Chapter 40 Wrongly Blamed
Wen Youqing took a few steps forward and took a closer look at it. The patterns carved on it were an extremely secret emblem - the emblem of the Cui family.
The edge of the dagger was still stained with a trace of fresh, dark red blood that hadn't yet dried completely. It matched the width of Cui Junji's wound on the mountain, clearly freshly stained. Wen Youqing's breathing suddenly stopped! She suddenly looked up at Cui Junji's charred hands and his still furrowed brows in his unconscious state. A chilling thought, like a venomous snake, pierced her mind.
Cui Junji is skilled with swords, but this dagger... definitely doesn't belong to him! When and how did it appear on him? Why did it appear on him? Was it a self-torture scheme staged by Cui Junji? Or... who else is left here?
If it was really Cui Junji's work, he wouldn't have to make the trip, which would be a thankless task.
Had she truly misunderstood him? Yet, he clearly knew who was behind all this. The overwhelming hatred instantly transformed into confusion and doubt, drowning her completely like an icy tide.
Could it be that she had really wronged him! When he risked his life to save her husband, when he was framed by the aristocratic family, she had used the most vicious words and actions to stab him in the heart!
Wen Youqing's body began to tremble violently, and her vision went black. She could no longer hold on, her legs gave way, and she slowly and heavily knelt on the cold, dirty ground, next to the unconscious Shen Zijie.
The hot tears finally burst out, falling in large drops on the ash-covered ground, leaving dark marks.
The groans of the wounded, the cries of children, and the noise of the crowd all seemed to fade away at this moment. Only the dagger lying quietly in the ashes, gleaming coldly and strangely in the firelight, silently spoke of the embers of conspiracy and the storm that had not yet ended.
—
The supplies and medicines from the Cui and Li families were delivered to Cui Junji's former residence like timely rain. Fortunately, thanks to his family's Qushui Liushang, his residence was the only place that had 30% or 40% of its original state, so almost all the officials temporarily stayed at Cui's residence.
All the surviving people lined up in an orderly manner to get medicine and supplies from Cui's house. As they took and took, the only thing left in everyone's mind and eyes was the word Cui.
After Shen Zijie woke up, Wen Youqing told him everything he knew.
The two of them lay exhausted on the bed, like two fragile pieces of paper.
After a long while, Shen Zijie said, "He didn't do it, but he knows the inside story."
"I thought so too, so what?"
"Why?" Shen Zijie was puzzled.
"So how should we face him?" Wen Youqing was extremely tired. She stroked her still sagging belly and said, "Can we stay away from him? If we see him..." She suddenly remembered that Cui Junji saved her husband and swallowed the rest of her words.
"You should hate him, hate him. What happened between him and me shouldn't involve you."
Wen Youqing sat up abruptly. "Are you crazy? You still want to establish a personal relationship with him and impress him with it? Come on, people like him won't do anything without a profit. This time, he probably knew about it and brought some things with him. Otherwise, how could there be all these calls of 'Master Cui' outside now?"
After a long silence, Wen Youqing closed her eyes again. "I'm tired. You can handle his affairs. I won't get involved."
Whenever it comes to Cui Junji, the two of them tend to remain silent rather than agree.
If Wen Youqing's hatred for Cui Junji was pure before, then after this incident, her hatred for Cui Junji was mixed with a lot of helplessness and indifference. A gentleman judges deeds, not intentions. Cui Junji's actions were indeed for the people, for the livelihood of Xunyang.
Even if it's for fame, just a show, as long as you do something practical, that's enough.
—
Having encountered such a human disaster during childbirth, Wen Youqing felt that her health was not as good as before no matter how much she took care of herself.
She ate a big bowl of tonic every day, and it was okay to swallow it while listening to the banging sounds of construction outside the window.
After staying indoors for too long, she couldn't help but go out. When she reached the ridge of the field, she saw the plants still burnt black.
There is too much wood ash and we can’t grow anything on this land right away.
Wen Youqing sat on the ridge of the field wrapped in a thick cloak. Sishi was beside her, comforting her softly, "Miss, this is not your fault. Life will always go on."
"Yeah," Wen Youqing looked up at the gray sky, "Life will always go on. Sishi, is there any place you want to go, or anything you want to do?"
Si Shi knelt beside Wen Youqing and said, "This servant is not going anywhere. I will just follow the young lady."
"There's no need. I'm tied up, and you don't have to be tied up here. I'm not driving you away, but giving you a different path. I will return your indenture to you and give you a large sum of money. Once you're better, maybe you'll be my way out, Sishi. Think about it carefully before you reply to me." Wen Youqing said sincerely.
Sishi understood that this was not a desperate solution, but the path that the young lady wanted, the path that could help her.
After a moment's silence, Si Shi said, "My ancestors were escorts, but they fell into decline because something went wrong while escorting the emperor's katydid. I want to rebuild my family's escort agency."
Wen Youqing smiled faintly, twisting the scorched wheat seedlings with his hands, and said with a smile: "Okay, you know where my things are, go and get them yourself: the deed to my property, the deed to my house, and one hundred taels of silver."
Infinite bitterness surged into Sishi's eyes. Just as she was about to kneel down, Wen Youqing supported her, holding back the tears in her eyes, and smilingly called out her real name, "Luo Ling, go make a name for yourself!"
After saying that, Wen Youqing turned his head away and stopped looking.
The footsteps faded, then gradually approached. Wen Youqing covered her eyes, her voice hoarse as she spoke: "Anything else?"
The person behind him didn't say anything, and Wen Youqing realized that the person was not Luo Ling.
Wen Youqing raised her head and saw who was coming. Her tears stopped instantly. She stood up and said coldly, "What's wrong?"
"I want to explain it to you clearly."
"No need. I'll get everything off my chest today," Wen Youqing said sternly. "I don't want to be involved in the affairs of the aristocratic families. If you serve the people, that's fine. If not, it has nothing to do with me. I don't know if you feel guilty or have other motives that require you to maintain a good relationship with me. I just want to say that on the surface, we have nothing to do with each other, but inwardly, we are just strangers. It's all about understanding each other."
Cui Junji lowered his eyes and remained silent for a while before he said, "Have you always...thought this way?"
"What else?" Wen Youqing was puzzled. "What other thoughts should I have about you? The engagement was arranged by our elders, and I haven't even spoken to you. If I'm attracted to you, then I can also be attracted to any man with a decent reputation in the world. I went through life and death with you, and that was all part of your plan to eliminate the henchmen of the Wang family in the border army. I was just an innocent person implicated. As for the rest, I really have nothing to do with you, sir, right?"
That cold look finally made Cui Junji understand that it wasn't because he couldn't hold back, nor was it intentional. It was all his wishful thinking, driven by his own desires. Cui Junji chuckled and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Madam, we are just strangers who have met a few times. I understand. I won't bother you again."
Having said this, Cui Junji still placed the box in his hand on the ground not far from Wen Youqing, stepped back a few steps and said: "Some tonic medicine, I hope Madam and...Brother Chen can use it. Goodbye."
The sky was still gray. Wen Youqing looked into the distance and saw the nagging A Lu, the people who were burned to death, and the endless green.
It’s so difficult. Living, living well, turns out to be so difficult.
As soon as she entered the house, "The court has sent a summons. Lord Shen is incompetent in governing and will be transferred back to the capital from today." The new maid said dejectedly what she had heard. Her family died in the fire. She knew that Lord Shen was a good official and Wen Youqing was also a good person. Once the two of them left, Xunyang didn't know what kind of future they would face.
Wen Youqing didn't rush into the house. She took the child and coaxed him. The child hadn't been named yet, and there was no time. Wen Youqing didn't have much affection for him. After a long while, she said, "Do you want to come with us?"
"Can we find out who set the fire by going to the capital?" The little maid's eyes were filled with innocence and resentment.
"Yes, but we may not be able to kill him." Wen Youqing looked at her seriously, "Can you endure playing coy with him and wait until he's at his weakest to deliver the fatal blow?"
"Sure," the maid looked back at her seriously, "as long as the outcome is to kill him, anything is fine."
At that moment, it was as if a bolt of electricity flashed through Wen Youqing's spine, causing her to straighten her back. Watching the wheat grow was certainly a joy, but that joy was short-lived, worn away by the exhausting labor.
But hatred is real. After revenge, you will feel empty, and the cycle of revenge will never end.
These are all bullshit from those treacherous abusers who are just trying to keep themselves alive.
Wen Youqing finally found the pillar that kept her alive.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
