Chapter 176: The Taoist Temple is Desolate

Chapter 176: The Taoist Temple is Desolate

Tiandong didn’t want to dwell on what had already happened and calmly stated, "Whether this matter involves Mr. Lu or not, it is no longer the most critical issue at this moment."

"I strongly urge the master to take my advice and let us descend the mountain tonight."

Sun Wude gave Tiandong a strange look, "You call Lu Mingchao 'Mr. Lu'?"

"You’re being quite formal."

Tiandong was exasperated.

What a meaningless question.

Even if they were at odds, Lu Mingchao definitely deserved to be called 'Mr. Lu'!

Tiandong clasped his hands, his robes billowing like a bird’s wings, "The Eldest Young Master said, 'Propriety is the law of heaven, the way of earth, and the behavior of the people.'"

Sun Wude sneered.

His eldest son, ruthless and cunning, masked his true nature with a facade of gentleness and humility, yet his actions were as dirty as discarding old clothes.

If every loss came with a gain, it might be tolerable, but that wasn’t the case.

Tiandong’s heart felt like it was being crushed by a thousand-pound weight, gradually sinking into the depths of the sea.

The master’s attitude toward the Eldest Young Master was deeply unsettling upon closer reflection.

In the pitch-black night, Tiandong stared intently at the flickering candlelight in the room, where a graceful silhouette faintly appeared on the window.

Perhaps the master wasn’t just driven by lust but had a plan in mind.

Sun Wude moved to block Tiandong’s view, "Tiandong, who gave you the right to be so disrespectful in front of your master?"

"Zhi Ye values you and even returned your indenture, allowing you to act as a subordinate, but don’t get too full of yourself and forget your place."

Tiandong: Is the master in good health?

No, the master is sick!

And quite seriously so!

"This humble servant acknowledges his mistake."

In this dire situation, even for the Eldest Young Master’s sake, he couldn’t afford to displease the master.

Tiandong took a step back, knelt on the ground, and lowered his head in submission.

"This subordinate urgently begs the master to turn the tide and save the Eldest Young Master from this peril. If the Eldest Young Master escapes safely, the rumors will naturally vanish, and the Sun family will overcome the crisis, opening new doors for growth and rising to greater heights."

Sun Wude clasped his hands behind his back, rubbing his fingertips, exuding an air of profound wisdom and composure, "Heading down the mountain and returning to the city late at night won’t help; we can’t visit the prison or pay our respects to the magistrate."

"Zhi Ye’s safety depends on me, so I naturally have to look after myself."

"Tiandong, you’re too worried to think straight."

"Peng'er's suicide in the county jail was a conclusion reached by the cooperation of the jailers, constables, and the coroner. The unquestionable dignity and reputation of the yamen are Zhi Ye's best protection."

"Magistrate Xu won’t go back on his word unless he has no other choice."

Tiandong was at a loss for words.

While he couldn’t visit the prison or pay respects to the county magistrate, he could still see the lady.

The lady accused the Eldest Young Master Sun, a mother accusing her son, naturally holding the moral high ground and legitimacy in her favor. Similarly, under the law, the wife is subordinate to the husband!

The master dismissed his concern as overreaction, but wasn’t the master’s reaction too cold and indifferent?

"Tiandong, you’ll stay in the corner chamber tonight and leave at first light without delay," Sun Wude decided in a flat tone.

With that, he flicked his sleeve and headed toward the candlelit chamber.

As the door opened, Tiandong saw a young, beautiful woman gently cradling her abdomen, and his eyes narrowed instinctively.

Was the master planning to have another child with Concubine Qu?

And use this chance to humiliate the Eldest Young Master Sun!

When the door shut, the crumbling, desolate courtyard was left with only Tiandong.

Tiandong, seething with anger, trudged back to the corner chamber. In the dim moonlight, he swept his hand across the table, sending broken cups and plates flying. Just as they were about to crash, he quickly spread a thick cloak on the floor to muffle the noise.

He vented his anger, but it felt incomplete.

The Eldest Young Master Sun had given his all for the Sun family, but what had the master done?

He thought the master was even more despicable than the lady.

Tiandong struck a flame and lit the stub of a candle on the candlestick.

The candlelight pushed back the darkness, casting a faint yellow glow.

Tiandong finally got a clear look at the chamber.

The beams bore clear signs of insect damage, and the rotting wood gave off a damp, musty odor. Cobwebs hung everywhere, like a giant net ensnaring the old house. Every so often, debris and dust would rain down from the ceiling.

The state of the furnishings was even more appalling. The tables and chairs wobbled on uneven stone slabs. The coarse bed curtains had faded and frayed with age. In the night breeze, they fluttered and moaned, like ghosts wailing in the wilderness, sending shivers down his spine.

Noticing something, Tiandong grabbed the candlestick and moved closer to the wall.

The candlelight revealed the carvings on the wall in stark detail.

They were names, crammed together.

There were the master, the Eldest Young Master Sun, the second young master, Qu Ying.

And the out-of-place Lu Mingchao.

The second young master’s name was deeply carved but soft, as if the lady had smoothed the sharp edges of the carvings with repeated touches.

As he studied the carvings and took in the decrepit chamber—worse than the Sun family’s firewood shed—Tiandong was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

The Taoist temple was carefully chosen by the Eldest Young Master Sun, and during the funeral rites for the second young master, he had ordered the renovation of two chambers without skimping on any items.

Did the Eldest Young Master Sun know that the lady was living such a hopeless life in the Taoist temple?

Never mind, the Eldest Young Master Sun couldn’t have anticipated that the master would collude with Concubine Qu to secretly torment and mistreat the lady.

The night grew quiet.

Under the ancient tree by the backyard chamber, two figures—one large, one small—stood.

"Master, did you hear? A brother killing his brother—is it really that terrifying down the mountain?"

"It’s not the mountain that’s scary—it’s people’s hearts. Tell your uncles it’s time to move—tonight."

"Move? To a thriving Taoist temple?"

"No, still to a run-down one."

"Then why move?"

"People’s hearts are deceitful—you can’t watch out for thieves every day."

"Master, moving and traveling cost money."

"Don’t we have money?"

"Master, as Second Uncle said, you can’t keep money."

"Money comes and goes—let’s go."

The sun rose in the east.

When Tiandong woke up, the Taoist temple was empty.

Completely empty—the iron pot on the stove, the water vat in the yard, the dishes in the cupboard, the plaque on the gate, even the small statues in the Sanqing Hall—all gone without a trace.

The people had left, and the temple was empty.

Tiandong knew the scandal between the master and Concubine Qu couldn’t stay hidden.

Taoist priests aren’t monks—they believe form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.

Taoist priests follow their hearts and do as they wish.

Tiandong couldn’t take it anymore and shot a fierce glare at Sun Wude and Qu Ying.

First, the sister-in-law slept with the brother, and the brother killed his sibling; then, the father and daughter-in-law committed immoral acts in the Taoist temple.

It’s no wonder the Sun family is on the verge of collapse.

While merchant families don’t care as much about reputation as scholars, they can’t let their name become as rotten as an old outhouse.

If the master’s reputation is destroyed, who’ll trust his word? "Royal scandals"