◇ Chapter 47 (47) Bo Kang discovers Lian Zhi’s identity (Part 1)
Lianzi committed suicide by taking poison.
No one knew what Lianzhi had said to him, but they knew Lianzi died shortly after she left. Bai Kang didn't pursue the matter further, instead claiming that Lianzi and Chuxiu had absconded with the mansion's money. They even left behind letters expressing their feelings for each other, a move clearly premeditated.
These two people had annoyed him first, so he was right to use this excuse to deceive them. The Baikang family had been robbed a while ago, so this excuse would not attract attention if it was made public.
No matter how he dealt with Lianzhi, it wouldn't affect him anyway. He was surprised that recently, Bo Kang had suddenly become much colder towards him.
Every day when she returned home, she would still have dinner with him, talk to him about the Ministry of Rites, and sleep with him at night. But for some reason, her tone had become much colder when she spoke to him, and she no longer called him baby affectionately, but called him Lian'er instead.
Although there was no difference between the two names in his ears, Lianzhi just thought that Bai Kang was too busy and listless recently.
After a few days, Bo Kang was the first to give up.
Bo Kang wasn't that busy, having had a rare moment of leisure lately. Instead of returning home to attend to official duties, he had time to read the travelogue he'd bought a few days ago. Lianzhi was also in the study, sitting on the small couch and reading along.
"Lian'er, do you want to go to the north to play?"
"What's the point of going over there? It's cold and boring." Lianzhi answered casually.
"The north is my hometown." Bo Kang sat up and said, "You don't even want to go home with me?"
Lianzhi just said let's talk about it later. Bo Kang didn't get a satisfactory answer, so he continued to ask, "How about Qishan? We can go to Qishan, it's close."
Lianzhi was just getting excited and wanted to perfunctorily say that she had been there before and had performed sacrifices there before, but she quickly came to her senses and met Bai Kang's unblinking eyes. She said slowly, "Let's talk about it later. Brother Kang, you only have one day off every seven days, how can you have time to go to Qishan?"
"There's always a chance." Bo Kang walked over to sit next to him, squeezing him into the corner. The wall was a little cold, so Bo Kang put his hand behind his head.
When he lowered his head, he saw the pendant hanging on Lianzhi's neck. It was the nephrite pendant he gave to Lianzhi.
"I'm still wearing it." Bo Kang's heart suddenly softened, and the suspicion and retreat he had felt for many days vanished in an instant. Lian Zhi nodded, confused, "You gave it to me, so of course I have to wear it. Do you want to take it back?"
"I'm not taking it back. I'll buy you a better one later." Bo Kang shook his head and asked, "Lian'er, which do you prefer, the dragon and phoenix pattern or the lotus pattern? I'll have someone make one."
Lianzhi really wanted to ask Bokang if he really had the spare money to buy jewelry, and why he was so talkative today. But since he had already asked, he thought for a moment and replied, "A dragon and a phoenix, maybe? I could make a pair."
But he also likes lotus patterns. His name contains the word "lotus", and lotus patterns were engraved on his previous utensils.
Bai Kang nodded, noncommittal. They'd both gone to bed late today, returning to their rooms at 2:15 PM. Lianzhi then remembered that tomorrow was Bai Kang's day off. Could it be that he finally had a rare day off, so she asked him where he wanted to go? Even if they went to Qishan, one day wouldn't be enough.
Besides, Bai Kang has been acting very abnormally recently, so he doesn't want to go out with Bai Kang.
Before going to bed, Lianzhi couldn't help but ask, "Brother Kang, why haven't you been..."
In the darkness, his red and hot ears were not noticeable, and his voice was soft: "Why don't you call me baby?"
Bai Kang's voice came from the side: "Don't you like me calling you nickname?"
"It's a bit strange. You can shout if you like." Lianzhi said.
He didn't get an answer from Bai Kang for a long time, so he didn't worry about it and just thought that Bai Kang had fallen asleep.
The next day, Bai Kang woke up very early again.
I thought that since it was a rare day off, Bai Kang would use it to catch up on sleep. But as soon as the sun rose, Bai Kang woke him up and said to him, "Lian'er, let me take you out."
"Don't go out." Lianzhi's voice was muffled, with the grumpiness of just waking up, "I want to sleep."
"Today I'll take you to see a true immortal." Bai Kang's voice was tinged with a smile. Lianzhi hugged her pillow and refused to get up, but he didn't rush. He asked Eunuch Wen to bring her clothes. He changed Lianzhi's clothes and then helped her sit at the table to wipe her face.
The movement was so gentle that it didn't hurt him and didn't even wake him up. When Lianzhi woke up after sleeping enough, she found him sitting in the carriage.
Since they were already in the car, Lianzhi had no reason to be angry anymore. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "Where are we going?"
"I've already told you I'll take you to see the real immortal." Bai Kang was still reading his travelogue. "But first, let's go to Duke Chang's mansion and call Chang Yuzhu."
It had been a while since Bai Kang had asked Chang Yuzhu out. Chang Yuzhu had been quite happy when Bai Kang had first asked him to go to Huguo Temple. Bai Kang had finally stopped hanging out with his wife and ignored his brothers.
After getting on the carriage, Chang Yuzhu saw the small figure leaning against Bai Kang. With an expression of "as expected", she saluted Lianzhi politely, "Sister-in-law."
Lianzhi smiled at him and didn't disturb Bai Kang and Chang Yuzhu. Knowing that Bai Kang must have something to discuss with Chang Yuzhu during their outing today, she took two books and went to play by herself. After the others had moved away, Chang Yuzhu stared at Bai Kang in amazement: "My sister-in-law is so obedient to you? Are you two a couple?"
Bo Kang didn't answer, but gave a wry smile. The travelogue, held upside down in his hand, fell downward, a hole in the rough cover.
"Why is the book covered with a layer of leather?" Chang Yuzhu reached out to pull it, and the "Journey to the Southwest" soon revealed its true appearance, revealing the words "Myths and Legends of Da Ning Kingdom" underneath.
"Don't you believe this?" Chang Yuzhu asked.
Bai Kang shook his head, looked around, and lowered his voice, "Yuzhu. Tell me, is it possible that Lianzhi... is the late emperor?"
Bai Kang pondered this question for days. From his initial shock and disbelief, he recalled every detail of the past, and the clues seemed to have already appeared. He didn't know how to face Lianzhi, and he didn't dare to think about what he would do if Lianzhi really was Chen Fenglian.
Similar personality, similar behavior, and exactly the same words spoken... Bai Kang didn't think he was crazy, he just felt a sense of relief that "it's just as I expected."
If his baby was the late emperor, or Chen Fenglian...it wouldn't seem so difficult to accept.
He changed his address these days to force himself to adapt. If Lianzhi was really the late emperor... no matter what, she was the person he liked.
He had noticed the similarities between the two people a long time ago, hadn't he?
"How could it be possible that they are brothers!" Chang Yuzhu still didn't believe it. "I know you like the late emperor, but you can't use your sister-in-law as a substitute. You've lost your mind! Aren't you the one who doesn't believe in ghosts and gods? How sad would he be if he knew?"
Lianzhi won’t be sad.
Bai Kang smiled, but his eyes were even more determined: "That's why I want to go to Huguo Temple."
As the state temple of Daning State, Huguo Temple was incredibly popular. Even nestled in the mountains, it still attracted a constant stream of traffic. The stone steps in front of the temple were already crowded with devout men and women offering incense. The bronze incense burner in the center was already lit, smoke billowing from the incense, and ash piled up like a mountain.
Walking around the people who were devoutly worshipping, the young monk from the temple came to greet them: "Master Shangshu, Master Chang, the abbot has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me... Who is this?"
The young monk's gaze fell on Lianzhi's face. Bo Kang didn't hide anything and embraced the stunned Lianzhi: "It's my wife."
The little monk smiled unchanged: "In that case, come together."
Bai Kang didn't let Lian Zhi go with them. After all, the question involved Lian Zhi, so how could he hear it? He asked the young monk to take Lian Zhi to the lamp offering area and offer nine more lamps. Lian Zhi grabbed his wrist, unwilling to leave: "Brother Kang, what are you talking about secretly? Why did you send me away?"
"Don't talk nonsense." Bo Kang said softly, "Listen, didn't we say last time that we would offer nine lamps? How about offering nine lamps at Huguo Temple this time? You go with the young master first, and I'll come find you later."
Lianzhi finally agreed, clutching Bai Kang's purse, and followed the young monk out. After the others left, Bai Kang turned around and saw Chang Yuzhu, who had a face full of indescribable expression.
"Your Excellency, the Shangshu's family is now harmonious, which really puts my mind at ease."
Upon hearing this, Bai Kang and Chang Yuzhu quickly turned around and clasped their hands together, "Master Liaoyuan."
This person was none other than Master Liaoyuan, the abbot of Huguo Temple and the Imperial Preceptor honored by Emperor Jianguang. Seeing Bo Kang greet him, a flicker of surprise crossed Master Liaoyuan's eyes, but he quickly smiled and said, "Now that the Minister has married, he has become especially respectful of me. I truly wish to meet that young man who has so profoundly transformed the Minister."
Bai Kang was at a loss for words. "Before, it was all official business. Today, I came here to ask you something. Now, we are just talking about personal matters."
Master Liaoyuan was not surprised: "Please follow me."
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