Chang Shao was overjoyed: "Thank you, General, for recognizing my talents! If there are tasks that require my service, please feel free to command !"
Pei Zhan put down his cup: "Let’s go!"
Within the distance of two alleys, they quickly arrived on horseback.
This City God Temple was located in the middle section of the alley, facing southeast of the residential block.
The temple occupied a large area, but the alley used to be designated for foreign rchants. The court ceased external trade for many years, leaving the houses vacant and mostly in disrepair, thus the temple had long since lost its incense offerings.
Cheng Chili pushed open the temple door entangled with cobwebs, and the door unexpectedly fell with a thud, kicking up a large cloud of dust.
Pei Zhan frowned and looked around: "The Qixi Flower Street should be two streets away from here. Why did His Highness Prince Yan pass through here on that night?"
"That month, they were traveling incognito. It’s said that on the way back, the sky was already very dim, and to take a shortcut back to the palace quickly, they had to avoid the crowded streets."
"Then why choose this abandoned and dilapidated temple? There are so many clean shops in the city, and so many official residences of officials, wouldn’t any one of those be better?"
Chang Shao stamred: "I didn’t delve into this. Maybe there was no prior arrangent, and when caught in a sudden heavy downpour passing through here, they had to choose a nearby place."
Pei Zhan did not continue the topic.
At this mont, the dust raised had settled, revealing the scenery inside.
It was a two-entry temple, facing the entrance stood a large statue of a deity, with several child statues on the east and west sides. However, all of them were headless or limb-less, none remaining intact.
The statue directly opposite was relatively well-preserved, with a dignified appearance. Its half-lowered eyes seed able to penetrate through the cobwebs into one’s soul.
Pei Zhan stepped inside and looked around, finding the place in complete disarray. The windows were long destroyed, and a few startled stray cats were howling.
Heading to the inner section, the wild grass in the courtyard was almost as tall as a person, so withered, so green.
He called Cheng Chili to help inspect the surroundings of the courtyard. When they reached a well in the northeast corner, he stopped and, parting the wild grass, saw that the wellhead was piled with large stones, on which grass had already grown.
After removing the stones, below the wellhead, there was a dark pool of water. It was impossible to tell if anything mysterious was below.
At this mont, Cheng Chili and Chang Shao both approached: "There’s rubble everywhere, nothing significant."
"Where does the back of this temple lead to?"
"To the neighboring residential block, where many people live. Further on is the South City Market."
Pei Zhan turned to look at the several sections of collapsed wall: "So, it’s actually very easy for soone to climb over the wall from behind."
The two of them paused, then nodded deeply: "The wall is originally not high; even if it hadn’t collapsed, soone with so skill could easily climb over."
"So, it’s actually uncertain whether what frightened His Highness Prince Yan that night was the temple’s deities or ghosts from outside?"
The two were even more stunned.
Pei Zhan stood up: "Go find so buckets and see if there’s anything at the bottom of this well."
"...What if there’s nothing?"
"Then there’s nothing." Pei Zhan gave a cold glance, "If nothing, then consider it a leisure visit."
After saying this, Pei Zhan returned to the corridor.
He glanced around again, pausing for a mont at the collapsed section of the wall near the back courtyard, then shifted his gaze to the doorway beside it and walked over.
In broad daylight, it was dark inside the room, with all the doors and windows closed. Although the window paper was gone, they were still neatly fitted.
Pei Zhan pushed open the door and entered. Inside, there were still several god statues, and next to the tattered prayer mats beneath them was an old chair.
If there was no other possibility, then the chair Prince Yan sat on that night should be this one.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Pei Zhan spoke without turning: "Given the heavy rain, should His Highness Prince Yan have closed all the doors and windows while staying here?"
Chang Shao replied: "It should have been so. It’s said the temple was still relatively intact at the ti. Later, the palace attendants said that after closing the doors, there were strange movents in the room."
Pei Zhan remained silent.
The prince, having been startled and left, it’s unlikely anyone would have co to deliberately open and close doors or windows afterward, so these tightly shut windows must have been closed initially.
Since the doors and windows were originally closed, it seems unlikely that an outsider would have intruded.
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