Chapter 77: No Regrets for the Pursuit of Freedom
Only one night had passed, and when Wu Zu looked at Sui Yu again, he almost couldn't recognize her. The face that was as beautiful as petals fallen by rain yesterday now looked swollen and haggard. Her captivating eyes were dull and lifeless, with dark circles under her eyes, and there was even a string of blisters at the corners of her mouth. She no longer had the bright and beautiful demeanor.
"Where are you going?" Wu Zu asked, looking away.
"Just a casual walk." Sui Yu didn't have the energy to speak, but considering that Wu Zu might have a way to leave the city, she asked frankly: "Zhao Xiping is dead, and his parents don't know yet. As the daughter-in-law of the Zhao family, I want to go and tell them in person. But I'm a slave and can't leave the city. Sir, do you have any way to let me go out for a few days?"
Wu Zu waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about that. We will arrange for someone to report the death."
Announcing a death... Sui Yu's heart choked. She didn't have the strength to speak anymore and continued walking slowly.
Wu Zu looked at her and asked, "Are you willing to remarry? Brother Zhao asked me to take good care of you. If you..."
"Marry your mother's head." Sui Yu turned her head and spat. She had considered death, but now she was not afraid of anything. She would lose her temper and curse when she felt unhappy. She looked around, lifted her legs and took off her shoes. The next moment, she picked up the shoes and threw them over, pointing her finger at Wu Zu and cursing, "You hypocritical bastard, you keep calling me brother, but Zhao Xiping has only been dead for a few days and you're already urging his wife to remarry? If you're in such a hurry to find someone to remarry, go back and kill your father and sell your mother by the leg."
Sui Yu had practiced archery and had good aim. She suddenly attacked, and Wu Zu didn't react in time. A pair of warm shoes hit the target and hit his face.
There were people in the alley, and those who saw it laughed out loud. Wu Zu was embarrassed and annoyed. He had originally planned to test the waters and then reveal his lie. He really didn't dare let Sui Yu remarry. After all, it was a false report of death. If it got out of hand, not only would Zhao Xiping come after him, but he would also be in trouble with the captain. Now that he had been hit by a shoe, he changed his mind and didn't want to talk about it. Anyway, Sui Yu had no intention of remarrying, so he let her suffer for a few days.
Sui Yu picked up her shoes, put them on, and continued walking with Sui Liang.
"Little brother, don't bother with her. It's hard for her husband to be dead." Aunt Sun said, "Come in and wash your face. Haven't you eaten yet?"
Wu Zu followed her into the house to wash his face. On a whim, he asked Aunt Sun about Sui Yu's character.
"Alas, Sui Yu has a good temper and is a good person. She is willing to endure hardships, but she has a bad fate. Don't think that she is not a decent person just because she is good-looking. Don't mention remarrying in the future. When Mr. Zhao died, she wanted to follow him. How could she remarry?" Aunt Sun also blamed this man for being tactless. She didn't blame Sui Yu for hitting him with the sole of her shoe. If it were her, she would scoop up manure and splash it on his face.
"You mean she wants to die?" Wu Zu was shocked and sweat broke out on his back.
"That's right. She was looking for someone to take her brother in yesterday. She must have been trying to commit suicide last night, but her brother found her. The child was terrified and his cries could be heard throughout the alley."
Aunt Sun was still nagging, saying that Wu Zu was no longer standing, and this was a big deal. Sui Yu was really obsessed with Zhao Xiping, and was so passionate about committing suicide for love. His heart was pounding. He had underestimated her. Fortunately, she was still alive, otherwise Zhao Xiping would have killed him if he came back.
"Hey? You don't want to wash your face?" When Aunt Sun saw the man running away, she held the watering can with a puzzled look on her face.
Wu Zu chased after Sui Yu in the direction he'd gone, but didn't see him. Standing in the street, sweating with fear, he imagined a hundred ways Sui Yu might commit suicide. He ran toward the river, his injured arm in a sling, but the river was long and he ran until he was out of breath, but he still couldn't find him.
Wu Zu had no choice but to seek out his fellow soldiers, hoping they would split up the search. However, upon hearing he'd caused such a commotion, the others refused to intervene. One willingly risked his life on the battlefield to free his wife from slavery, while the other, upon hearing her husband was dead, committed suicide. This couple was terrifyingly insane. It would have been fine if both had died, but Zhao Xiping had survived. If he returned to find his wife murdered, wouldn't he have to seek retribution? Whoever was involved would be in trouble.
Wu Zu cursed loudly, and he was furious, but he didn't dare to delay any longer, so he had to rush around looking for people.
Sui Yu went to Hu's house but didn't see Sui Hui. The doorman didn't tell her, so she could only take Sui Liang back.
Slave, slave, Sui Yu repeated in her mind over and over again. She hated the slavery she was wearing. Slaves were not human beings. They were like lambs kept in a pen. No matter how hard she tried, she could only eat a few more mouthfuls of grass than other sheep. She had no control over her life or death.
If Sui Yu still regretted trying every possible means to get Zhao Xiping to free her from slavery yesterday, now that she looked at the impregnable city walls in the distance, all her regrets disappeared.
She can pay the price of her life for freedom and will never regret her pursuit of freedom.
"Brother Liang, I want to go accompany your brother-in-law. This is what we agreed on. Sister Lamei is a carefree person and a good person. Be obedient when you go to her house..."
"I don't want it. Please take me with you, just like my aunt took you." Sui Liang pleaded, "I want to go with you. Let's go find my brother-in-law, my aunt, and my father."
His eyes were full of longing.
Sui Yu burst into tears. She squatted down and hugged Sui Liang, crying and choking, "Brother Liang, you are still young. It's better for you to be alive."
"Then you're alive too."
"You don't understand."
Passersby stared curiously at the brother and sister who were crying and hugging each other. Gradually, the onlookers formed a circle.
Sui Yu looked a little embarrassed. She wiped her tears and walked home with Sui Liang.
"Auntie, please tell me, have you seen a pair of siblings? The sister is this tall, and the brother is as tall as my waist. They both look good..." Wu Zu asked.
"Yes, yes, yes. I was just crying while hugging you."
Wu Zu was overjoyed and hurriedly asked which direction the two men were going. After finding out, he chased after them.
"Where have you been?" Tong Huaer was waiting at the entrance of the alley.
"Go out for a walk." Sui Yu didn't want to say more.
"Your life is much better than many people's. Don't be foolish and seek death." Tong Huaer followed behind and said, "Stay alive. You've already survived the hardest time."
"Sui Yu!" Wu Zu saw the man and shouted breathlessly, "Zhao Xiping is not dead, he was just injured. He was taken back by his parents when he was receiving treatment in Jiuquan."
Sui Yu twisted her body stiffly, looked at Tong Huaer, and asked, "Did you hear what he said?"
"I heard it." Tong Huaer smiled.
Sui Yu also smiled, and tears welled up in her swollen eyes, rolling down in big drops like raindrops.
"You bastard! Captain Zhao isn't dead yet, so why are you making up lies to hurt others?" Aunt Sun picked up a dung scoop and chased him away, cursing, "You bastard! You're so happy, but you almost killed Sui Yu. The girl almost cried her eyes out."
"How can you say such things casually? You have nothing better to do than to report your parents' death every day." A passerby cursed.
Uncle Lao Niu also came. He stuffed the child into the man's arms, pulled a sorghum stalk from the firewood pile, and chased after him to beat him.
Tong Hua'er's face twisted for a moment. She grabbed a shovel that someone had left outside their house and rushed over. "These criminal slaves aren't human, are they? Anyone, human or demon, wants to bully them."
Sui Yu also followed.
Wu Zu was surrounded by people in the alley. Those who dared to fight fought, and those who didn't dare to fight spat. When Sui Yu approached, someone made way. She grabbed his hair with one hand and hit him in the face with a shoe with the other.
"That's enough!" Wu Zu shouted. He pushed Sui Yu away, his face covered in saliva and shoe marks. He said angrily, "If you want to blame someone, blame your mother-in-law. She told me to tell you that."
"Keep making it up." Sui Yu sneered. She grabbed the dung scoop and hit him hard. "Did my mother-in-law ask you to tell her? Why didn't you tell her when you came yesterday? No matter how stupid she is, she wouldn't curse her son to death."
"She, she..." Wu Zu had no words to refute.
Seeing Sui Yu raising the dung shovel again, Wu Zu cursed her as a shrew and pushed through the crowd to flee in panic.
"Damn that bastard! When Captain Zhao comes back, I'll let him settle the score with him." Aunt Sun took the dung scoop and looked at Sui Yu, jokingly saying, "As long as Captain Zhao is alive, you don't have to die."
Sui Yu didn't feel ashamed. Her dead eyes came alive again and sparkled.
"No, I'm waiting for him to come back." She smiled.
"You two have a great relationship." People living in the same alley couldn't help but look sideways.
Most ordinary people live together, quarreling all their lives. The grief over the loss of a wife or husband fades after a while. Stories of suicide for love are only found in storybooks, and if you're unlucky enough to hear one, you'll spit on it, blaming it for bad luck.
In everyone's mind, Sui Yu changed his image to that of a fool.
Sui Yu stood in the alley, calming her excitement. She felt like a new person, refreshed.
At noon, Sui Yu stewed a chicken. She called Uncle Lao Niu, Tong Huaer and Sister La Mei to come for dinner. She wanted to find someone to celebrate with.
Zhao Xiping is not dead and Sui Liang can speak. This is really a happy thing.
It is not an exaggeration to say that you have survived a disaster.
The pigs, sheep and camels in the pen also returned to their normal lives, going out to graze and have fun in the afternoon, having snacks at night, and the hostess was there to chat and talk.
Every day after that, after Sui Yu finished her housework, she and Sui Liang would go to the East City Gate to wait.
One day, two days, three days... five days later, all the guards on duty at the East Gate knew Sui Yu. Every day there was a beautiful woman accompanying her, and they were curious about who she was waiting for.
One noon, a camel pulled a wooden cart through the city gate. Zhao Xiping took out his household registration and handed it over. Seeing that the city guard's eyes were tilted towards the city, he turned his head and saw a woman with a happy face running towards him.
"Zhao Xiping, I finally waited for you." Sui Yu's face flushed with excitement. She hugged the sloppy man tightly across the wooden board.
The beauty is blind, the four city guards sighed in unison.
Zhao Xiping's ears turned red. He pushed Sui Yu away, but she hugged him again the next moment. He could only say, "I'm injured."
Sui Yu bounced away with a whoosh.
Brother Zhao Er hurriedly led the camel away, firstly because he was embarrassed, and secondly because the road was blocked.
The camel pulled the wooden cart away, and Sui Yu followed briskly, his eyes fixed on Zhao Xiping.
"I thought it would take you a long time to come back," she said.
"Did anyone say anything nonsense to you?" Zhao Xiping was concerned about this matter. When he heard his mother send someone to tell him that he was dead, he could not sit still. He rushed back even with injuries, fearing that Sui Yu would be stupid enough to accompany him to death.
"Yes, the messenger said you were dead and buried in the northwest of Zongshan Village. I wanted to look for you, but I couldn't leave the city."
"My sister wants to die. She wants to be with you." Sui Liang interrupted.
Zhao Xiping was shocked and looked at Sui Liang in shock: "Can you speak now?"
"Well, I was scared by my sister." Sui Liang squinted his eyes in dissatisfaction.
"Which direction?" asked Brother Zhao.
"Here, here." Sui Yu hurried to lead the way. "Second brother, thank you for your hard work along the way."
Brother Zhao scratched his head and said honestly, "It's really hard work."
When the camels entered Shisantun, Aunt Sun, who was carrying firewood, saw them and shouted, "Oh! Captain Zhao is back! You're so lucky to be back! Sui Yu almost died."
Everyone in the alley came out after hearing the noise. Someone joked, "Let's see how the man who made Lady Sui die with him is nothing more than a nose and two eyes. Captain Zhao, you're quite capable."
Zhao Xiping was a little at a loss.
Sui Yu walked aside and watched with a smile.
Just as he entered the house, Uncle Niu came over after hearing the news. He told Zhao Xiping everything that had happened before and said, "That guy has bad intentions. If it weren't for Sui Liang holding him back, Sui Yu's grave would probably be overgrown with grass by the time you come back."
Zhao Xiping was terrified. He glanced outside and said, "I'll go find the captain this afternoon to ask for an explanation. I won't let him off easily."
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