Da Li Temple - Chapter 69.2

Chapter 69.2
Two minds

He was busy with official business recently and had only slept for two hours for several days in a row.
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Emperor Yonghui plotted to recruit the clan members to the capital on New Year’s Eve to ambush King Liang. Therefore, he needed to clear King Liang’s party in court in advance to ensure the plan was foolproof.
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Today is the day Emperor Yonghui allowed him to take a break. Su Moyi, however, returned to Da Li Temple and organized the Xiao family’s case from beginning to end.
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This case has been a thorn in his heart all these years in Da Li Temple. The case file has been laid on the shelf; he does not touch or see it. If not for Lin Wanqing, he will never look at it. He feared his early childhood memories peeled back once again. The sudden deaths of his father and mother caught him off guard again and again. He is highly insecure, so he lives himself as a piece of ice, hiding in the harsh laws, not being close to anyone, not empathizing, being ironic, doing things by the book, and not delivering himself so that he won’t be abandoned. He couldn’t stand Lin Wanqing’s abruptness, and even more so, he couldn’t stand that her first reaction was to leave him after he exposed her identity twice. In front of her, it was as if he had turned back into that child who held his mother’s cold hand and refused to let go.
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Pooh!
The night wind blew open a window and extinguished a candle flame. The room suddenly darkened, leaving only the cold moonlight splashing the ground. A few bamboo trees in the yard issued a ‘rustle’ whimpering, stirring people’s minds.
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Su Moyi couldn’t see the file, so he put down the things in his hand, got up, and went to close the window. Si Yu stuck his head on a gap in the railing in the courtyard and looked towards the courtyard where Lin Wanqing used to live. The lonely shadow was pulled into a dark mist by the moonlight, and Si Yu stood still in the cold wind as if he wouldn’t feel cold.
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Su Moyi’s heart suddenly soured and hoarsely called him. However, Si Yu only breathlessly moved his ears; he even didn’t move his head.

Su Moyi had no choice. He wore a velvet cloak and took a thick velvet blanket to Si Yu.
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“Not cold?” He asked, casually throwing the blanket onto Si Yu.
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Si Yu was unmoved, turned his head, rolled his eyes to look at him, whimpered twice in his throat, and stuck his head on the wooden fence again.
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Su Moyi had no choice but to squat down, wrap the blanket around him, and glance at its bowl that hadn’t moved, compromising, “Going for a walk?”

Si Yu got excited, stood up, and flicked his tail. It was still as obsessed with Lin Wanqing’s courtyard as ever, dragging Su Moyi there. Once again, the one person and dog stopped outside that short wall without realizing it. The plum blossoms in the yard bloomed one after another, carrying intense fragrance. The fallen flowers spread all over the ground, but one could not see a hint of decay. But there was no one to light the lamp in the house. The surroundings were dark; only the wind blowing through the branches issued a rattling sound.
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Si Yu sniffed the plum petals on the ground, circled in front of Xiao Bai’s wooden house twice, and began to whimper and cry endlessly again.
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Su Moyi was disturbed by his crying. He unlocked Si Yu’s chain, hesitated momentarily on his feet, but still raised his steps towards Lin Wanqing’s house. When he pushed the door open, a soft rubbing sound of old age sounded. The house was still in its original appearance, with the soft cushion and coverlet she used to read books and case files —

He marched to the bookcase and casually picked up a small book on it—Lin Wanqing’s handwriting. From the year to the state’s name, from the name of the case to the person who handled it, she carefully recorded it with a number and annotated it with a red pen.
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Su Moyi’s heart trembled like someone had twisted the flesh of his heart with their fingertips. These were the cases he had handled from the age of sixteen when he entered Da Li Temple. His chest was suddenly heavy like a giant stone had pressed it. He averted his gaze and put the book in his hand. Next to the book was an empty porcelain bowl with remnants of soup.

Su Moyi picked it up and looked at it, smelling the flavor of lychee paste water. “Heh ……” He couldn’t help but lose his smile.
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This person was cozy. He had been accompanying the Emperor at the Daming Palace for days and had never even gotten a whole night’s sleep. Yet, she could still drink soup while idly cataloging and evaluating the cases he had handled. It seemed he had spoiled her too much; her monthly salary was too much.
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The thoughts unconsciously drifted far away. Su Moyi stopped before the bookcase for half an hour until a knock on the door behind him called him back.
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“My Lord?” Surprised, Ye Qing touched an oil lamp, lit it, and saw Su Moyi standing with a tired face while holding an empty bowl.
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“Something wrong?” Su Moyi asked.
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“Nothing.” Ye Qing scratched his head, “I just went to your side to deliver something and didn’t see anyone, so I looked over.”
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“En,” Su Moyi blandly responded, putting down the empty bowl and walking back, “Is the delivery something important?”
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“No,” Ye Qing said, “It’s what the Empress Dowager asked someone to give it to you. She noted that it was the third time Yue An County Princess had asked her to pass the invitation. She really couldn’t put it off any longer, so she ……”
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“I want to drink lychee water.” Su Moyi suddenly interrupted him and said unexpectedly.
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“What?” Ye Qing thought that he had heard the wrong thing.
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“What hour is it now?” Su Moyi asked, looking up at the sky.
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Ye Qing was confused and truthfully replied, “It’s the third period of the night. The Lord is going to ……”
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Su Moyi gathered the velvet cloak on his body and walked outside without much expression, “Prepare a carriage. Accompany me to the East Market.”

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There was no curfew in the Nan Dynasty, so the night market was a fantastic view. At this moment in the East Market, it was the start of the night market, and the vendors opened their stores and stalls, soliciting business under the risen store signs.
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Lin Wanqing walked ahead with Lailuo and Liang Weiping, scanning the snack stores on both sides of the street. The medicine was too bitter; no matter how often she rinsed her mouth, it didn’t help. She then had to brace the cold wind and go out of her way to buy lychee water. She couldn’t sleep anyway, so it was good to take a walk.
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The moon was high in the sky, and the streetlights were flowing. In the shadows, pedestrians talked and laughed, spitting out a dense white mist that dispersed some of the cold of the winter night. The three of them bypassed the main street and stopped at the entrance of the most famous snack store in East Market.
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Author Notes:
The latter chapters need the villain’s assistance, so hold your horses. Hey~!
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