12dz Chapter 2201 "Good News"
Chapter 2201 "Good News"
In Shanghai, a secluded courtyard is hidden deep within a lush bamboo forest.
The green tiles and white walls reflect the dappled bamboo shadows. On the stone table in the corner of the courtyard, a small purple clay teapot rests on a silver charcoal stove, and the rising wisps of tea smoke are mixed with the moist scent of the earth after the rain.
Mr. Mo leaned back in his bamboo recliner, his fingertips casually stroking an old book on his lap.
He had handsome features, his gaze fixed on the flickering charcoal fire, as if nothing in the world concerned him.
"Sir, a letter from Youcheng."
A child carrying a carrier pigeon walked along the bamboo path, his steps extremely light.
Mr. Mo seemed not to have heard anything until the tea in the pot began to boil rapidly and fine white foam appeared, at which point he slowly got up.
With unhurried movements, he picked up the bamboo tea tongs beside him, gently lifted the teapot, and poured boiling water into the prepared white porcelain gaiwan. The tea leaves slowly unfurled in the water, and a rich aroma of tea instantly filled the air.
He rinsed the tea three times before pouring a cup of amber-colored tea into a small tasting cup, bringing it to his nose to smell it lightly, then looked up at the boy and extended his slender fingers: "Give it to me."
The boy quickly untied the bamboo letter tube from the carrier pigeon's leg and presented it with both hands.
Mr. Mo took the letter tube, twisted it with his fingertips to open it, pulled out the thin paper rolled inside, and unfolded it to examine it closely.
The handwriting on the paper was fine and concise, yet a hint of a smile gradually appeared in his originally calm eyes.
“Very good, Youcheng has already shown initial results.” He brought the thin paper to the charcoal stove, watching it turn to ashes and scatter in the wind. “It seems that this batch of things was not wasted. I want to see how Huo Changhe will break the deadlock this time.”
Upon hearing this, the boy's face immediately lit up with respectful joy, and he bowed, saying, "Congratulations, sir."
Mr. Mo glanced at him, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "You've done a good job. Here's a Mind-Concentrating Pill for you. Go to the accounting office to collect it."
The boy's eyes lit up instantly, and he could no longer hide his joy. He immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, sir!"
Mr. Mo smiled knowingly: "The Prince of Zhennan and his wife are quite capable, but if you only focus on the tea, you are making a big mistake."
As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up the teapot again, poured himself a cup of tea, and looked toward Youcheng with a confident and shrewd gaze.
Meanwhile, outside a small temple on the western outskirts of Youcheng, the Buddhist sermon had come to an end.
The sun was past its zenith, and sunlight filtered through the sparse treetops, casting dappled patterns of light on the bluestone slabs.
The air was still filled with the sweet and sour aroma of fruit tea and the faint scent of incense. People held their leftover rough porcelain bowls, lined up in long queues, their faces full of piety, waiting to say a few words to the abbot and make a wish.
The abbot was dressed in a bright yellow robe, which, unlike his usual plain attire, added to his solemn and sacred air.
He stood below the platform, a kind smile on his face, patiently talking to each person who came forward.
Whether it was an elderly person with white hair expressing their worries or a young child making a wish in their innocent way, he listened attentively, gently comforted them, and his words were as warm and gentle as jade, dispelling the unease in people's hearts.
"Master, please bless my husband so that he will be safe and sound and not get that strange disease again." A woman said, her eyes red, her hands clasped together, her voice choked with sobs.
The abbot clasped his hands together and nodded, saying, "Don't be anxious, benefactor. Sincerity is key. As long as you have good intentions, the epidemic will naturally dissipate."
Don't worry, take good care of your family, everything will be alright.
The woman thanked him repeatedly, then stepped aside with tears in her eyes, her anxiety seemingly lessened considerably.
The procession moved slowly, with Yan Ruyu hidden in a corner, her gaze sweeping over the crowd without making a sound.
She arranged for people to mingle among the people, maintain order in the procession, and secretly observe the expressions and actions of those around them.
At this moment, everyone is immersed in the atmosphere of praying for blessings. If anyone is in a hurry to leave, it is probably because they have something to hide.
Her gaze slowly swept across the crowd and landed on the owner of Baixing Teahouse not far away.
He looked perfectly normal, but showed no intention of joining the queue.
He took a few steps back, and taking advantage of a gap in the crowd, turned around and walked towards the intersection.
Yan Ruyu raised her hand without making a sound and gave the guard a wink.
The guards immediately understood and followed without leaving a trace.
As the sun gradually set in the west, the heat of the sunlight subsided considerably, leaving behind a slight evening coolness.
The meeting, which lasted for most of the day, officially ended only after the last member of the community bid farewell to the abbot.
After seeing off the last group of people, the abbot turned to look in Yan Ruyu's direction and nodded slightly.
Yan Ruyu stepped forward and said softly, "How are you? You must be exhausted."
"Your Highness is too kind." The abbot sighed. "The people of Youcheng have suffered such a calamity, and this humble monk has only done his meager strength. I only wish to find out the truth as soon as possible and restore peace to Youcheng."
Yan Ruyu watched him pretend, then looked around and whispered, "How's it going? Any clues? My voice is about to crack."
"We're still looking, it's uncertain," Yan Ruyu said in a low voice. "We'll have them take you back in a bit."
"Okay, go ahead and get busy."
Yan Ruyu then left first.
When she reached the entrance of an alley, Yan Ruyu suddenly stopped and stopped walking.
She turned slightly to the side, her ears twitching. The faint sound of a zither that she had just heard outside the small temple seemed to be clearer now, intermittent yet melodious, carried by the wind.
"What are you thinking about?"
A gentle voice came from behind her. Yan Ruyu turned around and saw Huo Changhe dressed in casual clothes walking quickly towards her.
He followed her gaze into the alley. There was nothing unusual in the alley, except for a few houses with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys.
Yan Ruyu did not answer, but listened for a moment longer. The music faded away, becoming faint, as if it were just her imagination.
She turned her head to look at Huo Changhe, her voice soft and tinged with doubt: "Your Highness, did you hear the zither music?"
Upon hearing this, Huo Changhe listened intently for a moment.
The wind rustled through the alley, carrying the faint sounds of voices and dogs barking in the distance, as well as the sounds of cooking nearby, but no music could be heard.
He looked at Yan Ruyu, his eyes filled with concern: "The sound of the zither? I didn't hear it."
Yan Ruyu shook her head slightly, her brows furrowing: "It shouldn't be. I vaguely heard it once outside the small temple just now, but there were too many people and it was noisy at the time, so I thought it was my imagination."
I heard it more clearly when I got here, but it quickly disappeared again.
Huo Changhe's expression gradually became serious.
He knew that Yan Ruyu was always meticulous and perceptive, and would never say such things without reason.
He listened intently again, but still heard nothing. Nevertheless, he said in a deep voice, "Since you heard it, it can't be something made up out of nothing."
Huo Changhe raised his hand and gently put his arm around her shoulder: "I'll have someone search the neighborhood to see where it came from."