Da Li Temple - Chapter 37.1

Chapter 37.1
Night Talk

Daming Palace, Taiyi Pond.
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At the peak of summer, it was the time when the lotuses bloomed. The lake’s surface was as clear as a mirror, and the lotus leaves were green as the sky. In such a verdant scene, a touch of red color was even more beautiful.
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Today, Wei Shu was specially come here to accompany the Empress Dowager. The latter was to enjoy the flowers, but Wei Shu naturally did not. She received a secret report yesterday that Zhou Yipu of the armory had arrived in Hongzhou. However, at the same time, the Chief of the Da Li Temple, Su Moyi, claimed illness and took leave. He did not participate in the court meetings for several days.
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Song Zhengxing’s case was Su Moyi’s, and Su Moyi was the Emperor’s most trusted right-hand man. Such a coincidence was strange, coupled with the fact that the people of Hongzhou never saw Zhou Yipu or Su Moyi.
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Although Song Zhengxing’s handwritten letter contained Zhou Yipu’s portrait, if the Emperor had the intention to scheme, it would be possible for him to do anything about it from the start.
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Therefore, Wei Shu went to Chang’an Palace early this morning. In the picturesque scenery, old and young are walking alongside each other.
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Although the Empress Dowager’s body is strong, she is still old. Her legs are inconvenient, and she has to rest after a few steps.
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Wei Shu helped her to a pavilion by the lake and sat down, taking the opportunity to peel oranges for her, seemingly unintentionally asking: “Recently, I haven’t seen my cousin paying respects. I heard that he is sick?”
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As soon as the Empress Dowager heard Wei Shu ask this question, she became furious and said with a sullen face, “Huh? He went to catch the fugitive in the last case and got stabbed by the outlaw. Afterward, he hid it from me, not letting me know. This little bastard was getting more capable!”

Wei Shu smiled and handed the Empress Dowager the peeled orange in her hand, which was pushed away by the latter with an exasperated huff.
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“Is cousin’s injury serious?” She asked, “I heard the Empress Mother say he hasn’t gone to the morning court for some days.”
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“Of course it’s serious!” The Empress Dowager bitterly lowered her chest, sighing, “I heard Dr. Bai say that the wound was deep and required several stitches. Won’t it be necessary to stay in bed for a month to recuperate?”
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“Oh, so it’s like that.” Wei Shu lowered her head. A cunning light flashed through her eyes. “Then is it convenient for Imperial Grandmother to let Shu’er go visit him?”
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“This ……” The Empress Dowager was a bit worried, “You know your cousin’s temperament. Just because I asked about this matter, he was angry with me and refused to accept the tonic medicine that I sent. If you go now, you might mess up and make your cousin annoyed instead.”
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Wei Shu couldn’t find words to retort and smiled reluctantly.
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The Empress Dowager patted her hand lovingly and said, “We still have a lot of time for your matter. I will naturally make decisions for you. For now, it’s better not to provoke him. If that little bastard gets annoyed, I can’t do anything about it.”
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“En,” Wei Shu nodded obediently and helped the Empress Dowager to stand up.
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“Let’s go,” the Empress Dowager took Wei Shu’s hand and got up, “Accompany me to walk along this veranda again and look at these lotus flowers. Isn’t it better than looking at that little bastard Jingche?”
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The Empress Dowager dragged Wei Shu to walk a few more laps, and when she returned to Cheng Huan Hall, it was already two minutes past midnight. She felt Empress Dowager today was no longer as enthusiastic as she used to be when she mentioned Su Moyi’s matter and unintentionally changed the topic.
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Wei Shu felt uneasiness in her heart, then arranged for a maid, in the name of the shopping, to go to the Da Li Temple to explore the situation.
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At sunset, the little maid finally came back. She was holding the food box Wei Shu gave her, returning the untouched bowl of ginseng soup inside. Whatever, her real purpose wasn’t to deliver ginseng soup to Su Moyi anyway.

Wei Shu closed the food box’s lid while looking at the little maid expressionless and asked, “How is it? Have you seen Lord Su?”
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The little maid timidly shook her head, worried: “The people from the Da Li Temple said the Lord got injured from the previous case. He is recuperating and doesn’t see anyone.”
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Wei Shu had expected her to hit a wall, so she was not surprised and only continued to ask: “Then have you seen Guard Ye or Lin Recorder?”
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The little maid continued to shake her head. “They say that Lord Su assigns Guard Ye to investigate the case. And for Recorder Lin ……”
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“What?” Wei Shu abruptly turned around, her eyes demanding.
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“Lord Su send her to investigate the case ……,” the little maid stammered. “Someone saw her leaving Da Li Temple early in the morning a few days ago and not yet return.”
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Wei Shu froze. She couldn’t say why, but she felt something was wrong. Su Moyi was injured, so he didn’t go to court, but it was strange for his most trusted people in Da Li Temple, Ye Qing and Lin Wanqing, to be missing as well.
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“You may go.” Wei Shu dismissed the little maid, marched to the side of the desk, took a piece of paper from the small box, and picked up her pen to write.
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*
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On the other side, Hongzhou Zhang Mansion.
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Inside the chamber where the firelight leaps, the bed curtain was spread down like flowing water when the maids unloaded the jade hooks.??

Poof!

Someone extinguished the last candle flame, closed the door, and went out. The room darkened, leaving only the soft light of the clear moon through the window.
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Lin Wanqing waited for a while. After confirming the maids had gone, she rolled over and tugged on Su Moy’s sleeve.
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“Lord,” she lowered her voice, “Don’t you think that Official Zhang’s suspicion seems to be a bit too heavy? We’ve been in the mansion for two days now. He hasn’t mentioned anything about the mine but has arranged for some people to follow us.”
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The person beside her didn’t move and said sarcastically, “Who said this trip to Hongzhou would be easy?”
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Lin Wanqing, being disliked for no reason, was suffocated, rolled her eyes resentfully, twisted her head to the side, and mumbled, “Then why don’t you think of a way? I see that you are very invested in playing that pervert ……”
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“You are scolding me.” A man’s flat voice came from behind her.
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“…… ” Lin Wanqing choked, only feeling that this dog official had dog ears.

Worried in the dead of night when no one was around, Su Moyi would kick her out of bed, so Lin Wanqing hurriedly apologized and smiled, “How can I! I am talking to myself to think of a way, think of a way ……”