Chapter 55: Chopped Chili Fish Head (Part 6)
Zhang Lao Wu had been to Goryeo?
Leng Yue was momentarily stunned, but Jing Yi was even more astonished.
Zhang Lao Wu had gained fame throughout the capital decades ago for his porcelain-making skills, but he had quietly faded from public view even before Jing Yi was born.
From the time Jing Yi could remember, Zhang Lao Wu existed only in street rumors. Everything about him was pieced together bit by bit only after Jing Yi developed an interest in elegant objects like porcelain.
If not for accidentally saving Zhang Lao Wu on the street three years ago, Jing Yi would have been like most people in the capital, believing the long-vanished Porcelain King of the capital had long turned to dust.
However, though Jing Yi knew Zhang Lao Wu was still alive, he never mentioned it to anyone over these three years, nor did he ever visit him personally.
Jing Yi appreciated elegant objects, but unlike ordinary connoisseurs, his fondness was purely for the objects themselves. Even if he cherished something so much he wouldn't let go of it while eating or sleeping, he wouldn't easily bother the artisan who created it.
This was like how after marrying one's beloved wife, treating her well is far more meaningful than constantly visiting her parents' home to show devotion.
Therefore, Jing Yi neither knew nor cared to find out where Zhang Lao Wu had been or what he had done during his disappearance.
But if Zhang Lao Wu had truly gone to Goryeo...
Before Jing Yi could finish his sharp intake of breath, Leng Yue had already recovered from her shock.
Prince An had kept Zhang Lao Wu's case secret both internally and externally, likely because of this connection to Goryeo.
For a common Han Chinese to have contact with a young Goryeo prince, and to be so admired that the prince still wanted to become his disciple years later—one could easily imagine how close Zhang Lao Wu must have been to the Goryeo royal family.
Though Leng Yue didn't understand much about official politics, she possessed the basic sensitivity of a public servant. When it came to matters she truly shouldn't know about, she would decisively suppress her curiosity without hesitation.
Just as Leng Yue was calculating how likely it was that the aromatic food in the lunchbox could distract Wang Tuo from the Zhang Lao Wu matter, Wang Tuo spoke again with a tearful voice.
"And... the forty-nine days aren't over yet. His grandson will return. He wouldn't kill himself."
Leng Yue was initially confused, but when she heard Jing Yi chant "Amitabha Buddha" slowly behind her, she suddenly understood.
Goryeo deeply believed in Buddhism, which taught that the deceased would reincarnate only after forty-nine days. During this period, the spirit would return to visit family every seven days, never to return after the forty-ninth day.
Many commoners in the capital believed in Buddhism, and burying the deceased after forty-nine days had become customary.
Wang Tuo's words made sense.
If Zhang Lao Wu had been so devastated by losing his grandson that he killed himself by crashing into the coffin, the moment he learned of Zhang Chong's death should have been the most painful and helpless. Yet he hadn't taken his own life then—instead, he soberly brought his grandson's coffin to the capital's most popular temple to perform Buddhist rituals for his salvation. So why would he commit suicide before waiting the full forty-nine days to properly bury his only living relative?Such suspicions might escape the notice of Jing Zhaoyin, but placed before Prince An, they would likely stand out more glaringly than nails.
What Leng Yue was pondering, Jing Yi could guess seventy to eighty percent without even looking at her face, yet Wang Tuo stared directly at her countenance without discerning anything at all.
In Wang Tuo's eyes, Leng Yue at this moment truly resembled a temple Bodhisattva—both wore serene expressions and remained utterly silent.
Thus, without waiting for her to speak, Wang Tuo lifted his head, straightened his chest, and declared word by word, "Bodhisattva, I will find the one who killed the Porcelain King."
Leng Yue's serene face abruptly stiffened, the smile vanishing completely.
Seeing her change in expression, Wang Tuo hastily rose from the ground, rushed to the table in a swift stride, grabbed the stack of papers Jing Yi had just written, and hurried back. Kneeling properly before Leng Yue, he respectfully presented the pages with both hands.
"Tomorrow, I will definitely find them. I beg for the Bodhisattva's blessing!"
Jing Yi inwardly smiled wryly. He had written for so long yet hadn't realized that these seemingly chaotic questions had nothing to do with copying scriptures but were extremely useful for investigating the case...
As a Dali Temple Junior Minister who made his living solving cases, he hadn't thought of this—how could any of these monks have considered it?
Leng Yue casually flipped through a few pages, and her expression actually softened considerably.
Not just because of Jing Yi's pleasing handwriting.
But also because even if Wang Tuo could read all the monks' answers overnight, his proficiency in Chinese wasn't sufficient to understand their literary and convoluted sentences.
Even if Wang Tuo could comprehend them, his skills probably weren't enough to detect the flaws in those sentences.
Even if Wang Tuo had such ability, the possibility of a temple monk being the murderer was only fifty percent, and the chance of the monk remaining in the temple after killing was merely half of that.
Therefore, seeing Wang Tuo use such a method to find the culprit, Leng Yue felt much more at ease.
"Alright," Leng Yue said, returning the papers to Wang Tuo with her serene expression restored. "You investigate. I'll bless you."
Wang Tuo carefully took the stack of papers, gazing at Leng Yue with devout eyes, and uttered words that nearly provoked Jing Yi to break the precept against killing.
"Bodhisattva, can you bestow true energy upon the Porcelain King?"
Leng Yue swiftly stepped on Jing Yi's foot, firmly blocking him behind her, and replied with an unchanged expression, "This matter... is no trivial affair. I must return and consult with the Buddha."
Jing Yi wanted to laugh. If not for the throbbing pain in his toes from Leng Yue's step, he really wouldn't have been able to hold back.
His wife was really getting into the role of a Bodhisattva...
"Thank you, Bodhisattva!"
"However," Leng Yue said, watching Wang Tuo who was nearly moved to tears, sternly and slowly adding, "I must say this in advance: not a single word about seeing me here tonight is to be spread."
Wang Tuo meticulously kowtowed to Leng Yue. "Yes."
"And," Leng Yue pulled Jing Yi from behind her to the front, pushing him toward Wang Tuo, "before I return, you must obey this master in all matters."
Seeing a flicker of reluctance in Wang Tuo's brow, Leng Yue immediately lengthened her face further. "If you show disrespect to this master, I will ensure your entire Goryeo has nothing but cabbage to eat for generations."
Wang Tuo hurriedly agreed.
Jing Yi's toes still ached, but his heart was nearly sweet enough to crystallize sugar.
His wife would truly do anything for him...Leng Yue slowly let out a breath.
She hadn’t planned to leave so early, but after the sudden commotion, staying any longer would likely draw the attention of the temple’s monks.
If Jing Yi were to tell the monks she was the Food-Delivery Goddess of Mercy, they might very well ask the two of them to deliver food to the goddess together.
With Wang Tuo still dazed, it was better to leave early.
Just as Leng Yue was about to say that it was getting late and if she didn’t return soon, the Buddha would fall asleep, Wang Tuo’s door was abruptly pushed open.
Leng Yue froze.
Being seen was one thing, but what was truly alarming was that the newcomer’s martial arts were so refined that she hadn’t detected even the faintest sound of footsteps approaching the door.
There was actually such a master within Anguo Temple.
Out of respect for the sanctity of the temple, Leng Yue had not brought her sword when she came. Now, she instinctively clenched her fists.
After his initial shock, Jing Yi recognized the person who had entered and stared in surprise.
“Senior Brother Shenxiu?”
Shenxiu also seemed taken aback by the scene in the room. After a moment of staring at Leng Yue, whose aura was thick with killing intent, he suddenly knelt, bowing to her from five steps away.
“Disciple Shenxiu pays respects to the Bodhisattva.”
“...!”
Jing Yi’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
Leng Yue was stunned for a moment before silently glancing behind her to confirm that no bodhisattva had miraculously appeared. Suppressing the urge to lose her mind, she calmly said, “Well... you’ve come at the right time. The Buddha asked me to relay a message to both of you. Come with me outside to discuss it.”
Shenxiu’s demeanor was even calmer than Jing Yi’s muttered “Amitabha.”
All three of them leaped out through the window using qinggong, appearing to Wang Tuo as if they had vanished into thin air.
Once outside Wang Tuo’s room, Shenxiu took the lead, with Leng Yue and Jing Yi following closely behind.
Shenxiu led them all the way to his own room, lit a lamp with a wave of his hand, and clasped his hands together, bowing slightly to Leng Yue with a gentle smile. “Benefactor Leng, this humble monk has offended you.”
Leng Yue was startled. Her willow-leaf eyebrows arched slightly, and her already tense fists clenched even tighter. “You know me?”
Shenxiu smiled serenely, calmly glancing at Jing Yi, who stood beside Leng Yue with a slight frown. “I do not, but this humble monk knew that Benefactor Leng would surely come.”
With Shenxiu speaking so frankly, Jing Yi decided to throw caution to the wind as well.
Jing Yi took a step forward, subtly shielding Leng Yue halfway behind him. “My wife came to visit me. I can entertain her myself. There’s no need to trouble you, Senior Brother.”
Shenxiu looked at Jing Yi, whose expression held a hint of displeasure, and smiled as he chanted a Buddhist invocation. “You should have a proper place to entertain your wife. I’ve already prepared the room. As a monastic, I do not speak falsely—my bed truly isn’t uncomfortable to sleep on.”
Jing Yi was utterly dumbfounded.
In that moment of shock, Shenxiu had already started walking toward the door.
“Wait a moment.”
Leng Yue unceremoniously called out to stop him. Shenxiu showed no annoyance, calmly halting and turning back to face her, softly chanting another Buddhist invocation.
“Who are you?”
Shenxiu smiled faintly, speaking as gently as one would to a child. “This humble monk is a monastic.”
“...”
Leng Yue picked up a stool, raising it to a position from which she could easily strike no matter where Shenxiu dodged. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. “I know I can’t defeat you, but you heard everything we just discussed. I can’t let you walk out of here just like that.”Shenxiu frowned with some difficulty. "Amitabha... This humble monk has no issue staying here, but I fear Benefactor Leng won't be able to enjoy herself fully. Wouldn't that make her trip here in vain?"
"..."
If Jing Yi hadn't rushed between them in one swift step, Leng Yue would have truly thrown the stool.
Facing Leng Yue, Jing Yi spread his arms in a T-pose to block her from Shenxiu, wearing a pained expression. "Darling, calm down, calm down... If you throw that stool, regardless of whether it hits him or not, every monk in this entire temple will come running out!"
Peering over Jing Yi's shoulder at Leng Yue's face flushing red then pale, Shenxiu calmly chanted a Buddhist invocation. "My junior brother speaks wisely."
For a moment, Leng Yue felt like smacking both these handsome baldheads all the way to the Western Pure Land with one stool.
Seeing Leng Yue's expression change, Jing Yi quickly turned around to face Shenxiu, still in a T-pose to shield Leng Yue behind him. "Don't agree with me! I'm not on your side!"
"..."
Leng Yue took a deep breath.
She really felt like smacking herself to death with the stool instead...
"Benefactor Leng," Shenxiu said with a slightly brighter smile, nodding toward Leng Yue's exceptionally complicated expression with a face full of compassion. "Please rest assured, this humble monk heard nothing just now."
Before Leng Yue could speak, Jing Yi grew anxious.
"Brother, big brother, dear brother... Either say nothing at all, or say something substantial! That whole 'form is emptiness, emptiness is form; nothingness is existence, existence is nothingness' philosophy—my wife doesn't believe in that!"
Shenxiu's smile deepened as he raised a palm and gently shook his head. "Not so."
"..."
Jing Yi felt like crying.
He knew his wife's temper better than anyone. If she were truly provoked, never mind being in a temple—even in the heavenly palace she wouldn't hesitate to fight.
If his wife really started a fight in Anguo Temple, he couldn't just stand by without helping her. But if he actually helped his wife fight in a temple...
Jing Yi didn't dare imagine how Master Jing would kill him afterward.
"Benefactor Leng," Shenxiu said calmly, looking at Leng Yue who held a stool with a dark expression. "This humble monk passed by the courtyard where the Goryeo prince resides and heard unusual movements inside. When I approached, I sensed someone with profound martial skills within. Fearing the Goryeo prince might have met with misfortune, I rashly entered. As for your previous conversation, I truly knew nothing of it."
Every word Shenxiu spoke was true, Jing Yi could tell, but...
"If you didn't know what we were talking about before, why did you suddenly call her a bodhisattva?"
"No matter how foolish the Goryeo prince may be, he is still the Goryeo prince. In our dynasty's territory, aside from His Majesty the Emperor, only buddhas and bodhisattvas are worthy of his kneeling..." Shenxiu glanced at Jing Yi with a look one gives a foolish child and sighed. "I could hardly shout 'Long live the Emperor' to Benefactor Leng, could I?"
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