All the commoners stared wide-eyed. Their own eight-month-old babies couldn't even understand human speech yet, but the little emperor was already offering incense?
"Who says the little emperor isn't the late emperor's offspring? If he weren't a dragon's son, could he be this clever?"
"Exactly."
A voice of admiration rose from the crowd, drawing nods of agreement from the people.
"Ignorant fools. The little emperor must have been trained hundreds of times. The Empress Dowager is truly ruthless, using such a young child to secure her position."
Hearing this, the crowd grew uncertain.
Had he really been trained?
If so, the Empress Dowager was heartless indeed.
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled, forcing everyone to shield their eyes with their sleeves.
Dark clouds rapidly gathered from all directions, pressing down on the city. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, an oppressive weight that chilled the heart.
Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and above the altar, a small golden dragon appeared. It hovered in midair for a moment before diving straight toward the little emperor.
The people finally reacted, dropping to their knees in terror, kowtowing and shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager!"
At that moment, a torrential rain poured from the heavens.
"It's raining."
"It's really raining."
"The Empress Dowager and the Emperor truly brought the rain."
"The Emperor is the true dragon son of heaven. I saw the little golden dragon."
"I saw it too, I saw it too."
Standing in the rain, the people wept and laughed.
The younger ones jumped for joy, while the elderly slapped their thighs and stomped their feet. Some collapsed to the ground, faces upturned to the sky, welcoming the downpour.
Shen Yunyun, standing on the mountain outside the city, saw the dark clouds pressing in. She returned to the trading hub, channeled the water from the beast world into the two large rows of water tanks in her basement, and set the exit on the mountain outside the city.
Water flowed down the mountain stream, merging into the river below.
With water, the people could soon resume their livelihoods.
The Empress Dowager watched the people reveling in the rain, her smile deepening.
Just as the National Master had said, "A blessing in disguise."
She turned to look at the National Master, who gave her a slight nod. The Empress Dowager immediately instructed her chief eunuch: "Send people to urge the people to take shelter from the rain and prepare ginger soup to ward off the cold."
"Yes."
Though it was summer and the weather was hot, being drenched by the rain could easily cause those with weaker constitutions to catch a chill.
Otherwise, a good thing might turn into a bad one.
Soon, soldiers went to urge the people to take shelter, reminding them to collect ginger soup at designated government stations later.
The people were filled with gratitude, kneeling once more to kowtow to the Empress Dowager and the little emperor.
The scene was deeply moving.
Shen Yunyun, taking shelter from the rain in the trading hub, watched the scene like a giant screen—the people kowtowing to the Empress Dowager and the little emperor—and felt a swelling warmth in her heart.
She glanced at the sweet potato seedlings in her ring space, all collected by the village head on her behalf.
She would need to discuss post-disaster reconstruction with the Empress Dowager later.
She had also brought some roasted sweet potatoes and raw ones to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager, certain it would rain today, had prepared umbrellas in advance.
When the rain began, someone immediately held an umbrella over her, so she wasn't soaked.
"Thank you, Immortal, for your help today," the Empress Dowager was saying, kowtowing to Shen Yunyun's statue in gratitude as Shen Yunyun arrived.
Shen Yunyun's mouth twitched violently. She really did think she was a deity.
"Your Highness, I only did what I could. The credit belongs to the National Master—he was the one who prayed for the rain," Shen Yunyun said.