Chapter 42 Knocking on an Empty Door: She Wanted to See Him.
Xie Qinghe's fingers trembled slightly as he held the lantern.
The light shone on his face, flickering and dancing with his short breaths.
After a brief moment of confusion, his gaze settled on her face.
Ning Lu tightened her clothes and looked at the figure approaching behind him.
It is Wei Chun.
"Master, something has happened at the government office."
The flickering paper lanterns finally went out.
Xie Qinghe nodded slightly, still looking at Ning Lu a few steps away.
"It's late at night and the dew is heavy, let's take her back."
After that night, Ning Lu didn't see Xie Qinghe for several days.
Later, Qinghuai relayed that several civil officials from the neighboring prefecture and county had discovered a huge hole in the grain collection accounts, involving many people. No one dared to investigate further, so they sent someone to consult Xie Qinghe.
Since then, Xie Qinghe has spent most of his time in the government office discussing matters. It's even said that he sent Wei Chun to Ying County overnight to invite Lord Cen to come.
"Wasn't Lord Cen just released not long ago? Besides, those two..."
Ning Lu still remembered that there were rumors that Xie Qinghe and Cen Wei were not on good terms.
"That is true, but throughout the court and the country, there is no other loyal and benevolent minister like Lord Cen."
"Then what kind of minister is Xie Qinghe? A powerful minister, a treacherous minister, or a loyal minister?"
She jokingly asked back.
Upon hearing this, Qinghuai and Qingzhi dared not respond for a moment.
Ning Lu knew their predicament, so she didn't press them further and went to the outer room, clutching her coat.
Take a deep breath.
Winters in Changzhou are more comfortable than in her modern hometown.
At least it's not a continuous damp and cold place.
This kind of cold can be easily blocked by simply adding a cloak.
After returning home that day, she didn't want to eat or move for two days.
The confusion after hope is shattered, the helplessness of having no relatives or friends, and the lingering fear of being on the brink of life and death in the dungeon.
The past events flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern, bizarre and wonderful.
Putting aside all these calculations and dangers, the person I think of most is Ji Ming.
Dressed in coarse linen clothes, he quietly looked at her and asked her why she helped Yu Niang and why she forgave Yu Niang.
He called her stupid while secretly speaking up for her.
He says one thing but does another, and he's true to his word. Although he's a bit cheeky, he's very reassuring.
Until they arrived in Changzhou, a place rife with trouble.
It's like stepping into a thick fog and putting on a mask.
She not only failed to see the situation clearly, but also couldn't understand Xie Qinghe.
Ning Lu couldn't reconcile the image of Ji A'ming, who silently ate meager meals with her in the thatched hut and even saved the last bit of oil for her, with the image of Lord Xie, whom everyone knelt before and who could arbitrarily decide the life and death of others.
Although she could clearly sense that neither Ji Amin nor Xie Qinghe intended to kill her...
But this person is too complicated and too dangerous; she can't judge him, can't trust him, and can't feel at ease.
Psychology says that when people encounter danger, their instinctive reaction is nothing more than two things: fight or flee.
If it's war, she needs to know who the enemy is and where they are.
If she were to escape, she would take Su Yun with her.
Regardless of the reason, it all comes down to Xie Qinghe.
Just like the day they first met, thick fog rose in the valley. She saw him in the distance and ran away with all her might to avoid him. But no matter which direction she ran, she couldn't get around him.
Ning Lu lowered her head in dejection, when she suddenly heard Qingzhi exclaim in surprise.
"Look, girl, it's snowing!"
Ning Lu then came to her senses, and snowflakes the size of fingernails fluttered down and landed in her palm.
It's icy cold.
"Strange, I've never heard of snow falling in the southwest in previous years."
Qingzhi, holding onto Qinghuai, squeezed together with Ninglu under the eaves, their six hands reaching out to catch snowflakes and play.
"I just hope the snow doesn't melt too cold. I'm afraid the adults' bodies won't be able to withstand it."
Qinghuai added a sentence, and Qingzhi also fell silent for a while.
"Can't he stand the cold?"
Ning Lu was curious; she remembered him saying that he wasn't born with a deficiency.
"I heard that when you were thirteen, the Xie family suffered a misfortune, and the illness you developed while in prison was a result of that."
Qinghuai looked at Ninglu, seemingly unable to discern her intentions, and cautiously responded with a few words.
"Imperial Prison?"
“I know this.” Qingzhi raised her hand: “It should be around this time in the twenty-second year of Yongchang. It seems that it was Chief Minister Xie, who was also Lord Xie’s grandfather, who was involved in factional strife and offended the late emperor. The entire Xie family was imprisoned.”
She deliberately lowered her voice: "It is said that the Xie family is now reduced to just one adult."
That's a lot...
Xie Qinghe had also spoken to her about it.
Ning Lu thought of the crisscrossing scars on his body, and unconsciously tightened her coat and buried her head in her clothes.
The dungeon was already very cold and miserable.
The imperial prison was bitterly cold, beyond imagination.
She couldn't help but recall that night when Ji Ming sighed about King Zhou and Ji Zi, and the cold disdain in his eyes sent a chill down her spine.
The original owner was involved with multiple forces, and whether to fight or flee, he should understand the situation.
Yu Lanzhou, the dungeon...
The snow outside was falling heavier and heavier. Ning Lu didn't bother to open her umbrella and rushed into the snow.
"Where are you going, young lady?"
"Go to the dungeon."
Holding the jade pendant, Ning Lu braved the wind and snow to venture into the dungeon once more.
The Imperial Guards guarding the dungeon still treated her with great respect, but refused to let her in no matter what.
Even Xie Qinghe's jade pendant was useless.
She had no choice but to go and find Xie Qinghe himself.
Since he wasn't at the inn, she went to the government office to look for him.
The guard at the government office said that Lord Xie came this morning and left after lunch.
When asked where they were going, they declined to comment.
Ning Lu had no other choice but to return to the dungeon, hand in the winter clothes and food, and fight another day.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and for the next few days she was turned away at every door.
Xie Qinghe seemed to have vanished into thin air.
In her anger, Ning Lu recalled the faint aura of the shadow guards that had been lurking around her.
With this thought in mind, he dragged a stool across the courtyard and shouted into the air, "I know Xie Qinghe sent you to secretly follow me, and I know where you are. Send someone to tell him that I want to see him."
"If he doesn't show up soon, I'll get rid of you all one by one. When that happens, you'll be unable to explain yourselves and will have to go find him to be punished."
After the deathly silence, a few drops of snow slid off the roof.
Ning Lu was satisfied and strolled back to the east wing.
Located thirty li south of Changzhou City, it is backed by green mountains and faces the cold river.
Deep in the jungle, the blue bricks and black tiles, the vermilion lacquer and copper nails, exude an imposing yet chilling atmosphere.
The carriage slowly came to a stop, and the guards on both sides held their breath and kept quiet, lest they disturb the noble people who were taking a nap inside.
Pale, slender fingers emerged from behind the curtain and fluttered slightly; Wei Zhan immediately stepped forward.
The half-closed vermilion gate slowly opened, revealing a silent, icy interior, with moss growing on the blue bricks in the courtyard.
"Wait here."
Xie Qinghe raised his hand to stop Wei Zhan's steps.
Without the gatekeeper's notification, a deaf-mute old servant silently led him through the winding corridor to the teahouse.
The door was ajar, and the sound of chess pieces falling onto the board drifted out.
The man in the main seat is playing chess alone, looking down at the board.
Black pieces surround white pieces, while white pieces are trapped in the center, with a faint path to survival visible leading to the center point.
Hearing the noise by the door, the person in the superior position glanced sideways and, upon seeing the newcomer, gave a faint smile and pointed to the opposite side.
"Since you're here, why don't you play a game of chess with me?"
The slightly worn casual clothes on the man's shoulders did not diminish the dignified and aristocratic air about him.
Xie Qinghe bowed respectfully and slowly sat down.
He glanced down at the remaining situation; it was a desperate struggle, like a cornered beast, and remained silent.
Seeing that he had no interest, Prince Jing was not surprised and threw all the white pieces in his hand into the sandalwood chess box.
He leaned back on the soft couch behind him, looking out the window: "It's been a year since we last met in the capital.
"Now that you have risen to the position of Censorate and are busy with countless affairs of state, it is already a rare treat to be able to meet you."
"It's not difficult at all."
Xie Qinghe turned sideways and picked up the cup of strong tea that had been prepared.
It's still warm.
His expression was unpredictable. He brushed away the foam and spoke in a gentle tone: "Before arriving in Changzhou, I was held up by other matters, which delayed my arrival."
"I have heard that you are injured."
"Even though the prince stays indoors, his information network is still so efficient."
Prince Jing did not speak again, but his tapping on the table quickened slightly.
Xie Qinghe had no intention of beating around the bush, so he went straight to the point: "This year, Changzhou's grain tax is 30% higher than last year. The people have a bumper harvest but no surplus grain, and there are starving corpses in the suburbs of Pingcheng and Changzhou."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Prefect Pan said he was acting on the emperor's orders."
Prince Jing's smile froze, and he shook his head and rubbed his hands: "This matter... is not something a leisurely prince like me should be listening to."
"Yes and no." Xie Qinghe coldly followed up: "The post stations within Changzhou are abandoned, and the changes within are difficult to reach the Emperor. The Imperial Guards will know the Emperor's intentions as he says with just one interrogation."
A moment of silence fell over the room, then the sound of water boiling filled the air.
Having said this, Prince Jing's eyes dimmed slightly, and he fully understood Xie Qinghe's meaning.
"I am well aware of your methods, Xie Jiming." He examined his left and right hands slowly and said, "Even without evidence, the matter of the Wise Prince has come to this. Now that you are in Changzhou, don't you have the situation completely under your control?"
The teacup fell back onto the table, and Xie Qinghe looked out at the north wind sweeping across the ground, remaining noncommittal.
"There is one thing I don't understand."
"Please speak, Your Highness."
Why would you go to such lengths for Jiang Xu?
The person lounging on the soft couch raised their eyes and looked at Xie Qinghe: "Qinghe is unclear, so it is neither clear nor unclear. This nursery rhyme is sung so loudly that it has even reached Changzhou."
"Is it worth it for you to bear such a stigma for him?"
He leaned forward, trying to find a trace of wavering in Xie Qinghe's eyes, but only saw a bottomless, icy pool.
"In the end, you and I are the same kind of people, so why be so fixated on him?"
"What is meant by 'fellow travelers'? There is a distinction between ruler and subject, and one dares not overstep this distinction."
"Is there a distinction between ruler and subject?" Prince Jing sneered. "The ruler is like a father, and the country is like a family. But how long has this family ever been able to accommodate my intrusion?"
"You don't need to put on such a hypocritical act. As far as I am concerned, the Emperor is still alive. And you, Xie Jiming, were not valued by Elder Xie back then, and later betrayed the entire Xie family to save your own life. You are the one who truly disrespects the Emperor and your father."
A slight ripple appeared in Xie Qinghe's eyes, but it was only for a moment before he regained his composure and did not refute: "It's good that Your Highness knows."
"A virtuous person is cautious even when alone. Now that you are confined to your quarters, I hope Your Highness will cultivate your character and mind."
"Xie Qinghe, he didn't kill me back then, which was like raising a tiger to cause trouble. Now, do you think you're any smarter?"
Xie Qinghe, of course, knew what he meant, and gave Prince Jing his first serious look of the day.
"Now that you mention this, I'm reminded of a similarity between us." He paused slightly before slowly speaking: "We both crave things that are unattainable."
An unfavored prince dreams of the throne.
Those who are not loved and trusted crave warmth.
In that instant of realization, Xie Qinghe immediately said in a deep voice, "However, the bright moon hangs high in the sky. Your Highness desires to obtain it, but I merely do not wish to lose it. A slight difference can lead to a vast difference. Your Highness, please have some self-respect."
He stood up, his back ramrod straight.
Upon reaching the door, I paused briefly.
"Changzhou's grain tax now only involves money and corrupt officials. If the prince's men don't listen to discipline, things might not be so simple."
Prince Jing looked up, but the person had already gone far away. He slammed his hand heavily on the corner of the table.
The next instant, he suddenly realized that this was not a simple threat. He abruptly got up from the bed, took two quick steps, and tried to catch up with the man's back.
"Your Highness."
Zhao Yue appeared out of nowhere and blocked his way at the door.
Upon hearing the voice, Prince Jing suddenly realized what was happening and turned to look at the person who had entered.
Grain tax, Pan Xingxue...
Xie Qinghe would never be so kind as to come to his door to remind him; this was clearly a threat.
He came for that woman, Liu Yunying.
He was reminding himself that he had everything under control in Changzhou.
If he insists on taking action against Liu Yunying... the Prince Xian is a prime example.
"Who is that woman? Wasn't she said to be an orphan?"
"She's an orphan, with a withdrawn personality, always keeping to herself. Her only weakness is Su Yun, the most sought-after courtesan at Yan Chun Lou. However, according to my investigation, since falling off the cliff, she seems to be..."
"explain."
"He seems to have gone mad."
Seeing that Prince Jing's anger was getting worse, Zhao Yue quickly knelt down: "Your Highness, please calm down. Su Yun is in Xie Qinghe's hands, so it is not easy for me to take action. But we have found some clues about the counterfeit jade pendant that Liu Yunying pawned."
A chilling, oppressive atmosphere settled behind me.
The carriage curtains fell, and the medicinal fragrance of aloeswood, which had been used to calm the mind, wafted out. Xie Qinghe slowly closed his eyes, frowned, and finally showed a hint of fatigue.
There was a noise outside the carriage, and Wei Zhan handed the Shadow Guard's secret report through the carriage door.
She wanted to see him.
Xie Qinghe's fingertips traced the ink marks as he exhaled heavily.
"Back to the city."
The group returned to the inn late at night.
The snow has melted, and the chill is growing stronger.
Xie Qinghe suppressed a low cough, waved his hand to dismiss everyone, and slowly stepped into the east wing.
My gaze was drawn to a snowman about the size of my palm by the door.
Two flat, round snowballs were pressed together, and the snowman's eyebrows and eyes were drawn with indigo.
Long, arched eyebrows, awkward phoenix eyes, and a crooked mouth that seemed to be smiling but wasn't.
When he sneers, the left corner of his mouth is slightly higher than the right; even such details match up.
Qingzhi and Qinghuai exchanged a glance, then spoke up guiltily, intending to exonerate Ninglu.
"Sir, Miss Ning made this just for fun."
Answering questions without being asked is a major taboo.
Even the most disciplined person becomes lax when they're around her.
Xie Qinghe glanced at Qingzhi.
Qinghuai quickly interjected, "My lord, Miss Ning has been thinking of you these past few days, waiting for you until late at night every night. Today..."
"I was so tired today that I went to bed early."
Upon hearing this, the person's eyes narrowed, a hint of warmth appearing in them, and they nodded gently before entering the room.
A young lady's boudoir should not be entered without permission.
Xie Qinghe hesitated for a moment, then walked around the screen to the bedside.
Her petite body was completely nestled in the blankets, with only her rosy little face showing.
Because he was sensitive to the cold, the Xie family would keep the charcoal fire burning very brightly throughout the residence, even when he was on official business.
It's inevitable that this guy, with his martial arts background, would sweat easily when it gets hot.
Sweat beaded on his nose as he lay sprawled out, sleeping arrogantly and domineeringly.
It's always been like this; they wish they could kick everyone else off the bed and claim it for themselves.
Xie Qinghe stared blankly for a while, then chuckled helplessly and took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away her sweat.
Fingertips hovered in mid-air, hesitant and uncertain, before clenching tightly little by little.
His knuckles turned white, and he fell back to the bedside.
That day, when they brushed past each other, she was too busy trying to avoid him.
In the end, she withdrew her dangling fingertips and quietly watched from the bedside.
Just like many nights in the past...
Prince Jing, Jiang Yi, was right about one thing: he was doing something dangerous.
It's an absurd thing with no chance of success and no certainty of success.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com