Chapter 70 The Immortal in the Nunnery (Thirteen) If a female elder fails to stay, staying and staying will lead to hatred.
Jiuli was initially confused, but he could tell that Jiuli was mentally ill?
Then I thought about it again, and it made sense. The illness was physical, but the root of the problem lay in the mind. Many people were like that. After treating patients for a long time, one could see into their hearts at a glance. But Cilian was a nun. What kind of mental block could she have? Even if she couldn't figure out one or two things, spending her days with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp wouldn't have made her so ill.
She began to wonder, "That Cilian is acting rather strangely. And when she saw that sachet just now, she didn't seem like she'd never seen it before. Could it be that she knows the murderer? Is there something she can't say, so she's keeping quiet?"
Yu Qi thought that Ci Lian's words about the sachet were weak and insincere, and that it didn't seem like the truth. Just as he was about to speak, someone suddenly called out from behind. The two stopped at the entrance of the guest courtyard and turned around. It turned out to be the old nun who had been arguing with Jiu Li about the autopsy that morning, whose name was Jueming.
The old nun Jueming stepped forward and put her palms together. "Amitabha, I just saw the two benefactors coming out of the room of your young disciple Cilian. I suppose you went to see a doctor for Cilian? The abbess specifically sent me to ask if Cilian's illness is serious or not?"
Yu Qi put his hands behind his back and said, "I gave her acupuncture once. Let's see how badly she vomits after eating today. If she can eat, she can take some good medicine and eat some good food to nourish herself and gradually recover."
Having finished speaking, Jueming hesitated and didn't leave, only glancing at the two of them with a smile. "That's good. It's fortunate that Benefactor Yu is here. Cilian is saved now, isn't she? Alas, it's really worrying. Since she fell ill, we've seen two or three doctors, but they couldn't figure out the cause. She's been sick for over ten days, and she looks quite haggard. She's also become a bit confused and often says nonsensical things. If you two hear her say anything nonsensical, please don't take it seriously."
This seemed a bit like protesting too much. Jiuli smiled and looked her over. "Master, what you're saying is hard to understand. What nonsense would Cilian say?"
Jueming smiled and said, "It's nothing, just the ramblings of someone who has been ill for a long time. Even we can't understand it. You two have worked hard. Please go back to your rooms and rest for a while. Lunch will be ready soon."
After saying that, she put her palms together in a gesture of respect and left. Jiuli stared at her bulky back for a while, then turned to Yuqi and said, "This old nun is a bit strange. This morning she tried her best to stop us from examining the body, saying it was for Yi's reputation. But now it seems she has ulterior motives. And judging from her tone, Cilian does seem to know something."
"Knowing but refusing to talk about it is useless," Yu Qi said calmly.
As Yu Qi passed by Xu Bai's room, the door was ajar. He glanced sideways and saw Xu Bai sitting on the couch inside, drinking tea and carefully reviewing the records from the morning's inspection. Turning his head, he saw Jiu Li also glancing sideways into the room. He coughed lightly and told her to go back to her room to rest, specifically instructing her not to wander off.
Jiuli sized up the meaning behind this, which was simply to prevent her from going to Xubai's room. She thought disdainfully, "Hmph, he has legs and eyes on his own body. Does he think he can stop her just because he wants to?"
Around noon, the little nun came to call her for lunch. Jiuli opened the door, thinking that Yu Qi would definitely be keeping a close eye on her with the door wide open. However, both doors were tightly closed, and no one answered when she knocked. No one knew where he had gone.
The young nun said, "I just saw Mr. Yu and Constable Zhang leave the temple. I don't think they'll be back anytime soon."
Where did they go?
"Look, they're not going in the same direction. Officer Zhang rode his horse onto the main road to the right, while Mr. Yu went onto the side road to the left."
One was probably going into the city, and the other was going to the re-examination site. Jiuli had no choice but to tell Madam Gu that they were going to eat in the dining hall first. There, she saw Granny Chen, leading her maid, still dressed in brightly colored clothes, walking with a swaying, willow-like gait, her earrings swaying from side to side as if in defiance. This Granny Chen was strange; after a murder, most worshippers, afraid of getting into trouble, would avoid her. Why wasn't she leaving?
Madam Gu pursed her lips and whispered, "I've inquired about it. It's said that you have to worship Buddha here for twenty-two days and recite the sutra three thousand eight hundred times in front of the Medicine Buddha. Only then can her parents-in-law live a long life. This was told to her by a wandering old monk in Huai'an Prefecture."
Jiuli asked in surprise, "She told you that?"
Madam Gu smiled, her eyes full of contempt. "What do you think she would say to me? My maid and her maids were gossiping. Her two maids said that her family doesn't really like her. They didn't want to make her their official wife because of her low social status, but they couldn't resist Mr. Chen's affection. She's as beautiful as a vixen. What man wouldn't like her? If her in-laws weren't so unhappy with her, would she have bothered to come all this way to wish them a happy birthday? It's all just to please them."
What is her background?
Madam Gu shook her head. "It's hard to say. They say it was given to him by a friend of Master Chen. He wasn't originally from Huai'an Prefecture. It's said that his family members had just passed away, and he was left with no one to rely on, so he was bought and given to Master Chen. Anyway, there's no way to check, so who knows if it's true or not."
As they spoke, the group walked to the dining hall. Although it was still a small kitchen with individual dishes, just like before, it wasn't cooked to their liking, and the food was always a bit lacking. Jiu Li had never been a big eater, and after a few bites, he lost interest in eating. He only managed to finish his meal with Madam Gu, and then they all returned to the guest courtyard to play with Young Master Gu for a while before heading to Xu Bai's room.
Fearing gossip, they didn't close the door, and the two sat at the octagonal table opposite each other, drinking tea and talking. The sun shone on the flowers, trees, and rocks in the courtyard, creating dense shadows, and the guest rooms seemed to be separated by layers of curtains, each with its own secrets. Jiuli rested half her face on her hand, looking out at the yellow sandalwood flower stand connecting the east and west sides, while telling him in detail about the morning's consultation with Cilian.
After speaking slowly, she frowned and said, "This Cilian must know something, but she won't say it. Perhaps she's worried about the old nuns. Besides, I think there's something strange about her."
This person also questioned Zhang Da yesterday. On the day Liao Yi was killed, she went to the city to see a doctor, accompanied by a young nun. She had nothing to do with Liao Yi's death.
But perhaps she knew something else. Xu Bai frowned and put down his teacup. "What's strange about it?"
Whether it was Jiuli's own overthinking or not, when Yu Qi was examining Ci Lian in the morning, every time his hand touched her, a hint of panic and helplessness would appear on her face. Jiuli noticed all of this, but at the time she didn't think much of it. However, she couldn't help but have doubts when she thought about it later.
Xu Bai smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because men and women shouldn't be too close, and she's a nun, so she's particularly uncomfortable?"
She tilted her head slightly and touched the tray under the teacup. "That makes sense, but I always find it strange. It's perfectly normal for a doctor to touch her, and she shouldn't have such a strong reaction. Does becoming a nun mean she can't be with a man at all?"
Xu Bai fell silent, then stood up and paced around the table. "The master said that Ci Lian's illness isn't physical, but rather in her heart?"
"Yes, Uncle's judgment of people is never wrong. Many people get sick because of worries. She also looks worried. You haven't been to her room. There's a window in her bedroom, which she covers with a cloth. The room is dark, she says, because she's afraid of the sunlight being too bright. But she still has a curtain hanging on her bed. When she sleeps, she lowers the curtain so it's not bright at all. People are afraid of the room being too dark, but she seems to be afraid of the room being too bright."
"Something is indeed amiss, but it's not uncommon for people who have been ill for a long time to exhibit unusual behavior." Xu Bai hesitated, then smiled and said, "Could it be that you're overthinking it?"
Jiuli pulled him down to sit. "So I wanted you to try her out."
How do we test it?
Jiuli felt something was amiss. Liaoyi, being a nun, was not a virgin. It was strange unless she had some murky relationship with her employer in the secular world. And Cilian seemed overly wary of men, which was also odd. It seemed that all these nuns had some kind of ambiguous connection with "men," and even Liaoyi's murderer was a man. Could it be that, in the end, it wasn't a revenge killing, but a crime of passion?
To determine whether it's related to a man, she'd have to rely on Xu Bai to test it out. However, she couldn't think of any specific methods, so she just pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know either. Anyway, matters between men and women are based on feelings. How can you explain it clearly? You decide what to do. You'll definitely be able to sense if something's wrong with Ci Lian."
Xu Bai smiled and said, "You trust my feelings? I don't even know if my intuition is accurate."
Jiuli looked at him meaningfully, "Don't be modest. You suspected my background, didn't you? And you were right about it."
He suddenly felt embarrassed; Yu Qi was right, she had known all along. He could only laugh frankly and say, "Actually, it's because you look too much like an elder from the capital—"
Before she could finish speaking, Jiuli waved her hand dismissively, "You don't need to explain. I know. The elder you mentioned is surnamed Quan, and you all call her 'Aunt Quan,' right? I saw her portrait at your house. Later, I asked my uncle, and he said that was my mother, and her name was Quan Shanheng."
Now that things were out in the open, Xu Bai wanted to follow up, "Then why did you end up at the Yu family's? Was it because of Mr. Yu and Aunt Quan—"
Jiuli smiled and shook her head, "I don't know either. You'll have to ask my uncle."
"Didn't you ask him?"
"I asked him, but he didn't say." Jiu Li didn't seem to care. She looked at him for a moment, then leaned closer. "I want to ask you, since you know my mother, do you know who my father is?"
There was no need to hide anything now; it was better to tell the whole story. "I don't know either. The painting was given to me by Prince Zhao when he came to Nanjing. When you first moved to Nanjing, he saw you on the street and thought you looked so much like Aunt Quan, so he gave me that painting and asked me to secretly investigate your relationship with Aunt Quan. Actually, I only met Aunt Quan once when I was young, and I don't know much about her. Most of what the prince told me was that your mother never married, so no one knows who your father is. However, when the late emperor was still on the throne, she was quite close to Prince Feng, who was under the late emperor's rule, and the prince suspects that your biological father is that Prince Feng."
"You mean the mastermind behind the 'Huangliang Rebellion'?"
He nodded solemnly, “Back then, when the ‘Huangliang Incident’ occurred, everyone in the Feng Prince’s mansion was punished according to their crimes. If you are truly the bloodline of the Feng Prince, then you are the daughter of a criminal. It is understandable that Mr. Yu concealed your background.”
If she were truly the daughter of a disgraced official, she wouldn't be allowed to return to her ancestral home, and would forever live as Yu Qi's "niece." Given Yu Qi's character, as long as this relationship existed between them, he could never truly acknowledge his feelings for her.
This is really a difficult situation—
Looking at her pensive face, Xu Bai couldn't help but gently explain, "Although I initially approached you to find out about your background, it has nothing to do with my later desire to marry you. You must believe me."
She pondered for a moment, then smiled nonchalantly, "I know that if you really wanted to use me for something, just the fact that I might be the daughter of a disgraced official would have made you wise enough not to propose marriage to me. I don't distrust you, but if you find out anything about my background in the future, you must never hide it from me again. I also want to know who my father really is."
Logically, an orphan like her would naturally be curious about her parents. But for some reason, he sensed from her smile that her curiosity didn't stem from genuine familial affection; it seemed to have ulterior motives. Regardless of her motives, her desire to know was understandable, and he couldn't refuse her request, neither emotionally nor logically.
"I will definitely pass on whatever Your Highness tells me." He agreed with a smile, but then a troubled look appeared on his face. "I think Mr. Yu has misunderstood me quite a bit because of this matter, and he thinks that I have ill intentions towards you. I'm afraid he won't agree to our marriage."
Jiuli picked up her tea and took a leisurely sip. "Why bother with him? As long as I'm willing, that's all that matters. Haven't you heard people say that parents can't always win against their children? Uncle is the same. Time will tell. As long as you treat me sincerely from now on and stop hiding things, he'll naturally change his opinion of you." As she spoke, she glanced at him sideways, her thick eyelashes fluttering, revealing a sly glint beneath.
For a moment, he couldn't tell who had ulterior motives towards whom, but it didn't matter. No matter how cunning a woman was, to a man she was just a bit playful and wouldn't become an obstacle or threat to him. He could rest assured about that.
At midday, when the sun was blazing, Yu Qi walked into the grove. The trees were dense and the shade was thick, and the cicadas were chirping loudly. He pushed aside the bushes and squatted down where he had found the clothes. He examined the ground and looked around. There was no one passing by. Even the few farmers carrying hoes were walking far away in the green rice fields beyond the grove.
He painstakingly brushed aside the fallen leaves and pine needles, his clothes soaked with sweat, but his efforts were rewarded when he found three or four scattered shoe prints not far from where he had found his clothes.
Although the imprints were mostly small halves, they were still discernible as belonging to two people, a man and a woman. The woman was wearing monk's shoes, as nuns at Qinglian Temple typically wear shoes with coiled rope soles, which had a rough texture when worn on the ground. The other pair of men's boots were pink-soled black boots, and the shoe prints did not show any texture, but the soles were probably finely coated or made of leather, which matched the sachet. They all seemed to be the attire of a very particular person.
Just then, someone chuckled softly on the path outside the woods, "What is Mr. Yu looking for over there?"
Looking up through the bushes, I saw Youjun and Niangzhuang, both of them peering into the bushes. "Have they discovered some important clue?"
Yu Qi clapped his hands and stood up, "The eldest young lady has come again today."
His tone was indifferent, as if he didn't care at all why she had come today, or whether he had expected her to come. Youjun couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed and annoyed that he had guessed her thoughts. However, she herself couldn't explain why she had to come here. She explained to He Niangzhuang that it was to get closer to Qi Xubai, but she couldn't hide it from herself. It was for this reason, and for something else as well. Anyway, she had just squeezed in some free time and ended up here.
Fortunately, Madam Gu provided an excuse. She smiled and said, "I bought some fresh fruit to bring to Madam Gu and her son. The food at the temple is rather monotonous. It's fine for Madam Gu, but I'm afraid the child won't get used to it after a while. Besides, I think Xiaoyuer is young and afraid of the heat, so he must want to eat something cool and refreshing. I also brought some honeydew melon and watermelon for her. We had just arrived at the temple gate when we saw the gentleman walking this way alone. I thought it was because of the case, and I was curious, so I ordered the servant to carry the things into the temple first. My mother and I then slowly walked this way."
Yu Qi got angry at the mention of Jiu Li and snorted, "Why are you thinking about her again?"
Youjun lowered his eyelids, sensing that the uncle and nephew had a falling out, mostly because of Xu Bai, so he just smiled and didn't say anything.
The woman in the dress tried to persuade her, "Sir, please don't worry. We've all been this age. Girls this age are rebellious. It's okay in other families, but your family spoils her, so she's naturally fearless. It's too late for you to interfere now. I think Miss Yu'er is well-mannered and won't cause any trouble. The more you try to control her, the more difficult it will be."
These words made Yu Qi even more embarrassed, and since he couldn't talk to them, he could only remain silent. Seeing his expression, Youjun subtly adjusted her makeup, preventing him from speaking. She picked up her skirt and walked over, looking at the ground and noticing the footprints as well. "Sir, are you looking at these footprints?"
Yu Qi muttered to himself, "Something's strange. These footprints look orderly, so Liao Yi doesn't seem to have been abducted here."
Youjun glanced at him sideways, not finding it strange at all. "That's because she followed the murderer here on her own. Look, there's a patch of wildflowers here. Wouldn't it be pleasant to sit here, enjoy the flowers, and relax in the cool air?"
Sure enough, there were clusters of yellow flowers blooming in front, facing a large tree. Was he sitting with the murderer admiring the flowers? This was utterly unbelievable. Yu Qi lifted his robe and took two steps forward to investigate. Although there was a large patch of moss at the base of the tree, there were signs that someone had sat on it. This Liao Yi must be familiar with the murderer, and their relationship might even be far from simple.
After thinking for a while, Youjun, seeing that there was nothing more to see, persuaded him to go back.
Having witnessed countless sordid affairs in the outside world, Youjun saw Yuqi lost in thought on the way and said with a half-smile, "Sir, you're probably wondering what kind of man Master Liaoyi had an affair with before she became a nun. Your guess is simply because you're bound by worldly rules and customs, thinking that a nun and a man shouldn't have any connection. But nuns are women too, and those illicit affairs weren't necessarily done before she became a nun."
Sure enough, upon reaching the temple, they bumped into the yamen runners who had returned from questioning the family where Liaoyi used to work as a maid. When asked, the runners said, "The family's surname is Song. Liaoyi only worked for them for half a year. During those six months, Master Song was away doing business. Several of his young masters were not even ten years old at the time, and the remaining servants swore they had no relationship with her. Moreover, they haven't seen her since she became a nun at Qinglian Temple."
It seems Youjun was right. Yu Qi waved away the yamen runners and walked slowly into the temple with Youjun. He took out the money bag he had found in Madam Gu's room and showed it to her. "Miss Guan is very knowledgeable. Please tell me who this thing belongs to?"
Youjun took it and examined it closely. "This is Beijing embroidery. It's not something an ordinary craftsman can do. The fabric is also from the imperial supply. It's very difficult to buy outside. People who use this kind of money bag are either officials or nobles. I remember finding a sachet next to the corpse yesterday, didn't I? Please let me take a closer look, sir."
Yu Qi then touched the sachet to her, and she compared it with the purse, saying, "This sachet is not as good as this money bag. Although the materials are good, it is a market product. Although the embroidery is exquisite, it is not as elegant as the colorful crane on this money bag. It doesn't seem to be the same person's thing."
No wonder Yu Qi found the design on the money pouch familiar; such elegant items were common throughout the manor in the past. This showed that Youjun was right; the owner of the money pouch must be of considerable status. But why would such a man of high status appear in a small temple like Qinglian Temple? One couldn't help but ponder Qinglian Temple carefully.
“I remember the eldest young lady once said that Qinglian Temple was just a dilapidated temple in the early days, and it was only after it was handed over to the current abbot Jingzhen that it gradually flourished. What exactly are the abilities of this Master Jingzhen?”
Youjun smiled and shook her head, "I don't know either, maybe she's just particularly good at explaining things."
The laughter, however, was somewhat chilling, sending a cold feeling through the heart even under the bright sun. Yu Qi felt that she clearly knew something.
When asked again, she still shook her head, saying, "I'm not someone who regularly practices vegetarianism and chants Buddhist prayers, how would I know about these trivial matters?"
As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the main hall ahead, where a richly dressed gentleman emerged, followed by a servant. The two looked around as if searching for someone. From afar, Youjun waved to the gentleman and called out, "Master Zhao."
Then, while smiling at the wealthy Mr. Zhao, she whispered to Yu Qi, "That Mr. Zhao is also a business friend of mine. Sir, don't let his age fool you, he's still quite vigorous. He has a large number of wives and concubines at home, and he's always out there having affairs. Are all men, young and old, so promiscuous?"
Yu Qi glanced at her but didn't answer. He watched as the wealthy Zhao walked up to her with a smile and said, "Miss Guan, why do I keep running into you here these past few days? Have you started chanting Buddhist prayers too?"
Youjun looked him over and said, “A friend of mine is staying here for a while, which is why I come here often. But you, Master Zhao, are so sincere. On such a hot day, you could have just sent a servant to add some sesame oil, but you came all the way here yourself.”
Master Zhao just smiled without answering, his head darting around before returning to the question, "Have you seen Little Master Jingyue?"
Youjun immediately guessed that Jingyue was probably the little nun he had been arguing with in front of the temple gate that day. "I don't know. A receptionist is usually busy greeting worshippers, so why didn't you see her?"
Yu Qi chimed in, "It seems that Master Jingyue is no longer a guest master; she's working in the dining hall now."
Master Zhao couldn't help but scrutinize him closely, and teased Youjun, "This gentleman looks extraordinary. Miss Guan, you're not only good at business, but you're also quite capable in other areas."
Youjun didn't mind and introduced, "This is Mr. Yu Qiyu. The young lady you saw last time is his niece."
Master Zhao had also heard of Yu Qi's name, and quickly bowed, saying, "My apologies for not being acquainted with you."
Yu Qi returned the greeting, and after exchanging a few words, Master Zhao took his leave and left the temple. Yu Qi turned his head to look at him for a while before continuing to walk inside with Youjun.
As they reached the entrance to the guest courtyard, Youjun suddenly chuckled softly for no apparent reason. Yu Qi asked her what she was laughing at, and she shook her head with a smile, "I just lament that when a man's lust is aroused, he can't even care about the Buddha's presence."
Yu Qi smiled and said, "Miss, it seems you have something in your words? If you are willing to give me some pointers, you might as well speak frankly. If you are not, there is no need to say such boring things."
Youjun glared at him inwardly. This man was truly heartless. She could only sigh and say, “Mr. Yu, please forgive me. I am a businesswoman, and I am most afraid of offending people in the business world. Compared to other men, Mr. Yu is sometimes so upright that he doesn’t seem like a man at all. He is the same no matter when or where. It’s as if he doesn’t care about women. Even his angry words can make women angry.”
Just then, Jiuli came down from the corridor. She had seen the Guan family's servants carrying in the fruits and vegetables, and knew that Guan Youjun had arrived, but she hadn't seen her for half a day. Just then, she saw Guan Youjun and Yu Qi enter the courtyard together. Naturally, she was unhappy. She rolled her eyes at Yu Qi, called out "Aunt Guan," and then turned her back, craning her neck as she went to her room.
Youjun seized the opportunity to laugh again, "Don't you see? Even the little maid is angry with you. Sir, go and coax her, and tell her to come to Madam Gu's room so everyone can cut some fruit and eat."
Yu Qi had no choice but to go to Jiu Li's room. He slowly stepped over the threshold, a mocking smile on his gloomy face. "Didn't you take advantage of my absence to go and talk to Qi Xubai?"
"I already said it." Jiuli casually flipped over a teacup at the table, poured herself some tea, and drank. "I just finished."
He walked to the table and glanced at her. "What did you say?"
Jiuli tilted her head and said, "I can't tell you, and you'd better not ask, lest you get sick from getting angry."
"You—" He was afraid that if he scolded her too harshly, he would hurt her pride and self-esteem, but if he scolded her too lightly, she wouldn't take it to heart at all. He simply couldn't find the words to subdue her. He could only say, "Don't you care about your own dignity?"
She glanced sideways, casually picked up her teacup and brought it to her lips. "Who said I didn't care? We're talking openly and honestly, with the door open. Don't worry, from now on I'll observe proper etiquette so people won't say I'm in such a hurry before we're even married. Anyway, good days will come eventually. If two people are truly in love, what does it matter if they're together every day? I understand."
Yu Qi never expected that she would find so many ways to annoy him; it was truly a case of "a big stick can't be broken!" However, he couldn't hit her, and in the end, he only ended up getting angry until his face turned red.
Jiuli put down her teacup and said with a grin, "From now on, you don't need to worry about my reputation or dignity. I know the rules very well. You don't need to say that Xu Bai is dishonest anymore. He made it clear to me today that he doesn't have any bad intentions. Just wait and see."
"What am I looking at?" Yu Qi smiled, but each word was gritted out through his teeth. "I'm telling you clearly, there's no future for you and him."
Jiuli stopped arguing with him and instead got up, took his arm, and put on a smiling face right under his nose. "I know there's a saying that a father-in-law's gaze at his son-in-law only makes him angrier. But there's another saying that a daughter can't be kept at home forever; if you try to keep her, she'll only become an enemy."
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Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Here's a generous chapter.
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