Chapter 151: The Grand Wedding, The Abbot Gets Dumped

Inside the Prince Jing Manor's hall, lavishly decorated with brilliant crimson everywhere, only two figures were present, one seated and one standing: Guan Shiyin and Guan Yue.

Guan Yue cast a stealthy glance at Guan Shiyin, whose face was as dark as his clothes were red. "Well, My Lord, everyone who rushed over to celebrate the grand wedding today has already been sent away by Guan Yue."

"Ah."

"As for the Emperor and Young Master Mu, who didn't come, I originally intended to follow your instructions and send a letter telling them not to bother. But just a moment ago, wedding gifts from both the Emperor and Young Master Mu arrived—one brocade quilt and one hand warmer... Guan Yue thinks sending that letter is no longer necessary."

*Crack.* One of the armrests beneath Guan Shiyin's grip snapped in half.

Guan Yue nervously pursed her lips. After a moment of thought, upholding the noble principle of putting her master's well-being above all else, she bravely spoke up: "My Lord, today happens to be the very first day the Fahua Temple reopens its gates and officially welcomes the public to offer incense as a royal temple. When you originally set today as the wedding date, the Old Master reminded you to try and avoid this clash. Who would have thought you insisted on..."

*Crack.* The other armrest of Guan Shiyin's chair snapped as well.

Guan Yue immediately turned toward the door and shouted, "Steward, change the chair! And bring the Yaonan rosewood one from the storeroom!" The price was a bit steep, but to keep her master from bottling up his anger and harming his health, smash away if he wanted to. The Guan family had nothing if not money; they weren't afraid!

Having shouted, Guan Yue turned back to Guan Shiyin. "My Lord, Guan Yue has more news to report. Do you think you should move to a new chair first?" This chair no longer had any armrests. If she finished speaking and her master grew emotionally agitated with nothing at hand to grab, would he end up taking it out on the person closest to him?

Guan Shiyin was practically half-carried by Guan Yue as he was moved to a chair on the other side.

Guan Yue wiped away a sweat. Good thing her master didn't resist.

Guan Shiyin was in no mood to deal with her right now. "Spit it out. What else is there?"

"Didn't you send Banxia to continue protecting the Young Miss in secret..."

*Creak.* This time the armrest didn't break, but it emitted the struggling groan of wood fibers on the verge of snapping completely.

Guan Yue prudently changed her tune on the spot. "Ah, I mean the Madam, the Madam!" Glancing sideways at the still-intact armrest, Guan Yue continued, "When he came back last night to fetch a change of clothes, he said he ran into Young Master Mu on the way down the mountain."

Guan Shiyin shot her a sidelong, sullen look. Wasn't that Hibiscus Fool the one who went for a midnight tryst with Zhu Xishi? Was she deliberately speaking out to mock him—someone whose grand wedding had no one to greet him and who had been stood up?

"This is how Banxia described it," Guan Yue cleared her throat and imitated Banxia's voice: "Haggard in appearance, emaciated in frame, absent-minded, and utterly bereft."

*Crack.* The armrest didn't need to struggle with its fibers anymore; this time it broke completely.

Guan Shiyin, who had suddenly switched from gloomy to clear skies in a loss of emotional control, snapped, "What? Is that Hibiscus Fool about to experience heartbreak? Steward, steward! Quickly send back that little hand warmer the fool sent! Oh wait, add another one—no, send back ten! Hahaha, let's see who really needs warmth!"

There was nothing more comforting than knowing someone else was having a worse time. Guan Shiyin slapped the table repeatedly in excitement, and *crack*, the armrests on the other side broke too.

Guan Yue called out to the steward, who had just arrived to replace the chair, "Take another new one from the storeroom to replace this, and make sure it's rosewood."

Having said that, she gestured for her master to change seats once more, but Guan Shiyin sprang to his feet at that instant. "Guan Yue, let's go! Come with me to deliver a wedding gift!"

Guan Yue followed him. "To Young Master Mu?"

"I couldn't care less if he lives or dies!" Guan Shiyin walked toward the door with his hands behind his back. "Bring a basket of radishes; we're going to deliver a gift to the newly reopened Fahua Temple!"

The person was already his, yet who knew what that little bald monk was being so squeamish about! What was wrong with Guan Shiyin marrying her in his identity as a different-surnamed Prince? Wasn't it just because she was unwilling to give up Fahua Temple and return to secular life to marry him? Hadn't he already said he would continue supporting her in running her monk enterprise? Why on earth would she abandon their grand wedding—where he waited for her to complete the wedding bows—just for her monk enterprise?

She better have a good excuse prepared! Otherwise, let's see how he would punish her!

Guan Shiyin patted the copy of *Eighteen Lecherous Melodies* he had clutched inside his robe all night. *Humph*, Mother Mu's gift had finally found a chance to be put to use.

***

Guan Shiyin's strides were hurried, and full of pent-up anger.

Meanwhile, at Fahua Temple.

Built anew upon the original site of the Qitian Taoist Temple, the newly constructed Fahua Temple was larger than the old Taoist temple and the former Fahua Temple combined. The main hall was more solemn, the Buddha statues more resplendent, and the people coming to offer incense were countless.

Unfortunately, everyone's focus wasn't on offering incense and praying for blessings, but rather—

"I heard that the abbot here is the very same person who snatched Eldest Miss Guan's embroidered ball three months ago."

"Yeah, he's the one who led the monks out for morning devotions right after the temple opened this morning. I saw it! Oh my, he was the picture of haggard features, an emaciated frame, a dazed expression, and utter desolation."

"You don't say?"

"Haven't you heard? Eldest Miss Guan married into Prince Jing's Manor today!"

"It's over. The abbot got dumped."

"You bet! Back then, Eldest Miss Guan was desperate to marry him, but he put on airs and refused to return to secular life, even going so far as to travel far away to avoid this romantic tribulation. Well, now he's avoided it completely! He must be throwing himself into making Fahua Temple prosper just to cope with his unhealed heartache."

"Oh, the poor little bald monk! Once we finish doing our business here, let's go find him and offer some comfort."

"Right on! You didn't see that frail, pitiful look he had this morning. May the Buddha be merciful, this brother of yours will definitely give him some thorough comfort. Ah, I'm out of toilet paper over here. Do you have any? Throw a sheet across the wall to me."

"Oh, right... Wait, no, I'm out of toilet paper over here too!"

"What? What do we do now? These little monks are something else—why keep the outhouse this clean? They didn't even leave a single leaf or a clump of dirt. Are we supposed to..."

"Amitabha," rang a clear, loud chant from outside the door at that moment.

The eyes of the two men inside the outhouse lit up simultaneously, and they pushed open the outhouse doors in unison. "Little monk, come here!"

Jie Rou approached holding a tray and replied to the two of them, "What brings you two donors here?"

The two men could only see the large paper ingots on his tray. "Quick, give me the ingot!"

"No," Jie Rou took a step back. "This was given as a gift only after a certain donor in the front hall made a donation of incense money..."

"I'll donate incense money too!" the two shouted in unison once more.

Jie Rou looked troubled. "This..."

"Here's your money!" Both of them tossed out silver at the same time.

Jie Rou caught them with his tray. "But there's only one ingot?"

"Give it to me!"

"Give it to me!"

"I... I don't know who to listen to, so I guess I'll just leave it right in the middle."

Jie Rou placed the paper ingot squarely between the two outhouse doors and bolted away in a flash.

Just as he rounded the corner, he predictably heard the sound of the outhouse collapsing behind him.

Jie Rou weighed the two pieces of silver in his hand. "Hmph, talking behind my abbot's back—you're asking for shit!"

"Little Jie Rou," Guan Shiyin appeared with a smile. "What's got you so happy?"

Jie Rou beamed and lunged forward. "Give me blood tofu to eat, and I'll tell you where the abbot is right now!"

"Deal!" Guan Shiyin offered the blood tofu; he had been well-prepared.

As soon as the food box opened and the aroma drifted out, Jie Rou sold out Fang Rulai without a moment's hesitation. "Zhu Sister's place in the back mountains."

In the backyard of Zhu Xishi's small residence.

Zhu Xishi was busy butchering a pig, while Fang Rulai was busy eating braised pork.

The two occasionally conversed.

"I heard you persuaded Mu Zhijin to accept some arrangement by Second Madam Yan, making him take the granddaughter of the Prime Minister as his primary wife?"

Zhu Xishi grunted in response, slicing off a pig's trotters with a single cleaver stroke.

"Did you kill too many pigs and end up getting chopped yourself? Did it injure your brain?"

Zhu Xishi brought the cleaver down once more, severing another pig's trotters.

"You've survived life-and-death trials, and now that someone is willingly marrying you as his wife, you're the one starting to act coy? Choosing the fate of a concubine yet worrying about the affairs of a primary wife? How come I never knew you possessed such a Virgin Mary complex?"

Zhu Xishi stopped her movement of cutting the third trotter.

Fang Rulai beckoned to her. "Alright, stop looking so mournful. Your man isn't here; who are you putting on that heartbroken look for? Come over here and help me eat braised pork, and by the way, let's talk about your sudden Madonna-like epiphany in life."

Instead, Zhu Xishi put down her cleaver and walked toward the house.

Thinking she was fleeing the battle once again, Fang Rulai called out, "Hey, Widow Zhu!"

Zhu Xishi waved her hand with her back turned. "Deal with your own man first before you start worrying about someone else's man."

Huh? Fang Rulai turned her head, only to realize that Guan Shiyin was walking in through the back gate.

He entered without even looking at her, calling out to Guan Yue instead, "Go on, present my wedding gift to the abbot!"

Guan Yue acknowledged the command and stepped out from behind the door, carrying a large bamboo basket with both hands.

She carried it right in front of Fang Rulai, who lowered her head to look inside. Radishes!