Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 126 Coming
The mountain doesn't look high, but it's really tiring to climb.

Jia Chuan, no longer feeling cold from climbing, asked breathlessly, "I heard the two monks are quite old. How do they usually come and go?"

The village chief was in his early forties, but his physical strength was much better than Jia Chuan's. At least his breathing was still very steady. Along the way, he would take care of Jia Chuan and Old Zheng, stopping from time to time to wait for them, or to let Jia Chuan catch his breath and say a few words. Once their breathing was more even, they would continue walking, and he walked very slowly.

Just like now, the village chief stopped and replied with a smile: "There are vegetable gardens on the mountain. The villagers are all kind-hearted. The two old people don't eat much in a year. I really didn't think about this problem before. Anyway, they haven't had to go down the mountain all these years. The villagers have been sending vegetables to the temple."

"I heard they've been in this temple for decades?" Jia Chuan stopped and asked.

"This temple existed in the previous dynasty. When I was a child, I saw an even older monk. I heard from my elders that an old monk came to live on the mountaintop many years ago. He only built a thatched hut. Later, the villagers took pity on him and helped him build it slowly, and that's how this small temple came to be. Then the old monk had a disciple, and the disciple took on another disciple, and that's how it was passed down. As for the disciple, well, he was just a poor soul."

"On my way here, I was hoping to run into some villagers and ask them questions, but I haven't seen a single one."

"It's too cold today. Unless there's something urgent, only the children aren't afraid of the cold and come out to play for a while at noon."

"I heard that when the two old Taoist priests went to the small temple to ask for lodging, they were accompanied by quite a few people. How come they ran into people after entering the village?"

The village chief waved his hand and said, "It wasn't by chance. I heard that they first asked a few villagers for lodging, but who knew that they would end up taking the two Taoist priests to the temple."

Jia Chuan nodded, then looked back at Old Zheng and the three constables. When he turned back, he remembered the villagers who had been with him.

The village chief, seeing Jia Chuan looking around, laughed and said, "Those guys must have reached the top of the mountain by now."

Jia Chuan took a deep breath and said, "Keep going!"

……

The mountaintop was flat, with a small temple with gray walls and black tiles standing alone. The temple didn't look big from the outside, and it was covered in white snow all around, making it impossible to tell where the vegetable garden was. But there were footprints everywhere. Jia Chuan, panting heavily, put his hands on his hips and looked at the scenery in front of him, feeling a strange feeling in his heart.

The village chief said, "When they found no one in the temple, the villagers searched the surrounding area thoroughly."

Jia Chuan frowned and walked around the small temple, asking, "Why wasn't the vegetable garden built in the courtyard when it was originally constructed?"

"Well... I don't know. Maybe the monks at the time felt that they didn't need to farm for a while."

The group walked to the temple gate, and Jia Chuan stepped over the threshold and began to examine the marks under the courtyard wall.

There were indeed signs of climbing over the wall. Jia Chuan had two constables lift him up to a position where he could see the top of the courtyard wall. He examined it carefully and confirmed that he had climbed in, not out.

"The person who first climbed over the wall, are you sure the gate was bolted and couldn't be pushed?" Jia Chuan asked as he returned to the ground.

"Of course, otherwise why would we need to climb over the wall?"

How many people were there at the time?

At this moment, four villagers were already standing in the courtyard. One of them stepped forward and said, "There were four of us when we came. When we knocked on the door, we tried to push it open. We couldn't. It must have been bolted. Later, seven or eight more people came. We didn't see a single ghost in the temple. So the village chief told us to go out and look around."

Jia Chuan turned to the village head and asked, "You're here too?"

The neighborhood chief nodded and said, "Although there aren't that many rules, they still don't dare to make decisions on their own about climbing over the wall."

"Did you wait for them to open the gate before you came in?"

The village chief nodded again and said, "What's strange about this is that all four people were originally inside the courtyard, and the gate was not opened, but their bodies were found at the foot of the mountain to the west..."

"We came from the east?"

The village chief was surprised that Jia Chuan couldn't tell which way was north, south, east, or west, before replying, "Yes, I had someone check, and there were no footprints coming down the mountain to the west."

Jia Chuan was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the village chief had paid attention to this matter.

When the village chief saw Jia Chuan looking at him, he explained, "I need to check first whether it was done by a villager from our village."

Jia Chuan frowned and asked, "So that means there are also footprints on the west side downhill now?"

The village chief was puzzled as to why the young man in front of him would ask such a question. Was he looking for someone while carrying his feet on his shoulders?

"It's alright, let's go in and take a look," Jia Chuan said helplessly.

The main hall was not large. In the center was a platform on which a Buddha statue was placed. There were two prayer cushions on the ground in front of the Buddha. The hall was cramped and there was not much space. Jia Chuan walked around the Buddha statue and then went straight to the nunnery.

Both nunneries were very simple. One was clean and tidy, containing only a few scriptures, two monks' robes, a wooden table, and a bed made of bricks and stones with a wooden plank on top. The bedding on the bed was very thin, and there was nothing else.

Jia Chuan flipped through the scriptures, but he didn't recognize many of the characters. The scriptures were so worn that they seemed unlikely to withstand his rough handling. He gently put the scriptures down and went to another room in the nunnery.

Just as the village chief had said, the other room contained a simple table with four bowls of water on it, and ice cubes in the distance. Jia Chuan frowned; they were crushed ice.

In the center of the table was a disassembled bundle, revealing several Taoist robes and a money bag inside.

The village chief hurriedly explained, "They didn't dare touch these things. For the past few days, someone has been guarding the foot of the mountain, and no one has come up. I was thinking of waiting a few more days, and if no one came after the New Year, I would have someone report it to the police. Who knew they would find a body? I didn't dare make a decision on my own and wait until after the New Year, so I had to..."

"Why don't you live here?" Jia Chuan asked as he walked to the bedside.

The bed was made of bricks and stones, with a wooden board on it, a thin mattress, a thin quilt, and a hot water bottle that had been thrown around in several places. There was none of that in the nunnery we had just been in.

"I heard that the two monks are quite old, and they can get through the winter with just this hot water bottle?" Jia Chuan turned to the village head and asked.

The village chief sighed and said, "The villagers can't help either, and this temple doesn't have any worshippers..."

"Why was a temple built in this place in the first place? Was it just because a monk came?"

"I don't know."

Jia Chuan circled the table again, carefully examining the items. Old Zheng whispered behind him, "Should we take these back?" Jia Chuan didn't answer. He first picked up a bowl, looked at it, then put it back. He opened the money bag, and a constable stepped forward to wrap it up and take it away. Jia Chuan frowned and asked, "Who told you to take it?"

The constable glared at him and asked, "Aren't you going to take it and leave it here? Who's responsible if it gets lost?"

Jia Chuan was furious. How dare a mere yamen runner speak to him like that? He felt as if he were seeing himself standing before the Prince of Han. No, he had never seen the Prince of Han. Jia Chuan said impatiently, "If you're going to take it, do it now!"

The constable ignored him, tied up the bundle and was about to carry it on his back when Jia Chuan hurriedly reached out to stop him. Another constable came up and stopped Jia Chuan. Old Zheng immediately rushed forward, but the constable was strong and Old Zheng was no match for him. The constable did not dare to touch Jia Chuan, but he would not be lenient with Old Zheng.
Just as Old Zheng was about to be pushed down by the constable, Jia Chuan pulled the staggering Old Zheng back two steps. Old Zheng fell into Jia Chuan's arms. Just as the constable was about to say something fierce, he was suddenly lifted into the air and then thrown outside.

The man carrying the bundle was about to put it on his back when he saw what was happening before him. While he was still stunned, the bundle was snatched away by the man who had just rushed in and thrown people, and then he was also thrown into the air.

Old Zheng stood up straight, rubbed his eyes, and then choked out, "Why did it take you so long to get here?!"

Gao Yuntian turned his head and looked Jia Chuan up and down, and said in confusion, "I could have imagined that you would have to suffer some hardships, but I didn't expect you to suffer losses."

Jia Chuan smiled wryly, glanced at Chen Mo at the door, and asked, "Those disciples were arrested? I'm out of danger?"

Gao Yuntian asked, puzzled, "Why didn't you ask me?"

I'm afraid you won't be able to explain it clearly.

Chen Mo had already walked to the table. Without even glancing at the village head, he took the bundle from Gao Yuntian and placed it on the table. As he opened it, he said, "Everything has its counter. There's nothing we can do about it, but the people of the martial world have their own methods. The two old men who left back then have come forward. It's hard to say whether the Prince of Han will use other methods to kill you, but those people won't make a move again. The old ones have all left the manor, and the disciples... You don't want me to touch this bundle because you think there's something wrong with this bag of silver?"

More concerned about his own life than the case, Jia Chuan asked anxiously, "I knew I shouldn't have asked you. Why did you only tell me half the story?"

Gao Yuntian laughed and said, "Disciples can't beat their masters, regardless of whether they have graduated or not. Although they only obey the prince's orders, they can't disobey their master's orders. The Prince of Han can't do anything about his masters. Right now, those disciples are obediently staying in the manor and don't dare to come out. There are people watching them. Besides, the jade craftsman in the manor is still there."

"What about the three who have completed their training with the Prince of Han and the Crown Prince?" Jia Chuan was not concerned with how Zhu Zhanji and his second uncle were fighting wits and courage.

Gao Yuntian said, "Their three masters are all alive and well. If they disobey their masters' orders, their martial arts will be crippled. I heard that for your sake, the two masters who had already left went back to the Prince's mansion. I don't know how they discussed it with the Prince of Han, but the news that came from him is that those disciples will not attack you again."

Chen Mo added, "Then others won't be afraid."

"Can I go back to Beijing now?" Jia Chuan asked excitedly.

Chen Mo said, "We've come to take you back to the capital for the New Year. The Emperor knows that the Prince of Han hasn't given up. If these people don't touch you, the Prince of Han will find another way. We don't know whether he will restore your status after the New Year."

"Why haven't they dealt with the King of Han yet?" Jia Chuan asked, puzzled.

Chen Mo said seriously, "Have you forgotten your mission to Le'an? If the Emperor could make the first move..."

"Yes, why hasn't he rebelled yet?"

"It'll be soon. A couple of days ago, the Prince of Han sent someone to see Duke Zhang Fu of Yingguo under the pretext of delivering festival gifts... Do you know who it is?"

Jia Chuan shook his head.

Chen Mo, with an expression that suggested he had already expected this, said, "Zhang Fu was granted the title of Duke of Yingguo by Emperor Taizong during the Yongle era for his meritorious service in the conquest of Annam. The Central Military Commission is one of the Five Military Commissions, responsible for the Beijing Garrison and the garrisons near the capital... It is currently under his command."

Jia Chuan took a breath.

"Duke Yingguo had some connections with Prince Han during the Jingnan Rebellion, and it seems he even held some official position in the Prince's palace. At this time, Prince Han had nowhere else to go, so he sent someone to find Duke Yingguo. Duke Yingguo was very hospitable and offered him a meal. After hearing his purpose, he had him tied up and thrown into prison. What a pity for that feast."

Jia Chuan nodded knowingly; he also felt that things had come to this point, and it was time to hurry.

Gao Yuntian said, "Once the Prince of Han rebels, those disciples will be doomed. The Emperor feels it's unfair to let such a meritorious official like you spend the New Year in this wretched place, so he ordered the two of us to come and fetch you. Are you going to return to the capital with us now, or..."

"This murder case can't be solved without me. How about you wait a day?" Jia Chuan's mood brightened, skipping the clouds.

Chen Mo pointed to the bundle on the table and asked, "What's wrong with this thing?"

Jia Chuan said, "These things on the table were all placed there intentionally. Weigh that money bag and estimate how much it weighs."

Chen Mo hesitated for a moment, and Gao Yuntian also hesitated. They both said, "It's hard to say, maybe twenty or thirty taels."

Jia Chuan turned to the village chief, who had been standing there in a daze for a long time, and asked, "Who told the village chief that there are more than twenty taels of silver here?"

The village chief looked left and right before realizing that the house was small and the villagers who had come with him were all standing in the courtyard. He subconsciously looked into the courtyard.

Jia Chuan walked out of the house and looked at the four people in the courtyard, asking, "How did you know that the money bag contained more than twenty taels of silver?"

One person looked around, then bravely stepped forward and said, "I, I've looked."

"Tie him up!" Jia Chuan roared, and the village chief next to him immediately sat down on the ground.

Of the three constables who followed, two were still reeling from being thrown to the ground by Gao Yuntian, while the other stood dumbfounded to the side. He had been standing there ever since the two Imperial Guards rushed into the room, not even thinking to help his colleagues, which showed that his mind was unusually blank. Naturally, he hadn't heard Jia Chuan's words until Gao Yuntian looked at him and their eyes met, at which point he heard Gao Yuntian ask, "I told you to tie this man up, do you expect me to do it myself?"

The constable then realized what was happening.

Chen Mo asked Jia Chuan, "Did he lie?"

“You people often handle silver and can say it’s about twenty or thirty taels, but he knows it’s more than twenty taels. I’m not underestimating farmers, but it’s the truth. Let alone cash, even banknotes, when has he ever seen so much silver in his life?”

Gao Yuntian immediately understood. He couldn't help but step forward and pull up the villager who had collapsed to the ground and was being tied up by the constables. He asked fiercely, "Did you kill him?"

"No, no!" The man shook his head vigorously. "Village chief, please save me!"

The village chief sat down and slammed his fist on the ground, then knelt down in the same spot, saying sorrowfully, "It's my fault for being greedy! But we really didn't kill anyone. When we arrived, the temple was empty. We found the bundle, opened it, and saw so much silver. I was just thinking that the New Year was coming soon..."

"Why report it to the authorities? You know it's pointless anyway," Jia Chuan asked.

(End of this chapter)