Chapter 111: Chapter 110: The Old Servant
Mu Lianxiao did not deny it.
Master Kongming’s secular name was Mu Tang. His father had fought alongside Old Marquis Mu and was granted the surname Mu. When Mu Tang was fifteen, he was assigned to the then five-year-old Mu Liancheng to teach him the basic skills of martial arts.
Mu Liancheng treated Mu Tang like an elder brother. Mu Lianxiao and his siblings were of similar age to their eldest brother, and when their grandfather and father went on campaigns, they often gathered around Mu Tang, who led them in martial training.
Until the late autumn of the 13th year of Yong’an.
Old Marquis Mu and his three sons died at the border, and Mu Yuanmou took Mu Liankang and Mu Lianxiao to the border to retrieve the coffins and returned to the Capital.
When they reached the Northern Border, it was already a land of frozen earth.
Wild winds and heavy snow, completely different from the winters in the Capital.
On one winter night on the return journey, Mu Liankang disappeared. Those accompanying them searched all around but could not find any trace of Mu Liankang.
Mu Tang searched for three days and nights with reddened eyes.
When the coffins returned to the Capital, after Mu Tang had kowtowed to Madam Wu and Mu Liankang’s mother, Mrs. Xu, he intended to apologize through death, but was finally persuaded by the abbot of Qinglian Temple and joined the Buddhist order.
Now, it has been almost five years since Mu Liankang disappeared.
The Northern Border is far away, and even Madam Wu and Mrs. Xu have accepted the fact that Mu Liankang will not return, but thinking of his elder brother, Mu Lianxiao still harbors some attachment.
When Mu Liankang disappeared, Mu Lianxiao had just turned twelve. Burdened with the gloom from the deaths of his grandfather and father, the journey back to the Capital was a blur, and the situation at that time, when recalled later, is only fragmented.
Mu Lianxiao once asked Mu Yuanmou, who stood by the window with hands behind his back, and after a long while said: "That day was the eve of your third uncle’s seventh-day memorial. We couldn’t do much on the road, so we set up a shed and placed the spirit tablet to offer incense. That night, you were exhausted and went to sleep early. I urged Liankang to sleep for a while, but he refused, saying it was the last night of his father’s seventy-seventh memorial. I thought so too, so I didn’t stop him. When it was the fourth hour of the night, I couldn’t hold on anymore. Seeing that Mu Tang and some other brothers were still guarding the shed, I went to sleep. When I opened my eyes, I found out Liankang was gone. Mu Tang had taken a nap, and when he awoke, no one was there."
According to Mu Yuanmou’s words, Mu Lianxiao somewhat recalled that they set up a shed along the way, and he remembered kowtowing to Mu Yuanming, but then things became a blur, mostly due to fatigue.
Mu Tang was deeply remorseful for it, believing that if he hadn’t dozed off, such an incident wouldn’t have happened.
After Mu Tang became a monk, not only Mu Lianxiao but also Mu Yuanmou and Mu Liancheng came to visit him, but Master Kongming, who had renounced the worldly life, said that all worldly matters have passed, and now he recites scriptures and prays to Buddha, all for redemption.
A year later, Master Kongming developed heart and lung problems, coughed for several months, and his voice was completely ruined, making him unable to speak.
Mu Liankang’s disappearance was indeed partly due to Mu Tang, but he was, after all, an old servant of the family. His father fought alongside Old Marquis Mu, and even Mrs. Xu said it was all fate.
Yet Master Kongming continued to live like an ascetic monk, laboring and fasting.
In just a few years, even Mu Lianxiao found it difficult to see any trace of Mu Tang in Master Kongming. He seemed completely like a different person.
"Ah Shao," Mu Lianhui called softly, looking at the compassionate face of the Medicine King Bodhisattva, saying, "If this allows him spiritual release, then let him be. Don’t come anymore. Every time he sees us, he’ll suffer, and it will remind him of his guilt."
Mu Lianxiao quietly looked at Mu Lianhui, and sighed, "Elder sister, after three years of chanting at Putuo Mountain, your words seem so different now."
"No one remains unchanged. If you stay at Putuo Mountain for three years and listen to Buddhist hymns and chants, you’ll change too." Mu Lianhui smiled, a liveliness replacing the previous calmness. "Alright, we should set off. If we don’t leave now, we’ll be camping in the wilderness tonight."
The carriage descended from Qinglian Mountain, heading straight to the Capital.
The Du family’s caravan, which had set off a few days earlier than Mu Lianxiao and Mu Lianhui, had just covered half the journey, nearing the junction leading to Lishan Academy. Mrs. Zhen, watching carefully, finally suppressed her inner concerns and didn’t look at Du Yundi again.
The journey back to the Capital was smooth.
At the second gate, Mrs. Miao and Du Yunying were waiting together.
"After such a dusty journey, quickly go back and freshen up. I’ll send someone to inform Lianfu Garden, so the Old Master and Old Madam won’t worry." Mrs. Miao said with a smile to Mrs. Zhen.
Mrs. Zhen smiled in response.
Du Yunluo glanced around, unable to spot Liao and Du Yunnuo, which puzzled her.
The fact that Mrs. Miao came to greet them was a gesture and didn’t absolutely require Liao’s absence. So why was she nowhere to be seen?
Liao didn’t come herself, and even Du Yunnuo didn’t show up, which puzzled her.
"Third Sister, why isn’t Fourth Sister here?" Du Yunluo quietly asked Du Yunying.
Du Yunying raised her phoenix-like eyes, with a half-smile, "Fourth Aunt hasn’t been feeling well these past two days, and Fourth Sister is attending to her. They said they were worried the smell of medicine would bother you and Third Aunt, so they didn’t come."
Liao is ill?
Du Yunluo blinked her eyes.
Before she set off, Liao was cheerful every day, and in less than a month, she fell ill.
Could it be joy followed by sorrow?
Mrs. Zhen returned to Qinghui Garden, and Du Yunluo returned to Anhua Courtyard.
Jin Ling was waiting at the courtyard gate, and as soon as she saw her, she came up to greet her, "Ah, miss, you’ve finally returned."
Seeing Jin Ling, a sense of familiarity washed over her, and Du Yunluo couldn’t help but smile.
After bathing and changing, Jinxiu and her team finished organizing the luggage and belongings they brought back, and only then did they go to tidy themselves up.
Thinking that they must be waiting for her at Lianfu Garden, Du Yunluo hurried over with Jin Ling.
As she walked, Du Yunluo asked Jin Ling, "Why did Fourth Aunt suddenly get sick?"
Jin Ling looked around carefully, then leaned in to Du Yunluo, saying, "A while back, Fourth Madam visited Duke Jing Mansion. After she returned, she coughed a few times and fell ill a few days later."
Duke Jing Mansion?
Could it be that Aunt Liao encountered some situation?
If Aunt Liao’s affairs were going smoothly, Liao shouldn’t have fallen ill.
Du Yunluo lowered her voice and asked again, "Has Anfeng Courtyard heard any news?"
Jin Ling shook her head, "Those who went with Fourth Madam were all reliable, and their mouths were sealed tight. Nanny Hua went to inquire, but found out nothing. I’ve heard that people from Shuifu Garden also went once but came back empty-handed."
Du Yunluo gave a vague response.
It seemed Liao valued this matter, and unless she specially instructed, underlings will always gossip at least a little.
But since those who went were Liao’s confidants, it would be difficult to gather information.
Just like this trip to Tong City, Mrs. Zhen took only those she trusted, and nothing leaked from the matters at Qinglian Temple.
