Looking at the situation (Part 3)
Since returning home that night, Chen Zhuangmu has been unable to sleep for nights on end, constantly agonizing over whether what she did was right, and the image of Xiao Hanfeng's disappointed gaze kept flashing through her mind.
Life was also a mess, so she went to the Dali Temple to settle the remaining case matters. She took a few days off and stayed at home to sort out the clues about her mother's matter, while watching Li Chu's figure flash by again and again.
Will she report this to her uncle again?
Time passes day by day, and even if people don't feel it in their hearts, the temperature always makes them startled again and again. These days, you have to wrap yourself in a cloak and wear a mask when you go out, otherwise your face will turn red instantly when the cold wind blows, and it won't heal for half a month.
Needless to say, a body like Chen Zhuangmu's was even more stunning. She wore a cotton short-sleeved shirt, a warm coat, and a cloak, making her look like a perfectly round ball from afar.
It was another chilly morning, and Chen Zhuangmu was dressed the same as always. Today, following the letter Yu Hongning had given her, she conveyed the time and route to the Imperial Medical Academy's exam to her beloved.
The candidate himself was unwilling to go to the dressing room. Such a thing should be done by the candidate himself. If he did not sincerely prepare for such a simple thing, there is no way he could pass the exam.
Seeing that she had been half-dead these past few days, Li Chu insisted on dragging her along. After talking for a while, she successfully aroused her gossipy nature.
I am now wearing thick clothes and boarding a carriage. I can hear the rumbling sound of the carriage passing by and watch as crowds are left behind. After many twists and turns, I finally arrive at a village.
It's not far from the city center, but it's a bit remote.
Following the information given by Yu Hongning, Chen Zhuangmu and Li Chu walked through one alley after another until they finally saw a small house standing on a piece of wasteland.
At first glance, all that could be seen was a group of people, about twenty or thirty, standing in five orderly rows, keeping the place spotless.
As they approached, they heard a man carrying a hoe say, "Ouch! It hurts when I press on a spot on my head. What should I do?" He pressed the spot on the back of his head and asked worriedly, staring at the spot in front of him.
As they approached, they saw a young man dressed in a cotton-padded coat and hat, sitting on a low wooden chair covered in scratches, with a small table missing a leg in front of him.
His nose was bright red, and his face was even a little purple, but it couldn't hide his delicate features. His youthful face reflected a helpless look in his eyes.
He smiled and sighed, saying, "It will hurt for anyone who presses that spot. Just make sure you get some rest."
Then, tilting his head back, he whispered to the person behind him, "Next!"
It seems this is Yu Hongning's sweetheart.
Chen Zhuangmu and the others stood on the left side of the crowd, but the young man glanced at them once and didn't spare them a single look. After the twenty or thirty people in front of him had left, he stood up and reached out to tidy up the stools and tables and take them into the house.
As he was leaving, Li Chu called out to him, "Hey, are you Yuan Sheng?"
He turned around and said, "Yes, it is. Is there something you need?"
His attitude inexplicably disliked Li Chu. He was already quite annoying because he was so lazy, but she didn't expect him to be so rude as well.
She stopped speaking and said coldly, "I'm here to deliver a message to the Imperial Hospital."
But he simply said, "I don't need it," and walked away without looking back.
"Stop." Shen Zhuangmu deliberately lowered her voice, her expression serious. He did indeed stop and looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"You don't accept gold or silver to practice medicine; don't you want to help more people?"
“This is my business. The girl who often comes here for treatment must be your friend, right? Please tell her for me not to bother me anymore.”
Having said that, as if afraid of being called again, he strode into the narrow doorway and closed it immediately.
Chen Zhuangmu gestured for Li Chu to put the letter under a stone in front of his house, and said, "I was asked by a friend to put this letter under this stone. If you don't need it, just throw it away."
The door frame was worn unevenly, and dirt had seeped into the deep cracks in the wood. The glaring sunlight shone through the cracks and cast mottled shadows on the dirt. A hand was gently placed in the crack, feeling a slight warmth.
After standing quietly for a while, Yuan Sheng pushed open the door, took the envelope from under the stone by the door, and went straight into the left side of the inner room. Seeing his grandmother pouring tea, he quickly said, "Grandma, I'll take care of it..."
The car was moving very slowly, allowing us to clearly see the people coming and going on the street. Their eyes, movements, and even a tender green scallion on a mutton bun all seemed vivid.
Chen Zhuangmu raised her shoulders slightly. The heavy, bulky clothes made her shoulders ache unbearably, as if vinegar was seeping out of her bones. She frowned, shifted her body, and closed her eyes to rest.
She has been taking her medicine consistently since she woke up three years ago. At first, her uncle coaxed her with great effort, but she was able to drink it without hesitation no matter how bitter it was. Now she can no longer taste the medicine. She has never forgotten to take her medicine every day.
However, her health was visibly deteriorating. Just now at Yuan Sheng's door, she inexplicably wanted to give Yu Hongning some credit, so she deliberately lowered her voice and raised it, and then she felt anxious.
It seems we need to speed things up; only by seeing the murderer dead can she rest in peace.
Before long, the carriage returned to the Princess's residence. Chen Zhuangmu felt much better after going out for a stroll. She planned to go back and stay for a while before asking Zhao Yi when he would investigate. However, when she looked up, she saw Zhao Yi standing in the pavilion on the bridge.
He wore a light blue brocade robe, his hands behind his back as he gazed at the river below. He was not wearing a crown today, but only used a ribbon of the same color to tie up all his dark hair, the long ribbon fluttering backward in the wind.
From the moment she first met him until now, his sharpness had faded considerably. She suddenly realized this.
"Why don't you wait inside?" Chen Zhuangmu stepped onto the stairs, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.
Zhao Yi turned his head and glanced at her. As she walked into the pavilion, he lifted a lid off a table, revealing a cup of steaming warm water, with tiny water droplets condensing all over the lid.
He handed her the water glass, saying, "It's cooled down."
After drinking a glass of water, Chen Zhuangmu didn't feel much warmer, but still led Zhao Yi into the house.
The two entered the house, and Zhao Yi saw that Chen Zhuangmu had taken off her cloak. He quickly retreated outside and closed the door tightly.
Sure enough, the maids filed in from the left and right rooms, carrying many things for keeping warm, and he waited outside.
A moment later, the door to the inner room opened. Chen Zhuangmu was dressed much lighter than before, but she was still wrapped in a padded jacket, which puzzled Zhao Yi.
As soon as he entered the room, he felt a wave of heat hitting him. He was wearing a cotton coat and a single layer of clothing, and he felt hot all over.
Why is she so cold?
Then there's only one reason.
"Are you sick?" Zhao Yi stepped into the room and sat down as the maid arranged.
Unexpectedly, his question was so direct and harsh. Chen Zhuangmu was stunned for a moment before she spoke haltingly, "I was injured before..." She paused, then added, "I was poisoned."
"Poisoned?" Zhao Yi involuntarily raised his voice in agreement, his brows furrowing tightly, his eyes seeming to be recalling something. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What kind of poison?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhuangmu lowered her head and smiled, showing no sadness at the mention of the matter. She said, "I don't know either. My uncle said it's very complicated, involving several poisonous species linked together."
"It's incurable, isn't it? My uncle has been worried about this for many years. He's tried everything he could." Chen Zhuangmu picked up the teacup and brought it to her lips, but didn't drink a drop.
When Zhao Yi's distressed gaze was inadvertently caught by Chen Zhuangmu, he quickly turned his head away.
This made Shen Zhuangmu inexplicably want to laugh. The other person noticed that she was suppressing her laughter and turned around with amusement, "If you want to laugh, just laugh. Why are you holding it in?"
He then glanced at the attendants around him, his expression turning serious. He waved his hand, dismissing everyone.
"Tonight, I will take you to the person in charge of the Ministry of Revenue who handled the household registration of officials back then."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded in agreement, and seeing that he didn't say anything more, she assumed he was alright. But as he stood up and turned around, he suddenly turned back and said meaningfully, "It's time to change the people around you."
He continued, "I came to the manor but didn't see you. Then I heard from a maid that you went to deliver something to a man."
Under Shen Zhuangmu's surprised gaze, he smiled and said, "I also heard them say that you haven't been in good spirits for the past few days and this is the first time you've gone out."
She felt he hadn't finished speaking and kept waiting. Finally, he opened his mouth and said, "I thought I couldn't rely on you anymore... but then I realized something was wrong. Whether these people deliberately leaked it to me or not, talking about our master behind his back means they should be kicked out."
She didn't listen to his long speech for the time being, but kept replaying the first sentence in her mind. Instead of feeling happy, she felt increasingly heavy-hearted. "I don't know how I'll get through the rest of my years, but you're not included in my list."
After saying that, she felt a buzzing in her heart. In fact, she wasn't even sure if she would have a future.
"I'll go ask the physicians in my household if they have any antidote." Perhaps afraid of hearing more hurtful words from Chen Zhuangmu, he said this and then opened the door and went out.
The sound of the door closing continued, but she was left alone. She stood there blankly for a long time before remembering what she needed to do.
She straightened herself up, sat down on the stool, picked up her teacup, and said, "Li Chu."
Footsteps approached from afar, and Li Chu walked in wearing a yellow padded jacket. "Princess."
"It seems you didn't take my words to heart." Chen Zhuangmu slowly put down her cup, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You're raised under my care, but your heart is elsewhere. Are you still useful?"
With a thud, Li Chu knelt down, her face filled with panic. "I'm sorry! Princess, I..."
"Never mind." Chen Zhuangmu ignored her explanation. "Tomorrow, you can take those people who just came into the room away."
"Princess!" Li Chu raised her head and was about to grab her skirt when Chen Zhuangmu pulled her aside.
"You pay each of them ten years' wages, and you keep double. Let's go first thing tomorrow morning."
You can't keep someone who changes their mind, but back then she didn't have anyone suitable by her side. Now, if she wants to accomplish something great, she must keep it a secret from her uncle and give them the money as compensation, then she'll have nothing to hold her back.
The cold wind seemed to hasten the passing of time. Soon after dinner, the sky darkened. Chen Zhuangmu, still thinking about Zhao Yi's words, wrapped herself up tightly and stood in the left-hand side room, not returning home.
She waited for a while before she saw some movement on the wall to her left. She saw a person dressed in black, very tall, moving nimbly and skillfully, as if he had experience climbing over walls.
He walked towards her step by step, his hair tied in a ponytail and his body shrouded in cold. She simply couldn't understand it.
It's so inconvenient to go out without tying your hair up, isn't it? But she didn't ask any more questions. Zhao Yi, on the other hand, widened his eyes when he saw her wearing light-colored clothes. "You, wearing this?"
"Hmm... what's wrong?" Chen Zhuangmu asked somewhat uncertainly.
"It's nothing, it's nothing." Zhao Yi shook his head, took out a wrapped item from his waist belt, and unfolded it to reveal two masks.
He was about to hand it to her, but hesitated after seeing her back. "Can you even wear it?"
"I can put it on." She took off her mask and tried to reach back with her arms, but the clothes on her shoulders were a bit difficult for her to reach. She could reach them, but it was not easy to fasten them.
Just as they were locked in a struggle, the rope in his hand was gently pulled away, and the masked man, following his movements, groped her face, looking somewhat unnatural.
Zhao Yi, however, put the cord on her from behind without any hesitation, then walked up to her and put his arm around her shoulder, saying, "The journey is a bit long, we need to hurry."
Having said that, he used his light skills to easily climb over the wall with her.
The two wandered through the silent streets and came to a carriage not far away.
The carriage was ordinary, with a servant driving a horse. The small, plain wooden carriage was covered with thick velvet covers, and three hand warmers of different sizes were placed on a small table in the middle.
After getting into the carriage, Chen Zhuangmu huddled in a corner with a hand warmer, trying to make room for Zhao Yi. But then he opened the carriage curtain and said, "These three are for you. One is for your feet, and two are for your hands."
After saying that, he lowered the curtain and went outside to sit down.
No one spoke the rest of the way, and they kept thinking about what they had to do, which made them even more nervous.
It seemed she didn't even need a hand warmer to feel the heat radiating from her scalp. No lanterns were lit inside the carriage, and the darkness was so profound that not a single ray of light could penetrate; apart from the tiny embers from the hand warmer, it was practically pitch black.
In such an environment, as the carriage jolted along, it was impossible to tell which street it had turned into; only the creaking of the carriage remained.
Chen Zhuangmu's heart was in her throat, and she found it hard to breathe. She instantly regretted coming here.
But all she could do was clutch the hand warmer tightly, telling herself that she was one step closer to the truth, and it was worth it.
"We're almost there." A gentle voice came from outside. Chen Zhuangmu recognized the voice as Zhao Yi's. Of course, besides him and the driver, there was no one else around. It sounded awkward coming from him.
Suddenly, the carriage turned a corner, and something was scraped off the carriage, making a whooshing sound, though not very loud; it was probably a tree branch.
"arrive."
Chen Zhuangmu, holding a hand warmer in her left hand and pressing Zhao Yi's arm with her right, got off the carriage, only to find a forest in front of her, with no one else around.
“This is a smokescreen. We’ll find it once we get past this area. Let’s go.” Zhao Yi walked ahead first, with Chen Zhuangmu following closely behind.
This was the first time she had ever done something like this. She had never walked through a forest as a child. The branches were bare, stretching out like knives.
Chen Zhuangmu lowered her head even further, "Is this person very timid?"
But then Zhao Yi chuckled, "You guessed right. The year he finished processing Xiao Zhong's household registration, he hurriedly left the competition. What a coincidence!"
After saying that, he suddenly loosened his grip on her clothes, reached out his hand to her, and in the dim moonlight, you could see his slender fingers spread out, waiting for her to take his hand.
"It's difficult to walk here, give me your hand." Zhao Yi said in a normal tone.
She paused for a moment, then placed her fingers in his palm. He slowly grasped her hand, but not tightly.
After a while, their backs ached terribly, they finally emerged from the woods and came upon a bare wooden cabin on the ground.
The cabin has a door, but you can tell that the space inside is quite large, with a window letting in light.
Zhao Yi let go of her hand, and the two of them went to knock on the door together.
Unexpectedly, after only one knock, the person inside shouted, "Who is it?"
Zhao Yi lowered his voice, "I'm the old man who delivers eggs to you at the door."
"Put the eggs at the door! Don't disturb my sleep!" the shrill voice shouted.
"Open the door." Zhao Yi simply stopped pretending.
Zhao Yi was just pretending. Seeing no movement inside, he raised his foot to kick the door open, but the door suddenly opened with a "whoosh," slamming into him.
The man in front of me was the former registered resident. He was only up to Chen Zhuangmu's collarbone, short and thin, with a round face. His honest and unassuming appearance made it hard to imagine that he had such an unpleasant voice.
He backed away, giving a fawning smile, "Grandma, Grandpa, what are you doing?"
Zhao Yi sat down casually and said directly, "I've been watching you for a while now, and I know everything about your past. I'm here today for only one thing."
The man leaned closer and asked, "What is it?"
Now it was Chen Zhuangmu's turn. She deliberately spoke mysteriously, "Why do you live in seclusion in a place like this?"
These words made the man's eyes widen in surprise. "I...I...I did it because I love this secluded life."
"Haha." Chen Zhuangmu chuckled twice, then slowly sat down on the stool, pointing to the stool next to her and saying to the person there, "Sit."
“Old Wang, what you did ten years ago has caused a huge uproar in Beijing. Many people are looking for you.” Zhao Yi put his legs down from the stool. “I happen to have a grudge against those people. As long as you tell me what you did that year, I will help you stop them.”
“Young master, I haven’t left this forest in a long time. Say whatever you want. I’m an old man, and even if I had a few more decades, I wouldn’t have any ability left.” After saying that, the man got off the stool and walked inside.
"Do you remember Xiao Zhong?" Zhao Yi saw him tremble and stop in his tracks. "How did they threaten you and force you to stamp that booklet?"
“You’ve touched tens of thousands of books, and you can tell Xiao Zhong’s book is fake just by touching it. How could he possibly have the ability to coerce you?”
"The truth will eventually come out. The capital city of Hui is already in dire straits for him. How long do you think you can hide?"
The man didn't move.
“As long as you tell us the truth, I can guarantee that no matter how big the fire in the city gets, it won’t reach you,” Chen Zhuangmu said, raising her voice.
After a while, the old man staggered to the side of the path and pointed at the dark makeup curtain, "I believe her."
“We’re together.” Chen Zhuangmu smiled.
The fearful look on Old Wang's face disappeared, replaced by a knowing expression. "Oh, I know, I know."
"Alright, old man, hurry up and tell me," Zhao Yi urged him.
“That was ten years ago…” He stroked a non-existent beard. “That night, when I was leaving the factory, someone suddenly grabbed me!” He gestured wildly, his eyebrows bobbing up and down with his voice. “The person grabbed me by the back of the neck and pressed a household registration certificate against my face. I instinctively touched it, but I found…”
He seemed to be stuck, and after thinking for a while, he continued, "It feels rough and thin, and it's obviously fake! He forced me to stamp it. That person was a big, burly man, very tall, with fingers as wide as two of mine. Also, he had very big earlobes. He hit and punched me, and I... couldn't take it anymore... so I let him stamp it."
"I didn't originally plan to run away, but then... I heard that this Xiao Zhong even topped the list. So I ran away..."
"Top of the list?" Zhao Yi frowned and interrupted him. "He was fifth in the class. When did he become number one?"
"Huh?" The short, old Wang interrupted him, glancing sideways. "Are you questioning me? I'm just following those insider tips..."
As his voice grew softer and his head bowed lower, a hint of embarrassment even appeared on his face. "Well, you all need some connections, right?"
They ignored the rest of his sentence and went straight to the point, asking, "Who told you that?"
Upon hearing this question, Old Wang put on airs again, walking on tiptoe with his hands behind his back, as if this were a palace rather than a small wooden house.
"That's because I'm diligent, studious, conscientious, and helpful. Even a first-rank general sought me out..."
"Who did you say?!" Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, Zhao Yi interrupted him. Seeing his incredulous expression, Old Wang cautiously glanced at him and added, "The valiant General..."
A few simple words caused both of them to turn pale. Chen Zhuangmu was alright, carefully keeping all her thoughts in her eyes, but Zhao Yi couldn't do that.
He frowned, as if he had heard news of the sky falling, and remained dazed for a while before saying, "Think carefully about what happened, and then tell me again."
This time, Old Wang didn't dare to joke around anymore. He said seriously, "The story is, I was working overtime and on my way home, someone grabbed me by the back of the neck and forced me to stamp the document with threats, bribes, and beatings." Old Wang's tone changed, and he unconsciously added a slight lilt to his words, "A dozen days later, General Yingwu spoke with me for a few minutes and told me that Xiao Zhong had become the top scholar in the imperial examination, so I ran away!"
Old Wang's beard twitched as he did so, seemingly showing off how formidable he was, having escaped capture for so long.
"Hey...you guys said you'd protect me."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded and said, "No one in the capital is discussing this matter. I guess they don't know about it. What I said just now was just to mislead you. I'm sorry."
Chen Zhuangmu pulled Zhao Yi out. He was as calm as ever, but with an unusual depth in his expression.
After a moment of silence, he finally let out a barely audible sigh with a self-deprecating smile in his eyes.
"Just say what you have to say, don't overthink it." Chen Zhuangmu glanced at him, feeling uncomfortable seeing him like this.
She sounded rather downcast and unhappy, but Zhao Yi didn't keep asking her questions as usual. He acted as if he hadn't heard her, grabbed her sleeve, and led her along the path in front of him.
The two walked back at a leisurely pace. The stars had somehow stopped hiding, and the faint moonlight seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally illuminating the path beneath their feet.
They were partners, so this shouldn't have happened, but he clutched his sleeve and felt a surge of excitement inside.
“Makeup curtain,” Zhao Yi said.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Zhuangmu asked.
“Revenge is not a simple matter, and you don’t have to suppress yourself so much every time.” He paused, then added, “Revenge is absolutely not the purpose of living, absolutely not.”
By the moonlight, Chen Zhuangmu looked at his blurry profile and could tell that he was still in a bad mood. But at this moment, she could see his straight nose and the pair of eyes under his brow bone that were always nonchalant, but now they were like a lake, calm and profound.
He must be quite heartbroken today, because what Elder Wang said was no different from criticizing the Privy Councilor. In the few days I've known him, I've heard him talk about the Privy Councilor a couple of times. Although he didn't sound particularly close or familiar with me, I could tell that he highly regarded the Privy Councilor.
"Once this matter is over, I will come to propose marriage." He stopped, turning his gaze to look at her with unusual tenderness, like ripples on a lake. "Is that alright?"
Everything in front of her seemed to stop. Chen Zhuangmu opened her eyes, her long eyelashes not trembling. After a while, a blush quietly spread across her face, but it was not noticeable in the darkness.
They stood there for a long time, neither of them speaking. Their eyes met without any attempt to look away, and thankfully the night was so dark that no one could see the turmoil in his eyes or the worry on her face.
"I am about to die."
"That's not a problem."
Chen Zhuangmu's hand drooped down. After a while, she said, "We'll talk about it later."
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