Chapter 56 Rain and Sunshine, Spiritual Entanglement
It's not raining today.
The Bailong Temple is located in a place with an extremely open view. Looking up, one can see the clouds on the horizon without any obstruction, and looking down, one can see the houses and buildings, lined up one after another. It is reasonable to glimpse the dragon's traces from where the clouds rise.
The magnificent scenery outside the sedan chair was boundless, but the person inside paid no attention to it.
He didn't come here to see the scenery.
Jingzhou, the capital, Lianzhou, and even Niehai... Even though he wasn't an autocratic person, and wouldn't interrogate or be suspicious of everything, only truly crucial matters could be brought to him. Yet, the amount of work piling up on his desk was still so much that it kept him constantly busy.
Through the carriage wall, the coachman's deliberately lowered voice came: "Young master, that person has arrived."
"Sigh, speaking of which, why did Your Highness suddenly come to Lianzhou Prefecture? Is there something wrong with that Prefect Cui? Surely a prefect doesn't require Your Highness to handle it... Or does Lord Jiang have something to say? Oh well, what does it have to do with me? Driving isn't difficult, I'm happy to have some peace and quiet!"
The coachman, of course, didn't say the long string of words that followed.
This was just a fleeting thought in the "driver's" mind.
The person in the sedan chair did not respond, but turned the scroll in their hand to the next page.
Although the echoes of the sea of sin brought him decades of unending pain, those agonizing sounds would also carry the voices of others to his ears.
He suffered some hardship because of this. But in the end, it was just the tearing pain caused by the gap between human appearance and human nature, and he was no longer moved by it.
His consciousness and soul were certainly disturbed by the endless roars, but this inescapable suffering was also an inescapable, extraordinary power.
No one can easily ascertain his condition.
Few in the world can endure such suffering. The moment one enters, even the slightest thought of trying to explore will be torn apart and annihilated.
He doesn't even need to do anything deliberately; simply exposing himself to the echoes of the sea of evil for a moment is enough to cause the vast majority of people in the world to die suddenly.
The sedan curtain was lifted.
The person he was waiting for had arrived.
The official robes worn by the Night Watcher on ordinary days are quite different from the formal attire worn by civil officials when attending court. The style is more streamlined, and the patterns woven on them are not the birds and beasts that are commonly known. In addition, they are hidden patterns. If someone who does not know the inside story sees this outfit, they will only think that it is a rich man riding a horse, and they will not think of its true purpose.
He had seen many people wear this outfit.
However, it suits her best.
She was looking up at him from under the sedan chair, completely focused, just as he had imagined. For a moment, the noise that usually surrounded him seemed to fade away.
He placed the document face down on his lap, smiling as he looked at her, bathed in the glow of the sunset, as she lifted her robes and entered the sedan chair.
She wasn't thinking about anything at that moment.
It seems that she had already made a decision before getting into the sedan chair, a decision he could not know.
He concealed the darkness in his eyes, maintaining his unchanging smile, and said gently, "My wife, I've kept you waiting."
Jiang Geyun also said, "My lord, I've kept you waiting."
The sedan chair was filled with a light, faint scent of fresh bamboo.
Jiang Geyun had become familiar with the fragrance at some point, so much so that she subconsciously relaxed a little after getting into the sedan chair.
But the things lingering in her mind forced her to pull herself together again.
Cheng Xi raised her hand, as if to knock on the carriage wall to remind the driver to hurry on the way.
“My lord,” Jiang Geyun interrupted, “...how did you know I came to Bailong Temple?”
Cheng Xi withdrew her hand, placed it on the book on her lap, and tapped it gently.
He seemed to have anticipated this question and calmly replied, "Clerk Zhang has a long-standing relationship with the Cheng family. It was a doctor from the Cheng family's medical clinic who recommended Clerk Zhang to enter the Legal Affairs Office. When the lady was lingering in the temple, Clerk Zhang, who was strolling on the street, happened to run into a servant of the Cheng family."
Jiang Geyun paused for a moment before replying, "So that's how it happened. Clerk Zhang is efficient, and that doctor has good judgment."
Cheng Xi smiled and said, "I never knew she was treated so differently by my wife."
After saying that, he turned his head as if to speak.
Jiang Geyun said, "Wait a minute."
Cheng Xi stopped and asked in confusion, "Is there anything else, my lady?"
Jiang Geyun said, "Clerk Zhang is still in front of the temple."
Cheng Xi said, "I see. My lady is so kind. I will send someone to escort her."
“No,” Jiang Geyun said firmly, “It is fine for you and Zhang Shuli to leave together. I wish to stay at Bailong Temple for the time being.”
Cheng Xi stopped tapping the book with her fingers.
His expression remained largely unchanged, still bearing a polite and refined smile.
He said calmly, "May I ask why?"
Jiang Geyun thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "This is just my choice, it has nothing to do with you, my lord, so you don't need to worry about it."
The pleasant evening breeze that had been passing by the sedan chair stopped as soon as the words were spoken.
Not only the wind stopped, but the sounds of the wind, the chirping of insects, and the constant stream of people coming from the viewing area all ceased. The temperature around me dropped little by little, and a chill crept up from my feet, making it hard to breathe.
In this place that should have made her feel safe, Jiang Geyun inexplicably felt confined, suffocated, and fearful, as if she had been suddenly transported from an open space to a closed and dark place. One second the world was vast and open, and the next second she was in a dead end.
Her body trembled slightly involuntarily.
Jiang Geyun rubbed her arm discreetly, not wanting the person in front of her to notice her discomfort. Sensing the change, she felt a pang of anxiety.
...Did they arrive so quickly?
Cheng Xi neither pressed for answers nor refused.
After a long silence, he put away his smile and said softly, "But I would be very worried if my wife wasn't here."
Jiang Geyun remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised her head.
She sighed and said, "How could I not worry about my husband?"
She softened a little.
But in the increasingly cold and terrifying atmosphere, she had to suppress the urge to explain and continue to conceal her condition, after all—
The curse of the white-clad ghost is contagious.
Yesterday, she spent the whole day reviewing case files and barely managed to sort out all the details of the cases that had already occurred. If she were to continue reviewing the case files of those who died from falls, plus conducting interviews and investigations... she wasn't worried about the seven-day death period under the influence of the white-clothed ghost, but she still had a death period of more than two months that she had to be careful about.
Is there any way to help her find out the cause of death of the white-clothed ghost more quickly and accurately, so as to gain insight into the white-clothed ghost's inner turmoil and obsessions?
Yes, there really is.
Moreover, I must thank Madam Xue for her handling of things today.
Upon seeing the devout Madam Xue, Jiang Geyun suddenly remembered—yes, there are people in this world who possess special powers.
Coincidentally, she was one of them.
She was able to survive the curse of the white-clad ghost.
If she could immerse herself in the seven days before the deaths of the deceased, it would be very enlightening, much faster and more accurate than simply flipping through seven-day records.
The only problem is that the white-clad ghost is afraid of her.
A curse that others would avoid at all costs, she, on the other hand, desperately wanted to experience but couldn't.
—If that's the case, then I'll seal myself away!
Find a capable person to seal away her innate fire and special aura, leaving her a crucial moment to break the seal.
She could simply wait for the white-clad ghost to come to her door, wait to experience the ever-approaching death, and then, just before death succeeded, seize it by the throat.
With the remaining time, once she has recovered, she can use this experience to thoroughly investigate the truth behind it all.
After Jiang Geyun revealed her thoughts, Abbot You was greatly shocked.
Regardless, this method of putting herself in a deadly situation is too radical. Since the curse has already been controlled, why rush it in these thirty or fifty days? A slow investigation is just as good, and she can also help Jiang Geyun.
Little did she know that after hearing the key phrase "thirty to fifty days," Jiang Geyun's suicidal thoughts became even stronger.
She didn't have much time to waste, but she had the confidence to survive her desperate situation.
Having escaped death so many times, what's one more time?
Jiang Geyun repeatedly assured Abbot You that her strength was sufficient, and that she could stay at the White Dragon Temple for the entire trip. If anything unusual happened, Abbot You or other experts who had rushed from various places could help her escape from danger.
After much pleading and cajoling, Abbot You finally agreed, but with a number of conditions attached.
Jiang Geyun was somewhat dazed when she came out of Bailong Temple.
I never expected that the influence of this white-robed ghost would come so quickly... or rather, so terrifying, right after the seal was completed.
When they first met at the inn that night, she clearly didn't think the white-clad ghost was that powerful.
Pulling herself from her reverie and realizing that Cheng Xi had been silent for a long time with his eyes lowered, Jiang Geyun said with a heavy heart, "My lord, this matter..."
She thought for a moment, then took Cheng Xi's hand and tapped his palm three times with her fingertips.
Then, with a hint of trepidation, she looked into Cheng Xi's eyes.
She was genuinely concerned, and she truly couldn't bring herself to speak.
The man, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly grabbed her hand and held it very tightly!
Jiang Geyun didn't reject his touch, but the action was so sudden and the force so strong that she subconsciously wanted to shrink back.
"...My lord?"
Before she finished speaking, the extremely tight grip gradually relaxed.
Cheng Xi seemed to have suddenly understood, and said with a light laugh, "I understand, my wife."
A breeze carrying lingering warmth brushed against Jiang Geyun's body through the sedan curtain, and both her temperature and voice suddenly revived.
Has the white-clad ghost temporarily left?
Jiang Geyun looked around.
It's strange, why hasn't the white-clad ghost shown up this time?
Cheng Xi didn't seem to be affected at all.
...It's hard to say, and it can't be summarized with a vague word like "maybe".
But her abilities have been completely sealed at this moment, so there is no convenient way to test them.
With this thought in mind, Jiang Geyun steeled her resolve, and using their clasped hands, she leaned forward, touching her forehead to Cheng Xi's.
Her actions had no other purpose than to check whether the consciousness of the person in front of her had been affected.
Besides, the two are already engaged and have done more intimate things, so there's nothing wrong with that... right?
—It was to protect him then, and it is now, it's nothing!
Although she had already thought it through clearly, Jiang Geyun's face still flushed slightly uncontrollably. The moment their foreheads touched, she immediately closed her eyes to avoid looking into his eyes at such a close distance, which would make it even more difficult to concentrate on the examination.
She had met Chao Wujiu before and had also fought with that person.
She had a certain understanding of all kinds of states, including split souls, damaged souls, and turbid souls. She could immediately detect any slight abnormality in the soul and consciousness of the person in front of her.
Perfect timing! The carriage is still at the entrance of Bailong Temple. We can just take Cheng Xi inside and have Abbot You check and repair it. What a wonderful arrangement!
But shouldn't she explain herself properly first?
Such an examination is not necessarily acceptable to everyone. Being entangled with someone's consciousness brings a stronger sense of intrusion than physical contact. Even if she was confident that she could suppress the soul of an ordinary person and forcibly conduct the examination, he was, after all, not just anyone; he was her Cheng Langjun.
She was worrying too much.
I never imagined that she would act before reason.
Never mind, it's okay.
As soon as Cheng Xi's consciousness shows resistance, she leaves quickly and then explains to him that he will understand.
From the outside, the two simply touched forehead to forehead without any further action, but both could clearly sense a delicate yet resilient divine sense connecting them along the point of contact.
For a moment, Jiang Geyun seemed to be able to sense Cheng Xi's presence. She was both herself and Cheng Xi, and this state of being in two bodies at the same time made her feel dizzy.
Cheng Xi did not refuse, remaining calm.
Jiang Geyun breathed a sigh of relief and continued exploring according to her initial plan.
Like ordinary people, or even more gentle, mild, and tolerant, the divine consciousness appeared silently before her, awaiting her investigation.
With her eyes tightly closed, she had no idea what the person in front of her was trying so hard to suppress, which caused his face to turn pale and he to break out in a cold sweat.
The hand that wasn't holding hers had its fingers deeply embedded in the soft cushion beneath them, the knuckles turning bluish-white from the extreme force.
Despite his immense pain, he maintained the smile she knew best, his eyelashes trembling slightly as he stared intently at her.
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Author's Note: Sorry for being late! Here's a sudden, unexpected message for you all (not really, just the prelude to that scene (and definitely not what this person is saying, this is just a normal investigation!!).
I originally wanted to finish writing the whole process, but I got hit hard by work today. In order to publish it as soon as possible, I'll take a break and publish it first. I'll try to write more this weekend!
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Also, I originally wanted to write some classic mystery cases, but I found that with my background, it's really hard to be a classic mystery! The plot has become—
Unsolved mystery: It's a locked door.
Yun: And I happen to have an axe in my hand (chops).
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