56 Chapter Fifty Six
◎Transaction.
The snow continued to fall until the day of the palace banquet. In the early morning, Lingshuang prepared Ciying's clothes and headgear for the palace banquet in the evening, and Lingyue supervised the people in the courtyard to make the final arrangements before the Spring Festival.
Red lanterns celebrating the New Year were hung throughout the Xie Mansion. Ci Ying couldn't help but feel dazed when she saw them. She didn't remember spending the New Year in the Xie Mansion well. This was the first time she had the leisure time to look at these bright red lanterns.
The snow had fallen very deeply. If it was not cleared today, one might not be able to walk the next day. The lines on the hem of some of the roads were soaked by the snow. In the places in the mansion where no one had cleared the snow, the snow had piled up half a knee high. When Ci Ying occasionally passed by the garden and saw it, she always felt that it would be better if Zhu Guang was still there.
No one knew what had happened in Anhuai, but Zhu Guang left in a hurry late at night the day he returned. When he left, he came to say goodbye to Ciying, more formally than usual.
Ci Ying was in a trance for a moment and asked softly, "Isn't it too hard?" After being busy for half a year, she only stayed at home for a few days and had to leave again in the evening.
In the light of snow, Zhu Guang shook his head, but told Zhu Guang that she wanted to give it a try.
Ci Ying was still wondering what Zhu Guang was trying to do when she heard him say softly, "I didn't have to do these things before. All I did every day was practice martial arts and kill people. I used to be smug about being able to defeat him. Now that I think about it, I was really stupid."
He was naturally referring to Mo Yu, so Ci Ying was speechless.
Zhu Guang whispered a "Happy New Year" to Ci Ying before disappearing into the snow. The snowman Ci Ying had made had long since melted. Ci Ying sat by the charcoal fire, still wrapped tightly in her clothes. A chill surged from nowhere, threatening to freeze her to death.
At noon, Zhu Er brought a message from Xie Huaijin, saying that he would return home half an hour before the palace banquet, and then they would go to the palace banquet together. Ci Ying asked Ling Shuang to pour a cup of hot tea for Zhu Er and asked Zhu Er if he knew about Zhu Guang's recent situation.
Zhu Er lowered his head. Ci Ying took a look and suddenly found that Zhu Er was beginning to become very similar to Zhu Yi, quiet and steady, with endless respect on his face, as if he was wearing a cold mask.
Ci Ying tried to recall what Zhu Er looked like before, but she found that she could not remember it at all. Her memory was sometimes good and sometimes bad, and she had very few interactions with Zhu Er. Gradually, she forgot everything.
Then Ciying thought of Xiaowan again. She remembered that Xiaowan could always recognize Zhuyi and Zhuer at a glance, and would blush and refute them when they said that the two looked exactly the same.
Some images emerged in her mind, and Ci Ying smiled silently, wondering if she could separate the two if Xiaowan was still in the mansion. Maybe she could, and maybe she couldn't.
Speaking of Xiaowan, Ciying counted the days on her fingers. Two months ago, Xiaowan wrote to her saying that she was three months pregnant, and now she should be five months pregnant. When Lingyue knew this, she first covered her mouth in surprise, and then said happily that she would go to visit Xiaowan.
But matters inside and outside the palace were too busy, and the weather was not good when they both had time, so the delay lasted until the end of the year. Ciying asked Lingshuang to prepare a gift. Lingshuang flipped through the book in her hand and asked if there was any family she had missed. Ciying said softly, "No, after New Year's Eve, we will go to see Xiaowan together."
Lingyue ran over happily: "I've already prepared the gift. I'll show it to Master and Sister." After saying that, Lingyue left in a hurry. Ciying smiled, and Lingshuang said helplessly: "Master is spoiling Lingyue too much."
Ci Ying smiled gently, and together with Ling Shuang, they looked at Ling Yue who ran in from outside. Ling Yue was holding a small box in her hands. When she opened it, she saw small baby clothes made of fine soft cloth. A "Fu" character was embroidered on the corner of each piece of clothing.
Even Lingshuang was a little surprised and speechless for a moment.
Ci Ying said gently, "I'm afraid Xiaowan will cry after seeing this."
Lingyue felt a little embarrassed and whispered, "We are friends..."
This is really true. At the beginning, the person who was most in conflict with Xiaowan was Lingyue, but later on, the person who was closest to Xiaowan was still Lingyue.
Ciying smiled and nodded, and Lingshuang also smiled.
Lingyue put the clothes aside and took out a red-hot orange from the stove. She peeled it and carefully passed it to Ciying's mouth: "Master, is it sweet?"
"It's very sweet, you guys eat it too." Ci Ying swallowed the orange in her mouth that had become a little spoiled due to its sweetness from being roasted. She felt her body warm and was completely wrapped in that strange sweetness.
It was snowing heavily outside the door. The three people in the room ate a whole orange petal by petal. When another invitation was delivered to the door, Lingyue didn't even look at it. As usual, she wanted to throw it into the box in the study, but she accidentally dropped the invitation. Ciying and Lingshuang looked at Lingyue's figure for a long time without moving, and asked Lingyue what was wrong.
Lingyue still didn't move, looking at the invitation on the ground and a white jade pendant that was thrown out when she fell.
Ciying and Lingshuang walked forward, and Lingshuang helped Lingyue up: "Did you fall? Why are you so careless?" Lingyue did not reply to Lingshuang, but looked at Ciying with trembling eyes: "Master, this pendant is something that Xiaowan keeps close to her body."
......
The invitation was spread out on the table. There were only five words on it: "Ciying, come see me."
Ci Ying remembered something and went to the study to open the box that contained the previous invitation. She took out the invitation and opened it. On the invitation was written: "The maid named Xiao Wan is in my hands. Come to see me, Ci Ying, or you will regret it."
Lingyue was so anxious that she almost cried: "Xiaowan is still pregnant, how could the Queen..."
Lingshuang looked at Ciying, who glanced at the invitation in her hand and said softly, "It's okay. She won't touch the small bowl until she sees me. Lingshuang, go find Zhuer and ask where the young master is now. Lingyue, come with me to the palace banquet tonight."
Lingshuang nodded and went away. Lingyue also understood that crying would not solve any problems.
Ci Ying looked at the two invitations on the desk, thought for a moment, and then closed her eyes. Ling Shuang returned quickly, bringing only three words from Zhu Er. Ling Shuang's face turned grim as she whispered, "Zhu Er said he didn't know."
Ci Ying was not a surprise. Zhu Er was just a secret guard who had been in charge of her affairs for a long time. How could he know the whereabouts of Xie Huaijin?
Ling Shuang said softly, "Zhu Er's previous message said that he would be back half an hour before the palace banquet today."
Ci Ying nodded. She had no other choice now.
The person was in Su Xueruo's hands. In fact, whether she told Xie Huaijin or not, she would go to see Su Xueruo at night. Ci Ying could actually guess something. There were frequent news coming from the palace that Su Xueruo didn't have much time left and would not be able to survive until the end of the year.
When a person is about to die, it is easy to guess what he is seeking.
It was simply for the sake of the sickly prince.
Even for the sake of her own child, Su Xueruo would not hurt Xiaowan. After all, Su Xueruo needed her help, and she had never agreed to meet Su Xueruo, so Su Xueruo guessed this was a bad idea and forced her to meet him.
But even after thinking this through clearly, Ci Ying still felt some indescribable palpitations. She touched her chest. The snow outside was getting heavier and heavier. Ci Ying's heart seemed to be weighed down by the snow. She kept recalling everything she heard in the abandoned palace that day.
She stood up and went out to get some fresh air. The snow, as big as goose feathers, made her body wet. Lingshuang chased after her with an umbrella, shielding Ciying from the wind and snow: "Master, don't worry, Xiaowan will be fine."
Ci Ying nodded. She looked at the snow-covered sky. The red lanterns under the eaves had long been frozen, and the wind blew, making them creak. Ci Ying whispered to Ling Shuang, "Send someone to find Zhu Er and tell him to let me know as soon as Master Ruo returns."
Lingshuang said, "Yes."
The wind and snow grew stronger, and until evening, Ci Ying still hadn't received any news from Xie Huaijin.
So Ci Ying understood that Xie Huaijin must have been delayed on the road by the wind and snow.
Facing the bronze mirror, Ci Ying was silent for a moment. Ling Yue behind her had red eyes, and worry could not be hidden in them.
Ci Ying patted Ling Yue's hand and snapped her fingers. Four secret guards quietly appeared in the room. Ci Ying did not turn around, but only whispered, "Hide in the dark and wait for the right moment..."
Ci Ying paused for a moment, her eyes slowly lowered, and she spoke a long time later: "If the Queen does anything, take action immediately, regardless of life or death."
As soon as these words were spoken, the secret guards behind him lowered their heads and disappeared like shadows.
Lingyue knelt down and adjusted Ciying's skirt, tears falling on it: "If it's really difficult, even if Queen Su threatens you with a small bowl, you must remember to refuse."
Ling Yue choked up but gritted her teeth and said, "Master, you can't let yourself be tricked by the evildoers because of your soft heart. You absolutely can't do that."
Ci Ying looked at Ling Yue tenderly and said softly, "Yeah," but also said, "Don't worry, I will save Xiao Wan. She was implicated in this matter because of me. Ling Yue, please believe me and don't cry."
Ci Ying picked up the handkerchief and wiped the tears from Lingyue's face, then looked up at the sky outside.
It was already dark, the snow was still not stopping, and Xie Huaijin had not returned yet.
Ci Ying got on the carriage to the palace banquet. Before leaving, Ling Shuang said worriedly, "Could this be a Hongmen Banquet?" Ci Ying had also considered it, but after thinking for a long time, she still felt that it was probably just Su Xueruo's desperate attempt.
It was easy to guess what Su Xueruo wanted, so Su Xueruo was equivalent to having the word "weakness" written on her face. Based on her understanding of Su Xueruo, Su Xueruo would not do anything to the point of desperate measures at the last moment of her life. Even if she wanted to do so, she would not do it with her.
But just in case, Ci Ying asked the guards to pass the message to General Wei.
Even if she were to separate herself from the relationship with the Madam, the large sum of money and food she voluntarily sent every month would be enough for General Wei to protect her. Ci Ying calculated and felt that she had taken care of everything, but for some reason, when she looked at the heavy snow outside the car window, her heart still felt terribly heavy.
She was supported by Lingyue and walked down. Lingyue put on some powder to cover her red and swollen eyes. Lingshuang was worried and followed her anyway. Ciying sat alone at the palace banquet.
People around her still looked at her with all kinds of eyes. Over the years, Ci Ying had become accustomed to it.
The emperor did not try to intimidate Xie Huaijin as he had done before. Instead, he brought the recently favored Concubine Liang with him early. In front of everyone, Concubine Liang was pushed to the position of empress by the emperor. The hall was silent for a moment, but soon people started talking and laughing again as if it was commonplace.
The scene was peaceful and harmonious, and Ci Ying was not in a hurry. She drank the fruit wine in her glass calmly.
There are always people who can't help themselves. A palace maid accidentally spilled wine on her while delivering food. Lingyue frowned as she cleaned up the wine stain on Ciying's clothes: "You are so careless, do you know who you are bumping into?"
Ci Ying quietly held Ling Yue's hand and said gently, "It's okay, go down and change into something else."
The palace maid's trembling body finally stopped: "Thank you, Madam, for coming with me."
Ciying glanced at Lingshuang. Lingshuang stayed at the palace banquet and asked Lingyue to go with Ciying to change clothes. Lingyue then realized something, pinched the corner of her clothes and looked at Ciying. Ciying nodded, and they walked towards the palace together.
A palace maid had been waiting outside for a long time and whispered, "Madam, please come with me."
Ci Ying had already decided to meet Su Xueruo, so she didn't say anything else. They went to an abandoned palace together. When they walked in and saw a pillar, Ci Ying was stunned for a moment and realized that she had come to a "familiar" place.
There are thousands of places where they can meet in the palace. Su Xueruo can only have done it on purpose. She was probably discovered by Su Xueruo when she followed her here last time.
Ci Ying looked at the secret guard beside her calmly. She had complicated feelings towards Su Xueruo. Environment shapes people. She did not think that Su Xueruo could be considered a completely evil person. If possible, she did not want to stand completely opposite to Su Xueruo.
But Su Xueruo shouldn't threaten her in this way. Ci Ying had suffered enough threats from Xie Huaijin. Xie Huaijin taught her a lesson: if you compromise once because of threats, there will be thousands of similar times in the future.
Ci Ying didn't think Su Xueruo's control over people's hearts was as accurate as Xie Huaijin's, otherwise Su Xueruo would not have opened this transaction in the most wrong way.
Ci Ying waited for about a quarter of an hour, and the first person she saw was Xiaowan, who was pregnant. Xiaowan's belly was bulging, and her clothes were clean, neat, and warm. Aside from her pale complexion, she didn't seem to have any major problems.
Su Xueruo then appeared. Compared to the hostage Xiaowan, Su Xueruo was in a worse condition. The queen's gorgeous dress had become extremely ill-fitting on her. She was so thin that only a skeleton was left, and her cheeks were sunken.
Lingyue stepped forward and supported Xiaowan, while Ciying looked at Su Xueruo behind Xiaowan.
After Lingyue helped Xiaowan back, Ciying reached out and touched Xiaowan's head, comforting her, "I'm sorry, I got Xiaowan into trouble."
Xiaowan hurriedly shook her head and cried, "Master, I'm sorry... I, I, how could I deserve you to do this again and again..." Xiaowan was choked with sobs and couldn't speak. Ciying whispered "no". Lingyue supported Xiaowan, and the female doctor who followed her hurried over to take her pulse.
Behind them, the skeleton-like Su Xueruo suddenly knelt down in the direction of Ci Ying.
Ci Ying heard the voice, turned around and looked at Su Xueruo with a complicated look.
She had to admit that Su Xueruo was smart.
If Su Xueruo had treated Xiaowan harshly or tried to threaten her with Xiaowan's life, the silver needle in the secret guard's hand would have pierced Su Xueruo's heart.
Ci Ying dismissed the secret guard who was about to take action, stepped forward and looked at Su Xueruo.
She asked seriously, "Why do you have to kneel down?"
Su Xueruo raised her pale face. She was very beautiful, and even though she was so thin now, her former glory could still be seen on her face. "Ciying, I don't want to meet you in this way, but you still refuse to see me."
Su Xueruo said sadly: "I had no choice but to do this. I have been carefully taking care of Miss Xiaowan these days. If you don't believe me, you can ask the doctor to take her pulse. The baby in her belly is very healthy, unlike my child..."
Su Xueruo was crying, and Ci Ying looked at her, not knowing how much sincerity there was in her tears.
Ci Ying looked at Su Xueruo and said softly, "We are not familiar enough to meet each other."
Su Xueruo knelt down and took a step forward, grabbing the corner of Ci Ying's clothes, tears streaming down her face: "I... I really have no other choice, Ci Ying, I don't have much time left." As she spoke, Su Xueruo began to cough, and her whole body became even more fragile.
Ci Ying whispered, "What do you want?"
Su Xueruo grabbed Ci Ying's hand. She knew that the person in front of her was soft-hearted. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come to the banquet alone just for a pregnant maid. She wanted her to be soft-hearted. So Su Xueruo continued to cry, "I know I shouldn't trouble you, but, but I really have no one to ask for help."
Su Xueruo's tone became a little anxious, and she said desperately: "Ciying, my child is less than one year old. He has been harmed by these people in the palace and will have a hidden illness for the rest of his life. After I die, he will not be able to survive. Those people will kill him for the throne. Ciying, I am worried..."
Ci Ying raised her eyes and whispered, "So you want me to save your child?"
This sentence gave Su Xueruo hope. She squeezed Ci Ying's hand tightly, with a faint pleading in her voice: "Please save him, Ci Ying, I have arranged everything, I just need your consent, as long as you agree..."
Ci Ying asked, "What do I agree to?"
Su Xuerou raised her eyes, looked into Ci Ying's eyes, and said softly, "Let's make a deal."
Ciying said: "Well, go ahead."
Su Xuerou's eyes were soft, and the tears just now flowed down from the corners of her eyes: "You gave my child a pair of parents..."
With Ci Ying's eyes stilled, Su Xuerou said softly, "I'll give you a pair of parents."
After saying this, Su Xueruo knelt down and tightly grasped Ci Ying's hand, as if grasping the last straw. "I will arrange for my child to fake his death. He will no longer be the crown prince. Ci Ying, let him be your child. I know you are kind-hearted. You will definitely treat the child as your own. With you protecting him throughout his life, I can rest in peace even if I die now."
Ciying's hand was scratched so hard that it hurt. Su Xueruo's nails dug into her hand, and the scratches seemed to have been mottled with blood. Ciying was stunned for a moment, and then she heard Su Xueruo continue, "Haven't you ever doubted your parents? I mean that embroiderer and that scholar. How could servants like them give birth to a lady like you? Ciying, I accidentally learned about your biological parents. I can tell you that I don't ask for anything else, just a chance for my child to survive."
Ci Ying was stunned in place, unable to believe that Su Xueruo really meant that. She flinched and tried to step back, but was grabbed by Su Xueruo. Su Xueruo's eyes were almost crazy: "Ci Ying, promise me, you won't lose out on this deal. If it weren't for me, you would never know who your biological parents are in this life. Ci Ying, I'm telling you, you must promise me, please promise me."
Ci Ying didn't know whether it was still snowing outside, but her heart felt heavier and heavier, as if it was soaked by snow. She felt the cold wind blowing from all directions outside, but no matter how much turmoil in her heart she would not show it now.
Facing Su Xueruo's pleading and imploring gaze, Ci Ying shook her head lightly.
"The Xie family won't have an extra child for no reason."
Su Xuerou straightened up and said firmly, "If you want it, you can."
Ci Ying didn't understand why Su Xueruo was so sure. The next moment, she heard Su Xueruo say, "Are you worried about Xie Huaijin? Don't worry. As long as you agree, he won't refuse. He will never have children in his life. If I give you my child, it's like you're giving him a child for free. He won't refuse."
Ci Ying was stunned for a moment: "What do you mean?"
Talking about Xie Huaijin, Su Xueruo's face flashed a twist: "That madman, he drank the drug that made him extinct when he was eleven years old. If nothing unexpected happens, he will never have children in his life. Madman, madman..."
Thinking that Ci Ying was still in front of her, Su Xueruo forced herself to put on a gentle smile, but it merged with the distortion just now and turned into a smile that she wanted to hold back but couldn't.
Ci Ying was still digesting Su Xueruo's words, "Xie Huaijin drank the sterilization potion when he was eleven." Her eyes trembled slightly, and her hands couldn't help but tremble slightly. Su Xueruo caught this movement. A smile flashed in her eyes, and her face changed into a gentle and mournful expression. "So, Ci Ying, promise me, then you can have a child too. His name is Yu'er. He's very well behaved and never cries or makes a fuss. You should teach him well, and he will definitely become a talented person in the future."
Ci Ying's eyes paused, but she still shook her head and said, "No."
Su Xueruo's smile froze. Unable to hold back any longer, she raised her voice, questioning, "Why? You and Xie Huaijin can't have children, so why don't you want to adopt my child? Ciying, don't you care about your background? Ciying, don't you want to know who your parents are?"
Ci Ying looked at Su Xueruo. Compared to Xie Huaijin, Su Xueruo was far too naive at deceiving others. Su Xueruo couldn't hide her eyes, her trembling hands, or the urge within her body to leap for joy. She was entrusting her orphan to someone else, but she was also seeking revenge.
It was impossible for Ci Ying to let Su Xueruo's child become her own child, because when Su Xueruo asked her to adopt her child, Ci Ying understood that Su Xueruo just wanted her child to be Xie Huaijin's child and the eldest son of the Xie family.
No matter how high-sounding Su Xueruo's words were, how pitiful she acted, or how mournful her tone was, it could not resist the fact that Su Xueruo was still calculating against everyone in the end.
Of course, she couldn't blame a mother for her plans for her child, but Su Xuerou's actions were far from pure, and she had implicated too many innocent people. Furthermore, rather than seeking to protect her child, she seemed more like she was using the child for revenge. Or perhaps it was both, and even Su Xuerou herself couldn't tell which was more serious.
Greed seems to be something that has always been written in Su Xueruo's bones. In the stories she heard, Su Xueruo sacrificed many people along the way, and she felt that it was probably true.
But it is also true that Su Xueruo was betrayed and suppressed by the Su family when she was young, which caused her to feel resentful towards fate and the world.
Ci Ying had no intention of being a judge, but Su Xueruo regarded her soft-heartedness as the deepest part of her calculation.
Ci Ying looked at the death and excitement surging in Su Xueruo's bones, and realized that what Su Xueruo said was probably true.
She really isn't the child of an embroiderer and a scholar...
Her biological parents are other people.
Ciying's heart fell silently.
【Author’s words】
[Cat's Paw]
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