Chapter 22 I clung to him as I went to Huayan Temple to pay respects to an old friend.
"What are you saying? How can a husband not protect his wife?"
The crowd's disgust and anger surged forth like boiling water in a pot.
Le Jin was beaming with pride on his horse.
"Shu Tai."
She called his name with a charming and seductive tone. Finally, Meng Shutai looked at her again.
This time, there was more annoyance in his gaze.
"Does my lady have any identification? If you are truly my fiancée, then I am responsible for your reckless riding at the Meng residence. But if not..."
Oh no. These words hit Le Jin like a ton of bricks, reminding her that she hadn't been smug enough.
Le Zhao and the others were in danger and couldn't help her prove anything. She then caused a huge scene and dressed herself up like a rich young lady. What should we do now?
“Madam, riding a horse recklessly in the street is one crime, damaging shops is a second crime, and committing violence is a third crime. In Luoyang, under the Emperor’s nose, the law is strict. I’m afraid we should invite Madam to prison for a visit.”
As soon as Meng Shutai finished speaking, a group of armed attendants behind the carriage immediately moved to surround Le Jin.
"Wait a moment!"
Le Jin pulled on the reins and suddenly realized that she still had Ru Yunfu.
“My black horse is a rare steed from the Western Regions; not everyone has one. You should be able to tell the difference.”
“My elder brother, Le Zhao, was attacked by bandits in the mountains outside the city. If you want to confirm my identity, just send someone to find him.”
A hint of annoyance flashed in Meng Shutai's eyes.
"Bandits outside the city?!"
"Weren't they wiped out back then? Has that group returned, or have new bandits arrived?"
Upon hearing this, people around were filled with fear, and the old panic returned.
An elderly man with a cane walked shakily to the front of Meng Shutai's carriage and bowed deeply.
"Young Master Meng, could you send someone to check outside the city? The bandits used to cause us a lot of trouble!"
"Yeah yeah……"
Meng Shutai lifted the curtain with her jade-like hand, revealing a face of unparalleled beauty that shone with sorrow, like a lotus shedding tears.
"Please rise, sir."
He ordered someone to help the old man up, and without saying a word, he took out a warrant from his pocket and handed it to his attendant: "Send men from the Meng family to search the mountains and forests outside the city for any trace of the Le family's brother-in-law. Also, send someone to inform the Prefect of the Capital that banditry has reappeared outside the city, so that they can make preparations as soon as possible."
After giving his instructions, Meng Shutai suddenly spotted Jiang Yingyun in the crowd and waved to her.
Jiang Yingyun, not understanding what was going on, lifted her skirt and ran over.
Meng Shutai leaned over and whispered, "Jingming knows you've been having some trouble lately and is waiting for you at Zuixianlou."
After delivering the message, he smiled at her gently and kindly, but when he turned to look at Le Jin, his eyes instantly darkened.
Le Jin understood what he meant; he didn't want to bother with her.
The curtains fell, and Meng Shutai parted his lips slightly: "Let's go."
While his carriage set off, the servants from the Meng family approached Le Jin, reaching out to pull her off her horse and hand her over to the authorities.
Le Jin anxiously watched Meng Shutai walk away, gritted her teeth, and took a deep breath.
The horse's hooves rose high as it charged past the attendants, eliciting gasps from the crowd.
Le Jin caught up with Meng Shutai and rode his horse alongside his carriage.
"Don't leave me behind!"
Meng Shutai ignored her.
"Hey—you're so heartless!"
Le Jin said angrily, "I think about you day and night."
Why are you thinking of me?
The ice finally responded.
Why do you ask? I wish I could stab you in the back too.
Despite her disgust, Le Jin followed the lie she had just told him and collected a large sum of money.
"because I love you."
Her gaze pierced through the cloud-like veil, burning like fire, as if she wanted to melt Meng Shutai.
"Meng Shutai..."
She rode her horse and squeezed her way to the carriage, directly lifting the curtain to block the servants' shouts from outside, leaning entirely towards him.
She smiled and breathed softly, each word spoken with a shaky lisp.
"I really love you so much."
Forced by her impulsive actions, Meng Shutai leaned back, his thick eyebrows furrowing slightly as he stared at her blankly.
In the instant their eyes met, the chilling feeling of impending death swept over them once more.
On Tiger Head Mountain, he didn't understand why she would ask him for help. Yuan Jiang's eyes were exactly like that when she was in love.
Ha, this madman doesn't understand what love is at all.
"It's so unfair. I've missed you and thought about you for so many years, but you treat me like I don't exist."
Le Jin flung the veil aside, looking quite angry.
You have to apologize.
She looked straight ahead, but could still feel a cold gaze fixed on her.
It felt as if a hand was eerily gripping her neck.
The reins tightened with each grip, and although Le Jin appeared calm, her palms were sweating profusely.
After a long while, the gaze on her quietly shifted elsewhere.
It seems that Meng Shutai hadn't figured out what kind of feeling the "love" Le Jin was talking about actually was.
asshole.
The ghostly hand on her neck loosened its grip, and Le Jin seized the opportunity to quickly curse him.
No wonder the older generation says that if you encounter something evil, you have to curse it to ward off the evil spirits. If you don't curse it, you'll be doing yourself a disservice by getting goosebumps all over.
But despite the hatred, the mission still had to be carried out.
Le Jin pouted, her voice still sweet: "I'll follow you, stay by your side, as compensation."
"Anyway, I made a mistake, so you should discipline me and give the people of Luojing an explanation."
She imitated every woman in the world who had fallen in love, chattering with her sweetheart like a lively sparrow.
You look great in that outfit!
"I like bright, rich, and vibrant colors the most, colors that are lively and popular."
"Are you going to a banquet today? Are you dressed so beautifully to see other women?"
"Go see the dead."
Meng Shutai suddenly blurted out a sentence.
This time, it was Le Jin's turn to be dumbfounded.
Seemingly satisfied that she didn't speak again, Meng Shutai rubbed his temples and gently closed his eyes.
"I'm going to Huayan Temple to pay respects to an old friend. Are you coming along?"
"and!"
"My lady, aren't you going to rescue your brother who's been attacked by bandits?"
Le Jin was speechless for a moment.
How could she not want to save Le Zhao? Le Zhao was a million times more important to her than Meng Shutai.
Firstly, Le Zhao is highly skilled, and those bandits should be no match for him; secondly, he is rigid and inflexible, and she needs to stick close to Meng Shutai, so it would be inconvenient for Le Zhao to be around; thirdly, the original owner of this body is heartless and doesn't care about anyone except herself, and she never thought of saving her brother in the story, so Le Jin cannot act rashly.
Anyway, the book clearly states that Le Zhao will be sending his sister off to her wedding, so he won't get into trouble.
A bright smile bloomed on Le Jin's face.
She answered crisply, "How can my brother be more important than you? I came to the capital for you, only for you."
The woman on horseback seemed to have no conscience at all, her heart completely devoted to his looks, her love burning hot and intense, desperately wanting to melt into him.
It's so cloying.
Meng Shutai rested his elbows on the soft cushions of the couch, his fingers slightly bent as he tilted his head to the side, his jade-colored fingertips hanging quietly in his line of sight.
He gave a light yawn.
“It is not appropriate to make noise when mourning the dead. Please take care of your brother first, my lady.”
Commemorating the dead? Then why are you dressed so flamboyantly? I don't see any sincerity in you.
Le Jin rolled her eyes at him in her heart, raised her finger to the sky and swore, "I definitely won't make a scene!"
Yeah, right.
Recalling his recent experience in Shuzhou, Le Jin spouted a string of lies to deceive people. Qi Sheng, who was refilling Meng Shutai's teacup, also turned red in the ears and muttered with a sniffle, "Shameless."
Le Jin was acting with great enthusiasm when she heard the criticism. She simply winked at Qi Sheng, startling him so much that he spilled his tea.
A little mischief, and it was a great success. Le Jin laughed heartily on horseback, then turned around and continued to nag Meng Shutai, as if she were determined to drown him in her spittle.
"Is Huayan Temple far? How long will the worship last? Can we come back today? I want you to take me sightseeing in Luoyang..."
"I, as the future wife of the Meng family, haven't prepared any offerings. Does the temple have any?"
"Who is this old friend? Huayan Temple is a national temple; is someone important buried there? Please pay attention to me!"
As Yunfu walked slowly through the bustling city, the early summer breeze caressed the rosy cheeks of the woman on horseback.
Le Jin felt as relaxed and happy as a clear blue sky.
"Not a big shot."
Finally, a muffled voice came from behind.
Meng Shutai bowed her head in sorrow, her grief as withered as a fading orchid.
"He was just a eunuch."
——
Huayan Temple was first built 600 years ago and has been served by three dynasties. It is known as the number one temple in the world and was the first national temple that served only princes and nobles.
Le Jin led Ru Yunfu to stand in front of the temple gate. The three golden characters "Hua Yan Temple" were illuminated by the sunlight, shimmering with colorful halos, like a rainbow after the rain.
Her eyes were sore from staring at the water for so long, her lips were dry and pale, and they hurt a little when she opened them.
"A eunuch can be buried here? You're kidding me."
Ahead lay countless white marble steps, which Yunfu could no longer ascend, but the sedan chair of Mengshutai could.
The veil brushed against the hem of Le Jin's skirt, like Meng Shutai's ethereal voice.
"Lady Le is delicate and precious, and the mountain temple is bitterly cold. She should go and meet her brother as soon as possible."
He rejected her for the second time.
Le Jin watched him go further and further away, then stood on tiptoe and called out with heartfelt devotion, "Wherever you go, I'll go!"
Her voice was clear and melodious, like a nightingale's song. The affection and longing in her words echoed through the mountains, bumping back and forth, but no one responded, and then she bumped back into herself.
"Jiu'an" is here.
Meng Shutai kept the corpse.
Why? He had ended her life so ruthlessly and hastily.
A young, powerless eunuch was buried in the most prestigious Huayan Temple in the land; one can only imagine how much effort Meng Shutai put into it.
Le Jin felt nauseous and wanted to vomit but couldn't. She could only press her hand against her stomach to relieve the discomfort.
Meng Shutai, you're disgusting.
He turned every evil deed into a brocade banner to extol, while he himself transformed into a bodhisattva under the banner, praying for mercy.
An invisible mass churned in her stomach, and Le Jin couldn't help but vomit in front of the temple gate.
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