Inside the main hall of the Zhu residence.
Zhu Jiayu cautiously tugged at her father's sleeve: "Dad, I'm back."
Zhu Congjian slammed his fist on the table and said in a loud voice, "You still know how to come back? Such a big thing, and you acted impulsively without even consulting me. Do you even have any respect for me as your father? Can I call you father now?!"
Zhu Jiayu pursed her lips and remained silent.
Zhu Congjian waited for a while but didn't hear her voice, so he began to wonder if he had spoken too harshly and softened his tone: "Tell me, what exactly happened?"
His outburst was all bark and no bite. Jia Yu was his only daughter, and she lost her mother at a young age. It was no easy feat for a big, strong man like him to raise his daughter to adulthood. How could he bear to be truly angry with his daughter?
However, he still had to make a show of it: he had to let his daughter know that she had done something wrong.
Zhu Jiayu lowered her head and called out "Father", then said, "I don't want to get married. I want to stay by your side and learn how to do business and how to be a good person. When you get old, I will take care of your daily life and see you off in your old age."
"Isn't that what they say in plays too? Even though marriage is a matter of fate, when danger strikes, there are plenty of those who will turn their backs on you and scheme against you." She looked up, her shallow eyes welling with tears. "I'm scared. I don't want to get married anymore, okay?"
She feared that if she encountered Rong Heng again, he would have the opportunity to use the Zhu family's money to do business, stockpile grain and grass, recruit soldiers and horses, and become a young general who would emerge in the chaos of the future.
He feared that the Zhu family would enjoy a few good days thanks to his influence, only to be wiped out. Helpless, he followed him north, where he was ostracized in Yujing.
She also feared that she and Rong Heng would share joys and sorrows, only to end up with nothing but wealth and glory, and that he would even scheme against her and cause her to lose her life.
When she started crying, Zhu Congjian was at a loss: "Fine, if you don't want to marry, then don't. But what you just said, is it true? Will you really settle down and learn the ways of business from your father?"
If his daughter hadn't disliked business, and if he hadn't worried that she wouldn't have anyone to rely on when he got old, why would he have thought of having her hold a bridal procession to find a suitable husband? He had already chosen someone!
But it's good that my daughter has figured things out; that's better than anything else.
Zhu Jiayu nodded seriously: "Really."
Zhu Congjian was greatly pleased: "Good! Good! Good!"
After leaving the study, Zhu Jiayu felt it was too early, so he summoned Lüzheng and asked her to accompany him to Tanji Temple to offer incense.
When the Zhu family was wiped out, before she took the remaining people to Yujing to settle down, she went to Tanji Temple alone. The abbot once told her that those who cling to things will lose them. At the time, she did not understand, but after dying once, she understood everything.
Now that she has received this extraordinary opportunity, she should visit Tanji Temple again, both to thank Heaven for this blessing and to thank the abbot for his earnest advice that year.
However, the weather in Suiping City was bad. When the master and servant set out, the sky was clear and blue, but not long after they arrived at Zhuyue Mountain, a torrential downpour began.
Thunder roared in my ears, lightning flashed and cleaved through the layers of dark clouds, then stopped abruptly. The continuous rain fell and splashed on the ground, creating complex ripples.
Zhu Jiayu had no choice but to take Lüzheng to rest in the guest room of the mountain temple first, and they would have to wait until the rain stopped before discussing the rest of the matter.
Unexpectedly, less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, there was a sudden, urgent knocking at the door.
Green Kite subconsciously got up to open the door, but she didn't expect that as soon as the door opened a crack, the gleaming sword tip pierced straight in and was placed against the little maid's neck!
Green Kite was immediately too frightened to make a sound, and could only cautiously retreat step by step, following the movements of the person holding the sword, until she retreated into the house.
Zhu Jiayu recognized the man as the guard she had seen on Qingxing Street before. She then carefully examined his appearance, trying to find some clues.
If he wanted their lives or had other motives, the easiest thing to do would be to knock Green Kite unconscious to prevent her from sending out a distress signal.
A guard from the Yujing aristocratic family wouldn't be completely unaware of this.
So, the reason they haven't taken action yet is clearly because they need women who are clear-headed and capable of taking action.
It was raining outside, and the sky was dark. There were no lights on in the house, and the windows were tightly closed. Even so, Zhu Jiayu could still clearly see the blood mixed with rainwater flowing down at the feet of the guard.
"Something happened to your master?"
Zhu Jiayu waited for a while, saw the wariness in the guard's eyes, but heard no rebuttal. He tapped the table with his finger and said impatiently, "If you need our help, just say you won't die. There's no need to use my maid as a threat."
She stood up from the wooden chair, walked to Lüzheng, and with her slender fingers, she pinched the guard's sharp sword blade and tossed it aside. She then pulled Lüzheng behind her to protect her and said, "Take me to see?"
The guard looked at her suspiciously for a long time before slowly sheathing his sword: "We need medicine."
Zhu Jiayu nodded: "You need something to stop the bleeding, right? There are some around here. I think it's better to trust me than to create unnecessary trouble. After all, our lives are in your hands, what do you think?"
After what seemed like a long internal struggle, the guard finally made up his mind and allowed the two of them to go with him.
But this did not mean he was completely at ease with them. Throughout the journey, he kept his hand firmly on the hilt of his sword to ensure that he could take their lives the moment anything happened.
The three of them soon arrived at the back mountain. In the simple pavilion, Wei Qinglou was lying on the ground with a pale face, with an expensive black cloak under him.
At this moment, he had completely lost the arrogance and haughtiness he displayed in the teahouse. Instead, he looked extremely frail, his delicate eyebrows and eyes shrouded in sickness, and his flesh was churning three inches below his abdomen, a shocking sight.
Zhu Jiayu glanced at him and then turned to leave.
Upon seeing this, the guard who had brought her earlier drew his sword without hesitation and held it in front of her.
Zhu Jiayu said coldly, "If you want him to die, then go ahead and try to stop me."
The guard hurriedly sheathed his sword, struggled for a long time, and said in a cold tone, "I'm sorry..."
However, Zhu Jiayu had already walked far away and had no intention of listening to his apology.
In her past life, she often visited Tanji Temple. The temple was not very popular, and the monks were reluctant to go down the mountain to buy medicine for any injuries they suffered. So they planted medicinal herbs all over the back mountain for occasional needs.
It was only thanks to her past experience fighting alongside Rong Heng that she knew a lot about herbs; otherwise, she really wouldn't have been confident in saving Wei Qinglou.
He was lucky to have met her.
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