Tang Dynasty Prison Administration

039: The Strange Case of Youzhou

"I admit, I was misled. I thought you wanted to resurrect the Grand Princess Zhenguo, but now I understand, you don't want to resurrect her, but rather Empress Wu Zetian!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xingguo's eyes widened, he swallowed hard, and a hint of fear appeared on his face.

"I've been wondering, who could possibly make Wei Nanzi and He Yan willingly die, and even refuse to reveal the slightest information!"

"If it were Empress Wu Zetian, then things would make sense, but then I wonder, what makes the real culprit behind this believe these two people?"

"Then it suddenly dawned on me—a person, someone who had been burned to death in a fire!"

"It's you, Xue Huaiyi!"

"Actually, you're very clever. There weren't many clues for me to trace back to you, but after I came to Ningxiang Temple today, soaked in the hot springs, and visited the temple, the moment I returned to the tavern to rest, it suddenly dawned on me!"

"Everyone thinks you, Xue Huaiyi, are dead, but you are not. You escaped and fled to Youzhou City, where you became the abbot of Ningxiang Temple."

"You only need to reveal your identity, and He Yan and Wei Nanzi will have no choice but to believe you!"

"The Twelve Zodiac Formation, the internal organ sacrifice, and Buddhist secret techniques—these are not things that ordinary people can access. That's why I suddenly remembered that Empress Wu Zetian had a favorite minister, and that is you, Xue Huaiyi. You were once appointed by Empress Wu Zetian as the abbot of the White Horse Temple!"

"At the height of your fame, eminent monks from all over the Tang Dynasty came to pay their respects to you, and thus you obtained that Buddhist secret technique and the Taoist Twelve Zodiac Formation!"

"Besides that, I remember you used to sell plasters. People say you are an expert in pharmacology, which is why you are so skilled in bed. This means you are also a skilled doctor. The master of Ji Ming, the sashimi seller, once served the Grand Princess Zhenguo. You were once a favorite of Empress Wu Zetian, so you must know Ji Ming's master. Therefore, I think you obtained the prescription for Gastrodia elata powder from him!"

"Of course, it's also possible that the Grand Princess Zhenguo knew about your ability to resurrect people, and therefore, she used you to try and have you resurrect her. Little did she know, you were the one using her!"

"This also explains why you can make Gastrodia elata powder. We searched this area but didn't find the main ingredient of Gastrodia elata powder, Datura flower!"

"I thought the trail had gone cold, but just now, it suddenly occurred to me that the men's and women's sections are separated, and there's a mixed-gender bath in between. Obviously, this cave is very large, but why are they separated?"

"Because you planted datura flowers in the designated area, which is inaccessible to outsiders, there must be a secret passage!"

"Of course, these aren't the main reasons. There's another very important point: what do you, a temple, need so much money making from developing hot springs?"

"Furthermore, look at your disciples. Their height and build—which one of them looks like a monk who couldn't survive and became a nun?"

"They were like soldiers, and when I pieced them all together, I found out it really was you, Xue Huaiyi. You used He Yan to find out the deceased's birth date and time, and then used Wei Nanzi to extract the internal organs to achieve the purpose of sacrifice."

"But at the same time, you worried that simply reviving Empress Wu Zetian would be useless, so you used the temple's hot springs to make money and began to secretly recruit these monks as soldiers by taking advantage of the temple's reputation."

"Once the Twelve Zodiac Formation is completed, and the lives of those sacrificed are used to resurrect Empress Wu Zetian, then we will have money, soldiers, and Empress Wu Zetian will live for hundreds of years. Then you can return to your former glory!"

After hearing Su Wen's words, Li Xingguo was shocked, but still had doubts. "But even if Xue Huaiyi were alive, he should be almost sixty years old now. He looks like he's only in his forties!"

Su Wen said, "Have you forgotten what those beautiful women said? Soaking in this hot spring a lot will make your skin smooth and make you look younger!"

Li Xingguo nodded in agreement.

Upon hearing this, the abbot took a deep breath, exhaled, and then laughed loudly.

Xue Huaiyi pointed and shouted, "Su Wen, you're really something, kid! You guessed it!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xingguo was even more shocked. Xue Huaiyi took off his monk's robe and laughed loudly, "The days I spent with her were the most glorious and wonderful days of my life. I think about those days all the time. However, I don't just want to resurrect her; I want to control her, so that she belongs only to me, and I can become the king of this Tang Dynasty!"

Su Wen cursed, "You're a complete madman! The idea of ​​resurrecting people simply doesn't exist! And you've caused so many deaths for something that doesn't even exist!"

"Hmph..." Xue Huaiyi laughed loudly, "But it doesn't matter. I guessed you might catch me, but I just didn't expect you to find out so quickly. But it's alright, we can still turn the tables. You don't think I only have He Yan and Wei Nanzi as pawns, do you?"

Su Wen frowned immediately, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart. Xue Huaiyi continued, "Don't worry, I definitely won't kill you. I'll capture you alive, then I'll skin you alive and hang you up at home to admire you at my leisure!"

Xue Huaiyi suddenly pointed at Li Xingguo and said, "As for you, just kill him!"

After saying that, Xue Huaiyi said contemptuously, "Kill him!"

Li Xingguo looked at Su Wen and shouted, "Run!"

Upon hearing this, Su Wen didn't hesitate at all. He pulled on the reins, turned his head, and shouted, "Giddy up!"

He had only run a few steps when a tripwire appeared, and the horse kissed the ground, throwing Su Wen heavily several meters away.

Several monks swarmed forward and tied Su Wen up immediately.

At this moment, a large group of people, about twenty or thirty people, rushed forward with sticks, intending to beat Li Xingguo to death.

Li Xingguo pulled on the reins, gripped his broadsword, and without hesitation, brought it down with a heavy slash, instantly splitting a man in two.

However, several arrows shot out from both sides. Li Xingguo dodged them quickly, but his horse did not. Moreover, someone in the group of monks took out a machete and chopped off the horse's leg.

The horse lost its balance and fell. Li Xingguo slapped the horse's back, leaped up, and with a powerful slash of his long-handled sword, cut another person in half.

This scene terrified Su Wen; it was too intense!

The monks who had been holding staffs scattered, and a large group of monks wielding spears charged up the steps. Li Xingguo swept them back with a single blow, then swung his longsword downwards with force.

He cleaved all the spears and clubs in two, then took another step forward and swept across the battlefield, directly beheading several people, and cutting several others in half diagonally.

The monks were terrified by Li Xingguo's ferocity, but Xue Huaiyi roared, "Kill him! After it's done, he'll be made a marquis of ten thousand households!"

Upon hearing this, the monks became energized and rushed towards Li Xingguo.

Those few moves had actually exhausted Li Xingguo's strength. He took a deep breath and charged forward again, brandishing his Mo Dao.