Lin Hao decided to go out less. When Lin Shi went to offer incense, she found an excuse to decline.
“A’Hao, you’re really not going?” Lin Shi felt quite regretful.
It was like going shopping without a companion—inevitably somewhat boring.
Lin Shi’s going to offer incense wasn’t truly about seeking divine protection from Buddha, but rather making a show of praying for blessings for Lin Chan. Lin Chan’s “illness” needed to improve bit by bit—it couldn’t be rushed.
“I won’t go. Mother, please come back early.”
“Alright then. I’ll return after having vegetarian food at Tianyuan Temple.”
There were quite a few temples in the capital. Qinglu Temple in the suburbs was the most famous, but since Lin Shi wasn’t truly seeking Buddha’s blessing for her daughter’s quick recovery, she was too lazy to go that far and chose Tianyuan Temple in the city instead.
From the General’s Mansion to Tianyuan Temple didn’t take too long. Lin Shi dressed properly and left by carriage.
Lin Hao practiced her martial arts, fed Lin Xiaohua, accompanied the Old Madam for lunch, then went to Jiaoyue Residence to chat with Lin Chan for a while. Seeing that it was already afternoon and Lin Shi still hadn’t returned.
She had just prepared to send someone to check on Tianyuan Temple when a maid who had accompanied Lin Shi to offer incense hurried back.
“Second Miss, Madam sent this servant back to say that something happened at Tianyuan Temple, so she’ll probably return later.”
“What happened?” Lin Hao’s tone was calm, but her heart tightened.
Could Mother have gotten into a fight with some other household’s madam?
This thought flashed by, then she heard the maid say, “A headless female corpse appeared at Tianyuan Temple.”
Lin Hao was shocked. “A headless female corpse?”
The maid’s face was pale, nearly in tears. “Madam discovered it, so she can’t leave for the moment. She has to wait for the authorities to come.”
Lin Hao thought for a moment, then went to the Old Madam’s place. “Grandmother, Mother discovered a headless female corpse at Tianyuan Temple and can’t return for a while. I’m going to check on the situation.”
“Go ahead. Send word promptly if anything happens.” The Old Madam never restricted Lin Hao and her sister from going out, though she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Her daughter really was the same as always, somehow always getting involved in various incidents.
Lin Hao took Baozhu and left, heading straight for Tianyuan Temple.
From the outside, Tianyuan Temple at this time showed no signs of abnormality. But when Lin Hao tried to enter, she was stopped by the gatekeeper monk. “Female benefactor, please stop. Tianyuan Temple is not open to the public today.”
Lin Hao politely curtsied. “My mother is Madam Lin of the General’s Mansion and is currently in your temple. I’m worried about my mother and came to check. I hope Master can make an exception.”
Hearing Lin Hao identify herself, the gatekeeper monk stopped blocking her.
Tianyuan Temple was located in the Western District. Wealthy families often came to offer incense, so the monks inevitably became somewhat worldly and wouldn’t easily offend people.
A young novice led the way for Lin Hao. She inquired of him, “Little Master, I heard your temple discovered a female corpse. Is the identity known?”
The young novice’s face was full of fear as he shook his head. “Don’t know. There’s no head.”
Lin Hao fell silent.
It really was a headless female corpse. She didn’t know what state her mother was in when she discovered it.
She couldn’t help but feel sorry for Lin Shi for a moment and quickened her pace.
Passing through various moon gates, Lin Hao glimpsed from afar a group of people gathered at one spot and knew Lin Shi was there.
So the female corpse was discovered outside.
Her steps quickened. The young novice could only jog to keep up. “Female benefactor, don’t rush—the body is still there.”
The corner of Lin Hao’s mouth twitched slightly.
She wasn’t rushing to see the corpse.
Officials had already arrived. As Lin Hao approached, she heard Lin Shi describing the process of discovering the female corpse to an officer. “After I finished offering incense, I had no appetite for vegetarian food, so I decided to go out for a walk…”
In reality, the vegetarian food smelled too good, but she had to act as if she couldn’t eat because her daughter was ill, so out of sight, out of mind was best.
“I inadvertently discovered a shoe, half in the dirt, half outside. Out of curiosity, I kicked it with my foot—”
“Then you discovered the body?” the constable asked.
Lin Shi shook her head. “No, it was just a shoe.”
The official was puzzled. “Then how did you discover the body?”
Lin Shi pointed to the shoe still lying on the ground. “I discovered a shoe.”
The official didn’t react for a moment.
Lin Shi sighed. “Constable Liu, look—this is obviously a woman’s shoe, right?”
Constable Liu nodded.
The shoe buried in the dirt and subjected to wind and rain was already very worn, to the point where even its original color couldn’t be distinguished, but judging by its outline and size, there was no mistaking it.
Lin Shi swept her gaze around and spotted Lin Hao, momentarily casting Constable Liu to the back of her mind. “A’Hao, why did you come?”
Lin Hao walked over and stood beside Lin Shi. “I heard something happened here and was worried about you.”
Constable Liu, eager to understand the situation, felt his eye twitch.
He had never seen such a cooperative noblewoman who spoke in such detail during an investigation. He couldn’t see the slightest sign that this madam needed worrying about.
“Ahem, Madam Lin, please continue.”
Lin Shi squeezed Lin Hao’s hand and continued. “Why would there be a woman’s shoe in Tianyuan Temple’s garden? I felt something was wrong, so I had a maid find a flower hoe and randomly dug around where I found the shoe. Unexpectedly, I dug up a corpse…”
Constable Liu’s gaze unconsciously fell on the face of the maid behind Lin Shi. He saw that maid’s face was deathly pale—obviously she still hadn’t recovered from the terror of digging up the corpse.
He looked at Lin Hao again and saw helplessness in the young woman’s eyes.
Lin Hao was indeed helpless.
This wasn’t Mother discovering a female corpse—it was clearly Mother digging it up…
Fortunately, she was already used to it. Lin Hao supported Lin Shi and looked at the corpse on the ground.
The body was covered with a straw mat, concealed tightly from head to toe.
Constable Liu had learned enough and cupped his hands toward Lin Shi. “Thanks to Madam Lin’s kind heart, this female corpse has the chance to see daylight.”
Lin Hao’s eyebrows moved slightly.
From this constable’s meaning, Mother was no longer under any suspicion.
Perhaps it was the telepathy between mother and daughter—Lin Shi explained in a low voice, “The body is mostly decomposed. She’s been dead for some time.”
Lin Hao understood.
“Does Constable Liu have any more questions?”
Constable Liu hastily waved his hand. “Nothing more for now. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Lin Shi smiled. “Then I’ll take my daughter back to the mansion first. I hope Constable Liu will find the murderer soon and clear this poor person’s name. That would count as accumulating blessings for my eldest daughter—perhaps she’ll fully recover.”
Constable Liu knew about the matter of Miss Lin withdrawing from her engagement due to serious illness. Hearing this, he said, “Madam Lin, rest assured. Your daughter will surely recover.”
“I accept your auspicious words.” Lin Shi nodded and left Tianyuan Temple with Lin Hao.
On the way back, Lin Hao asked, “Mother, were you frightened?”
Suddenly seeing a mostly decomposed headless female corpse—even with great courage, the impact wouldn’t be small.
Lin Shi’s complexion indeed wasn’t great. She sighed deeply. “I wasn’t frightened, just a bit nauseated. That female corpse’s appearance keeps flashing before my eyes. I was already hungry, but now I won’t even be able to eat dinner.”
“Then you go back first. I’ll go to that shop we always eat at to buy you some appetizing snacks.”
“Go and return quickly.” Lin Shi instructed once, then returned to the mansion first.