While Su Qiqi and others were worrying about the business of the escort agency, the gatekeeper of Zhongfu Temple was also troubled by inexplicable fear.
He has been living on the streets since he was eight years old and was taken in by Abbot Huiyuan. He has now become an ordinary janitor and has spent more than ten spring and autumn years in Zhongfu Temple. He has long been accustomed to everything in the temple and does not want anyone to destroy the temple. Calm order.
After the housekeepers of the Yan Mansion left, the janitor hesitated again and again and expressed his concerns to the host Huiyuan. Host Huiyuan looked solemn but still said calmly: "Jingkong, don't worry too much! Life and death are determined by fate, and all calamities are determined. The physical body will be destroyed, and everything will be left to chance. There is no need to force it!"
Seeing that he could not persuade the abbot, Jingkong, the gatekeeper, had no choice but to return to his dormitory. Huiyuan was left alone to sit in meditation in the Main Hall for a long time.
That night, Zhongfukuji Temple suddenly caught fire. From the Zen room to the main hall, several houses were burned down. According to nearby villagers, they were awakened by a sudden loud noise in the middle of the night, and later discovered that Zhongfuji Temple was on fire. At that time, the raging fire shot into the sky, and the sounds of wooden beams and wooden frames collapsing came one after another.
Most of the monks in the temple were burned to death, and Abbot Huiyuan was also burned to death in the Zen room where he lived. Only the janitor got up in the middle of the night to relieve himself in the toilet and escaped the fire. He went down the mountain in despair to report to the official, and took the prefect and a group of officers and soldiers to inspect the scene.
The next day, the news of the fire at Zhongfu Temple spread among teahouses and restaurants in the city. The death of Director Huiyuan and the whereabouts of the gatekeeper became the topics of conversation among everyone after dinner.
It was already the third day after Abbot Huiyuan's death when Su Qiqi and others learned the news. That day, Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan happened to be discussing a business deal in the capital branch.
As soon as the two saw off the guests, Xiao Kai ran in panting with Xuanyuan Yin.
As soon as he saw Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan, Xiao Kai came over and said mysteriously: "Miss Nangong, Mr. Qin, do you know? Zhongfu Temple was burned! The abbot was also burned to death!"
Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan were stunned for a moment when they heard this. Su Qiqi came to her senses first and asked eagerly: "What's going on? Why did it suddenly catch on fire?"
Xiao Kai looked around and lowered his voice and said: "You also think this fire is strange, don't you? Let me tell you, I secretly inquired and some nearby villagers saw the housekeeper of the Taishi Mansion going to Zhongfu Temple in the middle of the night... "
"Steward of the Grand Master's Mansion? Does the Grand Master have any conspiracy?" Qin Chuan asked in surprise.
Xiao Kai nodded: "I think it's almost the same, it must be that old boy's idea again..."
"To silence?" Qin Chuan thought of the rumors and asked, frowning.
"Yeah, but the prefect claimed it was an accident..." Xiao Kai sighed angrily.
Su Qiqi also heard some discussions from the people in the city. In order to confirm the doubts in her heart, she asked tentatively: "Xiao Kai, do you know where the fire started?"
Xiao Kai thought for a moment and said: "The prefect claimed that the fire was caused by the negligence of the night-watching monks, which caused the candles in the hall to fall... But my friend who was in charge of the government office was also present that day, and he said that the actual point of the fire was Abbot Huiyuan's Zen room... …The main hall was only burned by the spread of fire…”
Su Qiqi nodded thoughtfully, and then asked: "Is there anyone alive in the temple?"
Xiao Kai showed a trace of sadness and said: "I heard that only a few monks survived, and one of the gatekeepers was missing..."
Hearing this, Qin Chuan interrupted: "Ah? He was the one who reported the case, so why did he suddenly disappear? Was he taken by the government to help solve the case or was he silenced..."
Xiao Kai shook his head and said: "I don't know. I asked several people, but they don't know where the keeper has gone..."
"Then when did the janitor disappear?" Su Qiqi thought for a while and asked.
Xiao Kai collected his thoughts and said: "It should be after leading the prefect to inspect the scene..."
Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan looked at each other and asked with complicated expressions: "Did your friend who was on duty see him later?"
Xiao Kai shook his head, sighed, and said: "I asked, and he said that the scene was very chaotic at the time. After the magistrate asked the questions, he took Wu Zuo to do the autopsy... He was also busy moving the body with other government officials. I didn’t notice when the doorman disappeared…”
"Could it be that the gatekeeper was worried that the government would mistakenly think that he was setting fire to kill people, so he hid secretly?" Qin Chuan rubbed his temples and came up with a new hypothesis.
Su Qiqi nodded and said: "This possibility cannot be ruled out...but the line of Grand Master is also very important...His housekeeper went to Zhongfu Temple before and after the incident, and he cannot escape the involvement..."
"Well, there are also the emperor's personal entourage... I have seen those people go to Zhongfu Temple before and after the incident..." Xuanyuan Yin added.
"Aren't you protecting the princess in the palace? How did you know they were going to Zhongfu Temple?" Qin Chuan asked curiously.
Xuanyuanyin replied in a low voice: "I placed a few kiddies in the Grand Master's Mansion to help me find out the news. Knowing that they were going to Zhongfu Temple to pick up Abbot Huiyuan, I asked one of the kiddies to follow them... I have a lot of trouble with those kiddies. I attached a sensing talisman drawn with my blood, so I can know what they see and feel at any time..."
"Oh? So awesome! Is it through that kid that you saw the emperor personally go to Zhongfu Temple?" Qin Chuan asked excitedly.
Xuanyuan Yin nodded and added: "I also saw the gatekeeper being taken away by the prefect..."
"Where were you taken to?" Qin Chuan asked inquiringly.
Xuanyuan Yin shook his head and said in frustration: "I was exhausted at the time, so I removed the spell in advance and took the kid back... so I don't know what happened next..."
"Oh, what a pity..." Qin Chuan sighed sadly after hearing this.
Xuanyuan Yin also echoed depressedly: "Yes, if only I had persisted for a little longer..."
Su Qiqi patted her shoulder and comforted: "It's not your fault. The person behind this man-made disaster is too cunning..."
Xiao Kai also cursed angrily: "That's right, they killed several people for no reason just to deal with A Yin's ghost control skills..."
Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan, who had solemn expressions on their faces, looked at each other and asked with gossipy faces: "A Yin? When did you two see each other in the eye?"
Xiao Kai suddenly blushed and stammered: "You two, don't talk nonsense...I...A...Xuan Yuanyin and I are just good brothers...Yes, I just treat her as a brother..."
Xuanyuan Yin rolled her eyes at him and said carelessly: "That's right, we are just brothers who are close friends in life and death... Please stop making fun of us..."
Su Qiqi suppressed her laughter and continued to ask: "Then what are your plans? This time the grand master's plan was thwarted, but there is no chance that they will find other masters to break your spell..."
Xuanyuanyin chuckled lightly and said nonchalantly: "Don't worry, the number of people who can break my Xuanyuan clan's ghost-controlling skills is no more than one palm. Master Huiyuan is dead. Only Elder Yunkong of Shaolin Temple and the leader of Yeyou Alliance can break it." My spells are nothing to worry about other people..."
"Elder Yunkong is a decent man, and he should not help others to do evil... It's hard to say the leader of the Yeyou Alliance..." Qin Chuan touched his chin and said with some worry.
Seeing everyone's sad expressions, Su Qiqi hurriedly spoke to comfort: "Although the leader of the Yeyou Alliance is powerful, he is very aloof and will not easily help others... So, we still have a chance..."
Everyone nodded in agreement. After making tea and chatting together for a while, Xiao Kai and Xuanyuan Yin left with unfinished content.
The next day, as soon as Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan finished washing up, Xiao Kai hurried over and breathlessly asked Su Qiqi and Qin Chuan to follow him to the Jingbei Prince's Mansion.
