Top Scholar

Chapter 525 The Famous Detective Tang Yin (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Su Lu lowered his voice again and said, "Also, do you know what it's called for the two weeks after your period ends?"

"What's your name?" Su Man asked.

"The fertile period!" Su Lu sneered, "This is the time of year when a woman is most likely to get pregnant. He deliberately had a woman stay at the temple at this time. It would be strange if he didn't have ulterior motives!"

"I see," Su Man said in surprise, "You read such a wide variety of books."

~~
After returning to the city and sending his family home, Su Lu didn't even have time for dinner before heading straight to Shi Fuma Hutong.

The Wang family mansion is much more lively now.

Not only was Zhu Zhishan there, but Tang Bohu was also there, along with a scholar with a refined appearance and gentle eyes.

"Haha, Bohu, I knew the top scholar wouldn't forget you, right?!" Zhu Zhishan betrayed Tang Bohu right off the bat.

"What are you worrying about? You're acting like a woman."

"Say less, no one will think you're mute." Tang Bohu glared at him fiercely, then awkwardly bowed to Su Lu. "Top scholar, we meet again."

"Haha, Brother Bohu, there were too many people that day, and I didn't have time to explain in detail to you. That's why I came here today specifically to see you." Su Lu naturally had to be considerate of Tang Jieyuan's fragile and sensitive feelings, and then smiled at the refined scholar, "May I ask this gentleman's esteemed name?"

"I am Wenbi, courtesy name Zhengming, paying my respects to the top scholar," the scholar said, bowing respectfully.

"Oh my, it's such an honor to meet three of the Four Talented Scholars of Wuzhong!" Su Lu said with a heartfelt smile.

“Actually, Xu Zhenqing is also in the capital, but he is not free to work at the Imperial Academy,” Zhu Zhishan said with a smile.

"Come and eat after you've finished exchanging pleasantries," Wang Ao said with a smile, inviting everyone to join him. Having several talented younger fellow villagers with him improved his mood considerably. He then asked Su Lu, "Has Hongzhi eaten?"

"I haven't eaten yet, teacher," Su Lu said with a smile. "I'm here to freeload a meal right on time."

"Haha, look, he's finally willing to come over now that you're here," Wang Ao said happily. "He ate at my place once before, and then he never came back again."

"Isn't this because we're afraid the teacher will kill another sheep?" Su Lu said jokingly as he took the rice bowl.

"Dream on!" Wang Ao laughed loudly, "They came a few days ago and ruined another one for me. I plan to raise the last one until the New Year."

The five of them then ate and chatted happily together. Su Lu learned that not only Zhu Zhishan and Tang Bohu, but even Wen Zhengming had studied under Wang Ao.

"I'm ashamed to say that I didn't even pass the provincial examination," Wen Zhengming said embarrassedly. "I shouldn't embarrass you, sir."

"So what? None of my four sons are cut out for the imperial examinations." Wang Ao laughed indifferently, "Heaven has bestowed upon you exceptional talent, it's just not in the exams."

"Alas, it's a pity that people only judge heroes by their performance in the imperial examinations," Wen Zhengming sighed.

“Yes, otherwise my son has already taken the imperial examination, what am I supposed to take?” Zhu Zhishan said with a wry smile, “Among us so-called talented scholars, only Bohu could pass the examination with ease, but then he pulled that stunt.”

"..." Tang Bohu knew they were deliberately steer the conversation towards him, hoping Su Lu would help him. But he was a man of principle, and disliked asking for favors above all else, so he changed the subject:
"Did Scholar Su go to the Western Hills to worship Buddha today?"

"Why did Tang Jieyuan say that?" Su Lu asked in surprise.

Everyone watched Tang Bohu with great interest, and then he pointed to Su Lu's neck and behind his ear, explaining casually:

"Because your neck is red from the sun, but the front of your neck is still fair, these are clearly marks from climbing the mountain under the sun."

As he spoke, he lifted Su Lu's right sleeve and said, "There's incense ash here. It seems to be an ancient temple on West Mountain where you can both climb mountains and burn incense."

"Is that how it is?" Zhu Zhishan asked, blinking his big eyes.

"Amazing!" Su Lu exclaimed. "I did go to Baolian Temple in Xishan and burned incense."

"..." Tang Bohu smiled reservedly. But then Su Lu laughed and said, "However, the incense ash on my sleeve is not from burning incense, but from when I was stealing incense."

"Huh?" Zhu Zhishan was startled. "Scholar, you can't be a flower thief. You have a bright future ahead of you."

“I really meant the stolen incense.” Su Lu said, taking out the remaining incense from his sleeve and saying to Tang Bohu, “Brother Bohu, please help me determine the origin of this incense.”

"How do you know I know these things?" Tang Bohu asked back.

“In my heart, Brother Bohu is omniscient,” Su Lu said with an air of seriousness.

"..." Tang Bohu didn't believe his nonsense at all.

“Okay, didn’t I already say I grew up listening to your stories?” Su Lu said with a smile.

“I remember a story that once you visited Brother Zhishan’s house and found his son sick. You asked, ‘What illness does my nephew have?’” “Brother Zhishan replied with a worried look, ‘Three days ago, the child’s abdomen was swollen like a drum, and he had difficulty urinating. We have consulted several doctors and he has taken several doses of medicine, but it has not been effective. I wonder if Brother Bohu has any wonderful remedy?’”

“You then wrote a poem: ‘A five- or six-story pagoda with a round top, a monk walks slowly as he goes out; a round fan half-covers his face, he closes the door when he hears someone coming.’ After writing it, you added: ‘Select three large pieces of this, mash them together with a scallion into a paste, add a little salt, and apply it to your nephew’s navel. He will be cured in less than a day.’”

"Yes, yes, yes." Zhu Zhishan then remembered. "I was complaining to him at the time, that Tang Bohu, he just couldn't speak properly. Even at a time like this, he still couldn't resist showing off his knowledge."

"What kind of showing off is this?" Tang Bohu spread his hands. "I couldn't have made it clearer."

"That's because I was too stupid. It took me a while to realize it was snails. I had the servants buy some and prepared it according to the recipe. Sure enough, within a day, the child's urination was normal and his abdominal distension had completely disappeared." Zhu Zhishan said to Su Lu with a smile:
"Brother, you truly are a devoted follower of Brother Bohu; you even know that he is an expert in traditional Chinese medicine."

“That’s right.” Su Lu smiled smugly.

"..." Tang Bohu glanced at Zhu Zhishan, assuming that this big mouth had told Su Lu about this matter.

He was about to demonstrate his skills to Su Lu, so he stopped holding back, took the incense stick, examined it carefully by candlelight, even scraping off a bit with his fingernail, grinding it into powder, smelling it, and then looking at Su Lu with a shocked expression:
"You didn't go to a proper temple!"

"What do you mean?" Su Lu was also shocked. Damn... he didn't expect Tang Yin to have a talent for detective work. No wonder he's his idol!

"Because it's a kind of incense that can bewitch you," Tang Bohu said, his voice deepening as he twirled the powder between his fingers.
"It looks like ordinary sandalwood, but it's actually mixed with datura pollen! Datura flowers are potent and contain a strange poison. When it comes into contact with fire, it releases a foul odor. When burned mixed with incense, the smoke curls up. Even if you open the window, if you smell it for too long, you will feel dizzy, then delirious, and your limbs will become weak. You won't wake up for several hours—this is exactly the despicable trick that philanderers often use!"

"Huh? Who uses this kind of incense in a proper Buddhist temple?" Zhu Zhishan exclaimed in disbelief. "Could they be drugging worshippers and then robbing them?"

“Nonsense, what if they wake up?” Wen Zhengming said quietly, “Unless you kill them.”

Su Lu thought to himself, "Good heavens, none of the Four Great Talents are easy to deal with."

“No, there are plenty of ways for Buddhist temples under the emperor’s nose to make money. Why would they use such a troublesome method?” Wang Ao shook his head and asked in a deep voice, “Hongzhi, which temple did you go to?”

“Reporting to the teacher, it’s Baolian Temple.” Su Lu replied in a low voice, “This was brought out from the clean room where female guests stayed overnight in the Zisun Hall.”

"Huh?!" Everyone was surprised upon hearing this. Zhu Zhishan asked, "Is the 'Children's Hall' a place for praying for children?"

Su Lu nodded and then told the four of them the whole story, but omitted the reason for the matter. He only said that he had heard that "if you have no children after marriage, don't worry, you can find a child at Baolian Temple". So he and his elder brother took their families to see it, but they found something strange.

"I immediately came to ask Brother Bohu for advice, and I didn't expect that I would actually guess it correctly..."

After hearing his explanation, Wang Ao said sternly, "So, the monks at Baolian Temple are probably using the name of 'Hall of Offspring' to commit heinous acts! Those women seeking children, staying in the clean room and smelling this incense, what right do they have?!"

“Bohu, this is a very important matter. You must make sure you’re sure you’re dealing with this incense.” Wen Zhengming was mature and prudent, fearing that Bohu might fall into a trap again.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's good!" Tang Bohu said, breaking off half of the incense stick and lighting it on the candlestick. He added confidently, "Smell it carefully later. Besides the sandalwood scent, you'll definitely detect a sweet, cloying aroma."

"Won't we get dizzy?" Zhu Zhishan asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, it's nothing, at most I'll just feel a little dizzy." Tang Bohu said, then added somewhat guiltily, "Of course, everyone's constitution is different."

"Go to hell!" the crowd cursed.

It was too late to hide then. Sure enough, the sandalwood scent was mixed with a sweet, cloying aroma that made one feel dizzy, like they had been drinking alcohol.

Once it was confirmed, everyone quickly retreated to the courtyard... to breathe in the fresh air.

"It's not that exaggerated, is it?" Tang Bohu said helplessly.

"Shut up!" the crowd shouted in unison. Even Wang Ao was caught off guard; this dignified Grand Secretary had almost been knocked out by the bewitching incense...

After cursing Tang Bohu, Wang Ao angrily said, "Tomorrow I will order the Shuntian Prefecture to seal off Baolian Temple and arrest and castrate all those lewd monks!"

"Teacher, don't worry. This case can't be investigated publicly, at least not for this reason." But Su Lu said in a deep voice, "Not for any other reason, but simply because there are too many victims. We can't let them suffer secondary harm."

He paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Besides, there are so many innocent children..."

Everyone agreed wholeheartedly; indeed. If this shocking scandal were made public, how many families would be torn apart, how many women and children would be driven to despair?

“But if we don’t investigate and prosecute this soon, won’t there be even more victims?” Wang Ao said with a dark face.

"Investigate! We must investigate as soon as possible!" Su Lu said decisively. "But we need to use a different reason to arrest those lewd monks first, to stop them from causing trouble!"

P.S.: Posted first, edited later. Please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)