In the 47th year of Wanli, on the second day of the April 2nd, the beginning of summer!

The beginning of summer means that the midsummer season has begun. The sun has reached 45 degrees of the Yellow Formation, pointing to the southeast, and it is the beginning of summer. All things grow up here, so it is called the beginning of summer!

There is a custom in the Hejian Prefecture area that every day the beginning of summer, the people will hold a gathering to worship the Dragon Prince solemnly, pray for good weather and good harvests!

This year, the drought has not rained for a long time, and countless crops have died. The people are anxious, so they have brought tributes to the Dragon King Temple to burn incense and pray. Tens of thousands of people have gathered, and the sacrificial ceremony is even more grand than in previous years!

In places with many people, opportunities often lie hidden. Xue Yu and his friends also came to fish in the water, hoping to get some food and take a look at how to sacrifice to the Dragon King. This kind of ceremony is difficult to see in future generations.

………

The Dragon King Temple is located five miles south of the city, covering an area of ​​six or seven acres. The temple gate is towering and majestic. There is an ancient pond in the courtyard, which is deep and can’t be seen. It is called the ‘Dragon Keng’. There is another hall, two halls, and dozens of other houses!

Before the hall, a colorful shed was built to welcome pilgrims. The eaves were stacked and the ridges stood up, just like the guideway in front of the Dragon Palace. Looking further into the hall, the Dragon Prince sat in the south, with his eyes shining, overlooking the lower realm, and behind him was a shading of mountains and shadows, which guided the feng shui of the mountains.

There are two statues next to it, with the Turtle Prime Minister on the left, holding a pair of golden hammers in his hand, giving advice to the Dragon Prince; the Yaksha Ghost on the right, holding three steel forks tightly, responsible for patrolling the four seas. There are countless shrimp soldiers and crab generals on the walls around the hall, which are bizarre and lifelike!

On the altar in front of the coloring shed, there were three great tributes of cows, sheep, pigs, and many chickens, ducks, fish, noodles, snacks, etc., which were stacked more than half a person high!

Another white-haired old Taoist priest, wearing a lotus crown, wearing a Bagua fairy clothes, holding an Yin-Yang Peach Wood Sword, leading dozens of disciples and grandchildren, jumping and chanting Taoist rain prayer:

"Taiyuan Hao's thunder and fire spirit, formed yin and gathered yang to guard the thunder city,

Guan Bo's wind and fire climbed the Yuanting Court, and his work style was provoked and his ghosts were raised.

The Lord ordered the public to go quickly.

The sun is raining in an instant, driving the dragon and lightning out of Xuanhong,

I am now pursuing the mantra and moving quickly. This is the name of the Jade Emperor. Those who dare to refuse will be punished will be punished as soon as possible. I will be urgent and follow the rules!"

…………

"Blessed by Dragon Prince, it will rain soon!"

"If it doesn't rain, the crops in the fields will be over, woo!"

The people knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the Dragon Prince. Some people even started crying. Now the emperor does not work, and the official master does not work. They can only hope for the protection of the gods!

This is also the last bit of hope. If the gods are not effective, they either sit and wait for death or break a way out for life themselves, just like the grassroots heroes in history: Chen Sheng, Wu Guang, Zhang Jiao, Huang Chao...

"Boss, there are so many delicious foods, it would be great if I could take them away!"

"Don't worry, let's find a chance to start!"

Xue Yu took his friends and relied on their flexibility to pass through the dense crowds of people and entered the Dragon King Temple. Looking at the tributes on the altar, he couldn't help but drool!

In the year of a disaster, rice is as expensive as pearls, and the people have no food to eat. It is a waste to use so much chicken, duck, fish and meat to worship the Dragon Prince. It is so wasteful. It is better to worship your own Five Insect Temple, which is also a good use.

"Well, why is this guy here? There must be no good thing!"

Just as Xue Yu was thinking hard about how to get the tribute away, he accidentally discovered that there was an acquaintance not far away - Liu Datou!

Liu Datou and dozens of gentry landlords wearing silk and satin were hiding in the side hall next to him, smiling and whispering, while watching the people kneeling down, just like watching a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered!

Although I don’t know what they are saying, Xue Yu felt that there must be nothing good. This is a group of bad guys who eat people and don’t spit bones!

"Ah!--Ah!"

After reciting the rain prayer spell, the Taoists began to perform, such as oil hammer initiation, big stones on their chests, and fire rings... It is much better than those who are playing on the street, and they won a lot of cheers!

The finale was a white-haired Taoist priest. After jumping around, his eyes suddenly burst out and foamed at the mouth, claiming that his Dragon Prince was under the seat of the Sea Yasha!

At the same time, the little Taoist priests moved out a oil pan, heated it and threw it into a copper coin. The old Taoist priest used his fingers to clamp the copper coin out of the oil pan, and the two fingers were not damaged at all!

The oil-consuming temperature was extremely high. When the beef and mutton were thrown in, it was instantly fried. The old Taoist's finger was not hurt at all. The people couldn't help but believe it. This was the result of possession of the gods, and they were extremely awe in their hearts!

"The sky has drought, and there is no rain for several months, the fields have dried up and the creatures have suffered. I can't bear it, so I used the Taoist secret technique and asked for an oracle from the Dragon Prince at the cost of his ten-year life:

People are dishonest and morally corrupt.

God is furious, the wind and rain are out of order,

Want to be sweet and mould my golden body,

Call the wind and rain, and all things are reborn!

The drought in the world has been severe for several months, because people in the world do not respect gods and do not cultivate virtue. Only by remorseful and rebuilding the Dragon Prince’s temple will it rain!

I have to rebuild the temple for the Dragon Prince and reshape the golden body. I and my disciples have no choice but to do so. Unfortunately, I am short of money and powerless. I hope everyone can help you generously!”

After a moment, the old Taoist priest regained his mind, his hands trembled, and instantly "changed" an oracle to show it to the people to watch!

The little Taoist priests carried out more than a dozen large baskets, signaling the people to donate money and materials to rebuild the temple for the Dragon King, so that it could rain, otherwise the drought would continue!

"I'm afraid it will cost a lot of money to rebuild the temple for the Dragon Prince?"

"There is only a little ration money left at home. If you donate it, how can the whole family live?"

...

The people couldn't help but hesitate. In the year of a disaster, everyone was in a hurry. It was easy to kowtow to the Dragon Prince, but it was difficult to pay for it!

But if I don’t pay, I’m afraid that the Dragon Prince will blame me. If it doesn’t rain, the crops in the fields will be completely helpless. I wonder how many people will starve to death!

"I am willing to invest 500 taels of silver to rebuild the temple for the Dragon Prince!"

"I am willing to pay three hundred taels of silver!"

"And I, three hundred taels of silver, and one hundred stones of food!"

...

Just as the people were hesitating, the gentry and landlords came out and donated money and supplies. Even the stingiest Liu Datou was no exception. After taking out the silver, he waved it hard a few times and put it into the big basket in front of the altar!

Seeing that these well-known figures took the lead in donating money and supplies, the people no longer hesitated and rushed up one after another, putting the only silver and copper coins on their bodies into the basket. Some women even donated all their blond hairpins and silver earrings, almost giving away everything!

Soon, more than a dozen large baskets were filled with gold, silver and coins. The Taoists couldn't help but smile, while the gentry and landlords laughed secretly. It turned out that this was a trap set by them together!

Taking advantage of the severe drought, the Dragon King was the name of rebuilding the temple and plundering the poor people's money. Knowing that they would hesitate, they asked the gentry and landlords to take the initiative to take the lead, so that the people would have to pay.

After the money was collected, the gentry and landlords returned to the original owner. As for the money donated by the people, they only allocated a small part to decorate the temple for the Dragon Prince and pretended!

The remaining big heads, the gentry and landlords took 60% and the Taoist priests took 40% of them, all of them were included in their private pockets. Then they made the bills more beautifully, and everything was perfect!

"Bah, a group of wolves and hearts, the people are already suffering enough. You still have to plunder the people's wealth and ointment, aren't you afraid of the sky's thunder?

Even if God doesn’t deal with you, I will deal with you today. How can I eat it and how can I spit out the money and profits!"

Such a method of making money can only deceive the kind and ignorant people, but it can't deceive Xue Yu's sharp eyes. Compared with the various scams in later generations, what is in front of you is just a trick and has no technical content!

The question is, how can we expose their scam?

Go up and tell the people not to be fooled. There is no Dragon Prince in the world. Is it a natural phenomenon when thunder and rain?

I’m afraid there is something wrong with this era. The people are very superstitious. Talking about natural science to them will only be regarded as heresy, and I’m afraid they will be beaten to death!

Xue Yu cherishes his life more and does not expect that he will be recorded in history books as the first person who sacrificed his life against superstition several years later!

Since you can't go against the current, then go with the flow. Isn't it just pretending to be a fool? Isn't it? I can play, and it's better than you!

"Everyone is back, I'll do this later..., you'll do that..., be quicker, do you understand?"

"Don't worry, boss, I've been watching those geniuses for a long time. The landlords don't like it. If you have to mess with them this time, you will never be lenient!"

"What can't be ruthless? I'm talking about the tributes on the altar. I'll remember them and get more later. Let's have a big meal tonight!"

After making up his mind, Xue Yu gathered his friends together, made detailed arrangements, and then acted separately. He took out more than a dozen copper coins, pretended to be donating money, and walked towards the altar...

…………

The mantis stalks the cicada, and the oriole is behind. Just as Xue Yu and his friends are planning to leave the offering, they don’t know that there is someone else, so they hide in the dark and watch coldly!

There is a pavilion on the east side of the Dragon King Temple, where two old men are both in their fifties. One is tall, with a magnificent appearance, and a dense and long beard, like iron wire, wearing a plain robe and a black gauze wrapped around his waist. This is a sign of filial piety for his relatives!

The other one is thin and energetic, with three long beards on his forehead, full of books, wearing civilian clothes, but a golden belt is tied around his waist!

According to the Ming system: first-rank officials tied jade belts, second-rank officials tied rhinoceros belts, third-rank officials tied gold lollipop belts, fourth-rank officials tied gold lollipop belts, fifth-rank officials tied silver lollipop belts, and sixth-rank officials tied silver lollipop belts!

From this we can infer that the thin old man is not an ordinary person, but a third-rank high-rank official, whose identity is quite prominent. You must know that the prefect of Hejian Prefecture is only from the fourth-rank!

If Xue Yu was here, he would definitely be shocked, because this thin old man was the one who gave him the money before, and his real identity was Yang He, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of War of the Ming Dynasty!
Chapter completed!