Chapter 356: Identity exposed!
Cui Xiaoxin, Li Shinian and the others rushed to the Indigo Hall, where Song Tao was saying to something to Fazheng. Fazheng had a serious expression on his face, and before he could greet the others he trotted away with several monks following behind.
As Song Tao turned around, his face was already full of smiles, saying in a gentle voice: "Xiaoxin, I am so sorry. I promised to stay with you at Thousand Buddha Temple for a few days. But something had happened at Tiandu, and I have to rush back immediately."
Cui Xiaoxin's brows drew together in a worried frown, as she asked, "Third elder brother, is it serious?"
"It’s not serious, it’s more urgent." Song Tao said with a smile. "So, I can't stay here with Xiaxoin. Xiaoxin can stay for a few more days and pray for blessings. I believe Bodhisattva will be able to grant your wishes."
"Thank you, Third elder brother. Xiaxoin feels ashamed for not being able to help."
"Don't worry about it." Song Tao smiled, shooting a glance at Li Muyang who was following closely behind Li Shinian. "I will be waiting at Tiandu for Xiaoxin to return."
"Okay." Cui Xiaoxin nodded.
Song Tao then gave an upward nod greeting to Li Muyang, saying: "Shinian, I have to trouble you to take care of Xiaoxin."
Li Shinian's face darkened, Cui Xiaoxin is not your family, what do you mean by that?
Still, she responded with a smile, "This is what I should do. Because we are a family."
Song Tao only thought that she meant that they were as close as real sisters and didn’t think much of it.
Having notified Cui Xiaoxin, he then headed down the mountain with a group of people.
"Young master, do we need to summon the Fire cloud horse to aid you?"
"No need." Song Tao said, his footsteps were as though he was flying.
In his mind he was thinking what a stupid question. If he had summoned the Fire Cloud Horse, then wouldn't everybody know that he is going back in a hurry? In that case, there was no need to hide his intention of returning and he would not had to deliberately order the monks of Thousand Buddha Temple to clean up the matter and deliberately waited until Cui Xiaoxin returned from searching for Buddha statues to say a few words to her before leaving.
With his temperament, directly summoning the Fire cloud horse to the Temple gate and then speeding back to Tiandu would be his usual decision.
The thought of the scene that he had just seen made Song Tao deeply worried.
"Grandfather, nothing must happen to you." Song Tao said in his mind. "Especially at this fatal time."
"Young master, just now Song Qi saw something that I should not see." A man in blue said.
"What should you not see?"
"Song Qi followed Young master's order to notify Miss Xiaoxin, I didn't expect to see——Miss Xiaoxin clutching the cart driver's sleeve."
Song Tao was shocked for a moment before he asked: "Cart driver? Li Mu?"
"It is that person." An ominous glint flickering across his eyes as he made a throat slitting motion with his hand. "Do you need Song Qi to make a trip back?"
Song Tao swept a glance over Song Qi and said in a cold voice: "There are more than thousands of people who are experts in killing. When will it be Song Qi's turn? Don’t worry, for this sort of matter we don't need to do anything."
"Yes. Young master." Song Qi said in a low voice.
"But you have reminded me." Song Tao said aloud. "Go and investigate that cart driver thoroughly. I want to know even how many times he had peed when he was a kid."
"Yes." Song Qi answered, concealing into the darkness.
Without Cui Xiaoxin and Li Shinian encumbering him, Song Tao came to the bottom of the mountain in a flash.
The bodyguards originally planned to set up an encampment here; they had already put up a simple tent. From the Young master’s tone of voice before, they thought that they would be staying here for at least 3 to 5 days.
They did not expect to see the young master come back so soon, and look so irritated and hurried.
"Get on the horse." Song Tao commanded. "Return to Tiandu."
"Yes." A group of blue-clad bodyguards shouted in unison.
Song Tao led in front, speeding into the boundless darkness.
The group of blue-clad armoured horsemen followed closely behind, the horse's hoofs trampling the dark canopy.
Song Tao was gone; Li Shinian was in a cheerful mood.
Of course, this joy could not be shown too obviously.
Li Shinian took Cui Xiaoxin’s hand, saying: "Sister Xiaoxin, are you tired? Are you hungry? Let’s go get something to eat?"
"Amitabha Buddha." A solemn voice sounded.
Then they saw an old monk in a kasaya robe coming towards them with a group of similarly old monks behind. The middle monk wearing the kasaya robe made a bow at them with hands held in front.
Li Shinian only thought that these monks must know about Cui Xiaoxin's identity so deliberately came out to greet her.
Although Buddhism is a place free from human desires and passions, the temple is situated in the mundane world, where many things are bound by conventions.
The rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, their treatment in the temples was quite different.
Even Cui Xiaoxin also thought so. She actively went over to greet the head monk and respectfully bowed: "Cui Xiaoxin pays respect to Master Miaoxin."
"Miss Xiaxoin." Miaoxin looked at Cui Xiaoxin with a smiling expression, "Is your grandfather well?"
"Grandfather’s health is very good, thank you for asking Master."
"Go back and ask your grandfather to come and have tea with me in his spare time. Using the melted mountain snow to brew the Junshan tea that was harvested in spring is a great delicacy. If he is late he might not be able to drink it." Miaoxin said smiling, seemingly extremely familiar with Cui Xiaoxin.
"Yes. Xiaoxin will certain let him know." Cui Xiaoxin respectfully bowed once more.
Master Miaoxin’s sight swept across everyone, until stopping at Li Shinian.
Master Miaoxin looked at Li Shinian, everyone also looked at Li Shinian.
Master Miaoxin did not speak, and no one spoke at the scene.
Being watched by everyone, Li Shinian scratched the back of her head then rubbed her nose, and said in a sweet voice, "Hey, why are you all looking at me? What’s there to look at?"
"The heart is like glass mirror, face is like a bloomed lotus." Miaoxin smiled more fiercely. Like an old fox that had found treasure. "Little girl, how should I call you?"
"I am Li Shinian."
"Miss Shinian, would you like to come and have a cup of Junshan tea?"
A puzzled look crossed Li Shinian's face.
"Is the old monk not here to invite Sister Xiaoxin? Why did he ask me to go to his room to have tea? Is it because I am so pretty that——pah pah, monks are free from human desires, and he is so old——" Li Shinian was baffled. "Why did the old monk invite her only?"
Li Shinian pulled Cui Xiaoxin's hand, "I want to go with Sister Xiaoxin."
"Tea is already prepared for Miss Xiaxoin."
"I’m bringing my cart driver." Li Shinian said, pointing at Li Muyang.
Miaoxin cast a glance over Li Muyang and shook his head, "The teachings cannot be passed onto one that is ordinary".
Cui Xiaoxin grasped Li Shinian's hand, persuading in a soft voice, "Shinian, go with Master Miaoxin. It’s nothing."
Many influential officials in Tiandu also hope to have a long talk with Master Mioxin, listen to him untie the knot in their heart and lead them to the right path. If Master Miaoxin's invitation was mercilessly declined by Li Shinian and the people of Tiandu finds out, then the Li family will most likely become widely talked about again, right?
After a thought, Cui Xiaoxin also found it incredibly strange.
When she first met Li Muyang, their family is the most common family in Jiangnan city. At that time, no one would have thought that they would later exude such strong dazzling luster.
Whether it was Li Muyang or Li Shinian, they have become the people standing at where the wind and the waves are highest in Tiandu city——This is not what any body can do. Countless people had racked their brains to become famous, but the result was that they were still unknown to the public.
Perhaps Li Muyang also never had imagined that he would have such a reputation in the capital city of Tiandu.
Li Muyang also furtively nodded to Li Shinian and she finally agreed, "Fine then. But I am hungry, hurry finish talking, I want to eat dinner with Sister Xiaxoin."
"Prepare dinner." Miaoxin really liked Li Shinian like this, immediately instructed the monk next to him, "Bring a portion to my room for Miss Shinian."
"Yes." A monk answered and hurried off to prepare.
Miaoxin and the other monks made a bow to Cui Xiaoxin with hands folded in front. "Miss Xiaoxin, I will take my leave."
With that, he left with a group of old monks and a confused-faced Li Shinian.
Cui Xiaoxin stared at Li Shinian’s rear figure as she went off into the distance, suddenly feeling a little bored.
Song Tao had returned to Tiandu and Li Shinian had been invited by Master Miaoxin for tea, while she did not know where to go.
Cui Xiaoxin was always 'the moon' that was surrounded by stars, but today she had become a speck of star instead——this psychological gap she was not quite used to. Although she didn’t like how she was surrounded before.
A young monk walked over, smiled and said: "I am Faming, I would like to invite everyone to eat in the dinner room."
"Thank you." Cui Xiaoxin said.
Li Muyang was hesitant.
His present identity was a cart dirver, and Cui Xiaoxin was his master.
According to the rules, when a master is having a meal, servants are not allowed to stand at their side. Let alone eat at the same table.
Moreover, Li Shinian was gone, he has no identity nor reason to follow them.
However, if he left like that, he would feel somewhat unwilling.
Moreover, he could tell that Cui Xiaoxin was a little upset. He wanted to be by her said and say a few words of comfort to her.
Cui Xiaoxin walked a few steps then, as though she had thought of something, turned her head round.
Glancing at Li Muyang, she said, "Let’s eat together. After walking such a long mountainous road, you must be hungry too."
Cui Meng's body was trembling with excitement, his fat cheeks kept shaking, and he could not even utter a full sentence.
"Thank you, master——Thank you, Miss Xiaoxin. You’re a living Bodhisattva."
Cui Xiaoxin pointed to the main hall, saying: "Bodhisattva is inside, be careful with what you say."
Cui Meng immediately clasped his hands over his mouth.
Cui Xiaoxin giggled softly, following the attendant towards the dining room.
Seeing Cui Xiaoxin smile, Li Muyang’s body and mind also instantaneously relaxed a lot, the corners of his mouth curved in a concealed smile.
Back when Cui Xiaoxin was tutoring Li Muyang, no matter how Luo Qi urged her to stay, Cui Xiaoxin would refuse to stay at the Li family's house for dinner.
But unexpectedly, today he has the opportunity to sit together and eat with Cui Xiaoxin.
Each person was given a portion of vegetarian dishes. Simple and exquisite.
Cui Xiaoxin did not move, the other people also dared not move.
Cui Xiaoxin propped her chin on her hand, tilted her head and looked at the opposite side where Li Muyang was sat, saying loudly: "Muyuang classmate doesn't like to eat vegetarian dishes, right?"
Chapter 357: Don't want to be a nun!
"Muyang classmate doesn't not like to eat vegetarian dishes, right?" Cui Xiaoxin said in an indifferent tone. "
As though the Li Muyang that she was talking about was just opposite of her, and she only had to raise her head to look at each other.
A stone stirs up one thousand ripples; one word is enough to frighten someone.
Li Muyang was looking at the food in front in a daze, sitting quietly without looking elsewhere, but his mind was thinking of the former memories that he had with Cui Xiaoxin.
"It is inevitable that flowers can bloom out of the mud. Because although it is not attractive, there is a wealth of energy inside that it provides for flowers to grow and bloom——"
"Li Muyang, if you fight you can win, if you try you can do it, you can’t just give up——"
"There is another solution to this question, but after seeing your solution, you don’t need it——"
The time that they had spent together was not long, and could even be said as quite short.
However, every moment was engraved deep in Li Muyang's memory.
Because it was her who pulled Li Muyang out from the cold pool, because it was her who accompanied and witnessed the blooming of flowers from Li Muyang the pile of mud.
Li Muyang would often think that, if at such a crucial time, without Cui Xiaoxin such a crucial person, could he really achieve this? Would he work hard for a dream that he dared not to even imagined?
If he had not wanted to go to West wind University with Cui Xiaoxin, he would not have achieved the best results in West wind Kingdom.
If he had not achieved the best results of West wind kingdom, perhaps he would not be admitted into Starry Sky Academy.
If he had not been admitted to Starry Sky Academy, he would not have attracted so much attention and would not have had so much soul-stirring things happen to him on the way———
Without Cui Xiaoxin, would he continue sinking forever and never even think about moving his gradually decaying body?
As Li Muyang was reminiscing about the past memories, hearing Cui Xiaoxin’s question, he couldn't help looking startled.
Li Muyang?
Could it be that Cui Xiaoxin was aware of his identity?
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible——Hong Xiu’s skills are unparalleled, and I even changed my voice. Also I had been painstakingly training in Starry Sky Academy for some time now, my height and physique are very different from before——how could she know that I'm Li Muyang? Is there a problem somewhere?"
"No, it’s a bait. She is deliberately trying to make me reveal my identity———My understanding of Cui Xiaoxin is that, if she had known that I'm Li Muyang, she would have exposed my true identity in an extremely quiet place where there was no one around. She would not mention this in front of other servants and cart drivers——Unless she has other evil intentions. Otherwise, she would not let my identity be known. From the fact that she came all the way to Thousand Buddha Temple to pray for my safe return, I understand what she is thinking."
Li Muyang looked up at Cui Xiaoxin, who was staring right at him with her bright eyes and a firm look. Her dark eyes sparkled.
"You are Li Muyang." Cui Xiaoxin’s eyes conveyed such a message.
Others also had a look of utter shock across their face.
It must be said that Li Muyang was well known across Tiandu.
Cui Zhaoren was a famous person of Tiandu, and Li Muyang was the one that killed Cui Zhaoren, the famous person that killed a famous person.
It was said that the Cui family had been looking for a chance to retaliate, and the forces of the Cui family were itching to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
While the Lu family who did not get on with the Cui family had went all the way to Jiangnan to pick up his family, and because of this, the Cui family and Lu family had come into conflict several times.
The sensitive person that can affect both the Cui family and Lu family these two influential families, how would he not be known?
Moreover, in this room except Li Muyang himself, the other people were people of the Cui family. Even if they were of a lowly status, they can feel how fiercely the Cui family resented Li Muyang.
"Li Muyang likes to eat fish, he doesn't like to eat vegetarian dishes." Li Muyang stated, forcibly suppressing the throbbing of his heart.
"Do you know him well?"
"I often hear Miss Shinian mention him." Li Shinian as much as possible maintained a calm outward appearance and spoke in a concise manner in order to avoid Cui Xiaoxin finding more flaws from his words.
He knew well that Cui Xiaoxin was an extremely remarkable girl. Wise and knowledgeable, meticulous and cautious.
Her name is 'careful', reminding herself to be cautious and careful, and reminding others to be cautious and careful.
In any case, Li Muyang was not going to admit that he is Li Muyang no matter what.
"I’ve never heard that Li Muyang have cousins." Cui Xiaoxin said.
"We are distant relatives," Li Muyang stated, a faint smile on his face. I haven’t been in contact with them for many years. If Uncle Li had not moved to Tiandu to rely on help from the Lu family, my family probably would not remember that we still have such a relative."
Cui Xiaoxin finally moved her palm away from her chin, feebly saying, "Everyone lets eat."
As she finished speaking, she was the first to pick up a pair of chopsticks and started eating.
Li Muyang then ate a few pieces of vegetarian chicken made from tofu, before looking over at Cui Xiaoxin to ask: "Miss Cui also knows Li Muyang?"
Cui Xiaoxin knitted her brows together, not expecting that this guy would dare talk to her.
She wiped her mouth with an embroidered handkerchief and said, "We are friends. I saw the shadow of my friend in you, so I couldn’t help asking."
"I see." Li Muyang said, nodding his head. "
Li Muyang's guess was right; Cui Xiaoxin indeed was just baiting him to see what kind of guy this cart driver was.
She saw a familiar shadow from him, and his presence made her emotions fluctuate.
But the shadow was too vague and the fluctuation of emotions was untraceable.
Since the man in front was not Li Muyang, she had lost her interest in talking to him.
Cui Xiaoxin no longer said anything else, and the others were afraid to speak.
Everyone was silent for dinner.
Li Muyang was really hungry and the vegetarian dishes at Thousand Buddha Temple really were quite good. After finishing a plate, Li Muyang asked the little monk for another serving.
Cui Meng was also hungry, but because the young Miss was sitting nearby, he had to pretend to be refined and only ate one mouthful when the Young miss took a mouthful of food. A piece of mushroom had taken him a few bites before he swallowed the whole thing. A big guy like him, if he doesn’t eat at night, he will soon be hungry.
Cui Xiaoxin ate very little, and her two servants Taohong and Liulu also didn’t eat much. The two servant girls were constantly looking up at Li Muyang during the meal. No one knew what they were thinking of.
Li Muyang had just put down the chopsticks, when he saw Li Sinian running over with a furious face.
Cui Xiaoxin got up and asked worriedly, "Shinian, what’s wrong?"
"They want me to be a nun." Li Shinian's anger had not faded, there was fury in her voice when she said, "I still want to marry, who wants to be a nun?"
"What?" Cui Xiaoxin exclaimed. "Master Miaoxin———how would he do such a thing?"
"Ask them." Li Shinian took a seat at Cui Xiaoxin's table. "I need to eat something first, I was having tea with that old monk and when I heard them say that, I almost choked to death——"
Li Shinian was gobbling up food, when Priest Miaoxin came running over with a group of old monks.
"Miss Shinian, Miss Shinian——listen to us first, listen to our explanation, it is not without basis——" Miaoxin was looking at Li Shinian with a deeply worried face.
If this matter goes out, the old monks of Thousand Buddha Temple tempt a young and beautiful girl to be a nun, what will outsiders think?
He was a hundred year old elderly, a person of good moral standing and reputation, and the outside world would not think of him as a bad person.
However, the image of Thousand Buddha Temple will be tainted as a result of this.
In any case, the best thing to do now was to explain this cause and effect.
"I won’t listen I won’t listen." Li Shinian desperately shook her head, pulled Cui Xiaoxin’s hand and cried: "Sister Xiaoxin, I don't want to be a nun. I don't want to shave my head, I don't want to wear ugly clothes, I don't want to eat vegetarian dishes every day, I want to eat roast goose, I want to deep fried fish filled with pine nuts, I also want to eat roast lamb leg——I have not been in love, I want to fall in love many times."
Li Shinian’s every word deepened the frown on Miaoxin and the old monks' face.
Let alone taking the lives of animals, she is not free from human desires and passions; the six roots of sensations are not pure and clean.
However, it was strange that why would such a little girl ——be able to light up hundreds of Buddha lights, and the ancient copper bell in Thousand Buddha Temple that had been silent for many years rang without wind?
"Wine and meat pass through the intestines, while Buddha remains in the heart." Miaoxin put his palms together devoutly, saying aloud. "Buddha is not an image, not in words, but in the bone, in the heart."
After a pause, he looked at Li Shinian with a kind smile. "Little girl is saying these, to make us give up our persuasion. Will we be blinded by appearances?"
Li Shinian really was somewhat afraid of this old monk Miaoxin. She stood up, bowing deeply to the old monk, "Master, don’t make it difficult for me. I have come here to ask for help, I want you to bless my brother’s safe return. But you cannot use this to request me to be your Buddhist disciple? Otherwise, I’m not asking you anymore. I do not wish to pray to Bodhisattva. Whether my brother can come back or not, I will not force you to help ——— We’re settled, okay?"
Li Shinian’s eyes were red, an upset look across her face as she said in a crying voice: "I don't want to be a nun."