Chapter 236 I feel sorry for them
Looking at Zhong Min's face full of indescribable determination, Ning Zhiyuan felt very uncomfortable. He knew that no matter what he did, he could not change the idea that had already formed in Zhong Min's mind. So he told himself that he didn't need to care, just keep working hard. One day, he believed that sincerity could melt all obstacles.
He smiled faintly. Although he knew that Zhong Min had said the last sentence specifically for him, he still did not show any bad emotions. He continued to speak as if he was talking to himself, "I understand what you mean. Don't worry, I won't force you to do anything except let you go."
Seeing Zhong Min blink slightly but not saying anything else, Ning Zhiyuan thought for a moment and changed the subject, "Min'er, why don't we talk about something else? I think you should be curious about the real Li Jin'er. Don't you want to know how I met Li Jin'er, and what kind of relationship I had with her before? I think you must have thought about these things before, right? After all, I showed extraordinary concern and familiarity when I first met you. With your mind, it is impossible not to think about these things."
Ning Zhiyuan's words successfully caught Zhong Min's attention. She had to admit that she had been very curious about the relationship between Li Jin'er and Ning Zhiyuan since the beginning. She didn't understand why two people with completely different identities had the opportunity to come into contact. But the more Ning Zhiyuan said this, the more reluctant she became to ask, and the more she couldn't show too much curiosity.
Still without saying a word, she just glanced at Ning Zhiyuan briefly and then looked away. Zhong Min suddenly found that she had become so awkward without knowing when.
Seeing this, Ning Zhiyuan didn't ask any more questions, but instead began to talk to himself, "Li Jin'er was originally an assassin for the imperial secret organization. You're well aware of this identity, but she's simply not suited to being an assassin. I think if Qin Ke hadn't been secretly protecting her during the years she joined the secret organization, she would have died long ago. Perhaps it was because of this that, when she was struggling in such an ugly and indifferent environment, she was able to find someone who treated her well, which is why she fell in love so obsessively."
Zhong Min couldn't help but be attracted by Ning Zhiyuan's words. She didn't expect Ning Zhiyuan to talk about Li Jiner so calmly. She couldn't help but look at him and listened quietly to what he said next.
"Li Jin'er is actually quite kind and innocent at heart. She doesn't want to live like this at all and has always wanted to leave the secret organization, but that's not an easy thing to do. So, when she received the mission to be sent to Muzhou to monitor Xiao Mingzheng, I went to find her."
Ning Zhiyuan paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "You must have been very curious about why I went looking for her before, right? But now, I think you already have some idea. When Ah San came to find you, you understood that Li Jin'er was not only a spy sent by the court to the Prince Mu's Mansion, but also had another identity, acting as a double agent for someone whom Ah San and others called "Young Master". That's right, I am the Young Master they are talking about. As for why I did this, that is another question. After I answer Li Jin'er's question, if you still want to know, I will tell you about my own story separately, okay?"
Seeing that Ning Zhiyuan had said so much, Zhong Min no longer pretended to be indifferent and nodded silently, agreeing. In fact, after going through so many things, she gradually had some understanding of the situation. However, there were still many truths hidden beneath the surface that could not be guessed by simple speculation.
Now, she was just a prisoner treated better than others. During these long days of imprisonment with no known duration, it would be a natural thing for her to take the opportunity to figure everything out. At least in the future, she wouldn't have to worry about these things anymore, and she wouldn't be able to let them go. And if Ning Zhiyuan was willing to explain everything to her, why wouldn't she agree?
It's just a matter of belief or not. With Ning Zhiyuan's character, there is no need for him to tell any lies at this time. After all, she didn't have time to ask. If he told a lie, he might as well just keep silent.
Seeing Zhong Min nod, Ning Zhiyuan continued, "I asked Li Jin'er to go to Muzhou as a spy while also working for me. She was required to report any new information to me first, and I was willing to agree to any conditions she proposed. At first, she didn't agree immediately, saying she would go back and think about it. But I believe she will agree, but I don't know what conditions she will propose."
"Three days later, she finally came to me again and agreed to my request. Actually, I knew in my heart that it wasn't an easy decision for her to make given her status as a secret agent. If she were to be discovered, her fate would be dire, even death without a burial place would be the least of her problems."
"So I was very curious about what she would ask for in exchange for my terms. Finally, after much hesitation, she offered a request that moved me quite a bit. It was that after she completed the mission I gave her and returned from Muzhou, I must ensure that she and the other person could safely leave the capital. I would send them to a place where they wouldn't be discovered by the imperial secret service, forever freeing them from their previous lives."
Hearing this, Zhong Min couldn't help but ask, "Is the person Jin'er said she was taking with her Qin Ke?"
Her heart ached, for Li Jin'er and Qin Ke, this couple in dire straits. Previously, she only knew Qin Ke's infatuation with Li Jin'er, but she hadn't expected Li Jin'er to be just as devoted. A woman willing to risk utter destruction simply to secretly secure a stable future for herself and her loved one might not seem particularly commendable, but a moment's perspective on Jin'er's situation revealed the immense determination and courage it took. Without the unwavering belief in love, such a move would be difficult to achieve.
Unfortunately, fate played tricks on her. Li Jin'er never thought that she would forget so suddenly. She didn't even have time to look at the person she loved the most, and didn't have time to tell Qin Ke about the most beautiful and anticipated future hidden in her heart.
She suddenly felt an immense irony and sadness. If she hadn't been reborn into Li Jin'er's body, would Jin'er have survived? If that were the case, would Jin'er and Qin Ke have had a chance to live happily together?
Her appearance changed the fate of so many people. It was unclear whether this was God's will or something else. If it was, then God was too cruel, wasn't he? Jin'er and Qin Ke had both been born with extremely difficult fates. From childhood to adulthood, not to mention their past, even joining the secret organization, they had endured countless hardships that ordinary people couldn't even comprehend or imagine. And now, having just seen a glimmer of hope, they had ended up like this.
For the first time, she regretted her rebirth so much. Perhaps for her, it was a blessing in disguise, but it was not the case for others. At least, she really took over Li Jiner's life.
Of course, if you think about it from another perspective, it is possible that even if she had not been reborn into Jin'er, Jin'er might not have survived. However, if it was really because of her rebirth that Jin'er died, then she really couldn't express how she felt in her heart.
"Yes, it was Qin Ke that Li Jin'er wanted to take with her." Seeing that Zhong Min's expression seemed a little strange, Ning Zhiyuan asked worriedly after saying this: "Min'er, are you okay?"
Zhong Min shook her head, trying to calm herself. She sighed and said slowly, "I'm fine. I just feel sad for Jin'er and Qin Ke. Go on. I'm much better now."
No matter what, everything was already a foregone conclusion. What else could she do except feel sad for the poor couple?
Seeing this, Ning Zhiyuan didn't say anything else. Instead, he stood up and poured a cup of tea and handed it to Zhong Min: "Drink some water. You can listen, but don't think too much about it."
After hesitating for a moment, Zhong Min took the teacup handed to him by Ning Zhiyuan, slowly took two sips, and his expression gradually relaxed a lot.
"You already know what happened to Li Jinshang'er and Qin Ke later, so there's no need to elaborate. Although my relationship with Li Jinshang'er was purely business at the beginning, I never intended to deceive her. After she secretly sent me intelligence with perfect preparations several times, I began to send people to prepare them for her. However, I later discovered that the situation had changed. At first, I didn't know what had happened. It wasn't until I went to see you at Prince Mu's Mansion under the emperor's order that I realized that Li Jinshang'er was no longer the same Li Jinshang'er as before."
Ning Zhiyuan had always been kind to those who truly loved. Perhaps it was because he had rarely seen such touching things since he was a child, so he yearned for them deeply. Although Li Jin'er and Qin Ke were no longer with him, in his opinion, at least they had loved each other deeply until their death, and that love had never changed. So what was there to be dissatisfied with?
Zhong Min took another sip of tea, then looked at Ning Zhiyuan and said, "I do know everything that happened to Jin'er afterwards. If I'm not mistaken, your identity shouldn't be just as simple as the Prime Minister of the Imperial Court, right?"
She didn't passively accept it anymore, but chose to take the initiative and said with extraordinary certainty: "I think your surname is not Ning, but Shangguan. You are not a citizen of this country at all, but a member of the Xirong royal family. That Shangguan Hong should be a relative of yours, right?"
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