Suddenly a loud bell rang out, and the clear sound could be heard throughout the Qinglong Temple.

  The monks all put on their kasayas and hurried in one direction with quick steps.

  "We're going too." Pei Tan's figure moved and Jing Wanyu reacted, immediately following up. At least she wanted to see with her own eyes where Hui Gen was buried.

  Although that group of monks saw that the people of Dali Temple still did not welcome them, today was a big day for their fellow disciple Hui Gen, and they would not make trouble at this time.

  The place where Huiyuan left is in Sifangyuan, which is the largest open space in the temple.

  Even so, those who came to see off Hui Gen were only the elderly monks of the temple's senior generation. Among them was Xuan Tai.

  When Jing Wan'er and her companions arrived, a man in white was standing at the entrance of the Si Fang courtyard.

  "Many thanks to Master Wang for seeing off his junior apprentice as well." Master Xuanlian put on his kasaya for the first time, looking at Li Xiuzhi in front of him.

  Li Xiuzhi's expression was unseen as he turned his back, but a moment later, he walked into the courtyard.

  Master Hsuan Lien soon saw P'ei T'an and they gazed at each other for a long time.

  In the courtyard, Huigen's entire body was wrapped from top to bottom in white cloth, with a kasaya covering his body.

  Truly like essence is pure and clean, coming and going, originally there is nothing, where can dust be stirred up?

  Jing Wan'er bit her lower lip, this kind of ceremony was usually unbearable to watch, it was just that kind of sorrow that filled the sky.

  If it were watching one's own relatives being buried... Jing Wanyu was stunned.

  Master Xuánlián walked to the front of the altar with the support of two young monks, and used the willow branch in his hand to gently sweep Hui Gen's body.

  Guanyin's jade pure vase, with willow branches universally saving the world, willow branches are used in Buddhism to purify souls. The surrounding monks quietly started reciting scriptures, and Jingyuan's eyes stung a little.

  "Good roots, may you enter my Buddhist gate again in your next life." Master Xuanlian said with a sigh.

  Monks all around held up six fresh lotus flowers that had just been picked and placed them around Huiyuan.

  The wisdom root should be cremated, which is the last thing that Buddhism says can burn all the red lotus karma fire in time.

  Jing Wan'er tightly grasped Pei Tan's palm.

  Pei Tan slightly moved and glanced at her.

  Xuan Lian personally helped Hui Gen tidy up his clothes and said, "Send him off."

  At this time, Jing Wanyu felt that Pei Tan was looking at Master Xuanlian, and Xuanlian seemed to have seen it too, and slightly nodded towards Pei Tan.

  Jing Wan'er suddenly understood Pei Tan's current state of mind and thus wanted to know even more about Master Xuan Lian's emotions.

  Xuan Tai said with a heavy heart: "I didn't expect that Hui Gen, my younger brother in the Dharma, would have such a short connection with this mundane world. I hope he can rest in peace by the side of the Buddha."

  Jing Wan'er felt a bright flash of light in front of her eyes, and then she felt Pei Tan's hand tighten its grip.

  She had always thought Pei Tan was calm and collected, but now she looked at him with some surprise.

  It's too late for regrets now, and it's impossible to turn back the clock.

  The flames illuminated every face in the scene. The law enforcement monk lit the torch in his hand and ignited the branches below.

  This was indeed the most embarrassing case handled by Dalisi Temple, even Jing Yuanyu felt suffocated.

  "The imperial edict has arrived!"

  The monk who was about to ignite shook all over his body.

  "The imperial edict has arrived, and the Minister of the Supreme Court, Pei Tan, is summoned to receive it!" Just then, two young monks appeared on the corridor outside the courtyard, leading a person dressed in palace attire, who quickly walked towards the inner courtyard.

  And in his hand he held a yellow scroll, and those who often stayed in the palace naturally knew at a glance what it was.

  At the moment this person stepped into the courtyard, when everyone had not yet reacted, Pei Tan just swept a glance and saw that Pei's guard had already leaped into the air.

  Jing Wan'er only saw a flash of the knife, and the fire that had just been ignited was ruthlessly cut off. The sparks only managed to roll on the ground for a few times before they were extinguished.

  The monk who had just lit the fire had the blade right at his nose, almost cutting off his face.

  His face turned deathly pale as he stared at Pei's guard: "You... you dare..."

  At this time, the monks in the temple yard could not even ask questions, because the person wearing palace attire had already appeared before their eyes.

  Pei Tan brushed his sleeves and knelt down, "Your subject Pei Tan awaits your orders."

  The person who received the decree was in the court, and the official who transmitted the decree glanced at it, immediately unfolded the sacred decree, and began to read: "The decree says that I have already learned about the incident that occurred within the Qinglong Temple. The Qinglong Temple is known as the number one Buddhist temple of our great Tang Dynasty, spreading the supreme Buddha's teachings, yet such a bloody case has occurred. My heart is filled with anger and shock, and I strictly order the Minister of Justice, Pei Tan, to thoroughly investigate the murder case at the Qinglong Temple and report back to the palace as soon as possible, without any delay."

  The imperial edict came suddenly and was transmitted quickly. By the time the last word was read, some monks had not yet reacted and hastily knelt down.

  Afterwards, the imperial envoy put away the edict and stared at Pei Tan.

  "Ah, yes," Pei Tan slowly raised his head, "I, your subject Pei Tan, am willing to share your worries."

  The official who delivered the imperial edict handed it over to Pei Tan.

  Everyone in Qinglong Temple, including Master Xuanlian, was silent in the courtyard.

  "Please approach, Lord Pei. His Majesty has another word to say privately." The imperial envoy's expression was somber.

  Pei Tan's eyes moved slightly as he slowly looked at him and got up to approach.

  His Majesty said that he already knows who started this matter and how it has developed to the present stage. Therefore, if you, Temple Minister, cannot find out the real culprit, then Jing Wanyan will have to die to atone for her crime.

  Pei Tan suddenly looked up at the imperial envoy.

  But on the other side, his face was cold and thin, just reading from the script, no matter how emotional the words were, it was only to convey the message of the emperor behind him.

  Bai Tan felt many ambiguous gazes behind him, like thorns on his back.

  "Your subject... has received your orders." Pei Tan finally said slowly.

  Several elderly monks in Qinglong Temple have closed their eyes forever.

  Pei stood up, and everyone behind him also got up. The official who delivered the imperial edict came hastily, finished delivering the edict with a flick of his sleeve, and left without lingering.

  The entire Qinglong Temple was shrouded in a dark cloud as if it had been left behind.

  At this moment, looking at the fire branch that was cut off by Pei's guard without mercy, the meaning of this knife is not just here.

  Jing Wan'er's gaze also turned to Pei Tan. Pei Tan seemed not to have seen her, and walked towards the group of monks inside where Xuan Lian was.

  The body of Hui Gen was lifted down from the high pile of hay, but the monks around him all lowered their heads, and no one dared to reveal any emotions.

  "Leave the corpse in the ice cellar, Pei County, you go and guard it."

  Pei Shuaiwei sheathed his sword, his eyes coldly fixed on the monk at the altar.

  Pei Tan walked up to Master Hsuan Lien and said, "We can only ask the Ch'ing Lung Temple to continue cooperating with the Ta Li Temple in their investigation."

  Master Xuanlian joined his hands together in a prayer-like gesture, his expression serene and distant.

  Now Pei's words are another level of imperial decree. Even if Qinglong Temple considers itself to be in a superior position, at this moment, not even the abbot himself dares to say anything in opposition.

  "Sorry." Pei Tan looked at the monks in the courtyard.

  At the gate of the temple, Li Xiuzhi turned around and left without saying a word. Even when she was transmitting the message just now, Jing Wanyu had forgotten to see what state this king was in at that time.

  ——

  Jing Wan'er followed Pei Tan back to the courtyard, and as she looked at Pei Tan's expression, perhaps because they had been together for a long time, she could see some differences on that calm face.

  She remembered the hand that had grasped her own. "What did the imperial envoy say to you just now? I saw your expression change, Your Excellency."

  It was precisely because Pei Tan was a person who didn't show his emotions that the shock of that moment was etched in Jing Wanyu's eyes.

  If Pei had known in advance that the imperial edict would arrive, he wouldn't have been so anxious, so today's imperial edict is truly timely.

  Pei Tan glanced at her: "Just a little short, and she wouldn't be able to keep her wisdom intact."

  Jing Wanyi heard this and looked at Pei Tan's face: "Sir, have you considered that the imperial edict might order you to stop investigating this case? If so, how will you explain to Qinglong Temple for interrupting the soul-calling ceremony of Hui Gen?"

  Luckily the imperial edict's content was biased towards the Temple of Great Rites, but at the moment before the official finished reading it out, Pei Tan did not have the ability to predict, he was just gambling.

  Jing Wantong thought she knew Pei Tan so well.

  Pei Tan looked at her and said after a while: "The Grand Temple has been given the power of beheading first and reporting later, the greater the power, the greater the risk."

  Jing Wantong understood that he was willing to take on this risk himself.

  Jing Wan'er lowered her eyes, "But Your Majesty... how could you agree to continue the investigation?"

  Due to the presence of Li Xiuyi and Qinglong Temple, two crucial uncertain factors, Pei Tan and Dalisi Temple also thought that once the news was sent back to Chang'an, Zhongzong would likely let Dalisi Temple suppress this matter.

  Perhaps it was with this idea in mind that Dalí Temple made an all-out investigation over these three days.

  Even when she saw the branches under Huirun's body being ignited, Jing Wanyu thought that this case was hopeless.

  Perhaps they are inside Qinglong Temple and don't know what's happening in Chang'an City, let alone the Great Ming Palace at this moment. Her doubts are precisely about this.

  Pei Tan shouldn't be reckless, taking huge risks isn't his style, so Jing Wanyu wants to know what he's thinking. He must have guessed the probability of today's events happening, no matter how small the chance was.

  "In that great palace of Ming, there are those who can take charge besides Your Majesty." Pei Tan knew the girl's guess, "or maybe not just Your Majesty."