Chapter 51: There’s Someone Else

Note: Don't Forget to join my Patreon.com/flokixy to get access to +30 Advance Chapters I have to stop if there is no support Kong Jian asked, "And who is this Taoist priest?" Before Wu Xi could speak, Su Li quickly interjected, "This is Wu Xi, the head disciple of Taoist Priest Tian Chanzi from the Taiqing Temple." Kong Jian frowned. "Wu Xi?" Su's father stepped forward and asked, "Is there something wrong?" Kong Jian replied calmly, "I happen to be an old friend of Tian Chanzi." Upon hearing this, Wu Xi began to sweat profusely. Su's father, still unaware of the situation, said, "It's only natural that the two of you, both being renowned prophets, would be acquainted." Kong Jian looked at Wu Xi and said, "Sir, would you like to explain yourself, or shall I do it for you?" Su's father glanced between Kong Jian and Wu Xi, puzzled. Wu Xi avoided eye contact. Seeing this, Kong Jian continued, "The Wu Xi from the Taiqing Temple is someone I happen to know, and he is not the person standing before us." Su Yue exchanged a glance with Lady Xia, who was also staring at Wu Xi in shock. Su Li observed their reactions. It seemed Lady Xia was also unaware of Wu Xi's true identity. Su's father immediately turned to Wu Xi and said coldly, "Who are you, really? Why have you come to my residence under false pretenses?" Wu Xi glanced at Lady Xia, who refused to meet his gaze. When Wu Xi remained silent, Su's father shouted, "Guards! Arrest this impudent fraud and throw him in jail!" Wu Xi panicked. He shouldn't have come to the Su residence for a bit of silver. After all, the man before him was a high-ranking official, someone he couldn't afford to offend. As the servants approached, Wu Xi fell to his knees and begged for mercy. "Your Excellency, spare me! My name is indeed Wu Xi, and I make a living by fortune-telling. It was the concubine of your household who sought me out and asked me to come here and play the part of..." Just as he was about to reveal everything, Lady Xia suddenly interrupted. "My lord, I truly believed he was the Wu Xi from the Taiqing Temple. I was deceived as well! Please investigate this matter thoroughly!" Seeing that his concubine was involved and with Kong Jian present, Su's father quickly said, "Abbot, please forgive this embarrassing scene. Let us proceed to the front hall for tea." Kong Jian replied, "No need. I have other matters to attend to and will not delay further." "Very well. I will visit the Huguo Temple soon to make a generous donation," Su's father said. As Kong Jian turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something and turned back. "By the way, there is indeed someone in your household with extremely poor fortune, and it will bring misfortune to their parents. But it is not the eldest young lady. It is someone else." Su's father asked, "Who is it?" "It is the second young lady of your household." Su Yue's face darkened. She was about to curse the bald monk but held back, remembering his status. Kong Jian looked at Su Yue and said, "Second Young Lady, I advise you to accumulate more merit and resolve your own karmic debts, or else great calamity will befall you." Su's father was shocked. After all, Kong Jian's words had always been eerily accurate. Su's father quickly asked, "Abbot, if I make a generous donation to the temple and have a golden statue of the Bodhisattva made, can that help accumulate merit for my daughter?" Kong Jian replied, "Support from one's parents can indeed help." Su's father breathed a sigh of relief. That was good. Kong Jian said, "I bid you farewell!" "I will see you out," Su Li offered. As they walked out of the courtyard, Su Li said softly, "Thank you for your help today, Abbot. I apologize for making you break your precepts." Kong Jian looked puzzled. "Break my precepts?" Su Li smiled. "For making you lie and speak so highly of my fate." Kong Jian said solemnly, "A monk does not lie. Everything I said was true. You, young lady, indeed have a rare and fortunate fate." Su Li was stunned. In this life, she lived only for revenge. Her hands were destined to be stained with blood, and she had prepared herself to descend into hell after achieving her vengeance. Yet, the abbot claimed she had a fortunate fate. It felt strange. Su Li said gently, "In any case, thank you for today, Abbot." "If you truly wish to thank me, fulfill the promise you made in your letter." Su Li replied, "I will transcribe the Heart Sutra as soon as possible and deliver it to you." Kong Jian clasped his hands together. "That would be excellent. It would be a great act of merit." When they reached the gate, Kong Jian said, "Please stay, young lady. I bid you farewell." "Take care, Abbot." After Su Li saw Kong Jian off, Su's father continued to interrogate Wu Xi. Wu Xi claimed that Lady Xia had sought him out and that he hadn't come to the residence with the intention to deceive. Lady Xia, however, insisted that she had been deceived and had genuinely believed Wu Xi to be the Taoist from the Taiqing Temple. Su Li stood outside the courtyard for a while, listening, before walking in. She looked at Wu Xi and said, "Think carefully. The charges for the mastermind and the accomplice are vastly different. So, whatever you say must be backed by evidence." Wu Xi looked at Su's father and said, "Your Excellency, it was..." "You fraud! How dare you deceive us and nearly frame my sister! I'll teach you a lesson!" Su Yue pulled out a hairpin and lunged at Wu Xi. Su Li quickly said, "Stop her!" The servants swiftly restrained Su Yue. "Let me go! I need to teach this fraud a lesson for my sister!" Su Yue struggled, trying to break free. The servants, being men, dared not touch their mistress. As Su Yue pressed forward, they could only retreat while shielding Wu Xi. Su Li said coldly, "Sister, I appreciate your concern, but until this matter is clarified, I cannot rest easy." Su's father shouted, "Enough! Yue'er, step back!" Su Yue protested, "Father!" She knew that if she couldn't silence Wu Xi, he would surely implicate her mother. "Step back!" Reluctantly, Su Yue retreated, glaring at Wu Xi with a silent threat. Su Li looked at Wu Xi and said, "If you truthfully reveal who instructed you, I will ask my father to show you leniency." Lady Xia forced a laugh and said, "What nonsense, young lady. This fraud clearly came to swindle our family. Let's just throw him in jail and be done with it." Su Li ignored her and continued to stare at Wu Xi. "Have you made your decision?" Wu Xi asked suspiciously, "Are you telling the truth?" "Absolutely." Wu Xi immediately spilled everything. "It was her! She came to me and asked me to come here, to say those things and frame the young lady as being possessed by a demon. She gave me a hundred taels of silver. I'll return the money, just please spare me!" Wu Xi pointed at Lady Xia, revealing everything. Su's father's gaze turned sharp as a blade, landing on Lady Xia. Lady Xia's face paled as she retorted, "My lord, don't listen to this fraud! He's just trying to shift the blame. I treat the young lady as my own daughter. How could I possibly frame her? My lord, please throw this man in jail!" Hearing Lady Xia not only refuse to plead for him but also shift all the blame onto him, Wu Xi snapped. "It was your maid who came to me! Otherwise, how would I know about the young lady's recent changes and claim she was possessed by a demon?" Wu Xi shot back. Su Li asked, "Can you identify the maid who approached you?" "Yes! The maid had a large black mole on the right side of her face." Hearing this, Su Li knew exactly who it was. She looked at Lady Xia and asked, "Lady Xia, where is your personal maid, Danqing?" Danqing was the maid Lady Xia had brought into the household, the goddaughter of her wet nurse. Lady Xia's eyes darted around as she said, "Danqing wasn't feeling well. I gave her leave to return home." Su's father snorted coldly and said, "Guards, take this fraud to the authorities. Then send someone to arrest Danqing as well. Interrogate them thoroughly and report back to me as soon as possible!" "Yes, sir!" The servants dragged Wu Xi away. "Your Excellency, spare me! Young lady! You said you'd show me leniency! Young lady..." Su Yue quietly approached Lady Xia, who shook her head slightly, signaling her not to act rashly. Su's father looked at Su Li and said, "Li'er, let's go. Your mother must be waiting for us to have lunch." Su Li smiled faintly. Even at a time like this, her father's first thought was that her mother hadn't eaten yet. As they walked, Su's father said to the steward, "Go to the Huguo Temple and make a donation." Su Li inwardly scoffed. This was for Su Yue's sake, to accumulate merit. But what she had heard was that Su Yue's biological parents needed to help for it to be effective. She wondered if her father's efforts would be in vain.