Chen Yuancheng added, "This is what the host told me. I haven't communicated with him much, so I'm not sure about his personality."
Xiao Yunying poured herself a cup of tea: "The things he said when he interpreted my fortune yesterday didn't show any signs of introversion or dullness. He was calm, composed, quick-witted, and quite skilled. He was more like a martial monk."
"Not bad skills?" Chen Yuancheng asked. "How did you tell?"
She recounted her encounter with Master Pude yesterday afternoon: "Luo Sheng said he was quite skilled, and he didn't deny it, saying he had practiced martial arts for a few years when he was young."
Chen Yuancheng recalled the words the host had spoken to him about Master Pude, and slowly frowned.
"No, the abbot told me before that Master Pude was a scholar before he entered Buddhism. He only entered Buddhism because he failed the imperial examinations several times. He doesn't know martial arts."
Xiao Yunying's expression turned serious: "You're not mistaken?"
“At that time, I often listened to the abbot and the head monk preach. When we chatted, they would tell me about things in the temple to pass the time. Occasionally, they would use their own stories as examples to help me resolve my inner conflicts. There were only about twenty monks in the temple, so I can’t be mistaken.”
When Xiao Yunying heard him say that, that indescribable feeling welled up in her heart again.
She suddenly asked, "Yuancheng, why did you decide to come to Liangshan Temple to admire the flowers? Did you invite us here because you thought the scenery was beautiful?"
"No, Yuan Yao said the peach blossoms here are in bloom and asked me to invite you to come and enjoy the scenery together..."
His expression turned serious as he spoke: "But is there something wrong?"
"I don't know, I just have a very bad feeling."
Without any particular thought, Xiao Yunying said instinctively, "Yuancheng, let's go back now. Don't wait until the afternoon to leave."
Chen Yuancheng didn't ask for the reason again: "Alright, Lingqi, go and get the carriage ready. I'll go and tell the abbot that we'll leave now."
"Then I'll go to the peach grove and call them back. There's nothing to pack, let's just meet at the mountain gate."
Xiao Yunying hurriedly left the house and went to the place where they had exchanged poems the day before to call Chen Yuanyao and the others.
Wenren Jiajin asked, "Has something happened?"
Xiao Yunying didn't explain further: "Someone from my family came and brought me a message. I have something to take care of. I apologize for disturbing your enjoyment."
A young man said, "Miss, if you have something to attend to, you can go back first. Please let Miss Chen stay..."
Before she could finish speaking, she was lightly bumped by another young master next to her.
What good girl would stay outside alone with a group of men, even near Liangshan Temple?
Wenren Jiajin also gestured with his eyes that it was inappropriate for him to say that, and said to Xiao Yunying, "In that case, we will not stay any longer. Please be careful on your journey."
Xiao Yunying nodded to him. Only then did she realize that she didn't know the path leading from the mountain gate to the back mountain. Chen Yuanyao never took the path when she came. They could only go out through the main gate by following the path from the back gate of the temple.
Chen Yuanyao couldn't help but ask, "Sister Yunying, what happened that you're in such a hurry to go back?"
"I don't know the specifics either. Let's go home and talk about it first."
As Xiao Yunying entered Liangshan Temple, she was wondering if she would meet Master Pude again. Unexpectedly, just as this thought crossed her mind, someone called out to her.
"Please wait a moment, gentlemen."
Xiao Yunying initially wanted to pretend she didn't hear, but Chen Yuanxuan, who was unaware of the situation, stopped and turned around to ask, "Are you calling us?"
Xiao Yunying closed her eyes. She really wanted to knock this brat unconscious and carry him away.
However, she couldn't be so rude, since nothing had happened yet. So she turned around and asked, "Is the master calling us?"
Master Pude approached and said, "Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to talk with this humble monk to resolve your doubts? Why are you leaving now?"
"Oh, someone from home came and told us something happened. We're in a hurry to go back and deal with it. I'll come back and talk to the master another time when I have more time."
"In that case, then please be careful on your journey."
Xiao Yunying thought the other party would try everything to keep them here, but she didn't expect them to let her leave.
But she still felt that the monk was strange, so she didn't linger: "Then we'll be going now."
After leaving the temple and descending the steps, Xiao Yunying thought for a moment and decided to have Luo Xin and Chen Yuanxuan ride in the same carriage as Chen Yuancheng.
She only breathed a slight sigh of relief when the carriage started heading down the mountain.
Zheng Yunwan then asked, "Sister Yunying, what happened at home?"
"There's nothing wrong at home. I just felt that something was off about Liangshan Temple and that monk named Pude, so I was just looking for an excuse to take you away."
She recounted the suspicious points she had discovered about the monk, as well as Luo Sheng's situation: "His departure was too coincidental. Right now, only Ling Qi among us knows some martial arts. If something happens, he alone can't protect so many of us. It's best to be careful."
Zheng Yunwan always trusted her unconditionally: "Sister Yunying is right. No one can say for sure about these things. We should be more cautious."
Chen Yuanyao slapped her thigh: "Oh dear, shouldn't we tell Wenren and the others? Would it be a bad idea for us to leave on our own? What if they encounter danger?"
Zuo Qingzhi tapped her forehead in disdain: "Didn't you understand? If that monk appears near us, and there's a problem, it'll be coming towards us, not anyone else. They'll be fine."
They had walked about halfway down the mountain, and the group gradually relaxed. Chen Yuanyao and Zuo Qingzhi had started chatting together, while Xiao Yunying, seemingly lost in thought with a blank expression, was actually in a state of turmoil.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
