"She's gone mad, truly mad!"
Aunt Wang was startled. She looked at Granny Bian's bloodshot eyes and ferocious expression, her fear mixed with self-reproach. If she hadn't taken Jiu'er to Jilin Street to buy groceries, Jiu'er and her sister wouldn't have gone to Linlong Temple. If they hadn't gone to Linlong Temple, they wouldn't have had an accident. The usually short-tempered Aunt Wang rarely retorted. She raised her hand, wiped away tears, and beat her chest in remorse. "It's my fault, old sister, all my fault. If it weren't for me... Jiu'er and her sister wouldn't have gone to Linlong Temple. If they hadn't gone to Linlong Temple, Jiu'er and her sister wouldn't have gone missing. I really, truly..."
Aunt Wang was almost choking with sobs.
Cheng Zimo, however, seized upon the key point. "Linlong Temple? The aunt's two nieces went missing near Linlong Temple?"
Aunt Wang didn't understand why this young master Cheng cared so much about this matter. Judging by his demeanor, he didn't seem like someone eavesdropping for gossip. Aunt Wang thought that since he was a young master from the General's family, if he took this matter seriously, the constables would surely put in more effort out of respect for him. Thus, she explained in detail why the sisters went to Linlong Temple and why they never returned.
Cheng Zimo remembered that Yu Dabubu had said that Wang Xun's favorite place to go in recent years was Linlong Temple. Now, the aunt's sisters had gone missing near Linlong Temple. This Linlong Temple must be related to the disappearance case. It was highly possible that Wang Xun was hiding the abducted people here.
It seemed he still had to make a trip to Linlong Temple.
The eldest son of the Liu family suddenly spoke up, "I've been to Linlong Temple. The monks said the Luan sisters left after the hour of Wei. I asked the stall vendors on Jilin Street, and a vegetable seller said he indeed saw the Luan sisters at a quarter past the hour of Wei. He saw them leave Jilin Street."
"A vegetable seller?"
Cheng Zimo frowned tightly. "Didn't they say these sisters had just come to Wucheng to seek refuge? They had never been to Linlong Temple before. In that case, how could that vegetable seller be so certain about the whereabouts of the Luan sisters?"
Cheng Zimo suspected that the seller was a 'witness' arranged by someone else.
Aunt Wang gave a dry laugh. "Perhaps, it's because I argued with that vegetable seller the day before yesterday."
Cheng Zimo looked at Aunt Wang, who shifted uncomfortably. "We almost came to blows!"
Aunt Wang felt it was somewhat uncivilized to mention her public scolding and brawling in front of a young master from a prominent family. She felt she should be more refined when standing with these noble people.
Cheng Zimo was silent for two seconds. He decided to ignore Aunt Wang's action of rubbing the corner of her clothes. If what she said was true, the Luan sisters had indeed left Linlong Temple. If the vegetable seller's words were true, they had an incident after leaving Jilin Street.
It was only the hour of Wei then, and the sky was still bright. To take away two girls, one would have to act in a secluded place.
Thinking of this, Cheng Zimo said to Aunt Wang and the eldest son of the Liu family, "Quickly take this aunt home and comfort her. I will investigate this matter, and no matter the outcome, I will give you an explanation."
With that, Cheng Zimo left in a hurry.
Granny Bian seemed to have her strength completely drained and collapsed to the ground. The eldest son of the Liu family helped her up and led her towards Jijia Alley.
The Yamen.
Yu Dabubu heard the yamen runner describe the farce that had occurred outside the yamen. All his attention was focused on Cheng Zimo. He raised his eyelids and asked, "You said young master Cheng will manage this matter?"
The yamen runner nodded. "Yes. Looking at the direction he left, he should be heading towards Jilin Street."
Yu Dabubu lowered his eyelids and hummed softly, as if merely asking a casual question and not taking the matter to heart. After dismissing the yamen runner, he picked up one of the towering scrolls on his desk, then suddenly threw it down heavily, scattering all the scrolls on the desk to the floor.
...
As Jilin Street turned towards Changping Street, there was a narrow alley. Cheng Zimo saw someone crouching in the center, seemingly investigating or hiding something. He approached silently, then struck like lightning, intending to capture the suspicious person at the first opportunity.
Shou Yi heard the footsteps behind him. The person's pace was steady, their breathing long and deep, unlike ordinary people. He didn't turn his head, but all the muscles in his body tensed instantly. The person behind him suddenly attacked. Shou Yi instantly turned around, his hand moving from bottom to top, his fist generating fierce power and creating a gust of wind.
The punch landed on Cheng Zimo's wrist. Cheng Zimo's expression changed immediately. He retracted his grasping movement along the force of the punch, stepped back half a pace, and then unleashed a whip kick.
Shou Yi still used his fist. His fist collided with Cheng Zimo's foot, and both were forced back several steps.
"Who are you? What are you doing lurking around here?" Cheng Zimo questioned sharply.
Shou Yi's expression was stern. He pursed his lips and did not reply, his gaze moving up and down as he sized up Cheng Zimo. He retorted, "And who are you?"
Cheng Zimo replied, "A passerby!"
Shou Yi instinctively started to bring his hands together, but remembering the current situation, the hands he was about to join paused slightly, and then crossed.
Cheng Zimo: "..."
"Are you a monk from Linlong Temple?"
His movement was truly comical. Who would cross their hands over their chest while standing? Seeing his last-minute change in action, Cheng Zimo suspected this person was insulting his intelligence.
Shou Yi scratched his scalp. Since he started wearing this wig, his scalp had been terribly itchy. Monks were not supposed to lie. Shou Yi wasn't pedantic, but at this point, quibbling seemed pointless. He neither admitted nor denied, only looking at Cheng Zimo with suspicion and vigilance.
Seeing that he remained silent, Cheng Zimo rebuked, "Speak! Were you the ones who abducted the Luan sisters!"
Shou Yi: "..."
Shou Yi was momentarily speechless.
"So it really was you! Good, very good, I..."
"Amitabha, benefactor, what joke are you telling?" Shou Yi quickly stopped the other person's leap to conclusions. He couldn't understand why, after knowing he was a disciple of Linlong Temple, the suspicion immediately turned into certainty.
Cheng Zimo choked on his breath, almost suffocating himself.
Was this damned monk mocking him?
Was he?
Yes, he was!
"You..."
"This humble monk doesn't understand why the benefactor harbors such great malice towards our Linlong Temple. All the monks in Linlong Temple eat vegetarian meals and chant Buddhist scriptures daily, daring not to take a single wrong step. Let alone committing such heinous acts, even the desire for gluttony is something we dare not indulge in."
"Heh, well said. Then why are you, a good monk, dressed like this? If you weren't up to no good, why would you be like this?"
"To find someone!"
"Find someone?"
Shou Yi nodded. "This humble monk just wants to deliver this packet of tea to that benefactor personally."
Cheng Zimo looked at him, then at the packet of tea he took out from his robe, and fell into silence.
You damned fool, do you take me for an idiot!
Damn it!
Can't you come up with a more reliable excuse to fool people????
Shou Yi's gaze was clear: This humble monk is not deceiving the benefactor; everything I say is true!
Cheng Zimo: Heh heh~