Chapter 22
cell.
Qi Yuanniang looked dazed. She still didn't understand why things turned out like this.
She wondered if there was a vicious slave in the mansion who wanted to bite his master, if they had run into bandits or robbers, and even if it was Xiucheng Zizhong's revenge.
After all, he had the motive, power and ability, and the timing of his appearance that day was too coincidental.
Unexpectedly, his appearance was not an accident, but he was not the mastermind as she thought, but was being used by someone.
Guangzhong is a frequent visitor to Shengping Tower.
Shengping Tower had two main arenas: regular and irregular. The irregular arena had irregular dates, and was usually a competition held by the young men of Chang'an's mausoleum district when they were in high spirits.
The regular races were held on the 20th of every month. Guangzhong would go almost every time. The races usually ended in the afternoon, and to leave Shengping Tower and return to the city, one had to pass through Front Street, where the Qi family lived.
The murderer knew this information and used it. And this person turned out to be her own brother, someone she had never thought of.
Now that I think about it carefully, my brother is not without flaws. On the contrary, he has many of them.
But she never doubted it and never thought about it from his perspective.
Qi Yuanniang looked at him, speechless for a long time.
Finally, Qi Dalang spoke, breaking the eerie silence of the prison cell: "Back in the outer hall of the government office, you said you had no regrets. What about now?"
Qi Yuanniang looked at him steadily, pursed her lips and said nothing.
Qi Dalang glared at him, gritting his teeth. "Why did you go out to ask for help? Why are you so determined to get to the bottom of this?"
"Now it's all over. My father is gone, and I'm gone too. With this happening to the Qi family, we'll be cursed by the world. How can we survive among the nobles of Changling? Are you satisfied?"
"If you hadn't brought His Highness here, how could things have developed to this point? Wouldn't it be better to let Bai Shan take the blame? There are many men in the world, what's so good about him? Why did you choose him? If it weren't for him, you..."
"Do you regret it?"
A cold female voice interrupted Qi Dalang's questioning. Qi Dalang was stunned for a moment: "What?"
Qi Yuanniang looked him straight in the eye: "You asked me if I regretted it. What about you? Do you regret it?"
Qi Dalang opened his mouth, his lips trembling: "I... I didn't mean to. I didn't want to. I never thought of killing my father, I was just careless, I..."
"Have you tried to seek help? Have you tried medical treatment?"
Qi Dalang froze, his pupils trembling: "I... I..."
"You didn't." Qi Yuanniang glared at him. "You didn't call for help, didn't try to get a doctor. Didn't you ever consider that if he had been treated in time, maybe he could still have survived?"
"No, that's not the case." Qi Dalang couldn't accept this statement at all. "At that time, the back of my father's head was covered in blood, and his breath was gradually...gradually gone."
"Gradually?" A fierce glint flashed in Qi Yuanniang's eyes. "That means father still had a faint breath. And you, without saving him or asking for help, just watched him die?"
"I didn't. I could have been saved. I tried to seal Dad's wound, but there was too much blood and he died too quickly. I..."
"Stop the wound?" Qi Yuanniang sneered, "Are you a doctor? Can you save people? You don't know anything, and you call this treatment? You don't even have the heart to do it. You don't dare to call for help, you don't dare to let anyone know, and you don't dare to ask for a doctor."
Qi Yuanniang took a deep breath and continued through gritted teeth, "Father's injuries are too severe. You're afraid that even if you call a doctor, he won't be able to be saved, and instead everyone will know that you killed your father.
"Perhaps you're afraid that even if you save him, it wouldn't count as patricide, but disobeying and seriously injuring your father is still a serious crime. You can't bear the consequences, nor are you willing to bear the consequences.
"So you didn't ask for help. The word 'help' didn't even cross your mind because you were only thinking about yourself and how to cover it up.
"To this end, you came up with an elaborate plan; you thought of who to frame; you thought of who to help; you even thought that since May 20th was the day of the Shengping Tower Arena competition, Xiucheng Zizhong would definitely be there and could be used.
"You calculated that given Xiucheng Zizhong's character, if faced with such a situation, he would inevitably take advantage of the situation and add insult to injury. You were afraid that if you applied pressure alone, Changling County Magistrate Yi Zong would ignore you, so you wanted to involve Xiucheng Zizhong as well, as that would be safer.
"Especially since you even thought of using the calming incense my father often used to cover up the bloody smell in the house."
At this point, Qi Yuanniang's expression was very complicated and she was incredulous: "Look, you thought so much, but you didn't think about saving your father."
laugh.
Qi Yuanniang suddenly sneered, but tears had already fallen, staining her clothes.
Qi Dalang's lips moved, he wanted to refute but couldn't utter a word.
Qi Yuanniang closed her eyes for a while before opening them. She raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face and said, "I don't know if you will regret it later, brother, but I don't regret it.
"I've said before, no matter who the murderer is, I will catch him to comfort my father's soul in heaven. I won't let my father die in vain, with his eyes wide open. This is true for others, for Baishan, and for you too."
"No, no..." Qi Dalang was trembling all over. "I didn't mean to do it. I just accidentally did it. Father... Father would not blame me even if he knew about this in the afterlife.
"He...even if he wants to blame someone, it's you. It's you who has plunged the Qi family into this situation, spurned by the world, unable to hold our heads up. Father loves and cherishes me the most. I'm his only child and your only brother. Have you ever considered that if something happens to me, the Qi family will..."
"What?" Qi Yuanniang interrupted him sternly, "To cover our retreat? Even if that's the case, so what?"
Qi Dalang was shocked all over, frightened by her sudden outburst of momentum.
Qi Yuanniang scoffed, "Brother, you chose Baishan as the target of the blame, not just because he's suitable and has a motive, right? Are you also thinking of killing two birds with one stone?"
"My father is dead, and Baishan was executed. You are the head of the Qi family, and as the eldest brother, you can arrange my marriage. This way, you will have a scapegoat and control my future, making me a tool for you to cling to power."
Qi Dalang bared his teeth: "How can you think so? I let you marry Xiucheng Zizhong for your own good!"
"For my own good?" Qi Yuanniang sneered, "I don't know if you really think this arrangement is for my own good, but I know very well that you think it's good for you.
"You've always looked down on Baishan, but it wasn't always like that. At least after you learned that Baishan had been chosen by His Highness to be his man, your attitude softened. It wasn't long before His Highness sent Baishan back.
"At that time, you asked Baishan what plans the Grand Prince had for him. Did he mention what official position he would be given, when he would be summoned to the palace, and so on? Baishan couldn't answer any of them, and there was no news from the palace. Your attitude cooled again, and you brought up Xiucheng Zizhong with your father again."
That's why she had a heart-to-heart talk with her father. Fortunately, her father loved her and finally agreed to her request. Unfortunately...
Qi Yuanniang clenched her fists and looked at Qi Dalang: "For you, you are supreme. You don't care about your father's life or death, nor do you care about my wishes. Why should I care about you as my brother? I will not forgive you. As for my father..."
Qi Yuanniang snorted. "Whether he blames you or not, that's a question you should ask him in person in your grave. You don't need to worry about what will happen to the Qi family in the future. Even if you're gone, I'm still here."
"I will support the Qi family and will not let it fail, let alone disappear from the world. I am also of the Qi family's bloodline, and my children will have the surname Qi and carry on the Qi family line forever."
Qi Dalang was surprised: "You...how did you know that Bai Shan would definitely agree?"
Qi Yuanniang shook her head: "You are wrong. I have feelings for Baishan, and I really like Baishan. But I am a member of the Qi family, and I have Qi family blood flowing in my veins. The Qi family is more important to me.
"If Baishan can understand me, support me, and lend me a helping hand, that would be the best; but if he doesn't accept it, and his wishes and desires don't align with mine, I don't blame him.
"I wish him a smooth journey, a bright future, and that we both are well."
Qi Yuanniang's tone was filled with regret and incompleteness, but there was no hesitation. She did not regret bringing Liu Ju to her, leading to the exposure of such a cruel truth, nor did she regret her decision at this moment.
She turned and left without saying another word or looking back.
Outside the cell, Yinliu was waiting by her side. She helped her into the carriage and drove her home.
Qi Yuanniang stood in front of the Qi residence, staring at the familiar plaque in front of her in a daze.
Yin Liu's face was filled with worry: "Girl?"
Qi Yuanniang shook her head. "I'm fine. I've been sad, upset, and grief-stricken... but I've recovered now. I can hold on, and I must.
"Yinliu, I'm a little tired and want to rest. Just a short rest will be fine. There are still many things at home that need my care."
For example, Mr. Qi needs to be buried, and the reputation of the Qi family needs to be restored.
But the premise of all this is that she cannot fall down.
Yin Liu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end she only said, "I'll take the girl back to her room."
After taking care of Qi Yuanniang and putting her to sleep, Yin Liu tiptoed out of the room and carefully closed the door. In fact, she really wanted to tell Qi Yuanniang that no matter what, she would be there, and she would help her to the best of her ability.
But can she really do it? She is carrying a blood feud, and she doesn't know where to go. How can she help Qi Yuanniang?
Yin Liu pursed her lips lightly and left reluctantly. Just after passing the second gate, she saw Bai Shan coming in. The two of them met, and Bai Shan asked about Qi Yuan Niang's situation. He felt relieved when he learned that Qi Yuan Niang was doing well.
"It's been hard for Yuanniang these days. She finally fell asleep, so I won't disturb her. I'll go find the steward and see if there's anything I can do to help."
"Baishan." Yinliu called him, but didn't know how to start, so she hesitated to speak.
Bai Shan was very confused: "What's wrong? What's the matter with Yuanniang?"
Yin Liu shook her head: "It has nothing to do with the girl, I just have something I want to ask you."
"you say."
"I heard that although Shengping Tower has several owners, all the affairs within the building are managed by Princess Huainan. Do you know anything about her?"
Yin Liu's hands drooped at her sides, slightly hunched. This was something she had learned over the past two days. She hadn't been in the capital long, previously recuperating at the Qi family due to her frail health. Only recently had she begun to venture out again, and before she could take any action, something had happened at the Qi family.
She looked at Bai Shan and said, "The princess is the daughter of a noble and of royal blood. She should visit the palace frequently. Have you heard anything while following His Highness? It doesn't matter what, anything about her."
Actually, asking directly like that was a bit risky. If this princess was really the other princess, and she discovered someone was snooping around, it could lead to disaster. But she didn't know where else to investigate.
Since Yuanniang recognized Baishan, she believed that Baishan would not tell anyone about her findings.
Bai Shan looked confused, not knowing what she meant. However, he thought carefully and replied, "I don't know anything about the princess, but there was a big incident in Huainan a while ago. I did hear about it in the palace."
Yin Liu paused: "What's the matter?"
"A swordsman from Huainan went to the capital to file a complaint, alleging that the Crown Prince of Huainan bore a grudge against him because of a duel. Not only had he been constantly making things difficult for him, he had also prevented him from joining the army to fight against the Xiongnu. He even sent men to pursue him for thousands of miles after he escaped Huainan. He had several near-fatal encounters, and nearly lost his life.
"His Majesty was furious and sent a lieutenant to Huainan to interrogate the Crown Prince. Yesterday, Master Gongshu returned and discussed this with the other brothers. News has arrived from Huainan, and the situation is largely true.
"The Prince of Huainan has brought his son to the Lieutenant, and has even personally written a letter of apology, stating that he failed to raise his son well and is willing to reduce his fiefdom. However, His Majesty has not yet decided by how much, and we'll probably have a decision once the Lieutenant returns to the capital. This will probably take place in the next few days."
According to Master Gongshu, this matter caused a great uproar, with much discussion in the palace and almost everyone in Chang'an City knowing about it. Most of the noble families in Changling County also knew about it.
Given the status of the Qi family, even if they are not among the great nobles, it is easy to find out if they want to.
It's just that Yinliu is a foreigner, unfamiliar with the capital, and has no connections. The Qi family is in trouble, so she doesn't want to trouble the Qi family, so she can only find herself.
Bai Shan spoke so clearly and frankly because the matter was public. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to speak up if it involved the royal family.
Unexpectedly, Yin Liu's heart skipped a beat after hearing this. "He went through life and death several times, and almost lost his life? What's the name of this swordsman?"
Bai Shan thought for a moment and said, "It seems to be called Lei Bei."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yin Liu trembled all over and her face turned pale.
Thunder quilt, thunder quilt...
In addition to mentioning the princess, those people also mentioned this name.
It's her, it must be her. It's the Princess Huainan!
At that moment, countless faces flashed through Yin Liu's mind, instantly transforming into bloody, hideous figures. They followed her, protected her, and whispered in her ears, "Yin Liu, find the murderer, find her, and avenge us."
Yin Liu's eyes were red, and she was standing unsteadily, looking like she was about to fall.
“You…how…”
Bai Shan was shocked. Before he could finish his words, Yin Liu suddenly looked up, staring at him with her dark eyes, which showed her consideration and scrutiny. Then she gritted her teeth, bent her knees, and knelt down with a thud.
Baishan:! ! !
********
Flying Palace.
When Liu Ju was about to leave, Shi Yi came to him and said, "Why do you go out every day? No! You are not allowed to go today unless you take me with you."
Liu Ju glared: "I'm going to do some serious work, why bring you along?"
"Don't try to lie to me. The Qi family case is over. There's no real business left."
Liu Ju looked her up and down and said, "You know all this. It seems you pay close attention to me."
"Who cares about you? It's not a secret. I can find out by just asking a few questions. Just tell me whether you will take me with you or not."
Liu Ju opened his mouth and was about to refuse when he thought of something. He glanced at the maid behind Shi Yi and said, "Okay."
The brother and sister left the palace, still accompanied by Huo Qubing, and went straight to Gongshu's house.
Bai Shan had been waiting for a long time and personally led the people in. As they walked, he said, "The case is closed. The government has returned Uncle Qi's body and it is lying in the hall. Therefore, His Highness from the Qi family may not be able to enter for the time being. I have ordered Yin Liu to wait here."
Liu Ju nodded in agreement, and soon arrived at Gongshu's room.
As soon as Liu Ju sat down, he asked, "I remember you. The little girl next to Qi Yuanniang seemed to be called... Yinliu?"
"Yes. My humble daughter Yin Liu."
"Baishan said you wanted to see me, but you refused to tell me why. You insisted you wouldn't speak until you saw me. Now I'm here, tell me."
Yin Liu glanced hesitantly at everyone present. Bai Shan understood and automatically withdrew. Liu Ju waved his hand and sent most of the guards to guard the door, leaving only two or three inside. "Speak."
Yin Liu pondered her words and decided to start from the beginning: "I am Yin Liu, a commoner from Jingzhou, and I live in Yunfeng Village. The village is backed by mountains and forests, making it difficult to get out of the mountains and the journey difficult.
"Therefore, few outsiders come to the village, and there are not many people living here, only about a dozen households. But everyone has a good relationship, is closely connected, and lives in harmony.
"We have opened up a few fields around the village to grow crops. We also go to the mountains to collect some medicinal herbs or catch some small wild animals and take them to the town outside the mountain to exchange for money.
"Our village is very ordinary and common, not wealthy. We have neither talented people nor great wealth. I really don't understand how such a village, located in such a remote place, could be robbed."
Yinliu took a deep breath and tried hard to recall the scene at that time, striving to restore the real details.
It was already very late that night. She was very tired from doing a lot of things during the day and was sleeping very soundly. She heard some noise in her daze and was about to get up when she heard that her parents and brother had already gotten up.
My father said, "Who is making such a commotion so late at night? Tomorrow the strong men in the village have to rush into the mountains early. How can we not get enough sleep?"
My brother said, "It sounds like the sound is coming from the village chief."
My father suggested we go and have a look, and let my mother stay. But my mother said, "Forget it, I'll go with you. If a couple quarrels, you men won't try to mediate."
So the three of them went out together. At that time, she thought that quarrels between couples were common and not a big deal. Because she was really sleepy, she didn't go with them and prepared to go back to sleep.
But just after lying down for a few breaths, the sounds became louder and louder, including a familiar cry, filled with grief, despair and fear.
Only then did she realize that something was wrong. She sat up in shock and subconsciously wanted to rush out to check the situation. Just as she ran to the door, a figure bumped into the door frame, and blood spurted in from the gap in the door, splashing all over her face behind the door.
She looked directly into the pair of eyes facing the crack in the door. It was her mother. It was her mother!
Her mother opened her mouth, but no sound came out, nor did she dare to make a sound. However, she understood her mother's lip shape and the pleading in her mother's eyes: Don't come out, run, run quickly!
The mother used up the last bit of her strength before she died, quietly moved the door with her hand, tightly closing the gap that was not closed tightly, and finally leaned against the door and died forever.
She covered her mouth tightly to prevent herself from screaming out loud. She forced herself to calm down and sneaked out the back door, only to see that the village she was familiar with had become a purgatory.
A group of men dressed as bandits rampaged through the village, slaughtering people everywhere. The villagers fled in all directions, but none could escape the clutches of the evil spirits. They slew the villagers one by one with swords and bows and arrows. Pitiful wails pierced the sky, echoing through the valley.
The instinct of survival told her to escape, she must escape.
Her mother had given her time and chance to survive before her death, and she couldn't let her mother down.
But the road out of the village was guarded, as was the road into the mountains.
She saw with her own eyes that someone who tried to escape was shot dead by an arrow. Just when she was thinking that if she couldn't escape, she could hide, a thief dragged her little sister out and said angrily, "You hid in a vegetable jar in the cellar. You're quite good at hiding."
Then he killed him with one blow.
She knew then that hiding was impossible. The thieves would soon raid this place, leaving her with little time. She had to save herself.
In desperation, she thought of a way. She carefully sneaked into the place where there were the most corpses, smeared the blood of the villagers on her body, and deliberately stabbed herself to create an obvious wound. Then she lay under their corpses, closed her eyes and pretended to be dead.
Fortunately, the thieves did not check each body one by one. They just set a fire before leaving, trying to burn the village and the bodies to destroy all traces. After they left, she crawled out from the sea of corpses and flames, and luckily saved her life.
After saying this, Yin Liu was already in tears.
Liu Ju keenly noticed the strangeness in her choice of words: "Someone dressed like a bandit?"
Bandits are bandits, so what does it mean to be dressed like a bandit? Unless Yin Liu thinks they are not bandits.
Yin Liu gritted her teeth. "Those men were swift and agile, well-trained, and coordinated well. They also used sophisticated weapons, including swords, bows, and arrows. Is this something that ordinary bandits possess?"
Liu Ju understood and knew it was definitely not the case.
Yin Liu continued, "They weren't out to rob money or supplies. They were searching as if they were looking for someone, or as if they were deliberately creating the illusion of bandits passing through. Most importantly, I was lying among the corpses, and I heard their conversation."
She clenched her hands together, trying to suppress the overwhelming hatred, and tried her best to keep her tone steady and her statement clear.
At that time, she dared not open her eyes, dared not move, and even her breathing was very light. The village was full of her relatives, and their bodies were on her body.
She could still feel their body heat, but they would never wake up again. Not far away were her parents and brother. She wanted to cry, but couldn't, and had to fight back the tears in her eyes.
Just then, she heard someone talking.
"The conversation was between a man and a woman. The woman said, 'It seems we're a step too late again. The villagers weren't lying. The people have already left.'
The man agreed, "Indeed. These people saved Lei Bei's life after all. Lei Bei is not an ungrateful person. If he were still alive, hiding, and saw us slaughtering the village, he would not hide his presence no matter how worried he was. He would come and surrender on his own initiative."
"The woman asked again: 'What should we do now?'"
"The man said, 'We failed in our duties. We'll apologize to the princess later. As for this place, let's set it on fire to prove that the bandits were responsible. Don't leave any evidence. It's their fault for saving Lei Bei. If it weren't for them, Lei Bei wouldn't be alive. Why would the princess be so troubled and worried?'"
Princess, thunder quilt.
Liu Ju and Huo Qubing's faces were filled with seriousness. Shi Yi immediately jumped up and said, "Princess Huainan and Swordsman Lei Bei? Are you...are you sure?"
Yin Liu gritted her teeth and said, "I heard it with my own ears. That's what they said."
Huo Qubing glanced towards Shi Yi from the corner of his eye, then looked away and said, "Did you save Lei Bei?"
Yin Liu lowered her head and said, “I don’t know who Lei Bei is, but we did rescue someone not long before the incident in the village.
"At that time, the village chief took a few strong laborers from our village to collect herbs. While resting by the river, they found obvious bloodstains on the nearby grass and trees. They followed the bloodstains and found a cave. Inside the cave was a man who was seriously injured and unconscious.
"They were kind-hearted and carried the man back. Since we often collected herbs, we knew some basic medical skills, so we gave him some simple treatment.
"The village chief was worried he might be a bad guy and considered reporting him to the police. But our village is so remote, it takes two days of hiking to get there.
"It happened to rain that night, and it had been raining intermittently for several days. The mountain roads were even more difficult to travel and unsafe. So the village chief decided to wait.
"He gathered the village's strongest men and divided them into three groups, each taking turns to look after the enemy. He was also keeping an eye on them. By then, the enemy was half dead. Even if they were bad and skilled, it wouldn't have been enough. We were more numerous, so we could have subdued them.
"If the other person is good, we must not stand by and watch them die.
"That man had a strong will and an even stronger desire to survive. He was in good health and woke up the next day. As for how he ended up like this, he said he was robbed.
"This kind of thing has happened a few times in our area, and he was very humble and expressed his gratitude repeatedly. Once he was able to move a little, he was reluctant to trouble us for anything and would do everything himself.
"He saw that the children in the village couldn't read, so he took the initiative to teach them. Anyone who wanted to could come and listen. At that time, he couldn't even get out of bed. But he still insisted on teaching three words every day.
"Just like that, our guard gradually dropped. The village elders even thought that since he was educated, it would be good if he could stay in the village.
"But he stayed in the village for a while, and since his injuries weren't fully healed yet, he decided to leave when he was about 60% to 70% recovered. It was fine if the village couldn't keep him. From beginning to end, he never told us his name. We called him 'Mr.' because he taught us how to read and write."
Yin Liu smiled bitterly, "It was only after I heard what those village-slaughtering thieves said that I learned his name was Lei Bei."
Huo Qubing frowned. "Lei Bei did say he was being hunted. He also mentioned a time when he was seriously injured and fell off a cliff. He was lucky enough to survive because of the trees growing on the cliff face. He fell into the water and struggled to find a cave to hide in, so he survived. But he never mentioned being rescued by anyone."
Why would anyone hide this? Unless Lei Bei didn't want to expose the village.
But what is the purpose of doing this?
Protect the village and benefactor from Huainan’s revenge?
No. At that time, Lei Bei went to the emperor to complain, and Huainan was in a critical situation. He would not retaliate at such a time and commit crimes against the wind. Therefore, for Lei Bei, this item was completely unnecessary.
If that’s the case, why was Lei Bei concealed?
Could it be that there are some secrets in this village, perhaps even the secret that Lei left behind?
Thinking of this, Huo Qubing's eyebrows twitched.
At this moment, Yin Liu's words confirmed his guess.
Yin Liu shook her head. "I don't know why he didn't tell me, but I swear, everything I said is true. We did save such a person. And I also found something in the village."
"After hearing what those thieves said, I knew the cause of this disaster was 'Mr.' There must be something wrong with 'Mr.'s' identity. There are many princesses in the world. I don't know who the princess they are talking about is, but perhaps I can find out from 'Mr.'
"So I tried to recall everything about 'Master'. I remembered that after he was able to get out of bed and walk, he would often walk around the village, helping out wherever he could.
"But his favorite is the locust tree in the village. I have seen him sitting under the locust tree in a daze many times.
"Thinking of this, I returned to the village. By then, the entire village had been burned down, and most of the locust trees had been destroyed.
"I checked the tree from top to bottom, searching every inch of the trunk and branches, but found nothing unusual. In desperation, I dug up the roots, and finally found a bamboo tube in the soil."
Yinliu took out a bamboo tube from her arms, and Yusui took it and handed it to Liu Ju.
The bamboo tube was small, about the size of a tinderbox. When the lid was opened, a rolled-up piece of silk was revealed. The silk was of a fine quality, something not common to ordinary people. When it was unfolded, it was covered in dense writing.
Liu Ju and Huo Qubing were horrified at the sight of the silk. Huo Qubing immediately put it away.
Yin Liu smiled bitterly, "I am illiterate. Even though I took a few lessons from the 'teacher', he didn't stay long. He only taught me three words a day, starting with the simplest ones. It's rare that I can match what I have written on silk."
"I don't know what's written on this silk, but I suspect it must be very important. Otherwise, why would 'Master' bury it so quietly?
"I even speculated that the serious injury to 'Master' and the fact that those people were willing to massacre the entire village in order to find 'Master' might be related to this thing.
"This is a serious matter. I dare not show it to anyone, I dare not tell anyone. Because of a 'sir', our entire village was massacred. I cannot implicate others. This secret can only be kept by me.
"So I brought my belongings to the capital, praying for a chance to reveal the truth and bring the murderer to justice."
Huo Qubing raised his eyes and said, "You have been in the capital for a while now. Why didn't you go to the government office to file a complaint?"
"Because..." Yin Liu glanced at Liu Ju stealthily, her voice lowered by two notes, "Because those people mentioned the princess."
Huo Qubing understood.
The title of Princess sounds complicated. Yin Liu was afraid that her plan would fail and the Princess would find out that she had escaped and would have evidence in her hands, so she did not dare to act rashly.
Now that he had revealed everything to them, it must have been a deliberate decision. She had learned from Bai Shan that the emperor had punished Huainan because of Lei Bei's accusation, and she suspected that the emperor might not protect him, and might even be willing to use this incident to attack him.
This is her best chance, perhaps her only chance, she must step forward and muster up the courage to take a gamble.
Huo Qubing looked at her with some admiration in his eyes.
Even though he couldn't read, he was still quite clever.
He looked at Liu Ju and said, "Return to the palace. This matter must be reported to His Majesty as soon as possible."
Liu Ju naturally understood the seriousness of the matter: "Okay."
The guards went to bring the carriage, and people came and went in a hurry.
Everyone in the car was silent, no one in the mood for laughter or jokes, their expressions solemn. One of them was even more anxious and furious, his heart pounding like a drum. Only Shi Yi was heartless.
She didn't see the silk and didn't know what was written on it, but she understood that what Yinliu said could not be taken lightly, so she had no objection to the return journey, but she couldn't help complaining.
"So you really did leave the palace to do some business."
Liu Ju raised his eyebrows: "What else? You still don't believe me when I tell you the truth."
Shi Yi curled his lips. "I thought I could go to Shengping Tower to play, or at least take a look around. Oh, forget it, let's go back to the palace. It's still early, I can still go to the pond and release the silk birds."
Liu Ju blinked. "Another silk bird? Is it new or old this time? I'm guessing it won't be in the shape of a swallow, no matter how old it is."
He turned his gaze to Caiqin beside him: "Is it Hutou's turn this time?"
Shi Yi was baffled by this, but Cai Qin understood. The swallow represented peace, while the tiger head represented great danger, prompting a hasty escape.
As soon as these words were spoken, Caiqin knew that she was exposed, and her expression changed drastically. But before she could make any move, she subconsciously raised her eyelids, and her wrist was strangled. Yu Sui's dagger was placed on her neck, and she suddenly realized that her whole body was weak and she had no strength at all.
Caiqin's face turned pale instantly.
Shiyi:!!!
What's going on? What happened?
This development is so strange.
Shi Yi was completely unable to react. He was stunned and stood there, not knowing what was going on.
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