PCA Chapter 125

After the abbot’s death, the entire temple was required to chant sutras for three days before his body could be bathed, dressed, and cremated. The next day, after offering incense for Abbot Huikong, Li Shi and his group descended the mountain.

 

Back at the Xingqing Palace, Su Cen took a bath and changed clothes, then instructed the kitchen to prepare several meat dishes to be brought to Li Shi’s room. They ate and discussed, piecing together the events of the previous night, roughly deducing what had happened.

 

Half a year ago, Song Fan killed the coachman at the Wanqing Pavilion and kidnapped Huang Wan’er, hiding her in the Caotang Temple. To keep someone hidden in the temple, providing daily meals and having guards, it was clear Song Fan couldn’t have done it alone. Abbot Huikong must have been aware, perhaps even colluding with Song Fan to stage a deception. Song Fan pretended to be subdued, and Abbot Huikong, in front of everyone, sent him down the well, only to secretly switch him out later. The monks in the temple were unaware, still believing Song Fan was locked at the bottom of the well, not knowing Huang Wan’er had taken his place.

 

“The story makes sense, but there are still a few points of doubt,” Su Cen said, biting his chopsticks and frowning slightly. “First, why did Song Fan kidnap Huang Wan’er? Even if he had violated her, there was no need to go through so much trouble to hide her. For Song Fan, wouldn’t it be simpler to kill her? Second, why would Abbot Huikong, a monk, help Song Fan with such a thing? And who was the black-clad man trying to kill Abbot Huikong last night, or what was the reason for the abbot’s suicide?”

 

Li Shi placed a shrimp in Su Cen’s bowl. “I’m not sure why Song Fan kidnapped Huang Wan’er, but I can guess something about Abbot Huikong.”

 

“Oh?” Su Cen looked up, smiling. “What insights does the Prince have?”

 

Li Shi pointed his chopsticks at Su Cen, signaling him to eat while listening—Su Cen had been talking so much that he hadn’t eaten much.

 

Seeing Su Cen start to eat, Li Shi continued, “There’s a story in the Buddhist scriptures about Buddha killing a thief to save five hundred people. It tells of a time when Buddha was reincarnated as a merchant, traveling with five hundred others on a ship. A wicked thief had snuck aboard, planning to harm everyone. Buddha learned of the thief’s intentions through a dream but was in a dilemma. If he told the others, they would surely kill the thief, staining their hands with blood and falling into hell. If he did nothing, the thief would kill the merchants, and he would fall into the Avici Hell. In the end, Buddha decided to kill the thief himself, bearing the karma of entering hell. This is what is meant by ‘If I do not enter hell, who will?'”

 

“That’s what Abbot Huikong said before he died.”

 

Li Shi nodded.

 

Su Cen started biting his chopsticks again. “If we consider Huang Wan’er as the ‘wicked thief’ that Abbot Huikong imprisoned, then who are the five hundred merchants?”

 

Li Shi tapped the table with his knuckles, then after a moment, said, “The common people.”

 

Su Cen realized, “I see, Abbot Huikong was an enlightened being, willing to bear the karmic consequences to save the common people. But how could Huang Wan’er, an unmarried young lady, stand in opposition to the common people, and what role does Song Fan play in all this?”

 

Li Shi frowned, then added more food to Su Cen’s bowl. “If you can’t figure it out, eat first.”

 

Su Cen was taken aback, only then realizing his bowl was piled high with food. His habit of forgetting to eat when thinking about a case really needed to change; he couldn’t starve himself while solving mysteries.

 

Deciding not to use chopsticks, he grabbed a rib with his hand and started gnawing on it.

 

Li Shi asked, “What will you do with Huang Wan’er?”

 

“What else can I do? Send her back to the Huang family,” Su Cen said while eating. “I can’t keep her forever, especially with her pregnancy so advanced. Whose child would it be?”

 

“She seems quite fond of you.”

 

Ever since returning, Huang Wan’er hadn’t recognized anyone else, sticking to Su Cen like glue. It was only after coaxing her to sleep that he managed to escape.

 

“Maybe I’m just likable,” Su Cen raised an eyebrow with a smile. “Isn’t there someone else who’s quite fond of me?”

 

Li Shi looked at the person in front of him, with a smile in his eyes, his lips red and teeth white, and finally nodded. “You are indeed likable.”

 

Su Cen’s smile grew brighter, and he ate two more ribs, licking the sauce off his fingers with satisfaction. Life in the temple was hardly livable; how could one survive on radishes and cabbage? Abbot Huikong had said he had a connection with Buddhism, but based on the food alone, Su Cen wouldn’t go back a second time.

 

“You shouldn’t underestimate Huang Wan’er; she’s quite clever,” Su Cen said, rubbing his slightly protruding stomach with contentment. “Back at the temple, she knew to show her identity with the earrings, but unfortunately, the person who received them was a fool, a lustful fool at that. But it’s good he was greedy enough to pawn the earrings, or I wouldn’t have found my way to the Caotang Temple.”

 

Li Shi, also full, wiped his hands with a cloth. “Everything has its cause and effect.”

 

Su Cen squinted and laughed. “How come you’ve turned into a Zen master after a trip to the temple? You even talk like a monk now.”

 

Li Shi reached out, pulling Su Cen into his embrace, his other hand already wandering inside Su Cen’s clothes. “Do you think my actions have a monk’s flavor?”

 

The next day, Su Cen tidied up Huang Wan’er and sent her back to the Huang family. Huang Wan’er’s mental state had improved significantly; she had even learned to call him “Brother Su” like Qu Ling’er did.

 

Upon entering the Huang residence, Huang Wan’er showed further improvement, recognizing her father and brother. As soon as she spoke, tears streamed down her face.

 

The Huang family embraced in tears. Su Cen had thought Huang Ting didn’t care much for his daughter, but it turned out he was the one crying the hardest. Even after Huang Wan’er had stopped crying, Huang Ting’s emotions were still unsettled. In the end, it was Huang Mian who received Su Cen on behalf of his father.

 

“Brother Su, please don’t mind us,” Huang Mian said, his eyes red from crying but with a happy expression on his face. “The life-saving grace you’ve shown my sister, we can never repay. Our Huang family owes you a life.”

 

“Brother Huang, you’re too kind,” Su Cen didn’t want to say he was specifically investigating, only that he found her by chance while out enjoying the spring. Fearing the Huang family might blame the Caotang Temple, he didn’t mention that Huang Wan’er was imprisoned, only that she was taken in by the temple.

 

In any case, they would learn the details from Huang Wan’er later, and they could judge right from wrong themselves. Su Cen didn’t want to elaborate.

 

“About your sister’s pregnancy,” Su Cen originally didn’t want to interfere in others’ family matters, but fearing the Huang family might take their anger out on the child, he could only say, “The child is innocent.”

 

“I will have Wan’er give birth to the child, and I’ll raise it as my own,” Huang Mian clenched his fist and pounded the table. “But our Huang family will not pursue this marriage with the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence. After this, I will go and break off the engagement. Our families will have no further connection!”

 

Su Cen didn’t want to say much more and nodded. “That’s for the best.”

 

Huang Mian wanted to keep Su Cen for a meal, but Su Cen, considering the family had just been reunited, didn’t want to intrude on their time together and firmly declined.

 

The next day, Huang Mian personally came to Su Cen’s door, bringing many gifts as thanks. Su Cen, unable to refuse, accepted them.

 

The following day, Su Cen selected a few of the better items and brought them to the Xingqing Palace for Li Shi. Although he knew Li Shi wouldn’t care for such trinkets, Li Shi had contributed significantly to the case, and Su Cen didn’t want to take all the credit. At least, he wanted to show some appreciation.

 

On the way, he encountered Qi Lin, who had a string of prayer beads wrapped around his wrist. Su Cen casually asked, “Has Guard Qi now taken to Buddhism?”

 

Qi Lin lifted his hand to look at the beads. “Ling’er gave them to me, said they were bought at the foot of Caotang Temple, one for each of us,” he raised an eyebrow at Su Cen. “Why, doesn’t Lord Su have any?”

 

He didn’t have any!

 

Su Cen then remembered that when he went down the well to save someone, Qu Ling’er not only didn’t help but also gambled with the monks above, plucking beads one by one from their strings. These beads, polished daily by the monks, were smooth and glossy, with a thick layer of oil, carrying deep blessings, far superior to the cheap goods sold at the temple’s foot.

 

Silently rolling his eyes, Su Cen thought about how Qu Ling’er had used his name to gain favors, and now he was showing off to him.

 

When he met Li Shi and presented the gifts, Su Cen suddenly felt very vulgar. He had spent so much on incense money, yet he didn’t think to take something like Qu Ling’er did, even if it were just a couple of scriptures.

 

…The Heart Sutra would be an exception.

 

Fortunately, Li Shi didn’t mind, nodding to accept the gifts.

 

As the weather grew hotter, Li Shi moved a pot of orchids to a shaded area and slowly wiped the leaves with a cloth, casually asking a few questions about Huang Wan’er.

 

Prince Ning, busy with state affairs, personally tended to these orchids. Indeed, delicate flowers needed delicate care. When these flowers were with him, they wouldn’t bloom, but now with Li Shi, they bloomed year-round.

 

It made sense; he knew nothing about which flowers liked sun or shade, which preferred dry or wet conditions. He would just take them all out to bask in the sun and water them uniformly. It was a miracle they hadn’t died under his care.

 

Su Cen wanted to help but didn’t know where to start, so he mimicked Li Shi and started wiping a leaf.

 

Li Shi asked, “Does the Huang family still plan to pursue the matter with Song Fan?”

 

Su Cen shook his head. “The Marquis of Ding’an has the Iron Certificate; they can’t do much to him for now. Besides, the Huang family has always aimed for peace. Now that they’ve found Wan’er, they’ll consider this a loss they have to accept.”

 

“The Iron Certificate can protect him, but it’s not like there’s nothing we can do.”

 

“Hmm?” Su Cen looked up.

 

“If we can’t punish him, we can reward him.”

 

Su Cen frowned. “Reward him with what?”

 

“Since Huang Wan’er has been found,” Li Shi suddenly smiled, “then let’s bestow upon him a grand wedding.”

 

“A wedding?” Su Cen was taken aback. “But the Huang family has already decided to break off the engagement.”

 

“Given Huang Wan’er’s current situation, do you think there’s a better option?”

 

Su Cen actually knew that Huang Wan’er, having been missing for half a year and returning pregnant, would indeed have difficulty finding another match. Moreover, the child was Song Fan’s, and if Huang Wan’er married into the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence, she would become the lady of the house, and the child would eventually become the new young Marquis, inheriting the privileges of the Iron Certificate. It was the best outcome for both.

 

Still, Su Cen was worried. “What if Song Fan mistreats them?”

 

“A wedding bestowed by the Emperor is not a trivial matter, and besides…” Li Shi said slowly, “Do you really think Song Fan would marry Huang Wan’er?”

 

Su Cen furrowed his brows. If it were truly an imperial wedding, could Song Fan have a reason to refuse? Although he thought so, he also felt that Song Fan wouldn’t really marry Huang Wan’er. He couldn’t say why, but there was an inexplicable feeling that if a wedding were bestowed, Song Fan would be in a more difficult position than the Huang family.

 

“Zi Xu,” Li Shi suddenly called out to him.

 

Su Cen snapped back to reality. “What’s wrong?”

 

Li Shi said solemnly, “Stop wiping.”

 

Seeing the serious look on Li Shi’s face, Su Cen’s heart sank.

 

Sure enough, looking down, he saw that he had nearly stripped a pot of orchids bare.

 

 

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