Chapter 367: Cheng Yunshuo is Thinking of Becoming a Monk!

Chapter 367: Cheng Yunshuo is Thinking of Becoming a Monk!

Li Bihan laughed mockingly as she looked at Cheng Yunshuo, "Are you going to repeat how much you've given me over the years, how you've cherished and loved me, spending every night with me, and for my sake, not visiting the young mistress?"

"You’re just fooling yourself and putting on an act!"

Li Bihan could never forget the look in Cheng Yunshuo's eyes when he saw her face age dramatically.

She glared fiercely at the stunned Cheng Yunshuo, touching her thickly powdered face, "I’m old now, I’m not beautiful anymore, so you flee, you run away. Did you ever really love me? You only ever loved my face!"

"You claim I’m insincere, but all your so-called love was just an act! You can deceive others, but you can't deceive me!"

Act... love.

After these four words were spoken, Cheng Yunshuo felt as if he’d been hit by a gong.

He stared hard at Li Bihan, but there was no emotion in his eyes.

No anger, no irritation, no annoyance at being exposed.

He just stood there, stunned, his mind filled with those four words.

So, he’d always been faking it?

He was... pretending to be in love?

Yes.

Cheng Yunshuo finally remembered.

He didn’t actually love Li Bihan.

Of the three women he took as concubines, he only didn't love Li Bihan.

Indeed, when he first met Li Bihan, he had been infatuated and obsessed, but at that time, it was because of her face, mistaking her for her.

But later, after some petty incidents, he realized Li Bihan wasn’t her.

She only looked like her, but her personality was nothing like Xing Dairong.

He never loved Li Bihan.

That's why, when he saw Li Bihan's face age, he ran away as if he’d seen a ghost.

That terrifying thing was that he didn't love her!

All these years, he’d been confused, treating her well, just pretending to love her.

Just to fill the emptiness and regrets in his heart.

After Cheng Yunshuo figured all this out, his mind was suddenly filled only with the Heart Sutra chanted by Master Yuanqing at Guangji Temple.

Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.

His heart suddenly felt empty.

"I understand."

Cheng Yunshuo finally spoke.

After he uttered these four words, Li Bihan, caught between tears and laughter, snapped back to reality.

She had made a huge scene, and after venting all her anger, grievances, and resentment, she began to calm down.

Upon hearing Cheng Yunshuo speak, she looked uneasily at his bewildered eyes.

Oh no, she had completely lost it! The matter with Cheng Bingzhi had completely shattered her rationality, and she had blurted everything out.

Cheng Yunshuo would surely punish her—or even kill her.

"My lord, I..."

"I’m sorry."

Before Li Bihan could say her usual "I’m sorry," Cheng Yunshuo cut her off.

Cheng Yunshuo looked down at her, his gaze steady and direct.

When Li Bihan realized Cheng Yunshuo had spoken these words to her, he strode out of her room, the door slamming behind him.

Li Bihan stood there, stunned for a moment. By the time she reacted, Cheng Yunshuo had already left the courtyard.

She scrambled to her feet and rushed out, "My lord, where are you going? What are you doing?"

"I’m leaving for Guangji Temple to become a monk."

Cheng Yunshuo walked away, his figure retreating with determination.

——————————

Cheng Yunshuo’s decision to become a monk threw the Marquis's Mansion into chaos that very night.

Lu Lingyun was already asleep when, in the dead of night, a tearful maid brought urgent news.

She said the Crown Prince was heading to Guangji Temple to become a monk.

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingyun was speechless: "..."

She jumped out of bed and learned from the servants that Cheng Yunshuo had left the mansion for Guangji Temple after quarreling with Concubine Li at Bishui Garden that evening.

She didn’t have time to ask what Li Bihan had argued with him about. She ordered a carriage and raced out of the city.

Despite the nighttime curfew and closed city gates, Lu Lingyun used her connections to open a gate and urgently pursued him.

When she reached Guangji Temple, Cheng Yunshuo was already seated before the Buddha.

Abbot Yuanqing stood before him, asking one last time, "Patron Cheng, are you absolutely sure?"

"Abbot, I have made up my mind. I wish to follow you to the Western Regions and become a monk."

"You cannot—" Lu Lingyun urgently interrupted.

Abbot Yuanqing, seeing Lu Lingyun who had chased after them, still had that wise and understanding smile in his old eyes, "Patron Cheng, it seems your worldly ties are not yet severed."

Cheng Yunshuo glanced at Lu Lingyun, "Lingyun, I leave the Marquis's Mansion to you from now on. I believe you will manage it well."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun felt a surge of anger through her entire body.

This jerk! What’s he thinking, dumping everything on her!

If he’s serious about becoming a monk, he should at least get his own affairs in order first!

The old Marquis has passed away, Lady Qin is still unaware, Cheng Qi is about to return victorious, and the Marquis's Mansion is a total disaster—and he just dumps it all on her!

Fuming, she stepped forward, keeping her anger in check and speaking calmly, "Crown Prince, is something bothering you?"

"Lingyun, I’ve realized that the Buddhist path is where I belong."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

"Crown Prince..."

"Enough, don’t bother trying to talk me out of it, it’s pointless. Today, I’m determined to join the Buddhist order."

Cheng Yunshuo was firm, leaving Lu Lingyun no chance to argue. At this moment, Master Yuanqing spoke.

"Amitabha, Lady Benefactor, it’s late, and we won’t be taking vows today. Let’s all rest for the night and talk about this tomorrow."

Lu Lingyun gave Master Yuanqing a grateful look when she heard his words.

Cheng Yunshuo, kneeling on the cushion, nodded. "Alright, I’ll follow the abbot’s advice."

After saying this, Cheng Yunshuo stood up. Ignoring Lu Lingyun, who had a lot to say, he followed Master Yuanqing into the inner meditation room.

Seeing him like this, Lu Lingyun thought, ‘Forget it, we’ll talk tomorrow.’

The next morning, early.

Lu Lingyun got up early, waiting for Cheng Yunshuo to come out. Before she could talk to him properly, Lady Qin stormed in.

"Where is Yunshuo! How could he even consider becoming a monk!"

Word of Cheng Yunshuo’s plan to become a monk had spread all over the mansion, and Lu Lingyun hadn’t returned the previous night. It was impressive that the mansion had kept it from Lady Qin for a whole night.

Early this morning, when Lady Qin found out about Cheng Yunshuo’s decision, she was so angry she nearly fainted.

She hadn’t eaten breakfast, just threw on her clothes, and led a group of people to charge into Guangji Temple.

He wants to become a monk?

If he dares to become a monk here, she’ll tear this temple down today!

"Mother, why have you come?"