Strange

  Jing Wan'er saw that at the entrance of the courtyard, there was only a little monk who was dozing off. There was no one else in sight around him.

  Since it's been decided, then let's be bold and take the risk. She slowly approached, the night was windless, quieter than usual, and she could even hear the monk's snores.

  It seems that no matter how much one talks about emptiness, one still has to eat and sleep like ordinary people.

  The tense muscles relaxed immediately, and Jing Wanyu couldn't help but smile at the little monk, which also saved her trouble, and even the prepared smoke bombs were not needed.

  He carefully pushed open the courtyard gate and slipped inside.

  It seems there is only one monk guarding this place...

  Jing Wantong wanted a quick battle, pulled out the hairpin on her head and quickly walked towards the door.

  The monk's door lock can be very strong, but tonight he came with the intention of prying open the door.

  When she was still two steps away from the door, Jing Yuanyu had already glanced at the lock on the door under the moonlight, and it seemed that the lock was open.

  She didn't even have time to take a closer look when her foot seemed to kick something, and Jing Wanyu fell down with a soft cry.

  Fortunately, she reacted quickly and covered her mouth in time.

  But it was too late, she saw a monk standing there in a daze among the grass.

  Jing Wanyu's first reaction was that it was terrible, such an inauspicious start. But the monk didn't move for half a day, which made Jing Wanyu somewhat curious.

  So she didn't dare to speak out first, although she had disguised herself, once she spoke, her true nature would be revealed.

  After such a long stalemate, Jing Wanyu saw that the monk finally moved, "Who are you?!"

  The monk's voice was surprisingly soft and had a slight tremolo.

  Jing Wan'er's heart felt even stranger, and after the monk asked a question, he didn't speak again. After thinking for a moment, she simply let it go, intentionally squeezing her throat, coarsely responding with a sentence: "Shifu hao."

  The monk's body shook slightly.

  After a while, "he" trembled his voice and said: "This place has been designated as a forbidden area. Without the abbot's order, no one is allowed to enter..."

  Jing Wan'er's guilty conscience made her lose confidence, and the gentle voice also made her feel a bit breathless. She rolled her eyes around, perhaps because she was caught in the act, and for a moment, she couldn't come up with any excuse.

  "Thanks for pointing that out, brother. I got lost." Jing Wanyi's face didn't redden or breathe heavily as she casually tossed out this eternal and all-purpose excuse.

  That monk seemed stunned for a moment, and could see "his" figure in the moon shadow also had a kind of awkward stiffness.

  Jing Wan'er found it strange that she hadn't expected her careless remark to actually shut the little monk up for half a day.

  Jing Wan'er stared at the monk, although the dim moonlight only revealed his outline, but there was something comical about it - the monk's bald head, under the moonlight, actually had a bit of a reflective glow, like a mirror.

  Perhaps in ordinary times, Jing Wanyu would have laughed it off.

  It seems this person is indeed the monk guarding this place.

  Of the thirty-six stratagems, retreat is the best. Jing Yuanyu turned around decisively and walked a few steps towards the gate of the courtyard, then looked back at the monk, who was still standing there, and suddenly felt that the monk's eyebrows and eyes were exceptionally clear and handsome.

  Jing Wan'er returned without success. When she saw that the lights in Pei Tan's house had gone out, she inexplicably felt a little guilty towards Pei Tan.

  It was already late at night, and he had no choice but to open the door and enter the house. He stared blankly at the bed for a long time.

  However, Jing Wanyu was exhausted after these few days of turmoil and her energy had been depleted. She let out a sigh in her heart and dragged her heavy eyelids to the bed to sleep.

  She shed the uncomfortable skin, and with a flick of her wrist, Jing Wanyu tossed it into the brazier to burn. The flames engulfed it, and after tonight, she knew she wouldn't have another chance, nor did she need to take the risk of keeping this clue.

  ——

  Because she slept so soundly, the morning bell rang loudly by her ear for a long time, but Jing Wanyu really didn't want to get up. She was helpless and forced herself to open her eyes.

  The light outside was already quite dazzling, and I couldn't sleep soundly.

  Jing Wan'er immediately walked out and found that Pei Tan was already having a meal in the courtyard, along with the eternally loyal and dedicated Pei guards.

  After walking out, Jing Wanyu felt that Pei Shuaiwei's gaze was fixed on her back, colder than before.

  Did he find out about last night's sneak?

  Jing Wan'er took a careful look at him, intending to calm down, but the more she came into contact with Pei Shuaiwei's cold eyes, the harder it was for her to calm down.

  Pei Tan also didn't speak, and for a moment the courtyard was eerily quiet.

  "In the Dahong Treasure Hall, apart from the monks who sweep and clean every day, will there be any young masters cultivating inside at ordinary times?" Pei Tan asked a white-robed monk who was pouring tea beside him.

  The monk slightly bowed his head: "Except for the annual sacrificial day and the fasting days stipulated by the Holy Master, we usually do not go to the Daxiong Treasure Hall. Monks only cultivate in the side halls."

  Pei Tan softly said "oh".

  Jing Wan'er seemed to understand that Pei Tan wanted to exclude people who could approach the Great Hero's Temple, which was also... possibly those who had contact with the Haiyue flower. However, it was still early before the fasting day, and apparently the monks of Qinglong Temple had not approached the temple yet.

  Jing Wan'er ate her vegetarian meal under the unusual gaze of others, and felt a bit more energized in her weak limbs.

  "Sir, it's been three days today." Jing Wanyu met Pei Tan's gaze, "Shouldn't there be news from the palace by now?"

  This was probably the longest three days that Dali Temple had ever spent, with no leads and still no evidence.

  "Do you have faith?" Pei Tan looked at her with a glance.

  Jing Wan'er thought of last night's loss and fell into an awkward silence.

  Judging from her reaction, Pei Tan also knew. Last night, he had heard Jing Wanyu's footsteps in the house, but did not expose her.

  "We've done all we can, let's just wait and see what happens."

  The result is as it may be, Pei Tan has always been this kind of person. Although he has been the subject of gossip since his appearance at the Great Temple, he has never been afraid of rumors and has continued to do his own thing.

  Jing Wan'er looked at him and felt a little uncomfortable in her heart.

  Just as the morning meal was over, it coincided with the time of the morning service at Qinglong Temple. The monks who were originally staying in the courtyard also hastily put down the brooms in their hands and tidied up their clothes. Looking out at the monks hurrying outside the courtyard, they kept walking through the temple gate.

  Jing Wantong suddenly came up with a question...

  She stopped a young monk who was about to leave: "Little Master, there are so many monks in the Green Dragon Temple. Where did they all come from?"

  Huguo Temple is prosperous in incense and has more monks than other temples, and its status is also much higher than that of ordinary monks.

  The little monk looked at her and said, "Every year, the temple will hold two recruitment sessions, with rigorous tests. Only those who pass can become formal disciples." It's imaginable that the temple has a great reputation, and every year, monks from all over must flock to the mountain.

  Jing Wan'er detected something was off and her expression changed: "You're saying that recently, you haven't taken in any new young monks?"

  That little monk replied with a calm expression: "Miss, you're joking. The temple's next recruitment won't start until March next year, how could there be new people recently?"

  Jing Wan'er stared at the little monk, in a place like the palace, where she had lived for five years, even the lowest eunuch was a master of disguise.

  As Jing Wanyi, she could naturally see through these disguises.

  That little monk saw Jing Yuanyu no longer ask, immediately tidied up his clothes and left the yard.

  Jing Wan'er slowly lowered her eyelids, or maybe she had also thought that she could do it, but from the first day she arrived at Qinglong Temple, she found out that she was completely wrong.

  Why is it that every word these monks say is completely opposite to the fact she saw? Just like the little monk who answered just now, there wasn't a hint of pretence on his face, everything indicates that he was telling the truth.

  These are monks, not actors.

  Jing Wan'er surprisingly felt that her proud ability to judge people was somewhat traumatized.

  If it's said that a monk might be lying, but she deliberately divided them into several groups over the course of a few days to randomly test these monks, and yet none of them fell for her trap. The entire Qinglong Temple has hundreds of monks with different identities and responsibilities, and Jing Wanyi felt chills all over - could it be that the entire Qinglong Temple is telling one massive lie?

  Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her again, and subconsciously thought of the same encounter last night. Jing Wanyu suddenly turned around!

  Her terrified gaze collided with Pei Tan's.

  Pei Tandun stopped in his tracks.

  He stared at the girl's pale face, as if she had been frightened since yesterday. "What's wrong with you?"

  Jing Wan's shocked expression seemed to have slightly receded, but she didn't know what to say.

  Pei Tan looked at her, since coming to Qinglong Temple, Jing Wanyu's emotions had been more volatile than usual, what exactly had triggered her just now.

  "What did you find yesterday?" Pei Tan asked.

  If Pei Tan had asked that question just now, Jing Wanyu would naturally have said that nothing was found, and she hadn't even been able to enter the room, being blocked.

  But now, Jing Wanyu felt caught up in a strange feeling.

  Yesterday, I met a monk outside the attic. He was too far away, and all I could see clearly was his clothes. Because he wore monk's robes, I assumed he was a monk at first glance.

  In other words, who are those wearing monk robes in Qinglong Temple if they are not monks?

  Pei Tan stared at Jing Wanyu's expression and furrowed his brow... "And then?"

  Then, Jing Wan'er also didn't know what to say.