All this time, Xu Yi had been deeply torn over whether to see Lian Yunshang. He feared that meeting her would bring a terrible twist of misfortune to her fate.
But if he didn't go, he feared he would betray the affection Xia Zimo had shown him in life, as well as Xia Xingguang's last request.
After turning it over in his mind, he decided on a compromise: he would secretly watch from the sidelines first, see how things unfolded, then decide what to do next.
The trouble was, he had no idea where Lian Yunshang was.
That made Xuan Zhuang a bridge to finding out where she had gone.
To avoid causing too much of a stir, he didn't dare tell Xuan Zhuang outright that Lian Yunshang was the one he was looking for.
Instead, he said he wanted to visit White Horse Temple and asked Xuan Zhuang to accompany him.
That visit lasted three days. Xu Yi's so-called sightseeing quickly turned into a stay.
Fortunately, Xuan Zhuang held a position of great influence. With him leading the way, Xu Yi had free rein through all the temple's courtyards and gates.
Xu Yi wasn't there to tour White Horse Temple. He was using his extraordinary perception to discreetly track down Lian Yunshang.
After three days, his efforts finally paid off.
At dusk that day, Xu Yi sent Xuan Zhuang on his way, took an oil-paper umbrella from the guest-reception monk, and strode out of White Horse Temple.
Winter had arrived, and auspicious snowflakes drifted down. Before long, the snow was so deep that his feet disappeared beneath it.
Alone beneath his umbrella, Xu Yi made his way through the snowy streets and into the southern part of the city. He stopped in front of a theater stage on a