Chapter 87 Marry me, everything I have is yours, you can…
*
The night was deep and quiet.
They were in the dim light and shadow, and at first glance they seemed to be leaning on each other, like a couple in love under the moon and flowers, but no one knew what was going on beneath the surface.
The daggers gleamed coldly in the night, their sharpness seemingly materializing as they pierced Mu Hanshi's body.
He never imagined that one day they would be at each other's throats.
"How could I possibly kill you?"
Such a low voice, like the whispered murmurs between lovers.
As Shen Qinglu felt a strange sensation, she looked into the depths of his eyes, as if she were standing by a lake under dark clouds, and she couldn't help but want to find out what was going on.
The emotions that overflowed from that restrained restraint were truly astonishing.
This person...
"So you're agreeing!"
Whatever his intentions, as long as he doesn't interfere in the matters between me and Yu Liuzhu, that's fine.
"I'll do whatever you want me to do."
"I don't need you to do anything. Just don't interfere when I'm fighting with Yu Liuzhu, okay?"
"good."
Why did you agree so readily? Could there be a trap?
"You cared so much about Yu Liuzhu before, can you really just stand by and do nothing?"
“She is connected to an old friend of mine, and I did try to protect her.”
Shen Qinglu seemed to be deep in thought upon hearing this.
"Then why have you changed your mind now?"
Because he has found his Azhu!
Mu Hanshi's eyes were deep. "I can't tell you the reason. You just need to know that I will always keep my promise to you."
If that's the case, then of course it's wonderful.
But Shen Qinglu didn't entirely believe it. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Can you swear an oath?"
Although oaths are useless, the fact that someone dares to make an oath reveals their attitude.
"I will not swear an oath."
really!
This person is spouting empty words and platitudes; he clearly just wants to keep her in check, but his ultimate goal is still Yu Liuzhu.
Once they truly clash, let alone her, even if she brought the entire Shen family and the General's Mansion, it would probably be useless.
Is there really no way out?
"Then you said you'd help me with anything, that you'd agree to whatever I wanted. You big liar, you've gone back on your word..."
"I will only say that I will not swear an oath."
"..."
Shen Qinglu choked, the flames of anger flickering in her dark, jade-like eyes, but when she met those deep, lake-like eyes, they seemed to be extinguished instantly.
"Since what you say is true, why don't you dare to swear an oath?"
Mu Hanshi sheathed the dagger and handed it back to her, his large hand enveloping hers. "Actions speak louder than words. A thousand words are useless. If you're worried I can't do it, I do have a way to relieve all your worries."
She felt the warmth on the back of her hand and instinctively tried to pull away, but to no avail.
This posture, this feeling, is so strange that it makes you want to run away.
"What method?"
"Do you remember when you suggested to me that if I really wanted to protect someone, the most direct way was to marry her?"
"..."
This guy is really crazy!
Shen Qinglu was shocked, her incredulous gaze fixed on Mu Hanshi's face as he slowly approached.
Those perfect features possessed breathtaking beauty, yet also a terrifying danger.
"If you're not comfortable with this, then marry me. In that case, everything I have will be yours, and you can command me at will. I will obey you without question."
The man's unique aura trapped her within it.
Her heart suddenly raced, pounding like a drum. With no way to avoid it, she quickly covered her face with her hands, saying, "I believe you, I believe what you said!"
After saying that, he shoved the person away and ran away without looking back.
The way they fled was almost like they were running for their lives.
The person had disappeared, but Mu Hanshi was still standing in the same spot.
He stared in the direction where the person he longed for had left, his eyes filled with a mad, insane light.
*
This night was quite exciting for Shen Qinglu.
After falling asleep, I had a series of absurd and chaotic dreams.
In her dream, she was surrounded by a mist, and a huge black shadow descended, sometimes transforming into a night owl, sometimes into a hungry beast, enveloping her like a swarm of clouds.
She had nowhere to escape and could only watch helplessly as she was trapped by the shadows.
Suddenly, the dark figure transformed into a human form, sometimes appearing as the older brother's face, and sometimes as Mu Hanshi's face.
"Azhu, Azhu, marry me, marry me..."
The voice switched back and forth, from gentle and intimate to damp and cold.
When she woke up, she seemed to be hallucinating, and the lingering sound was not her brother's voice, but Mu Hanshi's, which seemed to be pleading amidst its aggressiveness.
She rubbed her aching temples, her beautiful brows furrowed, trying hard to forget everything in her dream.
Just as she slipped on her shoes, Xia Chan lifted the beaded curtain and came in. The beads clattered together, making a pleasant sound that dispelled the haunting, demonic noise in her mind.
"Miss Tang'er got up before dawn. I heard from the old woman by the stove that she was personally watching the fire and making nourishing soup for the madam."
Xia Chan's words were even more effective, instantly clearing her mind.
She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled slightly.
For a moment, it resembled a magnificent sunrise, with boundless vibrant colors.
Upon seeing this, Xia Chan paused in her combing of her hair, secretly marveling at her daughter's exquisite beauty.
When she arrived at the main room, not only was Yu Liuzhu there, but the two brothers, Yu Jingxian and Yu Jingliang, were also present. The four of them sat around a table, which was steaming hot and filled with the aroma of food.
"Ali, come sit down, we've been waiting for you." Yu Jingliang called to her, gesturing for her to sit down next to him.
Shen Linlang sat in the upper seat, with Yu Jingxian and Yu Liuzhu on her right, and Yu Jingliang originally alone on her left. After she sat down, she achieved an eerie balance with the people opposite her.
Yu Liuzhu stood up and served her a bowl of soup.
The main ingredient in the soup is black-boned chicken, and you can also smell the aroma of medicinal herbs.
"This soup was cooked by Tang'er, you should all try it."
Shen Linlang was the first to pick up her chopsticks, followed by Yu Jingxian.
Yu Jingliang didn't move, and said with some disdain, "Mother, you can know a person's face but not their heart. There are some people you have to be wary of. I don't know if there's anything that shouldn't be added to this soup. You'd better not drink it."
"Erlang!" Shen Linlang looked over, her eyes showing displeasure.
Yu Liuzhu's eyes reddened. "Mother, please don't blame Second Brother. He has misunderstood me."
He then said to Yu Jingliang, "Second Brother, if you don't want to drink, then don't. I won't blame you."
Yu Jingliang scoffed lightly and turned to remind Shen Qinglu, "Ali, you shouldn't drink either."
Shen Qinglu nodded obediently, and deliberately trembled as she pushed the soup away.
Xia Chan immediately came over and used a handkerchief to wipe up the spilled soup.
The atmosphere became very strange; there was no joy and warmth of a family reunion, only a heavy atmosphere of conflict.
Yu Jingxian looked at this and then at that, and without saying a word, he put down his spoon.
"I know you don't like me, I don't blame you. If you don't want to drink, then don't." Yu Liuzhu said with tears in her eyes, looking pitiful and wronged.
That sickly face had a delicate fragility that evoked pity, especially with the tears in her eyes as she spoke words of self-pity, yet she seemed to understand others—a quality that Shen Qinglu found all too familiar.
She looked at the other person's face, which bore a resemblance to her past self, as if seeing a mask from the past.
“Mother, Second Brother’s concerns are not unfounded. In these turbulent times, it’s impossible to guard against the cunning of petty people. It’s best to be cautious.”
“Sister Ali, you can misunderstand me, and you can doubt anything I do, but you can’t slander my feelings for Mother. Mother raised me for sixteen years, and no one can replace our bond. How could I possibly harm her?” Yu Liuzhu picked up the soup in front of her and drank it all in one gulp to prove her innocence.
"Who are you trying to impress with this act? If you really added something you shouldn't have to the soup, you must have taken the antidote beforehand. How could you possibly let yourself get hurt?" Yu Jingliang's words were both direct and sharp.
Yu Jingxian was about to continue drinking his soup when he heard this and quickly stopped, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt, clearly unsure of who to believe.
"Second Brother, how could you not believe me!" Yu Liuzhu burst into tears. "Then I don't want to get in your way, I'll leave now..."
Before he could even stand up, his body swayed.
"Alright, that's enough." Shen Linlang said with a stern face, "Erlang, you've disliked Tang'er since you were little, and you've always made things difficult for her. After all, she's been your brother and sister for over ten years, how can you make such malicious assumptions about her?"
"Mother, don't be fooled by her, what happened yesterday..."
"Tang'er has been sick for two days. What does yesterday's matter have to do with her?" Shen Linlang frowned even more, her gaze towards Yu Jingliang filled with reproach.
Yu Jingliang pursed his lips, his face extremely pale.
"Second Brother, I know you don't like me, you only like Sister Ali." Yu Liuzhu said weakly, "Sister Ali is kind-hearted. In order to help her maid find her sister, she did not hesitate to offer a reward of five hundred taels of silver. Who would have thought that she would be targeted by someone with ulterior motives, which led to the disaster yesterday."
Those eyes, clearly filled with tears, looked at Shen Qinglu with utter ambiguity.
This is a contest, and also a play, a silent contest where it's either you die or I die.
"Mother, it's my fault, it's all my fault. I won't look for them anymore, I'll go get those paintings back right now!"
Shen Qinglu covered her face as she stood up, grabbed Xia Chan, and gave Yu Jingliang a look that said she was alright and that he could rest assured.
The process of retrieving the painting went smoothly. The innkeepers had obviously heard about the murder of Hua'er's parents and knew her identity, so most of them refused to accept her money.
The innkeeper of Sifang Inn, in particular, not only refused to accept her money, but also said that she could keep the painting if she wished.
"That girl is quite pretty. In my humble opinion, they've probably been targeted. Those people want to kill her and then frame someone else. It's a pity the girl's good intentions have resulted in this."
She gave a bitter smile and said that after this experience, she was truly terrified and didn't plan to look for anyone else.
The shopkeeper looked at Hanxiao beside her and sighed, "After what happened, it's no wonder the young lady has become so cautious."
Hanxiao replaced Xiachan and was the one who accompanied her to retrieve the painting today.
Before leaving, Hanxiao placed ten taels of silver on the counter.
The shopkeeper chased after them with the silver, but was stopped by Hanxiao.
"My daughter doesn't like to owe favors, so you'd better accept it, shopkeeper."
"The young lady is kind-hearted." The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted the money.
Shen Qinglu smiled and said, "The shopkeeper is a thoughtful person."
But the world is never short of people with good intentions.
For example, herself.
The carriage stopped shortly after it started moving, picking up Xia Chan who was waiting by the roadside.
After Xia Chan came up and sat down next to her, she nodded gently to her.
Ma Er cracked his whip and continued onward.
When we reached the busiest area, we suddenly stopped.
Then, his anxious voice came through.
"Miss, we've hit someone."
In front of the carriage lay a girl who looked very thin.
The girl's eyes were tightly closed, as if she had fainted.
Xia Chan stepped forward and checked the person's breath, saying, "Miss, the person is still alive. Should we take them to the clinic?"
Shen Qinglu nodded, instructing her and Hanxiao to lift the person onto the carriage first.
The carriage had barely started moving when the girl woke up, looking at them blankly. "Who are you?"
Xia Chan quickly explained, and after explaining, asked her her name and where she lived.
The girl's eyes grew increasingly blank, even somewhat panicked. "I...who am I? I don't remember who I am..."
She clutched her head, "My head hurts so much, who am I...?"
"Young lady, do you really not remember anything?" Xia Chan asked anxiously, grabbing her arm. "Think about it again, maybe you'll remember."
"I..." she murmured, "I can't remember, I don't remember anything..."
"Oh no!" Xia Chan's expression changed, and she looked at Shen Qinglu with anxiety. "Miss, this person seems to have forgotten who he is and where he lives. Should we report him to the authorities?"
"I won't see the officials, I won't see the officials..." The girl seemed frightened, her whole body trembling.
Shen Qinglu pretended to think for a while before saying, "Take her back first, and we'll talk about it after we find her family."
After being brought back to the Shen residence, the person was placed in a side room in the Pear Garden.
The girl cried out that she was hungry as soon as she entered the house, looking like she was about to faint.
Shen Qinglu hurriedly asked Hanxiao to fetch some food. After Hanxiao left, the expressions of the three people in the room all changed.
"So, there really was something wrong with that soup."
The girl nodded. "I soaked the handkerchief in water and fed it to the white mouse. After drinking it, the mouse became very excited and scurried around in its cage, unable to stop for a moment."
Is it poison?
"It is both poison and poison. If used occasionally, it can indeed refresh the mind. However, if used excessively, it will have the opposite effect. Although one may appear to be more energetic day by day, it is in exchange for shortening one's lifespan and will also cause one to lose one's mind."
Shen Qinglu was startled. "Would this be exceptionally delicious if used to make soup?"
"Does the young lady know about this?"
I've heard people mention it.
Her slender fingers tapped the table casually, her dark, jade-like eyes filled with icy coldness.
After a long pause, he said, "Then I'll trouble you to stay at my residence for a few days and help me deal with things."
“Please don’t be so polite, young lady. My brother said it’s our honor to serve you. We will do our best to help you in any way you need our assistance.”
This girl is Mei Xiaomei.
Xia Chan didn't go with them to retrieve the painting, not to avoid suspicion, but because Shen Qinglu arranged for her to go to the Mei family.
After meeting Mei Xiaomei, she took out the handkerchief that had been used to wipe the soup and asked Mei Wu if she had any connections to find someone to help check if there was anything wrong with the soup on the handkerchief.
Mei Wuwen told her that Mei Xiaomei had some medical knowledge.
She was naturally surprised and half-believing.
After Mei Xiaomei examined the handkerchief and said that the soup on it was indeed problematic, she excitedly made a request, hoping that the other party could help her young lady. This led to the amnesia incident caused by the accident, so that she could bring the person into the Shen Mansion in a logical way.
These seemingly coincidental events were actually orchestrated in advance by someone.
Despite being a participant, she still had doubts. When she was alone with Shen Qinglu and her servant, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss, how did you know that Mei Xiaomei knew medicine?"
Shen Qinglu lowered her eyes, her gaze dark and unfathomable.
After a long pause, he finally said, "I guessed."
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