In the middle of the night, just as Qi Su was fast asleep, hugging her blanket, she was suddenly woken up by someone pushing her awake.
"What are you sleeping for? Get up right now!"
The room was dark, but the moonlight outside was hazy. By the light shining in from the door, Qi Su could see clearly that the little nun Jing Rou was standing at the head of her bed.
Seeing that she was awake, Jingrou crossed her arms and stared at her coldly.
"Let's go to Huatan Temple."
...Going on a date?
Qi Su: "Isn't it too early? Isn't it past midnight?"
Jingrou brandished the dagger and cursed, "Just go when I tell you to, what are you talking about?"
Qi Su, wrapped in a thick cotton coat, followed Jing Rou out of Qingyun Nunnery.
The cold moon peeked out from behind the thin clouds, illuminating the bare jujube trees inside the temple and casting shadows of varying shades.
Even at night, Qingyun Nunnery usually has nuns on night watch, who are more alert than the dogs guarding the courtyard.
But despite their loud opening of the door today, the nunnery didn't react much.
The Embroidered Robe Envoy is indeed formidable.
…
Following the pale moonlight, the two made their way back to Huatan Temple from the back of the mountain.
As they approached the side gate of the temple, Jingrou pulled a bundle from the woods along the mountain path and tossed it to Qi Su.
"Change your clothes."
It's a set of clothes for a young novice monk.
The bluish-gray monk's hat was just enough to cover her hair.
Faced with Jingrou's threat, "If you don't wear it, you'll get a beating," Qi Su quickly changed her clothes.
Jingrou picked up the clothes she had changed out of and pointed to the side gate of Huatan Temple not far away.
"Go ahead, the door isn't locked."
Qi Su asked curiously, "Aren't you coming with me? How can you know how infatuated that upright and virtuous Buddhist monk is with me in private if you don't see it for yourself?"
Jingrou glanced at her.
"I have other things to do, go by yourself. For your own safety, don't try anything funny, there are people in the temple watching you."
Qi Su clapped her hands.
"Don't worry. Tonight, Dao Ci will definitely be unable to resist me!"
.
Qi Su sneaked into Huatan Temple. The temple was quiet and deserted after nightfall, and the moonlight stretched out at her feet like frost.
She certainly didn't want to have a midnight rendezvous with a monk.
I was thinking of looking for an opportunity to escape from this dilapidated temple.
The young widow was already physically weak, and after surviving the drowning, her health deteriorated even further.
Qi Su is now so weak and powerless that she gets out of breath even if she walks a little faster, let alone experience overwhelming power.
Keeping them in a nunnery, where they never see any meat, how long will they live?
It would be best to take this opportunity to change locations.
Just then, a name suddenly popped into my mind, followed by a sharp pain in my chest.
...The young widow's aunt was still being held captive by the Embroidered Robe Envoy.
Qi Su's face was pale, and she was sweating profusely.
I didn't say I wouldn't save your aunt, but you need to recover first, right?
While communicating with the lingering spirit of the original owner, a hand suddenly reached out from under the wall.
"Junior Brother Jingkong, what are you doing here? Master said that we are to inspect the lights and candles in each hall tonight. Come with me quickly."
Without waiting for Qi Su's reaction, the man grabbed her wrist and dragged her to his side.
Qi Su didn't know if this person was the contact Jing Rou had mentioned, and she didn't dare to say anything since she had been pulled aside.
The man dragged Qi Su along as they walked into the temple.
“Master Daoci is still waiting. Let’s hurry up and not keep him waiting.”
Okay, that's confirmed.
This is the contact person.
Qi Su could no longer utter a sound.
That's all.
Whether you recuperate or not, it's all the same; so be it if things go slowly.
At least living in Qingyun Nunnery, one could play the seduction game with the monks and avoid getting bored.
Thinking this way, the lingering regret in my heart gradually subsided.
“Master Daoci’s monastery is a quiet place, and outsiders are not allowed to enter. Fortunately, the Master is organizing the scriptures in the Sutra Repository tonight, so let’s go there now.”
The bronze wind chimes hanging outside the library rang out with a clear, melodious sound in the dark night.
Although Huatan Temple is ancient, this scripture hall has been renovated to be spacious.
The two were stopped outside the library.
The one who stopped them was Qingyan, a young novice monk who served Daoci.
He stood in front of the door with a stern face and a staff in his hand.
"The monks are reading scriptures inside; no one is allowed to enter."
The monk who brought Qi Su over immediately turned his gaze to her, watching to see how she would act.
Qi Su stepped forward confidently.
“Little Master, it was Master Daoci who sent me.”
Qingyan's expression changed. "You're talking nonsense!"
Qi Su's round eyes curved into crescents, and her breath was as sweet as orchids.
“Little Master, it really was the Master who sent me.” She leaned closer, her voice extremely low, making sure only the two of them could hear.
"It concerns the Gu worm on his body; it's very important."
Qingyan's expression changed drastically.
How did she know?
Qi Su smiled and said, "You don't want everyone to know about the sorcerer's secret, do you?"
Qingyan: "You wait here while I go and consult the Dharma Master."
He hurriedly pushed the door open and went in, and came out shortly after.
Her small face was tense and expressionless.
"Master Daoci has something to ask you. Go in. Remember, do not offend him."
Qi Su smiled and curtsied.
"Thank you, young master."
As Qi Su crossed the threshold, she seemed to sense something and looked up outside.
Outside the library, lights were on in the two-story monks' quarters not far away.
The window was half-open, revealing several figures.
.
"Is that the girl?"
The window sash was closed.
A white-faced, beardless old man, wrapped in a thick fox fur cloak, sat down again in front of the charcoal brazier.
Beside him, a young embroidered maid bent down and considerately covered the ash cover of the charcoal brazier.
If Qi Su were here, she would recognize him at a glance.
This man was the same embroidered-clothes envoy who had appeared in Jincheng that day at the young widow's in-laws' house.
Eunuch Wang didn't even lift his eyelids.
"I've heard that back in the capital, this Third Lady Qi had some connection with the Prince of Qishan?"
It refers to that old story of the Buddhist monk's infatuation with Qi San Niangzi.
Jingrou, who was standing to the side, also perked up her ears.
Qin Shang laughed and said, "It's just a rumor, there's no concrete evidence."
After saying that, Eunuch Wang's face turned cold.
Qin Shang: "But the Embroidered Robe Envoy found out that when Dao Ci was in the capital, he did indeed instruct his people to investigate matters related to Miss Qi, and not just once. It seems that he still has some unusual feelings for this Miss Qi."
Eunuch Wang could use the names of the former Dao Ci dynasty, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Eunuch Wang nodded.
"Given his aloof nature, this is quite a sign of favor. In that case, let her give it a try. His Highness Prince Qishan is of marriageable age, why would he want to be a monk? Fortunately, there's still some time before the New Year, so let's hope he changes his mind about becoming a monk, so we can report back to him."
Qin merchant: "We will do our utmost to assist you, sir."
…
Embroidered clothes led the two out of the monk's room until the lights upstairs were gradually obscured by the wind and snow.
Jingrou finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked with a pout:
"Since His Majesty dislikes Dao Ci, why not just kill him and be done with it? Why go through all this trouble?"
Qin Shang tapped her on the forehead.
"If they could be killed, would they have been kept alive until today? No need for further questions, just do your job well."
Jingrou frowned.
"Is that young widow really meeting Dao Ci tonight? I'd rather believe you're a woman than believe Dao Ci arranged a secret rendezvous with her."
This time, Qin Shang gave her a hard tap on the forehead.
"Whether it's true or not, the fact that Dao Ci is willing to see her tonight is her own merit."
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