Comeback of the Abandoned Wife. Part 2
plan failed
The Abbot checked the man’s pulse and leaned down, but found no breath. He stood up with a heavy sigh.
elder abbot
. "He is dead."
monk
"This man... this man is..."
One of the monks stammered, his face turning pale with shock.
The Abbot looked up, his gaze stern as he addressed the trembling monk.
Chenzi walked over, his curiosity piqued. He narrowed his eyes with deep concentration, then suddenly whipped his head around to glare at Jungkook. His eyes were ice-cold, the kind of gaze that would make a normal person tremble with fear.
The monk looked coldly at Jeon Chenzi.
monk
"It is the guard who serves the Master of the National Teacher... this disciple has seen him several times."
Everyone in the courtyard turned to look at Jeon Chenzi in utter astonishment.
Chenzi fought to suppress the rising tide of anger and suspicion in his heart. He maintained a calm facade and said,
Jeon Chenzi
It is indeed a guard of this deity named Yao Jinkun. However, it was his turn to be on duty at the Palace today, so I did not bring him here."
Inside, Chenzi was reeling.
(Jungkook is truly talented if he managed to lure Yao Jinkun here.)
This was clearly Chenzi's own plan, but somehow, the pieces had been swapped halfway through.
Jeon Chenzi
(Where did the people I actually arranged go?)
elder tongji
"Who is that man? Why are you sneaking around the gates?"
Elder Tongji suddenly yelled, pointing toward the entrance.
The monks guarding the door immediately caught the intruder. The man was a young monk dressed in light blue robes. He bowed quickly and said
young monk
"This disciple greets the Abbot and the Elders."
Elder Tongji asked angrily, "
elder tongji
"Why were you hiding behind the doors like a thief?"
The young monk answered hesitantly
young monk
"This disciple is responsible for cleaning the pilgrims' courtyard. I thought the thieves might look familiar, so I came here to take a look."
Elder Tongji was stunned.
elder tongji
"Do you know them?"
The little monk shook his head hurriedly.
young monk
"I don't know them! How could I know them?"
elder abbot
"Don't panic, the Elder mean, have you seen them before?"
young monk
"The disciple would need to take a closer look to be sure."
elder abbot
"Then you take a look."
The little monk walked over to the bodies, his eyes darting across the faces. Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of horror. He pointed a trembling finger and cried out,
young monk
"The disciple recognizes them!"
The courtyard fell silent as everyone looked at him. The Abbot asked quickly,
elder abbot
"Who are they?"
young monk
"A guests living in the pilgrim compound."
elder tongji
"Guests living in the pilgrim compound?"
elder tongji
"You mean they are the pilgrims brought in by Elder Tongmi?"
When Chenzi heard the name "Tongmi," his confusion deepened, but a dark realization began to take hold. He could now guess exactly what kind of people were lying dead on the ground.
The little monk nodded vigorously
young monk
"I am responsible for cleaning their yard and saw them often. I would never forget those faces! And there are more of them—the rest should still be in the pilgrims' courtyard right now."
Elder Tongji immediately barked orders to the monks.
elder tongji
"Surround the pilgrims' courtyard! Send someone to bring Elder Tongmi here at once!"
As the courtyard erupted into motion, Jeon Chenzi walked slowly to Jungkook’s side. He leaned in, his voice a low, somber growl that only Jungkook could hear.
Jeon Chenzi
"Jungkook... it is a good plan. It was my mistake to look down on you."
Chenzi’s mind raced as he counted and recounted the bodies. He had personally arranged for a group of his own elite men to stay hidden in the pilgrim compound, ready to act on his signal. But these corpses weren't just his men—they were a mix of his guards and others he hadn't authorized.
Jeon Chenzi
(How did Jungkook find out where they were staying? How did he manage to manipulate the movement of people in and out of the compound without my knowledge?)
Jungkook looked at Jeon Chenzi with a look of pure, blank innocence.
Jungkook
"Master, what do you mean by this? I'm afraid I don't understand your words."
Chenzi snorted, his jaw tightening in suppressed fury.
Taehyung stepped forward, pulling Jungkook protectively into his arms and leveling a gaze at Chenzi that was as sharp and cold.
Before the tension could break, a monk returned to the courtyard, breathless.
monk
"Abbot! All the others living in the pilgrim compound have fled. The rooms are empty!"
The Abbot was visibly shocked.
elder abbot
"Then why are you standing here? Go! Chase them at once!"
Just then, Elder Tongmi entered the courtyard hastily, looking confused.
tong mio
"Host, I wonder what is wrong. Why were you looking for this old one in such a hurry?"
The Abbot maintained a calm, stern face
elder abbot
"Elder, I heard that you were the one who brought the guests currently staying in the pilgrim courtyard."
Elder Tongmi replied, his expression shifting to one of mild apprehension.
tong mio
"Is there a problem with them?"
elder abbot
"Look for yourself."
The Abbot pointed toward the pile of corpses on the ground.
elder abbot
"Are these the people you brought in?"
Elder Tongmi walked toward the bodies clad in black night-clothes. As he looked at their faces, he stumbled back in shock. He recognized several of them.
tong mio
"This... these are indeed the people I brought! Why are they all dead? What has happened?"
He had only just returned from his own duties; he had seen a young man approaching the Pagoda earlier but had no idea what had transpired since then.
Elder Tongji exclaimed angrily,
elder tongji
"They burned the sacred Pagoda of this temple! They intended to steal the Fairy artifact, and we were forced to kill them. Tongmi, you must tell us who these people truly are! Why did you bring such criminals into our temple?"
Elder Tongmi couldn't believe his ears. He looked up toward the Pagoda inside the courtyard. The structure, which usually glowed golden and magnificent under the sunlight, was now charred beyond recognition. Thick, acrid white smoke billowed from the ruins, staining the clear sky.
The Pagoda was built by the first generation of the Emperor in the Kingdom of Heaven and possessed a long, storied history; it was the ultimate symbol of the Lotus Temple. In addition to its symbolic value, it contained many treasures, magical instruments, and the sacred relics of the Abbots of every generation.
The fire had almost consumed the entire Pagoda, and there was only enough time to rescue 60% of the treasures. Most of the artifacts and relics placed on the upper floors were burned. A fire capable of destroying such items must have been a spiritual fire used for refining magic weapons; otherwise, it would have been absolutely impossible to burn magic weapons so easily.
tong mio
"How could this happen? Who set the fire?"
Elder Tongmi was so angry his voice was trembling. Inside that Pagoda were his own master's sacred relics.
Jeon Chenzi remained silent, his mind racing as he stared at the ruins.
The young monk responsible for cleaning the pilgrim compound pointed at the corpses on the ground and shouted,
young monk
"Elder Tongmi, they are the ones who set the Pagoda on fire!"
Elder Tongmi looked at the corpses on the ground. These people burned the Pagoda? And these were the very people he had brought into the temple? If that were the case, then the real culprit behind the tragedy was him. It would never have happened if he hadn't allowed these people inside.
He looked up at the crowd. All the monks were staring at the bodies with looks of pure rage. Then, his eyes landed on Jeon Chenzi standing among the group of monks. Elder Tongmi lowered his face, his expression darkening as he asked angrily,
tong mio
"Master of the National Teacher Academy, shouldn't you give this old one an explanation?"
Everyone’s gaze shifted instantly to Jeon Chenzi.
Elder Tongji asked, bewildered,
elder tongji
"What does this have to do with the Master of the National Teacher?"
thank you for your love and accepted part 2 I will repeatedly, updated frequently so stay tuned and follow me okay.😘bye👋💖💞
Emperor is furious
Although one of the treasure hunters had been identified as Jeon Chenzi’s man, the others were still struggling to believe it. They could not fathom why the esteemed National Teacher would ever plot to steal the temple's treasures.
tong mio
The people who lived in the pilgrim compound... they were the men of the Master of the National Teacher! It was he who asked this old one to arrange for them to live there secretly!"
Elder Tongmi stared at Elder Tongji, his hands shaking as he pointed toward the ruins.
At that time, Elder Tongmi had not liked the people arranged by the National Teacher Academy. If it were not for the high status of the National Teacher, he would never have allowed them to stay.
With a loud bang of realization hitting the crowd, everyone looked at Chenzi with utter incredulity.
Chenzi was deeply upset. He had arranged for those men to stay at the Lotus Temple, and only he and Elder Tongmi were supposed to know about it. He believed the Elder would never talk nonsense or betray him. Even if Jungkook had somehow found about Sun lan, people were living in the temple, he shouldn't have known that Chenzi was the one who arranged it.
Jeon Chenzi
"This deity only intended for them to stay here because my elder sister requested it,"
Chenzi stammered, his face a mask of sorrow.
Jeon Chenzi
"I did not expect that they would..."
He hammered his fist against his palm, looking particularly distraught.
Jeon Chenzi
"I truly did not expect that they would take this opportunity to commit such a shameful act!"
Although he tried to look upset, the onlookers remained highly skeptical.
Suddenly, Elder Tongji exclaimed in shock.
elder abbot
"What is wrong?"
elder tongji
"Abbot, look at the Buddha's treasure!"
Elder Tongji handed the "
Fairy" artifact to the Abbot. The golden ball, which had originally been intricately carved with Sanskrit characters, had become a smooth, featureless golden ball. After being stimulated by spiritual force, it could only change into a single lotus flower—Jin Lian. No other forms appeared. It had clearly been swapped for a fake when the treasure was "captured" during the chaos.
elder abbot
"Why? How can this be?!"
The Abbot’s vision went dark; he nearly collapsed to the ground, but an elder with quick reflexes caught him.
elder tongji
"Abbot, are you alright?"
The Abbot waved his hand dismissively, his voice trembling with excitement and rage.
elder abbot
"This matter must be reported to the Emperor! Let the Emperor decide our fate!"
Jeon Chenzi frowned frantically. Everything was going wrong, and every piece of evidence pointed directly at him. He had to think of a solution, and fast.
Jungkook turned away and buried his face in Taehyung’s arm. Hidden from the others, the corners of his mouth curled into a beautiful, triumphant arc.
The incident quickly reached the ears of the Emperor. He was instantly furious when he learned that the historic Pagoda had been burned. He immediately traveled to the Lotus Temple with a large entourage. When he discovered that the incident was tied directly to Jeon Chenzi, his anger reached a breaking point.
Emperor
"Master Jeon, I had high hopes for your reinstatement! How do you repay me? This disaster happened on the very second day of your return! Your personal guard brought people to steal the treasure, and you arranged for them to live in the pilgrim compound. Those people burned the Pagoda! Regardless of whether you personally gave the order or not, you can hardly escape the blame!"
The Emperor gestured toward the burnt Pagoda visible through the window and slammed his hand down on the desk vigorously.
The eunuch hurriedly tried to appease the Emperor.
Enuch
"Your Majesty, please, dissipate your anger, otherwise you will fall ill."
Jeon Chenzi
"This old minister deserves everything; I ask the Emperor to punish me."
Doo Hwang, standing next to the Emperor, curled his lip into a cold smirk.
Doo Hwang
(Jeon Chenzi, you can't escape this time.)
Emperor Jun smiled coldly.
Emperor
"Even if I were to have you beheaded, it would not make up for this fault!"
Jeon Chenzi’s eyes flashed with a dark shadow.
Jeon Chenzi
"Your Majesty, before punishing this old minister, can we first investigate the root of the matter? This minister believes this incident is directly related to Jungkook."
Doo Hwang’s eyes flashed with a cold light.
Even the Emperor’s eyes filled with doubt.
Enuch
"It was on the day of the test that he asked the Emperor for this specific reward."
Jeon Chenzi
"If he hadn't asked to see the fairy artifact, I would never have brought him to the Lotus Temple. Aside from this minister, only he and his husband knew we were coming here today."
The Emperor thought for a moment and then signaled his chief eunuch.
Emperor
"Call both Jungkook and his husband here."
Jungkook and Taehyung entered the room and bowed before the Emperor and the Prince. The Emperor looked sternly at Jungkook.
Emperor
"The National Teacher claims that if you hadn't asked to see the fairy artifact, this treasure hunt would never have happened. He suggests the case is related to you. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Jungkook spoke quickly, his voice steady
Jungkook
"Your Majesty, this lowly citizen has been wronged. Although I wished to see the fairy artifact, the National Teacher never officially agreed to it. Only this morning, while I was still asleep, he suddenly arrived at my house and insisted we go to the Lotus Temple immediately. Even if I had the intention to steal the treasure, how could I have had time to prepare thieves and send them here in advance? Is it possible to simply send people to rob a temple at a moment's notice?"
Jungkook paused, then continued,
Jungkook
"Furthermore, I assumed the National Teacher would take us into the Pagoda to see the immortal artifact. But I was surprised when he sent us to the meditation room, and leave people behind to watch us. How could I have coordinated an attack at the exact moment it was taken out of the tower? And how could I, a mere citizen, instruct these men to commit such a crime?"
His words were logical and left little room for doubt. The Emperor turned to Master He, who was in charge of the investigation.
Emperor
"Master He, what is your take on this?"
Master He replied respectfully,
Enuch
"Your Majesty, aside from his desire to see the artifact, there is nothing linking this young man to the theft. After all, one of the men caught was Yao Jinkun, the National Teacher’s own bodyguard. Does this young man truly have the ability to command the National Teacher's personal guard to steal a treasure?"
Jeon Chenzi
"He could have used a spell to control Yao Jinkun!"
Master He looked at him skeptically.
master he
"As far as I know, this young man has sixth-order spiritual power. How could he control a seventh-order warrior like Yao Jinkun?"
Jeon Chenzi
"He could have asked others to do it for him!" Chenzi barked.
Doo Hwang cut in, his voice dripping with disdain.
Doo Hwang
"It seems the National Teacher sees everyone as a supreme master except himself. It is clear you simply want to push the blame onto a junior now that your actions have been exposed. Tell me, is Yao Jinkun yours or not? Were the people in the pilgrim courtyard arranged by you or not? These are facts, not things I am simply making up."
Doo Hwang then turned to his father
Doo Hwang
. "Father, there is one more thing. I heard from the elders that the real fairy artifact was replaced with a fake that can only transform into a lotus and nothing else."
Doo Hwang
"Then consider this,"
Doo Hwang said, looking around the room.
Doo Hwang
"Only the Emperor, the National Teacher, and the elders of this temple knew the artifact could change shapes. The public only knows a fairy artifact exists in the Pagoda; they don't know what it looks like or what it can do. Even my own mother, the Empress, did not know its true shape. How could a commoner with no official position create a perfect fake to swap it with?"
When Doo Hwang said this, everyone present understood the implication. The Emperor’s face twisted in fury as he stared coldly at Jeon Chenzi.
Emperor
"Master Jeon... how can you possibly explain that?"
He wanted to killed Jungkook
He really had no way to explain it. Unless the Emperor, the Abbot, and the Elders had all conspired together to harm him by telling Jungkook about the artifact’s properties—which was impossible.
The Abbot and the Elders had no reason to sabotage him, and if the Emperor wanted to deal with him, he could do so with a flick of his wrist; he wouldn't need to invent such a complex fairy tale.
Jeon Chenzi
(Who revealed that the artifact could change into a lotus shape)
Chenzi looked at Jungkook, who kept his head lowered. Once again, Chenzi realized he had underestimated this boy. He knew he couldn't hold his ground much longer.
Jeon Chenzi
"Your Majesty,"
Jeon Chenzi
"Yao Jinkun was my personal guard and followed me almost every day. Perhaps I spoke of the artifact's shape in passing, and he overheard. That is how he knew."
Jungkook watched from the corner of his eye, realizing Chenzi was trying to shift the entire burden of the crime onto the dead man, Yao Jinkun.
Doo Hwang smiled coldly, having guessed Chenzi’s intention.
Doo Hwang
"Master, are you suggesting that Jungkook controlled Yao Jinkun and forced him to reveal the artifact's shape?"
Jeon Chenzi
"I only suspected that the treasure hunt was related to Jungkook; I did not say he committed it himself. After listening to Your Highness, it seems more likely that Yao Jinkun planned the theft. He knew I had arranged for those men to stay in the pilgrim courtyard, and he knew I was bringing Jungkook here today."
Emperor
"Didn't you just say that only you and Jungkook knew about this trip?"
The Emperor asked sharply.
Jeon Chenzi
"That is true,"
Jeon Chenzi
"However, I told Yao Jinkun I would not be at the Academy today. He might have monitored my movements and seized the opportunity to steal the treasure for himself."
The Emperor turned to Master He.
Emperor
"Master He, what do you think?"
master he
"Returning to Your Majesty,"
master he
"It is indeed very likely that Yao Jinkun planned everything. The fact that he took poison and committed suicide immediately upon being captured indicates he was terrified of the consequences."
The Emperor nodded and looked at Chenzi.
Emperor
"Master Jeon, even if this has nothing to do with you personally, you cannot escape the blame. It was you who brought people to see the artifact, and it was your guard who led the raid. Therefore, I am firing you from your position and ordering a full investigation. Do you have any complaints?"
Such a punishment was already considered light given the circumstances.
Jeon Chenzi
"This old minister has no complaints, I am willing to accept Your Majesty's punishment."
Jungkook and Doo Hwang glanced at each other for a fleeting second before quickly turning away.
The Emperor then addressed Master He with absolute authority.
Emperor
"The burning of the Pagoda and the theft of the immortal artifact are matters of great importance. You must find the truth. This crime is heinous enough to warrant the execution of three generations of the culprits' families."
In this world, protecting heavenly treasures was a sacred duty; stealing them was the ultimate sin.
master he
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
As the Emperor stepped out of the house, he cast a deep, searching look at Jungkook before walking to the door. To the Abbot and the monks waiting outside, he said,
Emperor
"I will surely find the truth and give you an explanation. I will also send my best people to recover the artifact as soon as possible. As for the reconstruction of the Pagoda..."
He looked back at Chenzi.
Emperor
"Let the former National Teacher bear the cost alone. After all, it was he who arranged for those gangsters to stay within your walls."
elder abbot
"We thank the Emperor!"
The Abbot and the monks cried out, kneeling in gratitude.
Enuch
"Back to the palace!"
Chenzi left the Lotus Temple with the Emperor’s entourage,l.
Jungkook and Taehyung followed suit, knowing it was no longer appropriate for them to linger at the temple.
Watching them disappear into the distance, one of the elders murmured softly,
elder abbot
"It has really happened. Alas, whether this is a blessing or a curse, the curse could not be avoided. The Lotus Temple was destined to face such a calamity; perhaps this is simply the price for paying back old debts of sin."
When Jungkook and Taehyung returned to the Kim house, Nu Mu immediately greeted them with a triumphant smile.
Nu Mu
"The fujin (the target) was captured by us the moment he tried to escape the Lotus Temple."
Jungkook
"What about the others?"
Nu Mu’s smile faded into a serious expression.
Nu Mu
"Sun Lan was very cunning. When the trouble started, he took three people and managed to flee the temple. We killed the rest and threw their bodies into the river. As for the people from the National Teacher Academy, we killed all of them—except for one."
Nu Mu
"Come and see for yourself. He is in my yard."
Nu Mu led them to his room. There, tied to a chair and blindfolded, was a man. At a single glance, Jungkook recognized him:
At that moment, the full weight of Chenzi’s murderous plan became clear. Jeon Yu was Jungkook’s fifth brother. Chenzi had intended to use Jeon Yu to steal the treasure and then pin the entire disaster on Jungkook. Because of their blood relation, Jungkook would never have been able to escape the association. The entire Jeon family in Gaoling City would have been implicated. Just as the Emperor had said, the execution of three generations would have been inevitable.
Nu Mu
"I didn't know who this boy was at first,"
Nu Mu
"He claimed he saw me at the drugstore once, and then he shouted that he was your fifth brother."
Hearing Nu Mu’s voice, Jeon Yu became agitated.
"Jungkook? Jungkook, are you there? Is that you?"
Jungkook
"Did you get rid of the dark magic in your body?"
Jeon yu
"It’s gone! It was removed by the Master of the National Academy himself!"
Jeon yu
"Jungkook, tell your friend to let me go! I promise I won’t say a word about this to anyone. I swear it!"
Jungkook sneered. Looking at Jeon Yu’s pathetic state, it was obvious the boy was a mere pawn. He wasn't the mastermind; he had been used by Chenzi to facilitate the frame-up.
When Jungkook didn't respond immediately, Jeon Yu grew anxious.
Jeon yu
"Kook, say something! Do you really want to see your own brother killed by your friends?"
Jungkook
"Fifth Brother, why don't you tell me exactly what you were doing at the Lotus Temple?"
Jungkook
"If you don't tell me, how can I help you?"
Jungkook stepped closer and whispered into his ear.
Jungkook
"Jeon Chenzi asked you to grab the fairy artifact, didn't he? Brother Yu, you are truly bold. Did you really think that with your sixth-order spiritual power, you could just walk into the Lotus Temple and snatch a divine treasure? You are completely overwhelmed."
Jeon yu
"How... how do you know that?"
Jungkook didn't answer the question.
Jungkook
"Brother Yu, do you even know why Chenzi asked you to do it?"
Jeon Yu replied frantically.
Jeon yu
"He just said that in exchange for removing the magic from my body, I had to do this one thing for him. He promised there would be another reward after it was done."
He was scared that kook didn't believe. He insisted.
Jeon yu
" It’s the truth! You have to believe me!"
Jungkook
"Of course I believe you,"
Jungkook
"Because if you actually knew Jeon Chenzi, you would never have agreed to help him."
Jeon yu
"What do you mean? Wasn't his purpose just to steal the fairy artifact?"
Jungkook
Jungkook sneered again. "He is the National Teacher. If he simply wanted to study the artifact, the Lotus Temple would have brought it to him at any time".
Jungkook
"No, he wanted you to steal it so he could frame me. Once you were caught, you wouldn't have escaped the crime, and our entire family in Gaoling would have been dragged to the chopping block. I wouldn't have escaped either."
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