I have no regrets.
Four words, spoken very softly, yet enough for Chu Huaixu to hear clearly.
The smile on his lips vanished instantly. He suddenly grabbed Song Ting by the neck, slammed him against the bedpost, and his gaze was as cold as frost.
"Are you truly not afraid that I will kill you, or are you convinced that I cannot kill you?"
"Song Ting, have you been playing me all along? You think I've lost all my martial arts skills and have no ability to fight you, so you tease me, coax me, and treat me like your dog."
"On the surface, you are completely obedient to me. No matter how I mistreat you, you don't resist because you feel that you don't need to argue with a beast, right?"
"All the kindness and care you showed me was just because you treated me like a plaything, someone you wanted to pamper, wasn't it?"
With each word he spoke, Song Ting's face paled a little more. He stared at Chu Huaixu's reddened eyes, his gaze so dark it seemed unfathomable.
That gaze remained as affectionate and infatuated as ever.
It was as if this person truly loved him dearly.
Chu Huaixu hated him for his appearance.
I almost fell for this illusion again.
Five years have passed, and the price of his family's destruction and death is still not enough to teach him a lesson. He can still be deceived by this person.
It's absolutely ridiculous.
“I never thought that way.” Song Ting clung tightly to his arm. “I didn’t.”
It looks just like a dog, wagging its tail and begging for its owner's mercy.
But Chu Huaixu no longer believed him.
If she never even felt regret, how could she say she loved him, or helped him take revenge?
It was just a prank.
"Then let me ask you, where is Zhou Tong?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Song Ting's dark eyes flickered, and she subconsciously made a gesture of avoidance.
There was no need for Song Ting to answer; Chu Huaixu had already gotten the answer from his expression and actions: Zhou Tong's disappearance was indeed related to Song Ting.
Once the two of them clashed, given Zhou Tong's personality, he would definitely not let it go easily. But now Song Ting was unharmed right in front of him, while Zhou Tong had disappeared without a trace.
The truth is no longer worth speculating about.
The last shred of reluctance in his heart was completely crushed. Chu Huaixu released his grip and stared coldly at the man before him:
"Then you should just die, Song Ting."
...
The waiter from Qingfengju carried a four-tiered food box and slowly walked into the octagonal pavilion, where he knelt down in front of Chu Huaixu.
He carefully placed the food box on the table between the two of them and took out the various exquisite and delicious snacks that were full of it one by one.
"It's been many days since we last met. How are you, young master?"
Chu Huaixu casually filled a plate and handed it to Xiao An beside him: "Go eat with A Bao, no need to serve us."
Xiao An's eyes widened the moment she saw the snacks, and now that she'd received a reward, she was overjoyed and skipped away, pulling A Bao downstairs with her.
Ah Bao, however, was still uneasy: "But the master instructed—"
"Oh, you're just worrying unnecessarily. We're at home, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, who would choose to barge in at this hour in broad daylight? That would be stupid..."
As the two children walked away, Chu Huaixu's expression was indescribable.
Sometimes I really don't know whether to call Xiao An a silly or clever kid.
After the waiter finished taking the last layer of pastries, he looked up at Chu Huaixu and said, "Young Master himself is a wonderful person. I never expected that even the servants around him would be so interesting."
Chu Huaixu lowered his eyes, picked up a piece of mung bean cake, took a small sip, and found a layer of crushed salted egg yolk inside.
It should have tasted quite good, but when he ate it, he only found it cloying and put it back after just one small bite. The salted egg yolk flavor lingered in his mouth, making him feel nauseous.
He frowned unhappily: "The master chef of Qingfengju is not as good as before. This mung bean cake is really cloying."
The tea on the stove was already boiling. Chu Huaixu got up and brewed a pot. He sipped most of the hot tea, and the taste of egg yolk in his mouth was finally covered up, making him feel much better.
"Young master summoned me here today, surely you have already made up your mind?"
Chu Huaixu adjusted his kneeling posture, looked at the birds perched on the high wall of the courtyard, and his expression was indifferent:
“I do not wish for widespread suffering. If your master agrees to this, I will help you achieve great things.”
He had no other choice; he couldn't wait that long.
The waiter's gaze swept over his face again. After not seeing him for many days, the once stunningly beautiful woman looked haggard and emaciated. The poison was taking a toll on her body.
His enemies are the emperor and powerful ministers who are above all others. Their power over life and death is entirely in their hands, and he is now no different from a bird trapped in a cage.
He has nothing but a life. How difficult it will be to seek revenge.
"It's best if you can understand, young master." The waiter poured him tea and said calmly, "In fact, the master has already made a decision. Regardless of whether you side with us this time, the plan will be implemented in a few days."
"However, with your help, young master, we should be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
He picked up his teacup: "Young master, I wish you and my master both great success and that all your wishes come true."
Chu Huaixu watched the waiter carry the food box out of the courtyard until his figure disappeared from sight.
He rubbed his empty thumb, but what came to mind was the scene of Song Ting feeding him chicken soup spoonful by spoonful before he entered the palace earlier that day.
Despite being a powerful minister with high rank and influence, and having not served anyone for many years, he was always meticulous and thoughtful when doing things for him.
Chu Huaixu was momentarily dazed, then remembered those words: "I have no regrets."
No regrets.
I will never regret it.
He was the same.
Absolutely...no regrets.
...
The mausoleum was located in the suburbs. On the day the Empress Dowager was to be buried in the imperial mausoleum, the emperor and all the officials would see her off. Everyone had to change into mourning clothes and wail all the way there.
Song Ting, as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was responsible for protecting the emperor and his officials. Yang Zhaowen had already been executed, and Gu Yi was with him at the head and tail of the group, each responsible for one side.
The procession moved slowly forward. The ministers were tired from the long journey, and the emperor, understanding that most of them were old and frail, granted them a break of time for a cup of tea.
Song Ting dismounted and drank a couple of sips of water. Gu Yi sat not too far away, leaning against a rock, also holding a water jug in his hand.
The canteen looked like a military item; it seemed to have been used for many years and was quite old.
Whether it was Song's imagination or not, he felt that the kettle looked somewhat familiar.
Perhaps noticing Song Ting's gaze lingering on her, Gu Yi looked at him from afar, but instinctively put the kettle away.
"Commander Song."
Song Ting nodded calmly to him, but as she turned away, her brows furrowed unconsciously.
The moment Gu Yi looked up, his desolate gaze was truly heart-wrenching.
If it weren't for what happened back then, the three young masters would all be doing well now, and each of them would be doing well.
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