Chapter 16: Soul From Another World
When Lu Chengjing woke up, the person who had taken half of his straw mat had already left. The thin quilt was covering him, tucked tightly around him on all sides, airtight, and it even retained a bit of warmth.
There was a familiar white porcelain bottle placed next to his head. He reached out to pick it up and gradually became lost in thought as he looked at it.
Shang Wan, who had just arrived at the medical hall, rubbed her feverish ears. Who was thinking about her?
“You’re back.” Geng Hao stood up from beside the sickbed, sporting two huge dark circles under his eyes.
He had agonized all night over whether to flee or not. Thinking of Shang Wan’s words before she left and her lightness skill that was as fast as flying when she ran, he ultimately decided not to run and honestly paid ten taels of silver for the medicine fee.
At this moment, seeing Shang Wan return, he was still somewhat happy.
Shang Wan had prepared herself to catch him, but she didn’t expect Geng Hao to be so honest. That little tracking gadget she mentioned was just offhand, but she didn’t expect this guy to actually believe it.
She walked closer and glanced at Niu Baoqing. “Why hasn’t he woken up yet?”
Geng Hao said, “He woke up once half a shichen ago. Upon hearing that his mother and younger brother were both dead, he passed out again.”
Shang Wan was helpless. “Couldn’t you have told him later? At least ask first who the murderer is.”
Geng Hao: “No need to ask. He woke up shouting that Yang Rang wanted to kill him.”
“I bought buns, soy milk, and fried dough sticks. Let’s eat breakfast first.” Shang Wan called him over to the side to eat. “There are more constables patrolling the city. Staying in the medical hall forever will get you discovered sooner or later. Take the medicine in a bit, you two switch to another place to hide.”
Geng Hao took a bite of the vegetable bun and said vaguely, “Hide where?”
“Tian Mansion.”
“Cough cough…” Geng Hao choked and coughed, staring at Shang Wan with wide eyes. “What did you say?”
Shang Wan remained calm. “There’s an abandoned courtyard in Tian Mansion, not far from the west corner gate. No one usually goes there; it’s the most suitable place to hide someone.”
She had seen it yesterday while lying on the roof. That courtyard was in the corner, in a remote location, overgrown with weeds inside, as if abandoned for a long time. Stocking up on grain to hide for two days would be no problem.
Geng Hao wasn’t brainless either. He pondered for a moment and felt that hiding in Tian Mansion might actually be a good idea.
As the saying goes, the blackest place is under the lamp. Tian Sheng wouldn’t suddenly order people to search his own home, would he?
After the two finished breakfast, Geng Hao carried the still unconscious Niu Baoqing, led by Shang Wan, and they hid in that abandoned small courtyard in Tian Mansion.
Shang Wan helped clean up a bed board for Niu Baoqing to lie on. While Geng Hao had his back turned putting away the dry rations, she dripped two drops of spiritual spring water into Niu Baoqing’s mouth, then pulled off his belt, unfolded it, and tied his mouth tightly to prevent him from shouting and attracting the mansion’s servants when he woke up.
Geng Hao felt it wasn’t enough. He pulled down the tent curtain, getting a face full of accumulated dust. He spat it out, then brought the tent curtain over and tied Niu Baoqing’s four limbs to the bedposts, knotting it securely.
“To prevent this kid from getting agitated and reopening his wound.”
Shang Wan raised an eyebrow. He was pretty good at finding excuses. He was just worried the person would run, that’s all.
“You watch him. When he wakes up, ask if there’s any of the poison he put in the wine left. I’m heading out.”
Geng Hao looked up. “You’re not waiting for him to wake up?”
“Something urgent came up.” Shang Wan waved her hand. “Hide well and don’t come out. I’ll be back soon.”
After saying that, without waiting for Geng Hao to speak, her figure flashed and she was gone.
Geng Hao muttered softly, “Not afraid I’ll run.”
“Try running and see?” Shang Wan suddenly returned, holding a large teapot in her hand.
Geng Hao jolted and quickly explained, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. I was just saying it casually. Didn’t I not run last night?”
Shang Wan gave him a cold glance and handed over the large teapot. “It’s fine to light a small fire in the room during the day, but don’t make too much smoke. There’s a well in the courtyard. Brew more yourself after you finish it.”
“Got it.” Geng Hao took the large teapot, feeling inexplicably touched.
This time Shang Wan really left, heading straight for Qingchi Temple on Tianlu Mountain outside the north city gate.
Qingchi Temple was a century-old temple, occupying almost the entire mountaintop. Its prosperous incense made the peak of Tianlu Mountain shrouded in green smoke year-round, giving it a strong sense of an immortal mountain.
Shang Wan was hit by the thick incense smell and couldn’t help but sneeze hard.
She rubbed her nose and jumped down from the treetop, landing beside a small pool. Three stone turtles stood by the pool, somewhat like the one that had followed her home.
Just as she was about to find a monk to ask where Master Liao Kong was, she saw a little monk with a round head churning his short legs, panting as he ran toward her.
The little monk, not even catching his breath, asked, “Fe… female benefactor… are you surnamed Shang?”
Shang Wan nodded.
Seeing he had the right person, the little monk immediately smiled. “Martial Uncle Grandmaster has been waiting for Benefactor Shang for a while. Please follow me, Benefactor Shang.”
Shang Wan stood still. “Little monk, I have urgent business with Master Liao Kong. Where is he now?”
The little monk looked up at her. “Martial Uncle Grandmaster’s Buddhist name is Liao Kong.”
Shang Wan was slightly surprised. How did this Master Liao Kong know she was coming?
She smiled and let the little monk lead the way.
The little monk led Shang Wan to the back mountain, stopping only at the cliff.
Clouds and mist swirled in the mountains. At the cliff’s edge stood a green pine with an umbrella-like canopy like a hat. Below it was a stone table with a teapot and two tea cups on it.
Beside the stone table sat a bald monk wearing a jade-colored kasaya. The monk had his back to them, so his face couldn’t be seen.
The little monk stepped forward. “Martial Uncle Grandmaster, Benefactor Shang has arrived.”
Liao Kong turned around, first telling the little monk to withdraw, then nodded to Shang Wan and pointed to the seat across from the stone table. “Rough mountain tea, please taste it, benefactor.”
Shang Wan walked over and sat down, picking up a tea cup. Her gaze fell on the exceptionally young and refined face outside the kasaya, thinking to herself, does everyone in this world, even monks, look this bewitchingly handsome?
This master looked to be in his early twenties, which didn’t match the little monk’s title of “Martial Uncle Grandmaster” at all.
Shang Wan drank half a bowl of tea; aside from the tea flavor, she tasted nothing. Thinking she needed to ask for help, she still said, “It’s good.”
“Benefactor has quite the aptitude for enlightenment.” Liao Kong curved his lips in a smile, his brows and eyes otherworldly, carrying a sense of compassion for the world.
Shang Wan: Just two words and he could tell she had aptitude for enlightenment? How come she didn’t know she had it?
She placed the purple bamboo flute on the stone table and got straight to the point. “Lu Chengjing is taking the fall for someone and has been imprisoned. I came to ask Master for help.”
“With Benefactor, this noble person, Master Lu will surely turn danger into safety.”
Liao Kong picked up the purple bamboo flute, examined it for a moment, then brought it to his lips and played. The clear and melodious flute sound echoed through the mountains, like ethereal immortal music.
Master Liao Kong’s single flute melody was worth a fortune, but alas, Shang Wan didn’t recognize its value.
She didn’t understand why the monk across from her suddenly started playing the flute. It was pretty nice, but couldn’t he skip playing the flute when discussing serious matters?
She knocked on the stone table. “Master, I don’t mind you pursuing art, but time is urgent. Can we talk business first?”
The lingering flute sound abruptly stopped. Master Liao Kong set down the purple bamboo flute and gave her a deep look.
“Benefactor Shang is a soul from another world, yet you have no reaction to this monk’s Soul Calming Melody. Truly interesting.”
