Chapter 347: The Tea is Suspicious

Chapter 347: The Tea is Suspicious

Lu Kuan and Tong Nanyuan's new house was finalized, and on the same day, Lu Lingyun received the property deeds.

Once back at the Marquis's Mansion, Tong Nanxia said she would come again in a few days when the Lu Family prepared the betrothal gifts.

After bidding farewell to Tong Nanxia, Lu Lingyun asked about Cheng Yunshuo as soon as she returned to the mansion.

"Hasn't the Crown Prince returned yet?"

"No," the servants answered.

Upon hearing that Cheng Yunshuo hadn't yet returned, Lu Lingyun couldn't help but feel puzzled.

How odd, she had even given Cheng Yunshuo the day off today, and he wasn't on duty at the palace, so why hadn't he returned to the mansion?

"Check with the Du family to see if the Crown Prince is still there today."

"Yes."

Since Cheng Yunshuo wasn't returning, she couldn't move forward with revealing Li Bihan's poisoning scheme.

Soon after, the servants came back with news.

Cheng Yunshuo wasn't with the Du family today; he had gone to Guangji Temple outside the city.

When she heard that Cheng Yunshuo had gone to the temple, Lu Lingyun was once again taken aback.

What could Cheng Yunshuo be up to?

Why had he gone to the temple?

Upon waking at the Du family today, Cheng Yunshuo, having been given the day off by Lu Lingyun, felt lost and unsure of where to go.

Going back to the Marquis's Mansion? Too dull.

Taking a walk? Just as uninteresting.

Feeling empty, he heard Du Tai mention they had run into a monk the day before. So, he headed to the temple outside the city to find the old monk and apologize to him.

He went to the temple.

The chanting and the sound of the wooden fish in the main hall suddenly filled his hollow heart with peace.

The scent of burning incense, the evening drum, and the morning bell brought Cheng Yunshuo a rare tranquility he hadn't felt in ages.

At that moment, he saw Master Yuanqing.

"Benefactor, you have come," the old monk Yuanqing greeted Cheng Yunshuo with a serene smile, like an orchid blooming in an empty valley.

"Master, are you Yuanqing?"

"This old monk is indeed, Amitabha."

"Master Yuanqing, I offended you yesterday."

"It is of no consequence. Meeting is fate. The Buddha says everything is cause and effect, Amitabha." The old monk spoke with the steady calm of a mountain, further soothing Cheng Yunshuo's heart.

Cheng Yunshuo nodded to him and instructed Qingfeng to donate some incense money. As he prepared to leave, the old monk spoke again.

"Patron, our meeting is fated. This old monk senses your distress. Why not speak of it?"

That night, Cheng Yunshuo stayed at Guangji Temple.

He and Master Yuanqing hit it off immediately, and the Buddhist teachings he shared were enlightening, leaving him utterly absorbed.

Not only did he stay at Guangji Temple that night to discuss scriptures with Master Yuanqing, but the next day, after his duties in the palace, he returned directly to the mountain temple outside the city to spend the night.

This went on for nearly a week.

Cheng Yunshuo's daily absence from the Marquis's Mansion quickly alarmed all the women in the Marquis's Mansion, except for Lady Qin.

Since Cheng Yunshuo rarely visited his mother, Lu Lingyun chose not to inform Lady Qin about his recent strange behavior.

The other women in the Marquis's Mansion were baffled.

Why would he choose to stay at a temple full of monks instead of returning home?

If he had been frequenting brothels, they might have rolled their eyes but at least understood. But what could possibly be enjoyable in a temple full of monks?

Why would he go there?

This odd behavior was as baffling as middle-aged men in later times who preferred fishing all night outside to returning home.

When Lu Lingyun heard that Cheng Yunshuo was spending every night at the temple discussing scriptures with monks, she also expressed a hint of surprise.

But she wasn't particularly concerned. She instructed Qingfeng to keep tabs on Cheng Yunshuo and notify her immediately if he returned.

After all, Cheng Yunshuo's presence or absence in the Marquis's Mansion made no difference to her.

She was indifferent.

While Lu Lingyun remained calm, Li Bihan, in another courtyard, was in a state of extreme anxiety.

Since the day Cheng Yunshuo took the tea from her courtyard, he had not returned to the mansion.

She had expected to see him soon and retrieve the tea.

After all, he had said he would take it to the palace to drink. What if someone noticed something amiss?

But as she waited, she learned that Cheng Yunshuo was spending every night at the temple. Upon learning this, she was stunned.

She was completely baffled!

She had no clue what Cheng Yunshuo was up to!

Her first thought was that Cheng Yunshuo had taken a mistress and found a new lover.

She used her daughter's valuable jewelry to reward the servants for uncovering Cheng Yunshuo's true activities, as her own money and jewelry had long been spent on medicine.

However, the servants reported that Cheng Yunshuo was indeed staying at the mountain temple outside the city.

Unwilling to give up, Li Bihan inquired further about the monk who discussed scriptures with Cheng Yunshuo daily, wondering if it was a young and handsome monk who had aroused Cheng Yunshuo's interest.

Soon, the servants informed her that it was an old monk with wrinkled skin and white beard, a highly respected and renowned monk.

This monk often traveled to spread the teachings and had a significant reputation.

After hearing all this, Li Bihan went completely silent. After a long while, she pondered that Cheng Yunshuo must have been brainwashed by that old bald monk.

She was anxiously pacing in Bishui Courtyard and finally gathered all the valuables from Cheng Lanying's room to bribe the servant closest to Qingfeng, asking Qingfeng to get Cheng Yunshuo to come back.

Just as she had sent out the message, Lu Lingyun found out about Li Bihan's move from Qingfeng.

Upon discovering that Li Bihan had actively requested Cheng Yunshuo's return, Lu Lingyun couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Li Bihan was really asking for trouble.

With Cheng Yunshuo staying at the temple instead of coming back to the mansion, her plan to expose Li Bihan's tea matter had been delayed, and yet Li Bihan had gone ahead and invited Cheng Yunshuo back.

Since that was the case, Lu Lingyun decided to help her.

She instructed Qingfeng to send a message, making sure Cheng Yunshuo came back to the mansion today.

After leaving the palace, Cheng Yunshuo did not go to the temple but headed back to the Marquis's Mansion.

Just as he entered the mansion, someone called out from behind him.

"Big news, big news! Let me see your young mistress!"

Cheng Yunshuo stopped and asked curiously, "Who are you?"

The man was dressed as a servant, wearing coarse clothes. He looked at the well-dressed Cheng Yunshuo and said, "I am from the Tong family, sent by our mistress to request an audience with the wife of the Ningyang Marquis's heir!"

"Oh," Cheng Yunshuo nodded upon hearing the name Tong family. "Come in with me."

"Yes, thank you, sir!" The servant cleverly walked beside Cheng Yunshuo.

"You kept saying 'big news, big news' at the gate. What big news does your family have for Lingyun?" Cheng Yunshuo casually asked.

The servant nervously glanced at Cheng Yunshuo and said, "Last time, our mistress hosted a tea party, and the young mistress sent some tea..."

Cheng Yunshuo's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He knew about this matter. "What about the tea?"

"Sir, the tea is no good!"