The Delicate Lady Coroner

The morning light was breaking through. When Bó Ruò Yōu stepped through the door of the principal room, she promptly realised that something was wrong with Huò Wēi Lóu today, because the gaze he regarded her with was inexplicably deep and profound, as if she had done something to displease him.

Restraining her gaze, Bó Ruò Yōu bowed in rapt attention, but Huò Wēi Lóu did not verbally acknowledge her. Instead, he continued to use that dark and deep gaze to look at her for a moment, before he rose to his feet and walked outwards, “Follow benhou.”

After everyone had partaken in the vegetarian food, Huò Wēi Lóu headed for the back mountain directly. Great Master Jìng Míng was the Head of the Temple, and today, he dispatched a managerial monk by the religious name of Liǎo Huì to follow Huò Wēi Lóu.

Great Master Jìng Míng was already half past hundred, and close to his sixties. Since the “Liǎo” style-name generation was after the “Jìng” style-name generation, that was the second highest generation within the temple. Liǎo Huì was well after his thirties, and he was Great Master Jìng Míng’s oldest disciple.

“Shifu’s body is not the best, and he has been concentrating fully on practicing Buddhism for the past few years, and he barely gets involved with the everyday matters of the temple. Usually, it is the younger monks and some shixiong who manage the miscellaneous affairs of the temple.” Liǎo Huì’s figure was slightly plump, and he wore a perpetual smile on his face which gave the impression that he was rather benign.

师兄 (pinyin: shi xiong) – refers to the older apprentices/disciples within the temple, from the same ‘Liao’ style-name generation.

The group followed a small path inside the temple that went towards the west, traversing past a quiet Buddhist Hall and a bamboo forest, thus reaching the west side door of Famen Temple. Liǎo Huì pointed at the small road outside the door, “After leaving the door, and making a detour to the back by following this road leads to the back mountain. The back mountain has a black bamboo forest, and within the bamboo forest is an inscribed tablet and a small pagoda that was left behind by the previous dynasty. The tablet has a Buddhist hymn that has been inscribed on top which is rather precious. After the temple disciples complete their morning exercise and morning classes, most of them will take the long way round, going down to the foot of the mountain before making their way back.”

Liǎo Huì went out of the door and led the way at the front as he spoke.

The Xixia Mountain’s topography was not high, and Famen Temple basically occupied the entire Xixia Mountain: the main body of the Buddhist palace halls started from the midpoint of the mountain and scaled upwards, until it reached the Changming Pagoda at the mountain peak, and the west and east doors of the temple could be used to make a detour to the back mountain.

Owing to the gradual warming of the weather, the remaining snow had completely melted, but a pervasive chill remained within the forest at the mountain waist at dawn. Bó Ruò Yōu subconsciously tightened the cloak around her body as she trudged behind Huò Wēi Lóu, and very quickly, they arrived at the black bamboo forest.

The bluestone tiled mountain path stretched into the middle of the black bamboo forest, and small pagodas could be seen along the side of the road. Once they reached the black bamboo forest, there were even more stone tablets and pagodas, with joss sticks and candle offerings in front of some of the pagodas, and there was a faint sandalwood scent within the forest.

Liǎo Huì pointed towards the north, “There are quite a few small trails within the bamboo forest, the westmost and eastmost ones are roads that lead towards the foot of the mountain, the one in the true north direction goes to the Ten Thousand Buddha Cliff. Liǎo Huì’s expression congealed, “That day, Féng daren probably fell off near the Ten Thousand Buddha Cliff.”

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Huò Wēi Lóu did not falter, directly striding towards the Ten Thousand Buddha Cliff that Liǎo Huì mentioned.

As they followed the main path within the forest to head northwards, the fact that the bamboo forest was being separated into two parts became apparent to them very quickly, and a mountain kiosk overlooking the precipice at the very end appeared. The mountain kiosk was constructed on the upper side of the cliff, around ten square feet in area. The underside of the eaves and pillars were lacquered in vermillion with carved patterns that were rather complicated decorating the veranda eaves, its ash roof tiles rested on the mountain top, and the interior railings curved outwards like a beauty to form seats for people to rest their feet on. Leaning on the parapet granted a wide, distant view of the mountain below, and as they approached the kiosk, the louder the whistling mountain wind became.

Liǎo Huì pointed at the railing: “It can’t be seen from here, and it can only be viewed from below the mountain, but below this mountain kiosk is an extremely smooth broken wall. In the previous dynasty, craftsmen carved nearly a hundred Buddha figures on the broken wall, which is how the Ten Thousand Buddha Cliff received its name, though after more than a century, majority of the Buddha images have been weathered down by the wind, and only a dozen or so Buddha images can be distinguished below the mountain now.”

“This area outside the temple can be considered as one of Xixia Mountain’s sceneries, hence whenever there are more visitors during the spring and summer season each year, there are a great number of people who will come here too. However, since it overlooks the mountain precipice, it’s exceedingly likely that something dangerous might occur, thus, there are railings around the sides of the mountain kiosk which is an additional enclosure that the temple added. It doesn’t matter if one admires the scenery from this location, but if one heads into the forest, there is a possibility of falling off.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s gaze surveyed the entire area, stepping forward to shove the railings surrounding the mountain kiosk. Certainly, the railings were sturdy, hence his vision shifted slightly as he pivoted on his heels to head for the bamboo forest on the left. The mountain kiosk was equivalent to a viewing platform and its railings also partitioned off both sides of the bamboo forest, but if someone entered through the bamboo forest, the boundaries of the bamboo forest wouldn’t be fenced in.

Huò Wēi Lóu trod on the dried branches and rotting leaves on the muddy ground, with Bó Ruò Yōu following in his footsteps. She was walking and leaning over at the same time to observe the muddy soil, and very quickly, she stated: “Hou’ye, the muddy soil here is the same as the mud that was staining Féng daren’s footwear.”

Huò Wēi Lóu promptly asserted, “Then Féng daren must have come to this place before he died.”

However, the crime had occurred at night five days ago; with so many days elapsing, it would be difficult to find any traces. Huò Wēi Lóu ordered his men to search the area, and he personally went to the fringe of the bamboo forest. Upon looking downwards, what he saw conformed with Liǎo Huì’s words. Although it was not a perfectly straight steep precipice downwards from his position, it was still an exceedingly steep and tall slope; plummeting to the ground from this height would absolutely cause a certain death.

The embroidered emissaries were scattered within the different parts of the forest. Bó Ruò Yōu stepped forward, taking a precursory glance downwards. With a frown, she said, “If Féng daren fell from this area, his body should have some abrasion wounds, Féng daren probably fell straight down from the mountain kiosk.”

She leaned her body forward to look down the mountain precipice, and upon seeing that her foot was going to step on the edge, Huò Wēi Lóu could not resist the urge to hold her arm before pulling her inwards, “Be more careful!”

His severe tone of voice made Bó Ruò Yōu to raise her eyes in bafflement, which allowed her to notice that Huò Wēi Lóu seemed to be harbouring an unnatural fire today. She took a step back hastily, genuinely clueless as to how she had provoked him again because he was perfectly fine last night.

“Min’nü… will go to the mountain kiosk to look again.”

Bó Ruò Yōu thought that fleeing would be the best plan, but Huò Wēi Lóu’s gaze seemed to be glued to her body as if it was vehemently trying to bore a hole in it. It was only until she left the bamboo forest and entered the mountain kiosk that the oppressive feeling disappeared.

Bó Ruò Yōu was endlessly perplexed at the bottom of her heart, what was going on?

Suppressing her confused thoughts, Bó Ruò Yōu started to carefully examine the railings. All of the railings were made out of hardwood, a palm wide and lacquered in vermillion. Bó Ruò Yōu stared at it momentarily before turning around to lean on the railing, then slanting her body to rest her stomach on it. With this series of measurements, her scrunched eyebrows loosened a little.

Huò Wēi Lóu came out from the forest, “What are you doing?”

Bó Ruò Yōu replied in a hurry, “Last night, a few hidden bruises were discovered on Féng daren’s body, especially around the back of his waist.” She leaned against the railing, as if she was Féng Lún, “Féng daren’s height is only taller than min’nü by half a thumb, and his waist injury happens to match the height of the railing. The bruise was purple, and quite a bit of blood capillaries broke underneath the skin, and it was created after someone pinned Féng daren on the railing and he struggled violently. Concurrently, Féng daren’s front abdomen also has a bruise, except it’s comparatively fainter—”

Saying that, Bó Ruò Yōu raised her own right arm, “Féng daren’s right arm and shoulder had bruises as well, especially the injury on his arm which has finger marks, which was probably left behind as he struggled against someone—”

Suddenly, Bó Ruò Yōu knitted her eyebrows togethers slightly. There were too many injuries, it was slightly difficult for her to restore how Féng Lún had wrangled with that person back then. At this moment, Huò Wēi Lóu walked up to her, “Where was the injury on his shoulder?”

Bó Ruò Yōu took a moment to remember it, “On his left shoulder, on his left shoulder and closer to the neck, it was extremely obvious…”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s phoenix eyes narrowed, suddenly moving even closer as he asked: “Where was the injury on his right hand?”

Bó Ruò Yōu pointed at her own smaller right arm, “Close to the wrist.”

Huò Wēi Lóu nodded his head. In the next second, he grabbed Bó Ruò Yōu’s smaller right arm.

“Do not be afraid.”

He comforted her with a line first before he adjusted her body in a dexterous manner albeit with some force. In an instant, her right arm was loosely folded behind her back, and she, went from having her back against the railing to leaning on the railing on her stomach.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s hand landed on the position that was on her left shoulder and close to her neck, “Was it this area?”

When Bó Ruò Yōu was suddenly twisted into this position, she immediately jumped in fright, and it was only when she realised what he was doing that she breathed out in relief. Her right hand was being trussed and Huò Wēi Lóu was also using his other hand to press down on her shoulder. Although he was not using any strength, it was enough to stop her from moving; once strength was being exerted, it would naturally be impossible for Féng Lún to retaliate with his older age!

She was not knowledgeable in martial arts, which was why she couldn’t make sense of it, but Huò Wēi Lóu immediately understood once he heard the description.

Bó Ruò Yōu’s eyes brightened, “That’s the area. So that’s how it was, it completely matches the injuries on Féng daren’s body—”

Huò Wēi Lóu was holding Bó Ruò Yōu’s smaller arm that was as delicate as a lotus root, while his other hand was placed on her thin shoulder. It was unknown if it was intentional or unwitting, but the thumb where his black jade ornamental ring was being worn on unexpectedly slid past the tender skin that was right next to her collar. Her skin was like exquisite porcelain, and despite being affected by the thinning cold of the forest, it felt scalding when Huò Wēi Lóu touched it.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s finger numbed, and he released Bó Ruò Yōu in the next instant.

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Bó Ruò Yōu was completely oblivious as she questioned doubtfully, “But what was the murder weapon?”

Since it was for the sake of solving the case, Bó Ruò Yōu did not find Huò Wēi Lóu’s behaviour impolite. Turning around, she stated seriously, “Féng daren’s mortal wound was the skull fracture at the back of his head, and this sort of fracture is different from the fracture that a heavy blow from an ordinary object would cause. Skull fractures can be divided into linear fractures where a point of trauma leads to fissuring, depressed fractures where the surrounding bone caves in, and even fractures where the inner skull shatters. Féng daren belongs to the second type, the weapon that injured him is some kind of small blunt weapon—”

Bó Ruò Yōu searched the ground, but the forest was mainly composed of brown fertile topsoil, and while there was an occasional rock or two, they were all chunks that had sharp edges, whereas the external wound on Féng Lún’s skull did not have an entry wound.

“Could it be some kind of armed weapon?” Huò Wēi Lóu suddenly asked.

Bó Ruò Yōu was not an erudite in armed weapons, “Of all the armed weapons, min’nü is only aware of knives, spears, swords, and halberds, but these weapons have a sharp edge, and the wounds that it leaves behind after attacking the head area shouldn’t be like this…”

“Not all armed weapons have blade edges, like the club or the quad-edged straight mace for instance, which still have frightening lethality. Additionally, there is another commonly seen armed weapon on Buddhist grounds.” After giving a pause, Huò Wēi Lóu said, “Most martial monks within temples use polearms as weapons.”

The murderer used a polearm to murder him?

Bó Ruò Yōu’s eyes brightened slightly, but soon after, she shook her head, “When Féng daren went out alone that night, it doesn’t matter if the murderer tailed behind him or had an agreement with him in advance, it isn’t really possible for him to bring a polearm with him. Moreover, if the murderer was carrying a polearm when he came into conflict with Féng daren, why would he have to use his hands on Féng daren, he just needs to directly use the polearm and that will suffice.”

Bó Ruò Yōu sank into deep contemplation for a moment, “Hence, min’nü believes that it’s more than likely that the murderer used what was close at hand: either it’s a lethal object that can be carried on his person that isn’t easily noticed, a small object like a seal or jade for example.” Having spoken to this point, her brows furrowed with palpable frustration, “But while those small objects are solid, they aren’t really feasible when it comes to killing someone—”

In a few sentences from Bó Ruò Yōu, Huò Wēi Lóu came to thoroughly understand what kind of appearance the object that the murderer used should have, and it naturally couldn’t be from an ordinary armed weapon.  It was also at this moment where Fu gonggong and a few embroidered emissaries came from the east side of the bamboo forest.

Fu gonggong sighed, saying: “Hou’ye, Yōu Yōu, this forest can’t be more normal, the bluestone tiled path is linked to various places, and there’s nothing strange about the pagodas or the inscribed tablets.”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brows knitted together, his gaze sweeping across the forest from the east. At that moment, his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

He could see the east-side railing, the four faces of mountain kiosk were empty, with only the veranda eaves and edges acting as the main body, and while there were parapet seats extending from the outward-curving railings in the north, the east was being sectioned off from the bamboo forest by a row of vermillion lacquered railings. There was nothing amiss with the banisters, newel posts, baluster, and plinths, and only the lotus ornament cap on the newel post attracted Huò Wēi Lóu’s attention.

On the sacred grounds of Buddhism, most of the carvings and decorative patterns were the Buddha’s lotus, and it was normal for lotus caps to appear on the newel posts. The wooden carving was vivid and life-like, like a slender and elegant, budding lotus, and the tips of the lotus flower were sleek in appearance.

The deceased’s mortal wound was at the back of his head. Relatively speaking, it was normal to assume that the murderer held the weapon to kill the deceased, but what if the murder weapon could not be moved, and it was the murderer who slammed the deceased onto it?

Huò Wēi Lóu stopped in front of a newel post. In an entire row, there were six newel posts, and they were barely a meter apart from each other. Huò Wēi Lóu leaned closer to the railing and looked down. His phoenix eyes immediately shrank. 

“The murder weapon is here.”

Upon hearing that sentence, Bó Ruò Yōu looked over, her expression distorting the moment she caught sight of the lotus newel post in front of Huò Wēi Lóu. Once she sidled up to Huò Wēi Lóu, she noticed that while the newel post in front of Huò Wēi Lóu was joined seamlessly, the plinth underneath the newel post was starting to show lines of cracks after being worn down by the years. Even if the bloodstains were wiped clean on the surface, it was highly likely that there were remnants within the cracks.

Huò Wēi Lóu straightened his posture, “Men come hither, dismantle this railing.”

A few embroidered emissaries stepped forward, using the blades that they carried on their person to break off the wooden railing. Very quickly, the blood that was left in the cracks of the plinth and banister were exposed.

Bó Ruò Yōu was overjoyed, “Hou’ye is wise!”

Huò Wēi Lóu glanced at her, the darkness in the space between his brows disappearing. Fu gonggong stepped forward and said: “Therefore, this was the place where Féng daren was murdered?”

Huò Wēi Lóu nodded. Perplexed, Fu gonggong commented: “What did he come to this place in the middle of the night for? And he was killed by someone.”

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Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes sank slightly, waving his hand to call over Lù Kē, “Dispatch some men to go down the mountain to search again.” After issuing his instructions, he looked at Liǎo Huì who was standing at the side. “Where is Féng Lún’s meditation hall?”

“Féng daren’s meditation hall is in the west, and it is rather close to General Yuè’s place, this small monk will bring Hou’ye over now.”

Huò Wēi Lóu ordered his subordinate to bring the dismantled railing back to the temple as material evidence before he started towards Féng Lún’s place of residence. Presently, the sun had already risen to the middle of the sky, and it was long past morning. Fortunately, the effort that they put in allowed them to confirm the place where Féng Lún was harmed, which meant that the reason why he went to the Ten Thousand Buddha Cliff was of utmost importance.

Liǎo Huì said that Féng Lún and Yuè Míng Quán’s meditation hall were close, and once they reached the edge of Féng Lún’s meditation hall, everyone could see Yuè Míng Quán’s lodgings as was expected. Currently, Yuè Míng Quán’s meditation hall was being guarded by embroidered emissaries, and upon hearing the noise, Yuè Míng Quán walked out from his hall.

After coming forward and offering his salutations, Yuè Míng Quán asked: “Hou’ye, are there any developments?”

Huò Wēi Lóu said in an apathetic voice: “You and Féng Lún live close by, when he left his meditation hall that night, did you hear any movements?”

Yuè Míng Quán shook his head, “Xiaguan was within his hall. Unless the noise was loud, it can’t be heard.”

Placidly, Huò Wēi Lóu gave him a sidelong glance, “You said that you got along harmoniously with Féng Lún, but on the night Lù Kē arrived, you went to meet him and yet you didn’t call Féng Lún to come along?”

Wú Yú and Wáng Qīng Fǔ were staying close by, so they left together and returned together. Yuè Míng Quán and Féng Lún were old friends, if he was going out to meet Lù Kē, and under the circumstance where he knew that Féng Lún would definitely be going as well, there was no reason to not solicit with him.

Yuè Míng Quán revealed a brief, bitter smile, “This… Although we got along merrily that year, we haven’t met each other for many years after all. It’s awkward for xiaguan to be overly friendly, and when xiaguan was leaving the courtyard that day, he saw that the lights within his meditation hall were already extinguished, and assumed that he had already left.”

Huò Wēi Lóu declined to comment after hearing that explanation, lifting his foot to enter the meditation hall.

The décor in the temple’s meditation halls were more or less the same. Féng Lún did not have a lot of personal possessions, and the two clothed bundles on the writing desk next to the window made up all his personal effects; the room was otherwise empty, and it was difficult to find any clues.

Féng Lún was already dead, and his personal possessions counted as an exhibit. Hence, Huò Wēi Lóu did not hesitate as he opened the clothed bundles to inspect it, and it was just some clothes and silver notes inside. Besides that, the room was clean and tidy like it was new, as if no one had stayed inside.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s brow twisted together because he could not find any direct clues, which made the case more complicated and harder to progress. Yuè Míng Quán watched on from the side, similarly worried and sick at heart. Huò Wēi Lóu shot him a look before commanding, “Call for Great Master Jìng Kōng’s disciples.”

This was a case within a case; before the old case from that year was solved, one of the persons involved had died. Huò Wēi Lóu was originally planning to thoroughly investigate this case in the first few days after Féng Lún’s death in hopes that it would provide some insight into the ten-year-old case, but with how things were right now, he feared that he had to investigate both at once.

After exiting Féng Lún’s room, Lín Huái was waiting outside. Upon hearing that Huò Wēi Lóu wanted to meet Great Master Jìng Kōng’s disciples, he said: “Great Master Jìng Kōng only had three internal disciples beneath his seat that year. One of them had departed from Famen Temple five years ago, and only the other two shifu, Liǎo Fán and Liǎo Jué, remain within the temple. In this instance, it was Liǎo Fán shifu who first asserted that this set of skeletal remains was Great Master Jìng Kōng.”

Since the skeleton was brought up, Bó Ruò Yōu could not help but become slightly restless. Interrogations were not her field of expertise, and she hadn’t seen the skeleton last night. Seeing that she should be examining bones now, she took a step forward, “Hou’ye—”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s footfall halted. Lín Huái and the rest looked towards her as well.

Bó Ruò Yōu asked: “Is min’nü allowed to examine the skeleton now?”

Huò Wēi Lóu’s phoenix eyes squinted slightly as he turned around to instruct: “Tell Liǎo Jué and Liǎo Fán to go to the western courtyard where the remains are temporarily resting to meet benhou.”

The embroidered emissary complied, then Huò Wēi Lóu brought Bó Ruò Yōu to the morgue courtyard. Since the bones were ten years old, it was quite improbable for there to be any clues remaining. Bó Ruò Yōu was also wearing a slightly sombre expression, though she did not dare to be negligent. Since their group had gone over to the courtyard last night, they made a beeline for the central hall. Upon crossing the threshold, Bó Ruò Yōu strode over to the side of the coffin directly.

The white mourning silk that had been covering the bones had already been taken off by Huò Wēi Lóu, hence Bó Ruò Yōu could see the human-shaped bones at a glance.   

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This was the skeleton of a matured man. Owing to the elapsing of years, the flesh and skin had turned into a light grey wax that adhered itself to the white bones. Whoever had placed the bones had expended some thought and effort since it was conforming to a human shape, and they had essentially fitted the bones together tightly. However, Bó Ruò Yōu’s gaze immediately changed at first glance, as if she just witnessed something horrendous and terrifying.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s pupils dilated, “What’s the matter?”

Bó Ruò Yōu did not speak for the time being, only leaning over to fiddle with a few bones to examine them. Very swiftly, she straightened her waist and said: “This deceased… was dismembered before he was placed inside the golden Buddha statue.”

Fu gonggong was standing in front of the golden Buddha statue, and upon hearing that remark, he retreated two steps subconsciously, as if it was still hiding a section of the corpse. Huò Wēi Lóu’s irises darkened slightly, “It was dismembered before?”

Bó Ruò Yōu nodded, “Hou’ye is adept in martial arts, and it is reckoned that he has observed that there is no obvious breakage in this set of human remains. This is because the murderer has a thorough understanding of the human’s vascular system and joints; when the murderer was dismembering the corpse, they didn’t crudely chop the bones, but made incisions from the joints instead. Since not much force was exerted, it gives people the impression that this person has died a natural death after it turned into white bones.”

And as if she was afraid that her words were not persuasive enough, Bó Ruò Yōu added, “It’s like a butcher scraping meat off bones and cutting apart the flesh, they can always find the most precise area to insert the blade.”

Although this comparison was somewhat frightening, it was simple and easy to understand. If the deceased was really Great Master Jìng Kōng, who would treat a Buddhist senior monk like this?

The murderer’s modus operandi was so cruel that it caused Huò Wēi Lóu’s countenance to become frigid, “Just examining the bones alone, is it possible to determine the deceased’s identity?”

No matter who it was, anyone would feel inadequate on what they should do just looking at this set of white bones alone. However, Huò Wēi Lóu gazed at Bó Ruò Yōu with profound eyes, as if he was expecting something. In the next second, Bó Ruò Yōu nodded, “Yes, but it will take some time.”

A case that happened ten years ago, what was a few more days?

Satisfaction seeped into Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes, “You just need to examine it.”

Bó Ruò Yōu hummed in response, then she asked the embroidered emissary to help her move the skeletal remains on a long table in a tidy fashion. Subsequently, she started to inspect the bones. Huò Wēi Lóu peered at her focused expression before he stepped out of the doors with slow steps. At this moment, an embroidered emissary brought over two younger-looking monks.

These two people were Great Master Jìng Kōng’s disciples, Liǎo Fán and Liǎo Jué.

Huò Wēi Lóu met the pair in the right wing-room.

“Who is Liǎo Fán?”

Once Huò Wēi Lóu issued the question, the monk who looked comparatively younger stepped forward, “This small monk is Liǎo Fán.”

Liǎo Fán looked like he was above his thirties and had an honest and eminent appearance, but his expression was extremely strict. Huò Wēi Lóu asked: “You were the one who said this set of skeletal remains was your Shifu?”

Liǎo Fán replied in a deep voice: “It was this small monk who said it. Hou’ye, with regards to Jiashi’s abrupt appearance that year, this small monk has always found it strange, but because the later searches had been fruitless, he could only forget about it. For all these years, this small monk has always been waiting, because Jiashi said that in this life, he would practice the teachings of the Buddha until the day he passes away and attains his true body. Since Jiashi came from Famen Temple, he would never leave Famen Temple to practice elsewhere in this life.”

家师 (pinyin: jia shi) – a term of respect for one’s teacher.

Huò Wēi Lóu’s eyes remained fixed on him, “Your shifu was enthralled by the Dharma, and alongside your Shifu’s disappearance was the Śarīra. Rumours in the streets circulate that your Shifu was so eager in his religious practice that it incited him into stealing the Śarīra.”

“All of that is drivel.” Liǎo Fán’s tone of voice was agitated, “Everything is ever-changing and indeterminate, arising from a compassionate heart. Shifu’s religious practice has already attained great achievement, and even if he was enthralled by the Dharma, he also cultivates in great mercy and great wisdom and knowledge. The Śarīra is the spiritual bones of the Buddha, which is most revered by our Buddhist disciples, how could we possibly dare to have the heart to possess it?

“Shifu once said that if it is hard to attain enlightenment in this life, one must enter the Buddhist Halls again in the next life, he was akin to what the Sutra of the Meritorious Virtues of the Medicine Buddha’s Original Vows states, only wishing that his body was like glass, clear and penetrating inside out, clean without any filth, bright and vast. He practiced Buddhism throughout his life, taking it upon himself to emulate the Buddha, treating desires as unwarranted thoughts, since it damages the mind for religious practice, how could Shifu do that…”

Liǎo Fán spoke urgently, his voice raising. Despite being separated by a wall, Bó Ruò Yōu could still hear his grief and indignation. Her hand movements became slower, but she inspected the human bones in her grasp with greater scrutiny as she borrowed the daylight outside.

In her immense concentration, she only sensed the voice next door rising and falling endlessly, but she did not know when human voices started sounding outside the courtyard as well since she did not have the additional headspace to pay attention to it. In the next moment, however, the light coming from the door was suddenly blocked.

This forced her to raise her head.

There were two strangers at the door: one was wearing red robes, had inky hair, and a handsome demeanour, especially his pair of phoenix eyes which unexpectedly bore a two-part resemblance to Huò Wēi Lóu, the other person was clad in white robes and had light irises, but he was seated. Bó Ruò Yōu’s gaze focused, realising that it was a dexterous chair with two wheels.

She was rather surprised, but then she heard that red-robed man sigh exaggeratedly, “A miracle ah! Older Brother actually secretly found himself such a young beauty…”

 

Translator’s Notes: There’s no exact replica of Chinese railing architecture in English culture, so I mish-mashed the terms into something that made sense, with a picture to match, hope it helped ^^

In addition, the entire “railing that curves like a beauty to form seats looks something like this: