Chapter 88: Harvest

Chapter 88: Harvest

The sky grew increasingly oppressive and gloomy, like the lifeless Xie Shen.

Meng Yuan first touched the corpse and then ignited a fire with his fingertips.

After cremating Xie Shen and Xie Zhongliang, Meng Yuan retracted his Essence Fire, feeling it had grown even stronger.

Moreover, Xie Shen's contribution to the Essence Fire was greater than that of Xie Zhongliang, indicating that Xie Shen was stronger than Xie Zhongliang.

However, during the earlier confrontation, Xie Shen was the first to flee, clearly a coward who only bullied others from a position of strength. Once he saw blood and felt fear, he became as timid as a castrated dog.

Regardless, this mission had been a complete success.

In addition to Xie Shen and Xie Zhongliang, the other six, including an Eighth Rank Warrior, were also killed.

With the assistance of these individuals, the Essence Fire had grown significantly stronger, now surpassing the halfway mark.

Furthermore, upon searching their bodies, Meng Yuan found over two hundred taels of silver ingots and three thousand five hundred taels in silver notes.

As for official tokens and jade pendants, Meng Yuan destroyed them all.

Aside from these, there were no other valuable items. The Heavenly Insight Map was not among them, but Meng Yuan did find a string of prayer beads on Xie Shen's body.

Both Buddhist and Taoist sects used such beads, with Taoists calling them Flowing Beads.

Generally, the Buddhist beads consisted of 108 beads, symbolizing the 108 earthly desires, while Taoists often used 81 or 108 beads, representing the concept of 'nine times nine returns to one' and the number of stars in the sky.

In essence, their functions were the same, serving to record the number of times a sutra was recited and to aid in meditation and calming the mind.

This string of prayer beads had 108 beads, and each bead was engraved with a simple drawing of a long-burning lamp, the meaning of which was unclear.

Meng Yuan couldn't determine if they belonged to the Buddhists or Taoists. However, as they were made of Bodhi seeds, they were undoubtedly Buddhist.

It was strange that Xie Shen, who disregarded life, and being the son of the governor, carried Buddhist prayer beads.

Xie Shen had mentioned that his mother was a vegetarian and his brother was kind-hearted. How could such a family raise a son like him? Or was there a Luo Mother in their household?

In comparison, Du Gukang, who didn't covet wealth, wasn't greedy for food, didn't engage in slaughter, and didn't bully the good, was practically a saint!

Meng Yuan didn't know much about Buddhist affairs, so he didn't think too much about it. He washed his arrows and sword by the pool and then returned.

Not long after, he changed out of his night-traveling clothes and burned them, putting on his regular attire.

Hurrying back to the county government office's backyard, he entered his room and heard a muffled thunderclap, followed by the sound of rain.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, the rain outside intensified.

Footsteps approached the door, and a voice called out, "Brother Ah! The teacher has prepared wine and invites us to drink and enjoy the rain!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan immediately stood up.

After the previous incident at the county government office, Meng Yuan had sensed something amiss. He immediately took Mr. Qi and Captain Yang to the backyard and, with a little persuasion, learned that Mr. Qi had taken money from the Li family, and Captain Yang had taken money from Mr. Qi.

They were just lackeys and had no knowledge of Xie Shen's matter.

Since he had decided to take action, Meng Yuan showed no mercy. He killed Mr. Qi and Captain Yang, and with a fire and a gust of wind, there was not a trace left of them.

Then, without waiting for Chen Shouzhuo to return, Meng Yuan went out to seek revenge.

Xie Shen and his group had just arrived in Donghe County at noon and hadn't yet made their move when Meng Yuan caught up with them.

They were staying in a garden away from the crowd, with no one else around. Along with Li Tianyun and the others, they had all turned to ashes, and with the heavy rain pouring down, there was no trace left.

It was done silently and without a trace, and even Chen Shouzhuo probably wouldn't have expected that he had unleashed such a massacre.

Of course, when Meng Yuan had returned earlier, there was a lit candle in Chen Shouzhuo's room, but he had waited for a quarter of an hour before coming to get him, clearly a sign of their understanding.

Although warriors lacked the means to track, the Confucians, Buddhists, and Taoists all had their divine abilities. Today's killing and arson might bring trouble to their doorstep in the future.

Being sought out wasn't the worst part; the worst was being sought out and being unable to defeat the pursuer!

Therefore, he needed to sharpen his blade further! When the time came, he wouldn't wait for them to come to him; he would seek them out himself!

Meng Yuan set a grand plan to diligently cultivate, and as he opened the door, he saw Tie Niu standing outside with an umbrella.

"Brother Ah, I heard about the incident at the county government office. Where did you go?" Tie Niu curiously examined Meng Yuan, supporting him with one hand while touching his arm with the other.

"It's nothing," Meng Yuan patted Tie Niu's shoulder.

The two entered Chen Shouzhuo's room, where a small stove was set up with a clay pot simmering lamb stew.

Chen Shouzhuo invited Meng Yuan and Tie Niu to sit down and even poured them wine, showing no airs of a scholar. "I'd like to toast to you two, my esteemed younger brothers, for accompanying me and helping me so much."

This was just a polite gesture, as Meng Yuan and Tie Niu hadn't exerted much effort, at most buying some food for them.

"I didn't do much! By the way, what about my brother's case?" Tie Niu hurriedly asked. "Sir, they were targeting my brother! You must handle the case impartially!"

Chen Shouzhuo smiled and said, "Captain Yang and Mr. Qi have disappeared, probably fleeing out of guilt. Tomorrow, we'll issue wanted posters for them."

Tie Niu didn't catch the protective tone in his words and grumbled for half a day, saying things like, "My brother is the best!"

"Drinking wine and watching the night rain has its own charm." Chen Shouzhuo smiled and raised his cup, "The Princess praises your talent in both literature and martial arts, especially your poetry. Do you have any good verses?"

Meng Yuan could only write doggerel and barely keep up with Du Gukang in poetry, often being outdone by Xiang Ling. So, if we're talking about poetic talent, he had none.

The third young miss was perfect in every way. She was beautiful, generous, and kind to her subordinates, except for her big mouth.

"I truly lack talent in this area." Meng Yuan modestly replied.

Recalling a line from an ancient book, I couldn't help but ponder over it for a long time. It was about seeing the allure of the green mountains, but the mountains seeing me should be like this."

"Marvelous!" Chen Shouzhuo clapped his hands in admiration, while Tie Niu ate and praised, "Wonderful indeed!"

Meng Yuan's meaning was that you, as the virtuous official of Hedong County, are doing justice for the common people. When I go out, it's also to eliminate harm for the people.

Since they praised, there was no need to ask further, and the understanding was naturally shared over drinks.

"However, dear brother," Chen Shouzhuo said as he poured wine for Meng Yuan, "There's a taboo in reciting this poem. The name of the Princess Consort is included, so we must be careful."

Meng Yuan had stayed in the Imperial Mansion for a long time and only knew that the Princess Consort's surname was Ying. It was only today that he learned her given name was Ying Ruisi.

"I truly didn't know," Meng Yuan apologized, feeling curious. "This name seems to be commonly used in Buddhist teachings. Has the Ying family practiced Buddhism?"

"Not exactly," Chen Shouzhuo smiled and waved his hand. "The Princess Consort follows the Three Teachings. Her older brother's name is Ying Qiu, and her older sister's name is Ying Zhi."

Meng Yuan understood that the names of the Princess Consort's siblings were likely influenced by some change in their father's mindset.

First, they sought the meaning of 'is,' but despite their efforts, they couldn't find it. However, their determination remained strong, and they vowed to find it. Eventually, they compromised, feeling that something close enough would suffice, and thus, they settled for 'like is.'

"Mr. Chen, I know very little about the Princess Consort's family background," Meng Yuan said as he poured wine for Chen Shouzhuo. "Can you provide some insights?"

"The Princess Consort's father and older brother have both passed away, and their remaining words have been forbidden. It's not unusual for you to be unaware."

Chen Shouzhuo took a sip of wine and remained silent for a moment before speaking. "The Princess Consort's father and brother were renowned scholars of their time, admired by countless scholars. They were revered by followers of the Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism."

"Admired by the Three Teachings?" Meng Yuan was surprised.

"When the Princess Consort's father and brother passed away, a high-ranking Buddhist monk from the West came to pay respects, and the three Taoist sects also went to the capital to mourn. Not to mention, countless scholars from various schools of thought also showed their respect. Many scholars couldn't bear the thought of not being able to follow in their footsteps."

"Why was the Princess Consort able to survive when she was just a young girl at that time?" Meng Yuan asked, curious.

"Buddhism teaches equality for all beings, and Taoism emphasizes the importance of the natural order and the value of all things. Confucianism also promotes the idea that the people are more important than the ruler. Confucianism is practical, and many schools of thought and branches have emerged over time, all striving for a peaceful and prosperous world. Lao Ying Gong was also a proponent of this idea."

Meng Yuan had heard from Teacher Nie that the Princess Consort was the true pillar of support. He also mentioned that the Princess Consort's influence was even greater than that of wealth.

"I wonder what school of thought Lao Ying Gong followed and what were his main teachings?" Meng Yuan was even more curious.

"It's not appropriate to discuss this in the current dynasty," Chen Shouzhuo smiled slightly. "Please drink."

It seemed that this was a teaching not well-received by the ruling class!

"..." Meng Yuan felt a strong urge to ask more, but remembering the Princess Consort's benevolent reputation, he guessed it might be related to the commoners.

Of course, Meng Yuan himself was also from a commoner background.

Recalling that Teacher Nie had once referred to himself as a 'dog' of the Ying family, Meng Yuan planned to ask Teacher Nie about it when he returned.

However, Meng Yuan became increasingly curious about the Third Miss. Pouring himself a drink, he asked, "Mr. Chen, how did the Princess Consort come to be betrothed to Prince Xin?"

"I don't know either," Chen Shouzhuo smiled. "Prince Xin doesn't have a good reputation or power. Songhe Prefecture wasn't originally his fief, he was relocated here."

"Where was Prince Xin's original fief?" Meng Yuan asked casually.

"He was previously in Ping An Prefecture, but after his first wife passed away, he was sent back here," Chen Shouzhuo replied, showing no respect for Prince Xin.

Ping An Prefecture was the only place in Qingguo with a Buddhist lineage, a haven for monks.

Meng Yuan suddenly remembered something.

Prince Xin had been in Songhe Prefecture for nine years, and at that time, Du Guoheng was around ten years old and already aware of his surroundings.

After further contemplation, Meng Yuan realized that Du Guoheng didn't care for wealth, food, or money, and he had even once invited Meng Yuan to a tofu banquet...

At this moment, Meng Yuan felt that Du Guoheng indeed had a bit of a monkish vibe.

Moreover, Du Guoheng was an orthodox monk, different from the eccentric Great Tail Zunzi and Earthshaking Vajra.

Meng Yuan had long known that Du Guoheng was not ordinary, but he hadn't specifically inquired about it. Since the Princess Consort and Xuanzi didn't care, it seemed that Du Guoheng couldn't stir up much trouble.

However, now that Xie Shen was involved, Meng Yuan felt that it might be worth trying to test Du Guoheng.

After all, the matter with Xie Shen was not yet resolved, and Meng Yuan had prepared for the possibility of Xie Shen seeking him out.

Understanding the situation was crucial, and if Meng Yuan could gather more information about Xie Shen, it would be even better.

As they ate mutton and drank strong wine, listening to the sound of rain, the three of them chatted idly, mostly Meng Yuan asking Chen Shouzhuo about his travels, which were quite interesting.

In the blink of an eye, another five days passed, and there was no unusual activity in Hedong County. Li Tianyun's sons continued their fight, with the second son currently having the upper hand.

Of course, the most important thing was that no one had come looking for Xie Shen.

Furthermore, Meng Yuan had fully opened the Thirty-Three Heavens, awaiting the final breakthrough.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end