Da Li Temple - Chapter 4.1

Chapter 4.1
Undercurrent

Outside, the rain was still falling. The closed windows suppressed the sound of pedestrians on the street and the moving wheels, and the weird silence inside the room contradicted the atmosphere, causing the heart to beat faster.
??
Su Moy seemed to listen but also seemed not to. From the beginning to now, he was like a sculpted jade, hidden in the dense tea fragrance, emotionless. Perhaps it was because of his authority pressure or aristocracy that Lin Wanqing collected her recklessness and could only raise her eyes to look at him.
??
White jade-like fingers tapped thrice on the cup’s rim, and Su Moyi seemed to smile: “Lin Recorder’s analysis is reasonable.”
??
Lin Wanqing was stunned for a moment. That did not sound like praise, so she did not know how to answer, only asking softly: “Then, is Lord Su going to take this case?”
??
Su Moyi did not respond to her, only raising the corner of his mouth, getting up, and lifting the train of his robe as if to leave.
??
Lin Wanqing was even more confused and turned around after him, “Lord Su?”
??
The person in front had a pause, and there was both appreciation and regret in his voice. “This case is from the Capital Government Office. Although the Da Li Temple has the right to re-examine, since Official Li claimed that he had solved this case, it is only right for the Ministry of Criminal Affairs to review.”
??
“So, Lord is not going to intervene even if you know that they wrongly accused Wang Hu, and the real culprit is still out there?”
??
Su Moyi turned his head to look at her. Because of the difference in size between the two, he slightly leaned his body forward, gazing into Lin Wanqing’s eyes that carried contempt, “I don’t know if Wang Hu is innocent or not, but I know that you only know about the case of rape and murder and don’t know about Wang Hu’s case. You only understand Official Li, not me.” Smiling, he asked back with a bit of certainty, “Isn’t that so?”
??
Lin Wanqing had nothing to say. Su Moyi straightened up and exited the private room, ordering the guards to prepare a carriage.
??
After Su Moyi and his party left the restaurant and boarded the carriage, Lin Wanqing returned to her senses and looked at Liang Weiping, who was even more confused than her, and asked, “What did he mean by that sentence?”
*
Rainwater flooded the streets, causing the wheels to get water stains when they ran over them. Ye Qing drove his horse, occasionally turning his head to look at the person behind him who was a bit abnormal today. He had followed Su Moyi for nearly ten years, and this was the first time he had seen his master do something so unthinkable.
??
First, he had sent him to follow those two petty officials and then had him invite the two who had insulted him. In the end, the corners of his mouth curved up contently when he went out of the restaurant —
??
The more Ye Qing thought, the more strange he felt. His hand that held the reins pulled recklessly, startled the horse, and caused a mess in the carriage.
??
“Keep delusional and slandering me in your heart, then you don’t need to follow me. Tomorrow, you can do the cleaning at Da Li Temple.” The unhurried voice came from behind him, not angry or authoritative.
??
Ye Qing felt his back flinch and hurriedly turned around, but the person behind him opened his mouth again and said, “That small officer is indeed a rare talent. He was only a recorder yet so talented.”
??
Ye Qing’s heart was shocked, feeling his master had mind-reading ability. Anyone at any time could not escape his eyes.
??
“Then why doesn’t Lord ……”
??
Not waiting for Ye Qing to finish asking, Su Moyi snorted while smiling, throwing something on the small desk inside the carriage, creating a muffled sound.
??
“It’s a pity that he only knows how to solve cases and doesn’t understand officialdom. Placing this flamboyant nature in Da Li Temple is not good.”
??
Ye Qing did not think of this end and asked again, “Then what is the Lord going to do?”
??
Su Moyi was silent for a moment. His gaze fell on the volume of case files on the small desk, and the color in his eyes brightened a few points. He twisted his index finger and thumb and said warmly, “Just wait. You’ll understand after you suffer some pain.”
??
“But those two cases, Lord doesn’t care?” Perhaps afraid of being criticized, Ye Qing asked carefully.
??
Su Moyi was too lazy to talk to him more and said creepily: “Is it your first day to know me? The Emperor was about to clean up the court, and the person planted in Order Song’s place had already gone. How deep is the water in Wang Hu’s case? He’s only an ignorant small recorder, but don’t you know?”
??
Groundlessly accused by Su Moyi, Ye Qing unwillingly replied: “Then, Lord didn’t want to care about this matter. When it comes to the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, will there be a way?”

Su Moyi coldly smiled. The bone knuckles of his index finger tapping on the desk in the carriage. Before Song Zhengxing became the Order (*), he was the Minister of Criminal Affairs.

T/N: ??? (Zh?ng sh? lìng) is the name of ancient Chinese official positions. It was an official who helped the Emperor handle government affairs in the court and was responsible for ‘sealing’ the Emperor’s secret. The responsibility was important. I couldn’t find a more appropriate English title for this one, so let’s just go with ‘Order.’

If this case came to the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, off the surface, he could dig up the remaining members under Order Song’s command. On the surface, he could see what kind of demons, ghosts, spirits, and monsters were standing behind this person. Of those several cases the Emperor was concerned about, a mere Order could never cover the operation.

But, he was too lazy to tell Ye Qing about these curves and roundabouts, dynastic power, and intrigue, so he only coldly dropped a sentence: “You are my guard, not the Da Li Temple leader.”
??
“…… “Ye Qing was speechless. Afraid that this ancestor’s poisonous tongue would commit again, he could only droop his head and silently drive.
??
After traveling through a few streets, the carriage stopped in front of the Da Li Temple.
??
Su Moyi straightened out his official robe, alighted from the carriage, and ordered people to move the case files to the study room, where he handled official documents.
??
“Heir,” Su Moyi’s old steward handed him a piece of jade token and said: “Did Heir forget what day today is?”
??
Su Mo Yi looked at the jade token and was stunned. He suddenly remembered that today was the Empress Dowager’s birthday.

It seemed he had been too busy lately. He even forgot such a day. The Empress Dowager brought him up. She was like a father and a mother to him. She would be devastated if she knew he couldn’t remember her birthday. He couldn’t help but feel remorse, taking the jade token in the steward’s hand and raising his eyes to look behind him.
??
Sure enough, he was a thoughtful old man. He even brought the clothes he would use to enter the palace. Only then did Su Moyi relax, following the steward to change his clothes, casually instructing Ye Qing to take the set of leisure books he had searched for in his study room.