Chapter 59 With no way forward and no way back, Du Mengjue did her best…
Xie Qinghe got into the carriage, but not seeing Ning Lu follow, he lifted the curtain to look outside.
She held the box in both hands, her face full of hesitation, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Without even thinking, Xie Qinghe knew what she was struggling with. He lowered his eyes and asked, "To the dungeon?"
Ning Lu's eyes instantly brightened, and she abruptly looked up at him, asking, "Is it okay?"
Xie Qinghe nodded, gesturing for her to come to his side.
Just before she jumped onto the carriage, Wei Chun silently tugged at her hem, frowning and shaking his head.
She and Wei Zhan had entered first, and only he noticed Xie Qinghe's illness and discomfort.
Ning Lu, unaware of what was going on, asked, "What's wrong?"
Ning Lu.
Before Wei Chun could speak, the person inside the carriage called out in a low, cold voice.
"It's alright, young lady, please get in the car. Your master is waiting."
Over the years, those around them had developed a tacit understanding and had long since mastered the skill of distinguishing sounds by voice. Wei Chun dared not say anything more and bowed to signal Ning Lu to enter.
"strangeness."
She climbed into the carriage and noticed that the portrait on the table was gone. She glanced cautiously at Xie Qinghe and chose a seat not far from him.
The box in his arms was placed silently on the table, and he stared at it silently with his hands clasped together.
The contents of the letters discovered today were something Yu Lanzhou had never mentioned to her.
She had a lot of questions she wanted to ask her clearly. She wanted to know if the original owner knew about the money she had saved, and if the original owner had promised to redeem her, why had she never mentioned these things to her?
Suddenly, I felt conflicted; these things seemed inherently difficult to talk about.
She mistakenly entered someone else's body and wandered into a maze; she should have found her own way out.
Even now, my first reaction to any problem is still to rely on others and ask questions as soon as I open my mouth.
Ning Lu felt a pang of sadness and looked at Xie Qinghe as she hesitated.
He was leaning against the soft pillows, still in the same sitting position he had been in the house, leaning to the side, raising his hand to cover his eyebrows, breathing heavily.
Their lips met, and the question that was about to come out was swallowed back.
At the same time, she suddenly understood what Wei Chun had left unsaid. Ning Lu lifted a corner of the curtain and reached out to make a gesture.
In the blink of an eye, Wei Chun was already beside her. She put her index finger to her lips to signal the other person to be quiet, and mouthed the words "inn".
My original plan was to go back to the inn instead of the dungeon, so that person could get some rest.
As the carriage came to a stop, she was the first to lean out and saw a golden light before her, and a whole group of imperial guards kneeling on the ground.
Ning Lu gasped instantly, slumped back into the carriage, and forced a guilty smile at Xie Qinghe, who was just about to look up.
"I think I did something wrong."
The man flicked the curtain with his fingertips, catching sight of where he was. He smiled silently, showing no intention of questioning him.
"Aren't you going to see Su Yun?"
"I haven't figured out how to face her yet."
She lowered her head slightly, but that didn't mean she was lying.
If what Xie Qinghe said is true, and Liu Yunying did not hide the jade pendant in her private residence in order to protect Suyun, then she would certainly not have revealed its location.
The fewer people who know about this, the less danger there is.
If she could understand it, Liu Yunying certainly wouldn't be unaware of it.
The relationship between Liu Yunying and Yu Lanzhou was more profound and complex than she had anticipated, and she needed some time to sort it out.
It's better not to go.
Xie Qinghe was never one to share her gaze with others, so she was naturally satisfied with her choice.
"Your subordinate Guo Chi greets Your Excellency, the Grand Chancellor."
This is a name Ning Lu has never heard of.
Just as he was about to peek out, Xie Qinghe pressed down on his shoulder.
The gentleness in the man's eyes vanished, replaced by an awe-inspiring official air about him.
"You don't need to get out of the carriage. Go back to the east wing, change into your official robes, and then come back to serve me."
"for……"
Before she could ask a question, Xie Qinghe's cool fingertips touched her lips, raising an eyebrow as if to confirm her doubts.
The faint scent of pine resin and medicine mingled in his sleeves, as if he were cradling his face.
Ning Lu struggled in her throat, rolled her eyes inwardly, and nodded reluctantly.
Satisfied with her obedience, Xie Qinghe withdrew his hand, curling his fingers into a tight clench.
The carriage entered the inn through a side gate and headed towards the stables. Midway through the journey, Ning Lu jumped off the carriage, clutching a chest full of silver coins.
She may be an easy target, but she also has a knack for slacking off.
Bosses never want their employees to be idle, but employees shouldn't work themselves to death.
People need to learn to give themselves time to rest.
It was already past lunchtime, and her stomach was empty; she hadn't even had time to eat the two pastries she'd brought in the morning.
Xie Qinghe has a slow metabolism; even if she doesn't eat, she still needs to eat.
Leisurely returning to the east wing, Qinghuai and Qingzhi had indeed received the news and prepared lunch.
With her hands hanging at her sides, she tilted her head back and let Qinghuai untie her cloak and hang it in the outer room. Ninglu lay sprawled on the food like a demon.
Over this period of time, she had become somewhat unable to distinguish whether it was Qinghuai and Qingzhi's thoughtfulness and meticulousness or Xie Qinghe's caring concern that allowed her to freely express her past habits here.
At first, the dishes on the dinner table were varied and diverse, but as we gradually figured out her tastes, each one became her favorite and she couldn't stop eating them.
After a satisfying meal, with the sun shining outside and the charcoal cob warming the room inside, one feels incredibly comfortable and begins to feel sleepy and doze off.
She curled up on the chaise lounge, sent Qingzhi to find out what was happening in the north room, and then closed her eyes for a short rest.
I originally just wanted to take a 15-minute nap.
In an instant, warmth enveloped her shoulders, and Ninglu nestled comfortably, falling into a deeper and deeper sleep.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in the suburbs, surrounded by scorching heat, as if I had slept through a summer day.
As night deepened, in the center of the valley, the terrain undulated, with a few mounds of earth, some with wooden signs, others weighed down by gravel.
A chilling wind blew, and goosebumps immediately rose all over Ning Lu's body. She rubbed her forearms, and before she could even feel scared, she saw a petite figure kneeling not far away.
The woman's back was thin and frail, as if she had been malnourished due to years of not having enough to eat.
He was wearing a common light gray short jacket, with the clothes tied up on his arms, revealing his strong arms, and he was digging something on the ground with his bare hands.
Ning Lu tiptoed closer and got a clearer view. Although the man was thin, he was a trained fighter with well-proportioned features. As he exerted force, his veins bulged, and his movements were swift and efficient.
However, the person had their back turned, so no matter how much she tiptoed to observe, she couldn't see their face.
He silently took small steps forward, getting two steps closer to the woman, and got a clear look at his surroundings. Suddenly, she clenched her hands, which were resting on the tree.
This isn't a mound of earth; it's clearly a grave.
This is a mass grave!
She, who is most afraid of dead people, is standing in the graveyard right now!
She's not playing anymore!
Ning Lu turned and ran, but tripped over a mound of graves and fell to the ground with a thud.
Clutching the dry earth beneath him, he knew something was wrong.
Unexpectedly, the person behind him seemed not to hear the strange noise behind the tree and began to mutter to himself.
"Mother, I promised you that I would live a peaceful life and not cause any trouble, but I'm afraid I can't keep that promise."
That sound...
That sounds familiar.
“Lanzhou saved my life. I think that as long as I save money slowly, I will eventually save enough for two thousand taels of silver to redeem her and repay her kindness.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Lu suppressed her urge to run away and took half a step forward.
“But Pan Xingxue intends to bring Lan Zhou into the mansion and is pestering her relentlessly. The governor’s mansion is in deep trouble and she can’t handle it. This matter probably can’t be delayed any longer. Fortunately, Prince Jing is willing to help us. He promised me that as long as I do things for him, he will make Pan Xingxue give up the idea of taking a concubine.”
"He told me to steal the jade pendant and kill Xie Qinghe. I got the item, but I discovered that Prince Jing wasn't a good person either. I've uncovered his secret, and I doubt he'll let me off easily..."
"As for Xie Qinghe, he's not easy to deal with either. I don't know if I'll be able to come back after I leave."
The woman choked up.
Before Ning Lu could feel sad, she heard her laugh out loud: "But, Mother, for Lan Zhou's sake, I want to give it a try."
“You died young, and I grew up all alone. Nobody treated me like a human being. It was Lanzhou who saved me and treated me like a friend. I have to save her.”
“I’ve never asked you for anything before, and I know you can’t protect anyone. But this time, if you can, please help me.”
The tone was mournful and bitter, which made Ning Lu feel sorrowful, and she crawled forward using both her hands and feet.
The woman rummaged in her bosom for a while, then pulled out a pendant. Moonlight poured down on it, reflecting a cold, eerie glow.
"Everyone says this thing is crucial to the fate of the nation... Everyone wants it. But now it has fallen into the hands of someone as insignificant as me."
"Since they don't treat me like a human being, let them find other ways to conquer the world themselves."
The jade pendant was carelessly tossed into the ground, revealing the dragon pattern on it. Ning Lu's eyes widened, and she suddenly stood up.
Was that the jade pendant of the wise king?
Suddenly, thunder roared, and the woman kneeling on the ground raised her head.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, a white light crashed down, illuminating half of her face.
Ning Lu instantly saw that almost deathly pale face.
She's seen it before!
She knows her!
She knew it all too well...
It was her face.
To be precise... it was Liu Yunying's face.
Liu Yunying didn't see her; she just sneered at the thunderous roar and then piled up the mound of yellow earth again.
Ning Lu was shocked and quickly moved closer to try and get a better look.
But the grave was too ordinary, too inconspicuous, and didn't even have a tombstone; it was just covered with a very ordinary stone.
"You keep a close watch on this. Don't let anyone else take it. Let those arrogant people know that people like us are very useful."
Ning Lu almost wanted to rush over and ask her where she was, but then she felt a cold wind rise and a chill run down her spine.
Liu Yunying was still bending over, scooping up soil to build up the grave, making it impossible for her to get close no matter how hard she tried.
As the chill intensified, a powerful suction force dragged people out.
Suddenly opening my eyes, I felt the chaise lounge gently swaying.
It was already evening, the charcoal fire was dying down, and the fleece blanket she was wearing fell to the side.
She was already drenched in a cold sweat.
The setting sun reflected off the ice crystals formed on the snow, refracting a golden hue.
Ning Lu let out a sigh of relief and saw Qinghuai carrying an incense burner as he entered, finally snapping out of her daze.
What I just saw was a dream...
And it felt so real...
"Girl, you're awake. Did you have a nightmare?"
Why didn't you call me?
"Lord Xie is still discussing matters and is worried that the young lady might find it boring. He said that as long as the young lady stays in the inn, she won't have to go."
"Is he still discussing matters with Guo Chi?"
"Yes, Commandant Guo came on imperial orders, and it will probably take a while."
Ning Lu picked up the fleece blanket from the ground, wrapped herself in it, and buried her head in it, taking a deep sniff.
It's a dream, yet it doesn't feel like a dream.
She preferred to believe it was Liu Yunying's memory.
She returned from the capital, obtained the Prince Xian's jade pendant, discovered Prince Jing's true colors, and knew that he would surely kill her.
With no way forward and no way back, she did her best to protect herself.
Liu Yunying learned of the jade pendant's importance from the reactions of Prince Jing and Xie Qinghe. She then found a craftsman named Miao to make a replica of the jade pendant, carrying the fake one on her person to conceal her identity, while hiding the real jade pendant in her mother's grave as a backup plan.
She never expected that Prince Jing would be so ruthless, even trying to kill her before obtaining the jade pendant.
A chill ran down her spine; it was as if she were back in that night deep in the mountains, surrounded by Zhao Yue.
This time, however, it's from God's perspective.
Xie Qinghe lay at the bottom of the cliff, on the verge of death. Liu Yunying was forced to the cliff and faced a life-or-death situation. Prince Jing intended to silence them, hoping that the deaths of Liu Yunying and Xie Qinghe would make the jade pendant disappear from the world, allowing him to reap the benefits.
If she hadn't intervened in this unexpected turn of events...
wrong.
Because of her as a variable, Xie Qinghe didn't die, and Liu Yunying is also very likely still alive.
There is still a chance.
Ning Lu silently hugged herself, closed her eyes, and thought again.
In the dream, the valley where Liu Yunying was located was narrow on both sides, with sparse trees, low bushes, and soft, yellowish soil.
In terms of geographical environment and vegetation types, it is not much different from Changzhou.
If what the people say is true, that the Jiang Kingdom is vast and rich in resources, then it means that the valley where Liu Yunying hid the jade and the grave where she buried her mother are not too far away.
"Qinghuai, find someone for me. They need to be familiar with the terrain around Changzhou."
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