escape
The sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the mountain road. Both of them walked in silence with their heads down. In the silent forest, only the chirping of cicadas could be heard.
Zhao Qinglan was not in a position to speak, so he deliberately slowed down his pace so as not to let Zhao Fanghua fall behind him.
Zhao Fanghua kept his head down, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.
No matter how she said that Shen Xiujin deserved it, or how she described the past between them in detail, no matter what, she did kill someone, and there were no witnesses or evidence to prove that Shen Xiujin deserved it.
This place is not far from Penglai Villa. There are imperial guards patrolling from time to time, and even the people living at the foot of the mountain often go up the mountain. They will find Shen Xiujin's body soon.
Shen Xiujin, the third place scholar in the imperial examination, had been crowned by Zhao Qinglan, and was about to be promoted to a higher position. He was already highly sought after within the imperial court. Furthermore, to an uninformed outsider, Shen Xiujin seemed young and talented, yet his untimely death inevitably led to a careful investigation of his cause of death. Even with ancient criminal investigation techniques, one could deduce that he was struck in the head with a rock and then pushed off a cliff.
As long as he carefully checked the situation on that day and asked the people living at the foot of the mountain, he would know that he and Shuyu were both on the mountain at the time of Shen Xiujin's death. After all, there were three or five people who saw her and her servant along the way. In addition to the current situation -
He was covered in blood and Shuyu was injured. It was a hot summer day and their clothes were thin. There was no way for them to wash and change in the mountains, nor was there any way for them to teleport into Lirong Courtyard. The imperial guards of Penglai Villa could tell what had happened to the two of them at a glance.
Combined with Shen Xiujin's death, it is easy to speculate whether she has any connection with Shen Xiujin's death.
Even though she was the eldest princess, the emperor's sister, she shouldn't have been arrested and interrogated by the Ministry of Justice or the government. But what about Shuyu? What about Shuyu, who was just a maid?
What if they torture Shuyu?
She had watched so many TV dramas that she had some understanding of ancient punishments. Beating with a stick was the most direct one, and there were also needles piercing into nails and branding the skin with red-hot irons... They were both brutal and bloody, and how could a little woman like Shuyu endure it?
Regardless of whether Shuyu would give her up under torture, for Shuyu, this would be an unexpected disaster. How could she sit back and watch Shuyu being taken away?
If I admit it, the emperor is guilty of the same crime as the common people. Even if I am not sentenced to beheading or exiled to Lingnan, I will be demoted to a commoner.
If she was demoted to a commoner, she would have no way of surviving in this feudal era.
She had nothing, no money, no house, no close friends who could help her, and no life-saving skills to survive. Moreover, she was such a young and beautiful woman...
Almost instantly, countless tragic images emerged in her mind: a young lady being sold into slavery, a princess being married off to a minister of an enemy country as a concubine, a noblewoman from a marquisate being reduced to serving as a music teacher...
The novel she had read before, whose title, protagonist, and plot she had long forgotten, now appeared so vividly in her mind.
Thinking of this, Zhao Fanghua shuddered all over.
Zhao Qinglan noticed that something was wrong with the people around him.
Zhao Fanghua's eyes were hollow, as if her soul had been pulled out of her body. Her face was as pale as paper, and even her once cherry-red lips had lost their color. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and she kept muttering, "No, don't..."
He looked at her in confusion. He knew that Zhao Fanghua had just killed someone. This might be her first time killing someone, and the victim was her ex-fiancé. Although they had broken off the engagement and as far as he knew, their relationship was not good now, there was still some affection between them. He could understand that she would feel bad.
But she was not feeling uncomfortable now, but afraid, even extremely afraid.
Why was she so afraid? It was just a matter of killing someone who deserved it.
He really wanted to ask what was wrong, but he couldn't open his mouth. He could only look at the other person quietly, hoping that the other person would take the initiative to speak.
Zhao Qinglan narrowed her eyes slightly and thought carefully. She realized that something was very wrong with Zhao Fanghua's current condition.
Although she was always a little reserved and restrained when she was with Zhao Qinglan, she was always relaxed when she was with the little mute, and she chattered endlessly.
Although what he heard was all nonsense that was unpleasant to the ears, he had never been as silent as he was today.
Rather than remain silent like this, he would rather Zhao Fanghua say some nonsense to tease him.
Zhao Qinglan looked at Zhao Fanghua steadily: What's wrong with you?
Zhao Qinglan naturally couldn't understand Zhao Fanghua's inner thoughts at the moment.
To Zhao Qinglan, Shen Xiujin was dead and that was it. He was just an ant who could have been executed long ago, but because he was somewhat useful, he was forced to live a few more days.
He was born a prince and ascended the throne at the age of ten. Countless people died because of his words or because of him.
To him, Shen Xiujing's death was like a buzzing mosquito being swatted to death. He did not feel any psychological burden or pressure, but instead felt at peace.
But it was different for Zhao Fanghua, a good girl who grew up in a society ruled by law. She was sending a living person away by herself.
Seeing Penglai Villa right in front of him, Zhao Fanghua, who had been walking forward mechanically, suddenly stopped.
Zhao Qinglan was a little confused, but he paused and looked at her.
Zhao Fanghua bit her lower lip so hard that two teeth marks were left on it. She seemed to have finally made up her mind. She looked up at the little mute with a firm gaze and a calm voice, "Little mute, take me away!"
What?
Zhao Fanghua's words exploded in Zhao Qinglan's mind like a bolt from the blue.
Zhao Qinglan's pupils suddenly shrank and she looked at her in disbelief, wondering if she had just heard it wrong or was hallucinating.
Zhao Fanghua repeated firmly: "Little mute, take me away!"
Now Zhao Qinglan was sure that he was not hallucinating and had not heard wrongly. A raging rage burned in his chest, and his chest heaved violently. The hands behind Shuyu's back clenched into fists, and because he was using too much force, there was even a "crunching" sound.
Did she know what she was saying? Did she understand the meaning of what she was saying? Was she going to run away with a man she had only met three times and whose name she didn't even know?
Zhao Fanghua didn't notice Zhao Qinglan's look. She looked towards Penglai Villa with a somewhat empty gaze, immersed in her own world, talking to herself, as if trying to convince the little mute, or to convince herself: "Although we have only met three times, you saved my life on all three occasions. It shows that you are not only a good person, but also a very good person. You should not do anything bad to me. Besides, you are my savior, and I should repay you. It's just that I may not be able to do what I promised you before, and I may end up with nothing. In that case, it is normal for me to repay you with my body, I..."
Zhao Qinglan closed his eyes. He didn't want to listen anymore.
He didn't want to hear Zhao Fanghua swear to elope to another person, even if this so-called other person was himself.
For the little mute, Zhao Fanghua could abandon her wealth and glory, her status as the eldest princess, her secular family... and even...
Abandon him Zhao Qinglan.
Zhao Qinglan looked at Zhao Fanghua with red eyes. He really wanted to ask her, "Is the little mute so important to you? What about Zhao Qinglan? What position does Zhao Qinglan hold in your heart? How much of your heart do you have for Zhao Qinglan?"
If you want to elope with the little mute, what will happen to Zhao Qinglan?
The scene of the two of us drinking a bowl of mung bean ice together in front of the window this morning is still vivid in my mind, and her promise and her laughter are still echoing in my ears.
But less than three hours later, she was about to elope with another man.
Zhao Qinglan couldn't accept it.
Zhao Fanghua felt a little worried when she saw that the little mute didn't respond for a long time. Did the little mute think that she was a burden and was unwilling to take her with him?
She looked at the little mute, cautiously and even with a hint of flattery: "I'm easy to feed, I'm not picky about food, I eat very little at each meal, I can take care of myself, and I won't cause you any trouble..."
Zhao Qinglan listened to these words and looked at the pitiful eyes that looked like a stray puppy longing to be taken away by its owner, and she felt heartbroken.
So, for this unknown person with unknown family background, could she, the eldest princess, go to such lengths? She didn't want a life of luxury, or servants, but was planning to run the household herself?
But why did he even refuse to make mung bean ice cream for him in the evening?
Is Zhao Qinglan really not as good as the little mute in her heart?
Seeing the little mute still standing there blankly, Zhao Fanghua felt a wave of anxiety. On the one hand, she felt that her words were a bit abrupt and inappropriate, perhaps even offensive, and that any normal person would have gone back and thought about it carefully. But on the other hand, she was impatient and wanted a definitive answer as soon as possible.
If today's situation wasn't special, she would have directly asked the little mute whether she could do it or not. Regardless of whether she could do it or not, she should at least give her a definite answer instead of standing there like a piece of wood.
"You... I know you can't speak, but can you at least give me a reaction, please..." Zhao Fanghua pulled the little mute's sleeve and shook it gently, trying to soften her voice as much as possible and act like a coquettish person, hoping to get a response from him.
Zhao Qinglan looked at her little girl's attitude. It turned out that she was not only like this to herself, but also to the little mute, right?
Zhao Qinglan had never been special to her, had she?
At a certain moment, he even felt an inexplicable emotion surging in his heart, drowning him and making it impossible to breathe.
After a while, his stiff body was finally able to move. He moved, pointed to the Penglai Villa in front of him, and placed the jade under a big tree beside the mountain road. Under Zhao Fanghua's puzzled gaze, he tapped his toes and performed light skills and left gracefully.
He can't stay here any longer.
There was the whistling of the wind in his ears, but the voice of Zhao Fanghua, which he least wanted to hear at the moment, still reached his ears along with the wind.
"Little mute! Don't leave! If you want to leave, take me with you!"
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