Chapter 228

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Under Rui Ze's fierce glare, the maid whose hair bun was being yanked turned pale and blue-lipped, tears welling up, trembling and unable to speak for a moment.

Surveying the feeble ant before him, Rui Ze eased his grip slightly, his voice still deep, his anger somewhat abated: "You should know, the Empress is too kind and lacks her own mind, and sometimes acts foolishly, easily falling victim to others' schemes..."

"A servant who shares the master's gains and losses, who takes extra care and vigilance for the master to avoid calamity, is truly loyal and protective."

"Since it is not colluding with outsiders but a matter of your own household, speak the truth, and this Marquis may still show leniency as appropriate—"

The maid nodded tremblingly, quickly saying: "I have thought of this recently... if there is a chance, I should only report to the Marquis and Your Highness!"

Had someone else questioned her today, she would not easily betray the Empress, but as the Marquis said, this was a family matter, and the Marquis was ultimately family, who would not and could not use this to make things difficult for the Empress... by doing this, she was not betraying the Empress, but acting for the Empress's own good, after all, if this continued, the coming troubles might no longer be something the Empress could control!

As Rui Ze released his hand, the maid who had been anxious for many days hesitated no longer, bowed and kowtowed, and began to speak through tears.

Outside the carriage, layers of guards surrounded it, vigilantly keeping idle people from peering and eavesdropping.

Inside the carriage, as the maid wept and confessed, a secret never before anticipated was thus revealed.

Rui Ze's complexion was gloomy and silent.

He had thought he might casually root out a traitor with divided loyalties from the Jiaofang Dian, but unexpectedly this traitor was not a servant, but the mistress of the Jiaofang Dian herself... his foolish sister who had nothing but a beautiful face, never understood true priorities, and was always distracted when it came to truly important matters!

Doing such a foolish thing, hiding it from him for so long!

Rui Ze suddenly kicked over the table inside the carriage, accompanied by a thunderous sound, bowls and cups shattered and tea splashed, the maid shrieked in terror while trembling, and birds outside the carriage scattered in fright.

As his anger burned, Rui Ze wished to enter the palace immediately to question her, but upon seeing the letter silk the trembling maid held out before him, he fell silent for a while, slightly lifted his heavy eyelids, looked at the maid still sobbing softly, and said in a low voice: "Clean up your face, do not let anyone see anything."

The carriage and horses soon moved again, leaving Silent Dead Alley.

The birds startled into flight went in the opposite direction of the carriage, finally landing on the roof of Shen Ci, trying to find food there.

Inside Shen Ci, the Wu Nu was rehearsing the Nuo Dance for the Autumn Hunt Grand Sacrifice mountain ceremony half a month ahead, the sacrificial vessels were being inventoried and wiped, and the required sacrificial animals and tribute fruits and cakes also needed to be prepared in advance.

Xiangzhi held documents regarding tribute items, walked through the long corridor, and was about to request an audience with Tai Puzhe.

After the Autumn Hunt Grand Sacrifice ended, Xiangzhi was appointed as the Equal Official Assistant in charge of sacrificial vessels and offerings, precisely Liu Qi's earlier proposal.

Because Liu Guo's handling shifted from open to covert, under the Emperor's direction, the Court's second bestowal upon Xiangzhi only said she had merit in exposing spies, without specifically mentioning which route of spies, nor clearly stating that her origin was originally also a spy, only saying she had repeatedly achieved merit, was simple and sincere, and was fit to serve the gods and spirits, thus specially permitted to leave the palace, change from a family servant identity, and go to Shen Ci to serve.

Having obtained this position, Xiangzhi was diligent and conscientious, and whenever she had leisure, she must make up for learning to read; the document she handed to Shaowei at this time, because she felt her handwriting was ugly, was also the result of her copying it out three times as self-punishment, and when her wrists ached from copying, she felt that all the laziness she had once stolen in Taoxi Township had now come to settle accounts with her.

Shaowei looked it over and nodded in satisfaction, Zhan Zhan also came over, tilting his head to stare for a moment, then folded his wings back and forth, and seriously agreed indiscriminately: "Approved! Approved!"

Xiangzhi could not help but secretly rejoice, thinking, fortunately Zhan Zhan cannot be an official, otherwise he would surely be a muddled official and corrupt clerk very skilled at opening back doors for his own people.

Not long after, Yu Si Wu also came with the Wu Nu to report matters; as Xiangzhi withdrew, feeling the solemnity of the preparations for the Autumn Hunt Grand Sacrifice, a voice inexplicably popped into her mind: This time the Grand Sacrifice should not kill people again, right?

The abruptness of this thought startled Xiangzhi herself.

It was only because last month the Autumn Hunt Grand Sacrifice had blood splattered on the spot, Lingxing Terrace burned a demonic Daoist for praying for rain, on the fifth day of the fifth month the palace banquet caused an assassination blood case, and further back, on the third day of the third month the Grand Sacrifice had a fierce god evil spirit Commander of the Fine Clothes Guard executed on the spot, which she had also heard about... the Grand Sacrifices that Shaowei's younger sister participated in were always so bloody and stormy.

However, the Autumn Hunt originally required hunting mountain beasts, so such bloodiness must be enough to offset the quota of deaths, and it was thought it could be peaceful and uneventful... Xiangzhi comforted herself this way.

Working together with her younger sister, Xiangzhi, whose mind and body were both especially fulfilled, finished her shift in the afternoon; upon returning home, Mother was already cooking the late meal.

The residence where Xiangzhi's family lived was two streets away from Ling Shu Hou Fu, bestowed by the Court, and also bestowed at the same time were four slaves, one of whom was still a little girl of seven or eight years old, who at this moment was crouching outside the kitchen grabbing persimmon crutches.

Facing this sudden great fortune, the farming couple from Taoxi Township were dazed by the blow, could not get used to being served in daily life, and felt this little girl's strength was too small, so they said to raise her for a while, and teach her to work when she was older.

The little girl saw Xiangzhi, quickly put away the persimmon crutch, stood up, and called Female Monarch.

Xiangzhi, also not used to this title, blushed a little, smiled at the little girl, and then saw Mother come out of the kitchen, ordering her to go behind the house to call Father back to eat.

Behind the residence there were seven or eight persimmon trees; Xiangzhi went to find Father, and saw that in front of a relatively tall persimmon tree, a persimmon ladder made of pine wood was propped up; on the ladder was a person wearing a green robe, carrying a bamboo basket on their back, rolling up their sleeves, picking persimmons, while her father stood under the tree holding the ladder and directing.

Recognizing the person on the ladder at a glance, Xiangzhi was greatly astonished.

Father saw her and called her name; the person on the ladder also looked over, showing her a familiar smile.

"Father..." Xiangzhi approached, and while Yan Chu was coming down the ladder, she pulled her father aside and asked in a low voice: "Father, how could you let him do these things?"

Father was somewhat surprised that his daughter actually knew this warm-hearted youth; he was picking persimmons here today, and when the youth passed by, he insisted on helping him, speaking very pleasantly, and he could not refuse, so he let the other person finish the work and come home to eat a late meal—just like getting along with neighbors in Taoxi Township.

Xiangzhi was about to blushingly remind him that this person was the son of the Xiang Gong's mansion, but Yan Chu had already come over smiling, carrying a persimmon basket.

Another servant also came over carrying a basket of persimmons; Xiangzhi's father and the servant worked together to carry the ladder home, not forgetting to turn around and greet the kind-hearted person to follow.

"I happened to pass by this place today, saw Uncle climbing high to pick persimmons, feared there might be a mishap; anyway I am on leave and have nothing to do, so I lent a hand." Yan Chu explained to Xiangzhi with a smile.

Xiangzhi could not believe his story of happening to pass by, but since things had come to this, she could only nod and reach out to take the persimmon basket; the other person, however, smiled and dodged, while saying to her: "I finally know your true name; so you are called Qingwu, is it the Wu of mountain dwelling?"

Under the setting sun, Xiangzhi's face turned slightly red; she nodded slightly, somewhat hesitant to speak.

"I knew early on that you had many matters of the heart inconvenient to speak plainly to others." Yan Chu walked slowly carrying the persimmon basket, smiling and talking in a very good mood: "I knew that you and I are bosom friends from afar."

Xiangzhi lowered her head.

On the journey to the capital, traveling together, one day he played the flute on a boat; she sensed that the flute sound contained many unknown matters of the heart, subconsciously turned her head to look at him two more times; after he finished a piece, he smiled and said she was a bosom friend; she said she did not understand music at all; he said that one who does not understand music but can understand his flute sound is the true bosom friend.

She felt this man was amorous and rash; from then on she tried her best to avoid him; who would have thought that after entering the capital and going through many twists and turns, until she had shaken off the identity of a family servant, this person still hung around by her side.

"Now that your matters of the heart are settled, and your family has also entered the capital, from now on..."

Yan Chu had not finished speaking when suddenly a woman beside him spoke: "Young Lord Yan, I am to be betrothed."

Yan Chu was stunned, turned to look at her: "—To be betrothed? Then that means... not yet betrothed?"

Xiangzhi was startled by the terrible words in the other's immediate reaction, and hurriedly said: "But she will surely be betrothed!"

She said with a red face: "I have a maternal cousin of the same age; we grew up together; Father and Mother long ago said we must continue to be one family... only because of an accident on the way earlier, the marriage was not successfully settled."

Earlier she was a dangerous spy, bearing the identity of a family servant; this could not be spoken to outsiders, but now it must be made clear.

"Since there was an accident on the way to betrothal, perhaps it is the guidance of heaven's will." Yan Chu blocked Xiangzhi's path and asked seriously: "Continuing to be one family does not necessarily mean marriage; are you and he truly a couple of mutual affection?"

He was frank and straightforward, his words without taboo; Xiangzhi was asked until her face and ears turned red; she forced herself to be calm and said: "This is our family matter... it is inconvenient to trouble Young Official Yan to inquire so much."

She then said in a low voice: "My humble home has only coarse tea and plain rice, so I dare not invite Young Official Yan into the house."

To preserve propriety, she added: "This basket of persimmons shall serve as a gift; Young Official, please take it……"

After speaking, she hastily made a bow, lifted her skirt, and ran home quickly.

Watching the back of that figure flying away like a green bird, Yan Chu stood in place carrying a basket full of persimmons, chuckled once, and sighed softly: "You noticed and guarded against my intentions long ago…… yet you say we are not kindred spirits?"

The setting sun was golden, casting a crystalline, translucent color upon the persimmons hanging on the trees.

"Crack—"

With a light sound, an unpicked ripe persimmon fell from the branch, smashing and oozing on the courtyard bricks.

Ling Congnan, returning from outside, passed the smashed persimmon, entered the study, and under the lamp unfolded the silk letter from his sleeve.

At first glance there was no signature, only the familiar handwriting of a ghostwriter; the content still urged him to leave the capital as soon as possible, not to court danger, and added that the situation was now special, many things she could not control either, regarding his proposal, she truly found it hard to decide…… and many words could not be leaked on the letter silk, requiring face-to-face discussion, therefore she had set the time and place for the meeting.

Ling Congnan looked at that place—the Outer City Xiwangmu Temple.

At the end of the letter she cautiously warned again—that he must come alone, and must not alarm anyone.

Ling Congnan's thoughts were tangled.

She had always been timid and cautious; willing to meet him showed she was truly anxious and worried, and would most likely still urge him to leave Chang'an.

This was a secret between him and her; he had once promised her he would not speak of this past nor return to Chang'an, but his thoughts were gradually changing, and under such circumstances, he truly did not wish to continue deceiving Sishui, lest it create some hidden danger.

When he saw her, he could only ask for her understanding and permission.

But now the two sides' positions were so opposed; the Rui Family had many times tried to kill Sishui…… yet he did not know how to balance this misplaced grace and favor.

Ling Congnan burned the letter silk, his thoughts contradictory and lost.

No matter what, he should meet her once; perhaps everything would have to wait until after the meeting to be decided.

With the return to Chang'an, those whose hearts were wounded and detached were once again drawn into the double vortex of situation and emotion, body and mind in turmoil, sleepless all night.

The next day, Chang'an City was covered in dark clouds, with no morning sun in sight.

Ling Congnan wore a Daoist robe, put on a bamboo hat with hanging veil, and exited from the Separate Courtyard Back Door.

Cloudy day with strong wind, withered leaves and dust flew everywhere; many people wore bamboo hats, so Ling Congnan in such attire soon blended into the crowd.

The sky threatened rain; cool autumn rain striking the body could easily cause wind-cold, and today's worshippers at the Outer City Xiwangmu Temple were not as numerous as usual.

Several carriages stopped outside the Xiwangmu Temple; Shaowei jumped down first and helped Mother down.

Lu Hou and Lady Shentu ahead also soon got down from the carriage.

Since Feng Zhu went missing many years ago, Lu Hou had never celebrated his birthday again, only every year on his birthday he would come to this Xiwangmu Temple to pray for blessings—the Xiwangmu Temple in Henei Jun was the most efficacious, but Lady Shentu had been ill for many years before, and Lu Hou dared not leave his wife's side, so he mostly prayed nearby here.

Having long abandoned the delusion that his daughter was still alive, Lu Hou therefore prayed that his daughter be reborn as a child of the Shentu or Feng family; if he could secure a happy afterlife for his daughter, he was willing to exchange his own lifespan.

He had prayed for many years; who would have thought Heaven would actually return a complete, intact treasure pearl—truly exceeding the prayer.

After his daughter returned home, Lu Hou waited quietly for several years; to this day he had not seen the sign of ghosts and spirits coming to take his lifespan, but instead his body grew stronger and stronger; the old couple pondered and thought they might negotiate with the ghosts and spirits, offering something else as thanks.

Because the granddaughter found this year had extraordinary spiritual energy, today they brought her along as well, to see if they could get the ghosts and spirits to give a sign.

Shaowei, who had specially taken leave, felt she had three invisible incense sticks of Heaven and Earth on her head, a walking incense burner in the eyes of her great-grandfather and great-grandmother, used to capture and summon the spirits of ghosts and gods.

"Whether or not we can persuade them doesn't matter." Lu Hou walked while stroking his beard with satisfaction: "Now that the household traitors are purged, Zhu'er is cured, Shaowei has returned home, and children and grandchildren are all present; even if they take this old life of mine right now, I have no complaints or regrets."

The words had barely landed when Lady Shentu's cane swept over at the sound; Shaowei jumped away quickly, and the cane landed fully on Great-Uncle's leg.

Lu Hou cried out in pain and sighed: "After all, it is my birthday; how can Madam strike the birthday star……"

Lady Shentu's face remained gentle and composed: "I am not striking you; I am striking your mouth full of ill omens."

Feng Zhu also whispered a rebuke: "In the place of the spirit temple, the spirits themselves are present; Great-Father, do not speak nonsense."

As if the spirits truly responded, raindrops suddenly fell; Shaowei hurriedly raised her sleeve to shield the frail Mother from the rain, the maidservants soon opened their umbrellas, and Mo Li also quickly opened the umbrella he was holding, lifting it above Young Master's head.

Recently, whenever Shaowei went out, Mo Li always followed—because, likewise a civet, after entering the capital Young Master was very good at feeding civets, and could effortlessly hunt much food for him.

As Mo Li raised his umbrella, Shaowei lowered the arm shielding Mother from the rain, her gaze withdrawing to look forward; the umbrella rim swayed, figures crossed, worshippers hurried their steps due to the sudden rain, but a person walking quickly straight ahead caught Shaowei's attention.

Shaowei had extraordinary keen perception; at close range, aside from household slaves equally skilled at concealing breath and hiding traces, anyone with skill could hardly escape her eyes.

The person walking quickly ahead wore ordinary clothes, with fast and steady steps, each stride covering a consistent distance, calves and Achilles tendons exerting force steadily; his skill was surely not poor.

Those with kung fu naturally could also worship gods.

However, amidst the swirling fallen leaves and dust, several figures in different clothes hurried past; Shaowei under the umbrella watched those figures and lightly wrinkled her somewhat itchy nose.

With the sensitive sense of smell of a beast, the muddy fishy odor carried in the damp wind made Shaowei smell the scent of blood in advance from among them.

Today in this spirit temple, there would likely be bloodshed.

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