Chapter 86 During her nighttime rendezvous with Mu Han, she suppressed the deep sorrow and turmoil in her heart…
*
The person on the bed fluttered their eyelids, their breathing quickened, and after a muffled groan, slowly opened their eyes. Upon seeing Shen Linlang sitting beside the bed, they murmured, "Mother..."
The way she called out "Mom" had a hint of coquetry and a touch of grievance, and then she snuggled closer, saying, "I feel so bad."
This heartwarming scene of mother and daughter is just like many others over the past sixteen years.
"It's good that she's awake." Gu Ruxu coughed lightly, as if reminding Shen Linlang, "Linlang, Tang'er has woken up, so you can rest assured. Ali was frightened just now, so I'll take her to rest."
Shen Linlang's hand, which was about to stroke Yu Liuzhu's hair, hovered in mid-air. Her tone was tinged with guilt and unease as she asked, "Ali, are you alright?"
Shen Qinglu shook her head, then nodded, her gaze fixed on Yu Liuzhu.
Yu Liuzhu seemed to realize what had happened and repeatedly apologized, "Sister Ali, I didn't mean to. I just woke up and I'm still confused. I thought it was before. Mother... have I caused you any trouble? I'll leave right away..."
She tried to get up, but after raising her body halfway, she slumped back down, looking pitiful and weak. "I can't get up. Can you let me rest for a bit? I'll leave as soon as I'm better..."
"Tang'er!" Shen Linlang hugged her tightly. "No one is driving you away. You can stay by your mother's side from now on."
"Mother!" she exclaimed in surprise, then shook her head with tears in her eyes, "Ali is still watching, I can't let you be in a difficult position."
Then he looked at Shen Qinglu and said, "Ali, don't worry, I'll leave as soon as I'm better."
That pitiful posture and pleading gaze were all too familiar to Shen Qinglu.
These are all old tricks I've used before!
"Cousin Tang'er, my mother has decided to keep you here, and I will listen to her." After saying this, her large, dark eyes suddenly filled with tears, and large tears fell silently down her cheeks.
Upon seeing this, Yu Liuzhu pinched herself hard, tears streaming down her face from the pain. "Sister Ali, don't worry, I'll leave once I'm better. I won't fight you for anything."
Gu Ruxu frowned, her tone tinged with impatience, "Remember what you said: leave once you're better, so as not to make things difficult for others."
After saying that, she patted Shen Qinglu on the back, "Ali, you're tired too. Your aunt will take you to rest."
Shen Qinglu nodded obediently and followed her out with reluctance and unwillingness.
The moment the curtain closed, she burst into tears.
Gu Ruxu comforted her, "Good child, your aunt will stand up for you."
"Aunt... I'm fine. There's a lot of work waiting for you at the General's Mansion. You should go back now. Don't worry about me. I'll see you off."
"Mother, have I made things difficult for you?" Yu Liuzhu asked cautiously, her lowered eyes showing no sign of pity, only the smug satisfaction of her successful scheme.
"Don't overthink it, I'll talk to Ali properly."
Shen Linlang was still holding her, so she couldn't see the complex emotions in the other person's eyes.
Of course, she had no idea that through the curtain at the door, Shen Qinglu coldly looked back, her eyes full of sarcasm, showing no sign of sadness or distress whatsoever.
The footsteps faded away, and Shen Qinglu and Gu Ruxu had already left the courtyard.
After walking a while longer, completely away from the main courtyard, Gu Ruxu stopped, her eyes filled with affection. "Your mother raised her for sixteen years. Even if it were a cat or a bird, she would have feelings for it. Don't blame her."
"Aunt, I know all of this."
Are you sad?
Shen Qinglu's tears were still wet in her eyes. Upon hearing this, she shook her head. "I'm not sad, and Aunt doesn't need to worry. My mother is simple-minded and soft-hearted, but her surname is Shen, and I believe she has her reasons for doing this."
“I’m very happy that you think this way. I’m just worried that your mother is too sentimental and might act on her emotions.”
"If that's the case, there's no use worrying."
*
The brothers Yu Jingxian and Yu Jingliang returned home one after the other and both saw Shen Qinglu standing in the yard.
Even with her back to them, her fiery red dress and graceful figure were already as beautiful as peach blossoms and plums, but the expression on her face as she looked towards the left wing revealed a sense of sorrow and loss.
"Ah Li, are you alright?"
Why are you standing here?
The two brothers asked the question almost simultaneously, one with a worried look in his eyes and the other with a furrowed brow.
Shen Qinglu turned around, her eyes still damp, and looked at them. "I'm fine now. My cousin Tang'er is sick, and Mother is taking care of her inside."
Why did she stay?
"Is Tang'er sick?"
The questions were asked at roughly the same time, but in reverse order. The person who was initially worried frowned, while the person who frowned showed concern on their face.
Yu Jingliang looked at Yu Jingxian with displeasure. Yu Jingxian's expression became unnatural. He said, "I'll go in and take a look," and then went to the left wing.
In the left wing, Shen Linlang was touching Yu Liuzhu's forehead and breathed a long sigh of relief. "The medicine has taken effect, and the fever has finally gone down. She just needs to sleep some more."
"Mother, I'm all better now. I should go, otherwise my little sister Ali will be unhappy. I don't want to make things difficult for you." Yu Liuzhu used the same trick again, collapsing before she could even get up.
"Tang'er, you're really breaking my heart. I've told you, you'll stay here from now on and not go anywhere else."
"Mother, is what you're saying true?" This was the first question Yu Jingxian heard as he entered.
His first reaction was happiness, and his second reaction was conflict.
"Mother, is this appropriate?"
It must be said that Shen Qinglu's several attempts to sow discord had some impact on him.
Yu Liuzhu was secretly furious. She clenched her fists and said in a tearful voice, "Big brother, you didn't mean it. I was already sick. The people from the Ministry of Justice came to testify for Sister Ali, but I didn't expect my body to betray me and cause trouble for Mother."
"What trouble or not?" Shen Linlang's expression was a little unpleasant. She helped her lie down again. "These days you haven't been by my side, and I can't even describe how sad I've been. Don't think about anything right now, just get some sleep."
With a lingering, complicated look in his eyes, he gestured for Yu Jingxian to leave with him. His voice, clearly lowered, drifted in from outside the door, "Eldest brother, you used to dote on Tang'er the most. Don't ask those kinds of questions again."
"Mother, I just feel that something is not quite right."
“If there’s anything wrong with it, whether it’s the Su family’s business or your grandmother’s child swapping, it has nothing to do with Tang’er.”
“…Then I understand.” Yu Jingxian’s hesitant and conflicted voice reached Yu Liuzhu’s ears without missing a single word.
She clutched the brocade quilt covering her, her knuckles turning white.
She had never stayed in this room before, but it was very familiar to her.
The familiar taste, the familiar layout, and the familiar feeling.
She's finally back!
The noise outside had faded away, and the room suddenly became quiet, but her heart was far from calm. A torrent of emotions and hatred surged within her, making it impossible for her to fall asleep.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard a creak.
Someone gently pushed the door open and whispered as they approached, "Young lady, Madam has sent me to serve you."
It's Dengzhi!
She suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze incredibly sharp.
Dengzhi lowered her head in fright, stammering, "Young Miss, I don't know what happened. I truly did return the things..."
After a long while, she still hadn't heard her voice. Dengzhi mustered her courage and looked up, only to see her expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. Her voice was even softer, "Young lady, you must believe me. I remember perfectly well, the things were indeed put back where they were, but I don't know why I couldn't find them?"
"I believe you." She softened the sharpness in her eyes and touched her forehead. It felt cool and damp to the touch, a result of sweating after the fever subsided.
Her heart was filled with despair. "It seems I underestimated Yu Li. She's even more cunning than I thought."
"Young lady... what should we do next?"
"You don't need to do anything." She took the handkerchief Dengzhi handed her and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I've finally come back, and all I want to do is spend quality time with my mother."
Beneath the west-facing window, someone had been lurking for an unknown amount of time, appearing and disappearing like a cat, unnoticed by anyone—it was Hanxiao.
With a smile, she walked around from the back of the house to the front, and arrived at the right wing, where she waited outside the door with a normal expression.
Inside the room, Shen Qinglu sat upright, with Xia Chan beside her.
Before them lay the autumn dew.
"...Miss Tang'er hasn't been feeling well the day before yesterday and hasn't left the temple. As for the eldest aunt, she hasn't been seen for two days in a row, and we don't know what she's doing."
"Okay, I understand. You keep an eye on things." Shen Qinglu took a sip of tea and gestured for her to leave.
She flattered, "Young lady, about the indenture... it's not that I'm urging you, it's that Miss Tang'er... she's a little dissatisfied with me, feeling that I'm not loyal enough to her because the indenture isn't in her hands."
Shen Qinglu put down her teacup and looked at her seriously. "Do you think I'm still a fool?"
"Young lady..."
"If I really gave the indenture to Yu Tang, would you still obey me?" Shen Qinglu curled her lips, not hiding her sarcasm. "Go down, and remember to do as I say."
She didn't dare say anything more and quickly took her leave.
Upon stepping outside and seeing Hanxiao, a deep sense of jealousy welled up within her. Of course, the jealousy wasn't directed at Hanxiao, but rather at Xiachan, who was able to be a trusted confidante of Shen Qinglu.
Xia Chan then came out and nodded when she saw Han Xiao.
With a smile, she understood and followed him into the house, recounting everything she had heard.
Finally, she voiced her doubts, "Miss, it's obvious they did this, so why did you remind that person before? The fewer people there are, the better. Wouldn't it be better if Miss Tang'er had no one to help her?"
That person refers to Yu Qingxue.
"If something happens to Yu Qingxue, Yu Liuzhu will indeed lose a helper, but he will also lose a great burden."
There was another reason that Shen Qinglu didn't mention: she still had a question in her mind, and Yu Qingxue couldn't die before things were cleared up.
*
The night was dark, with no stars or moon.
The lamplight cannot penetrate the boundless night, but the night cannot block the overflowing fragrance of flowers. Perhaps it is because the night is deep and quiet, free from the turbidity of the world, that the elegant fragrance of pear blossoms can waft freely.
The uninhabited courtyard appeared exceptionally desolate, with only the lanterns on the eaves of the waterside pavilion shining forlornly. As the weather grew warmer day by day, the dampness, the smell of water plants, and the mud in the pond were much heavier than when it was cold.
A girl in red with ink-black hair stood by the water, letting the night wind blow her skirt and hair, which flickered in and out of the light and darkness, like a guiding flower blooming on the path to the underworld, waiting for the destined one.
Just as she expected, the destined person appeared gracefully behind her.
"Why are you here all alone?" The voice, as soft as falling snow, sounded especially desolate on such a night.
They arrived as expected.
Shen Qinglu thought to herself, but did not turn around.
Suddenly a cloak wrapped around her, blocking the night wind from blowing on her.
What is this person doing?!
"I'm not cold."
She took off her cloak and returned it to the person who came.
The person who came was persistent, saying, "You're cold."
"..."
That's enough.
These are trivial matters; important things are more important.
As she pondered this, her tone shifted, becoming both melancholic and resentful, "No matter how cold the weather is, it's not as cold as my heart. Last time I almost drowned, and this time I've been framed for murder. I just want to live, why is it so hard?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Hanshi's eyes were filled with pain.
His A'Zhu...
Did you also want to live before?
In a daze, he seemed to see that sickly girl, so thin and so calm, who, even when she couldn't sleep at night due to physical pain, still managed to comfort him.
"Brother, don't be afraid. Death is nothing to be afraid of. I'm just going to wait for you over there."
Now that they have finally reunited, he dares not recognize her.
"I told you, I would help you, and no one can hurt you."
Shen Qinglu sneered inwardly. These words sounded sincere, but who knew if they were true or false?
She tried to guess what the person in front of her was thinking, and she did have a guess.
The struggle for imperial power is cruel and bloody, and those who fight for it least want their weaknesses and vulnerabilities to be known. Therefore, when someone approaches her and tries to win her over, their purpose is likely the same: to protect someone they care about, and to keep her under control by winning her over.
What a pity.
If she loses her life, even if others make a promise, she won't get to eat it.
"I've tasted death once, and I really don't want to taste it a second time." She finally turned around, her small face streaked with tears. "You said you would help me if I needed it. I don't ask for anything else, I just want to live well, and if anyone tries to take my life, I can fight back with all my might, okay?"
"Of course." Mu Hanshi felt an overwhelming sense of regret and self-reproach, and he couldn't explain it. "I'm sorry, I made you misunderstand before."
Is it a misunderstanding?
She was half-believing and half-doubting, and a strange feeling arose in her heart. "What happened today is inseparable from Yu Liuzhu. She wants my life, and I can't help but fight back. Between her and me, it has become a life-or-death situation."
I know Yu Liuzhu holds a special place in your heart. You once said that as long as I don't target her, I can choose any status, power, or wealth in this world. But if I lose my life, what do status, power, or wealth mean to me?
After she finished speaking, she held something in her hand.
It was a dagger. When the dagger was drawn, it flashed with a cold light, and then she handed the hilt to Mu Han.
In the exchange of a handshake and a handshake, their skin inevitably touched.
Mu Hanshi suppressed the deep sorrow and throbbing in his heart, his deep, still eyes completely embracing her.
Her decisiveness, her coldness, were so unfamiliar.
"what you up to?"
Shen Qinglu's face fell as she gazed at the pool water, which resembled a dark pool in the night. "I said, I want to live. Heaven doesn't care, the King of Hell doesn't care, it's all up to you. If you want to stop me, then kill me now!"
As she spoke, she subtly placed her hand on the mechanism of the hidden arrow in her sleeve, a cold and ruthless glint flashing in her eyes.
If she doesn't survive, she'll take someone down with her!
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