IDWBE -Chapter 476 Memory

Lin Yi scratched his head. “By now, that old lady should be awake, right?”

Jiao Zhong tried to pretend he didn’t understand.

But he couldn’t stay silent!

He had no choice but to grit his teeth and reply, “Your Highness, yesterday a message came from the palace. The Consort will be going to the White Horse Temple outside the city today to offer incense.”

“White Horse Temple?”

Lin Yi frowned. “Weren’t all the monks inside wiped out by that bastard Ding Lun? How is there still incense being burned?”

Many people think that in the past, people were simple and honest, while nowadays morals are in decline—but that’s a prejudice.

The more backward transportation and communication are, the harder it is to predict human behavior.

Especially in a feudal era like this—even on official roads, there are bandits collecting tolls.

Young women might never need to leave the house, but men had to provide for their families. If they didn’t go out, what could they do? Merchants, officials, visiting relatives—they couldn’t always hire bodyguards and had to know a few tricks themselves, or risk being sold out—or worse, losing their lives!

So, the martial culture of the ancients wasn’t just for show.

Everyone was brimming with martial virtue.

As for temples, hiding deep in the mountains didn’t guarantee safety. Without a group of warrior monks to guard it, no one would dare dominate the area. The large temple in Ankang City, of course, had exceptional martial strength.

White Horse Temple had simply been unlucky to encounter a disaster like Ding Lun.

But Lin Yi didn’t feel the least bit sorry.

Ever since White Horse Temple colluded with the Princess, he had wanted to burn it to the ground.

Since it was a royal temple supported by the crown, whether in the court or among the people, it carried great influence. One could not act rashly in anger, so he had exercised restraint.

Ding Lun’s complete eradication of the monks suited him perfectly.

“Prince,” Jiao Zhong cupped his hands. “Lord He said White Horse Temple is a renowned temple. It is a pity to let it fall into ruin, so he appointed someone to manage it temporarily.”

“Who?”

Lin Yi asked directly.

“Amitabha,”

Just as Lin Yi heard the Buddhist chant, he looked up and saw a monk standing before him.

“Is it you?”

“I am unworthy, but Lord He entrusted me to manage the temple affairs,” The monk joined his hands in respect.

“You’re about to be married, yet you still want to be a monk?”

Lin Yi asked in confusion.

Jiao Zhong glanced at the monk, then smiled. “Your Highness may not know. Although White Horse Temple has always claimed to be indifferent to fame and wealth, it maintains connections with the palace and court. Lord He could not bear to let this position fall into the hands of the Vajra Sect, so he had the monk act as caretaker first. It’s someone he trusts.”

Lin Yi was surprised. “The Vajra Sect intervened too?”

Jiao Zhong hesitated, then nodded. “They recommended a senior monk. At the time, I reported it to you, and you let Lord He handle it fully. After that, it was never brought up again.”

Lin Yi’s memory was well-known—Jiao Zhong had long since gotten used to it and no longer expected much.

But for their positions, memory had to be impeccable. Even the slightest mistake was unacceptable!

“Oh,” Lin Yi frowned, thinking hard but still couldn’t recall it.

In this life, he had wealth, power, and a home—nothing like last life, when his eyes went empty and his memory declined!

Sitting in a wheelchair, unable even to cry while standing—so he really couldn’t understand why his memory now was so poor. It made no sense!

Could it be because of Zixia and Mingyue?

Jiao Zhong saw Lin Yi shaking his head and sighing intermittently, and, flustered, said, “Your Highness, forgive me. It was my negligence.”

“Forget it,” Lin Yi touched the water kettle, now cooling. “Make some goji tea tomorrow.”

He suddenly missed having a thermos.

The purple clay pot was fine, but for green tea and goji berries, glass was best!

Only a glass cup could show the leaves rising and sinking, letting one enjoy their graceful dance.

He had tried hard but still couldn’t make a suitable glass cup.

What did this have to do with goji berries? Jiao Zhong was momentarily confused.

But he still hurriedly replied, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Lin Yi looked at the monk again. “You disappear and appear like a ghost every day. Where do you hide?”

The monk joined his hands again. “Your Highness, I have just arrived. I happened to hear your question and answered.”

“Really?”

Lin Yi naturally didn’t believe it.

He was definitely hiding somewhere!

There’s no such thing as coincidence!

“Everything I say is true,” The monk said calmly. “Governor Hong ordered that the Prince’s guards’ positions must follow the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. Even I cannot break this rule.”

Jiao Zhong saw Lin Yi look at him and hurriedly said, “Exactly so.”

All the Prince’s regulations were set by Governor Hong!

Especially the Prince’s security!

You couldn’t just stand anywhere you wanted. Each guard’s duty hour, position, commands, posture—all were strictly regulated.

Hiding was out of the question!
Even a monk couldn’t do it!
Even the blind Grandmaster Wang Dong would not allow it!
Breaking the rules was tantamount to rebellion!

“Qimen Dunjia?”

Lin Yi laughed. “You’ve all gone into metaphysics?”

“…”

Jiao Zhong naturally understood that Lin Yi meant “metaphysics.”

It wasn’t much different from superstition.

Normally, he would have just nodded and praised the Prince as wise, after all, flattery never goes unrewarded.

But this involved Governor Hong!

He appeared and disappeared at will, the very maker of the rules, never bound by them.

So Jiao Zhong couldn’t casually follow Lin Yi in mocking him.

Moreover, as the Prince’s chief guard, he had to know the secrets of Qimen Dunjia to arrange defenses properly.

The longer he studied it, the more he realized its power and his admiration for Governor Hong grew endlessly, like a river without end!

He could no longer in good conscience call Qimen Dunjia mere superstition.

“Always acting all mystical,” Lin Yi said helplessly, “The popularization of science still has a long way to go.”

“Your Highness speaks truly,” Jiao Zhong, though helpless, had to nod. “I will follow your guidance and study more scientific knowledge in the future.”

Suddenly, the sound of drums and gongs rang out.

“It’s Chen hour. Find my old coat for a disguise,” Lin Yi stomped his foot. “Let’s take a stroll on the streets.”

With Zixia’s help, he changed into the coat and left the mansion.

Just outside the alley, the enticing aroma of roasted sweet potatoes wafted to him.

Even though he had just eaten, the smell made him want some.

“Give me one,” Lin Yi stood by the oven, removed his gloves, and rubbed his hands. “Pick a big one.”

“All right!”

The old man replied happily. “Please wait a moment!”