Chapter 130: Chapter 130: As Many as Ninety Percent

These are not the main points; the focus is on saving people.

Huangfu Jingchen said, “Master, if you know any clues, please reveal them. What have those rural women done to deserve this? They could have lived peaceful and happy lives, but because of those scoundrels, they were forced into misery. Can you bear to watch them suffer such a tragic fate without offering any help?”

Master Kong Chan sighed, “If I said I don’t know either, would you believe me?”

Xia Wenjin rolled her eyes, “What do you think?”

Master Kong Chan said irritably, “What can I do if you don’t believe me? I only arrived three days earlier than you and had to deal with those senior monks. Do you think I have so much free time to investigate? I noticed something was wrong and immediately shared the information to remind you, didn’t I? What more do you want?”

“What did you find that’s wrong?”

Master Kong Chan said, “On the surface, everything looks fine, but when you think about it, nothing is right.”

Xia Wenjin: “…”

This sounds as good as saying nothing.

Master Kong Chan paced back and forth in the room, grumbling, “You just kicked me, I’m really angry, hmph!”

Xia Wenjin said, “You cursed us for having short lives, didn’t you? We didn’t even mind.”

“Was that my curse? You two inherently have short life destinies!” Master Kong Chan finished, looked at Xia Wenjin, then at Huangfu Jingchen, and found both of them indifferent. Short life! Do they not understand what this means? Master Kong Chan was puzzled and said, “Do you not understand what these two words mean, or do you not trust my face-reading skills? Or maybe you’re simply not afraid to die?”

Xia Wenjin casually said, “You’re quite into your role, are you really a monk?”

Huangfu Jingchen said indifferently, “Life and death are destined, why fear?”

“But haven’t you considered there might be a way to resolve it?”

Xia Wenjin said, “Not interested!”

Huangfu Jingchen said, “If you had one, you would have mentioned it already, right?”

Master Kong Chan rolled his eyes in frustration, then angrily changed the subject, “I’ve investigated for two days and found out that the most effective thing in this temple is seeking children. It’s said that anyone wanting children must stay alone in the temple for one night, in a special courtyard, without any company. They’re not allowed to sleep and must spend the entire night in the room reciting scriptures and praying sincerely to a Child-giving Guanyin statue, and their wishes will certainly be fulfilled with sincere prayers.”

“Anything else?”

Master Kong Chan still glared at Xia Wenjin and said angrily, “The temple has records that in the past five years, the success rate for women seeking children is as high as ninety percent, with very few failures.”

“Doesn’t that prove it’s really effective?” Xia Wenjin said cheerfully, “Are you really okay with speaking so indignantly?” Those who know think you’re mad at me, but others might think you’re just speaking nonsense.

Master Kong Chan continued to puff his beard and glared, then sneered and said, “Correct, very effective!”

Huangfu Jingchen suddenly said, “Such success rates in being blessed by the Bodhisattva, seeking children and receiving them should not be so high! A fifty percent success rate would already be unimaginably effective, let alone ninety percent. When something is unusually successful, there must be something strange!”

Xia Wenjin said, “There must be reasons why those women are childless, and it’s impossible that one night’s prayer could solve the issue!”

Huangfu Jingchen said, “Right, if they’re childless due to sins, one night can’t erase the sins. If due to illnesses, one night can’t cure the illnesses. The time is too short.”

Xia Wenjin furrowed her brow and said, “Since seeking children is so effective, those women who get children must be overjoyed and frequently come to repay their vows and offer incense, right? Just find one and ask the reason; even a single word would help!”

Master Kong Chan glanced upward and said, “Do you think I haven’t thought of that? None of the women who got children returned to offer incense! Who am I supposed to ask?”

“How is that so? They should be overjoyed, right? Why don’t they return to repay their vows?” Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes showed a hint of motion.

Master Kong Chan said, “It is said that the families of those women do return to repay their vows! They are all joyful, and the incense offerings are generous.”

Huangfu Jingchen said, “In other words, before seeking children, those women sincerely prayed and personally visited with devotion. But after obtaining children, they became very indifferent, only allowing family members to repay the vows, and never showing up again?”

Master Kong Chan said, “More or less!”

Huangfu Jingchen frowned and said, “We need to find those missing women from River Mouth Village and surrounding villages. The temple’s efficacy in seeking children dates back to five years ago, and although there’s something strange, what does this have to do with the missing women?”

Master Kong Chan rolled his eyes and said, “I didn’t say there’s a relation! It’s you asking what I found out!”

Looking at Master Kong Chan’s smug face, Xia Wenjin pondered slightly and said, “You arrived a few days earlier; have you discovered any young women permanently residing in the northeast Zen Temple?”

Master Kong Chan said, “Permanently residing? Haven’t seen any.”

Xia Wenjin looked at Huangfu Jingchen, Huangfu Jingchen said, “I inquired, and that area is where the monks’ families live!”

Master Kong Chan said, “Then it’s even more impossible; monks can’t marry or have children, and except for elderly parents needing care, only they are allowed to reside on the mountain. How could there be young women there? Are you referring to the northeast Zen Temple? I’ll go check it out!”

“You can go?” Xia Wenjin was surprised.

Master Kong Chan rolled his eyes to the sky, quite proud, “This humble monk is a High Monk from Bodhi Temple! All temples aspire to be affiliated with Bodhi Lower Temple, even though Shian Temple has a thriving incense offering, it cannot escape tradition. The humble monk represents Bodhi Temple in inspections, what’s wrong with that?”

Huangfu Jingchen turned his head away.

He was only about twenty-five or six years old, yet he referred to himself as an old monk so smoothly, it was hard not to feel awkward.

Xia Wenjin laughed and said, “Yes, yes, Master Kong Chan holding a chicken feather can be an arrow of command, we’ll count on you! Master, you check it out first, we’ll go snoop around, and let’s exchange findings tonight!”

After Xia Wenjin and Huangfu Jingchen left, Master Kong Chan, feeling particularly smooth after several “master” titles, suddenly jumped up that cunning little girl, he’d been suckered again.

Even if there are problems at Shian Temple, what’s it got to do with him financially?

He only came to have fun, not to be enslaved by that damn girl for labor.

But “Wen Hua Chen Jin Xu Tianji,” this clearly embeds that girl’s name! Master, oh master, is this girl really the one you asked me to find? If not, I’ve suffered a huge loss.

What can be done now? Of course, go take a look.

He’s genuinely curious whether Shian Temple has any issues. Actually, the fact that seeking children is very effective, though suspicious, isn’t a big deal; what if the Bodhisattva here is particularly proficient at granting children?

After leaving Master Kong Chan’s courtyard, Xia Wenjin looked at Huangfu Jingchen, “Shall we act separately?”

Huangfu Jingchen nodded.

Xia Wenjin left, Huangfu Jingchen went in the other direction, but barely rounded a corner when a woman in black blocked the path.

Huangfu Jingchen’s face turned cold, prepared to circumvent her.

Sang Xuewei shouted, “Stop, I know your secret!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep