Chapter 168: Seeking Help in the Temple!

Late autumn, falling blossoms scatter.

The entire city of Lin'an is exceptionally quiet in this bleak season.

The oppressive atmosphere of the national mourning period still shrouds the entire city.

This morning.

Luo Zijun got up early, changed into a plain white Confucian robe, and after eating breakfast, waited in the small courtyard.

Before long, the sound of knocking on the door rang out from outside.

Xiaohuan hurried over to open the door.

Hua'er said from outside the door: "Young Master Luo, let's go, the master, mistress, and Third Miss are all ready."

For this trip to pray for blessings at Guanyin Temple, the heads of the Four Great Families are all going.

But as for the maids and servants, they are only bringing a few each, to avoid the road being too lively, and to prevent trouble from having too many people and being difficult to manage.

After all, this is the Inner City, and it is close to the Royal Palace.

And it is currently still the national mourning period.

Luo Zijun had Xiaohuan go to Su Guo Fu to stay with his sister, and only brought Ziyuan out with him.

When he arrived at the front courtyard, Bai Qingtong had also just come over from the back courtyard.

She was wearing a plain white dress today, tall and elegant, standing gracefully; other than Hua'er, she had not brought any other servants.

"The gentleman wears white, making him appear even more scholarly, handsome, and dashing."

Upon meeting, Bai Qingtong smiled and complimented him.

Luo Zijun also returned the compliment: "Third Miss wears a white dress, making her appear even more beautiful, elegant, bright, and moving."

Bai Qingtong giggled, then quickly covered her mouth to restrain her laughter, saying: "Gentleman, I was speaking the truth."

Luo Zijun said earnestly: "Third Miss, what I said was also the truth."

Bai Qingtong's eyes held a smile; seeing her father, mother, second uncle, and aunt had already come out from the front hall, she did not dare to joke with him anymore and whispered: "Gentleman, after we leave, speak less, and you must remain serious."

After saying this, she immediately went over to greet the elders.

The members of the Bai Family all had serious expressions; upon seeing Luo Zijun, they only nodded slightly, then walked together toward the gate.

The maids and guards following behind also kept their heads down and faces somber, not daring to laugh or talk.

This time, including the Bai Family masters, servants, coachmen, and guards, there were only about thirty people traveling in total.

Luo Zijun took Ziyuan and boarded the carriage at the back with several maids.

The Bai Family elders rode in one carriage together.

Bai Qingtong and the younger generation rode in another.

There were only three carriages in total.

Everyone was quiet; even when speaking, they only whispered, their faces full of seriousness.

The carriages began to move.

After exiting the small alley and reaching the street outside, they picked up speed slightly.

The street was exceptionally empty and desolate.

Although the shops on both sides were open, they were all draped in white cloth, cold and cheerless.

Pedestrians were even more scarce.

The entire city was exceptionally quiet and solemn.

Half an hour later.

The carriages turned into a wide, empty bluestone avenue without any shops.

There were many patrolling soldiers here.

Luo Zijun lifted the curtain to take a look, and his heart completely relaxed.

When he learned that day that he was coming to this Guanyin Temple, he was still somewhat worried.

After all, the previous two times he was ravaged by that flower-plucking thief, it was in temples, so upon hearing Bai Third Miss say they were coming to Guanyin Temple, he couldn't help but feel afraid.

However, after thinking about it carefully in the end, it was entirely his own overthinking.

First, this is not outside the city, but the Inner City; even if the flower-plucking thief were given more courage, the other party would not dare to act recklessly here.

Second, this Guanyin Temple is next to the Royal Palace, and patrolling soldiers come in wave after wave; even if the flower-plucking thief snuck in, what could he do?

Third, he is not staying overnight in the temple; could it be that the flower-plucking thief would knock him unconscious and molest him in broad daylight?

Fourth, he is not the same person he was before; he is now a Martial Artist Fifth Realm expert, dual-cultivating body and soul!

Fifth, it is currently the national mourning period; even if the flower-plucking thief were bold, he could not possibly choose this time to act.

Sixth, he will absolutely not act alone!

With these six points, what else did he have to fear? He wouldn't even be afraid with his eyes closed!

Soon, the carriages slowly came to a stop.

Luo Zijun lifted the curtain to look and discovered that the Guanyin Temple before him was not just ordinarily large.

It was even larger than Hanshan Temple.

On the road ahead, the Jia Family's carriages had already arrived.

The Jia Family always traveled with great pomp, but this time they only brought forty-some people in total.

When the two families met, they all spoke in low voices with solemn expressions.

The younger generation also nodded slightly.

The maids and servants stood not far away, heads bowed, silent as cicadas in winter.

After a moment, the carriages of the Shi Family and the Xue Family both arrived.

These two families brought even fewer people; including masters and servants, there were only about twenty people in total.

Luo Zijun had long since brought Ziyuan down from the carriage and was standing under a large tree nearby, silently observing the people from the Four Great Families.

Jia Tanchun and the various sisters and cousins of the Jia Family seemed to have all arrived.

Jia Baoyu, however, was nowhere to be seen.

As soon as the sisters Jia Tanchun and Jia Yingchun stepped off the carriage, they gazed toward the group from the Bai Family; upon seeing him, their eyes all lit up.

Jia Yingchun blushed and lowered her head.

Jia Tanchun, meanwhile, raised her hand and waved at him as a greeting.

Lin Meimei, who was following behind, kept stealing glances at him.

After the elders of the Four Great Families spoke for a while at the entrance, they walked together toward the main gate of Guanyin Temple.

Though called Guanyin Temple, it would actually be more appropriate to call it a Guanyin nunnery.

This was because it was inhabited entirely by nuns.

Yet, even with the people of the Four Great Families arriving, no nuns came to the entrance to welcome them.

It was only after they had entered that an old nun came over to say a few words, then led the group to the main hall of the Guanyin statue. Luo Zijun and Ziyuan followed at the very back of the group and entered the gate.

While walking along the corridor, Tanchun's Young Maid, Cuimo, suddenly came to Luo Zijun's side and whispered, "Young Master Luo, my Young Mistress has something to discuss with you; she asks that you wait at the Child-Bestowing Guanyin Hall in the back."

After saying this, she lowered her head and walked away quickly.

"Child-Bestowing Guanyin Hall?"

Luo Zijun glanced toward the back courtyard, but he did not know where it was.

Just then, Cuimo, who had walked some distance away, turned her head back to look at him once, then descended the steps and headed to the back courtyard.

By this time, the noble members of the Four Great Families had all entered the main hall and begun to kowtow in worship.

The maids and servants stood waiting in the corridor outside with their heads lowered, silent and motionless.

Luo Zijun took Ziyuan and quietly slipped away from the back, circled around, and went to the back courtyard.

Just as he entered the circular gate, he saw Cuimo beckoning to him from the entrance of a side hall.

Luo Zijun walked over immediately.

!

Cuimo turned and entered the side hall, where she lit sandalwood incense in the burner on the altar.

When Luo Zijun entered with Ziyuan, Cuimo had just finished placing the incense into the burner, and she whispered to him, "Young Master Luo, please wait here for a moment; my Young Mistress will come over as soon as she is finished."

Luo Zijun nodded and asked, "Why didn't Brother Baoyu come today?"

Cuimo whispered, "He was beaten yesterday; his backside was almost beaten to a pulp."

Luo Zijun asked, "Why?"

Cuimo hesitated for a moment, but thinking that her Young Mistress still had something to ask of this youth, she did not hold back: "The day before yesterday, he went to the Madam's quarters and, taking advantage of the Madam sleeping, flirted with Jinchuan'er, only to be discovered by the Madam. The Madam drove Jinchuan'er away, and then..."

Luo Zijun said, "And then that Young Maid jumped into a well and committed suicide, and in his rage, Master Zheng beat Brother Baoyu, is that it?"

Cuimo's eyes widened in surprise: "How did Young Master Luo know?"

Luo Zijun sighed and did not answer.

Cuimo continued in a low voice, "Because it is a period of national mourning, the Second Master was extremely furious; if the Old Ancestor hadn't come out to intervene, he likely would have been beaten to death."

She then added, "Young Master Luo, you must not tell anyone else about this."

Luo Zijun nodded and said, "I understand the gravity of the situation."

Cuimo looked at him with a deep gaze, thinking to herself: No wonder my Young Mistress, as well as the Second Young Mistress and Lin Guniang, all trust and praise this Young Master Luo so much; could it be that he truly knows how to tell fortunes?

Just then, another Young Maid entered, and upon seeing Luo Zijun, she dropped to her knees with a thud and cried, "Young Master Luo, I beg you, please save my Young Mistress!"

This Young Maid was named Siqi, and she was Jia Yingchun's maid, whom Luo Zijun had seen before.

"Young Mistress Tanchun said that only Young Master Luo can save my Young Mistress, I beg you, please save my Young Mistress! These past few days, my Young Mistress has wanted to throw herself into a well every day, but we have stopped her... sob..."

Siqi's face was covered in tears as she spoke, kowtowing and pleading.

Luo Zijun hurriedly went over to help her up and comforted her, "Don't cry yet; let's discuss it when they arrive."

Siqi sobbed, "The two poems that the Young Master wrote for my Young Mistress, she has kept them in her heart the whole time. After hearing that she was to be married to the Sun Family, my Young Mistress has been resisting, but... we have sent people to inquire these past few days, and that man surnamed Sun is truly not a good person. The maids, nannies, even the laundry women and cooks in his house have all been raped by him, and several have even been beaten to death... sob... we would rather accompany our Young Mistress to jump into the well than ever let her marry that beast..."

Luo Zijun was silent for a moment, then said, "Rest assured, I will not let your Young Mistress fall into that pit of fire."

Siqi suddenly knelt down again and cried, "Young Master, the Master is determined to have the Young Mistress married off, and Young Mistress Tanchun said there is only one way..."

"Siqi!"

At this moment, Jia Tanchun's voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Let me say this; do not pressure Young Master Luo."

Jia Tanchun, dressed in a plain white dress, walked in from the entrance alone.

"You all go and keep watch outside."

She commanded in a low voice.

Siqi wiped away her tears, rose from the ground, turned and left the room, standing outside the door.

Ziyuan and Cuimo also followed her out.

The main hall fell silent.

Jia Tanchun looked at the refined and handsome youth in the white robe before her, her gaze complex, and after a moment of silence, she sighed, "Young Master Luo is truly a divine person; the things you said to Yingchun before, and the two poems you wrote for her, have all come true today."

Luo Zijun sighed and said, "I was merely guessing; who would have thought it would actually come to pass."

Jia Tanchun gave a bitter smile, remained silent for a moment, and looked at him, saying, "Since you can predict these things, is there a solution?"

Luo Zijun said, "Argue your case with reason and refuse to yield?"

Jia Tanchun shook her head bitterly: "One cannot defy the orders of one's parents; Yingchun cannot resist. Unless, she chooses death. These past few days, she has already tried to end her life many times, yet the Eldest Uncle's attitude has not changed in the slightest. Seeing this, everyone feels heartbroken, and no one dares to try and persuade him anymore. Even the Old Ancestor sighed and said this is Yingchun's fate; what else can be done?"

There was silence in the room for a while.

Luo Zijun asked, "Is it because the Eldest Master owes money to the Sun Family?"

Jia Tanchun's eyes flashed with surprise, and she said, "Did you even calculate this, Young Master?"

He then said in a deep voice, "Money is a small matter; we can pay the Sun Family double. It is just... just that my uncle, what he owes them is more than just money."

She clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and with nothing left to hide, she said it all: "Before, we also thought it was only a matter of money. After I sent people to investigate secretly, I discovered that not only did my uncle accept five thousand taels of silver from that Sun Shaozu, but he also, at that Sun Shaozu's home and together with that Sun Shaozu, defiled his wives, concubines, and maidservants..."

Speaking to this point, her body trembled, and her eyes were filled with tears, clearly at the peak of anger and humiliation.

"Therefore, that Sun Shaozu demanded Yingchun from him, as well as Yingchun's maidservant, and even Zhu'er's wife..."

Luo Zijun sighed and said, "No wonder, no one could persuade him."

Jia Tanchun wiped the tears from her eyes, looked at him, and said, "Young Master Luo, you are the only one who can save Yingchun now. My uncle, you are likely the only one whose words he might listen to a little."

Luo Zijun was silent for a moment and said, "He listens to me because I can give him the medicinal pills he wants. I can indeed try using those pills, but after hearing what Third Miss just said, I fear this matter will be difficult. If that Sun Shaozu does not agree, I expect the Great Master would not dare to refuse, as he has been caught by him with a handle. The matter Third Miss spoke of must have happened during the period of national mourning, right?"

Jia Tanchun's expression changed, and she said with a trembling voice, "Yes."

Luo Zijun looked at her and said, "If this matter were to spread, it would not only be the Great Master who would be beheaded; I fear your entire Jia Mansion would also..."

Jia Tanchun's face turned deathly pale, and her body trembled.

The room fell into silence for a long time.

Jia Tanchun said with an ugly expression, "Young Master Luo, is there truly no other way for this matter? Must we just watch helplessly as Yingchun and Siqi and the others fall into the tiger's den?"

Luo Zijun pondered for a moment and said, "That Sun Shaozu is also afraid of the lewd affair being exposed; if it spreads, his Sun Family would not be able to protect itself either. Therefore, there is still a possibility of resolving this. After I meet with the Great Master, I will talk to him personally; if we can reach an agreement, that would naturally be best."

Jia Tanchun looked at him and said, "And if you cannot reach an agreement?"

Luo Zijun was silent for a moment and said, "If we cannot reach an agreement, I will think of other ways."

Jia Tanchun said dejectedly, "Are there any other ways?"

Luo Zijun glanced at her, then glanced at the other figures outside the door, and said, "Yes."

Jia Tanchun's originally dim eyes suddenly brightened: "What other way is there?"

Luo Zijun did not answer, only saying calmly, "Miss Tanchun, rest assured, since I have already promised to help, I will absolutely not let Miss Yingchun fall into the tiger's den. Regardless of the process, there is only one result, and that is to ensure this tragedy never happens... I will make it happen."

Tears suddenly overflowed from Jia Tanchun's eyes, and she looked at him deeply, saying, "Young Master Luo, fortunately... Yingchun met you..."

Luo Zijun sighed inwardly: Actually, I am also very lucky to have met you all...

(End of this chapter)