Master Daoyi to the mountains behind Longhua Temple.

Not long after they went inside, Qian Laifu emerged from behind a large rock. He was carrying a basket with a baby inside, who was sleeping.

Master Daoyi pointed to the basket in Qian Laifu's hand, looked at the little dog Sheng, and asked, "Is this the herb you were talking about?"

"Hehe..." Xiaogousheng rubbed his hands together. "This child's background might be a bit complicated, and there are quite a few people in the temple. I was afraid of causing you trouble, so I asked you to help me look at the herbs."

"Hmph!" Master Daoyi glanced at the little dog Sheng. "You haven't even resolved your own problems, yet you have the mind to pick up a child."

The little dog didn't want to either. But... "Sigh! We didn't want to either. But we accidentally wandered into a mass grave, and just as we were about to leave, we saw someone throwing children away."

The puppy recounted what had happened. "This child is very lucky. Do you think it's convenient for you to raise it? If not, we'll think of another way."

The baby was already a restless sleeper. The baby woke up as soon as Master Daoyi and the dog, Shengyi, started talking.

Upon seeing the baby's eyes, Master Daoyi paused for a moment. "Give me the basket."

Qian Laifu gave the basket to Master Daoyi.

Master Daoyi carefully examined the baby inside the basket. After seeing it clearly, Master Daoyi couldn't help but sigh inwardly: This little girl really can find anything.

After sighing, Master Daoyi looked at Qian Laifu and Xiaogou Sheng and said, "I can help you raise this child, but only for two years. After two years, you will have to take him away."

The grandmother and granddaughter breathed a sigh of relief. Neither of them were really suited to raising children right now.

Qian Laifu thanked Master Daoyi for a long time before going to heat up some rice porridge for the baby. The baby had only drunk a few sips of water since birth.

The little dog Sheng leaned close to Master Daoyi and whispered, "Will this cause you trouble? I saw that old woman was dressed quite nicely."

"No. Remember to come back in two years and take him away."

"Okay. Thank you. Could you please suggest a name for him?"

"You scared that old woman away with the Eighteen Levels of Hell, so let's call you Eighteen." Little Dog Sheng: "..." Isn't that a bit too casual?

Master Daoyi glanced at the little dog, Sheng. "How about I bark like you? This humble monk is thinking, besides Sheng, what other dog could there be?"

Little Dog Sheng: "..." Then forget it. "Eighteen is great. Great. Hehe..."

"Hmph! Don't go wandering around the mass grave these next few days. Your good luck is in the east."

The little dog, Sheng, also planned to go again in a while. Who knew if that old woman would let it slip when she got back? "Thank you for reminding us, and thank you for your guidance."

"Hmph, if you ever lie to this monk again, I'll draw two little turtles on your face. One on the left and one on the right."

"hey-hey……"

After heating up the rice porridge, Qian Laifu started feeding Shiba.

After Shiba finished eating, Master Daoyi took Shiba and left.

The little dog, Sheng, relayed Master Daoyi's words to Qian Laifu. Upon hearing this, Qian Laifu immediately said, "Then let's head east."

"Okay." Little Dog Sheng glanced in the direction Master Daoyi had left. "Grandpa, do you think Master Daoyi's instruction to come back in two years to pick up Eighteen meant we'd need two years to find my eldest cousin?"

As Qian Laifu packed his things, he said, "Two years is fine. As long as we can find it, that's all that matters."

After packing their things, the grandfather and grandson headed east as Master Daoyi had instructed.

On the other side, the old woman who was in charge of throwing the child went back and told her master that she had thrown the bastard into the mass grave.

Madam Ding was delighted and rewarded her with a large red envelope. "Go to Yuzhen Temple and invite the abbot here. I need to get rid of the bad luck in my house."

"Yes. This old servant will go right away."

Madam Ding was a frequent visitor to Yuzhen Temple, and the abbot of Yuzhen Temple arrived soon afterward.

Upon hearing the report, Madam Ding personally came out to greet them. "Greetings, Abbot. Please come in."

Just as the abbot of Yuzhen Temple was about to follow Madam Ding inside, he noticed that Madam Ding's appearance had changed. The abbot's heart skipped a beat.

After entering the room, just as Madam Ding was about to speak, the abbot of Yuzhen Temple said, "Could you please have the servants leave first?"

Madam Ding paused for a moment, then dismissed all the servants.

After the servants left, the abbess of Yuzhen Temple looked at Madam Ding and said, "Madam, you visit Yuzhen Temple often, so I won't beat around the bush. When you went to Yuzhen Temple to worship Buddha a few days ago, I saw in your face that you had the signs of becoming a first-rank imperial consort. But today..."

"Madam, have you offended anyone these past few days? If so, you'd better find a way to remedy the situation quickly. Otherwise, you could lose your life or at least become destitute. This humble nun takes her leave. Take care, Madam."

After finishing his speech, the abbot of Yuzhen Temple was about to leave.

Madam Ding grabbed the arm of the abbot of Yuzhen Temple. "Abbot, you can't leave. Please think of something for me."

The abbess of Yuzhen Temple chanted a Buddhist name. "This humble nun's cultivation is limited; I can only see that Madam's appearance has changed, but I do not know how to resolve it. Madam, please seek help from someone more skilled."

After saying that, the abbot of Yuzhen Temple left.

Madam Ding couldn't stop her.

Madam Ding slumped into a chair, utterly dejected. "How could this be? Could it be? That bastard really has some extraordinary background? But that lowly woman is just average-looking, how could she possibly have seduced someone so remarkable?"

(End of this chapter)