Catching Monsters

Chapter 599 This idea is not bad.
In the Imperial Study at dusk, Xiao Yuzheng sat on the dragon throne, quietly listening to Jiang Yun and Linglong recount the events one by one.

After listening, Xiao Yuzheng frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "So, today's attack was arranged by Jing Qing?"

"He wants to kill you, doesn't he, Jiang Yun?"

“Yes.” Jiang Yun knew that he could not deceive Xiao Yuzheng about this matter, while Linglong quickly spoke up, “Father, my eighth brother is also colluding with evil monks from the Western Regions.”

Xiao Yuzheng nodded. In his view, killing Jiang Yun was not a big deal. It was quite common to do such things if one wanted to ascend the throne.

However, the biggest problem is that the methods are not good. In Xiao Yuzheng's view, Xiao Jingqing, as the crown prince, has many powerful figures in the capital that he can use, but to get involved with the evil monk from the Western Regions is really not worth the effort.

Xiao Yuzheng said calmly, "I will criticize Jing Qing for this matter."

"Father, is a mere criticism enough?" Linglong said, somewhat dissatisfied.

Jiang Yun, however, saw through Xiao Yuzheng's intention to protect Xiao Jingqing and tugged at Linglong's wrist: "Alright, His Majesty naturally has his reasons."

“Your Majesty, Abbot Yunwu may have been captured by His Highness the Crown Prince. Please ask His Highness to release him,” Jiang Yun said.

"This child, I will personally go to the Crown Prince's residence later." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuzheng nodded in agreement. The money that Bailong Temple gave Xiao Yuzheng every month was quite a lot, and it was all put into his private treasury.

He certainly wouldn't let Abbot Yunwu get into trouble.

Soon, Jiang Yun and Linglong took their leave. Linglong, with a look of dissatisfaction on her face, glanced back at the imperial study and complained, "What my father did is utterly disheartening. The evidence is irrefutable..."

Jiang Yun gave a wry smile and said, "Xiao Jingqing is, after all, the Crown Prince. What can His Majesty do? Can he really strip him of his title?"

After saying this, Jiang Yun realized that Xiao Jingqing was no longer the same prince as before.

The status of a crown prince and the status of a prince are completely different.

If Xiao Jingqing were still a prince, the things he did would definitely not be something that could be forgiven with just a reprimand.

Unless Xiao Jingqing really intends to rebel and murder the emperor.

But he is now the crown prince, how could he possibly commit treason?

So, what about regicide?

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun's eyes darkened, and he seemed to be deep in thought. Seeing this, Linglong asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"fine."

……

Inside the Crown Prince's residence, in the cellar, Xiao Jingqing had lost his patience and was having his servants whip Abbot Yunwu severely with rattan whips.

The clothes on Abbot Yunwu's body were torn. The cellar was freezing cold. When he was knocked unconscious, a basin of cold water was poured on him, which instantly woke him up.

"Abbot, why don't you tell us the whereabouts of that monk Wuhui?" Xiao Jingqing sat on a wooden chair in the cellar, with a stove burning in front of him.

He warmed his hands by the fire and said, "Abbot, if you don't speak up, I'm afraid we won't make it through the night."

Upon seeing this, Abbot Yunwu, who was bound up, slowly closed his eyes and remained silent.

"Not going to speak, huh?" Xiao Jingqing turned to his subordinate beside him: "How's the task you assigned going?"

"Your Highness, the oil has been poured on many buildings of Bailong Temple. If you give the order, that ancient temple with hundreds of years of history will probably be reduced to ruins." The subordinate chuckled and looked at Abbot Yunwu.

“Abbot Yunwu, you heard it too. Because of you, this ancient temple with hundreds of years of history has been reduced to ashes. What a pity.”

Abbot Yunwu kept his eyes closed and did not cooperate.

Xiao Jingqing's eyes turned cold: "Go, burn down Bailong Temple."

"Yes." Upon hearing this, the subordinate turned and left.

Xiao Jingqing waved his hand. Since the old monk refused to confess, he shouldn't leave alive. He would torment him to death tonight, and then secretly dump the body outside the city. Clean and efficient.

Even if the Buddhist monks came to the Imperial Guards later, the Imperial Guards could easily come up with a reason to deal with them. No one would go against the Crown Prince because of a dead old monk.

As soon as he stepped out of the cellar and returned to the living room, a servant from the mansion rushed over with a smile on his face and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, His Majesty has arrived with Eunuch Feng."

"Father has arrived?"

Xiao Jingqing was slightly taken aback. If it were before, Xiao Yuzheng coming to the Crown Prince's residence would certainly be a good thing. But now, the old monk was being dealt with in the cellar.

His expression changed slightly, and he quickly straightened his clothes before hurrying towards the door.

Upon arriving at the entrance, Xiao Yuzheng and Feng Yu, led in by servants, entered. Xiao Jingqing greeted them with a smile, "Father, what brings you here?"

"Hmph." Xiao Yuzheng walked straight inside with a cold face. Xiao Jingqing quickly looked at Feng Yu and asked in a low voice, "Eunuch Feng, what's wrong with my father?"

Feng Yu then reminded him, "Just answer His Majesty's questions truthfully later."

After saying that, Feng Yu quickly followed.

Once seated in the living room, Xiao Yuzheng asked directly, "What have you been doing? Today, I was attacked by a group of monks in the peach grove north of the city. Is that related to you?"

Upon hearing Xiao Yuzheng's question, Xiao Jingqing trembled slightly and hurriedly knelt on the ground. He was about to deny it, but soon he remembered Feng Yu's reminder and answered truthfully.

Moreover, it was already night, and Xiao Yuzheng had come to ask him personally, which meant he must have known something.

Xiao Jingqing quickly realized what was happening, took a deep breath, nodded, and said, "Father, I did arrange those monks, but it was to deal with Jiang Yun... not to target you, Father."

“I never expected that you, Father, would travel with Jiang Yun. It must have been Jiang Yun who did it. Father, he knew there was danger, yet he still put you in such a perilous situation. You have treated him so well, yet he dared to do this…”

"Shut up!" Xiao Yuzheng glared at Xiao Jingqing and slammed his hand on the table. "Do you know why your sixth brother was placed under house arrest by me? It was because he colluded with the barbarians!"

"In this vast capital city, even if you wanted to deal with Jiang Yun, you wouldn't have any other means. Why would you need to collude with those Western Region demon monks?"

"Don't you know why those Western Region demon monks came? They came to avenge Monk Hongguang!"

“I ordered Jiang Yun to kill Monk Hongguang.”

Hearing Xiao Yuzheng's reprimand, Xiao Jingqing breathed a slight sigh of relief. He understood his father's personality; the more he cursed, the more it showed that his father had not given up on him.

"Father's reprimand is justified."

"Where is Abbot Yunwu?" Xiao Yuzheng asked after taking a deep breath.

"Huh?" Xiao Jingqing was slightly taken aback, not expecting his father to ask about the old monk. He said somewhat awkwardly, "Father, the man... the man is in the cellar. I'll have someone bring him here." "No need. I'll go see for myself. Look at the mess you've made! Abbot Yunwu did a good job for me, but now you've captured him..."

Xiao Jingqing's mind went blank for a moment. Abbot Yunwu was doing things for his father.

What do you need me to do?

He wanted to ask a few more questions, but Xiao Yuzheng had already stood up: "Take me to the cellar."

Soon, the group arrived at the cold, damp cellar. As soon as they entered, Xiao Yuzheng frowned because a faint smell of blood wafted from inside.

Feng Yu walked ahead with a torch. After entering, he saw two servants from the Crown Prince's residence carrying out torture.

The long whip in his hand lashed repeatedly at Abbot Yunwu's body.

"Stop! Stop right now!" Feng Yu shouted urgently upon seeing this.

The two servants turned around and saw Xiao Yuzheng dressed in a dragon robe. They hurriedly knelt down and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Looking at Abbot Yunwu, who was pale and covered in wounds, Xiao Yuzheng's face was extremely gloomy.

"Your Majesty," Abbot Yunwu said weakly, "Bailong Temple, something has happened. The Crown Prince has sent people to burn down Bailong Temple."

"Quickly send someone to stop them."

"You want to burn down my White Dragon Temple?" Xiao Yuzheng turned around abruptly, staring intently at Xiao Jingqing.

Xiao Jingqing was so frightened that he took a step back: "Father, Father Emperor, I didn't know that Bailong Temple had anything to do with you."

There was a snap.

Xiao Yuzheng slapped Xiao Jingqing across the face: "If you continue to act so recklessly, I will send your elder brother back to the capital!"

Today, Bailong Temple can reliably provide Xiao Yuzheng with 500,000 taels of silver annually.

This is my secret stash of money!

Five hundred thousand taels is a significant source of income for his private treasury. In years when local tax revenue is poor, the Ministry of Revenue may not be able to allocate this much money to the private treasury each year.

How could he not get angry?

Xiao Jingqing was also frightened and quickly turned around and ran outside.

"Let me go instead." Feng Yu stopped him, then quickly rushed out of the cellar, soared into the sky, and flew at high speed towards the direction of Bailong Temple.

But it was already too late. Flames were already faintly visible at Bailong Temple. Two Buddhist halls were already ablaze, and a lot of oil had been poured inside, causing them to burn extremely quickly.

Chaos also broke out inside the White Dragon Temple, with many monks fighting the fire.

The arsonist, however, has vanished without a trace.

Seeing this, Feng Yu could only use magic to create a strong wind, directing the flames away from the numerous Buddhist temple buildings behind them.

However, these two Buddhist temples could not be saved.

Meanwhile, inside the Crown Prince's residence, Xiao Yuzheng turned and left with an icy expression. Xiao Jingqing stood there stunned, then punched the wall behind him hard, his eyes flashing with anger.

What do you mean by asking the eldest brother to return to Beijing?
After delivering the punch, Xiao Jingqing slowly looked at Abbot Yunwu, walked over, and said through gritted teeth, "You did this on purpose, didn't you? You knew that Minglong Temple belonged to my father, but you didn't tell me!"

"So you just want my father to get angry at me, right?"

Despite the pain in his body, Abbot Yunwu slowly said, "Your Highness, your anger is too strong. I reminded you that I wouldn't be the one most heartbroken by the burning of Bailong Temple, but you refused to believe it, and I have no choice but to accept it."

Abbot Yunwu had received many favors from Jiang Yun, and knowing that Xiao Jingqing had a grudge against Jiang Yun, he tricked him in this way.

"Nonsense!" Xiao Jingqing clenched his fists. "You and Jiang Yun are in cahoots. He arranged all of this, didn't he?"

"It's all to frame me, to make my father have a bad impression of me, so that my elder brother can return to the capital!"

As Xiao Jingqing spoke, blood vessels began to appear in his eyes. The position of Crown Prince was hard-won, and he had no intention of giving it up so easily.

"So what if it is?" Abbot Yunwu took a deep breath and said slowly, "Your Highness, the First Prince is known throughout the capital for his benevolence. If you continue to cause trouble like this, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep your position as Crown Prince for long."

A smile slowly appeared on Xiao Jingqing's face as he took a step back: "I understand. You're trying to provoke me into killing you, aren't you? If I really lose my mind now and kill you, my father might really strip me of my position as crown prince."

"You old monk, I really don't understand. Just how much did Jiang Yun give you that you would be willing to risk your life to help him?"

After a long silence, Abbot Yunwu slowly said, "Lord Jiang and I have been fortunate to have each other's support."

"Hmph, release them!" Xiao Jingqing said coldly, "Old monk, don't be too happy yet. You and your Lord Jiang will die at my hands sooner or later."

……

"Nonsense, just nonsense!"

Inside the Imperial Study, upon hearing that the two largest Buddhist halls of Bailong Temple had been burned down, Xiao Yuzheng's face turned grim. Feng Yu, his face covered in soot, stood to the side, saying, "Your Majesty, this servant has done his best, but the fire was too great..."

The black ash was naturally applied by Feng Yu himself; with his cultivation level, what black ash could possibly get on his body?

Only by dressing up like this can Xiao Yuzheng see that he has put in the effort.

Xiao Yuzheng took a deep breath and asked, "How long will the repairs take? How much silver will it cost?"

"It will take at least two months."

Xiao Yuzheng stood up, hands behind his back: "We haven't had any income for two months, and we still have to spend a lot of money on repairs."

At this point, Xiao Yuzheng slammed his hand hard on the desk.

Feng Yu lowered his head and slowly said, "Your Majesty, the relationship between the Crown Prince and Jiang Yun is getting worse and worse. In my opinion, why not send His Highness the Crown Prince to the southwestern front?"

"Firstly, it will allow His Highness the Crown Prince to see the battlefield with his own eyes, so that he will not be unfamiliar with battlefield matters in the future."

"Secondly, it will allow the Crown Prince to calm down, so that he won't be constantly thinking about how to cause trouble while staying in the capital."

“That’s a good idea.” Xiao Yuzheng nodded upon hearing this, and said, “However, I’m worried that if he goes to the front lines, he will cause trouble for Xu Xiaogang.”

(End of this chapter)