The weak princess is super fierce

Chapter 977 Guan Shidi

After a few casual words, the conversation gradually became more pleasant.

Nianying knew the reason why Meng Shisan and Cui Yu came to see her, and she had explained it too many times, so she didn't think much of it and replied, "As for what bad things have happened, no one has really witnessed them yet, or perhaps they have happened, but the pilgrims who crossed the railing have not given any feedback, so I don't know either."

When Meng Shisan inquired about the origin of the rule, he asked, "When was this rule established?"

“This rule has been in place since the temple was first built,” Nianying replied.

Cui Yu also asked, "I've heard that this temple was built by the founding emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty, the First Emperor. Is that true?"

“It was built by the First Emperor.” The portrait of Li Shize is still well preserved in the Taoist temple. Every month, Nianying goes into the scripture pavilion and personally sweeps the painting with a whisk. “This rule was set by the First Emperor.”

When Li Shize was mentioned, Meng Shisan couldn't help but think of Meng Shisi: "I wonder if there is a portrait of the First Emperor in the temple?"

She wanted to see just how handsome the First Emperor was, that he could make Meng Shisi, a demon, risk her life to bear him a princess.

After a moment's hesitation, Nianying finally nodded.

"May I take a look?" Meng Shisan asked.

Before nodding, Nianying had anticipated that Meng Shisan would make this request, so she did not nod again, but looked at Cui Yu.

Cui Yu, who had been listening quietly, could no longer remain silent: "If it's convenient, please do me this favor, Abbot."

The courtyards of the Sutra Repository and the meditation room where Nianying lived were not in the same place, but rather separated by a considerable distance, located in a secluded corner of the Taoist temple.

Standing in front of a three-story building, Meng Shisan asked in bewilderment, "Why is this scripture pavilion located in such a remote place?"

Cui Yu also had this feeling: "Is there some intention behind this?"

“It has always been like this since the temple was built. It has only been repaired in between, but it has never been moved.” Nianying explained the origin of the Sutra Repository. In the end, she was just one of the successive abbots of the temple, who had lived for more than a hundred years.

She knew what could be passed down, but as for what couldn't be passed down, she was no different from outsiders; she also didn't know the reason.

Meng Shisan smiled: "Perhaps it's related to the First Emperor again?"

While speculating, she looked at Nianying.

Nianying nodded slightly: "What Benefactor Meng said is correct. The interior and exterior of this Taoist temple were indeed painted by the First Emperor himself."

"They were all built under the arrangement of the First Emperor?" Cui Yu could not hide the surprise on his face.

“If it weren’t for the First Emperor, this road would not have been completed.” After saying this, Nian Ying thought of something and added, “The only stone-step mountain path from the foot of the mountain to the top was not allowed to have a second path that could accommodate carriages and horses, which was also the First Emperor’s intention.”

Meng Shisan and Cui Yu exchanged a glance, both wondering what the deeper meaning was behind allowing only one stone staircase to be built for passage.

Clearly, neither of them was Li Shize himself, and they couldn't guess Li Shize's intentions.

Nianying replied, “The Taoist temple is not mentioned at all in the historical records. None of the abbots of the temples throughout the ages know about it, nor do I, a humble Taoist, know about it. As the abbots of the temple, we should just abide by the old rules established by the First Emperor. Even if we do not know the reason, we will not open a second mountain road that can be used by carriages and horses.”

Meng Shisan was somewhat speechless. So far, whether it was Meng Shisi or the male corpse that had been painstakingly discovered to be buried with Meng Shisi, it was like one mystery leading to another, getting bigger and bigger.

With sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, he had a dignified appearance and an imposing presence even without anger.

This was Meng Shisan's first impression upon seeing Li Shize's portrait: a handsome young man who would never be forgotten.

Cui Yu also had a high opinion of Li Shize: "Anyone who can become the founding emperor is no ordinary person."

Possessing both literary and martial talents, and with such a handsome and dashing appearance, he truly deserves to be called the Son of Heaven. The portraits of the First Emperor are extremely precious; currently, only two portraits by Li Shize remain in the Great Wei Dynasty: one in the imperial palace and one in a Taoist temple.

When putting it back and when taking it out, Nianying was very careful.

When they left the Sutra Repository, it was already dusk, and it was not appropriate to disturb them any further, so Meng Shisan and Cui Yu took their leave.

Nianying returned to her meditation room, and the two of them went back to the guest courtyard, chatting for a while on the way.

"Although we haven't found out exactly what bad thing happened, we at least know the origin of it," Cui Yu said, glancing at Meng Shisan who nodded slightly. "Miss Meng seems to be particularly interested in the First Emperor."

Meng Shisan realized that Cui Yu's words were an affirmative statement, and she did not deny it: "Yes, I'm interested."

Cui Yu asked, "You were also interested in official historical records before, was it because of the First Emperor?"

“No.” Meng Shisan shook his head and explained, “I’m looking through official history to find out about Meng Ying’s background.”

Cui Yu was also investigating this: "To my shame, from the day you asked me to investigate until now, I have not been able to find out which Meng clan Meng Ying specifically belongs to."

"How many years back are you going to investigate?" Meng Shisan asked.

"Within a hundred years." Cui Yu felt that this span was large enough.

Meng Shisan, however, said, "Let's investigate a hundred years from now."

Cui Yu asked in confusion, "This..."

"It was Ma Ji who said it, and it's what I found out," Meng Shisan told the truth.

On the way back to the men's quarters, Cui Yu instructed Hu Qiao: "Once we're done and we're down the mountain, immediately have everyone in charge of investigating Meng Ying's background change their focus from within the last hundred years to beyond the last hundred years... and start the investigation again!"

"Yes, sir." Hu Qiao accepted the order.

Back in the women's quarters, following the plan, Meng Shisan first went to bed to rest. After Baozhu had fallen asleep in the outer room, Chang'an secretly cast a small spell on Baozhu to deepen her sleep.

"All done?" Meng Shisan got up from the bed and walked out of the inner room.

Chang'an glanced at Baozhu, who was sleeping soundly on the daybed: "Alright."

Meng Shisan said, "You go out first, and I'll go out after I'm done."

"Okay." Chang'an opened the door and stepped out of the room.

Cui Yu's troops, who were stationed around the Zhishang Taoist Temple to keep watch, were scattered yet organized, with fixed times for personnel changes. Chang'an watched for a while, and then, taking advantage of a gap in the personnel changes, she used a spell to trap everyone in the same barrier, completely isolating them from reality.

Under these circumstances, Meng Shisan could walk out and simply avoid the nuns in the Taoist temple. Even if she walked right past them, she was as if she were invisible, and they could not see her at all.

Only after Meng Shisan left the area of ​​the Straight Up Taoist Temple and headed towards the burial mound, and could no longer see her, did Chang'an remove the barrier.

After things returned to normal, Chang'an did not leave. She stayed in place and kept a close watch on the troops deployed by Cui Yu.

After making sure everything was in order, Chang'an couldn't help but look back towards the direction behind the Taoist temple. She was actually a little worried that her master was going to the burial mound alone to investigate again.

However, her master made it clear that she was not allowed to go with him, so she had no choice but to obey.

She could use a spell to enter the tombstone in front of the burial mound, just like a water snake, by using the protective magic array around it.