Proofread by Claire.KK
Seeing her strong reaction, the abbot lowered his head and said Amitabha Buddha, “It seems that you had no idea of it.”
Xie Mengxuan chuckled and took a sip of tea, and the bitter tea knitted her brows. Then she took a deep breath and said slowly, “Abbot seems to know more than I do. Anyway, I’ve got plenty of time, why don’t you tell me in detail?”
She appeared to be indifferent, but failed to hide her eagerness. The abbot seemed a bit amazed; for so many years, it was his first time to see her with such an expression. He a.s.sumed that she must have experienced something profound over the past month.
The abbot seemed to be thinking and said softly, “Where to start?”
Xie Mengxuan thought for a while; then she said with a deep voice, “Just back then receiving the news.” she needed to know when it was.
The abbot paused, and thought for a long time and replied, “It might be better if this benefactor ask more specifically.”
Xie Mengxuan asked bluntly, “I wonder who delivered the news; em, I mean, do you know his or her name.”
“No.” The abbot shook his head.
Xie Mengxuan questioned again, “any letters?”
“Benefactor Xie...” The abbot sighed and whispered.
Xie Mengxuan fell in a daze, and then she reacted and gave a wry smile, “Sorry, I am too nervous.”
Seeing she come round slowly, the abbot said: “Settling for what you can get, and everything shall go with the fate.”
“So let it be”. Xie Mengxuan’s voice sounded somewhat helpless. She took a deep breath and exclaimed solemnly, “I want to know the news of the imperial capital and the Majesty.”
The abbot looked outside and said, “The Imperil Capital is now in a state of turmoil, and it is far from tranquil. And news from the Lord demands you go to the southern reaches of the Yangtze River with the tokens.”
‘The capital is in a turmoil?’ Xie Mengxuan felt somewhat anxious. Unexpectedly, when she heard that she needs to go to the southern reaches of the Yangtze River, she stunned and said, “To the southern reaches of the Yangtze River, for what?”
The abbot shook his head and replied, “Once you arrive, someone will meet you there and tell you what to do.”
After taking a sip of bitter tea, Xie Mengxuan said, “I don’t understand. Since the capital is not very tranquil now, why does the Lord want me to go to the southern reaches of the Yangtze River?”
The abbot stood up and took a letter from the concealed compartment and handed it to her. “Look at this.”
“A command from the Lord?” Xie Mengxuan said.
While reaching out to get the latter, she then opened and took a good look at the letter. After reading it, she looked solemn and replied, “Please send words to the Majesty that I will get things done, and make a worry-free southern reaches of the Yangtze River.”
The abbot nodded. Then he took a lighter to light a candle and said, “It is inconvenient for you to go on your own. The Lord said he will send one over to go with you.”
Xie Mengxuan burned the paper and waited till it left a bit, throwing it into the cup. “Who is it?”
“The Lord’s a.s.sociate, but now I don’t know where the person is; what I know is that he does what the Lord commands.” The abbot told her honestly.
Xie Mengxuan waved her hands and said, “Well, that’s OK. There was someone by my side who can help me.”
“Who? Is he/she trustful?” The abbot stood up with his brows frowned and looked serious.
Xie Mengxuan looked a lot cooler, “Please ask the young monk to come, and we should check secretly.”
Later, the abbot called and asked the young monk, and knew that the two people were still in the garden. Then Xie Mengxuan and the abbot looked at each other and went to the garden by a secret pa.s.sage.
There were rockeries in the garden. Seen from outside, everything was normal. But there was a secret pa.s.sage inside and a small hole (the same size as an eye) through which one could look outside. They were so covert that no one would discover.
Being familiar with the road, Xie Mengxuan and the abbot came inside, looking out from the eye-sized hole.
In the garden, Gu Yusheng and Uncle Luo were walking casually, looking around and enjoying the scenery.
“It has been a long time; why hasn’t Xie Mengxuan come out yet.”
Gu Yusheng looked around and asked in doubt.
Uncle Luo was not a talker, so he did not answer Gu Yusheng, but Gu didn’t care, then he called and asked the young monk.
“This...” The abbot saw the face of Gu Yusheng from inside. “He was…”
“According to what he said, yes.” Xie Mengxuan nodded and said with not entire certainty.
The abbot looked at the so-called Gu Yusheng with carefulness. “Similar, they look really similar.”
“Yes, he claimed to be Gu Yusheng.” Xie Mengxuan nodded.
The abbot heard the words and raised his eyes. “Em... there are not too many people who know Yusheng; have you confirmed it yet?”
Xie Mengxuan closed the hole. The moment she lowered her head, she did not notice Uncle Luo’s eyes were looking at their position accurately.
After closing the hole, Xie Mengxuan and the abbot walked back, saying that, “Seen from his martial arts, figure, and the person by his side, I can be sure that he is Gu Yusheng, but... I don’t know why I feel a little strange.”
“How do you two meet?” asked the abbot.
Xie Mengxuan thought for a while and said, “At the Zhoujia village under the cliff, where I was thrown into the river, but luckily saved by him. He has got tokens, and other things looked alright, but his appearance seems to be calculated.”
“Any evidence?”
“No, my intuition tells me, so I brought him here to let you have a look.”
The abbot got along quite well with Gu Clan and Xie Clan for a long time. And when Xie Mengxuan was young, every year she and brother Gu would come here to stay for several days.
The abbot carefully compared the man’s face with the boy in his memory; after a moment, he said, “At that time the boy was young, but now decades of years could change everything. Just look at his face, I can’t tell for sure. Whether it is true or not, since you two stay together day and night, flaws shall emerge.”
“However, if this person is an enemy rather than a friend, you’ll be in danger.”
The abbot was really worried. Then Xie Mengxuan smiled and said, “No, he might have other purposes. During this period, he has taken good care of me. So I will go with them to the southern reaches of the Yangtze River. If you see the Majesty’s a.s.sociate, please tell him to follow me secretly. Thanks a lot!”
“OK, that will be fine.”
With someone secretly accompanying means also a good thing to Xie Mengxuan.
In the course of their conversation, they had already returned to the wing-room, just as the young monk came to ask, Xie Mengxuan answered directly, and then she left for the garden with the abbot.
In the garden, Uncle Luo averted his eyes, acting like nothing happened. And Gu Yusheng’s face looked cool, but actually he was a little nervous. He took a deep breath and when he was about to ask again, he saw the smiling Xie Mengxuan and the abbot together.
Gu Yusheng put on the appearance of a gentleman and came to have a contact, “Greetings to Abbot.”
“Please save formality, this benefactor.” The abbot responded with a slight bow and said: “I will do as you require; you can be rest a.s.sured.”
“Sorry for bothering you”. Xie Mengxuan bowed in return and added, “It is getting late; I want to stay here tonight, can I?”
“Of course, all is welcomed.” Saying that, the abbot turned around and told the young monk to arrange for their rooms.
Then Xie Mengxuan followed the young monk heading for her room for a rest. And Gu Yusheng followed subsequently as well. The abbot pa.s.sed Uncle Luo, and at that moment, both of them lifted their eyes, the expression inside their eyes looked alike, but actually one was with a faint smile, while the other with a little impatience .
After Uncle Luo left, the abbot sighed and whispered, “With him being around her, no need to worry.”