Chapter 153

Chapter 153

The Temple of Ten Thousand Blessings stood on the outskirts of the capital, just outside the city and not far beyond the gates.

Wei Yi had brought very few people with him on this trip, only several Imperial Guards to escort and protect him, along with a contingent of Shadow Guard operatives concealed nearby.

The spacious four-horse carriage sped straight out of the city.

The Temple of Ten Thousand Blessings drew a great many worshippers on the fifteenth of every month. News of Wei Yi’s departure from the palace had been kept quiet, and at Sheng Zhaoning’s request, the two had come to pray as ordinary worshippers. Their carriage therefore stopped outside the temple grounds.

Wei Yi helped Sheng Zhaoning down from the carriage. The four strong steeds standing before the temple gate attracted the attention of everyone nearby.

Amid the surrounding stares and whispers, Wei Yi stood at the foot of the steps and looked up. The bustling crowd had nearly packed the entire staircase.

He had apparently not expected so many people, and his brows immediately drew together.

He was about to order the temple to clear out the worshippers, but the words died in his throat when he met Sheng Zhaoning’s gaze.

What came out instead was simply, “Let’s go.”

Sheng Zhaoning calmly withdrew her gaze and walked ahead.

Wei Yi followed close behind.

The weather was fine today, and all the main halls were packed with people.

After accompanying Sheng Zhaoning in paying their respects at each of the main halls, Wei Yi went with her through the side halls as well.

As a man of the military, he believed in timing and fortune, but not in fate. Yet he prayed with great sincerity. Incense smoke curled around his brows and eyes, lending him an air of quiet detachment.

Sheng Zhaoning did not know what he was praying for. The emperor bowed deeply and knelt before the statue, remaining prostrate for a long time.

She remembered that neither of them had once believed in gods or Buddha.

Worshippers came and went around them. Sheng Zhaoning slowly rose from the prayer mat.

Her gaze fell on the bronze censers atop the incense table. Beside the large, three-legged gilt-bronze censer stood two smaller censers on each side, their incense burning vigorously.

Sheng Zhaoning accepted three long incense sticks from a monk and lit them over the charcoal fire. She walked to the altar table, aligned the three sticks side by side, then slowly raised her hand and inserted them into the censer.

Behind her came the sound of Wei Yi turning to take his own incense.

Sheng Zhaoning’s eyes darkened. Her fingers curled over the rim of the censer, and she gave it a forceful shove.

Clang!

The bronze censer crashed heavily to the floor, scattering incense ash all over her robes.

“Ah!” The people nearby cried out and hurriedly backed away.

Wei Yi whipped around. Seeing Sheng Zhaoning standing motionless amid the billowing incense ash, he thought she had been hurt. He dropped the incense sticks and strode toward her.

“What happened? Were you burned?” He kicked the censer aside and anxiously looked her over.

Sheng Zhaoning slowly lowered her gaze. Her plain robes were covered in incense ash, and several holes had been scorched along the edges. She looked utterly disheveled.

Pointed whispers rose all around her. Knocking over an incense censer before the divine statues was an act of grave disrespect, while a woman appearing in public covered in filth was an even greater breach of decorum.

Disdainful and contemptuous looks came from every direction, accompanied by waves of muttered curses.

Wei Yi swept the room with a fierce glare and barked, “Shut up!”

The Imperial Guards outside immediately drew their weapons. With several sharp clangs, their blades were leveled at everyone inside the hall.

The people who had gathered to gossip saw the flashing steel and hastily covered their mouths. Hunching their shoulders and drawing in their necks, they did not dare make another sound.

Seeing this, Sheng Zhaoning reached out and caught Wei Yi by the arm. “This is a temple. Don’t draw your weapons.”

Wei Yi’s eyes were tinged dark red. He stared at Sheng Zhaoning’s face, and only after confirming that she was unhurt did he sweep the room with a warning gaze. Then he turned to the Imperial Guards at the entrance and ordered, “Stand down.”

The weapons were sheathed one after another. The Imperial Guards withdrew and resumed their positions outside the hall.

Silence descended inside. Only frightened gazes continued to dart between the two of them.

Sheng Zhaoning lowered her head and glanced at the incense ash covering her clothes. They were filthy beyond recognition. She looked away and said to Wei Yi, “I want to change clothes.”

Wei Yi’s gaze followed hers down to her clothes. Seeing that they were indeed no longer fit to wear, he let out a quiet “Mm” before turning to the young monk inside the hall. “Do you have anything she can change into?”

The young monk clearly had yet to recover from the shock of facing swords moments earlier. He looked up, but when he met Wei Yi’s cold, severe gaze, he hurriedly lowered his head again and stammered, “The, the temple still has a few new monastic robes. I don’t know if Your Honor would mind wearing one.”

Wei Yi was about to answer, but Sheng Zhaoning reached out and pressed down on his arm first. Turning to the monk, she said, “Of course not. Thank you for your trouble, young monk.”

“You are too kind, Your Honor. Please follow me to the guest rooms in the rear courtyard,” the young monk said nervously.

Sheng Zhaoning tugged at Wei Yi’s sleeve and led him toward the rear courtyard with her.

The Temple of Ten Thousand Blessings had been built against the mountain. The front courtyard held the halls of the gods and Buddhas, where worshippers came to offer incense.

The rear courtyard was divided into two sections. One half was where the monks practiced and lived, while the other held guest rooms for worshippers to rest and stay overnight.

The young monk led them to the guest rooms. A short while later, he hurried back and handed Sheng Zhaoning a brand-new monastic robe.

“Here you are, Benefactor.”

Sheng Zhaoning accepted the robe, tightening her fingers around it. Then she turned to Wei Yi and said, “Wait here for me. I’m going inside to change.”

Wei Yi stared into her eyes, his brows drawing together slightly.

He did not want Sheng Zhaoning to leave his sight, especially while they were outside.

But under the circumstances, he could only agree. His gaze darkened as he watched her casually choose a guest room, then carry the clothes inside.

Wei Yi clenched the fists hanging at his sides. His expression shifted several times before he turned and ordered the Imperial Guards behind him, “Guard the entrance.”

The guards held their swords and clasped their fists. “Yes.”

The Imperial Guards took up positions on both sides, surrounding the entrance and keeping watch.

Wei Yi stood in the courtyard, his eyes fixed on the door as he waited in silence.

A blurry figure could be faintly seen through the room. Its features were indistinct, but there was no doubt that someone was inside.

Wei Yi’s tense gaze eased slightly.

After a while, he looked toward the figure again. “Are you done?”

Sheng Zhaoning’s voice came from inside. “Not yet.”

He withdrew his gaze and raised his brows slightly without saying anything.

No one knew how much time passed. Just as Wei Yi’s patience was beginning to wear thin, a sudden uproar broke out beyond the courtyard.

“That woman clearly came to your temple to meet her lover! I’ll drag her out and beat her to death!”

“That’s right! I saw that adulterous wife bring her lover here with my own eyes. They’re in one of the guest rooms in the rear courtyard!”

“Move aside! Let us in!”

“The Temple of Ten Thousand Blessings is supposed to be a place of Buddhist purity and meditation. How could you allow something like this to happen? Aren’t you afraid of sullying the Buddha’s name?”

A large crowd surged toward the guest rooms.

Several monks stood at the front, their faces strained as they tried to block the way. But there were simply too many troublemakers. A group of burly men pressed toward the rear courtyard with menacing force, and with the women and older matrons among them, there were at least twenty or thirty people in all.

The monks could not hold them back and were forced into the courtyard step by step.

The Imperial Guards watched the people flooding into the courtyard with wary eyes, waiting intently for Wei Yi’s command.

Wei Yi looked up coldly and swept his gaze across the faces in the crowd. He was just about to speak when a face suddenly appeared from behind the courtyard gate.

“Chi Wan?”