Da Li Temple - Chapter 17.2

Chapter 17.2
Girl

Emperor Cheng Zhao and the Empress Dowager were also there. Both of them had heavy expressions. The Empress had red eyes, looking like she had just cried.
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Before Su Moyi greeted them, the Empress Dowager spoke first. She cautiously dismissed the servants in the hall before saying, “Yesterday, Shu’er had an accident.”
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Su Moyi’s pupils shook. He immediately understood that the ‘accident’ in the Empress Dowager’s sentence was a major event that would damage the Royal Family’s prestige.
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“Yesterday, several of her maids reported that Shu’er was missing in the northern outskirts of the paddock. The Golden Guards brought people to search for her and found her unconscious in a dilapidated temple.”
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Only then did Su Moyi string the whole thing together. Song Zhengxing was counting on him and Princess Jiading. If he hadn’t left in time yesterday and entered that ancient temple instead, someone would have come to lock it up. So, when the Golden Guards rushed in, they would have seen the scene of him and Princess Jiading. Even if the Emperor and Empress Dowager loved him, it would be impossible to disgrace the royal family’s reputation. When the time comes, marrying Jiading will be his only choice. According to the ancestral system of the Nan Dynasty, a prince consort is not allowed to hold an official position in the court. At that time, he must hand over the cases in his hands. They must have already arranged for his replacement.

After taking the princess’ innocence, the Emperor would have a subtle gap towards Su Moyi, regardless framed or not. Without sacrificing a soldier or a pawn yet successfully killing two birds with one stone, Song Zhengxing’s calculations were indeed good.
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Su Moyi laughed softly twice. His cold voice carried a gloomy chill, “Then, how is the Princess?”
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Empress Chen sniffed and sobbed, “Shu’er is fine. It’s just that if this matter of being kidnapped gets out, I’m afraid there will be some rumors that will ruin Shu’er’s reputation. She has not grown up beside me, and now she has encountered such a thing ……”
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The Empress Dowager on the side sighed along with her, staring at Su Moyi for a while before finally speaking, “Shu’er said she received a letter from you. Asking her to go to the northern suburbs for a meeting. That’s why ……”

“My letter?” Sure enough. Su Moyi’s tone was calm. “If I want to see Princess Jiading, why would I need to go to a place like the northern suburb that causes trouble? Moreover, if I was interested in Princess Jiading, Imperial Grandmother would only need to set up a match, and I wouldn’t need to commit such a foolish act.”
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Empress Chen wanted to say something else, but the Empress Dowager suppressed her. She only nodded at Su Moyi and said, “Grandmother heard that your men encountered a group of mountain bandits in the northern suburbs yesterday. Is this matter related to that group of mountain bandits?”
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Su Moyi paused, “The mountain bandits haven’t had that ability to scheme Princess Jiading and me.”
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“So ……” The Empress Dowager’s eyes flashed a glint. She understood, “Then it’s the matter of the previous dynasty.” She intimately pulled aside the Empress, who wanted to speak again. She soothed, “The affairs of the previous dynasty, the harem should not ask too much. I brought up Jing Che myself. I trust his character and ability. He will find out the truth and seek justice for Shu’er.” After speaking, she got up and left.
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Empress Chen saw that the Empress Dowager had already put down her guarantee and intended to avoid the following conversation. So, of course, she didn’t dare to say anything else. She hurriedly greeted Emperor Cheng Zhao and retired, leaving only the ruler and minister in the hall.
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After a long silence, Emperor Cheng Zhao asked, “Is this matter related to Song Zhengxing?”
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Su Moyi’s gaze converged, not commenting.
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Emperor Cheng Zhao’s face immediately sank. “It seems they know you are investigating Song Zhengxing and are truly panicked.” He didn’t say that Song Zhengxing himself panicked, but that THEY panicked. Both the ruler and the minister knew very well that, whether for the fake silver case or the current case, Song Zhengxing was only a pawn. If they forcefully pulled them out, it might even cause a bigger storm. Therefore, in completely understanding each other’s situation, they couldn’t lose this chess piece, Song Zhengxing.

“Capable of getting their hands around the princess, so if you say they don’t have half a relationship with the royal family, I’m afraid it would be difficult.”
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Emperor Cheng Zhao was shocked at his words, “Are you saying they have people in the palace as well?”
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“I’m not sure,” Su Moyi said, “but it’s always good to be careful.”

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After returning from the palace, Su Moyi took three more baths and didn’t stop until he almost broke his skin. Ye Qing was frightened upon seeing him burying his head in self-mutilation and hid far away from him.
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The night was already deep, and the study room was quiet. Su Moyi had read the cook’s statement reported by Ye Qing and the records of all the pharmacies in Sheng City over and over again countless times. He didn’t stop until the lamp oil had almost burned dry.
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There was nothing —
That was strange —
He rubbed the corner of his forehead in annoyance and got up to flick the candle flame. Da Li Temple had always been very quiet. A gust of ethereal scent of grass after the rain floated in the air, and on the ground, he could see a vein of streaming clouds shadows. He suddenly remembered that he seemed to have not seen Lin Wanqing for several days.
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Although their relationship was not like his and Ye Qing’s, since Lin Wanqing had joined the Da Li Temple, this was the first time she hadn’t come to hang around in front of his eyes for a whole day. With Lin Wanqing’s temperament, troubles would happen under his nose from time to time.
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Including the time for the spring hunt, it had been four days. How could she be so peaceful for so long?
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Su Moyi pondered. His originally expressionless face became impatient, and when he looked up again, he realized he was pacing outside Lin Wanqing’s house.
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But —
The two people’s yards were clearly in opposite directions —
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Su Moyi closed his eyes and rubbed his brow, feeling exhausted. But thinking about it, his steps seemed to be nailed to the ground, unmoving. Under the moonlight, the light behind the closed window was still on. The firelight was bright and flickering, like running water splashing, leisurely dripping all over the ground. The person inside the window crouched before the desk, burying her head in a book. She held the pen gorgeously, not like a man’s upright atmosphere, but with a woman’s beauty. When reading, she inclined her head to the left side, revealing a long, slender neck. That scattered hair behind the ear stuck to her pale neck like the soft vines newly grown in the snow.
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Neck —
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Su Moyi’s chest flinched, and a familiar tingling sensation ran straight from his spine to his ears. He suddenly remembered that night, in the file room, that slender figure. His heartbeat messed up, and even his breathing became heavier.
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What the hell was he doing?
Not sleeping in the middle of the night but running to someone else’s window to gawk?
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Su Moyi became annoyed, his eyes hastily avoiding the misty candle flame. He turned around to see the familiar figure under the moonlight.

Si Yu —
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Su Moyi drew the corners of his mouth, feeling his brain hurt a few points more. This stupid dog does not sleep in the middle of the night but guarding Lin Wanqing’s door?
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However, after Si Yu looked up and saw him, its watery eyes flashed with sadness, walked toward him quietly, and rubbed its wet nose against Su Moyi’s palm.
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This sudden rub swept away the emotions that were still fuzzy just now.
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This stupid dog —
Is it pitying him?
Otherwise, why did it act like they were ‘the people on the same path’?Lord Su, being comforted by a dog, didn’t feel better. Instead, he was so angry that he dragged his dog and left without looking back.
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“Lustful!” Su Moyi muttered to himself.
“Awwww-” Si Yu agreed.
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Su Straight Man: I’m so dirty, I can’t get clean no matter how much I wash. Awwwwwww, don’t touch me!