"Master Qian, please don't be modest; even Father Emperor praises you," Ye Tianyu glanced at the bead of sweat on Qian Yan's forehead and added to Ye Tianqing, "If Brother Crown Prince is still looking for something, then I can't stay here with you. I must go see Sister Yue; she's been through a lot this time and is probably terrified."
With that, Ye Tianyu turned and left the underground Buddha hall.
"Master, do you also believe that the twelve golden statues mentioned by Fourth Brother are not here?" Ye Tianqing asked Master Lingyin.
"Amitabha! I cannot say for certain, for the extraordinary person and artisans who built this Buddha hall have long passed away. Later, this hall was sealed; whether the statues are truly not here or if someone opened it to move the golden statues is impossible to verify after so many years," Master Lingyin replied.
"The master has a point. Since that is the case, we'll investigate this matter later. Let's go out and see how Prince Jing and Sister Yue are doing. Master, you understand medicine and can help them if they are injured," Ye Tianqing nodded.
"That sounds good!" Master Lingyin agreed.
Ye Tianqing gently brushed his sleeve and bowed to Master Lingyin, "Please, Master!"
"Please, Crown Prince!" Master Lingyin returned the bow, then stepped forward to leave.
Ye Tianqing glanced around the empty Buddha hall once more; aside from the chaotic footprints on the ground, there was nothing else. He then stepped outside and instructed the attendants waiting outside, "Seal this place off. From today onwards, no one is allowed to enter. I will report this to Father Emperor and conduct a thorough investigation into the missing statues. The final decision rests with Father Emperor."
"Yes!" The attendant immediately bowed, and with a wave of his hand, a hundred hidden guards appeared, swiftly securing the entrances.
Master Lingyin looked at the hundred hidden guards, sighed softly, and walked toward the North Mountain courtyard.
Ye Tianqing naturally followed behind Master Lingyin, heading to the North Mountain courtyard. He especially needed to confirm something, so after a few steps, he instructed the attendant following him, "Send a fast horse to the Imperial Medical Department in the capital to fetch two female physicians to come to Lingtai Temple and attend to Miss Qianyue."
"Yes!" The attendant promptly responded and turned to leave.
Master Lingyin paused, looking at Ye Tianqing with confusion. "Crown Prince, why go through all this trouble? I am here and skilled in medicine; I can examine both Prince Jing and Miss Qianyue together."
"Initially, I thought as you do. However, I remembered that you are a monk, so it is understandable for you to treat Prince Jing. But Sister Yue is a woman, which makes things inconvenient. Especially since she is the legitimate daughter of the Yun Prince's residence, her status is special," Ye Tianqing replied. "It is more appropriate to invite physicians from the Imperial Medical Department. Besides, they have female doctors there."
"What the Crown Prince says makes sense; I was foolish," Master Lingyin said, not pressing the issue further as he continued walking ahead.
Ye Tianqing suddenly remembered something, turning back to Qian Yan, who had come out. "Master Qian, you should stay at Lingtai Temple for now. After I report this matter to Father Emperor, he may have further instructions. Your expertise can assist in the investigation."
"Understood!" Qian Yan bowed his head.
"Bring Master Qian to my courtyard for a short stay. Take good care of him," Ye Tianqing instructed.
"Yes, Crown Prince." One of the attendants stepped forward and spoke to Qian Yan in a cold tone, "Master Qian, please."
Qian Yan nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."
The attendant said no more and led the way to the southern courtyard where Ye Tianqing resided.
Qian Yan followed behind, pondering that the Qian Clan had enjoyed peace for over a hundred years, but now it seemed a storm was brewing. Unfortunately, it was beyond his control. He could only hope that the Qian Clan would not be ruined in his hands; otherwise, he would feel unworthy of the clan's ancestors.
Ye Tianqing glanced at Qian Yan, then at the exit, before stepping up to follow Master Lingyin toward the North Mountain courtyard. His sensitivity told him that Qian Yan's demeanor was off, as if he was hiding something. He wanted to find out what it was.
At that moment, Yun Muhan and Xian Ge had returned to the North Mountain courtyard, each carrying Yun Qianyue and Rongjing.
Before they reached the door, Yun Qianyue heard several surprised exclamations. She lifted her head from Yun Muhan's arms to look.
There stood more than twenty people at the entrance. Among them were her father, the prince, along with Yun Meng, Cai Lian, Ting Xue, Ting Yu, and the second young lady of the Rong Prince's residence, Rong Linglan—six familiar faces. The others were strangers, including three pairs of middle-aged couples dressed extravagantly, standing side by side with Prince Yun, clearly of high status. There was also an elderly man dressed similarly to Yun Meng and several young men whose ages were similar to Rongjing and Yun Muhan, all strikingly handsome.
Yun Qianyue thought that the unfamiliar faces must belong to Rongjing's family. Indeed, there were many. She glanced at Rongjing in Xian Ge's arms and saw him with his eyes closed, not lifting his eyelids at all. She redirected her gaze forward and saw Cai Lian, Ting Xue, and Ting Yu standing at the edge of the crowd, overwhelmed with joy and tears, their eyes swollen from crying. Their disheveled hair and dirty little faces still bore traces of tears, and their clothes were the same wrinkled ones they had worn when she fell from the underground Buddha hall; it was evident they hadn't changed at all. She felt warmth in her heart, knowing they truly cared for her.
As she continued to look at the others, she saw the joy on the faces of Prince Yun and Yun Meng clearly displayed, while the expressions of the other attendees were far more complicated. Only Rong Linglan and the elderly man, who looked to be of the same age as Yun Meng, wore genuine smiles. In contrast, the three pairs of elegantly dressed middle-aged couples seemed to struggle to feign happiness, while several young men displayed indifference, disappointment, fake smiles, resentment, and nonchalance, as if it was all expected... Truly, a plethora of expressions, all vividly displayed.
Yun Qianyue initially felt jealous of Rongjing's wealth and status, envying him for the best food and a luxurious sedan made of fragrant wood. But now, seeing these people, she suddenly felt no jealousy; she found herself more content with her current situation.
Rongjing seemed to sense what Yun Qianyue was thinking. He opened his eyes just a crack to glance at her before slowly closing them again and whispered to Xian Ge, "Tell her that all the people living in the Yun Prince's residence now are from the direct line. Her side branch is like a river crossing the dragon; they say that soon all will move into the Yun Prince's residence. Since she wants to manage the household, there will be plenty of people to keep her busy. She will certainly enjoy it."
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The Dandy's Duchess
ChickLit"The Dandy's Duchess" tells the story of the youngest and most talented general of the National Security Bureau, who sacrifices his life for his country and finds his soul transported to another world, where he is reborn as Yun Qianyue, the only leg...
