When the Deposed Crown Prince Was Reborn as Troublemaker - Chapter 80

County Magistrate Li suspected that the Crown Prince had already discovered that he had hidden the disaster relief silver inside the great Buddha statue at Jinyun Temple. However, seeing the Crown Prince’s slightly frightened expression, he felt somewhat uncertain.

So County Magistrate Li looked toward Cui Yan at his side, and saw Cui Yan give him a nod.

County Magistrate Li then spoke. “Just outside Dayang County there is a Jinyun Temple with thriving incense offerings. If Your Highness does not mind, you may go to Jinyun Temple to pay your respects.”

“Are there any monks of profound cultivation there?” You Yusui asked.

“No,” County Magistrate Li answered, his expression stiffening. Jinyun Temple was nothing more than a small temple — what profound monks could there possibly be?

Upon hearing this, You Yusui immediately showed an expression that said “Jinyun Temple? What a worthless place, I don’t want to go,” after which Cui Yan spoke up. “Dayang County is not like Chang’an. Your Highness, please be more accommodating.”

You Yusui waved his hand and said with reluctance, “Very well. This prince’s only purpose in going to a temple is to put his mind at ease.”

As his words fell, the hidden guard impersonating Huo Xiling walked in from the doorway carrying a bowl of calming broth and said, “Your Highness, the calming broth.”

You Yusui glanced at Cui Yan and said, “You may leave. Let Xiling stay and keep this prince company.”

Hearing this, Cui Yan could not help but lament inwardly that You Yusui was truly skilled at discarding people once he was done with them.

“Then may Your Highness rest well. We will stand guard outside.” Cui Yan rose and said.

You Yusui nodded, then waved his hand to dismiss them.

“We take our leave, Your Highness.”

With those words, Cui Yan and County Magistrate Li left the Crown Prince’s room together. It was only when they reached a place with no one around that County Magistrate Li said to Cui Yan, “Has the Crown Prince received some information?”

Cui Yan smiled and replied, “The Crown Prince has been sickly these past days and doesn’t even want to leave his room. What information could he possibly have received?”

He then lowered his voice and added, “All messages intended for the Crown Prince have been intercepted by me.”

County Magistrate Li let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this, then said to Cui Yan, “The ledger in my room has gone missing, and now the Crown Prince suddenly wants to visit Jinyun Temple. I suspect…”

Cui Yan’s expression turned even more unsightly than County Magistrate Li’s. He said, “Where did you keep the ledger? How did it go missing? Why weren’t you more careful?”

This rapid string of questions cut County Magistrate Li off before he could finish speaking.

“I don’t know how it went missing either. I’ve questioned the servants who entered my room, but nothing has come of it.” County Magistrate Li said with an aggrieved expression. “Who would have thought that even hiding it in such a place, someone could still steal it.”

Upon hearing this, Cui Yan could not help thinking inwardly: Hidden beneath the floor tile under the chamber pot — we truly hadn’t anticipated that.

“The ledger was just stolen, and now the Crown Prince suddenly woke from a dream and wants to visit Jinyun Temple. I suspect the Crown Prince knows that the dirty silver is hidden inside Jinyun Temple.” County Magistrate Li said quietly, lowering his head.

But Cui Yan replied, “How could that be? All of the Crown Prince’s messages pass through my hands. If I don’t tell the Crown Prince, how would he ever find out?”

“I also examined the Crown Prince’s pulse after he woke from his dream in fright — it was genuinely the pulse of someone who had been startled.”

County Magistrate Li’s heart settled somewhat upon hearing this. Thinking back to the great commotion that had erupted in the residence the night before, the Crown Prince must have been thoroughly frightened — which made it perfectly natural that he would want to go burn incense and pray the next day.

Cui Yan then said, “You mentioned the ledger was stolen, didn’t you? They have already traced things to Jinyun Temple and will certainly go there to search for it. Why not take advantage of the Crown Prince’s visit to Jinyun Temple to offer incense, and bring your own men along to check for suspicious individuals?”

County Magistrate Li nodded upon hearing this. “That was my thought as well.”

“Also, His Highness mentioned that he wants more people accompanying him when he goes to offer incense. County Magistrate Li, you must invite the local prominent families so that they may accompany the Crown Prince.” Cui Yan said.

County Magistrate Li laughed and replied, “They are hardly what one would call prominent families — merely a handful of local magnates. Tomorrow I will have them accompany His Highness the Crown Prince to Jinyun Temple to offer incense.”

Cui Yan nodded and showed a satisfied smile, then said, “Then I’ll leave that to County Magistrate Li.”

County Magistrate Li said, “It’s no trouble at all.”

Even without his invitation, those local magnates, upon hearing that the Crown Prince was going to Jinyun Temple to offer incense, would likely come sniffing the wind and find every possible way to join the party themselves.

Cui Yan then added, “Since His Highness the Crown Prince is willing to receive visitors, County Magistrate Li may also take this opportunity to present people before the Crown Prince.”

After delivering this reminder, Cui Yan departed.

What they wanted was for County Magistrate Li and the others to bring their family members along.

****

Early the next morning, the entire Li household bustled into activity, making preparations for His Highness the Crown Prince’s visit to Jinyun Temple to offer incense.

Madam Li, who had spent the night in a separate courtyard, was woken early by the noise and could not help getting out of bed and scolding, “What is all this racket? Wasn’t last night’s commotion in the middle of the night enough?”

The bedroom door was pushed open, and County Magistrate Li walked in from outside and said, “His Highness the Crown Prince is going to Jinyun Temple to offer incense. Get yourself ready and bring Ling’er along.”

“What does his offering incense have to do with me?” Madam Li glanced carefully outside and then said quietly.

County Magistrate Li immediately scolded upon hearing this. “Foolish woman. Naturally it is to present Ling’er before His Highness the Crown Prince. If you don’t send her, the wives of the Qi and Wei families will.”

The moment Madam Li heard the wives of the Qi and Wei families, she felt irritated and could not help saying, “How could my daughter be outshone by those two vile women’s daughters? I’ll go have Ling’er dress and groom herself properly right now, and make those two vixens’ daughters look utterly worthless by comparison.”

“Good, good, good.” County Magistrate Li was satisfied.

But Madam Li said, “The Crown Prince didn’t take a liking to our daughter even at the banquet. Could it be that he’ll suddenly take notice of her now?”

County Magistrate Li was so furious he nearly stamped his feet and asked, “Don’t you still want to be the future Emperor’s mother-in-law?”

Madam Li naturally did want that, and immediately got out of bed to dress and groom herself, then picked out a proper outfit and went to her daughter’s room to dress her up.

It was the same in all the other local magnate’s households — daughters were made up to look ravishingly beautiful, and family members were brought along to follow You Yusui’s convoy toward Jinyun Temple on the mountain near Dayang County.

The procession was vast and hard to miss. Huo Xiling, who had been lying in wait on the mountain, spotted You Yusui at first glance.

“Look, it’s His Highness the Crown Prince’s convoy.” The Eastern Palace guard standing beside Huo Xiling said, his voice carrying a hint of joy.

Huo Xiling watched the figure seated on the palanquin and could not help clenching his fist. He had heard that the Crown Prince had woken in fright from a dream last night — he wondered whether he had been badly startled.

The Eastern Palace guards nearby had assumed that their commander’s mood would improve upon seeing His Highness the Crown Prince — so why was the dark aura around their commander growing heavier and heavier?

They were nearly frightened to death! At that moment, the Eastern Palace guards wished they could huddle together for comfort.

At that moment, You Yusui sat on the palanquin, his whole person lazily leaning back against the seat, eyes half-lidded, as though he were enjoying the summer morning sunlight.

Madam Li, who was following at the back of the procession, could not help saying to County Magistrate Li, “This is the Crown Prince? How did you ever dare to send our daughter to him?”

Just look at that face — even if one searched all of Chang’an, one would likely not find a woman more beautiful than the Crown Prince. Sending her daughter to the Crown Prince’s side would only cause her daughter to die of shame every day upon beholding his appearance.

“Do not speak about His Highness.” County Magistrate Li reminded her as he walked beside Madam Li.

Madam Li said, “I was merely saying I have never seen anyone so extraordinarily beautiful.”

With that, Madam Li walked over to her daughter’s side to speak with her.

****

It was not until midday that the group finally arrived at the mountain gate of Jinyun Temple. The temple’s monks, led by the abbot, had already lined up at the entrance early to welcome You Yusui and the others.

The palanquin was lowered and You Yusui rose. His complexion was somewhat pale, and he still needed Cui Yan’s support to walk. Upon seeing the monks who had all bowed in greeting, he waved his hand and said, “No need for such formalities. Please, Abbot, lead this prince to the main hall to offer incense.”

The moment they entered the main hall, the scent of incense and candles washed over them. Inside the shrine enshrined upon the altar, the body of the Tathagata concealed the missing dirty silver.

Hidden in a place sacred to the divine and the Buddha was something filthy and corrupt. It was truly ironic.

You Yusui raised his eyes and glanced at the Buddha statue, then accepted the three sticks of incense offered by the abbot and began to pay his respects.

He had no wishes to make, and he did not believe in the divine or the Buddha. If there truly were gods and Buddhas, why would they have trapped him in this painful cycle?

After the three bows were completed, You Yusui personally inserted the incense in his hand into the incense burner before the Buddha statue.

Afterward, Cui Yan stepped forward to support You Yusui and asked the abbot beside them. “Has the meditation room been prepared?”

The abbot answered. “It has already been tidied.”

With that, the abbot personally led the way and brought You Yusui to the meditation room where he would temporarily rest.

Once the others had gone, You Yusui immediately burrowed into the quilt right in front of Cui Yan.

Cui Yan: ……Your Highness, you are not ill!

You Yusui lay there for a moment and felt something was off, then called out to Cui Yan, “Go get my bolster pillow.”

Cui Yan had no choice but to go and find You Yusui’s rabbit fur bolster pillow, then disdainfully delivered it into You Yusui’s hands.

Having obtained his rabbit fur bolster pillow, You Yusui was finally content and no longer felt that anything was amiss.

“County Magistrate Li will no doubt soon discover that the ledger was taken by us.” Cui Yan said, looking at You Yusui lying on the bed.

You Yusui stroked the bolster pillow in his arms and said, “The moment he discovers it is the moment he meets his end.”

Then You Yusui looked at Cui Yan and said, “Also — I only asked you to find a way to have them bring their family members along. Why were there so many young women crowding in front of me? What exactly did you do?”

Cui Yan, who had taken it upon himself to send beauties to the Crown Prince: ……

You Yusui saw through what Cui Yan had done with a single glance, and could not help sneering. “Imperial Physician Cui — if Xiling were to find out about this matter, the consequences would be far worse than just two black eyes.”

The frail and physically powerless Cui Yan fell silent for a moment, then hurriedly said he had matters to attend to and made to take his leave.

The next moment, You Yusui reached out and grabbed him. “What’s the rush? When do you plan to return my cousin’s jade pendant?”

Cui Yan, who had completely forgotten that Xie Tan’s jade pendant was still on his person: ……