A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 102.2

After this night, whether because of the grain tax issue or because Chen Liangyu had recently begun mobilizing troops at the North Camp, the Imperial Guards at Taihuang Temple suddenly doubled, and the entire temple was sealed off, forbidding entry or exit.

Even Monk Jing jue’s wine could no longer be transported down the mountain.

The cloud of suspicion in Xie Yuan’s heart had not dispersed. It seemed the Imperial Guards at Taihuang Temple would not be withdrawn before Chen Liangyu’s departure.

The only place in the temple left unguarded was Monk Jing jue’s brewing yard enclosed by a fence. It was far in the back of the mountain, with only a fierce-looking old monk and a wooden hut backed by a deep, bottomless hundred-zhang cliff. There was truly nothing to guard. However, some Imperial Guards discovered there was wine there, and three to five people would come daily to carry off a few barrels.

When they came again, they found that all the barrels were empty.

“Monk, where’s the wine?”

Monk Jing jue pretended not to hear, burying his head in washing his wine barrels and wooden cart.

The fermented sorghum mash in the wooden hut had all been distilled into wine. The mountain roads were blocked, and no matter how much was brewed, it couldn’t be sold. The last jar of wine had also been carried away by the Imperial Guards, so there was no more wine.

The monk ignored them, and they didn’t get any wine to drink, so the few men left dejectedly. Ma Feng had lost face in front of his subordinates after being beaten by Rong Jun, and his temper was already volatile. As soon as he heard the monk refused to brew any more wine, he immediately grabbed his gear and headed to the back of the mountain, pointing his finger and ordering Monk Jing jue to brew wine.

Monk Jing jue had finished his work and was lying on a row of wooden barrels, enjoying the cliffside breeze and moonlight for a nap.

Ma Feng flew into a rage. “Smash this for me!”

Monk Jing jue suddenly opened his eyes. Half of the brewing stove had already been kicked down. A club swung towards him, striking Monk Jing jue’s shinbone. He lifted his eyelids. Before him was a young man whose face still bore bruises.

“Too bad. So young, yet you don’t value your life.”

One end of the club was grasped. Before Ma Feng could react, the wooden stick had been split into several splintered wooden pieces with sharp edges. One of the pieces pierced through his chest and back. Ma Feng fell to the ground. Monk Jing jue dragged one of his legs to the edge of the cliff and threw him down like a carcass of a wild wolf.

The remaining Imperial Guards drew their horizontal sabers…

The disappearance of the Imperial Guard Colonel and a few Imperial Guard privates at Taihuang Temple quickly alarmed the Northern Bureau and the Sixteen Guards.

Gao Guan beat Jiang Andong to the punch, leading the cavalry of the Left and Right Fierce Guards to surround half of Taihuang Temple Mountain, completely encircling the Imperial Guards on the mountain, ostensibly to search for the whereabouts of Colonel Ma and the missing privates.

Gao Guan went up to Yongning Hall to pay his respects to Xie Wenjun. After saluting, he cunningly said, “This bunch of drunkards at the Northern Bureau can’t even find their own missing men. Since Imperial Guards have gone missing, Taihuang Temple is no longer safe. The Princess Elder only brought eighty riders as escorts. Since His Majesty is so concerned about the Princess Elder’s safety, this subordinate took the liberty of bringing the Changning Guard for you.”

Suddenly, two thousand soldiers wearing chainmail armor were added at the foot of the mountain, guarding all the passes and vital roads leading in and out of the mountain, outside the perimeter of the Imperial Guards.

Rong Jun smiled knowingly and bowed to Gao Guan. “Thank you, Commander Gao.”

Gao Guan’s tone shifted. “But…”

“But?”

Gao Guan grinned, saying, “There is… there is an uninvited guest that the Princess Elder might have to personally deal with.”

Three days after Taihuang Temple was placed under martial law, Xie Wenjun saw Xun Xian.

She almost forgot there was a Grand Counselor of Da Lin.

Xun Xian had been out of favor with the Emperor for many years, but it seemed he had sniffed out a chance for reinstatement amidst the recent turbulent court situation. He attributed the Western Ridge rebels’ rebellion and the grain tax issue to the ‘Wanliaolu’ Registry of Ten Thousand Officials, gathering his former associates to jointly submit a memorial impeaching Xie Wenjun.

He brought a red silk inkstone, forcing Xie Wenjun to write a confession.

Xie Wenjun knocked over the inkstone with one hand, spilling ink onto Xun Xian’s official robe.

Yuan Rong and Dai Qing, one on the left and one on the right, seized Xun Xian and dragged him away.

Xun Xian’s servants watched the scene, unsure of what to do. If soldiers had made a move, they could have rushed up and rescued the Grand Counselor. Facing two unarmed female attendants, they were at a loss. The Princess Elder’s personal female attendants also held official titles; they couldn’t be beaten or restrained.

Gao Guan bumped into Yuan Rong and Dai Qing dragging Xun Xian. He immediately turned to hide.

He simply didn’t want to run into Xun Xian.

He didn’t manage to hide. Sure enough, Xun Xian questioned, “Why is your Southern Bureau getting involved?”

Gao Guan bowed. “Grand Counselor Xun, this subordinate is here to search for the missing Imperial Guards.”

Xun Xian said, “Jiang Andong is in charge of Imperial Guard affairs. Why are you interfering?”

“He didn’t come,” Gao Guan spread his hands. “This subordinate is not troubled, Grand Counselor, no need to worry.”

“Who asked if you were troubled?”

“Truly not troubled. This subordinate takes his leave.”

Gao Guan quickly slipped away. Xun Xian pulled up his robe, wanting to chase after him to ask a few more questions, but Yuan Rong and Dai Qing simultaneously blocked his path. When Xun Xian moved left, they moved left. When Xun Xian moved right, they moved right. Xun Xian was ultimately unable to ascend the stone steps.

Xie Wenjun offered the final volume of Buddhist scriptures before Empress Huixian’s spirit tablet, carefully wiping the wooden plaque and lighting the incense again.

Gao Guan bowed outside the hall. “Princess Elder.”

Xie Wenjun asked him to enter the hall. Gao Guan approached Xie Wenjun and whispered, “There is a brewing yard at Taihuang Temple. Tonight at midnight, someone will be waiting there.”

The back of the mountain was blockaded by Gao Guan under the guise of searching. It was entirely guarded by the Left and Right Fierce Guards, and even the Imperial Guards were prohibited from entering or exiting.

Xie Wenjun walked into the yard, propping up a toppled wooden wine barrel. She placed the half-gourd ladle, which had been broken open, on the lid of the wooden barrel. Monk Jing jue and the few Imperial Guards had vanished into thin air, and the fence yard was deserted.

The yard had been searched over and over again, even the brewing stove had been torn apart. There was nothing left to search. The only suspicious place was the bottom of the cliff. Could Monk Jing jue have climbed down the cliff face and jumped from the hundred-zhang high precipice?

Xie Wenjun walked to the edge of the cliff, slowly leaned down, and looked towards the bottom of the cliff.

The midnight bell rang, and the cliff wind rustled.

A hand stretched out from the bottom of the cliff behind the wooden hut, gripping the ground tightly.

Xie Wenjun’s spine instantly tightened, and she took half a step back.

Her gaze was fixed on that hand. Suddenly, a man in black, with a hood and black cloth covering his face, surged up from under the cliff.

Chen Liangyu immediately threw off the hood. Unstoppable tenderness spread across her deep, hawk-like eyes. She smiled at her. “Your Highness.”