"Yun Zhu, weren’t you sick? Why are you running around outside? Go back to your room!"
Lie Feng reprimanded the young girl.
The girl pouted, "It’s just a little cold."
She instinctively reached out to grab Liao Feihu’s arm, but the man unintentionally avoided her touch.
Liao Feihu maintained his usual expression and introduced her to Jiang Shouzhong, "Brother Jiang, this is the Clan Leader’s daughter, Yun Zhu, and she is also Young Master Liefeng’s younger sister."
Then, he turned to introduce Jiang Shouzhong and his companion to the girl.
"Brother Jiang, Sister Jingjing, hello."
The girl smiled sweetly; her lively personality was evident.
Jiang Shouzhong smiled and nodded, pointing casually to the necklace around the girl’s neck. "This necklace looks beautiful; where did you buy it?"
Yun Zhu froze for a mont, then glanced down, lifting the necklace with a cheerful voice. "It was given to by the Great Bodhi Mother."
The Great Bodhi Mother?
Jiang Shouzhong found this na unfamiliar.
Beside him, Xiao Lingqiu explained, "She is the Mother of the Western Regions Mahayana Eight Secret Sects, with imnsely high cultivation."
Esoteric Sect...
Jiang Shouzhong couldn’t help but think of that Buddha Mother.
Jiang Shouzhong then said to the girl, "Miss Yun Zhu, could you let take a look at this necklace? Perhaps later I can find sothing similar to buy for my wife."
"Sure."
Yun Zhu didn’t think much of it and removed the necklace, handing it to Jiang Shouzhong.
Xiao Lingqiu’s expression turned peculiar.
She clearly didn’t believe that Jiang Shouzhong would really buy a necklace for her.
This man must have noticed sothing.
Xiao Lingqiu’s suspicion was correct. Jiang Shouzhong’s sudden interest in the necklace stemd from the fact that he found the beads on it eerily familiar.
They bore a striking resemblance to the Imperial Bead he had discovered during the massacre at Anhe Village.
Back then, when Anhe Village suffered a great slaughter, he and Yeying returned to the scene. The manor destroyed by a mudslide had already been flattened, and the corpses of all the villagers had turned to ruins.
At the ti, Jiang Shouzhong found Ye’s jade hairpin and also discovered a bead at the site.
Yeying told him it was likely an Imperial Bead.
Imperial Beads were items specially granted by Dazhou’s Emperor, typically worn by ritorious nobles or officials of Second Grade rank or above.
This led Jiang Shouzhong to suspect that the Anhe Village massacre might be connected to the court. As a result, he agreed to Yeying’s terms, posing as "Jiang Mo" to marry into the Ran Family and infiltrate the court.
Unfortunately, he secretly searched through Liushan Division and even the governnt office’s Archive Hall but found no records of any case related to Anhe Village.
He also failed to uncover clues related to the Imperial Bead.
Eventually, the matter was left unresolved.
Who would have thought that at this mont, in such a small place within Nanjin Country, he would stumble upon a similar bead?
Jiang Shouzhong ticulously examined the necklace in his hand. When he noticed that one of the beads was missing, his body quivered involuntarily, as if struck by an invisible current.
In that instant, waves of turmoil surged through his heart.
To ensure his judgnt was accurate, Jiang Shouzhong carefully inspected the inscriptions on the beads.
Ultimately, he confird that the characters etched on the beads matched those on his Imperial Bead perfectly.
Jiang Shouzhong’s breathing beca rapid.
After so many years of relentless pursuit, he’d nearly abandoned his quest. Yet, at this very mont, a crucial clue had abruptly appeared.
He forced himself to suppress his shock, steadying his breathing as he returned the necklace and casually inquired, "Are these beads exclusive to the Great Bodhi Mother? When did she give it to you? Perhaps if I et her in the future, I could request a similar necklace for my wife."
"I’m not sure."
Yun Zhu shook her head, "The necklace was given to over a year ago during one of the Great Bodhi Mother’s traveling lectures. As for where she is now, I really don’t know."
Over a year ago...
It perfectly aligned with the timing of the Anhe Village massacre.
Jiang Shouzhong clenched his fist tightly.
Upon hearing Jiang Shouzhong repeatedly ntion his "wife" to flaunt his affection in front of outsiders, Lie Feng couldn’t stand it and scoffed coldly, "This is the Earth Fortune Treasure Pearl. Even the Great Bodhi Mother has only this one necklace."
As both Empress Dowager and soone well-versed in rare treasures, Xiao Lingqiu added, "These beads are crafted from the Ten-thousand-year-old Black Green Tree Heart within Bodhi Hall. They are exceedingly precious, truly unique."
Jiang Shouzhong fell into deep contemplation.
Could it be that his entire investigation had been misguided from the very beginning?
The Anhe Village massacre might indeed be linked to the Great Bodhi Mother.
Lie Feng felt a hint of delight as Xiao Lingqiu validated his words. He straightened his chest slightly, saying to the woman, "Sister Jingjing, our Heshan Tribe has Nine-colored Necklaces made from Moon Sky Lake gems. If you like, I can pick one for you tomorrow."
Unfortunately for Lie Feng, his attempt at impressing her was t with complete indifference.
His face darkened further.
Yun Zhu, unaware of the necklace’s significance to Jiang Shouzhong, mistakenly thought he was disheartened over being unable to buy sothing similar for his wife. She comforted him, "Brother Jiang, there’s no need to be upset. As long as you and Sister Jing truly love each other, I’m sure she’d appreciate whatever you give her. Isn’t that right, Sister Jing?"
Xiao Lingqiu, caught off guard by the question, instinctively replied, "Mm."
The woman seed to recall sothing, and her delicate face flushed slightly, adding a touch of bashful charm.
Her radiant, captivating appearance left Lie Feng montarily dazed.
Even Yun Zhu, a fellow woman, couldn’t help but exclaim, "Sister Jing, you’re so beautiful, even more gorgeous than a Fairy from the heavens! No wonder Brother Jiang adores you so much."
As she spoke, Yun Zhu glanced at Liao Feihu intentionally or unintentionally, pouting softly and muttering, "Unlike , who’s so unattractive that no one wants ."
Liao Feihu seed oblivious, remaining silent.
Seeing the man’s lack of response, a trace of sadness flickered in the girl’s eyes.
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