Chapter 84: Falling into danger, sobbing and dancing, but unable to stop. ...
Although Song Xieqing often lives in Fengzhai recently, he has never set foot in Zhuhao's temporary residence again.
Xiangyu originally thought that his young prince had long been dug out from the mass grave and forgotten about the general who talked nonsense all day long, until a secret letter sealed with wax was delivered to Fengzhai. He saw his young prince raise his eyebrows and walk towards the residence of "General Yu" leisurely in the dawn.
By then, Zhu Hao had been waiting quietly in her room for many days. During the half-month she'd been like a bird trapped in a cage, unable to go out or come in, the servants on duty outside were willing to help her with some trivial entertainment, such as asking for some new storybooks, watching crickets fighting in a bamboo cage, or even calling a few guards to play mahjong with her to relieve her boredom...
As for the food, although there is no luxury of wine and meat, it is elegant and palatable.
Oh, there are five or six young boys and girls in Fengzhai. In comparison, there is another older and gentle woman who is more worthy of attention. Her name is Chenghua. She is very beautiful, and her every move exudes the elegance and purity of a scholarly family. Chenghua treats Zhuhao especially attentively. Zhuhao once tried to inquire about her background and identity, but no one knew. They just thought that she was a poor person picked up by the young master from outside, just like the other homeless boys and girls.
Zhu Hao did not comment. She saw that he was already in his prime, and even if he was homeless, it would not be difficult for him to make a living outside. But now he was hiding in Fengzhai outside the capital. He must have an identity that was not convenient for him to show to others, just like herself.
While he was thinking, Chenghua happened to walk into the room with a food basket. She closed the door quietly and placed the seasonal fruits in the basket on the table one by one. Her hands were slender, and only her fingertips were covered with thick, bubble-like calluses of varying sizes. Zhu Hao felt inexplicably familiar with them, but he couldn't remember where he had seen them before.
After everything was arranged properly, Cheng Huayingying bowed and wished him well, "Good morning, General."
Zhu Hao couldn't resist and had to imitate her, saying, "I'm just a living dead now, how can I be worthy of the title of general? Miss Changhua's such a generous gesture makes me feel uneasy." She paused, then added meaningfully, "Besides, the young lady and I are of the same kind, aren't we? If so, what's the difference between high and low?"
Upon hearing this, Chenghua's eyes narrowed slightly. She savored the last words of the blessing carefully. When she looked up, her face remained as gentle as ever. "What do you mean by this, General?"
Zhu Hao took in her fluctuating expression and asked tentatively, "Miss Flower, we've met before."
As soon as these words came out, Chenghua's hand holding the teapot trembled uncontrollably, and she almost knocked over the teacup on the table. She had wanted to pour tea for Zhu Hao, but now it couldn't fall. Chenghua slowly stood up, and the softness in her brows faded. "Chenghua is stupid, please explain clearly, General."
The wild roses outside the window climbed up the low railing and swayed in the soft breeze. Amidst their lush and bright flowers, a few wisps of fragrance spread out, lightening the tense atmosphere in the house.
With a "creak", the door opened wide and the two of them turned around.
The man who came was wearing a bamboo-colored round-necked robe and stood at the threshold. He was as elegant as jade. He raised his eyes and met Zhu Hao's gaze.
Zhu Hao tilted his head, smiled at him, and said nonchalantly, "How is it? Is it what I expected?"
Chenghua didn't wait for Song Xieqing to respond, she lowered her eyes, put away her sleeves, and silently retreated with the food basket.
After the door closed again, Song Xieqing said calmly, "Her father, when the new emperor ascended the throne, strongly advised His Majesty to mobilize the entire nation to search for Prince Ling's whereabouts. But within a month, His Majesty fabricated a crime and executed the entire family."
Zhu Hao asked doubtfully, "The whole family was executed? But she..."
"The world is bustling with people seeking profit. If one were to spend all his wealth, bribe the jailer, or bribe the emperor, it wouldn't be difficult to protect a weak woman who is dispensable to His Majesty."
"Oh." Zhu Hao seemed to be smiling, "So, the young master is the one who benefits?"
Song Xieqing didn't dodge or evade, and said frankly: "Yes."
Zhu Hao hadn't expected her half-joking probing to come true. She was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why?"
"Why?" He raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he had heard something interesting. Why should there be any lofty and awe-inspiring reasons for the exchange of interests in this world? He was no different from the officials who were seeking petty gains and losses... Song Xieqing straightened his sleeves and said nonchalantly, "Because I'm short of money."
Best wishes: ...
"Let's get back to the point." Song Xieqing walked to the window, casting a mottled light and shadow, "You should know why I'm here today."
"Dala and the other small nations along the border have indeed been frequently disturbing the borders of Ying recently. They've been looting livestock and fodder, and taking Ying people captive as slaves. It seems they're trying to intimidate Great Ying." Song Xieqing had a faint smile on his face. "Even if you didn't tell me this beforehand, it's not hard to guess given the current situation between Great Ying and the other small nations."
He smiled and said, "Sooner or later."
"Since you don't trust me, Young Master, why are you here? Are you using me for entertainment? Or are you trying to make fun of me?" Zhu Hao's gaze passed over his slightly furrowed brow and asked, "What year is it today? What day of the month is it?"
She briefly explained, "Not only have I suddenly traveled through another world, but I've also been trapped here by the Young Master for an unknown period of time. Naturally, the original prophecy could only be vague and general."
Song Xieqing brushed off his clothes and sat down, intentionally keeping a distance from her, but his eyes were fixed on her. "Jiarui year three, June 22nd."
After he finished speaking, he saw the big liar who was a man but claimed to be a girl. His eyes flickered. He stood up with the table and said, "I want to go to the brothel."
Song Xieqing paused after hearing this, glanced her up and down, and said in a teasing tone: "Didn't you tell me that you are a girl? And a beautiful woman at that."
"Something big is going to happen today." Zhu Hao grabbed his sleeve. "You have no idea about this, but I do. Do you not want to know what I have to say? Or... are you afraid?"
He should have walked away, but for some unknown reason he sneered, "What am I afraid of?"
…
This building is a brothel in the ordinary sense, but the owner was too lazy to give it a more elegant name and simply called it a brothel... Although it is obvious at a glance, it is too vulgar and lacks the elegance and charm.
The skin that Zhu Hao was wearing now was that of the fugitive general Yu Shu who died at the hands of the emperor's teacher's sword a month ago. Fortunately, the general had been a secluded man during his lifetime, and there had been no news of him for three years. He was also secretly escorted into the palace. Therefore, the common people in the city naturally had no chance to see his true face, so Zhu Hao did not have to worry about his identity being exposed.
The gauze lanterns outside the building lit up one after another, and people passing by could vaguely see the spring scenery inside through the thin gauze windows. The feather gauze inside the building was hanging down, and when the wind blew, the gauze was blown like smoke, and there was a charming atmosphere everywhere. The two of them were of noble appearance and good clothes. As soon as they stepped into this brothel, they attracted the waving of red sleeves in the whole building, especially Song Xieqing, who was born with a good appearance of jade and gold. In an instant, a group of graceful beauties came forward one after another.
Zhu Hao calmly avoided the approaching warmth and beauty. It was not because she was unromantic, but it was inappropriate for her to occupy someone else's body for no reason. If General Yu was already married, it would be too absurd for her to lean on his body and lean on him. Thinking of this, Zhu Hao deliberately kept a few steps away from her good sisters.
She sent away some of the girls and turned to look for Song Xieqing.
Seeing that his side was also quiet, Zhu Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The two of them walked through the room filled with the fragrance of flowers and cosmetics, and went straight to the private room on the second floor. To conceal their presence, they summoned a few girls who played music to play bamboo and string instruments behind a screen. After all, what kind of good man would go to a brothel and not engage in sexual activities? This would only arouse suspicion.
It was almost dusk and neither of them had eaten yet, so they just ordered a few side dishes to fill their stomachs. Seeing that the time was almost up, Song Xieqing waved his sleeves to send the girls who were playing music away.
Zhu Hao picked up a piece of fragrant, brown bamboo shoots with her chopsticks and stuffed it into her mouth. She puffed out her cheeks and looked out at the moonlit night outside the window and said, "History records that on the night of June 22nd, the third year of Jiarui, the two masters, Li and Wen, plotted to depose and enthrone the emperor in a brothel to deceive the public. However, they were caught by an inspecting censor. When the censor led a group of officers and soldiers to encircle and suppress them, the two masters were already lying in the private room. There were purple marks on their necks, and their half-open clothes were stained with bright red lipstick. The whole room was filled with the scent of women's cosmetics. The Ministry of Justice investigated for several months but was unable to crack the case."
Her tone was indifferent, but deep within her eyes was a turbulent sea. "Future generations will have different opinions. Some say he died drunkenly in the land of pleasure, some say he was assassinated by his enemies... but there are also those who say that, no matter how foolish Your Majesty was, he was still the monarch of Daying. Moreover, Your Majesty was young, and the country was in urgent need of your help. Yet, you two committed such a treasonous act... Therefore, in the annals of history a hundred years from now, you two will be half heroes who sacrificed your lives for justice, and half traitors who were dissolute and lost their ambition."
"The situations of these two are very similar..." She suddenly raised her eyes and stared at him intently. Song Xieqing met Zhu Hao's startled eyes and asked, "Similar in what?"
"Just like you under the knife of history a hundred years from now."
Song Xieqing kept silent, thinking that she was trying to make up some nonsense to blast him.
"By the way, you don't know my name yet, do you?" Zhu Hao suddenly leaned forward, patiently swallowing the last half of the sentence, a sly smile in his eyes: "Song Xieqing, do you want to know?"
He remained silent. The room was filled with silence, with only the intermittent sound of stringed instruments drifting in from afar. Song Xieqing glanced at her, expecting her to rush out everything as usual, but he didn't expect her to be so patient this time. He coughed dryly and said, "Just say whatever you want to say."
I need to know her name so I can call her by it in front of others. Even though she is clearly a man, maybe she is Yu Shu, but she is just playing dumb in front of him. This introduction of her identity is probably just a little trick...
"What do you mean I can say whatever I want to say? If you don't want to listen, what's the point of me saying a thousand words?" Zhu Hao blinked, holding his chin and said, "Song Xieqing, you have to tell me, do you want to hear it?"
Of course he didn't want to hear it, but when the words came to his lips, they naturally became: "I do."
He was really crazy, much crazier than she was.
"My name is Zhu Pianpian, Song Xieqing, you can just call me Pianpian." After she finished speaking, she continued to ramble on like a stream of beans, "I was born in Chengguo a hundred years later, and my home is in Huaicheng. There are only me and my father at home. My mother died in childbirth because of me... When she was young, we are all good people, merchants, making a living by weaving and tailoring. After my parents passed away, I took over the two cloth workshops in my family... Song Xieqing, I am still a famous young lady in Huaicheng, with superb embroidery skills. In my free time, I like to garden, eat sweets, and also..."
"Shut up... When did I ask you these questions?" Song Xieqing interrupted coldly, but he looked at Zhu Hao more because she mentioned Huaicheng.
Ha, what a scumbag who changes his mind faster than turning the pages of a book! A hundred years from now, who will be holding her, sobbing and dancing day after day, without stopping? And now? He's actually putting on airs!
"Forget it. I'm too lazy to argue with you right now. Besides, if I get angry with you now, you might not give in to me..." Zhu Hao sulked, stood up and said, "Let's go."
Song Xieqing remained seated upon hearing this, his expression unchanged as he asked, "Let's go?"
Zhu Hao was completely baffled. "If we don't leave, do we have to stay here until dawn? Are you going to save the lives of Masters Li and Wen?"
"General Yu, when did I ever agree to rescue Li and Wen?"
As soon as these words fell, the private room fell silent. She had traveled through time for centuries, and her only hope was to try to erase the tragedy already recorded in history, wasn't it? But he... if he truly didn't trust her at all, why had he followed her? And if he had followed her, why had he simply stood by and watched?
"Why didn't you save Li and Wen?"
"I should be the one asking you, why did I save them?" Song Xieqing turned the wine cup over and asked with a smile, "What do these two have to do with me?"
"They are two loyal ministers who plead for the people. They are plotting in this building to clean up the government and overthrow the tyrant emperor. Now that you and I know they are in imminent danger, as an official appointed by the court, why don't you save them?"
"I can't say I'm an official appointed by the court." He sneered, "I'm just a straw dog in name only. Let me ask you, whose minister am I? Whose teacher am I? Who does the monarch of Daying call his teacher now?"
It wasn't hard for her to discern his hidden meaning. Zhu Hao said coldly, "You actually think...these two are just traitors who rebelled against the emperor? Are they not worthy of being saved?"
"I never meddle in state affairs. I listen, see, and explore, but other than that, I don't interfere." Song Xieqing said in a deep voice, "Besides being the emperor's tutor, I am also the young master of Huaicheng and the future city lord. If Li and Wen are dead, then so be it. It's good for you and harmless for the city. So, tell me, why would I wade into this mess?"
Every word he said was heartbreaking and logical, leaving Zhu Hao with no rebuttal. She knew Song Xieqing was right, but was the calculating and powerful official sitting before her truly the Song Xieqing of a hundred years later? Would he, a hundred years later, still think the same? Could it be that the historical records were true, that Song Lang had abandoned the Huai River and entered the Ying Dynasty solely to become a servile and treacherous official?
Song Xieqing's fingers tightened around the wine cup, their knuckles turning white. What did she mean by this expression? Disappointment? Disdain? Disgust? Disgust towards him?
Zhu Hao leaned on the carved door frame and said, "If you don't go, I will."
"I won't let you..."
"Sir Song, Young Master Song, the future City Lord, who are you to me? Why don't you allow me to do that?"
“…”
She didn't take him seriously at all. As soon as she finished speaking, she pushed the door open and walked out, her figure disappearing into the depths of the corridor.
If I had known this would happen, I should have stabbed her an inch deeper in the court that day, so that she wouldn't leave without looking back after her wound healed.
Song Xieqing had guessed it at the moment, but if she ran into an inspecting censor...
He rubbed his brows and thought he shouldn't have taken her out. Song Xieqing stood up. Now, he had to look for her in a brothel...
Unexplained irritability.
…
The brothel can be said to be the most famous place of entertainment in Yingdu. Although it is known that Li and Wen died in the private rooms of this building, there are only a few words recorded in the history books. Zhu Hao took a look and saw winding corridors and nearly a hundred private rooms. How easy is it to find them?
Then again, although Zhu Hao had a strong body, she had no martial arts skills at all. Right now, she was wandering around like a headless fly. Let alone encountering a bad guy, even if she really ran into the two adults, what could she do? Would she just scream at the top of her lungs, "Run away!"
Zhu Hao was tired from walking and didn't bother to deal with those pretty girls. She simply huddled in the dark corner of the side corridor, sitting with her knees crossed. The cool air from the blue bricks clung to her summer clothes and penetrated deep into her bones.
The burning fire in his heart was almost extinguished. Zhu Hao calmed down a little and realized that he had been too reckless. Once he left Song Xieqing, she would be alone in a foreign country, like a fledgling leaving its nest. But he was no longer a god, unable to track her movements, unable to be by her side in an instant... If she got into danger, it would be fine, but if it implicated him...
Every sting makes you wiser. Zhu Hao was pinched on the arm. After this incident, she must remember it and be more patient next time.
Hadn't her ex-husband said, "All the people in the world are driven by profit, and all the people in the world are driven by profit?" He was indeed a treacherous minister who was scheming for power! Next time, even if she had to talk her lips dry, she would still try to lure him into giving in with benefits!
Zhu Hao calmed himself down and planned to go back to look for Song Xieqing, but he heard hurried and frivolous footsteps coming from the front. Zhu Hao could hear a few drunken words from the person.
"Hey... I'll keep a close eye on the rooms of those two traitors... If any of them escape, they'll be accomplices in the rebellion! Do you understand? I'll send my officers and soldiers to round them up... Humph, today's feasting was not in vain! I'll see the emperor... I'll see him and ask for his praise..."
Zhu Hao froze. Wasn't that just the kind of thing one finds after searching everywhere for something? How fortunate and yet how unfortunate she was to have traveled back to the era of Song Xieqing, allowing her to change the course of history.
The man who just staggered past drunkenly must be the inspector recorded in history books. The fact that he was shouting orders here meant that this place was still some distance away from the private room where Li and Wen were staying. Since the order was just given, the brothel must not have had time to dispatch anyone to guard the door, otherwise... how could Li and Wen be strangled to death in public?
When the footsteps faded away, Zhu Haofang came out from the narrow corner of the corridor. In an instant, the strong smell of alcohol mixed with the fragrance of cosmetics enveloped her again, making her dizzy.
Zhu Hao followed the censor's path step by step. When she came to a place that was some distance away from the corner of the corridor, she stopped and looked carefully to make sure that there was no one around before she looked around carefully.
It's not advisable to knock on every door. Not only is it too conspicuous, but if something unexpected happens, it will be difficult to escape...
She lowered her head and smelled the alcohol that accidentally stained her sleeves, and suddenly an idea came to her mind - why not pretend to be drunk and knock on the door?
But Zhu Hao thought about it again. If she had stumbled upon Li and Wen by accident, it would be fine. But what if... she had stumbled upon their bodies? Even worse, if the murderer was still in the house... then, whether she was drunk or not, they would all die together.
Not worth it, wish you well.
Although she wanted to save people, she was unwilling to sacrifice her hard-earned life in vain. She only thought of saving people if she could, and giving up if she couldn't... As expected, it was not appropriate to act alone. At the critical moment, she had to need help from others, no matter whether that person was Song Xieqing or not.
Zhu Hao was just about to leave when a carved wooden door on the side suddenly opened. With a breath of air, a strong aroma of wine and food mixed with the scent of cosmetics hit his face, with a faint smell of blood.
Zhu Hao turned around and took in everything in the private room through the wide-open door.
Just one glance and Zhu Hao's pupils trembled, and her limbs felt as if soaked in cold frost. She just wanted to escape. All the thirty-six strategies and chivalry she had just thought about in her mind, as well as the arrogance she had since she traveled to this dynasty, were crushed to dust at this moment.
In the private room, a woman half covered by a veil came out slowly with a pipa in her arms. She held a brocade handkerchief in her hand and was carefully wiping the scarlet stains on the strings. Although half of her face was covered, her beauty could not be concealed. Her black hair was half tied up, and the silver bells on her waist and the hairpins on her head swayed with her lotus steps. The sound of gold and jade colliding made a continuous crisp sound.
The private room was stained with blood. Two elderly men with white hair were lying on the ground. The purple and red marks on their necks were shocking, and the pipa in the woman's arms had a broken string.
Zhu Hao quietly stepped back, slowly retreating towards the direction where the music and singing were gradually rising in the distance.
The so-called private rooms were exactly that "elegant". There were many restrictions on the guests coming and going, and ordinary courtesans and singers were not allowed to enter without permission. Therefore, there were not many people coming to the corridor outside the private rooms. Now she could only find a glimmer of hope by blending into the place with bright lights and many people.
The woman had wiped the blood stains off the strings, but the bloody smell lingered around her for a long time.
"General Yu, are you here alone? Where are you... planning to go? I heard that General Yu has lost all his martial arts skills. If that's the case, how could you dare to leave the Young Master's protection and enter this building alone? General Yu, what is your purpose here? Could it be... that you have learned my secrets?" The woman raised her eyes, and the veil covering her jade-like face fell away, revealing a face that seemed familiar. She continued, "General Yu, why did the Gelsemium elegans poison fail to kill you?"
At this moment, Zhu Hao finally remembered where he had seen calluses that looked like the fingertips of Chenghua. The fingertips of Yusha, who had been playing the pipa for many years, were exactly the same as Chenghua's. Judging from the thickness of the calluses, she must have been a good musician. But could Chenghua, who lived in Fengzhai, have also mastered such skills?
"Huh? Who dares to spread the rumor that I've lost all my martial arts skills? Also, Miss Chenghua, I'm not here alone. I'm traveling with the young master. Besides, this is just a brothel, a place of entertainment. Why wouldn't I dare come alone? Could it be... that there's some shameful business going on here?" Thousands of thoughts surged in Zhu Hao's mind. She feigned calmness, speaking casually, "I didn't know... Miss Chenghua is such a secretive person. Can she actually play the pipa? You..."
Zhu Hao's gaze inadvertently swept across the two elderly men lying dead on the ground. She retreated repeatedly, imperceptibly, and asked tentatively, "Were the two men in the private room entrusted to you by the Young Master? Miss Chenghua doesn't know where the Young Master is, right? How about... I take Miss Chenghua to see the Young Master?"
"Young Master?" Chenghua suddenly covered her lips and chuckled. She raised her nail-stained fingers and gently plucked the strings of the pipa. The clear and pleasant sound of the pipa seemed extremely eerie in the blood-filled corridor before her. Chenghua smiled slightly and asked, "General Yu, when did I ever say... I was Song Lang's man?"
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The author has something to say: The world is bustling with people because of profit, and the world is bustling with people because of profit. - Pre-Qin Dynasty, Anonymous
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