Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Ning killed by mistake

"Oh! Oh! Usurper of the throne—running dogs! Don't even think about getting a single word out of me! Even if I die, I will curse you all, depriving you of your power and reducing you to utter depravity!"

The curses in the house were like the barking of dogs, the howling was incessant, and the heavy iron chains made a sharp clanging sound as they were pulled out.

Qin Jingyao seemed to be oblivious to the slight rustling of his clothes.

The sound rang out for a moment, and he said lightly: "Put it away."

The red bracelet with jade pieces caught his eye. Tongze responded without daring to look any further. He took out the brocade handkerchief he had prepared for her and wrapped it with both hands.

"The voice is as loud as a bell, and the words are clear. It seems that the so-called suicide by biting the tongue is just a bluff."

As soon as the light but sarcastic words fell, the man suddenly became excited as if he had been stabbed by a sharp knife.

"!!! Qin Jingyao!"

"You, the executioner with bloody hands, will not have a good end! You framed loyal people and killed innocent people. You will be punished by heaven and die a miserable death!!!"

"Whether I shall die a miserable death is not for you to see, but you,"

Qin Jingyao suddenly glared at him coldly, a sneer on his lips. "Your relatives, accomplices, and even the so-called Crown Prince you are loyal to will all be dead and buried without a burial place in no time."

He stood up, still smiling, and glared at the man's bloody face, which was filled with a mixture of shock, anger, and fear.

"Since you know who I am, you should know that I never speak empty words. Just spread the news of your suicide today, and those who are interested will get wind of it. It doesn't matter whether you tell the hidden news or not."

"Jiang Chunming, you are stubborn and ignorant. You don't want to be a good tutor. Instead, you close your eyes and ears, deceive yourself, and become a traitor. The Jiang family has built a noble family with the hard work of several generations."

"Today, everything is destroyed in your hands."

"You speak of loyalty, righteousness, and orthodoxy, but in reality, you are merely coveting the merit of following the emperor, and attempting to manipulate the princes. For your own power, you are willing to destabilize the nation and disrupt the government. With such filthy thoughts and despicable actions, how dare you talk about righteousness?"

"And the so-called former crown prince you hid was destined to remain hidden from the public eye for your own selfish desires."

"He could have lived a life of prosperity, respected by the people, and had many children and grandchildren, but because of your instigation and provocation, he ended up like this."

"If you want to blame or hate, it's all your own fault. You brought this upon yourself."

"Oh,"

The pleasant chuckle sounded particularly chilling in the house filled with the smell of blood.

"No! No, no, no! It's you who are confusing right and wrong! It's you who are abusing your power and committing evil! It's you who tampered with the imperial edict and seized the crown prince's throne! It's you! You are the ones who deserve to die! I refuse to accept this! I am not wrong! Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Qin Jingyao!!! Come back!"

However, Qin Jingyao didn't even give him a glance, turned around and left, leaving him trapped in the quagmire of regret and unwillingness, with no hope of escape.

After the gate closed, the hysterical roar could no longer be heard. Yan Feng stood by, waiting with his head bowed.

Soon, an order was issued: "Spread the news and alert the enemy. Within three days, all those involved in Jiang Chunming's treasonous conspiracy must be captured. However, if anyone escapes, it is better to kill them by mistake than to let them go."

"yes!"

*

As night falls, the courtyard lights up, each lamp in a different shape and shining with colorful lights. Looking up, the lights sway and twinkle like a starry river.

Tongze followed quietly behind him, and when the bloody smell that he had accidentally stained dissipated, he looked up and saw only a cold profile under the night light.

He never took out the handkerchief wrapped in the hidden pocket of the brocade. After dinner, he served in the study. When the master was taking a nap after drinking tea and his eyes were slightly closed, he took out the handkerchief and unfolded it, placing it on the left corner of the table with both hands.

Qin Jingyao glanced at her lightly, paused for a moment, and then looked away.

That night, a secret letter flew into the sky with a night falcon with wings as sharp as blades, heading towards Longshuo.

*

The next day,

At 2:15 a.m., Qin Jingyao arrived at Wulan Hutong. As soon as he got off the car, he heard a pair of brisk footsteps coming from the alley.

He turned his head and saw a lilac figure lightly passing through the gray courtyard. The girl was jogging with her skirt lifted up, her hair emitting tiny golden lights, her eyes filled with undisguised joy, and she ran towards him intently.

"Yao Jing!"

The moment Qin Jingyao turned towards her, his arms were naturally spread out. He lowered his head to gaze at her blooming smile, and his eyes and eyebrows unconsciously showed tenderness. He chuckled and said, "You are running so fast, be careful not to trip."

Lan Nongnong held onto his arms to steady herself, took a deep breath to calm her breathing, and first looked up and down at his clothes, her eyes narrowed involuntarily.

Not to mention the soft, cool and smooth touch of her hands, she was wearing a dark blue gown with a belt of the same color, a white jade crown on her head, and no other accessories, which made her look very inconspicuous.

But he is tall and majestic, with a lofty demeanor and a peerless appearance. Even though he is so low-key, he is still as dazzling as a crane among chickens.

Lan Nongnong was both helpless and proud. She said nothing, just shook her head for a moment, then nodded. She let go of his hand, tilted her head slightly, raised her face and smiled cunningly at him: "Look at your wrist."

Hearing the strings, I know the elegant meaning.

Qin Jingyao then remembered the bracelet and led her to the car, saying calmly, "The bracelet is precious. There are so many people here today, and I'm afraid it might get lost. I'll take it off for now. It's a token of our love, so I should treasure it."

"We have breakfast in the car, so we can use it as a cushion for the journey."

If other women heard this, they would probably have been fooled. However, Lan Nongnong was not an ordinary woman. Although she was happy that he cherished her, she also felt that what he said made sense.

But she always felt an inexplicable sense of loss. She frowned, feeling uncomfortable. She couldn't hide her feelings, so she said it out loud: "Did you keep it at home?"

Her tone was light and questioning. Although she was still smiling, Qin Jingyao had a bad feeling when he heard her words. However, he responded calmly: "It is a gift from a rich family. I can't let it go. How can I bear to leave it? Look,"

Fortunately, Qin Jingyao knew her temper and just covered her mouth without leaving any trace. Tongze usually acted as a coachman and stood by the carriage waiting. When he heard the two talking, his heart moved.

I was secretly glad that I had put this thing away when I tidied up the study yesterday. I thought that you might need it when you meet me today, so I brought it with me.

Seeing the adults signaling, he hurried forward and presented it.

The small and exquisite red bracelet, though not expensive, lay on the azure brocade handkerchief in his palm.

The discomfort in Lan Nongnong's heart immediately dissipated, and a sweet smile reappeared on her face.

Qin Jingyao felt a little relieved when he saw the dimples on her cheeks.

*

Dragon boat racing is an annual event in Nanzhou Prefecture. Yuqing City is connected to the Changyuan River in the north, and benefits from the confluence of three rivers. The water surface is wide. Since the Jinghe period of the previous dynasty, it has been the official venue for dragon boat racing.

On that day, flags covered the sky and drums roared like thunder.

Before dawn, people from all over the country and towns carried benches and food boxes and flocked to the river bank like a tide.

Luozi River is a tributary of Changyuan River. It winds like a dragon, and it is difficult to see the whole picture from beginning to end. The river is more than ten feet wide. During this grand event, the crowds on both sides are like ants.

Countless hairs of hair peeked out from the red railings of the teahouses on the shore, the carved windows of the wine shops were crowded with people, the ordinary courtyard walls became viewing platforms, and the ancient willow branches were full of spectators.

There were huge crowds of people, it was a spectacular sight!

Lan Nongnong thought that they had arrived early enough, but she still underestimated the enthusiasm of the people here for the event.

It was only noon. On ordinary days, the streets would be deserted, but now they were already crowded.

Fortunately, Yao Jing brought a few more followers today, and thanks to his foresight, he sent people to occupy the positions early. Even so, it took the two of them a lot of effort to squeeze from the back of the crowd to the front.

Lan Nongnong breathed a sigh of relief as if she had survived a disaster, and couldn't help looking back, but she saw a crowd of people, shoulder to shoulder, and the faces of the dusty people were blurred.

The buzz of conversation was constant all around, and it was no less lively than when she was traveling with her family.

He couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "We came so early and the place is already crowded. There's no curfew in the city these past two days, so they must have set out in the middle of the night to rush here."

Lan Nongnong sighed casually, then raised her head. Her smiling eyes were filled with adoration. She tiptoed slightly towards him and said softly, "Thanks to your foresight, you asked someone to come and take a seat first. Otherwise, we would have been left with nothing but sighs and frustration, and would have gone home disappointed!"

Qin Jingyao wore a dark blue gown with plain patterns, a jade crown and brocade belt, and his black hair fell to his shoulders. His posture was like a pine tree, and his demeanor was awe-inspiring. His tall back alone was enough to make people hesitate and not dare to overstep their bounds.

There was a lot of noise all around, but within an arm's length around the two of them, it was like a vacuum zone, completely different from the crowded surroundings.

He lowered his eyes to look at the woman who was protected in front of him with a smug smile, and smiled silently.

I thought she was going to imitate those women who were trying to gain a reputation for being kind and put on some superficial facade, but she suddenly changed her tone and became complacent, not at all afraid of being labeled as unkind. She was genuine and frank.

Qin Jingyao smiled without saying a word, only raised his hand to pat her head lovingly. When he looked up, his eyes inadvertently met those of the man in official robes on the stone bridge. However, he glanced at him lightly and then turned his eyes away.

Lan Nongnong hadn't experienced such a bustle for two years since she came to Sheng Dynasty. Although the dynasty was prosperous and there were constant festivals and grand events, she was alone and never dared to set foot in it. Today, with someone to accompany her, she no longer had to worry.

Relying on someone holding his hand, he stood on tiptoe and leaned towards the center of the river, looking around.

A broad, grayish-white stone bridge spanned the river, lined with two rows of soldiers in military uniforms. A man in a crimson official robe with a goose-shaped pattern, wearing a black veil, stood at the front of the bridge railing, surrounded by a crowd. Beside him, the deputy commander loudly recited the customary pre-match speech, his voice echoing across the river.

On a red silk-wrapped vermilion gong stand, a golden bronze gong as big as a basin gleamed brightly in the morning light. Under the arch bridge, the dragon boats waiting for the race were coiled like dragons, winding their formations.

Eight colored dragon boats were linked end to end, moored quietly on the water. The athletes in the boats were all wearing the same color short shirts, standing on both sides, holding the oars. The drummer sat high on the bow, swinging the drummer with both arms, his eyes as sharp as torches, waiting for the order.

The noise on both sides of the river died down at some point. Lan Nongnong was also infected by the tense atmosphere before the game. She couldn't help holding her breath, leaning slightly to the side, and grasping his warm hand with both hands, holding it tightly.

Qin Jingyao leaned over and whispered, "The time here is limited. Once the competition starts, go upstairs and watch the game."

Lan Nongnong was concentrating, when suddenly a warm breath enveloped her ears and neck. Her body trembled violently, and her neck couldn't help but shrink and turn. Without asking any more questions, she nodded unconsciously.