She paused, then continued, “And we three, firstly, cannot withstand the young master’s supernatural abilities; what we think and know in our minds will likely be known to him. Secondly, we must not reveal any information about Madam. So, if we fail this time, we can only leave China and head to the hiding place Madam has arranged overseas. Until Madam meets the young master, we must not set foot in China again. Understood?”
Both nodded firmly without hesitation.
Stephen Thompson was already experienced in such matters.
Last time, he slipped away from the Wade family and immediately took a boat to Tahiti, living on an almost isolated island to avoid being found by Charlie wade. If Charlie wade used even a bit of spiritual energy, he could make Stephen reveal all his secrets.
Though this was Jingqing’s first time hearing of such a possibility, he said with a resolute expression, “Rest assured, Sister Dawn. Though I have taken Buddhist vows, Madam’s orders come above all. If we fail, I will vanish from the world and never use the name Jingqing again.”
Sister Dawn nodded with relief, her expression serious as she said, “All three of us owe a great debt to Master and Madam. Over the years, following Madam, we’ve deeply understood the dangers and hardships she faces against the Poqing Society. Fortunately, the young master now has the body of a true dragon, and eliminating the Poqing Society is no longer out of reach. Though the young master has long broken free from the trap of being a dragon in shallow waters, he remains unable to let go of these shallow waters. Whether we can break his final shackles depends on us!”
She looked at Stephen Thompson and added, “It mainly depends on you, Sihai!”
Stephen Thompson’s expression hardened, tears welling in his eyes as he choked, “Rest assured, Sister Dawn. Even if I have to die in front of Miss Wilson today to prove my resolve, I will make sure she agrees!”
Sister Dawn scolded, “What kind of nonsense is that?! Madam has instructed us to persuade with reason and emotion, not to coerce or morally manipulate. That way, when Madam faces the young master in the future, she can do so with a clear conscience!”
Stephen Thompson nodded firmly, “Yes, Sister Dawn, I was thoughtless and a bit reckless…”
Sister Dawn shook her head with a helpless smile and instructed him, “The burden today rests largely on your shoulders. You only need to convince Miss Wilson with facts and sincerity. I believe, given her character, she will act for the greater good.”
…
Just past seven, Claire Wilson had parked her car in the parking lot outside Qixia Temple.
Sun Mengmeng had arrived earlier.
Recognising Claire Wilson’s car, she ran over, waving and shouting, “Miss Wilson!”
Claire Wilson parked the car, got out, and asked, “When did you get here? I was just about to message you.”
“Just a little while ago,” Sun Mengmeng replied with a grin, “Miss Wilson, we’d better hurry, a lot of people have already gone in.”
Claire Wilson asked curiously, “It’s not a festival, yet so many people come to Qixia Temple this early?”
Sun Mengmeng smiled, “Of course, Qixia Temple’s incense is always popular. During festivals, many people queue overnight just to get in early to burn incense.”
Claire Wilson nodded and asked, “What’s our plan? Master Jingqing is so famous, do we need to queue to see him?”
Sun Mengmeng said mysteriously, “Master Jingqing has a unique trait, everything depends on fate. Qixia Temple is so big, no one knows where Master Jingqing is, but if fate allows, someone will guide us.”
“Huh?” Claire Wilson asked in surprise, “So mysterious? What if we don’t get to see him, won’t it be a wasted trip?”
Sun Mengmeng laughed, “That’s why we need to see if we have that Buddhist fate. If the fate is there, the Buddha will bless us.”
With that, she enthusiastically linked arms with Claire Wilson, smiling, “Come on, Miss Wilson, you’re beautiful and kind-hearted, your Buddhist fate must be strong. I’m counting on you today!”
Claire Wilson laughed helplessly, “I was hoping to rely on you! Alright, let’s go, maybe we both have Buddhist fate!”
