Chapter 41 Where is his Awu?
The mention of going to Lingyin Temple was like a pebble thrown into a stagnant lake, creating ripples in Mingwu's heart.
She had thought that being confined to this east courtyard meant he would never allow her to leave the manor again. Like a disobedient cat, she would be locked in a cage.
The owner doesn't care how the cat feels.
She is this domesticated cat.
But is he really that kind? Or does he have some other motive?
Mingwu clenched her fists
But what if he's going to Lingyin Temple on business and just takes her along? Don't people often enjoy taking their favorite cats and dogs out for walks?
This is a rare opportunity, and she cannot let it slip away.
Mingwu sat by the window for a long time until Chunnan quietly came in and added tea twice, at which point she suddenly came back to her senses.
"Chunnan, go find my plain velvet embroidered dress."
Chunnan's brow twitched: "Madam, isn't that dress... a bit too plain?"
After the lady returned this time, she asked her to secretly sew some silver notes and loose silver into the blue velvet embroidered dress.
Now the lady clearly wants that dress.
Mingwu glanced out the window and said calmly, "It's alright, we'll go to Lingyin Temple to put it on."
Chunnan knew that the walls were listening, so she didn't say anything more and went to get her clothes.
But my heart was pounding and I couldn't calm down.
-
The next day, before dawn, the Prime Minister's carriage was already prepared.
Lu Yuan personally came to the main courtyard to pick her up.
Today he was dressed in a dark blue casual robe, which made him look less imposing and more refined and elegant than the imposing figure he usually appeared in court.
But deep within those eyes, an unyielding darkness still lingered.
When he saw Mingwu dressed in a plain white dress, without any makeup, her black hair loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin.
His gaze darkened almost imperceptibly.
It's too plain, so plain it looks like someone is wearing mourning clothes.
The words "widowed" on that document resurfaced in my mind once again.
The wicked fire in his chest was stirring again, but he showed no sign of it on his face. He simply reached out his hand to her and spoke gently.
"Awu, come here."
Mingwu glanced at his large, well-defined hands as if she hadn't seen them, and went straight to Chunnan's hand, stepping onto the footstool to get into the carriage.
Lu Yuan's hand froze in mid-air.
A moment later, he regained his composure and mounted another horse.
The carriage rumbled forward, leaving the Prime Minister's residence and driving through the quiet streets of the early morning.
Mingwu leaned against the carriage wall, her fingertips secretly parting a sliver of the curtain to look outside.
A rising sun slowly ascends from the east.
As the morning sun pierced through the layers of clouds, it illuminated the rolling morning mist, gradually making the street scene shrouded in the thin fog clear.
Dewdrops glistened on the tips of the grass, and the trees were a vibrant, fresh green. A delicate fragrance wafted through the air, and the melodious chirping of birds filled the air, soothing and delightful.
Lingyin Temple is located in the suburbs, and the carriage took about an hour to travel there.
Under the ancient locust tree in front of the temple gate, a monk was already waiting to greet guests.
Lu Yuan's identity was special, and the abbot had already cleared the area. At this moment, there were no idle worshippers in the temple, only the occasional monk passing by, with his head lowered and his steps hurried.
The lotus pond is located in the backyard of the temple, requiring one to pass through a quiet bamboo grove.
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, casting dappled patterns of light. The air is filled with the fresh scent of bamboo leaves and the moist aroma of mountain soil.
The lotus flowers at Lingyin Temple are early bloomers, and at this time of year, the lotus flowers in the pond are in full bloom.
Amidst layers of verdant leaves, pink and white petals unfold, glistening with lingering dewdrops, shimmering in the sunlight.
Mingwu stood on the blue stone by the pond, gazing at the vibrant scene.
In her mind, however, she was repeatedly rehearsing how to get rid of Lu Yuan, preferably by getting him caught up in something. Then she would descend the mountain via a small path behind it.
Again……
Lu Yuan stood half a step away from her, not looking at the lotus flowers in the pond, but keeping his gaze fixed on her.
She stared at the lotus flowers, lost in thought; he, on the other hand, stared at her profile, lost in thought.
The early summer sun poured down without reservation, gilding her with a dazzling golden edge.
Light filtered through a few loose strands of hair near her ears, giving them an amber-like translucency.
He could even see the fine, soft down on her cheeks, which shimmered with a faint golden hue in the light.
A breeze swept across the pool, lifting the silk sash around her waist and the hem of her skirt, outlining her slender waist that could be encircled with a single hand.
For a moment, Lu Yuan felt his heart skip a beat. Then, it started pounding wildly.
He could almost hear the sound of his own blood surging in his eardrums.
He should have been the one making the moves, calmly strategizing and patiently pulling the strings. But now, he only wants to be a reckless fool, abandoning all plans and reason.
The hands behind his back slowly tightened their knuckles, the knuckles making a soft creaking sound from the excessive force.
It was as if only in this way could one suppress the beast within one's chest, a beast clamoring for possession and about to break free of its cage.
"Do you like it?" Lu Yuan asked in a low voice.
Mingwu came to her senses and said, "It's alright." She paused, then added, "I'd like to go to the main hall in front to offer my prayers."
Lu Yuan gave her a deep look: "I'll stay with you."
"Need not."
Mingwu immediately refused, her tone somewhat urgent. Realizing her loss of composure, she softened her voice.
"I want to be alone and pray for... peace of mind."
She spoke the last two words very softly, yet they were like a needle, pricking Lu Yuan unexpectedly.
He stared at her for a moment, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through her skin and reach her very soul.
Mingwu felt a tingling sensation on her scalp, and her throat felt like it was blocked, making it hard to breathe. She clenched her teeth, trying her best to remain calm.
Just when she thought he was going to refuse.
Lu Yuan suddenly smiled, his tone even quite gentle.
"Alright, go ahead. Xu Ming, take two men and follow Madam from a distance to ensure her safety and not disturb her peace."
"Yes," Xu Ming bowed in response.
Mingwu's heart sank slightly. He had indeed sent someone to follow them.
But she didn't reveal anything, only nodded slightly, and then, with Chunnan, turned and walked towards the main hall.
Lu Yuan stood there, watching her receding figure disappear into the distance at the end of the bamboo path.
The smile on his face gradually faded.
"Is everything arranged?" His voice was as cold as ice.
In the shadows, a dark figure appeared silently, kneeling on one knee.
"Your Excellency, all exits within the temple have been manned. There are also ambushes along the back mountain path. Men are also stationed at the foot of the mountain. I guarantee that not even a mosquito can escape."
Lu Yuan hummed in agreement, then asked, "Is there any unusual activity on Prince Ning's side?"
"Your Excellency, the Prince of Ning is being held captive in his residence by the Dowager Consort, who is looking for young ladies."
Lu Yuan frowned in displeasure: "Pass down the word, have our people whisper in the Dowager Consort's ear, and settle the marriage of Prince Ning as soon as possible."
Although he knew that Mingwu would not have any romantic feelings for Song Yan.
However, he would not tolerate anyone coveting his woman.
The bamboo grove was silent, save for the rustling sound of the wind through the leaves. Sunlight, dappled through the sharp bamboo leaves, fell in scattered spots onto the ground.
Like a sky full of twinkling stars.
After an unknown amount of time, a guard rushed over and whispered a few words in the captain's ear.
The captain of the guards' expression changed slightly. He quickly walked to Lu Yuan's side and whispered.
"Prime Minister, Madam... Madam has sent everyone away and gone alone towards... towards the back mountain."
The air seemed to freeze.
Lu Yuan's aura suddenly became terrifying, as if a tangible black storm was gathering in his eyes.
He slowly raised his head, looking towards the lush green forest behind the main hall, a chilling smile curving his thin lips.
That smile carried a hint of the pain of "I knew it," but even more so, a devastating madness.
“Awu…”
He spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
"This is the path you've chosen."
-
Lu Yuan walked very fast, the hem of his robe brushing against the branches and leaves beside the mountain path, creating a rapid rustling sound.
His brows furrowed with the menace of an impending storm.
The captain of the guards was terrified. He suddenly remembered that the Prime Minister had commissioned a craftsman to forge a five-foot-long pure gold chain a few days earlier.
The chain was made extremely delicately and intricately.
It is also decorated with carvings.
It's obviously made for women.
The captain of the guard quickly composed himself, not daring to think any further.
The path behind the mountain is winding and rugged, with dense shadows of trees.
Lu Yuan had already decided that once he caught the bird that dared to escape, he would lock it in a cage with a gold chain.
Let her understand.
Her world can only have him.
And it must be him, only him.
Ahead, Xu Ming was standing anxiously at the crossroads. Upon seeing Lu Yuan, he almost stumbled and rushed over.
"I have ordered all the paths down the mountain to be blocked, but..." Xu Ming's voice was strained, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Yuan had already passed him, his gaze like a blade, scraping across every inch of the surrounding vegetation.
Where are they?
“Your subordinate is incompetent. The lady... seems to have vanished into thin air; there is no trace of her anywhere.”
The air suddenly froze, and even the wind stopped.
The suppressed storm around Lu Yuan exploded instantly, the malevolent aura almost tangible, causing the surrounding temperature to drop sharply.
He slowly turned his head and looked at Xu Ming. The look in his eyes made Xu Ming feel as if he were already dead.
"Disappeared into thin air? Is there a ghost in this back mountain?"
Before he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly sharpened, and he abruptly turned to the dense bushes on his left.
There, a piece of blue cloth was faintly visible amidst the lush greenery.
It was the one she was wearing.
Lu Yuan walked over quickly.
Before Xu Ming and his guards could even react, their prime minister had already swept past like a gust of wind, his sleeves fluttering with immense force.
However, the next moment, everyone was stunned.
Lu Yuan's hand froze in mid-air.
That wasn't a hem of clothing, but just a strip of cloth hanging on thorns.
Hope ignited and was extinguished in an instant.
Lu Yuan stared at the strip of cloth, his chest heaving violently.
What surged within him was not just anger, but also a hint of panic that even he himself was unaware of.
Just then.
"Prime Minister."
Another guard came running from the path to the right rear, his voice urgent.
“Over here, there are traces of someone falling down the slope.”
Lu Yuan suddenly turned around.
This time, there was no more hesitation in his eyes; the crimson color completely stained his pupils.
"lead the way."
Lu Yuan's voice was low and hoarse, and those two words seemed to carry a bloody scent, striking the hearts of everyone present.
He ignored everyone else and headed straight for the slope the guard had pointed to.
The steep slope is covered with jagged rocks, and the freshly turned soil and broken shrubs are clearly visible, stretching downwards and disappearing into the denser thicket below.
Clearly, someone slipped and fell here.
Lu Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
The panic he forcibly suppressed was like a wildly growing vine, instantly tightening around his heart and almost suffocating him.
He couldn't imagine what it would be like if it were her...
He shouldn't have tested her. As long as he kept her locked up in the mansion, even if her heart was no longer with him, even if she wanted to leave.
"Go down and look for it."
Lu Yuan was the first to lean down.
"Your Excellency, this is dangerous!" Xu Ming was terrified and hurriedly tried to stop him.
Lu Yuan shoved him away, his eyes bloodshot.
"Get out of my way!"
Just as the situation was in chaos and deadlock, the voice of a guard came from the bushes below.
"Your Excellency, we've found her. It's...it's Chun Nan, the lady's maid."
Chunnan?
Lu Yuan abruptly stopped.
Thank goodness it wasn't her!
This thought brought a moment of overwhelming relief.
But the next second, a deeper panic gripped him.
Chunnan is here, but where is she?
Where is his Awu?
The guards had already rescued Chunnan from the slope.
Her face was deathly pale, and her arms were bent unnaturally, clearly indicating a serious injury. Her clothes were covered in mud, making them unrecognizable.
But Lu Yuan still recognized that she was wearing the same clothes that Ming Wu had worn that morning.
Lu Yuan's thin lips were pressed into a straight line, his dark eyes cold and sharp.
Where is the lady?
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Author's note: Guess what, did Mingwu escape?
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