Chapter 42 Do you dare to bet?
Li Jiying was still in a daze, but Liu Ruiyun had already rushed over and hugged her tightly, almost strangling her to the point of suffocating her.
"Ying'er——"
Hearing this familiar voice, Li Jiying's heart tightened. She looked down at her mother's pale hair and her frail face that no longer had the spirit it once had, and tears rolled down her face again.
He carefully raised his hand and held his mother's frail back, as if afraid of waking her up. He whispered, "Mom, are you really still alive? But Li Xiaoci said...that you were dead..."
She really felt like she was dreaming. How could such a good thing happen in this world? She had just sent Li Xiaoci to prison, and her mother came back to life?
But even if it is a dream, let her dream for a while longer. It would be best if she never wakes up.
With a snap, she felt a heavy slap on her back.
"What depressing things are you saying? Are you just hoping for my death?" Her mother's loud voice rang close to her ear.
Li Jiying woke up immediately, and all the warmth in her heart disappeared. This was definitely not a dream. This person was her mother, the real thing.
Liu Ruiyun pulled her to kneel down and kowtowed deeply to Empress Dowager Chi, Xu Qingzi and others.
"You are both my mother and I's lifesavers! I, Liu Ruiyun, have no way to repay you. I am willing to serve you like a slave."
As soon as the words fell, the mother and daughter heard a chuckle above their heads, "There are so many of us, can you handle it all?"
Li Jiying raised her head and saw Empress Dowager Chi looking at them with a teasing look on her face, her eyes full of mischief.
She was slightly surprised.
Just now in the hall, Empress Dowager Chi was so majestic and stern, and all the ministers obeyed her orders. She was afraid and did not dare to look at her carefully.
I really didn't expect that Queen Mother Chi had such an approachable side. In addition to being grateful, I also developed some good feelings towards her.
Liu Ruiyun, on the other hand, felt awkward and said, "I, I mean..." She looked flustered and didn't know what to say for a moment.
After all, apart from their lives, the two of them really have nothing to offer.
"Mother Liu, we really don't need you to wait on us. Besides, if it weren't for Sister Li, we wouldn't be able to deal with those two old Li guys. Now that they're in jail, it's really a relief!"
Liu Ruiyun raised her head and carefully glanced at the young woman who was speaking. She had a bright face and a gentle expression. She was standing next to Empress Dowager Chi, and the two seemed very close.
She couldn't guess who it was and looked at Li Jiying blankly. Li Jiying quickly leaned over to her ear and whispered, "This is Princess Mingyue."
Liu Ruiyun nodded quickly, "Princess, you're right!"
Zhao Mingyue laughed twice, released Empress Dowager Chi's hand, walked over to help Liu Ruiyun up, and placed her on a small stool beside her. "Hurry up and get up. You don't have to kneel anymore."
Liu Ruiyun was really frightened, and Li Jiying was also a little surprised, and stood up as well.
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "Mother Liu, please tell me quickly, what exactly happened? How did Taoist Master Xu save you?"
Li Jiying was also curious, so she turned to look at Liu Ruiyun and listened to her narrate what happened that night.
After Liu Ruiyun was dragged into the house by Li Xiaoci, she was beaten. Finally, Li Xiaoci pushed her hard, causing her head to hit the ground and she fainted.
When she woke up again, she was wrapped in a straw mat, with shovels of dirt scattered on her head.
In the dim moonlight, she saw that the person who dug the pit to bury her was Wang Liu, who was beside Li Xiaoci. She quickly cried out for help, "Let me out... I'm not dead..."
Wang Liu was startled, thinking it was a corpse. He looked around for a long time before carefully squatting down and lifting a corner of the straw mat. Then he exclaimed, "It's still alive!"
Liu Ruiyun felt relieved, thinking that he would rescue her, but she didn't expect him to mutter, "It looks like she's almost dead. It would be troublesome to transport her back."
As he said that, he picked up the shovel again and continued digging. "Liu Yiang, don't blame me. Blame Master Li. He made me do this!"
Liu Ruiyun turned pale with fright and began to struggle immediately.
Unfortunately, he was too badly injured, his hands had no strength, and the heavy dirt was pressing on his body, so he couldn't struggle at all.
Clods of earth hit her body again and again, making a loud noise. She closed her eyes in despair and helplessness, and her breathing became weaker and weaker.
Scenes from the past flashed before her eyes like a kaleidoscope.
She was sold to the Li family as a maid when she was ten years old. Her father smiled and weighed the silver in his hand, telling her not to forget to bring money home.
At the age of fifteen, she was chosen by the master as his concubine. She sat on the bed late at night and watched the candle burn all night.
The first two children she gave birth to at the age of 20 died of illness. The man looked at her gloomily, "You are really useless."
She gave birth to Li Jiying at the age of 24.
Ji Ying, her child, her only child. She only has this one daughter, and she only has this one mother.
But nothing in this world belongs to her, not even this child.
She was married off at the age of forty, and the bright red veil fell, covering the eyes that had been looking at her.
When she was 42 years old and saw that she was thrown into prison, she screamed and rolled on the ground, asking Li Xiaoci to save her. Everyone around her looked at her and laughed.
Finally, now, she was wrapped in a straw mat, about to die in a sloppy manner just like her sloppy life.
Suddenly, a voice sounded from above, "Master, she is still alive!"
Perhaps God saw that she was not destined to die, and Liu Ruiyun came back to life.
The barren mountain where Wang Liu buried her was just opposite the Baiyun Temple. The Taoist priest in the temple got up at night and saw Wang Liu secretly disposing of the body in the middle of the night, so he dug her out.
Liu Ruiyun escaped death and cried as she told the abbot her story, begging her to save her child.
Xu Qingzi came up with a plan. She paid the servants of the Li Mansion to pretend to be ghosts to scare Li Xiaoci, and then she went to his house to exorcise the evil spirit and asked him to bring Li Jiying out of prison and pay homage to Liu Ruiyun's grave.
They originally thought that once Li Xiaoci brought Li Jiying out of prison, they could take the opportunity to escape.
But who would have thought that before he could receive any news from Li Xiaoci, the abbot was summoned into the palace by Empress Dowager Chi.
After Liu Ruiyun finished speaking, the abbot Xu Qingzi sighed, "It's really fate that plays tricks on us. Fortunately, Empress Dowager Chi is wise and kind, and finally allowed you and your daughter to meet safely."
Li Jiying put her arm around Liu Ruiyun's shoulders, her fingers trembling uncontrollably. It turned out that without her knowing, her mother had encountered so many terrible things.
When she was imprisoned and wanted to avenge her mother, her mother outside was also trying desperately to rescue her.
She cried out in a trembling voice, "Mom..." but she was choked with sobs and couldn't speak.
Liu Ruiyun grabbed her hand and patted it, "It's all okay, it's all over."
Li Jiying wanted to say something, but suddenly realized that they were still in Empress Dowager Chi's palace. She quickly wiped away her tears and looked in the direction of Empress Dowager Chi.
Unexpectedly, they met a pair of scrutinizing gazes. The cold eyes of Empress Dowager Chi reflected their figures, and her eyes seemed to be puzzled and puzzled.
Queen Mother Chi, what are you thinking about now?
Li Jiying couldn't guess, nor did he dare to guess. He took a quick glance and hurriedly lowered his eyes. He walked over and knelt down, his heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Master, thank you, Princess..."
"Alright, I've said what I need to say. Take the reward. No need to thank me." Queen Mother Chi said in a calm voice, "Danying, send them out."
"Yes." Dan Ying agreed and sent them out of the hall. The abbot of Baiyun Temple also followed them out.
As he walked out of the palace, the bright sunshine shone on him. Li Jiying raised his hands to block his eyes and looked up at the sky. He saw the blue sky was clear and bright.
She turned to look at Liu Ruiyun, and Liu Ruiyun happened to be looking at her, with the same joy in each of their eyes.
Those dull and bleak days of the past can now be left behind.
However, after Liu Ruiyun looked away, Li Jiying pursed his lips and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
Mother, if you knew that I lied, I lied to you and to everyone, would you still forgive me?
Xiao Shen's death was not an accident. I killed him with my own hands.
I pressed his head into the urinal so that he couldn't get up, and then watched him lose his breath.
But I will never tell this secret.
————
At this time, inside the hall, Chi Qi was turning her head to look out the window.
The sunshine outside was so bright, and the figures of the mother and daughter leaning on each other and walking forward side by side were so beautiful that they seemed to be melting in the sunlight.
What exactly is the so-called mother-daughter love?
It is hard to understand why someone would sacrifice his life for such an illusory and unrealistic feeling.
However, it is precisely because they are such emotional, fearless and selfless creatures that her plan can be implemented perfectly.
Just as he was thinking, his arm sank, and Zhao Mingyue's cheerful voice rang in his ears, "Mother, my sisters and I from the Golden Crow Guard have also made great contributions. Shouldn't you reward us with something?"
Chi Qi retracted her gaze and looked at Zhao Mingyue, only to see her blinking and looking at her expectantly.
Chi Li smiled slightly and said, "I have already prepared your reward."
"What is it?" Zhao Mingyue opened her eyes wide.
Chi Li raised her hand and pointed to the side, "That's right, a good teacher is worth more than a thousand ounces of gold."
Xue Siji looked at Zhao Mingyue's rapidly fading smile and said softly, "I am a humble servant and I dare not be the princess's master."
Chi Qi's smile remained, but her eyes were still cold. She turned to look at Xue Qi, "Xue Siji, do you still remember what you asked me? Now I can answer you. The princess is the answer. Xue Siji declined this student because he was dissatisfied with my answer?"
Zhao Mingyue stared blankly at the side, "Mother, what on earth are you talking about? Why don't I understand?"
Xue Qi said nothing, looking at Zhao Mingyue, wondering in his heart, why was it her?
The princess is clever, but not clever enough; she has some abilities, but not enough to shoulder important responsibilities; if she is kind, she is too kind.
Kindness does not command an army, and righteousness does not command wealth. In her opinion, the princess was an unpolished stone, with neither ambition, ruthlessness, nor determination. She was definitely not the person she was looking for.
Xue Qi couldn't figure it out and sighed softly, "Your Majesty, please forgive my ignorance. I really don't know what's so special about the princess. Please tell me clearly."
Chi Li pulled Mingyue, who looked bewildered, over and asked her to sit next to him. He raised his hand and gently rubbed her head, saying with a smile, "Of course it's because our Mingyue is the only one who can defy the rules of this world."
Zhao Mingyue squinted her eyes comfortably. Although she didn't quite understand what her mother was saying, she thought she was probably praising her for being smart and brave, right?
Of course she did, because she had just stood up bravely and confronted those officials!
In fact, she was quite scared at that time, but after actually doing it, she felt that it was nothing special.
Anyway, A Niang is so powerful, no matter what she does, A Niang will protect her, right?
Therefore, she had to work harder to be obedient, complete everything her mother asked of her, and do her best and most perfectly.
She wants to be her mother's favorite child forever.
Whether it's practicing archery or swordsmanship, training hard with the Golden Crow Guards, or robbing prisons and setting fires, risking her life to save those poor women, as long as it's what A'niang asks her to do, she can do it!
Without Zhao Chun, she is the most noble princess in the world, and no one can surpass her.
Zhao Mingyue raised her head and looked at Chi Lu with admiration, but she spoke in a cold voice without any emotion in her tone.
"Xue Qi, do you dare to bet? If you really want to overthrow this world, then you should stay by the princess' side. No matter how she falls in the future, don't leave her."
Zhao Mingyue's heart sank suddenly. What was A Niang talking about? Why did she predict that she would be doomed in the future?
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