Chapter 65 Peeping "Were you scared just now?" Mu Hanshi asked her. ...
*
The firelight illuminated the sky, but this corner remained in darkness, as if frozen for a moment.
Shen Qinglu tilted her head back, her vibrant colors appearing even more magnificent in the flickering light, like fireworks blooming in the polar night, possessing a breathtaking and eerie beauty.
Her deep, dark pupils reflected the person so close to her, and he seemed less cold and distant, without the dampness she felt when she saw him at night. He looked like a traditional Chinese ink painting under the moonlight.
Quiet, tranquil, and pleasing to the eye.
The sudden silence left her feeling somewhat dazed.
In her past life, when she cheated at cards or wanted to hear another story, she would hold her brother's hand like this, acting cute and coquettish.
"Who's behind this?" Guan Hu's angry voice broke the strange atmosphere.
“General Guan is truly laughable. Who is behind this? It’s clearly someone who doesn’t want you to publicly shoot your own subordinate, and is doing you a favor,” Shen Kunyao said.
Gu Ruxu was very close to him and could clearly feel that his tense body and expression relaxed immediately after Guan Hu's arrow was shot down.
The couple were of one mind; they looked at each other, their eyes revealing a deep understanding between them.
"You bastard Shen Kunyao, how dare you trick me!" Guan Hu drew his bow again, aiming at the hiding place of Shen Qinglu and Mu Hanshi.
Shen Qinglu was shocked and quickly let go of Mu Hanshi's hand, moving away as fast as she could.
To cover up her disloyalty, she even argued, "I should have known better. You weren't here to help at all. Maybe you and Guan Hu are in cahoots!"
She was so focused on saving her own life that she deliberately avoided looking at people because she was too shameless, and thus she didn't see the look in Mu Han's eyes that seemed to be searching for the truth.
He's definitely afraid of dying.
They really don't look alike at all.
But why did I feel an irresistible urge to get closer from the very beginning?
"Guan Hu and I are not in cahoots."
As he spoke, he was already beside her.
"You say you're not in cahoots? Who would believe that? Unless you prove it to me. Aren't you so capable? You used to say I could choose any money, power, or status I wanted, but now that it's time, you're acting like a coward!"
Her attempt to provoke her was clumsy, even naive. To avoid angering her and driving her crazy, she subtly moved to the side as she spoke.
Mu Hanshi took in her subtle movements, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"Muwei should be arriving soon." His voice was still very soft, with a hint of helplessness and a gentleness that he himself was unaware of.
Shen Qinglu gleaned two pieces of information from this statement: first, the current predicament would soon be resolved; and second, how could Mu Laojiu, as the younger brother, address his elder brother by his name?
"Whoosh"
Guan Hu drew his bow, and the arrow was aimed at their original location, but it was knocked down halfway by a jade pendant thrown by Shen Kunyao.
"Shen Kunyao, you dare to rebel! You truly harbor rebellious intentions!" Guan Hu was overjoyed. "Brothers, the Shen family is about to be built..."
"It's Lord Mu, it's the Divine Martial Guard, they've really come!"
Someone else shouted out.
Guan Hu was interrupted, his face contorted with rage, "Who the hell is messing with me again..."
"General Guan."
Upon hearing the voice, he turned around abruptly and subconsciously squinted.
The tall, chestnut-colored horse had well-developed tendons and strong limbs. Its bright, piercing eyes seemed to possess an innate spirit, and even its gait exuded elegance.
The man on horseback was fully armed with silver armor and red plumes, and had a handsome appearance. Although he was quite old, his features were still refined, and he looked more like a civil official than a military general.
Needless to say, this person was none other than Marquis Muwei, the Courageous and Resolute.
Behind him were two Divine Martial Guards, also on horseback: his son Mu Lin and Cheng Ying.
"What a coincidence that the three of us are able to get together today." He spoke casually, as if he were chatting about everyday things.
Guan Hu snorted coldly, clearly disliking his inappropriate reminiscing.
He and Shen Kunyao were good friends, having been partners since childhood, and later joined the Shenwu Camp together.
When they first entered the camp, the two families, in order to train them, made them start from the lowest rank of C-class guards. Guan Hu happened to be in the same batch as them.
Guan Hu came from a humble background, with neither family connections nor wealth. He entered the Divine Martial Camp entirely through his own abilities. He disliked scions of aristocratic families the most, yet in both the Heavenly Martial Camp and the Divine Martial Camp, scions of aristocratic families made up almost half the ranks.
Shen Kunyao was clearly a martial artist. In his youth, he was quite imposing just by standing there, and Shen Kunyao regarded him as a formidable opponent. The person he looked down on the most was Mu Wei, who had a delicate appearance but whose martial arts skills were inferior to his own.
Mu Wei seemed oblivious to his cold expression and continued speaking slowly and deliberately: "Look at you, so many years have passed, how come you're still the same? If you want to challenge Kun Yao to a duel, how can you not care about the time and place?"
"If you two really start fighting, those who know the truth will think you're just playing around like before, while those who don't will think that our Divine Martial Guard and our Heavenly Martial Guard are at odds?"
“I am acting under orders today, and there is nothing wrong with it.” He glared at him, his expression full of impatience. “We, the Heavenly Martial Guards, are on duty, and you, the Divine Martial Guards, are here to cause trouble. In my opinion, it is you who want to break ties with us.”
“That’s not right. You’re acting under orders, and so am I. Where’s the troublemaking?” Mu Wei remained unhurried. “Luckily, I know your character, otherwise I would have thought you were slandering me.”
"I am an upright person, and I sit upright!" He looked as if someone had stepped on his tail, and his expression changed instantly.
What annoyed him even more was that Mu Wei was still smiling at him, a smile full of tolerance, as if tolerating his unreasonable behavior. "What's your hurry? Why are you still the same as before? You lost to Kun Yao when you were promoted to commander of a thousand, and you quit the Divine Martial Camp in a fit of anger."
The Divine Martial Guard was staffed with two generals, one on the left and one on the right, four adjutant generals, twelve commanders of a thousand men, and twenty-four commanders of a hundred men.
The three of them climbed their way up from the third-rank guard, becoming centurions one after the other, neck and neck. In the competition to be promoted from centurion to commander, he challenged Shen Kunyao, declaring that the loser would no longer be allowed to stay in the Divine Martial Camp.
"Why do you still say such unpleasant things? I'm a man of my word, I didn't do it on a whim."
"You're willing to accept the consequences of your bet, there's no need for you to leave. Kunyao and I tried to persuade you to stay, but who knew you'd be so temperamental."
Mu Wei's words were too casual, but Guan Hu became angrier and angrier, his lungs almost bursting with anger. "You bastard Mu, shut the hell up."
"Why are you angry again? It seems the older you get, the longer your temper gets..."
"Muwei!"
"Alright, alright, we've reminisced about the past, let's get down to business."
Guan Hu was about to explode again, "You're such a sissy, you talk too much!"
Mu Wei remained unperturbed, as if he hadn't heard what he was saying. "You should remember that during the Chi Wang Rebellion, all the aftermath was handled by our Divine Martial Guard. We dealt with what we could, and the rest were handed over to your Heavenly Martial Guard. The Heavenly Martial Guard's duty is to protect the royal family, which is far more valuable than our rough work. This is just a small matter; how could we trouble you..."
He was completely bewildered, as if someone were reciting scriptures, and loudly interrupted, "I am acting on the orders of the Prince..."
"I am acting on His Majesty's orders," Mu Wei replied quickly, his voice louder than Mu Wei's.
Everyone knows whether the prince or the emperor is more powerful.
Guan Hu fell silent.
He glared fiercely at Mu Wei, then looked at Shen Kunyao and Gu Ruxu beside him, his jealousy flaring up. "That Shen Linlang, whose surname is Shen, has confessed to colluding with the Demon King back then..."
"Guan Hu, you can't just say things like that." Mu Wei's face darkened, and his expression changed from casual to cold and stern. "Your men took Shen Linlang and her child away, but I encountered them on the way. I've already sent them to the Divine Martial Camp. When did she confess? How come I didn't know?"
"You..." Upon hearing this, his expression changed drastically.
He was able to climb to this position, and apart from his own abilities, he certainly couldn't be stupid; he immediately sensed something was wrong from those words.
In the struggle for imperial power, sometimes even the smallest words or fragments of information can conceal a deadly weapon.
"Who told you that Shen Linlang has confessed?" He glared angrily at the person who had just delivered the message.
The man was so frightened that he knelt on the ground. "Reporting to the general, I saw that the man was one of ours, and he was also wearing the uniform of the Heavenly Martial Guard."
"Idiots!" he gritted his teeth, knowing he had to stop. He glanced at everyone, his voice still tinged with resentment. "Let's go."
All the Tianwu Guards have withdrawn; those who remain are all our own people.
Shen Qinglu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense nerves relaxed. She subconsciously touched her wrist, feeling the hardness of the sleeve arrow through her sleeve.
In those jet-black pupils, there was clearly a hint of relief at surviving a disaster.
"Were you scared just now?" Mu Hanshi asked her.
She had transmigrated and acquired a new body; she wasn't a mutant. It was just a body of flesh and blood, so how could she not be afraid? However, the more she heard these words from this person, the more sarcastic they sounded.
"I'm scared, I'm terrified." She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "If I could live, who would want to die?"
Is that what you think?
Is this person sick?
She said somewhat irritably, "Do you think you can live but want to die?"
Mu Hanshi did not answer, but quietly looked at her.
Even though they were so close, she felt like she was being spied on. This feeling came inexplicably, yet was extremely strong.
Call her ungrateful or call her a traitor, all she wants now is for this person to leave as soon as possible.
Aren't you going over there?
"It's not appropriate for me to serve in the Divine Martial Guard."
That's true.
Shen Qinglu turned her back and adjusted her angle several times, but she still couldn't see Mu Lin clearly. Either Cheng Ying blocked half of his view, or the other Divine Martial Guards obscured it.
The person in her memory was still in her mind, but seemed not as clear as before, especially after that chaotic dream that night. She tried to recall it carefully several times, but found that the face was somewhat blurry.
This feeling terrified her. She was afraid that one day she would forget the most important person in her life, so she wanted to look at Mu Lin's face more often and remember the face of the person she could not forget.
While she was trying to observe others, someone else was also observing her.
That unwavering gaze was impossible to ignore, as if it wanted to peel away her skin and bones, rip off her flesh, or rip open her belly to dig out her heart. The unease and fear made her unable to bear it any longer, and she had no choice but to turn back.
"Lord Mu, there's nothing more for you to do here. If it's not appropriate for you to show yourself, you'd better leave quickly."
The coldness in his eyes was clearly visible. The impatience at the corners of his lips seemed to make no attempt to hide it. His brows and eyes were filled with rejection and dislike.
Despite her dismissive demeanor, she possessed a natural and captivating beauty, as radiant and dazzling as a peach blossom, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the other face, which was pale and bloodless.
Mu Hanshi lowered his eyes and stepped back without saying a word.
Suddenly, the person vanished.
*
The firelight outside the wall has been removed, leaving only darkness.
Mu Wei was calling Shen Kunyao aside to talk. His previous nonchalant attitude towards Guan Hu was gone, and his expression was now serious.
"This matter could be a big deal or a small deal, you need to keep that in mind."
Shen Kunyao also had a stern face. "I know some people are probably getting impatient."
Mu Wei patted his shoulder, about to say something, when a Shenwu Guard came over to report that Yu Jingliang had surrendered himself and was now in the Shenwu Camp.
"This kid is quick-witted when it matters." Mu Wei laughed, glanced around at the Shen family members, and asked, "This matter involves the Demon King, we can't give people something to talk about, we still have to do what we have to do. Is your niece in the manor?"
He nodded and glanced at Gu Ruxu.
Gu Ruxu understood immediately and whispered something to Ying Ning.
Seeing this, Shen Qinglu quietly retreated until she reached a suitable position, where she bumped into Ying Ning.
After Yingning led her over, she stood obediently beside Gu Ruxu.
Gu Ruxu looked at her with the utmost tenderness and whispered, "Thanks to you, you did a great job."
Others might not understand the meaning, but she understood it immediately.
Just now, to buy time, she had Hanxiao shout out those two sentences in a man's voice. Others might not have expected it to be her, but Gu Ruxu knew of her exceptional intelligence and Hanxiao's abilities, and guessed it almost instantly.
"Ah Li, don't be afraid. Once you're at the Divine Martial Camp, it'll feel just like home."
After comforting her, Gu Ruxu introduced her to Mu Wei. "I was planning to host a banquet at my residence in a few days to let Ali make an appearance, but I never expected that you, her uncle, would meet her for the first time under such circumstances."
She stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and greeted him, "Uncle Mu."
Mu Wei, looking at her face which resembled Yu Qingxue's so closely, did not show any disgust. Instead, he smiled at her and said, "It's just bad luck. This is my first time meeting my niece as her uncle, and I haven't prepared a proper gift. I'll make up for it next time."
Then she waved her hand, signaling Cheng Ying to come and take her.
As the two passed by Mu Lin, she instinctively looked over.
If only this face were a little narrower and whiter, with longer eyes and thinner lips...
She abruptly shook off the thought from her mind and cursed herself for being greedy.
She is fortunate to be alive and healthy in this life, and to be able to see this face from time to time. Even if it is only four or five points similar, it is still a comfort. She should be content.
She is content with what she has and is easily satisfied.
Although she appeared expressionless, the joy in her eyes was still evident.
Like a star suddenly appearing, or fireworks bursting forth, it is dazzlingly beautiful, captivating at first glance.
Mu Lin could see it, and he could also clearly see someone who had left and returned from the shadows.
In those eyes, as still as the night, a storm suddenly arose.
*
A bed, a table, and a stool. The bed was covered with new bedding, and tea and snacks were laid out on the table. There was also a small clay stove with water boiling nearby. If someone suddenly appeared here, they would think it was the room of an ordinary family, but it turned out to be a prison cell in the Shenwu Guard.
When footsteps approached, Shen Linlang, who was sitting at the table, quickly looked over.
Cheng Ying opened the cell door and let Shen Qinglu in.
Shen Linlang grabbed her daughter's hand, looked her over, and then relaxed. "Not long after you left, the Tianwu Guards arrived. Your older brother and I were taken away by them, but luckily we met Lord Mu on the way. I was worried sick, afraid that something might happen to you on the road."
Shen Qinglu sat with her on the edge of the bed and recounted what had happened, omitting Mu Hanshi's part.
"I noticed that General Guan and my uncle didn't get along. Luckily, General Mu arrived in time, which saved us from a dangerous situation."
She glanced outside the cell and saw Cheng Ying talking to a jailer. She lowered her voice and said, "Ali, Yu Qingxue and... Tang'er are despicable, but what I want to tell you is that this matter is definitely not simple. It may involve a power struggle within the imperial court. I know you are a smart child, and I'm sure you've already guessed it."
It's not hard to guess.
Yu Qingxue's accusations were all one-sided and without any evidence. If it weren't for someone with ulterior motives taking advantage of the situation, how could it have alarmed the two chief ministers of the capital?
"Mother, Qiu Lu is still useful, so we can't expose it for now."
“Mother knows better and won’t tell anyone that we know who the informant is.” She stroked Shen Qinglu’s hair, her eyes full of relief. “You are even smarter and more composed than I thought. You are so good… yet you have suffered so much. Ali, I’m so sorry.”
That adopted daughter...
It's a complete waste of her sixteen years of hard work.
Cheng Ying spoke to the jailer about something, but instead of leaving, she opened the cell again and let Shen Qinglu come with her.
"The higher-ups have ordered that, to prevent you from colluding to give false testimony, you will be placed in solitary confinement."
What could people who weren't even born during the Demon King's Rebellion possibly know? What kind of fabricated stories could they possibly give? Why were they imprisoned separately?
When Shen Linlang asked the question, Cheng Ying replied, "I was just following orders from above. Please don't make things difficult for me, Madam."
"Mom, it's alright. My aunt said that being here is just like being at home, so I can stay anywhere."
Although Shen Qinglu said this, she was full of doubts.
She followed Cheng Ying inside, winding and turning all the way. The cells she saw afterward all looked like prison cells, with rotten wooden beds and broken mats, no tables or chairs, let alone small clay stoves.
"The prisons in this Divine Martial Camp are divided into three types. The one your mother lived in is the Heavenly Class prison, and what you see now is the Earthly Class prison." Cheng Ying suddenly turned around and asked her, "Then can you guess why the Heavenly Class and Earthly Class prisons are so different?"
In a society where class distinctions are clear and people are divided into different classes, this is true both outside and inside prisons.
"Those imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison must be people of high status, while those imprisoned in the Earthly Prison must be ordinary people."
“That’s right.” Cheng Ying raised the corners of her lips, appearing even more feminine, and could even be described as beautiful. “The moment I saw you, I knew you were a smart person, unlike your second brother.”
They first met at the Da Xuan Kong Temple, where she was still pretending to be stupid, so the other party wanted to tell her that she had already been seen through.
She remained calm and composed, showing no sign of guilt, her dark eyes looking directly at him. "Thank you for the compliment."
"Then guess again, where you're going to be locked up?"
"Isn't there a third option?"
"Aren't you scared? This third option might not be a good one."
Upon hearing this, she suddenly burst into tears, "I'm so scared, Lord Cheng, can you take me away?"
Then, stopping her crying, she asked Cheng Ying in a serious tone, "Will this work?"
Cheng Ying paused for a moment, staring at her for a while, as if sizing her up, or perhaps teasing her, "You're really interesting."
Her gaze didn't waver at all; her eyes curved into a smile, like the most carefree young lady in her boudoir, with an innocent expression. "Lord Cheng, you are quite interesting too."
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