Chapter 137: Unseen Gods

Humanity feared Mother Nature’s strength even as they respected it and treated it as the divine. Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei looked blankly at the spacious courtyards and their rows of buildings now reduced to ashes by lightning bolts. It wasn’t until rain poured down from the skies that the two came to their senses.

Xiao Zhuang jumped off the wall to kneel on the ground and kowtowed without moving. Xiao Wei was still thinking of Yu Xiaoxiao and stayed put, but his body couldn’t stop trembling in the rain.

Yu Xiaoxiao looked expressionlessly at the pile of rubble before her and said, “I think we shouldn’t have crushed anymore, but for safety’s sake, you should bring some people over to check the ruins, Xiao Wei.”

Xiao Wei’s lips were shuddering too hard to speak. Yu Xiaoxiao gave him a look of astonishment and patted his shoulder. “Xiao Wei?”

Xiao Wei stammered, “P-princess, did the Thunder God just show himself?”

Yu Xiaoxiao scratched her head. “I don’t know, ah. In any case, momo says my mother has this ability too. I’m not familiar with anyone like the Thunder God.”

Xiao Wei’s heart had been full of respectful feelings towards the Thunder God, but he felt internally 囧 at the princess’s remarks. Unable to keep up a front, he asked, “Princess, are you familiar with someone amongst Heaven’s Gods and Buddhas?”

“Urk,” Yu Xiaoxiao grew serious. “I don’t know any of them.”

Xiao Wei looked at Xiao Zhuang still kneeling on the ground, then at the monks worshipping the skies in wake of the ruins, and sighed. He said, “I don’t know them either. Princess, I’ll go take people to see if anyone’s injured.”

“Go on,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “I’ll go check on my father.”

Before Xiao Wei could jump off the wall, a blur passed in front of his eyes as his princess leaped to a surrounding wall and dashed out of sight. Xiao Zhuang had no idea that Yu Xiaoxiao was gone and was still chanting a mantra as he knelt on the ground. “Heavenly Thunder God, please calm your anger, we mortals had no intentions to offend.”

Xiao Wei landed right behind Xiao Zhuang and kicked his butt, sending him tumbling to the ground. Xiao Zhuang only looked confused as he sprawled on the ground, not even thinking to get Xiao Wei back for the kick. He looked at the empty wall above them and asked, “Where’s the princess?”

“Get up,” Xiao Wei said, “The princess went to see His Majesty, so let’s go check for any injured.”

Xiao Zhuang crawled upright and pointed at the rubble. “Just what happened here?”

“Oh,” Xiao Wei replied, “A few thunderbolts.”

Xiao Zhuang gave start before he cried furiously, “You think this is just a matter of a few motherf***ing thunderbolts?!”

Xiao Wei wiped away the rainwater on his face and murmured back, “Do you think we can control when Heaven sends thunder and rainstorms? In any case, whatever’s here is gone now, so the princess will be alright. Why do we need to worry about anything else?”

Eh? Upon second thought, Xiao Zhuang realized that was true. They had been worrying about where to find the evidence and destroy it, but there was no need about the lightning bolts anymore. The proof was definitely gone by now. Are there unseen gods protecting our princess out there?

“Alright,” Xiao Wei said, “Come, let’s check it out up ahead.”

—

Yu Xiaoxiao was halfway to Junior Master Fenglin’s quarters when she spotted her fatuous ruler father heading to the northwest with a few guards in tow.

“Imperial Father,” Yu Xiaoxiao leaped off the wall and flashed in front of Xianzong. Immediately, a guard stepped up to hold an umbrella above her head, sheltering her from the rain. Yu Xiaoxiao glanced back and thanked him before adjusting his umbrella to a better position. “This way, neither of us will get wet.”

The young guard had served two years under Xianzong, but had never been treated so courteously by a member of the royal family. A flush immediately crept onto his cheeks as he wondered what to do.

Xianzong exhaled in relief to see his daughter unharmed, then saw her carrying on with a young man right in front of his eyes. Immediately, he lost his temper and roared, “Yu Linglong!”

“Here, what’s up?” Yu Xiaoxiao replied.

Xianzong looked at the handsome young guard and turned back irritably. He next surveyed his other guards and picked out an older man who looked about 53 and was the exact opposite of handsome young men like Gu Xinglang and the umbrella-bearing guard. “A San,(阿三)1 you hold the umbrella for the princess.”

The robust A San only felt confounded by the request, but who would dare to disobey the emperor? He quickly accepted the umbrella from the younger guard and replaced his duties. Yu Xiaoxiao looked up at A San, but Xianzong said, “Can you look at your Imperial Father first?”

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Xianzong next. His brocade robes were slightly damp and muddy water had stained his shoes, but it didn’t look like he’d suffered a thrashing.

“How did it go?” Xianzong asked, before glancing at the group of Eternal Life Temple monks that had come along with them. “Imperial Father means to say, did you take your medicine?”

Yu Xiaoxiao also glanced at the follower monks of Junior Master Fenglin before she replied, “I took them. Imperial Father, why weren’t you beaten up?”

The guard holding the umbrella thought he’d misheard. Ignoring the fact that Her Royal Highness was taking pills, who would dare beat up His Majesty?

Xianzong quickly pulled Yu Xiaoxiao to his side and muttered, “Can’t you show some sense? Is this something to ask in public?”

Yu Xiaoxiao muttered back, “Didn’t you say we and Wen Fenglin would be even after you got beat up?”

Xianzong’s heart chilled. Does my daughter want me to be beaten up so badly?

“Where’s Little Gu?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked next.

What’s the use of raising a daughter? She forgets about her father as soon as she gets a husband! Pursing his lips, Xianzong replied, “Could Zhen lose that surnamed Gu fellow? Don’t worry, he’s with the State Preceptor. Do you think his feet could afford to bear the rain?”

“Oh,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied. “Then I’ll stop worrying.”

That’s right, you can stop worrying about your husband, but have you ever thought of your father?! Xianzong glared at Yu Xiaoxiao, unable to express his heartache.

“Your Majesty,” the head guard on Xianzong’s lead saw that the two were talking incessantly and tried to get his attention. The Eternal Life Temple monks were already starting to look impatient.

Xianzong then asked Yu Xiaoxiao, “What was the matter with the thunder just then?”

“It thunders when it rains, ah,” Yu Xiaoxiao explained.

“Then why did Zhen feel an earthquake?” When the floor had started shaking, Xianzong almost picked up Gu Xinglang (who couldn’t walk) and ran out the door.

Yu Xiaoxiao was very calm as she replied, “It was just louder thunder than usual. Nothing big happened beyond a few buildings collapsing.”

Xianzong’s mouth opened wide like an idiot as he asked, “What did you say? The thunder knocked down some buildings?” Did someone provoke my empress again?