FMT 52

Chapter 52 The Ruined Temple

At that inn, Liandan ate a hot meal and took a hot bath. The innkeeper’s young daughter even came to put medicine on his hands and feet.

Liandan slept well through the night.

The next morning, Liu Shuqi waited outside Liandan’s door for a long time. After knocking many times with no response, he pushed the door open and went inside. The room was already empty.

Seeing this, he sighed softly and shook his head.

….

Liandan left that town and continued on his way.

Since he had already been discovered, he no longer bothered to hide. He simply walked along the main road.

The main road was much easier than the mountain paths, and his pace became much faster.

Near noon, Liandan stopped at a tea stall to rest. He asked for a bowl of hot tea and ate his dry rations with it until he was full.

In the afternoon, the sky grew darker. Liandan’s feet must have swollen, his shoes were tight and bulging. He was anxious to find a place to avoid the rain, but he could not walk fast.

At first, raindrops only fell with a pattering sound from the rolling black clouds. Then thunder rumbled loudly in the distance.

Liandan looked around. The wide road was bare, with no place at all to shelter from the rain.

He gritted his teeth, pulled his clothes tighter, and prepared to endure it.

Just then, he heard hoofbeats not far away. A carriage soon came up, the driver pulled the reins with a “hyah” and stopped beside him.

Liandan looked up and saw Bai Wushuang on the carriage, smiling at him. He lifted the curtain, revealing Liang Yun and his young daughter’s face.

The little girl said in a childish voice, “Uncle, it’s raining, get in quickly.”

Liandan hesitated. Bai Wushuang said helplessly, “I won’t persuade you to go back. I’ll only take you to the nearest village to avoid the rain.”

Liandan got in the carriage. The curtain fell. Liang Yun hurried to wipe his head and face with a dry cloth.

Liandan lowered his head silently without speaking.

Liang Yun leaned close and asked, “What’s wrong?”

On Liandan’s face, it was unclear if it was rain or tears. “I thought I could manage on my own, but in the end I only troubled you.”

Hearing this, Liang Yun’s gaze softened. He held his hand and said, “The nearest village is only two li away. Even if Wushuang and I hadn’t come, you could have endured and reached it. It’s only that we were worried. He… even more couldn’t stop worrying about you.”

Who “he” was, was obvious.

Liandan raised his head and looked at Liang Yun. Only then did Liang Yun realize that this weak young man, belly swollen, who had struggled on the road for two days, had not cried.

“Thank you,” Liandan said.

Liang Yun shook his head and said softly, “Shuangruo has gone back to the house. She took Xiaodan. They are fine. Don’t worry.”

Liandan nodded.

The carriage clattered on for a while, then stopped.

Liang Yun looked outside and said, “The rain stopped. Get down, eat something, and change your clothes.”

Liandan stayed still. Liang Yun looked at him and smiled. “He asked us to persuade you to go back, but Wushuang and I intend to disobey him.”

“Liandan,” Liang Yun looked at him seriously, “he will come around.”

Only then did Liandan rise and step out of the carriage.

They stayed the night in the village. The next day, Bai Wushuang and his family waved to Liandan. Liandan bent down, bowed, thanked them, and set off again.

There was still more than a day’s journey to the ferry. After resting one night, Liandan’s condition improved a lot. His feet were no longer swollen, and he walked faster.

At noon, he sat at a wonton stall. As soon as he sat, someone sat down across from him.

Liandan was startled. He looked up and saw the man smiling at him. It was the same man he had seen at the house during New Year, the one who had wanted to drink with him.

This man greeted him, then went to the stall owner and briskly ordered two bowls of wontons, several flatbreads, and two side dishes.

He brought them back and said to Liandan, “Come, eat while it’s hot.”

The two ate together. Liandan had little chance to speak, because the man talked nonstop while eating. First he told how his eastern neighbor lost twenty taels of silver and how it was found. Then he told how his western neighbor’s new wife was so capable that she kept her husband completely under control, scolding and guiding him every day.

After they finished eating, the man bought several meat-filled flatbreads for Liandan, wrapped them in oiled paper, and told him to take them on the road.

When it came time to part, Liandan could not hold back and asked, “Did you come just to eat with me?”

The man slapped his forehead. “Right, I forgot the main thing.”

“What?” Liandan asked.

The man said, “Go back. The road is hard. Don’t wear yourself out.”

Liandan shook his head. “I will not go back.”

The man quickly gave up persuasion. “Fine then. Travel safe. Goodbye.”

Liandan his eyes widened, he moved his lips to say something but stopped. In the end, he only said, “Goodbye,” waved, and left.

When he had gone some distance, he looked back. The man was still smiling, waving at him and calling, “Be careful on the road. If you see him, give him my regards!”

Liandan kept heading toward the ferry. Near nightfall, another man appeared.

Liandan also remembered this one. He had spoken little the last time they met, and because he had knocked all the fruit off the trees, he had paid five taels of silver in compensation.

Those five taels of silver were now in Liandan’s bundle. He had already spent one.

When this man saw Liandan, he said nothing. He arranged a lodging place for him with the innkeeper, ordered hot food to be sent up, and then did not appear again.

The next morning, when Liandan went out, he saw him already waiting outside.

When he came out, the man handed him a bag of things, bent down, and saluted. “Do you want to go back?”

Liandan shook his head. “I don’t want to.”

The man looked at him, hesitated a little, then quickly spoke, “There is no boat going west today. Only tomorrow. Beside the ferry, there is a ruined abandoned temple. You can stay there for the night.”

Liandan nodded, bent his knees, returned the salute, and the man said farewell and left.

That inn was not far from the ferry. Liandan walked for more than an hour before he found it.

When he asked at the ferry, sure enough, there was no boat leaving that day.

Liandan ate at a tea stall nearby. After finishing his flatbread and braised meat, he opened the small bundle he had just received. A fruity fragrance spread out. Liandan picked a pear, sweet and juicy. After eating it, his dry throat felt much better.

After finishing, Liandan asked about the next day’s boat schedule, then went to look for the ruined temple.

The temple was not far from the ferry. When Liandan entered, he saw it was not as dilapidated as he imagined. There was no incense, and the statue was covered with dust and cobwebs, but there were ashes of old fires on the ground and clear signs of the place being tidied. It was obvious people often stayed there for the night.

Along the way, he had seen no inns to stay in. Travelers waiting for the boat had no choice but to stay here like him.

Thinking of this, Liandan became afraid. He had arrived early, so the place was empty. By night, others might come.

He tidied the place a little, chose a corner, opened his bundle, and laid a cloth on the floor.

Before resting, he took out the short dagger Liu Shuqi had given him earlier. He recalled the moves Shuangruo had taught him and practiced for a while. When he grew tired, he stopped, hid the dagger in his sleeve so he could draw it at any time.

After preparing, Liandan sat on the cloth, stared at the temple entrance, and rested on guard.

Until it was nearly dark, no one else came.

Liandan grew bolder. He went out to gather firewood, lit a fire, and roasted the meat cakes he had brought. He had just eaten when the fire was still burning, and in the moonlight outside the open temple doors, a figure appeared on the distant path.

Liandan’s heart jumped. He stood, holding the dagger inside his sleeve.

The footsteps grew closer and stopped outside the temple gate.

Liandan’s heart pounded. He stared hard outside.

“You cannot change anything, Liandan,” the figure spoke. “Go back. Take care of your pregnancy. Shuangruo and Xiaodan are waiting for you at home.”

Liandan frowned and recognized him. He was one of the senior brothers from the house.

“I don’t want to change anything,” Liandan said. “I only want to stay with him. If he does not want me to see him in a bad state, I can keep my eyes covered forever.”

The man sighed. “Even if he finds Feng Xingzhou and survives the poison, what do you plan to do then?”

Liandan’s lips moved but he had not answered when the man went on, “In those years, the sect leader had many loyal subordinates. Some escaped. They may even now be lurking, waiting for revenge. He will never escape from conflicts of the martial world. You and the children by his side will be dragged in. Even if you don’t care for yourself, you should think of Xiaodan and the child in your belly.”

“To spend one night in this ruined temple is already difficult for you. If you stay by him, he may not always be there to protect you. What will you do then?”

The fire was nearly out, charred branches crackled, sparks popped.

Firelight flickered on Liandan’s face. Days of rushing had left his lips dry and peeling, his complexion poor, and his hair messy. But his eyes were bright.

“I will learn to protect myself. I will not trouble him. If one day what you say comes true, that is my choice. I will not regret it.”

Liandan placed a hand on his belly. “As for the children, they are his children. This tie is fated. Even if I take them away, who can guarantee those people will not find us? Who can guarantee we will be safe?”

At those words, the man outside fell silent.

After a while, he saluted Liandan. Liandan returned the salute, and the man turned to leave.

Liandan bent down to add wood to the fire. When he looked up again toward the temple door, his pupils shrank. He asked, “What do you want to say to me?”

At the door stood a tall figure. At first glance he looked young, but fine lines at his eyes showed he was at least past thirty.

It was Leng Shan, who should have been with Chen Shuangning.

Leng Shan held a torch and stood at the threshold.

“The shopkeeper of Xinglong Treasure Shop sent word. Your sister-in-law gave birth. Your sister and brother-in-law brought gifts to visit. Maybe because your brother-in-law has recently been working as a clerk in a wealthy household, your parents treat them much better now.”

Liandan was unmoved. “What do you want to say?”

Leng Shan’s tone was calm. “If you go back to the village, often bring gifts, they will treat you well too.”

Liandan asked, “Can kindness bought with money be real?”

Leng Shan said, “Maybe kindness bought with money is more reliable than so-called affection.”

Liandan shook his head and said word by word, “I don’t want false affection.”

Leng Shan lowered his gaze in silence. After a while he looked up and asked, “And what of the rules your mother taught you, will you follow them or not?”

Liandan frowned and stayed silent.

Lengshan said, “You were properly married into the Chen family, married to Chen’s son Chen Hanwen. Even if he is dead, he is still your rightful husband. How can you betray the Chen family, how can you betray him?”

Liandan’s face turned pale.

“Have you thought about it? If one day your parents and siblings discover your husband is not Chen Hanwen but an impostor, if even the villages for miles around learn this, how will you face it? Have you thought of the stares, the insults, the scorn, and perhaps even worse consequences?” Leng Shan asked.

Liandan bit his lips until they bled. His eyes reddened, wide open, because if he blinked, tears would fall.

Leng Shan lowered his eyes, unable to bear looking at him.

“If not for Left Protector plotting against him, you would not have been dragged into this suffering. You owe him nothing. It is he who owes you. With your nature, you can raise two children well alone. You can live well alone. Go back.”

Liandan gritted his teeth. Not a single tear fell. He said, “I will not.”

Leng Shan looked at him in surprise. After a long time, he sighed. “Then look, who has come.”

He stepped aside, revealing the figure behind him.

Liandan’s eyes were red. He looked carefully and saw a young man in a green robe standing there. He was not especially handsome but delicate, his hair neatly tied in a scholar’s knot at the back, his bearing gentle and cultured. At a glance he was a scholar.

Liandan knew his face very well. He had seen it many times in the portrait treasured by Old Madam Chen.

“Shuangning…?” In Liandan’s eyes was both joy and doubt.

The figure stepped across the threshold into the temple. Firelight lit his face.

Liandan took two steps forward, then suddenly froze. His face changed. “You are not Chen Shuangning!”

The man smiled gently, his voice soft. “Liandan, don’t you recognize me? I am your husband, Chen Hanwen.”