Wei Feng was about to bury the body when he heard voices outside. He immediately hid with the corpse, while Wen Mohan went out to intercept the newcomers.
"Han'er, look who's here?"
"Cen Yu, why are you here?" Wen Mohan greeted him. "Are you here to offer incense too?"
"Here to pray," Cen Yu glanced into the courtyard. Wen Mohan immediately blocked his view. "Since you're here, let's take a walk. Mother, can you get back to your room by yourself?"
"Your mother isn't a three-year-old child, don't you know how to get to her room?" Madam Prime Minister waved him away dismissively. "Go on, go on, I won't be in your way."
Cen Yu just smiled and took an umbrella from his attendant, holding it over Wen Mohan's head. "The rain isn't heavy, but it's easy to get sick if you get wet."
Wen Mohan looked at Cen Yu's androgynous face and his warm, clean smile, which seemed unchanged. But he knew in his heart that Cen Yu was no longer the person with a clean smile and pure kindness he knew in his childhood. He had unknowingly taken on all sorts of colors and become a hypocritical and malicious villain!
The two walked aimlessly along the path in the rain, the temple bell ringing in their ears with an indescribable solemnity. As they passed the meditation room where Master Wuyou used to reside, Wen Mohan stopped.
"This used to be Master Wuyou's meditation room."
Cen Yu looked at the meditation room. It had been empty since Master Wuyou's nirvana. A young monk leaned against a pillar, dozing, holding a broom taller than himself.
"I heard the current abbot is Master Wuyou's junior brother, a highly respected master," Cen Yu said gently. "Does Mohan wish to ask the abbot for a destiny reading?"
"I don't need a destiny reading," Wen Mohan said faintly. "My fate no longer belongs to me."
"What nonsense are you talking? Your fate naturally belongs to you."
Wen Mohan turned to face Cen Yu. "My fate does not belong to me. From the moment I made my decision, it stopped belonging to me."
Cen Yu's smile was a little strained. "What decision?"
"I will live and die with Xiao Man. If anything happens to her, I will not live alone!" This was a warning, a warning from Wen Mohan to Cen Yu. If Cen Yu did anything to harm Xiao Man again, it would be harming him, and he would not be soft-hearted anymore. He would draw his sword against him without hesitation!
"Is it worth it for a woman?"
"For Xiao Man, it is worth it!"
Cen Yu didn't know how he parted ways with Wen Mohan. His mind was filled with Wen Mohan's words about living and dying with Xiao Man. If he wanted to protect Wen Mohan's safety, he had to protect Xiao Man's safety. But he wished Xiao Man would die without a whole corpse. How could he be willing to protect her?
"Mohan, you love her to the bone, but do you know she has never had you in her heart?" Cen Yu sighed softly. "One day, I will prove to you that Xiao Man is not worth it!"
Meanwhile, Third Concubine quietly ran out of the courtyard and knelt before Madam Xiao, begging her to dispense justice.
"Old Madam, you must do justice for your humble servant!" Third Concubine's eyes were red and swollen. She had cried all night, her eyes swollen like peaches. After much deliberation, she finally realized that only Old Madam could do justice for her and her daughter.
Old Madam had never liked Third Concubine, but seeing her cry so miserably, she was somewhat puzzled. "What, has someone bullied you again?"
"Old Madam, Second Miss... Second Miss was murdered."
Madam Xiao was shocked. "What did you say? Second Miss was murdered? Who did it?"
Third Concubine's face was filled with hatred. "It was Xiao Man, Eldest Miss Xiao Man, she murdered my daughter!"
When Madam Xiao heard it was Xiao Man, the body that had stood up slowly sat down. "Eldest Miss killed Xiao Xiang?"
"Yes."
"Who said so?"
"Eldest Miss admitted it herself!" Third Concubine crawled to Old Madam. "Old Madam, Second Miss is, after all, a young lady of the General's mansion, your own granddaughter. You cannot let her die without understanding why!"
"Is there any evidence for this matter?"
"She admitted it herself, what more evidence do you need?" Third Concubine raised her voice. "Old Madam, you cannot indulge her in her recklessness. If she dares to kill her own sister today, she will dare to kill her father and you tomorrow..."
"How dare you!" Old Madam rebuked. "I think you've lost your mind!"
"Old Madam, your humble servant is speaking the truth. Eldest Miss she..."
"Enough. Eldest Miss does things with her own plans. Did you see Second Miss's body? Do you think Second Miss is dead?" With Xiao Ling's precedent, Old Madam didn't dare to believe Third Concubine's words. If she went to trouble Xiao Man without any evidence, and Xiao Xiang returned afterward, where would she hide her old face?
Moreover, Xiao Xiang was merely a concubine-born daughter, and Xiao Man was the legitimate eldest daughter. Even if she disposed of her privately, she couldn't do anything to her, as her own son doted on her!
"This... your humble servant has not."
"Since you haven't seen the body, don't talk nonsense. Didn't you also say Third Miss was killed by Eldest Miss before? And now Third Miss is alive and well?" Su Dan Novel Network
"Old Madam, do you mean Eldest Miss was joking with your humble servant?" Third Concubine asked with a hint of joy. Her daughter was not dead but hidden by Xiao Man?
"How would I know about this? Don't believe every rumor you hear. Eldest Miss always likes to joke. Perhaps Second Miss has gone out to relax and will be back in a few days. Don't overthink it."
"Really?" Third Concubine found it hard to believe, as Xiao Xiang had never left without saying goodbye. But if Xiao Man had a hand in it, it was not impossible.
"Although Eldest Miss likes to mess around, she is not heartless and would not kill her own sisters. Don't guess wildly and ruin their sisterly affection," Old Madam said impatiently. "Go back to your courtyard and copy the Heart Sutra a hundred times. By the time you finish copying it, Second Miss might be back."
"Yes, your humble servant will go back to copy the Heart Sutra immediately."
After Third Concubine left, Old Madam summoned Nanny Xu. "Go to Shuiyue Small Courtyard and ask Eldest Miss what is going on with Second Miss's disappearance."
"Yes, Old Madam."
Nanny Xu went to Shuiyue Small Courtyard but found it empty. Xiao Man was not in the courtyard. The maid said she had left the manor early in the morning. Nanny Xu had no choice but to return to the main courtyard to report.
Xiao Man had taken people to Donghui Mountain early in the morning. At the foot of Donghui Mountain, there was indeed an ownerless lonely grave. The grass on the grave was almost waist-high. If not for Xiao Man's good eyesight, it would have been difficult to find.
"Miss, is this Second Miss's grave?"
"It should be," Xiao Man stood before the lonely grave. "After all, we were sisters. I can't let you become a lonely soul in this wilderness. Get to work."