freenovelworld Chapter 1946 The Mysterious Abbot
Chapter 1946 The Mysterious Abbot
Under Li Xiangnan's gaze, Yuan Tong finally spoke, his voice lower and more subdued, carrying an almost sighing tone:
“Clay sculpture… When I was young, there was a clay sculptor named Zhang on Qianmen Street outside the temple, whose craftsmanship was superb. His clay figures were incredibly lifelike and he was famous far and wide! The Mu family…”
He raised his head and fixed his gaze on Li Xiangnan's face. "The young masters and ladies of Mu Family Alley often went there to have their games and entertainment when they were young."
His gaze shifted from Li Xiangnan's face to the clay figure in Li Xiangnan's hand, a murky glint in his eyes.
"This clay statue of the female benefactor... there is indeed a resemblance to an old friend in her features! It must be the work of that Master Zhang! But why... it appears beneath a Buddha statue, this old monk... does not know!"
Although he said he didn't know, his tone didn't seem to indicate much surprise; instead, it gave one a sense of destiny.
Moreover, he accurately named Zhang, the clay figurine maker on Qianmen Street, and even revealed that members of the Mu family had once gone there to commission a clay figurine. This in itself provided crucial clues, suggesting that he knew more.
What's even more intriguing is that Abbot Yuantong actually admitted at this moment that the clay statue bore a resemblance to his deceased friend!
This clay figure is Grandma, so it goes without saying who the deceased person he is referring to is!
Li Xiangnan's heart was shaken.
I never expected that Abbot Yuantong would actually know Grandma!
To my utter surprise, right here in Pudu Temple, just across the alley, I ran into an old acquaintance of an elderly woman!
Look at the abbot's age, he's a bit past sixty but not quite seventy, and he's about the same age as my grandmother!
If Abbot Yuantong had been a monk and grew up in Pudu Temple since childhood, and he lived just across the alley from the Mu family, he would indeed have had the geographical space to meet his grandmother!
So... does he know more about the Mu family?
For example, the Mu family fire case that shocked Yanjing back then?
Li Xiangnan suppressed his shock; he knew he absolutely could not reveal his emotions at this moment!
It is still unclear whether Abbot Yuantong is friend or foe, and his stance is also uncertain. For the time being, we must not reveal ourselves!
Especially regarding his own identity, he must not let him know that he is Mu Huanying's grandson yet!
At this moment, Li Xiangnan suppressed his shock and forced himself to calm down.
"Clay Figure Zhang?" He lowered his voice, concealing his emotions, and asked, "Does the abbot know what happened to this Master Zhang afterward? Who did he associate with in the temple back then? And what was his relationship with your temple?"
This is to find out who hid these clay figures under the Buddha statue, and what the purpose of sculpting these clay figures was!
Yuan Tong slowly shook his head and closed his eyes, as if resisting the invasion of some kind of emotion.
"Master Zhang... passed away many years ago! As for his interactions... what deep relationship could a monk have with a craftsman? It's just a matter of karmic connection, something he does occasionally!"
This statement avoids the main point and is essentially not answering anything at all.
Li Xiangnan, however, did not let it go. He picked up the clay figure, turned it over, and revealed the blurry inscription on the base behind it, which was covered by paint.
"Abbot, there seem to be some characters carved on the back of this clay figure that are difficult to decipher. In your opinion, what could these characters be?"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Tong's eyelids twitched slightly, but he did not open them. He simply said in a low voice, "Since it was made by Master Zhang, perhaps it's the year... or the mark of the person who commissioned it?"
"As for the specific characters, how could this old monk, with his mortal eyes and seeing through the painted surface, possibly know?"
"Li Shi mainly wants to know if it's possible to hire skilled craftsmen to clean it up! But some old stories are like words that have been covered up; perhaps they should have been sealed away! Forcibly uncovering them might not be a blessing!"
These words, while admonishing, also revealed that he clearly knew about the words on the back of the clay figure, and might even know what those words were!
He is hinting at the hidden past and the blessings and misfortunes behind it, which is almost an admission that the past behind this clay figure is anything but ordinary!
Li Xiangnan and Guo Qian quickly exchanged glances.
Guo Qian recalled and asked, "Abbot Yuantong, in your opinion, who in your temple is most likely to know about the existence of these clay figures? Or who is most likely to hide them here?"
Yuan Tong finally opened his eyes and glanced at the many monks who were being held back by the police and were still giving their statements. Among them was Yuan Da, who looked uneasy.
His gaze lingered on Yuan Da for a moment before quickly shifting away, and he said calmly, "Benefactor Guo, this old monk is a Buddhist and cannot answer. The monks in the temple are of different character. Some are devoted to Buddhism, while others are still attached to worldly affairs. Whose hands have been stained with dirt, whose heart has harbored secrets—Buddha may know, but this old monk dares not make any pronouncements!"
He reiterated his earlier point about their inconsistent conduct, subtly repeating and deepening the implication, and once again directing his suspicions toward those with worldly desires!
Clearly, Yuanda, with its close ties to the outside world, perfectly fits this description!
However, Li Xiangnan discerned another layer of meaning in Yuan Tong's seemingly cooperative but actually evasive wit.
The old monk seemed to be guiding their attention to obvious suspects like Yuan Da and Yuan Neng, while downplaying the crucial aspects of the Buddha statue's collapse and the discovery of the clay figure—his own role as the first discoverer.
But what if all of this wasn't entirely an accident?
Li Xiangnan recalled Lao Wei's description once again.
The Buddha statue was knocked down by a falling roof beam!
However, he observed the location of the fire in the entire side room and found that the fire was mainly concentrated in the main body of the side room, while the Buddha statue was located near the rear hall.
Given the distance, is it possible that the roof beam happened to fall on this relatively remote Buddha statue?
Moreover, the force was just right to smash the Buddha statue and shake the floor tiles.
As the first person to arrive at the scene, did Yuan Tong have a chance to do something before calling for help?
He still has some doubts.
"Abbot!" Li Xiangnan suddenly asked, "You just said that when you discovered the fire, it was already raging. At that time, did you try to enter this side room? Or the storage room next door, perhaps to try and salvage some important items?"
Yuan Tong's gaunt cheek muscles twitched uncontrollably. He lowered his eyes and looked at the wet hem of his monk's robe.
"I am old and frail. Seeing that the fire has started and thick smoke is billowing, I am willing but unable to do so. How could I dare to rush in and seek death?"
"I was just extremely anxious and shouted for water to be brought in to put out the fire! The water on my robes was caused by my disciples splashing water on me while I was fighting the fire, not by me entering the burning area. Please don't suspect that I went in there, Benefactor Li..."
"This junior wouldn't dare!" Li Xiangnan immediately replied, his attitude respectful, yet his tone remained sharp: "I only thought that the abbot is highly respected and has a deep affection for every blade of grass and tree in this temple. Seeing the old items in this side room on fire, he must be anxious and might try to save it! Moreover,"
He paused, then deliberately pointed out, "Some things are a pity to burn in the fire. If we can take them out in advance, they can be kept safe!"
These words are practically implying: Did you know in advance that a fire was going to break out? Did you actually remove something beforehand? Or did you really touch the Buddha statue and cause it to collapse?
Yuan Tong remained silent for a moment, and when he looked up again, a smile that was almost sorrowful appeared on his face.
That smile vanished in an instant, so quickly that one might think it was an illusion.
“Benefactor Li is far more meticulous than ordinary people! I was indeed anxious just now, but not because of a few rolls of old paper or some miscellaneous items! Rather, I was worried that the fire would spread, destroy this ancient temple, and disturb the Buddha's tranquility. As for the rest…”
He shook his head, said no more, closed his eyes again, as if he were halfway into meditation, clearly refusing to continue the conversation.
Li Xiangnan smiled inwardly. Although he had said all he could, he had already obtained a lot of information and confirmed more doubts.
The abbot definitely knew!
He might even be the key figure who made, or at least knew, the origins of this box of clay figures.
He implied that there were corrupt elements within the temple, guiding the direction of the investigation.
They also avoided discussing aspects that might have exposed them, such as the first discoverer possibly disturbing the Buddha statue, instead using old age, poor health, or an unexpected or unforeseen event as excuses.
Yet, in his words, he revealed a deep and undisguised emotional fluctuation regarding the Mu family's past and the existence of the clay figurines.
This frail and detached abbot carries a secret that is probably even heavier and more profound than that of Yuan Da and Yuan Neng!
What role does he actually play?
Is he a guardian? A penitent? Or the true mastermind behind it all?
Or is it a force to be reckoned with, on par with Little Buddha and others?
Just as Li Xiangnan was about to ask for more details, a sudden commotion and exclamations came from the direction of the temple gate.
A young monk stumbled and crawled into the backyard, his face deathly pale, his voice trembling: "Abbot! Master, Master, something terrible has happened! Uncle Yuan Neng is back... But, but..."
"But what?" Monk Yuanda demanded sharply.
The young monk pointed to the front yard, his eyes filled with fear.
“Uncle Yuan Neng was carried back... He was covered in blood... He was unconscious... The people who carried him back... abandoned him and ran away…”
"What!?"
As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked!
Li Xiangnan's heart skipped a beat.
How is this going?
Did they kill him to cover it up?
What happened to Yuan Neng?