Chapter 475: She Loves Him, He Loves Her

Such venomous words would make any ordinary person shiver all over.

Let alone Duan Rongshi, his own son.

They clenched their fist, the blue veins on the back of their hand bulging instantly.

A murderous aura poured out, hard to conceal; had it not been before they acted, they would have personally made Zongzheng Zhiyuan taste every word she said.

Li Qingluo gently grasped Duan Rongshi's hard fist.

She looked at them anxiously, trying her best to soothe their anger.

Fortunately, Duan Rongshi was never an impulsive person; their breath soon settled down on its own.

Inside the Guanyin Hall, Zongzheng Zhiyuan suddenly shivered for no apparent reason.

She looked up at the Guanyin statue and felt the benevolent visage exude a bone‑chilling murderous intent and cold.

"Enough!"

At that moment, a voice shouted from outside the door.

A handsome high monk in a kasaya entered.

He was Abbot Jia Guan, the head of Ningyuan Temple, and formerly the renowned eldest son of the Xie family from Nan'an, Xie Huaiyuan.

The moment she saw him, the malice in Zongzheng Zhiyuan's eyes vanished instantly.

She quickly hid the portrait behind her, and as if she had completely changed, gazed at Jia Guan with affectionate eyes.

"Brother Huaiyuan."

Jia Guan clasped his hands and bowed: "Amitabha. This poor monk has been ordained for twenty‑six years; I ask the female donor to conduct herself with dignity."

"Also, my dharma name is Jia Guan."

Zongzheng Zhiyuan's complexion turned somewhat sour.

She looked toward the hall's doorway and waved her hand quickly.

The guards and servants rushed forward, slammed the door shut, and then hurried away.

She did not realize that Prince Consort Zhang Tinggui sauntered out from behind; with a single glance, no guard dared block his advance.

Inside the hall.

Thinking the hall was empty, Zongzheng Zhiyuan hurried forward and grabbed Jia Guan.

"Brother Huaiyuan, why must you be so cold to me?"

"These years, I have come to see you every year, but no matter what I try, I can never get you out."

"Could it be that you truly hate me so?"

"I said before, the death of Sister Qingyue was truly unrelated to me."

"I was far away in Great Chu, while she served as an imperial consort in the DaLiang Imperial Palace; even with boundless power I could not harm her."

"Brother Huaiyuan, so many years have passed, yet you still hold a grudge over this; and I—am I not wronged?"

Jia Guan instantly fled backward as if escaping a raging beast.

"Second Princess, if you continue this absurdity, we will have nothing left to discuss."

He finished speaking and turned to leave, when Zongzheng Zhiyuan hurriedly let out a mournful shout to stop him.

"No!"

"No... I won't act rashly; I ask you, Hua... I ask the abbot, please stay."

The lofty and overbearing princess, at this moment, was so humbled she was not even equal to a lowly maid of the princess's mansion.

Yet even so, just exchanging a few words with Jia Guan, catching a glimpse of him, was enough to satisfy Zongzheng Zhiyuan's heart.

Her gaze greedily fell upon Jia Guan.

After so many years, Xie Huaiyuan's former elegance had long faded.

Moreover, they were both old now.

How many dashing, handsome young lords does Zongzheng Zhiyuan desire?

Yet, she could not forget Xie Huaiyuan!

Zongzheng Zhiyuan also despised this ungrateful self.

But what could be done about it?

Once entangled in love, she could not escape this cage for the rest of her life.

"Abbot Jia Guan, I was just angry earlier and said those unfiltered words; if you are displeased, I will stop speaking them from now on."

"Please don't misunderstand; see this for proof."

Zongzheng Zhiyuan said as she pulled the portrait hidden behind her.

When the monk Jia Guan saw the portrait in Zongzheng Zhiyuan's hand, his whole body froze instantly.

His expression blank, he reached out to take it, unable to speak.

Zongzheng Zhiyuan: "You must now know what has happened in the temple, right?"

"Not only have these monks vanished, but even my dozen‑plus guards have disappeared one after another, as if they vanished into thin air."

"And those lowly... those merchants, how could dozens of them simply disappear within this temple?"

"Now, only this portrait remains as a clue."

"Abbot Jia Guan, could someone be using the moon to tease us?"

"Or perhaps there are secret passages or hidden rooms in your temple that this poor monk doesn't know, yet those merchants do...?"

Jia Guan: "Enough!"

"Are you doubting this poor monk?"

"Does Ningyuan Temple have hidden passages or secret rooms that this poor monk doesn't know, yet those merchants do...?"

"Truly absurd!"

Jia Guan stared at Zong Zheng Zhiyuan, his gaze always holding a hint of icy coldness: "There are few left in this world who still remember Qingyue."

"They're just a group of merchants; perhaps they merely thought this Guanyin painting was especially beautiful, so they copied it."

"Even if they changed the hairstyle and robe design, does that necessarily mean they had ulterior motives?"

"Princess, instead of wasting time here being suspicious and cursing a person who's been dead for nineteen years, you should hurry to find the real clues!"

"Perhaps the disappearances of these people, even including that group of merchants, are all because of your princess's household, bringing disaster upon them."

"Rather than wrongly accusing the innocent here, Second Princess, you'd better first investigate your own mansion!"

Where is Jia Guan's usual cold, aloof monk demeanor now?

He revealed a ferocious expression, foolishly clearing Zong Zheng Qingyue of all blame.

Obviously unwilling to believe, he refuses to think that these strange events occurring today in Ningyuan Temple have anything to do with Zong Zheng Qingyue.

Having said that, he had no intention of staying any longer, turning and walking toward the door.

Zong Zheng Zhiyuan's eyes flickered.

After she reacted, she sprang toward the door, then turned and blocked the door to stop Jia Guan from leaving.

She shed tears of sorrow.

"Indeed, even though twenty-six years have passed, even though she has long been dead, you still can't forget her."

"Xie Huaiyuan, would you rather sacrifice your reputation as abbot, sacrifice the spotless reputation you've guarded for over twenty years, and disregard the lives of these monks in the temple, just to protect her?"

"But even if you hate me, despise me, you should at least think of Changning!"

"She is our biological daughter."

As soon as Zong Zheng Zhiyuan said that, Jia Guan could no longer hold back, reaching out to tightly strangle her neck.

"Shut up!"

"Don't force me to kill you—"

Seeing him fully reveal his true face, although Zong Zheng Zhiyuan was already finding it hard to breathe from being strangled, she still showed a smile.

"Has she ever seen you……like this ferocious appearance……?"

"To her you are always……a modest gentleman……gentle and considerate……appearance……."

"Have you ever……shown her……this wicked, demonic……face……?"

"Huaiyuan brother, may I consider……that you once had some special feelings……for me……and for Zhiyuan'er?"