Ximing Temple was located in Yankang Ward of the Western Market. The group arrived shortly. Due to the Buddha Swallowing Sin case, Ximing Temple had fewer visitors than before, but its foundation remained strong, and the incense burned vigorously. The fragrant smoke wafted upwards, shrouding the temple on the mountainside in mist, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.
To avoid any mishaps, Shen Du donned his mask again and issued stern orders:
“Lead a team to disperse the visitors. The rest, are divided into three groups and surround the three entrances of the Ximing Temple. The remaining men will search the mountain.”
“Yes, sir!” They dispersed to carry out their orders, leaving only Shen Du and Zhu Yan behind.
Remembering her earlier friction with Shen Du, Zhu Yan abruptly pushed away his arm from her waist and slid off the horse, tossing back a curt:
“I’m going to look for clues.”
She then hurried away with quick steps.
Shen Du narrowed his eyes, noting how Zhu Yan avoided him like the plague. Even when riding the horse, she had been reluctant to be close to him and refused to look at his face. It seemed that their former affection had completely vanished.
Unconsciously touching his mask, Shen Du’s dark eyes rippled, devoid of any warmth.
It was now nearly the second month, and snow had just fallen. Novice monks were sweeping the snow as visitors, following orders, quickly exited in small groups. Upon seeing Shen Du sitting high on his horse wearing a mask, they all lowered their heads, not daring to look, and swiftly departed in their carriages.
As the Imperial Guards searched the mountain, birds suddenly took flight from the quiet forest, shaking snow off the branches.
Ximing Temple had one main gate and two side entrances. Shen Du was familiar with the layout, having accompanied the Empress here for prayers before. Zhu Yan was also familiar and was now entering through the main gate within Shen Du’s line of sight.
Surveying the entire mountain and temple, Shen Du guessed at Lai Luozhi’s possible hiding places and spurred his horse to follow Zhu Yan.
Lai Luozhi could be here, and Shen Du couldn’t possibly let Zhu Yan search alone.
“Zhu Yan!”
Hearing the call, Zhu Yan stopped and turned, looking at Shen Du with suspicion.
As Shen Du rode towards her, his eyes suddenly widened in shock. A cloud of smoke rose, and when it dissipated, Zhu Yan had vanished.
“ZHU YAN!”
His thunderous roar startled countless birds into flight.
Qi Yeyun, following closely behind, thought he had seen wrong and rubbed his eyes vigorously. Confirming he hadn’t been mistaken, his expression changed:
“Brother-in-law, it must be Lai Luozhi. Chen Huoe used this trick before.”
Shen Du remembered, of course. That was how Chen Huoe had abducted Chen Shoujie’s wife, Lady Chen.
“These are all illusions,” Shen Du pondered briefly. “Go find the Chief Constable and bring him here.”
Local constables were often skilled in these jianghu techniques, which had been very helpful in solving cases before.
“Also, inform the Capital Prefecture to send people to help.”
Qi Yeyun hesitated: “Brother-in-law, but you’re alone, and your wounds…”
“It’s fine. Go as I’ve told you.”
Qi Yeyun wasted no time and rode off quickly.
He was no longer the little follower trailing behind Zhu Yan. Most of his time was now spent studying at the Hongwen Academy, and Shen Du had sent him to train at the patrol garrison.
With so many people helping, the entire Ximing Temple and the mountain were like an iron fortress. Even with wings, it would be difficult to escape. But they didn’t know how long it would take to find Zhu Yan and every quarter-hour of delay put her in more danger, weighing heavily on Shen Du’s heart.
The abbot of Ximing Temple and other monks were brought to the main hall for questioning, but they all claimed there was nothing unusual, and most had alibis to prove their innocence.
Shen Du listened from the side, then headed towards the back of the mountain, to the bamboo grove where the novice monk had discovered Liang Chenzhong and Kuang Zhanxin’s bodies. Using this grove as the center, the other five corpses had been found in various locations on the mountain, all within two li of this central point.
Shen Du drew his sword and compared the locations where the bodies were found, making gestures. The fallen leaves rustled, and the accumulated snow was pristine white, covering many traces.
After several attempts, during the last one, Shen Du’s mind synchronized with the trajectory his sword was tracing, feeling it looked very familiar.
At this moment, Qi Yeyun arrived with Chief Constable Xu Xiangren and Jing Lin. Qi Yeyun asked curiously:
“Brother-in-law, what are you gesturing with your sword?”
“The burial sites of those whose hearts were taken.”
Jing Lin then said: “My lady instructed me to inquire about the birth dates and times of the victims. I’ve gathered the information, please take a look, Cabinet Leader.”
Hearing this, Shen Du took the information and glanced over it. July 13th, November 16th, February 27th… there didn’t seem to be anything strange; they were all ordinary birth dates and times.
What was Zhu Yan looking for in this?
Xu Xiangren also leaned in to look: “Birth dates and times, could there be any auspicious days, inauspicious days, in times and dates, or yang times and dates among them?”
Shen Du’s eyes lit up, and he instructed Jing Lin: “Go to the nearest Xuanyi Taoist Temple and invite their priests here.”
Jing Lin acknowledged and left. Qi Yeyun drew the locations of the heartless victims’ burial sites in his palm, frowning:
“Though I’m not very knowledgeable, it looks like a Five Elements and Eight Trigrams formation diagram.”
Xu Xiangren: “You understand this?”
Qi Yeyun’s face reddened slightly: “My father donated incense money to a Taoist temple and goes there every year for blessings and divination. Over time, I’ve learned a little.”
Shen Du strode over urgently: “Since you understand, draw out where the formation’s eye is now.”
Shen Du was anxious and impatient, and Qi Yeyun was also worried about Zhu Yan. He immediately nodded and went to borrow a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from a novice monk. Shen Du detailed each burial location, and Qi Yeyun marked them down. Meanwhile, Shen Du took Xu Xiangren to see where Zhu Yan had disappeared, and sure enough, they found traces of burned saltpeter and sulfur.
“These substances shouldn’t be in a temple,” Xu Xiangren picked up some, crushed it, and sniffed. He frowned, “There’s sandalwood incense in this. In a Buddhist temple, only places storing incense sticks would have such a strong sandalwood scent mixed in.”
The two found the abbot to lead them to the storehouse, and indeed, in a corner, they found traces of someone having stayed there, but it was now empty.
The abbot was sweating profusely, trying hard to distance Ximing Temple from the situation. Shen Du didn’t care and grabbed the abbot’s collar, glaring:
“This Cabinet Leader is considering that you’re a monk and won’t hold you accountable. Otherwise, I’d be settling accounts with you now for colluding with Lai Luozhi.”
The abbot trembled, crying out his innocence. Finally, Xu Xiangren thought of a way to make the abbot confess honestly:
“Yes, Lai Luozhi caught me in a compromising situation years ago. He coerced me into agreeing to his demands, handing over the back mountain to him without interference. But I truly didn’t know there were so many buried corpses on the back mountain, let alone that those corpses were killed by Madam Tang under Lai Luozhi’s instruction.”
“He came to rest here last night, but how could I have known he brought someone with him? As for where he is now, I truly don’t know.”
Shen Du was furious that such filthy deeds were hidden in a sacred Buddhist place. If Lai Luozhi wasn’t eliminated, it would be a disgrace to humanity.
After confessing, the abbot collapsed to the ground, looking defeated and silently weeping.
Soon, the Taoist priest from Xuanyi Temple arrived. Upon seeing the information, he immediately nodded. It turned out that these dates, which seemed ordinary, were very auspicious days. They weren’t randomly abducting people, but specifically targeting men and women born on fortunate days, pairing them up, and burying them at various points of the formation. This was a human sacrifice to their revered Fire Moth deity.
Meanwhile, Qi Yeyun had drawn out the location of the formation’s eye. Shen Du handed the abbot over to his subordinates and led the group towards the formation’s eye.