By the ti everything was settled, the sky had already turned completely dark.
Thanks to Sa Tian’s calmness in the face of danger, he managed to comfort the distraught monks and arrange rooms for the injured.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from outside, and a Fusang soldier said sothing, causing Sa Tian’s face to beco serious.
"The General has co to visit in person, I will go out to greet him." Sa Tian said to Bai Ruozhu, not realizing the unusual respect in his tone when speaking to her.
Bai Ruozhu looked quite disheveled at the mont, with dried blood stains on her clothes, charred soot, along with so dicine soup, and her face was smudged black. Her hands were dirty with blood and ephera.
She did not move, slowly washing her hands with water, her actions ticulous.
Only then could she finally calm her mind to think about what was going on, especially noticing the small monk who deliberately added sothing to the fire, and to leave no evidence, even threw the wooden bucket into the fire.
This fire was clearly orchestrated, but for what purpose?
Targeting them? But they didn’t go to the Scripture Pavilion, and with their martial skills, even if a fire broke out in the back hall where they were having tea, it wouldn’t harm them, right?
If they intended to use the fire to cause trouble for them, would they target the Scripture Pavilion specifically? Isn’t the front hall, with its vibrant incense and smoke, more prone to fire?
Thinking it over, the other party’s target might very well be the Scripture Pavilion.
Could it be that the Scripture Pavilion holds so secret?
Lost in thought, Bai Ruozhu didn’t notice that a pair of eyes was observing her until she finished washing her hands, cleaning even the fingernail crevices, and slowly dried her hands before looking up at the person standing in the doorway.
She couldn’t help but squint her eyes. What did this Xinye intend to do? Did he refuse to accept his previous loss and want to challenge her again? But he ought to choose a better occasion, right?
Xinye’s gaze held a mix of puzzlent and inquiry as he looked at her.
"Why are you working so hard?" Xinye suddenly asked in awkward Chinese.
Bai Ruozhu quickly understood his aning: You’re not a Fusang person, so why are you working so hard to save them?
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but chuckle, "If I didn’t work hard to save them, should I just watch them die?"
Xinye understood and his expression changed slightly, appearing not to fully grasp her reasoning. Bai Ruozhu silently sighed, realizing she likely couldn’t explain it to him clearly.
To them, nationality mattered, but Bai Ruozhu only saw the injured and these innocent monks.
"Zhaoti Temple and Danliang Country share the sa roots." She explained in this manner, hoping they would understand more easily.
Xinye nodded, leaving the room without saying anything further.
Bai Ruozhu watched the swinging door curtain, thinking that this person was probably used to being proud, leaving without a word or salute, truly capricious.
In another part of the temple, General Chisong visited so of the injured and t with the soldiers and doctors who had co to extinguish the fire, praising them a little.
"General, this ti’s rescue was thanks to Lord Bai from Danliang Country; she turned out to be the leader of the Zhongyuan dical Alliance, with extrely remarkable dical skills." Sa Tian tily reminded.
General Chisong was sowhat surprised, "Oh? A woman with such skills? She looks quite young, doesn’t she?"
Before Sa Tian could answer, an old Fusang doctor imdiately said, "General, don’t be too quick to trust that woman. Zhongyuan is across the sea, and there hasn’t been any news in recent years. How do we know she’s truly a leader? Isn’t it just her boasting?"
"But Master Puru’s burns are severe, and she’s the only one who can treat them." Sa Tian objected.
The old man, with a bald head and the remaining hair tied in a small knot at the back, suddenly knelt down, showing a look of grief, "General, how could Zhaoti Temple catch fire? Just a few days ago, there was a heavy rain, and everything was damp. How could it suddenly catch fire? How was it that the fire broke out just as those Danliang people arrived at the temple?"
General Chisong’s brow furrowed slightly, seemingly finding it suspicious as well.
"They have no conflict with Zhaoti Temple, right?" he said.
At this mont, a samurai suddenly spoke up, "General, could it be that they don’t want Fusang’s Buddhist culture to spread, so they want to destroy the Buddhist scriptures to prevent Fusang from surpassing their Danliang Country?"
Sa Tian was sowhat anxious, "General, I was with them the whole ti and can attest that they didn’t start the fire."
The old doctor glared harshly at Sa Tian, "Haven’t you been bribed by them? You never left their side? Did none of them leave during the ordeal?"
Sa Tian’s expression changed briefly, quickly picked up by soone, and the samurai who spoke began pressing him.
"I took them to see Master Puru, and later the master ordered to leave, so I stepped away for a while. When the fire started, they ca out of the room with Master Puru and even helped put out the fire." Sa Tian truthfully answered.
The old doctor snorted, "In that case, only Master Puru would know if anyone left midway. Why would the master want to avoid you when they spoke?"
These words were accusatory, suggesting so collusion between Master Puru and the Danliang envoys.
Now that Master Puru’s life was uncertain, it was outrageous that soone would speak like this, causing Sa Tian to explode.
Though he had returned to secular life, he greatly respected Master Puru in his heart.
"What do you an by that? Master Puru acts with integrity, only wanting to ask about the situation of the Danliang temples on behalf of his late master. Are you suspecting the master?" Sa Tian shouted directly.
The people nearby were all startled; Sa Tian, having practiced Buddhism since childhood and always speaking gently like a scholar, had never lost his temper like this.
General Chisong patted Sa Tian on the shoulder, "I understand how you feel; the master will be fine. Just ntion any dicines you need, and I’ll have the best burn ointnt from the residence sent over."
General Chisong’s attitude was clear, signifying his trust in Master Puru’s character.
The doctor who spoke earlier was unsatisfied but understood discretion, quickly bowing and saying, "I was just worried about soone harming Master Puru. In my haste, I spoke out of turn. Forgive , General and Lord Sa Tian."
General Chisong waved his hand, "No need to say more, focus on saving people first. Xinye, lead n to carefully inspect and find out the cause of the fire."
"Yes." Xinye, cradling a samurai sword, responded coldly.
Many had not noticed him before and didn’t know when he had arrived, seemingly appearing silently.
"Everyone else, do your duties. I don’t want to see any conflicts with the Danliang envoys now. If there’s anything, wait until Master Puru wakes up to discuss it." General Chisong added.
"Yes." Everyone replied in unison.
Afterward, General Chisong went to see Jiang Yichun and his group, expressing his gratitude. However, when he gazed at Bai Ruozhu, his eyes carried more scrutiny, causing a chill to surface in Jiang Yichun’s eyes beside him.
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