AWB Chapter 1945: Was Yuan Tong the one who sculpted this clay sculpture of the grandmother?
Chapter 1945: Was Yuan Tong the one who sculpted this clay sculpture of the grandmother?
Li Xiangnan's gaze was sharp as a needle, fixed firmly on the old monk panting on the stone bench not far away.
Abbot Yuantong looked quite disheveled at the moment. The hem and cuffs of his monk's robe were soaked with water and clung tightly to his body, revealing his thin frame.
His face and hands were covered in black ash, and his beard was disheveled. Yuan Hui was supporting him and feeding him some tea.
He took a sip, his chest heaving slightly, and then immediately closed his eyes, seemingly heartbroken at the sight of the mess around him, yet also displaying utter exhaustion.
Upon seeing Yuan Tong again, Li Xiangnan's mind automatically began to verify his judgment.
After emerging from the secret passage and meeting the monk Jueming, Li Xiangnan was asked to summon Yuantong. Immediately afterward, a scene flashed through his mind.
On the night the Mu family ruins exploded, the mysterious man who fought Shangguan Wanqing, whose skills were strange yet who knew the Mu family and the surrounding terrain like the back of his hand, caught a glimpse of a fleeting figure under the moonlight.
At this moment, the silhouette of that figure and the habitual posture in its movements vaguely overlapped with the elderly abbot in front of him!
is it possible?
Yuan Tong looked to be over sixty years old. He usually walked steadily, even somewhat slowly. How could he have such a ghostly shadow?
Li Xiangnan found it strange.
But when he thought back to his grandfather, Li Dequan, he felt that there was nothing in this world that he couldn't believe.
He used to think that his grandfather was old and frail, but in fact, the old man who usually practiced Tai Chi in the morning was actually very skilled.
So, Yuantong...
What if he's faking it?
What if the mysterious person who appeared on the ruins of the Mu family that night was Yuan Tong?
That person must be familiar with the Mu family, or they may even be old acquaintances of the Mu family!
Moreover, Shangguan Wanqing was definitely representing the interests of the Shangguan family at the time, and the Mu family was the villain!
If it really is Yuan Tong, does that mean he is actually on the same side as the Mu family?
Thinking back further, it was indeed this Abbot Yuantong who, after everyone emerged from the secret passage that day, gave Li Xiangnan a vague hint:
"The people in this temple are of varying character. I have been in this Zen monastery for decades, and even with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp burning every day, I cannot guarantee that their hearts will remain as still as water, free from all delusions!"
At that time, he revealed that there might be someone in the temple colluding with outsiders, and that he was vaguely aware of it, but was hesitant to say it openly.
Does this actually mean that Yuan Tong, at least subjectively, hoped that Li Xiangnan would investigate the case thoroughly and become close to him?
Sigh, this Abbot Yuantong is truly unfathomable!
Now, a fire in the outbuilding has destroyed materials that may record past events. The collapsed Buddha statue has revealed a group of clay sculptures that have been hidden for decades and closely resemble Grandma and her family. The first person to discover the fire and call for help is none other than Yuantong!
Li Xiangnan's heart began to pound wildly.
A clearer idea suddenly popped into my head.
While the course of the fire itself might be difficult to control, the sequence and timing of events leading to the discovery of the fire, guiding others to fight it, and the accidental collapse of the Buddha statue, thus bringing the clay figure back to light, could be subtly influenced by the first discoverer.
For example, the fire might not have been started by Yuan Tong, but he happened to discover it. Knowing that someone didn't want Li Xiangnan and his group to find the information here, since they couldn't save so many materials, they decided to play along and let everyone discover something else under the fire.
That makes sense.
But did Yuantong have the time and the motive?
Is he the person I'm looking for in the ruins?
Or, to think about it more deeply.
Was Yuan Tong the one who wanted to burn something down? Did he start the fire, but Wei Jingfei accidentally discovered the sculpture's existence?
Li Xiangnan didn't know, but he could test him.
So, holding the clay figure, he slowly walked up to Abbot Yuantong.
Upon seeing this, Guo Qian quickly followed, his eyes filled with extreme vigilance.
Hearing footsteps and sensing someone approaching, Yuan Tong slowly opened his eyes.
Those eyes, which were usually half-open and appeared kind and peaceful, were now tired, but the moment they met Li Xiangnan's gaze, a fleeting and elusive complex emotion seemed to flash across them.
Surprise? Understanding? Or a deep sense of pain?
"Amitabha!" Yuan Tong said, his voice sounding somewhat tired, "Benefactor Li, Benefactor Guo, this old monk has lost his composure!"
"Abbot, you flatter me. You are advanced in years, yet you personally participated in putting out the fire. It is truly admirable!" Li Xiangnan said calmly, first praising him, then immediately changing the subject: "I just wonder, Abbot, how did you discover the fire in this side room so quickly? I would like to ask, did you see any suspicious people at the time?"
Yuan Tong coughed twice, and Yuan Hui, who was standing next to him, quickly patted his senior brother's chest.
"This old monk is accustomed to meditating in a secluded meditation room! Suddenly I smelled a burning smell, but at first I didn't pay attention. I thought it was because one of my mischievous disciples had burned too many incense sticks, making the incense too strong!"
"Then I noticed a pungent odor, accompanied by strange noises. I opened the window and saw thick smoke billowing from the side room, the window paper reddening! I was terrified and immediately cried for help, summoning a disciple who was sweeping nearby to fetch water. As for the suspicious person…"
He shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the ruins before returning to Li Xiangnan's face, his expression meaningful: "This old monk was anxious for the temple, perhaps so preoccupied with this that he didn't realize it! When this old monk arrived, the fire had already started, and there was no one else around!"
At this point, he took several breaths and stated his judgment: "Benefactor Li, this house has been in disrepair for many years, and clutter has piled up. Those documents and archives are all paper products. It is only natural that they would have leaked due to the dry weather!"
Li Xiangnan pressed, "Didn't the abbot ever suspect that someone was doing this on purpose?"
He paused, then voiced his suspicion, fixing his gaze on the old abbot's face: "Perhaps, someone didn't want these old things to see the light of day again, so they set them on fire!"
"...Amitabha!!" The old abbot softly chanted a Buddhist prayer. "The cycle of cause and effect is inescapable; what is meant to be burned...will naturally burn!"
These words were ambiguous, yet contained a hidden meaning.
The old abbot's words explained the discovery process, hinted at the possibility of arson, and brought up related concepts such as cause and effect!
Couldn't this old monk just be more straightforward?
Li Xiangnan's heart stirred, and he slightly opened the white cloth in his hand, revealing the profile of the clay sculpture of a girl inside.
"Abbot, during the firefighting, this Buddha statue was knocked down by falling debris, and we found this under its base!"
Li Xiangnan stared intently at Yuan Tong's expression: "We found many clay figurines in the wooden box. I wonder if the abbot has seen these before? Or knows their origin?"
Yuan Tong's gaze fell on the clay figure, lingering for a few seconds.
His breathing seemed to freeze for a moment, and his withered fingers twitched slightly, but his face did not show the shock or panic that Li Xiangnan had expected. Instead, it was more like a deep silence, as if he had seen through the long years.
That look wasn't like someone looking at a suddenly appearing object, but rather gazing at a long-forgotten, heavy memory.
Something is wrong, something is so wrong!
Li Xiangnan had a gut feeling.
Yuan Tong is the one who sculpted this clay sculpture of a grandmother!
The moment this thought crossed his mind, Li Xiangnan's legs trembled with shock...