Chapter 82 The Immortal in the Hermitage (25) I called you over.

Yu Qi smiled and gestured for silence. Jiu Li quickly shut up. Hearing outside, he heard Chen Jia, who seemed to have just woken up from her afternoon nap, asking the little nun for tea. There was still no movement in Granny Chen's room. Since Jiu Li returned to the temple yesterday, she hadn't seen her at all, and her guest room was always closed.

As Jiuli sat down, she whispered, "According to Madam Gu, ever since your accident, she's been like a frightened person, and she's simply shut herself in her room and won't go out. She even has the little nun bring her meals to her room. I think she's acting out of guilt, and she's probably the one who poisoned your tea."

“That’s not the most important thing right now.” Yu Qi put down his teacup, looked up at the skylight, stood on the table, leaped up, grabbed the beam, swung his body and flipped onto the beam, then covered the glazed tiles with them, before landing lightly on the ground. He clapped his hands leisurely, sat back down, and asked, “Have Jingzhen and the others made any moves?”

She hurriedly fetched a handkerchief for him, rested her arms on the table, and tilted her head, "They only managed to coax the old lady away at noon, they can't possibly come up with a way to subdue me so quickly, can they? Do I look like someone who can be easily manipulated?"

Yu Qi smiled gently, stood up and slowly paced around. “No matter how strong you are, you are still a woman after all. They are women themselves, and they have lived many years in this world. They know very well the difficulties of women, especially a young orphan girl. Naturally, they know how to deal with such a woman.”

Jiuli understood, so even with Xu Bai and Zhang Da guarding the place, he was still worried and wanted to come and guard it himself.

That's good. In the current situation, he can't let others see him. He can only stay in this room with her. He doesn't know how many days they'll stay. Anyway, he can't hide anymore. She rested her cheek on her hand and smiled with her lips pursed.

Yu Qi turned around and saw her smiling absentmindedly, guessing what she was thinking at that moment. He had come under the guise of "protecting" her, and he was only forced to share a room with her. He had finally shaken off a "necessary" pressure, and felt a rare sense of ease and joy in his heart at her "devotion".

Suddenly hearing a knock on the door, Jiuli quickly composed herself and exchanged a glance with Yuqi. He immediately moved the canopy bed out of the way and hid it in a crack in the wall, while she busied herself pouring the half-eaten cup of tea he had left into a flowerpot, tapping the empty cup on the tea tray, and straightening her clothes as she went to open the door.

To her surprise, it was Youjun standing at the door. Jiuli was stunned for a moment, then quickly greeted her, "Auntie, what brings you here today?"

It turned out that Madam Gu had sent a messenger to deliver a message to Youjun last night, saying that there had been a series of murders at Qinglian Temple and that it was no longer safe to stay there. She asked Youjun to send a carriage to pick her up. Youjun was shocked to learn that Yu Qi had been poisoned to death. She immediately set up a carriage and went to the Yu family's house. When she arrived at the gate, she found the Yu family's house completely calm and quiet. She didn't hear any crying. She figured that the news was probably inaccurate and decided not to go in to inquire rashly. So she silently got into the carriage and went home.

I got up early this morning and went to the yamen to ask Lord Yan. When I saw Lord Yan stammering and looking hesitant, I guessed that there was a trap. After coming to Qinglian Temple to ask about Madam Gu's recent affairs, I thought about it and became more and more convinced that this was a trap. It seems that Yu Qi has finally discovered the dirty tricks of Qinglian Temple.

Instead, he told Madam Gu, "I think this matter is not simple. Madam, don't ask anything or say anything. Just pack your things and come with me. It's important to get out of this troublesome place."

Madam Gu shared the same sentiment and hurriedly closed the door. "However, I feel a little embarrassed. Mr. Yu had gone to great lengths to treat my child, and now that I've moved out, I'm leaving Miss Jiuli alone in this temple—this Qinglian Temple is no ordinary place. And their old lady left at noon too. Old people just can't handle things and can't resist being tricked."

“That’s their Yu family’s business.” Youjun understood and smiled nonchalantly. “These things have nothing to do with you. You’re just a pilgrim. It’s neither your business nor your responsibility. There are still many officials guarding here. You can just move to my house and wait for Master Gu to come and pick you up after he finishes his business in Jinan.”

Although Madam Gu still had some questions after hearing these words, she understood a bit more. She thought to herself that there must be some hidden story behind Yu Qi's death, and she was afraid that she might say something wrong here and get in the way of other people's business. Therefore, she hurriedly instructed the maid to pack up the gifts.

Youjun got up and said she wanted to go to Jiuli's room to take a look. She looked Jiuli over and saw that although she was dressed in plain clothes and her eyes were red, she did not seem to be in a state of grief. She smiled and stepped into the room. Without asking about Yu Qi, she said, "With so many things happening at Qinglian Temple, it is difficult to stay peacefully anymore. So I came today to invite Madam Gu to stay at my house."

Although she didn't ask about Yu Qi, she seemed to smell his presence in the room. She glanced around the room but didn't see him, so she turned back and asked, "Didn't Du Zhong come?"

Jiuli closed the door, feeling awkward at being seen through. "He's at home taking care of his uncle's funeral arrangements."

Youjun smiled faintly, "Please accept my condolences."

Who would smile and tell someone to grieve? Jiu Li figured she was probably quite sensible. She had originally intended to use Qinglian Temple as a prison, keeping it a secret from the people inside. She was out and about every day, and being an extremely intelligent woman, she could easily tell the truth from the falsehood. No wonder she wasn't saddened by Yu Qi's passing.

"It's good that Auntie took Madam Gu away. This temple is in a mess right now, and it's not a place for worshipping Buddha."

Youjun put her hand on her shoulder and glanced to the north. "I know that the young master of the Chen family is also here. He always relies on his family's power and acts lawlessly. You two live under the same roof, so you will inevitably have to deal with each other. Be very careful."

Jiuli was puzzled. "Does Auntie know him too?"

"I don't know her, but I've heard of her." Youjun smiled. "I'm leaving now. After things are settled here, I'll go to your house to visit the old lady."

As Madam Gu finished tidying up, she also came to say goodbye. Jiuli saw her off to the corridor, then went back to her room, closed the door, and went behind the bed to say, "I think Aunt Guan seems to have guessed that we are faking it here. Will she go out and spread rumors?"

Yu Qi emerged from behind the bed, shaking his head with a smile. "No, Guan Youjun isn't one to meddle, and besides, this matter isn't related to her interests. I think she already knew about Qinglian Temple's schemes and that Chen Jia was her backer, which is why she was so cryptic earlier. Now that she sees we know too, she's just giving us a heads-up to do us a favor."

How did she know about Qinglian Temple?

"There's nothing strange about it. She often socializes with those big businessmen. There must be some rumors about this among them."

Jiuli pouted, "Why didn't she tell us sooner, making us worry about it?"

“She must have heard that this business is run by the Chen brothers. If she told us about it, wouldn’t that offend the Chen brothers? And it wouldn’t do her any good either. She certainly wouldn’t do something that would be a losing proposition.”

"Although it doesn't do her any good, to see injustice and pretend not to see it, that person's heart is too cold." After Jiu Li finished speaking, she thought of Guan Zhan and no longer found him strange, so she shook her head and laughed to herself.

Yu Qi walked over to the table and, seeing that she was looking rather downcast, casually offered some words of comfort: "You can't expect everyone to be as public-spirited as you."

Jiuli smiled and said, "Aren't you going to say I'm a busybody?"

He smiled and remained silent, watching her for a while. "Your mother is just like you, but she is more composed than you. After all, she is someone who often moves around in the palace."

Jiuli lay on the table, grinning as she looked at him. "You said you never liked my mother, but look at you, you seem to know her temper like the back of your hand."

His expression suddenly turned serious, and he scoffed, "Stop talking nonsense!"

She chuckled inwardly and muttered to herself, "What a stubborn old man who can't even take a joke!"

Yu Qi glanced at her and saw the disdain on her face. Just as he was about to defend himself, she quickly covered her ears and rested her chin on the table. "Here we go again. It was just a joke. Don't try to reason with me."

He smiled helplessly, stroking her messy hair. "Alright, let's not talk about logic, let's get down to business. Have you found any clues in Huixin's case?"

Jiuli then recounted Jingyue's words and the tire tracks found on the other side of the pond in detail, and continued, "The man Jingyue described is similar in appearance and build to the old lady at Lion Bridge. I think they are the same person. This man also went to Lion Bridge to see Miaohua, so Xubai, Brother Zhang, and I all think that Miaohua is involved in these cases. However, I asked Jingyue, and she said that although Miaohua is somewhat aloof and doesn't pay much attention to the younger nuns, she has always had a good relationship with Yi, Ci, Lian, and Huixin, and hasn't made any enemies. So why do you think she would instruct that man to kill several of her close fellow nuns?"

"The rest are just guesses. The first thing we need to find out is the tire tracks. You said you'd never noticed that path before?"

"Yes, I was wandering around that lotus pond a few days ago and I didn't see it. It was hidden by the reeds. It's clear that the murderer was very familiar with the terrain around Qinglian Temple."

“Indeed, this can also be seen from the case of Liao Yi.” Yu Qi pondered for a moment, then murmured softly, “Jing Yue said she saw a man at night, and he disappeared in a flash—”

Jiuli nodded repeatedly, "Yes, it's clear that he's very familiar with Qinglian Temple. He was able to hide there so well in the dead of night that the nuns searched for him for a long time but couldn't find him."

He rubbed his forehead. "Today I wanted to sneak into Qinglian Temple, so I looked around carefully, but there was nowhere to hide. The walls are very high, and there is nowhere to climb. If this person is skilled in martial arts, like me, and came from the bamboo forest behind, it won't be so easy for him to run away. He will definitely make a commotion, and his tracks will not go unnoticed."

"Isn't that right? I also found it strange. That night, Jingzhen ordered people to search all the halls and rooms in the temple carefully. Only after confirming that no living person was found did she dare to let everyone sleep. That person disappeared into thin air like a ghost. No one could find a trace of him. That's why we said that Jingyue was seeing things."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door. Xu Bai asked from outside, "Yu'er, are you awake?"

Yu Qi didn't need to hide, but then he thought that he should take this opportunity to listen to what he and Jiu Li were saying in private, so he hid behind the canopy bed.

Jiuli went to open the door, welcomed Xubai in, and then closed the door again. "Where's Brother Zhang? Why are you the only one who came back?"

“Zhang Da is still leading people around the streets, going door to door asking about what happened the night before. I also asked a few families, but I was worried about leaving you alone in the temple, so I came back early.” Xu Bai walked to the table and sat down, looking up at her. “Didn’t those old nuns bother you?”

Jiuli smiled and shook her head, "No."

Where is Chen Jia?

"I just heard him asking the little nun for tea in the room, but now he's acting like he didn't hear a thing." Jiuli sat down, not telling him that Yu Qi was in the room. Since Yu Qi wanted to hear their private conversation, then so be it. Anyway, it was him who was secretly annoyed.

Xu Bai noticed her hair was a little messy from sleeping, her eyes were slightly red, and with that casual smile on her face, she looked like a newly opened flower, fragile yet vibrant. He was immediately captivated, and his voice softened unconsciously, as if he were whispering, "I just saw Guan Youjun's carriage on the street. I suppose she's here to pick up Madam Gu?"

Jiuli nodded and poured him a cup of tea. "She didn't ask anything. She probably figured something out and was afraid of delaying the yamen's business."

“She’s outside Qinglian Temple, so it’s not hard to find out the truth.” Xu Bai lowered his eyelids slightly, then looked up and smiled. “However, I think she’s particularly sensible not because she’s afraid of messing up the government affairs, but because she’s afraid of messing up Mr. Yu’s affairs.”

She feigned ignorance, "What's the difference? Isn't what Uncle needs to do just government business?"

Xu Bai smiled again, "The difference is huge."

It seemed everyone could see that Youjun had some ulterior motives towards Yuqi, and she was displeased. "Do you think Aunt Guan and my uncle are a good match?"

Xu Bai smiled but did not answer. After a moment of silence, he said, "That's their business. We juniors shouldn't interfere. I advise you not to get involved either. Let's just mind our own business. Once the case at Qinglian Temple is closed, I'll send someone to your house to propose marriage."

Jiuli laughed, "Aren't you afraid that my uncle won't agree, and your Qi family will lose face?"

He placed his hand on the back of her hand and gently held it. "As long as you're willing, I won't lose face. And if you persist, Mr. Yu will eventually give in to you."

"What if my uncle definitely disagrees?"

"Don't worry, I've already written to my old friends in the capital to inquire about Aunt Quan's past. They will definitely find your biological father for you, and then your marriage will naturally be decided by him."

This "old friend" must be King Zhao. She didn't say anything, but just chuckled, her laughter as light and cheerful as a parrot's song. It drifted into Yu Qi's ears, but it seemed to ignite a fire in his chest.

It wasn't that easy. Quan Shanheng was a master of deception; even after living in her residence all those years ago, he hadn't noticed a single clue. Although he didn't take these words to heart, hearing Xu Bai resort to such extreme measures was enough to infuriate him. What a cunning scheme! Not only did he want to take Jiu Li away, but he even tried to seize his right to advocate for her!

He gritted his teeth, about to slip out, when he heard Zhang Da knock and come in, pushing the two doors wide open. "Why are you keeping the doors closed in this sweltering heat?"

He came in wiping his sweat as he spoke, then sat down on a stool. “I’ve asked every household on the street, but it rained the night before last, and nobody heard anything. I think it’s a waste of time. Asking these people is like looking for a needle in a haystack. We should go back to the yamen and send people out to search the whole city for Miaohua’s whereabouts. Once we find her, we won’t have to worry about not finding her lover.”

Xu Baisi nodded, "That's the only way. After dinner, go back to the yamen and do it. First, check the city gate pass, just in case she escapes from the city."

After Zhang Da finished his tea, a young nun came to call him for dinner. Jiu Li, however, was worried that if she ate in the dining hall, Yu Qi would go hungry in the room. So she said she was too lazy to go to the dining hall and asked the young nun to bring the food to her room, adding, "Bring more, I'm starving."

Upon hearing this, Xu Bai glanced into the room, a suspicion creeping into his mind, but he didn't show it on his face and went out with Zhang Da.

After everyone left, as soon as she closed the door, Yu Qi came out with a stern face. "Now that's settled, someone wants to find your relatives. What use is your uncle? I don't think I need to stay here to guard you anymore. Just call your biological parents."

Jiuli chuckled and quickly feigned innocence, "No kindness in giving birth can compare to the kindness in raising one. I only respect you in my heart. So, will you agree to our marriage?"

"No discussion!"

She gave a slight shrug. "So, what's your plan when he says he wants to come to our house to propose marriage?"

"The Qi family isn't afraid of losing face and becoming known throughout the streets and alleys, so they just come." He sneered as he walked over to the couch and sat down, glancing sideways at the screen outside. "Come here."

Jiuli walked hesitantly to the bottom of the screen, then refused to go any further.

"I called you over."

She remained standing there, turned to the side, and raised her hand to fiddle with the diamond pattern on the screen, glancing at him with a grin.

Yu Qi was furious. He felt a surge of anger coursing through his body and couldn't suppress it, so he leaned down and pulled her.

With a sudden pull, she fell into his arms, and in her haste, she looked at him and smiled, "It's not that I'm clinging to you, it's that you're the one who pulled me."

He was about to push her away, but for some reason he didn't. Instead, he pressed her down onto his lap, grabbing her wrist with one hand. "You won't stop until you're driven mad, will you?"

She rolled her eyes dismissively. "Who told you to hide and listen to us talk? You knew that, didn't you? Aren't you just asking for trouble?"

"You mouth—"

He was so flustered and confused that he didn't know what to say to her, so he bit her lips. He knew all along that some things shouldn't be started, because once they are, they can't be stopped, and he felt extremely guilty. But she was still laughing, which made him even angrier, so he simply stuck the tip of his tongue into her mouth, trying to seal that light, cheerful laughter.

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Author's note: Thank you for reading.