The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Insisting on Helping

Huangfu Jingchen said calmly, ”What secret do I have?”

Sang Xuewei approached and said triumphantly, ”Huang Zheng, you came to Shian Temple not to offer incense, but with a purpose, didn’t you?”

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at her.

The woman before him was beautiful, with a touch of smugness on her face, like someone who held a small secret and wanted to use it against someone. However, all her thoughts were visible on her face.

He said, ”I don’t understand what you’re talking about!”

Seeing he was about to leave, Sang Xuewei quickly said, ”Don’t go!” She hastened her steps and spoke rapidly, ”I know you’re investigating the disappearance of young girls in other villages, and you suspect there’s something wrong with Shian Temple, right?”

Huangfu Jingchen halted, his eyes suddenly sharp. The investigation he was conducting had not yet yielded any clues. If Sang Xuewei spread the word and there actually was a problem at Shian Temple, they would alert the enemy.

Seeing his expression change, Sang Xuewei hurriedly said, ”Don’t worry, I won’t spread the word. But I have one condition!”

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at her but said nothing.

Sang Xuewei took it as agreement, puffed out her chest, and her clothes stretched, revealing her physical advantages, though she seemed unaware, ”The condition is simple; take me with you!”

Huangfu Jingchen averted his gaze and said, ”First, my affairs are none of your business; second, I’m not familiar with you!”

With that, he no longer looked at Sang Xuewei and turned to leave.

Watching him pass by with his elegant and imposing back, Sang Xuewei showed a hint of a smile. Previously, she only thought he was good-looking, but now she found his indifferent demeanor truly charming, making it impossible to look away.

Such a pity, why would a man like him prefer men?

But even if he likes men, what of it? He just doesn’t understand the appeal of women.

She would make him see reason and bring him back to normal.

She called out, ”I will help you!”

She had persuaded her father for a long time before he agreed to let her venture out into the Jianghu. She was ecstatic about this. Ever since she was young, she’d dreamed of being a chivalrous heroine.

Back at the Yuqing County Governor Mansion, she had hoped to find evidence and make a name for herself. However, she found nothing, and trying to seize it from Huangfu Jingchen felt beyond her capability. Without the experts from the Xianglong Sword Sect at her side, she backed down but left dissatisfied, stirring things up to make her exit, which landed Huangfu Jingchen in an ambush.

Were it not for Huangfu Jingchen’s excellent skills, he would have perished then.

However, that was never Sang Xuewei’s intention, and she had already left by then, unaware of what happened afterwards, allowing her to defend herself confidently when questioned by Huangfu Jingchen.

This time she’s full of confidence because she had already sent a message to the Xianglong Sword Sect, and they would arrive at Shian Temple in a few days to take her orders.

Huangfu Jingchen said without turning back, ”Not necessary!”

After Huangfu Jingchen disappeared from sight, Sang Xuewei, being ignored, stamped her feet, then became delighted again, ”You don’t want my help, but I will help anyway! You are mine, and don’t think of escaping!”

Xia Wenjin’s investigation was mainly casual, like an incense guest curious about everything in the temple. Whenever she caught a monk, she’d engage in conversation, though the topics were fairly scattered.

Huangfu Jingchen’s investigation was primarily overt; he clearly aimed for places he hadn’t visited previously. Even if it was broad daylight and one tried to hide, if there was truly something amiss, there would still be traces.

Kong Chan kept it simple; he directly roamed from courtyard to courtyard. But his wandering was different from Xia Wenjin’s; he did so under the clear pretense of inspection.

The three of them acted separately, methodically.

Sang Xuewei didn’t know what Huangfu Jingchen was investigating, but she thought following him couldn’t be wrong.

Unfortunately, before she could catch up with Huangfu Jingchen, she was stopped by the monks.

Some areas were off-limits to female incense guests.

Sang Xuewei was furious and stamped her feet, but rules were rules in the temple, and there was nothing she could do.

Finally, her eyes twinkled with an idea; she decided to avoid the monks’ sight and follow secretly.

However, as Huangfu Jingchen’s skills were not inferior to hers, and given his sharp mind, she lost track soon after following him.

Standing on a rooftop, looking down at the endless buildings, she guessed that Huangfu Jingchen had entered one of them, but she couldn’t search each one, so she returned, disappointed.

By then, the Xianglong Sword Sect leader, concerned about her safety, had sent four individuals to protect her.

Sang Xuewei still didn’t know what Huangfu Jingchen was investigating, but deduced from the incident in Yuqing County, where the governor was convicted following his discovery of the account book, she figured Shian Temple was also suspicious. She instructed the four, ”Investigate for me, and report anything that seems problematic. Remember, do it secretly, and don’t alert the enemy!”

The four agreed and left.

Sang Xuewei thought proudly, even if you don’t tell me, I have my ways of finding out. You want to shake me off? Not a chance.

With her people investigating, Sang Xuewei felt a bit bored, so she decided to wander around as well.

She overheard someone speaking by a meditation room and turned to see it was a friend of Huang Zheng. Her eyes brightened, and she went over.

Xia Wenjin was chatting with a monk about the temple’s effectiveness in granting prayers for children. The monk looked somewhat proud, telling her that Shian Temple used to be an obscure mountain retreat. The number of monks was few, just over twenty, and its area was small, apart from the Great Hero Hall and two side halls, only a few simple meditation rooms for the monks.

But five years ago, Master Mingqing came down the mountain to solicit donations and raised enough silver to refurbish the temple and expand some buildings. At the same time, a wealthy man’s wife, despite their wealth, had been childless for ten years with no heir apparent. The man had taken two concubines but still received no happy news, which made them quite anxious. The wife vowed to personally visit all the Buddhist temples within the county in two years, pleading with the Bodhisattva to grant them a child.

When they visited Shian Temple, it was their seventh stop.

Master Mingqing personally received the couple, directing the wife to kneel before the Buddha and suggesting she chant scriptures in the temple for one day and night, earnestly petitioning the Buddha, assured to have results.

The wealthy man’s wife complied and stayed in an arranged meditation room.

The next day, the couple left. The matter quickly passed, as in the past, many had come to pray for wishes purely for peace of mind.

Unexpectedly, two months later, the wealthy man returned with his family to fulfill his vow, leaving five hundred silver taels as incense money. Turns out, after the wife returned, she became listless and could not muster the energy. The man, thinking she was exhausted from traveling, brought in a doctor, who diagnosed pregnancy.

The man was overjoyed, and immediately returned with a generous offering!