"Stabbed many times, even had a hand cut off, and thrown into a small pond. At first, it hid in the corner, and since few people passed by the pond, it went unnoticed. It was only after a heavy rain that it floated up."

"Stabbed to death, huh? I wonder which hero rid the people of this menace. If the body could be brought to the government, the reward would be at least a hundred taels, but that person didn’t claim it," Ye Zhi speculated, pondering with her chin.

Ming Yan, who grew up in the Yanyu Building, had heard many stories and knew about the water creature. She felt fearful for her mistress: "Miss, I’ve heard about the water creatures too. They look like apes, limp on land but extremely agile in water, often lurking beneath the surface, silently appearing and dragging people underwater, causing them to suffocate. It’s terribly frightening. Those dragged by it rarely survive. You’re truly blessed, Miss. When we go to Longhua Temple today, we must thank the Buddha properly."

Three women made a scene immediately, chatting away and delaying their ride on the carriage.

Zhao Jun and a few guards waited nearby without urging them.

Lu He nodded, "The hero who killed it must view money as dirt and wouldn’t go to claim the reward. However, the missing couple and boatman were never found. I heard it might eat people; could it have eaten them?"

As soon as those words were spoken,

Ye Zhi and Ming Yan drew closer, holding each other’s hands, their faces showing fear.

Zhao Jun rubbed his forehead helplessly. Wasn’t Ah Zhi supposed to be skilled in martial arts? Yet here she was, frightened by such a small matter...

The sun was already slowly rising, its gentle warmth bathing the entire Capital City in a soft golden hue.

Lu He felt satisfied seeing the fear on Ah Zhi and Ming Yan’s faces. She exaggeratedly said, "I happened to pass by that day and saw the creature’s true form. Its bulging eyes were terrifying as if unable to rest in peace. Its mouth was long and pointed, with tiny sharp teeth, and wide open as if it wanted to bite the hero who killed it. It was hairy all over, but unlike a monkey’s long tail, its tail was short."

Ye Zhi and Ming Yan moved even closer. Even in broad daylight, cold sweat seemed to form on their backs.

Seeing that his wife wanted to continue the story, Zhao Jun quickly interrupted, "The sun isn’t so harsh now. If you hurry to Longhua Temple, you can be back before noon when the sun is less intense." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Ye Zhi used one hand to shield her eyes, looking up towards the sky, "Sister Lu He, Brother Zhao is right. Let’s talk on the carriage."

With that, the lovely young lady was the first to board the carriage, then stood at the front, reaching out a hand and calling, "Sister Lu He, Ming Yan, come quickly."

The two called over walked across, with Zhao Jun following behind, extending his hand to assist Lu He onto the carriage.

Ming Yan climbed up by holding onto the mistress’s hand.

The wheels creaked as they rolled, with the small group setting out towards Longhua Temple.

Among them, the most restless was Ming Yan. Years ago, in front of Master Zhi Chen, she had falsely claimed to have married and had children. Perhaps Master Zhi Chen had long forgotten her, or maybe he never remembered her at all.

This time, could she see Master Zhi Chen? If she did, what should she say?

In these years, during the day, she attended to her mistress, or managed affairs in Qingyi Garden. At night, she occasionally thought of that handsome monk.

Alas, she and he, were drawn by fate but never meant to be.