Chapter 68

Where can withered grass find life?

"Yes, I didn't expect it either."

Hao Jingshi's eyes were darker than the sky, shrouded in a deep sorrow that grew stronger with each passing moment.

“Xuan Lan didn’t attack her; she ran into the sword on her own. After thinking it over, I think she probably faked her death to lower our guard.”

"On the day the Imperial Concubine summoned me to the palace, she waited nearby and instigated Consort Yi to attack me. I recognized her then. She had been plotting for a long time, just so that one day she could seek revenge on me and catch me off guard."

Lu Qin remained standing there like a wooden statue, which seemed unbelievable, but upon closer reflection, everything made sense.

Chang Le once said that Consort Fang was a vixen, and it turns out that wasn't a rumor. Isn't that exactly how Lu Ping usually acts?

She only knew that Lu Ping was arrogant and ambitious, but she didn't know that Lu Ping had such deep scheming, which allowed her to become the emperor's favorite concubine and painstakingly plot to arouse the emperor's suspicion of Hao Shi.

So that's how it is, so that's how it is...

Recalling the whole incident, Lu Qin seemed to wake up from a dream.

She gripped Hao Jingshi's wrist tightly and said, "She couldn't have done it flawlessly. Qian Yuming was brought into the palace by her, and the palace maid who switched the clothes was probably also arranged by her. As long as I find that palace maid, she won't be able to escape responsibility..."

"Don't bother looking." Hao Jingshi shook his head. "She only instigated things. On the surface, it was Consort Yi who did most of the work. She didn't handle it, so you can't trace it back to her."

“We can’t find out… Even if we can’t find out, Lu Ping’s use of Fang’s name to enter the palace is a crime of deceiving the emperor. As long as we expose her, the truth about her framing you will come to light.” Lu Qin said with a glimmer of hope, “Yes, yes, husband, I will go and seek justice for you right away.”

Don't go.

Seeing that Lu Qin was in a hurry and seemed to be getting up, Hao Jingshi grabbed her by the back of his hand.

In his haste, he forgot about the iron shackles on his wrists, and then his arm slumped, almost losing its grip.

Lu Qin felt the fall and sat back down, looking at him helplessly.

Hao Jingshi whispered, "The crime of deceiving the emperor is serious enough to implicate nine generations of your family. If you expose her, you will also surely die."

"She is reckless because she is certain that I will not risk you, and she knows that you will not be selfish and drag your family down for my sake."

"..."

Lu Qin's eyes flickered as she stared at his lips, dumbfounded.

As her hopes gradually faded, she slowly came to understand what Ling'er had said: "You know the young master's temperament best. The fact that he's willing to suffer this loss means he knows that this matter shouldn't be blown out of proportion."

Therefore, Hao Jingshi had already considered every possible solution she could think of.

The Hao family was destined to suffer a calamity, and the fact that the Emperor did not exterminate them was already the best outcome.

Is this really... is this all there is to it?

Lu Qin glanced at Hao Jingshi, then at the listless Hao clansmen beside him, and then looked up at the sky.

The last rays of sunset had faded, and a dark blue spread across the horizon, with a crescent moon faintly hidden within it.

The hazy moonlight enveloped this barren land, illuminating the exiled people. Their faces showed no joy or sorrow, and they were indifferent to the outside world. Even under the moonlight, they appeared gray and insignificant, like the withered grass growing on the land.

She recalled the poem she had memorized as a child: "The grass on the plain grows lush and green, withers and flourishes year after year; wildfires cannot burn it all, the spring breeze brings it back to life."

But the spring breeze doesn't reach this land, so how can the withered grass grow back...?

Lu Qin's mind went blank for a long time. She slowly slumped her back, and only when her skin clung to her clothes did she realize that her clothes had become sweaty.

She said, "But even if we do nothing, Lu Ping won't let you make it to the border alive. She's probably already laid an ambush on the way..."

Looking at her bewildered and helpless expression, Hao Jingshi felt a pang of pain in his heart and unconsciously leaned forward, gently touching her forehead.

"Lu Ping only wants me to pay for her mother's life; she won't do anything to you in the end. Don't do anything for me anymore, Aqin. For the sake of our child, you must take good care of yourself."

Lu Qin gripped his sleeve, raised her head, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Unlike him, he always preferred to call her by her full name, never calling her Aqin.

They had been bickering all along, but at this moment, he called her in such a gentle tone, even with a hint of relief, as if he were making a dying wish, entrusting her with his unfinished last wishes.

As he spoke, he chuckled softly, his voice choked with emotion: "Before entering the palace, I had already hung those two purses on the tree at Guantao Temple. Didn't the old man say..."

"We will meet again in the next life."

Lu Qin shook her head violently.

"No." His words stung her, and tears welled in her eyes. "There's a way, there must be a way..."

The fear of loss gripped her throat, preventing Lu Qin from crying. She kept muttering "There's a way," as if it were a life-saving spell, the more she chanted it, the greater her hope.

Hao Jingshi watched her lips open and close, afraid that she would be too agitated, so he stroked her head again and again.

Lu Qin was unaware of anything. She became extremely calm, her face expressionless, and all her attention was focused on one thing.

The rustling wind was no longer audible, nor was the sound of heavy shackles... Finally, the immense pressure gave her a sudden flash of inspiration.

“I have a way, my husband.”

Lu Qin's frozen facial features finally came to life, and she gripped Hao Jingshi's sleeve tightly.

With tears welling in her eyes, she said anxiously, "There's another way. There's a kind of medicine that makes you appear dead. I'll go back and have someone prepare it and bring it to you... Make some marks on the road, and I'll follow those marks to find you tomorrow. Take the medicine, and I'll take you away..."

"Fake death?" Hao Jingshi was still stroking her head. He pondered for a moment, "It is indeed a method, but how can we ensure it is foolproof? The constables may not be so easily fooled. What if we are discovered..."

"I'll make the arrangements," Lu Qin said. "Otherwise, you'll die at Lu Ping's hands sooner or later. Even the most dangerous method is better than having no method at all. How will you know if you don't try?"

“Aqin, now is not the time to act impulsively…”

“I don’t care, I want you to live.” Lu Qin interrupted him, saying each word clearly, “If you don’t agree, I will follow you all the way to the border. Wherever you go, I will follow. I will share your joys and sorrows. Even if you die on the way, I will personally collect your body.”

Upon hearing this, Hao Jingshi choked up instantly.

He wondered what she would be like after she found out the truth, and sure enough, she came to save him at all costs.

She longed for him to live, and he longed to live too, even without the days of luxury, even if it meant just simple meals with her, living out the rest of his life in peace and quiet...

"Hmm..."

As Hao Jingshi was in a state of utter confusion, Lu Qin suddenly couldn't help but let out a sob.

"If you don't say anything, I'm not leaving tonight, and neither is the child. I'll send all my brothers back, and my daughter and I will just starve to death with you."

As she spoke, she slowly lowered her head, slipped through the chains into his arms, hugged his waist, and acted coquettishly and playfully as always.

A warm sensation enveloped his chest, and Hao Jingshi's rationality was suddenly overwhelmed by his overwhelming emotions. She was right; even the most dangerous method was better than having no way at all.

He finally hugged her tightly, laughing as large tears streamed down his face: "Okay, then I'll do as you say."

...

The two huddled together and cried for a while. Lu Qin's makeup was half ruined, but fortunately, the night was dark, and without close inspection, it was impossible to tell that she was a woman; she looked somewhat like both a man and a woman.

Seeing that the constables had almost finished sleeping and were showing signs of waking up, the men mounted their horses and urged Lu Qin to leave as soon as possible.

Before leaving, Lu Qin gave Hao Jingshi a reluctant kiss. The constables got up and saw this scene. They were dazed and rubbed their eyes. Suddenly, they realized what had happened.

"Who goes there!"

They yelled and rushed over, but before they could finish speaking, Lu Qin and her companions had already vanished without a trace.

Hao Jingshi pretended to close his eyes and rest, ignoring the situation. The constables circled around him strangely, searched him thoroughly, and left only after finding nothing amiss.

Hao Jingshi took the opportunity to open his eyes, took out the dry food that Lu Qin had brought for him from the haystack, and stuffed a mouthful into his mouth.

He tucked the remaining rations into his clothes and straightened them. Just then, he heard the voices of the constables chatting in the distance.

"Did you see that? Just now, a man was kissing him!"

"I saw him too! He's quite handsome!"

"I think you guys are drunk and out of it, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"No way! Everyone saw it, it was a man! How interesting!"

"Aren't there enough new things in this world? No wonder he wanted a divorce from his wife; it turns out he was having an affair, and with another man!"

"ah?"

"Don't you know? He and his wife don't get along and they argue every day. His wife even confessed her feelings for that county magistrate's son in the street before, and went to his house in the middle of the night!"

"Oh?! Is that so!"

The group's conversation became increasingly bizarre, and they started glancing repeatedly at Hao Jingshi, clicking their tongues in amazement.

"Pfft, cough cough cough..."

Hao Jingshi nearly choked to death on the chewed dry rations. When he saw the constable looking over, he quickly stopped chewing and closed his eyes.

...

Lu Qin stayed up all night to rush back to the Lu residence. Despite the ordeal, she didn't feel tired at all; on the contrary, she felt even more energetic.

She dozed off for an hour, then quickly got up and set off to find a doctor to prepare a fake death medicine. In order to get through the journey today, she ate more meat and eggs to prevent herself from running out of energy again.

When Lu Pan'an saw that she was going out again before dawn, he couldn't help but try to persuade her, but Lu Qin knew that she didn't have time to rest.

“Brother Lu, you go back to sleep. I’ll ask Brother Lu Hua to come with me. Everything will be fine,” she said. “This is the only chance to rescue my husband. I have to go. I can only succeed, I can’t fail.”

Lu Pan'an couldn't dissuade her, and he was worried about her, so he could only follow behind her while yawning. Lu Qin couldn't get rid of him, so she had no choice but to let him be.

Having obtained the fake death medicine, Lu Qin boarded the carriage again and continued her journey. The bandits leading the way had been replaced, and they were all in high spirits. However, Lu Pan'an suffered, unconsciously leaning against the carriage wall and falling asleep, his head bobbing up and down.

Lu Qin had no desire to sleep, so she lifted the curtain again to look out the window and admire the scenery along the way.

According to her plan, Hao Jingshi should first feign illness to avoid arousing suspicion from the constables when the drug takes effect.

The constables would rest when it got dark, and it wouldn't be convenient for them to take Hao Jingshi away right now, so she had to find Hao Jingshi before sunset and find a way to make him take a fake death drug and fall into a deep sleep.

The environment on the road to exile was harsh, and food and clothing were scarce. It was normal for some people to die of illness. The guards would probably just wrap them in straw mats and bury them on the spot.

By the time the constables abandoned him and led the others away, it would be nearly dark. She would then wait nearby and take him away immediately.

The three-hour journey was spent in prayer, with Lu Qin rehearsing the route in her mind again and again.

When they finally arrived at their destination, she nervously peered into the crowd and smuggled the medicine packet into Hao Jingshi's hands.

Fortunately, everything went relatively smoothly. When the constables saw that Hao Jingshi was no longer breathing, they kicked him a couple of times and then dug a hole to bury him.

After they had gone far away, the bandits frantically dug with shovels, rescued Hao Jingshi, carried him onto a carriage, smashed the shackles on his hands and feet, and buried him in the ground.

Lu Qin fed Hao Jingshi the antidote and wiped the dirt off his face with a handkerchief, her heart pounding in her throat.

The fake death drug was so realistic that she held Hao Jingshi's stiff body, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably, truly afraid that something might happen to him and he wouldn't wake up.

The clatter of hooves echoed in her ears, as if counting down the seconds. Lu Qin waited anxiously for a while before Hao Jingshi finally slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze wandered for a moment, then gradually focused on her. After recognizing her, he smiled gently and raised his hand to touch her cheek.

"very nice."

Hearing his voice, Lu Qin smiled. She had rescued him, and he was safe and sound in front of her. She should be happy.

She should have been happy, but in the blink of an eye, tears streamed down her face as she hugged him tightly, crying like a child.

...

As the horse galloped along the forest path, the chirping of cicadas could be clearly heard.

After crying her heart out, Lu Qin's tear stains dried, her skin tightened, her brain buzzed, and a feeling of exhaustion washed over her.

The journey back involved a bumpy mountain road, and Lu Qin gradually became exhausted from the long journey, leaning against Hao Jingshi's chest.

Hao Jingshi massaged several acupoints for her with one hand, and she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up, the carriage had stopped. It was pitch black all around, and I could only faintly hear the sound of raindrops falling.

Lu Qin rubbed her sore eyes, sat up from Hao Jingshi's arms, and mumbled in a daze, "Are we home yet?"

"Not yet." Hao Jingshi took out a water bottle from his bundle. "The mountain road is difficult to walk on because of the rain. I told them to wait for the rain to stop before they leave, so they can take a nap." He fed her water and continued, "You have dark circles under your eyes. You must not have slept for several days. If you keep going like this, the baby won't be able to take it either."

Lu Qin took small sips of water and said, "The child is just like you, very strong and can withstand any hardship. I don't feel any discomfort either."

Hao Jingshi chuckled and raised an eyebrow.

Seeing him become inexplicably smug, Lu Qin patted his chest: "Keep your voice down, don't wake Brother Lu up."

"..."

Lu Pan'an, who had been huddled in the corner without making a sound, finally seized the opportunity, opened his eyes, and sat up.

"It's alright, sister, I'm awake."

He wasn't awake; in fact, he hadn't fallen asleep at all. It was just that Lu Qin had cried so emotionally that she had completely forgotten he was still in the carriage.

He had no choice but to pretend to be dead and not disturb them.

"..."

Lu Qin paused for a moment, then gave an awkward laugh. Hao Jingshi then took over the conversation, repeatedly thanking Lu Pan'an for accompanying Lu Qin and for taking care of her recently. He thanked him profusely, even to the point of thanking his ancestors.

Lu Pan'an couldn't accept the gift, so he could only keep bowing in return, saying that the Lu family had been incredibly kind to him, and that it was only right that he did all this.

Lu Qin was caught in the middle, glancing to the left at those who were trying to make conversation, and to the right at those who were just trying to keep up.

Just as the two were about to kowtow to each other in gratitude, Lu Pan'an's ears suddenly twitched, and he keenly moved closer to the window.

He lifted the curtain a crack and said warily, "There's some noise outside. It sounds like someone's coming."

[Author's Note]

Happy New Year, babies!

The poem is from "Ode to the Ancient Grassland at Parting" by Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty.