Li Man'er saw that the temple keeper did not speak, so she asked again, "Where is the abbot of the Medicine King Temple?"
"Oh, the abbot is away on a pilgrimage."
Li Man'er let out a cold laugh. "Don't try to fool me with the same tricks you use on outsiders. Tell me, where is he?"
The temple keeper shivered and stammered, "R-really."
"I think you killed the abbot, didn't you?"
"No, no." The temple keeper's hands were tied behind his back, rendering him immobile. He could only shake his head repeatedly. "Benefactress, it really wasn't me who killed the abbot..."
Li Man'er glanced at him. "Then who did?"
"Alas~" The temple keeper knew he had slipped up and had no choice but to reveal the truth. "No one killed him. A year ago, while the abbot was farming in the back mountains, he accidentally slipped and hit his head on a rock, and he passed away."
Li Man'er's brows furrowed tightly. "Do you take me for a fool?"
"No, no, it's true. I wouldn't dare lie to you."
"If the abbot died accidentally, why did you claim he went on a pilgrimage? Why didn't you tell the truth?"
The temple keeper looked distressed and reluctant to speak.
"Since that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless. Your concealment of the abbot's death makes you highly suspicious. You might even be the one who killed him. Furthermore, no matter how small the Medicine King Temple is, it is still a place of Buddhist purity. You actually colluded with others to harm my reputation, and this matter cannot be let go. I am the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Iron Gallantry. You dare to harm me, let alone ordinary women. Who knows how many people have fallen victim to your wickedness."
The temple keeper was stunned at first, then wailed, "False, it's a false accusation! Noble lady, please show mercy. This humble one is truly wronged."
Li Man'er glanced at Zi Yan and Lü Yi, signaling them to go outside. The two maids dared not disobey her and quickly retreated, but they did not go far, staying to guard the door.
"Wronged? Where is your ancestral home? In which temple did you become a monk? Why do you have no monastic scar on your head?" This person reeked of worldly habits; his words and actions were not those of a monk.
The temple keeper's attitude suddenly changed. His eyes became sharp, completely different from his previous submissive demeanor. He regarded Li Man'er with suspicion and wariness.
"It seems you are a person with a story. The night is long, why not tell it to me."
"Why doesn't the noble lady show mercy and pretend not to know anything? Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"
Li Man'er let out a cold laugh. "Are you negotiating with me?"
"When that lady from your household came, she only asked us to cooperate and not disturb anyone in the rear courtyard's meditation rooms. We have very few pilgrims here, and she was generous with her money, so I naturally agreed. If I had known she intended to harm someone and do such dirty deeds here, I would never have agreed."
"You call yourself 'this humble one,' which suggests you haven't taken monastic vows yet. How did you become a temple keeper in this temple?" This was already against the rules.
The other party likely felt he had said too much and immediately stopped talking, staring at the ground, his entire body resisting further communication with Li Man'er.
Li Man'er took a pill from her person and smiled, "It's alright if you don't say anything. Here's a pill; after taking it, you'll confess everything." She walked towards the temple keeper with the pill. The man watched her warily and slowly backed away.
"Don't worry, it's not poison. It won't kill you."
Li Man'er pinched the man's chin and forced the pill into his mouth, then covered his mouth, making him swallow it.
Alas, the pill dissolved instantly. In the time it took for a yawn, he had swallowed it. He couldn't spit it out or vomit it.
"What did you give me? Ah?"
Li Man'er drew a dagger from her waist and slowly approached the man. Fear flickered in the man's eyes, but he didn't move.
The dagger in Li Man'er's hand was incredibly sharp. With a single slash, she cut the ropes binding the man.
The man blinked in surprise. He was no longer as afraid. He slowly moved his hands and began to ponder.
If this girl wanted to kill him, she could have done it with one swift stroke. Why go through all the trouble of feeding him a pill first?
With a sense of his situation, the man was contemplating how to deal with her when he heard Li Man'er say, "Just because I'm not killing you now doesn't mean I'll let you live."
Her words were laced with a strong threat, making the man grit his teeth.
"At worst, I'll die. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"You have some backbone, but I'm afraid you'd rather live a fate worse than death."
The man suddenly remembered the pill Li Man'er had given him earlier, and his throat felt constricted. "What did you give me?"
"Poison, but it won't take effect immediately. As long as you take the antidote on time, you'll be like a normal person."
The man trembled and asked, "What happens if I don't take the antidote on time?"
"You'll bleed from all seven orifices and die with your intestines ruptured and stomach burst," Li Man'er said nonchalantly as she sat on a chair. "This poison is extremely potent. Sometimes, your intestines will come out, and blood will flow everywhere, yet you won't die. You can only watch as your flesh and blood rot little by little, enduring all the pain before dying with unwilling resignation."
The man's face turned pale with fright, and he almost fell to his knees. However, he quickly calmed himself, forcing himself not to panic.
Perhaps she didn't give him poison at all?
Yes, it must not be!
The man raised his red eyes. "Poison? Why don't I feel anything? Do you think I was scared into this world?"
There was a rogueishness about this man. Even though he hid in a temple, shaved his head, and concealed his true nature well, some things run in one's bones.
Li Man'er held up one finger.
The man was confused, what did that mean?
Then, Li Man'er held up a second finger.
The man remained bewildered.
Li Man'er held up a third finger. The man's expression froze, and then he understood what Li Man'er meant.
Pain, a piercing pain, as if he were pinned down with nails all over his body. His abdomen churned violently, making him unable to utter a sound. He collapsed onto the ground, curling up and writhing.
Within moments, the man's greyish-blue monk robe was soaked with sweat. The pain surged towards him like a tide, relentless.
Li Man'er walked over and knelt in front of the man, offering him a small white pill.
"Take this, and the pain will stop for now."
The man ignored the word "for now," only knowing that taking it would stop the pain. He eagerly snatched the pill from Li Man'er's hand and, without thinking, put it in his mouth.
He didn't care if he died. Even if it was poison, death was better than this torment.
The pill dissolved, releasing a faint medicinal fragrance. The pain also dissipated with this scent.
The man, having escaped death, had no desire to move. "What is your objective?"
Li Man'er replied calmly, "To invest."
The man frowned. Invest? What did that mean?