Chapter 44: Heading for the Southern Reaches of the Yangtze River (2/2)
Being familiar with the road, Xie Mengxuan and the abbot came inside, looking out from the eye-sized hole.
In the garden, Gu Yusheng and Uncle Luo were walking casually, looking around and enjoying the scenery.
“It has been a long time; why hasn’t Xie Mengxuan come out yet.”
Gu Yusheng looked around and asked in doubt.
Uncle Luo was not a talker, so he did not answer Gu Yusheng, but Gu didn’t care, then he called and asked the young monk.
“This...” The abbot saw the face of Gu Yusheng from inside. “He was…”
“According to what he said, yes.” Xie Mengxuan nodded and said with not entire certainty.
The abbot looked at the so-called Gu Yusheng with carefulness. “Similar, they look really similar.”
“Yes, he claimed to be Gu Yusheng.” Xie Mengxuan nodded.
The abbot heard the words and raised his eyes. “Em... there are not too many people who know Yusheng; have you confirmed it yet?”
Xie Mengxuan closed the hole. The moment she lowered her head, she did not notice Uncle Luo’s eyes were looking at their position accurately.
After closing the hole, Xie Mengxuan and the abbot walked back, saying that, “Seen from his martial arts, figure, and the person by his side, I can be sure that he is Gu Yusheng, but... I don’t know why I feel a little strange.”
“How do you two meet?” asked the abbot.
Xie Mengxuan thought for a while and said, “At the Zhoujia village under the cliff, where I was thrown into the river, but luckily saved by him. He has got tokens, and other things looked alright, but his appearance seems to be calculated.”
“Any evidence?”
“No, my intuition tells me, so I brought him here to let you have a look.”
The abbot got along quite well with Gu Clan and Xie Clan for a long time. And when Xie Mengxuan was young, every year she and brother Gu would come here to stay for several days.
The abbot carefully compared the man’s face with the boy in his memory; after a moment, he said, “At that time the boy was young, but now decades of years could change everything. Just look at his face, I can’t tell for sure. Whether it is true or not, since you two stay together day and night, flaws shall emerge.”
“However, if this person is an enemy rather than a friend, you’ll be in danger.”
The abbot was really worried. Then Xie Mengxuan smiled and said, “No, he might have other purposes. During this period, he has taken good care of me. So I will go with them to the southern reaches of the Yangtze River. If you see the Majesty’s associate, please tell him to follow me secretly. Thanks a lot!”
“OK, that will be fine.”
With someone secretly accompanying means also a good thing to Xie Mengxuan.
In the course of their conversation, they had already returned to the wing-room, just as the young monk came to ask, Xie Mengxuan answered directly, and then she left for the garden with the abbot.
In the garden, Uncle Luo averted his eyes, acting like nothing happened. And Gu Yusheng’s face looked cool, but actually he was a little nervous. He took a deep breath and when he was about to ask again, he saw the smiling Xie Mengxuan and the abbot together.
Gu Yusheng put on the appearance of a gentleman and came to have a contact, “Greetings to Abbot.”
“Please save formality, this benefactor.” The abbot responded with a slight bow and said: “I will do as you require; you can be rest assured.”
“Sorry for bothering you”. Xie Mengxuan bowed in return and added, “It is getting late; I want to stay here tonight, can I?”
“Of course, all is welcomed.” Saying that, the abbot turned around and told the young monk to arrange for their rooms.
Then Xie Mengxuan followed the young monk heading for her room for a rest. And Gu Yusheng followed subsequently as well. The abbot passed Uncle Luo, and at that moment, both of them lifted their eyes, the expression inside their eyes looked alike, but actually one was with a faint smile, while the other with a little impatience .
After Uncle Luo left, the abbot sighed and whispered, “With him being around her, no need to worry.”