Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 202

When they find Master Wuchen, the highly respected monk is standing under a tree outside his meditation room, intently watching a spot on the ground.

Curious, Jiang Miao leans closer to see what has captured his interest and sees a group of tiny ants carrying a large caterpillar across the ground. He can’t help but find it amusing—it seems that being a monk must be truly dull if one can watch ants transporting food with such intense focus.

Master Wuchen notices the two of them, presses his palms together in greeting, and says, “Amitabha. It has been a while, benefactors. This humble monk greets you.”

Pei Che and Jiang Miao return the gesture and say, “We apologize for the unannounced visit, and we hope Master won’t mind.”

“You’re too polite, benefactors. Why not come inside and have some tea?” Master Wuchen extends a hand, inviting them to sit inside.

“Thank you, Master. It is our pleasure.”

After they sit down, the young monk Yuanxin, who has hosted them previously, approaches with a few cups of tea. Noticing Jiang Miao looking at him, he deliberately blinks playfully. Though he appears clever, his youth is evident—he has yet to cultivate a mind that is pure, detached, and free from worldly desires.

The three of them sip tea together quietly for a while before Master Wuchen speaks first. His penetrating gaze, as if seeing through the affairs of the world, lands on Pei Che as he asks, “Benefactor Pei, one doesn’t come to the temple without reason. What is it you wish to ask this old monk today?”

Setting down his teacup, Pei Che nods and says, “Master, your clear and discerning nature is truly admirable. I’ve come today with some questions and hope you will kindly enlighten me.”

Master Wuchen inclines his head slightly in acknowledgment. “Please, speak. If it is within my knowledge, I will answer truthfully and fully.”

“Master, I’d like to ask, where does the temple source all its supplies?” Pei Che doesn’t reveal his true purpose right away, instead starting with a more indirect question.

Master Wuchen appears momentarily taken aback. A myriad of possible questions flashes through his mind, but this isn’t one of them. After a brief pause, he answers, “Naturally, we go down the mountain to purchase them. Every ten days, the temple’s provisioning monk goes down to buy necessary items, such as incense, paper money, and all the ceremonial tools.”

“The provisioning monk? Is that their specific duty?” Jiang Miao asks.

Master Wuchen replies, “Ciji Temple is small, and there aren’t many monks here, so we can’t operate as efficiently as the larger temples. At Ciji Temple, the monk in charge of purchasing is specifically responsible for handling all the temple’s procurement needs.” Due to its small scale, many monks take on multiple roles, often in titles that don’t fully match their responsibilities.

“Master, could you introduce us to the provisioning monk? We have a few questions we’d like to ask him,” Pei Che asks. Although phrased as a question, his tone is resolute.

Although Master Wuchen isn’t sure why they want to meet the provisioning monk, he readily agrees to their request and instructs Yuanxin, who is standing behind him, to bring the person over. Meanwhile, he goes to the main hall to begin his daily scripture recitation.

Yuanxin leaves briefly and soon returns, followed by a monk in his twenties who appears honest and straightforward.

Upon seeing him, both Pei Che and Jiang Miao frown. He is too young. The incident they are investigating happened many years ago, meaning he would have been just a teenager at the time. Would the temple have allowed someone so young to serve as the provisioning monk?

Pei Che’s mind is full of questions, but his expression remains calm. He greets the monk with a bow and asks, “May I know this master’s dharma name?”

Caught off guard by Pei Che’s question, the monk looks a bit flustered and quickly replies, “This humble monk’s dharma name is Liaokong. Greetings, benefactor.”

“Master Liaokong, as the provisioning monk of this temple, I’d like to ask, which route do you usually take when purchasing supplies, and where do you make your purchases?”

Liaokong answers, “I take the official road down the mountain in the direction away from Liangjing. After walking about 20 miles, there’s a place called Yangshu Village. They hold a large market there every ten days, with plenty of people coming and going, so you can buy almost anything.”

“Oh? Master Liaokong, as far as I know, there’s a path behind the mountain that leads to Shuibo County. It’s closer than Yangshu Village. Why don’t you go there to buy supplies?” Pei Che asks, feigning curiosity.

Liaokong scratches his bald head and smiles sheepishly. “Things in the county are more expensive. This temple has few visitors, and we’re always short on funds. If I can save money by walking a bit farther, I’m more than willing to do so.”

Jiang Miao praises him, “Master Liaokong is so meticulous and resourceful. You must have been the provisioning monk for many years.”

Liaokong laughs awkwardly. “This is my third year as the provisioning monk. Before me, the job was handled by Brother Liaozhi.”

Hearing a new name, the two of them can’t hide their excitement.

“May I ask where Master Liaozhi is now? Could we meet him?” Pei Che inquires.

Liaokong’s expression dims slightly. “I’m afraid Brother Liaozhi can’t come.”

“Is Master Liaozhi unwell?”

Liaokong nods. “Three years ago, when Brother Liaozhi went down the mountain to purchase supplies, he encountered bandits robbing travelers. He stepped in to save someone, but in the chaos, he was caught off guard and had his leg severed by the bandits. Although the bandits were eventually caught, he was left with only one leg.”

He sighs and continues, “Since losing his leg, Brother Liaozhi has changed completely. He used to smile often, but after the incident, he hardly ever does. He shuts himself in his meditation room all day and rarely comes out unless absolutely necessary.”

Pei Che suddenly understands. No wonder Yuanxin had mentioned there are seven monks in the temple, yet he has only seen six. It turns out one of them is staying hidden in his room.

Could this Master Liaozhi be the person from back then?

Pei Che requests to meet Master Liaozhi. Although Liaokong doesn’t know what Pei Che is thinking, he decides to comply with the guest’s request. In his view, it might actually do Brother Liaozhi some good to speak with others, have a conversation, and avoid becoming too withdrawn.

The two follow Liaokong toward the meditation rooms. Although Ciji Temple isn’t large, the corridors are winding and interconnected, so they have to navigate through several turns before arriving at a tightly shut meditation room door.

“Brother, Brother, open the door,” Liaokong calls out, stepping forward to knock.

At first, there is no response. Then the sound of a wooden cane striking the floor can be heard. It seems Master Liaozhi is coming to the door, leaning on his cane.

“What is it, Brother? Why are you looking for me?” Master Liaozhi’s face is pale, the kind of pallor that comes from staying indoors without sunlight for a long time. His face is thin, and his eyes carry a deep weariness and disdain for the world. It isn’t hard to understand—losing a leg so suddenly would leave anyone with lasting scars in his heart.

“There are two guests who wish to meet you. They’re the ones who donated a large sum of incense money to our temple last time. Please don’t offend them,” Liaokong whispers a reminder to Liaozhi.

Though Liaozhi isn’t fond of seeing people, he isn’t unreasonable. Since the guests have already come, he won’t refuse them outright.

The group sits at a stone table outside the meditation room. Pei Che observes Liaozhi for a while, his mood sinking. Liaozhi does seem a few years older than Liaokong, but back then, he would have been just a youth. Could he really be the person they are looking for?

Pei Che repeats the same questions he asked Liaokong earlier. Liaozhi’s answers are almost identical, even the way he took over the role is similar. The difference is that Liaokong took over due to Liaozhi’s leg injury, while Liaozhi assumed the position after the previous monk, his uncle, passed away.

What startles Pei Che is the news of the previous monk’s death. He came to investigate whether the person in question could have been bribed, but now that person is dead, leaving no way to confirm anything. The matter from all those years ago is truly becoming a cold case.

His hands turn ice-cold. Jiang Miao notices his distress and discreetly reaches under the table to squeeze his hand, signaling him to pull himself together.

“As long as you do something, there will be traces left. Sometimes, the dead will tell you the truth.” Jiang Miao, with his years of experience reading all kinds of crime novels and TV dramas, feels that there must be something fishy about the monk’s death.

“May I ask how Master Wuming passed away?” Jiang Miao asks. “From your description, he seems to be in his prime. How could he have suddenly died from illness?”

Before Liaozhi can answer, Liaokong interjects, “Uncle Wuming was attacked by a wild beast while on his way to buy supplies.”

Feigning surprise, Jiang Miao says, “A wild beast attacked someone on the main road? Wouldn’t that pose a great danger to travelers?”

Liaokong shakes his head. “It didn’t happen on the main road. It was on the small path behind the mountain. Earlier, I mentioned not using the path to Shuibo County for purchases, not only because the goods there are more expensive but also because of this incident. Ever since Uncle Wuming was dragged away by a wild beast, we haven’t dared to take that path alone.”

Dragged away? Jiang Miao quickly catches onto the key detail. That means they haven’t recovered Wuming’s body.

“If Master Wuming was dragged away by a wild beast, isn’t it possible he’s still alive? Why are you so certain he’s dead?”

Liaokong pauses before replying, “Uncle Wuming’s monk robes are found at the scene, covered in blood, with signs of being torn. If he isn’t killed by a wild beast, what else could have happened?”

“Perhaps he loses a lot of blood but is later saved by a kind passerby?”

Liaokong chuckles. “You’re joking. If Uncle Wuming were still alive, why wouldn’t he return to the temple to find us? We, too, wish he hadn’t met such a fate, but what’s done is done, and we can only accept it.”

…

Back in their guest room, Jiang Miao lies on the bed with his hands behind his head, deep in thought. Suddenly, he mutters, “Something’s not right. Something’s really not right.”

Pei Che, sitting nearby, nods. “Indeed, something feels off.”

“You noticed too, right? It’s too much of a coincidence. Why would a wild beast suddenly attack him? And how is it that there’s no body, no proof of life or death? It all feels suspicious.”

“There’s also Liaozhi’s reaction,” Pei Che adds.

Earlier, Jiang Miao had been focused on talking to Liaokong and haven’t paid much attention to Liaozhi, but Pei Che has been watching closely. When Jiang Miao suggests that Wuming might still be alive, Liaozhi’s expression grows complicated. There is a flash of fear and confusion in his eyes.

Hearing Pei Che’s observation, Jiang Miao immediately says, “It seems Liaozhi knows something. And his leg injury is strange too. How often are there bandits on the main road? If they were capable of hurting him, why not just kill him to avoid witnesses?”

All these doubts point toward Master Liaozhi. Pei Che and Jiang Miao decide to visit him again after nightfall for another conversation.