The carriage stopped at the foot of Lanshan Temple. Shangguan Yun, wearing a smiling doll mask, walked into the mountain. He Xiao, dressed in black, closely followed behind him.
One in front and the other behind, they passed the Tea House in the Wind - listening Tower. Shangguan Yun paused and asked, "Why isn't it open for business today?" It was the 28th day of the second lunar month, and there weren't many pilgrims coming and going. Did they simply close for renovation?
He Xiao shook his head and said, "I don't know. I'll ask someone later."
Shangguan Yun nodded and stepped onto the mountain gate.
He took off his mask, took the three joss sticks that He Xiao handed over, and devoutly worshiped the Buddha. Then he gave the joss sticks to a monk in the temple and whispered to him, "Little master, I'd like to sit in the meditation room where Master Hongming used to live for a while."
The little monk was stunned for a moment and didn't dare to be negligent. He quickly led them to the door of the meditation rooms where the monks lived and handed them over to another monk to receive them.
The monk at the door recognized Shangguan Yun. He quickly put his hands together and bowed, saying, "Amitabha. I didn't know that Young Master Yun had come. Please forgive me for not greeting you properly."
Shangguan Yun put his hands together, bowed his head, and followed the monk into the meditation room to drink tea.
In the meditation room, the abbot, who had heard the news, rushed over to receive Shangguan Yun and had a long private conversation with him. It turned out that Master Hongming had passed away on the night of the Minor New Year last year. On the night before he left, he had always told his senior disciple beside him that he was worried about Shangguan Yun, who was far away.
On that day, Shangguan Yun happened to be in Xiliang. In order to save Wei Dongling, he fell into the ice layer of Tianhu Lake and had a narrow escape from death.
Shangguan Yun felt extremely blocked in his heart. Master Hongming was only in his fifties, yet he had left so suddenly. Shangguan Yun couldn't even remember when they had last met. The master had always loved collecting his paintings and would pull him into the meditation room to talk about Buddhist scriptures. He never thought that when he looked back, they would be separated by death.
Shangguan Yun mourned for a long time. Then he waved his hand and told the little master outside to prepare paper and a brush for him. He wanted to copy a Buddhist scripture for Master Hongming.
The little monk quickly brought the paper and the brush. Shangguan Yun sat upright, full of piety, and copied the scripture for a full two hours. As the scripture was slowly coming to an end, Shangguan Yun's heart became calmer and calmer. But at this moment, He Xiao suddenly pushed the door open and rushed in. He called out urgently, "Young Master! Princess Five is in trouble!"
Shangguan Yun's hand trembled, and the writing brush in his hand slipped, instantly staining the almost - copied scripture black. Shangguan Yun didn't care about the mess on the table. He stepped out quickly with a straight back. After he got into the carriage, he asked urgently, "What's going on?"
He Xiao's face was gloomy as he said in a deep voice, "It is said that Princess Five was assassinated by a servant of the Yu Mansion. Wanted posters have been out for several days! Princess Five was in a coma for several days and finally couldn't be saved..."
Shangguan Yun suddenly opened his eyes wide, grabbed He Xiao's lapel, and asked coldly, "What did you say?"
He Xiao's face was as pale as paper as he said in a low voice, "I just went to the Su Mansion. The lanterns at the door have all been replaced with white ones. I saw... I saw Cheng Hao leading a group of Princess Five's relatives burning paper money beside the memorial tablet in the main hall. Miss Cuihuan was crying so hard that she almost fainted... Young Master, Princess Five is dead."
Shangguan Yun's eyes were red as he trembled and said, "How could this happen?"
He Xiao said in a deep voice, "Cheng Hao told me that Princess Five was trying to pick up Grandma Yu before the Yu Mansion was raided. That's why she was stabbed seven times by the maid beside the County Mistress of Rong'an. Every stab was fatal, and she fell on the spot..."
Shangguan Yun's nose turned sour. He could hardly imagine the scene of Wei Dongling, such a slender person, being stabbed seven times and bleeding profusely. He felt as if his heart had been tightly clenched. Shangguan Yun was in a complete mess. He urgently asked He Xiao, "Where is Pinhao? Take me to the Su Mansion. You go and get Pinhao to see me quickly!"
When Shangguan Yun and Pinhao parted ways, he had repeatedly instructed him to protect Wei Dongling at all costs! Where was Pinhao when Dongling was in danger?
He Xiao whipped the horse and galloped all the way. In less than half an hour, the carriage stopped opposite the Su Mansion.
Shangguan Yun lifted the curtain and looked at the white paper lanterns hanging at the door. His face instantly turned as pale as paper, and his whole body couldn't stop trembling.
Wei Dongling, was she really dead?
He Xiao suddenly pointed at a carriage at the door of the Su Mansion and asked in surprise, "Young Master, look at that person. Isn't he the secret guard of Young Master Yu?"
Shangguan Yun quickly leaned out to look. The person sitting in the carriage at the door of the Su Mansion did look a bit like Tian Qi. Tian Qi reined in the horse, stopped the carriage, lifted the curtain, and carefully helped a man in a black cloak out of the carriage. Shangguan Yun recognized him almost immediately from his slender fingers. It was undoubtedly Yu Zixi! Shangguan Yun was instantly filled with anger and immediately wanted to rush over and beat him up.
Shangguan Yun had long known that Yu Zixi couldn't protect Wei Dongling well! Sure enough, as he had predicted, Yu Zixi was always absent when Wei Dongling was in trouble! Now that the person was gone, what was he doing here?
Shangguan Yun was burning with anger. He lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage, about to rush over and teach Yu Zixi a lesson. Suddenly, he saw Yu Zixi trembling and seemingly unsteady on his feet. He almost fell down, but luckily Tian Qi supported him and he managed to stand still. Then he shuffled into the Su Mansion step by step.
Shangguan Yun stopped in his tracks. What was wrong with Yu Zixi? Was he seriously injured? Otherwise, why would he need someone to support him even when coming to mourn Wei Dongling?
He Xiao clasped his fists and said, "Young Master, please wait a moment. I'll go and find Pinhao to find out what's going on!"
Shangguan Yun nodded and got out of the carriage. He followed Yu Zixi from a distance towards the Su Mansion.
The main door of the Su Mansion was half - open. Cuihuan was holding the coffin and crying hoarsely. When she looked back and saw that it was Yu Zixi and Tian Qi coming in, she stepped forward and cried, "Why did you come so late? Miss Wei, she..."
Yu Zixi trembled as he held the coffin and cried loudly. The room was in a complete mess. Shangguan Yun stood at the door, silently shedding tears, and didn't dare to step in for a long time. Suddenly, he thought of Wu Luoluo and her silver needle! Didn't Luoluo say that her grand - master had the ability to bring the dying back to life? When he was fished out from the bottom of Tianhu Lake, his heart had stopped beating. It was all thanks to Wu Luoluo's daily acupuncture and herbal medicine that he was saved! Could the silver needle in Luoluo's hand save Dongling?
Shangguan Yun's heart skipped a beat. He urgently turned around and wanted to go back to find Wu Luoluo to help. He had just taken one or two steps when he suddenly heard Cuihuan's scream from inside the room. Shangguan Yun quickly turned back to look and saw that Dongling in the coffin had actually sat up and was tightly hugging Yu Zixi.
Shangguan Yun stopped in his tracks and stood there stunned for a long time. He was sure that the woman hugging Yu Zixi in front of him was still alive. He was both happy and sad in his heart, and his eyes gradually turned red. As long as she was safe and sound, it didn't matter.
Wei Dongling, you must be happy.
Shangguan Yun fumbled in his bosom, took out a smiling mask, put it on, and turned back.