Chapter 13 A Clear Chant
Because of Wang, the soldiers did not enter the house to search.
After the others had walked away, she slowly entered the courtyard and stopped at the entrance.
"Miss, I'm coming in."
Liu Xi pressed down on Huo Lin's hand, which was about to draw his sword, and slowly shook her head.
She opened the door, trying her best to keep her expression hidden.
Wang took a deep breath, her tone carrying a hint of compromise.
"The young lady must be a noblewoman in the palace."
Liu Xi neither admitted nor denied it.
Wang's background seemed difficult to talk about, but when facing Liu Xi and Huo Lin, she knew that if she didn't tell them everything, she might be used as a threat and eliminated by the two of them.
She clenched her fists and then released them several times before the sound finally came out of her mouth.
"I was originally a courtesan at Hongxiangyuan, selling my art but not my body."
“Once, while I was entertaining guests, a drunk man forcibly took me to his room and did that to me. Only afterward did I find out that the man was actually the prefect of the capital. How could a woman like me, adrift in the world, possibly stand against a prefect of such stature?”
“From then on, he always wanted me to accompany him and wouldn’t allow me to see other customers. I asked him to redeem me from my brothel and take me home as his concubine, but he refused, saying that having an affair with a prostitute would damage his reputation.”
"Until one day, I found out I was pregnant."
"Since his wife couldn't give him a son, he was hoping for my pregnancy. He redeemed me in the name of his trusted confidant Zhang Feng and kept me as a mistress. He would come to see me often during those months of luxury and wealth, which fostered my love for him."
"Unfortunately, I had a daughter."
“He will never be gentle and kind to me again, and will even beat and scold me at the slightest provocation. Somehow his wife found out about our affair, and the master pushed me to Zhang Feng, saying that from now on, I am at his disposal.”
“In other people’s eyes, I was a worthless thing. Zhang Feng took me away as a gift to win over or curry favor with other colleagues. I moved among men and gradually gained a dishonorable but useful reputation.”
At this point, Wang's body swayed precariously, and she could only slowly sit down by supporting herself on the table with her hands.
“But my child can’t grow up like this. I took her to find the prefect, but he didn’t recognize her as his child. I wanted to leave with my daughter, but Zhang Feng couldn’t bear to part with me, his obedient and useful pawn.”
"I have no choice, I have no other option."
Wang wiped away her tears and said in a trembling voice.
“I sent my daughter to Hongxiangyuan and made an agreement with Zhang Feng that as long as he raised my daughter and patiently nurtured her as a courtesan, I would guarantee that my daughter could continue to win over his colleagues.”
"Besides that, they also want me to leave. Zhang Feng is a complete scoundrel, and he's not even willing to give me any money to protect myself."
After Wang finished telling her story, Liu Xi remained silent.
"I'm sure you can guess why I'm doing all this today."
Wang knelt on the ground and moved with her knees to get close to Liu Xi's feet.
"Please, young lady, find a way out for my daughter. As long as she doesn't follow in my footsteps, I'll do anything you ask."
"Please stand up and speak first."
Liu Xi reached out to help Wang Shi, but Wang Shi grabbed her wrist instead.
“My lord, although I do not know why the prefect of the capital wants to arrest you, I have a way to get you back to the capital safely.”
For Liu Xi, protecting a woman working in a brothel was not a difficult task.
What worries her is that Wang's involvement may extend beyond just the prefect of the capital.
Liu Xi had known Zhang Feng since her previous life, but she had always thought he was on the side of the Second Prince.
Only today, after hearing what Mr. Wang said, did I realize that he was actually a sycophantic opportunist working for the He family.
If you get involved rashly before you understand the complexity of the relationships behind it, you can easily get trapped in it.
Seeing the expectant look in Wang's eyes, Liu Xi couldn't bear to refuse outright.
"I will consider this matter."
Madam Wang repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude, saying, "The mountain roads around here are all guarded by government troops. If you trust me, I will arrange for people to escort you both back to the capital."
Liu Xi and Huo Lin exchanged a glance, then nodded.
This place is isolated from news, and with the He family guarding the surroundings, staying here would only bring Huo Lin harm, not benefit.
When Wang left, her body, which had begun to hunch over with age, suddenly seemed to straighten up. She walked with light steps, and her silhouette in the sunlight resembled that of a young girl in the prime of her youth.
"Does the princess really intend to help the Wang family?"
When it was time to get serious, Huo Lin no longer addressed the princess as Xi'er in a flippant manner. He understood the complex and intertwined power dynamics of the previous dynasty far better than the princess, a young woman raised in the harem.
He could see that Liu Xi was wavering; a young woman's kindness could sometimes be a fatal weakness.
But Liu Xi's calmness and rationality exceeded his expectations.
"These are all delaying tactics to appease the Wang family. We'll consider the rest after I return to the palace."
However, at this moment, Liu Xi was facing away from Huo Lin.
Huo Lin did not notice the hint of reluctance in her eyes as Wang Shi swayed.
At noon, Wang returned.
She was picked up by a carriage, accompanied by two or three drivers.
She changed out of her rough linen clothes, and her long hair, which was usually hastily tied up, was styled into the look of a noblewoman.
The coachman helped her down from the carriage, and she gently gave him a word of advice.
"I'll get ready and come right away."
Wang strode into the house, took out two straw hats with long veils from the cabinet, and handed them to Liu Xi and Huo Lin.
“I told Zhang Feng that I would pick up Zhimeng from Hongxiangyuan today and send her to his residence. The nobles can follow my carriage into the capital.”
"With me on the carriage and Zhang Fu's official badge in my hand, the soldiers will not stop the carriage from moving forward."
This method seemed foolproof. Huo Lin disguised himself as one of the coachmen, holding a whip and sitting at the front of the carriage, while Liu Xi disguised herself as a maid and sat inside the carriage with Wang Shi. The other two coachmen stood guard at the front and back of the carriage.
As the carriage traveled, Liu Xi felt somewhat awkward in front of Wang Shi.
Are you really planning to bring DedeCMS out?
"If we send her to the Zhang residence now, it will be difficult to see her again."
Wang lowered her head and chuckled softly.
“I have no intention of letting Dreamweaver leave Red Fragrance Garden.”
Liu Xi was startled. "Aren't you afraid that Zhang Feng will realize you're playing him and drag you back to hell?"
"Yes, I am scared, but when I think of my daughter, I am not scared anymore."
“My lord, my daughter Zhimeng will come of age in a year. At that time, even if I don’t personally send her to the Zhang residence, Zhang Feng will definitely go to Hongxiang Garden to snatch her away.”
"I hope you can spare a year and, for the sake of the help I gave you, save Dreamweaver and my daughter."
Wang Shi did not receive a reply from Liu Xi. The carriage slowly came to a stop, and Huo Lin's deep voice came from outside the door.
"Young lady, the soldiers have blocked the road."
Wang lifted the curtains and looked outside. There were at least several dozen soldiers gathered in front of her, and Zhang Feng stood in the center of the crowd with a wicked grin on his face.
"I knew it! How did you suddenly become so eager to hand your precious daughter over to me?"
"I never expected this, we actually caught a big fish."
"Sir, I was on my way to Hongxiang Garden. Why did you come to this godforsaken wasteland?"
Zhang Feng laughed arrogantly a few times.
"Do you think I've been raising these mountain bandits for nothing?"
“I have eyes watching when you go out and when you come back to your room, and what you bring back from outside.”
“I know everything, including when your beautiful daughter was kicked out of the house this morning.”
The dignified smile on Wang's face slowly cracked, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Liu Xi gently took her hand, trying to soothe her fear.
“Wang Yishuang, you are a prostitute who came from a brothel. Ask yourself honestly, have I treated you well?”
"How could you do such a thing, ah, hide a wild man in the house?"
"If you are truly lonely and restless, you are welcome to come to the Zhang residence to warm my bed. If one of me is not enough, I can call some colleagues to come until you are satisfied."
The harsh words enraged Liu Xi, but Wang Shi managed to remain silent and restrained herself.
Years have passed, and perhaps she no longer cares about propriety and shame, only knowing that her current forbearance is to exchange for a stable future for her daughter from a noble person.
"What nonsense are you talking about, sir? I'm just about to take Zhimeng to the Zhang residence."
Seeing that Wang was refusing to listen to reason and was about to be forced to drink a penalty cup, Zhang Feng stopped beating around the bush.
"Stop pretending! You've been harboring a wanted criminal who murdered the princess. What is your punishment?"
Upon hearing this, the coachmen were all so frightened that they jumped off the carriage and knelt on the ground, but Huo Lin remained motionless.
Now, Zhang Feng's attention was completely focused on Huo Lin, who was wearing a long black veil that obscured his face, standing in front of the carriage.
"You! Take off your hat!"
Huo Lin still didn't move.
"The lord is talking to you! Are you deaf?!" a guard next to Zhang Feng shouted.
Seeing this situation, Wang had no choice but to get out of the car.
"My lord, you have misunderstood. This is a guard I hired at a high price in Kyoto. As you know, things have been rather unsettled in the mountains lately."
She stood beside the horse, using her body to shield Huo Lin.
"Bullshit! I bet he's the wanted criminal you've been hiding!"
"Guards! Arrest him!"
Wang pressed down on Huo Lin's hand as he was about to draw his sword, and whispered in his ear, "Just bear with it a little longer."
Then, she stood calmly in front of the carriage, waving her hands continuously.
"It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, sir. If you continue to act so recklessly, it may delay your journey back to the capital to pick up Zhimeng."
Unexpectedly, Zhang Feng suddenly grinned maliciously.
"Dreamweaver? I don't need you to answer it for me!"
He suddenly waved his hand, and a hidden arrow lying in ambush in the mountains shot out, piercing Wang's chest.
Everything happened too suddenly; even Huo Lin, a veteran of countless battles, failed to detect the ambush in the shadows.
Liu Xi, inside the carriage, was unaware of what was happening outside. She only heard the sound of arrows piercing flesh and knew in her heart that something was wrong.
"I was worried you had a backup plan, but it turns out you're just at your last gasp. Don't you think so, General Huo?"
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