Chapter 62 An'anjingjing thought we'd eloped...
"My lady, a letter from Madam Zheng has arrived."
Jingnu strode in and handed the secret letter that Guanhe had presented to Xue Rongyue. Xue Rongyue forced herself to sit up, and after opening the letter, she saw the delicate calligraphy written in small characters.
With certainty, it was indeed Zheng Shuman's handwriting, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
The letter was written hastily, perhaps due to limited resources. Zheng Shuman did not write much, except to briefly report that she was safe and instructed Xue Rongyue that the bandits were numerous and powerful, and that she should not act rashly. She should take care of her own safety and told her that the bandits who helped deliver the letter were trustworthy and that she should not worry.
Just in case, Xue Rongyue burned the letter after reading it.
Seeing Xue Rongyue's pale face, Jingnu brought over the freshly brewed jujube tea: "I heard from Guanhe that Madam Zheng is doing well. Madam can rest assured now. Before you can come up with a solution, quickly take care of your health."
Perhaps due to the exhaustion from traveling day and night, her period came on fiercely and was extremely uncooperative. Xue Rongyue suffered from severe abdominal cramps for two whole days, so much so that she couldn't get out of bed. Even the medicine prescribed by the doctor was of no use.
Although the strategy of coordinating from within and without has been determined, the specific implementation still needs to be planned in detail with Qin Jin. However, something has happened on the mountain these past two days. Day and night, bandits can often be seen hurrying through the streets, and Qin Jin has not shown his face for two days.
At this critical juncture, with no clear indication of what changes had occurred on the mountain, Xue Rongyue and her group were not in a position to act rashly.
Xue Rongyue took the jujube tea: "You're feeling much better today. Has Luo Zhen returned from his scouting trip?"
After drinking a cup of jujube water, Xue Rongyue's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. She said helplessly, "It doesn't hurt earlier or later, but it just has to be at this critical moment."
"Not yet. There are bandits everywhere on the streets, and Luo Zhen and his men don't dare to just grab anyone to ask."
After Jingnu finished reporting, he sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her lower abdomen: "We didn't delay anything, why blame yourself, my lady? Even if your lower abdomen doesn't hurt now, you still have to sit here and wait."
Having just finished her medicine, drowsiness crept over her, and Xue Rongyue drifted off to sleep while chatting with Jingnu.
After Xue Rongyue fell asleep, Jingnu gently covered her with a blanket before getting up and leaving.
Just as she closed the door, a series of hurried footsteps sounded from behind her. Jingnu turned around and saw Luo Zhen approaching with a solemn expression.
She was taken aback: "What's wrong with you?"
Luo Zhen didn't answer, but instead asked, "Where is your wife? Has she rested?"
"I just fell asleep."
Jingnu asked, "What exactly happened? Are we being watched by bandits? Should I go and wake my wife now?"
Luo Zhen shook his head: "It wasn't us."
He said in a low voice, "I sent people to find out that the reason why the bandits are running rampant on the streets is because a sudden riot broke out in the mountains. An undercover agent who infiltrated the bandits stole the treasure, which prompted the bandits to search and arrest people everywhere."
Luo Zhen stepped forward and whispered, "The Crown Prince Qin hasn't shown his face for two days. I'm worried..."
Qin Jin's appearance in Lin County under an assumed name at this critical juncture was certainly not for sightseeing. Although Xue Rongyue did not tell them, Luo Zhen and Jingnu, who knew Qin Jin's true identity, could glean some clues from this.
Jingnu's eyelids twitched violently: "Are you worried that the bandits are searching for Prince Qin?"
Luo Zhen nodded: "It's better to be safe than sorry."
He glanced into the house: "Should we tell my wife about this?"
Jingnu's expression also turned somewhat solemn. She paced back and forth in front of the door, pondered for a moment, and finally slowly shook her head.
She said, "These are just your guesses. We need to find out more before we can think about the next step. Send someone to ask around on the street and get a definite answer before reporting back."
"Besides, even if we tell you now, it won't help. We don't even know where Prince Qin is. How can we help? We'll only make things worse."
Jingnu was Xue Rongyue's personal maid, and the two were as close as sisters. Jingnu's words were no less important than Xue Rongyue's orders. Upon hearing this, Luo Zhen did not hesitate any longer, responded, and quickly left to continue gathering information in the streets and alleys.
Xue Rongyue was awakened by the sound of conversation outside the door.
She propped herself up with her hands, and the cramping pain in her lower abdomen had subsided considerably, finally allowing her to get a good night's sleep.
When she got up, Xue Rongyue was still a little dizzy. It took her a moment to realize where she was. She looked outside in the dim sunset. It was already dark. Two lanterns hung under the eaves on the left and right. A man and a woman appeared in front of the door and stood quietly in the firelight.
When Xue Rongyue woke up, she didn't feel anything unusual, except that she suddenly stopped hearing the conversation. When she looked up, she only saw a man and a woman standing in front of the door. In the bright firelight, she could even clearly see the tassels on the woman's hair hanging down quietly. Until she opened her mouth, wanting to call out to Jingnu—
Xue Rongyue was certain that at that moment, she had definitely opened her mouth and called out Jingnu's name, but the room was quiet, and she did not hear her own voice.
At first, Xue Rongyue thought it was because her throat was dry. She opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound. It wasn't until she cleared her throat and called out several times that she realized something was wrong, and a chilling fear swept over her.
Why is it so quiet?
Not only did her shouts go unanswered, but at this time of sunset, which should have been the busiest time of day in the neighboring county, her cries were met with silence.
Vendors gathered along the street, hawking their wares. Pedestrians either hurried along or stopped to haggle with the vendors. Amidst the chirping of birds, the clamor of horses and people mingled with the rising wisps of smoke, slowly creating the lively atmosphere of the neighboring county.
But right now there is not a sound at all, even quieter than after nightfall.
After nightfall, at least a couple of faint barks can be heard, or stray cats that seem to appear out of nowhere can be seen climbing and walking on the eaves, occasionally letting out a cry or two.
But at this moment, it was as if all living things in the world had disappeared, otherwise why would not a single sound have leaked out? There was an indescribable silence in her ears, so quiet that Xue Rongyue could not even hear her own breathing.
Xue Rongyue stared blankly at the two figures outside the door, her knuckles slowly tightening, her fingertips gripping the brocade quilt covering her body tightly, her eyelashes trembling incessantly.
She couldn't help but ask herself, how long have those two figures outside the door been maintaining this posture?
Why is it that from the moment she opened her eyes until now, the two of them have remained motionless, like a sculpted stone statue?
There was no wind, no sound, no falling leaves, and no birds flying by.
The lake no longer ripples, the wild geese can no longer soar in the sky, and the smoke from the cooking fires has frozen in one spot, never to change again.
It was as if a shadow puppet show had suddenly come to a standstill. The puppeteer no longer manipulated the puppets with the strings, so the puppets were frozen in a certain moment and could no longer perform vividly according to the plot.
Everything was frozen in time.
Beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, trickling down her nose and temples. Xue Rongyue gripped the brocade quilt tighter, her lips turning pale without her realizing it.
An uncontrollable fear surged through her, her face tensed, and her brow twitched in panic.
Finally, she could no longer bear the deathly silence that felt like she was being swallowed whole; a scream was about to burst from her throat—
The invisible barrier seemed to shatter suddenly, and a huge wave of sound surged in from all directions at that moment!
At dusk, a gentle breeze teased the falling green leaves, scattering even the rising smoke from chimneys. Birds skimmed across the lake, creating ripples, while wild geese soared through the clouds. A stray cat on the rooftops suddenly leaped up, pouncing on a dragonfly with a defiant cry, while a wild dog in the distance barked incessantly, seemingly having encountered something.
Footsteps echoed, and the streets and alleys were filled with the sounds of vendors and buyers haggling. Under the window, the vegetarian noodle stall, as always, was set up, and the old man was warmly greeting customers. He skillfully scooped bundles of cooked thin noodles from the boiling, steaming pot of soup, put them into bowls, and poured on the secret sauce from the jar. The aroma wafted in from the wall and into the window without warning. Even without Xue Rongyue taking a deep breath, she could smell the mouthwatering savory aroma of the sauce.
Nearby, a man and a woman standing in front of the door suddenly "came to life" at this moment. The woman raised her hand to straighten the tassel hairpin that was about to slip off her hair, and replied to the man opposite her: "My wife is not feeling well. She rested an hour ago and has not yet woken up."
The man opposite her immediately abandoned his languid demeanor, his deep voice tightening: "Unwell? What's wrong with her?"
The woman coughed lightly, stammered a few words, but still couldn't get a clear answer. The man grew anxious and bombarded her with questions:
"Is it a cold, or some other illness?"
"Has a doctor been called to come and take a look?"
Have you taken your medicine?
"Which pharmacy's doctor did you see? How skilled was he?"
"Will the medicine work? Let me see the prescription."
“I know a highly skilled doctor nearby. I’ll go and ask him to come and take my pulse again.”
The woman quickly stopped the man who was about to leave. After sighing and rubbing her forehead, she had no choice but to tell him everything: "My lady, it's because of your period, not because you have an illness."
These are the voices of Jingnu and Qinjin.
Taking a deep breath, Xue Rongyue listened to the conversation between Jingnu and Qin Jin, her ears ringing. At this moment, her pale fingertips could finally slowly loosen the brocade quilt.
She even felt a moment of bewilderment.
Was it just a hallucination she had when she woke up, or was she confused?
Warm liquid flowed between her fingers. Xue Rongyue slowly raised her hand, revealing bloodstains on her palm where her fingertips had pricked her skin from the force she had used.
The bloodstains on her fingernails served as a reminder of the horrifying scene she had just witnessed.
...It's not an illusion.
As the confusion faded, Xue Rongyue clearly understood that everything she had just felt as absurd was real, and definitely not her imagination!
Just as Xue Rongyue was about to summon the system, the conversation outside the door started again.
"Your Highness, who exactly are the bandits outside searching for?"
Jingnu hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "The commotion is so big, it's really worrying."
Xue Rongyue snapped out of her shock and regained her senses. She instantly realized there was something more urgent to deal with, so she changed the subject, her voice clear as it rolled through her dry throat: "Jingnu!"
The conversation outside the door stopped, and Jingnu turned around and pushed the door open to come in: "My lady, you're awake. Prince Qin is right outside the door."
Jingnu approached and saw that Xue Rongyue's lips were pale and her face was still covered in fine sweat. She didn't care about anything else and asked, "Madam, why do you look so pale? Is your lower abdomen hurting again?"
Xue Rongyue's throat hurt as if it had been rubbed by grit. She pointed to the teapot not far away. Jingnu immediately understood and quickly poured a cup of tea and brought it over. Xue Rongyue took it and drank it all in one gulp before she felt a little better.
She shook her head and said, "It's nothing, I just..."
Trying her best to suppress the lingering panic in her heart, Xue Rongyue took a deep breath and waited until her voice was a little calm before continuing, "I just had a nightmare and I'm still a little shaken."
Jingnu breathed a sigh of relief and asked again, "Is my lady still feeling unwell?"
Seeing Xue Rongyue shake her head, she pointed to the figure standing outside the door and said, "Madam, Prince Qin has arrived. Would you like to see him?"
Xue Rongyue nodded: "Let him wait a moment."
After changing her clothes and putting her hair up in a simple bun, Xue Rongyue was ready. Jingnu then invited Qin Jin in, served him hot tea, and left to guard the door.
Qin Jin frowned the moment he saw Xue Rongyue: "Are you really feeling better?"
Xue Rongyue's gaze fell on the oil paper package he was carrying: "Is it pastries? Hurry up and let me have a bite, I'm hungry."
She hadn't been able to eat anything for the past few days because she wasn't feeling well, but now that she's feeling better, she's belatedly feeling hungry.
Qin Jin unwrapped the oil paper binding, and a rich aroma instantly filled the air. It wasn't a pastry, but a chopped roast duck, its skin roasted to a reddish-brown and glossy sheen, crispy in texture, with rich and mellow juices slowly flowing out from its tender interior.
Qin Jin said, "This is a famous roast duck shop in the neighboring county. Many people come here because of its reputation. Try it and see if it suits your taste."
Xue Rongyue took the chopsticks Qin Jin handed her, took a bite, and immediately beamed with joy: "Delicious!"
Just as she was about to call Jingnu to taste it together, Qin Jin saw through her thoughts and spoke first: "I brought several, and I've already shared them with Jingnu and the others."
Xue Rongyue then settled down to eat. She was indeed hungry, and she ate more than half of a whole duck before stopping. Recalling the conversation between Qin Jin and Jingnu earlier, she asked, "What are the bandits looking for? What exactly happened? Why are those bandits walking around the streets every day?"
Qin Jin did not hide anything from her: "The bandits have infiltrated the government. A couple of days ago, they stole the account books that the bandits kept, which contained records of their dealings with the interests of the surrounding officials and their families. Now they are searching the whole city."
"A yamen runner?"
Xue Rongyue asked in surprise, "Isn't this a case of officials and bandits protecting each other?"
"Just as there are wicked people who collude with each other, there are also good officials who are wholeheartedly devoted to serving the people."
Qin Jin explained, "The previous magistrate vowed to eradicate the bandits entrenched here and led his constables in several battles against them. Unfortunately, he was later poisoned to death by the bandits. However, some constables who infiltrated the bandits in the name of the previous magistrate are still alive, which is why the current situation has changed."
Xue Rongyue sighed, "So that's how it is. What a pity, the current county magistrate has probably already been bribed by the bandits."
These bandits roamed the streets and alleys of the neighboring county. If the county magistrate had sent his constables to patrol the streets, they would not have been so brazen in their bullying and beating of the people.
She looked at Qin Jin: "Did the young master infiltrate the bandits under an assumed name for those ledgers, or to eliminate these bandits?"
Qin Jin replied, "Yes, we have both."
Xue Rongyue smiled and poured a cup of wine to Qin Jin: "Then I wish the young master a great victory and that he will soon eliminate these corrupt officials and bandits who are his accomplices."
Qin Jin pressed her down: "You're not feeling well, yet you still dare to drink alcohol."
Xue Rongyue pouted: "A small drink won't hurt."
Qin Jin glanced at her lazily and snatched the wine cup from her hand: "Madam Xue, you should be more aware of your own drinking capacity."
For the first time, Xue Rongyue regretted that she shouldn't have pretended to be drunk in front of Qin Jin, which made Qin Jin not believe that she actually had a high alcohol tolerance.
She sighed and rested her chin on her hand: "But I wish to drink with the Crown Prince."
The crisp aroma of the wine filled his mouth. Qin Jin put down his wine cup and casually asked, "Why?"
Xue Rongyue raised her eyebrows and said, seemingly genuinely, "My mind is in turmoil, but it will clear up when I'm drunk."
Qin Jin looked at her, but instead of asking why she was upset, he said, "We'll talk about it when you're better."
Xue Rongyue retorted, "It's already healed."
Qin Jin leisurely pointed to the side: "Do you see that bronze mirror?"
Xue Rongyue looked in that direction and said, "My eyes aren't blind, how could I not see?"
With a short hum, Qin Jin said slowly, "Then please ask Madam Xue, who isn't blind, to look in the mirror and see how pale you are."
Xue Rongyue pursed her lips and began to nitpick at Qin Jin. She looked Qin Jin up and down and asked, "Is this how the young master infiltrated the bandit's den?"
Qin Jin raised an eyebrow slightly: "What advice does Madam Xue have?"
"I dare not presume to offer my guidance." Although Xue Rongyue said she dared not presume, she pointed at Qin Jin's robes and began to criticize, "Look at what you're wearing! A brocade robe made of fine silk and satin, with a jade pendant around your waist. Dressed so well, what bandit would dress like this?"
As Xue Rongyue finished speaking, Qin Jin's expression froze noticeably.
Xue Rongyue glanced at his expression and smiled smugly: "I told you so, didn't I? Are those bandits blind? You dress so flamboyantly every day, don't they suspect anything?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xue Rongyue suddenly felt scared and leaned forward, closing the distance between herself and Qin Jin: "Qin Jin, you haven't been exposed, have you?! Will those bandits send someone to follow you? Don't drag me into this—"
The woman's curled eyelashes were close enough to see her clearly, and the small mole on her nose was clearly visible. It was an extremely ambiguous distance, but the words uttered from her delicate, fragrant mouth were too unpleasant to create any romantic atmosphere.
Extending a finger, Qin Jin expressionlessly poked Xue Rongyue's shoulder, pressing her back down: "No, you should talk less."
Xue Rongyue also felt that Qin Jin shouldn't be that stupid, but she still couldn't help but ask, "Really, it won't implicate me?"
Qin Jin smiled through gritted teeth: "Yes, no."
"That's good. Let's hope that we don't end up dying at the hands of bandits instead of rescuing the person."
Xue Rongyue couldn't help but mutter, "If we die here silently, and Chang'an can't find us, they might even think we eloped..."
Qin Jin: "......"
He coughed lightly and turned his face away: "Have you been to school? Is this how you use this word?"
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Author's Note: Ahhh, I'm so sorry, my darlings! I was in such a rush that I didn't get to write about the Crown Prince's earth-shattering events. I swear, there will be something for it in the next chapter!
(This is from the author, who was supposed to update at 10:22, but only finished half of the story at 10:29, crying.)
(There wasn't even time to correct the typos [it was gone])
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