Chapter 35: You Owe Me Forever

Southern Xiurong County City.

Er Zhu Zhao was carried into the Er Zhu Manor, where Er Zhu Rong was standing on the corridor outside the house.

"Uncle, you must seek justice for me!"

The Er Zhu clan members who had been disciplined by Yu Qingbin were now all kneeling in the courtyard, lacking their usual arrogance.

Er Zhu Rong ignored Er Zhu Zhao and looked at the Er Zhu clan members, who looked as if they had lost their parents, asking:

"Do you feel wronged?"

A group led by Er Zhu Dulu nodded in unison.

"If you feel wronged, just hold it in!"

The anger that had been brewing in Er Zhu Rong's heart finally erupted at this moment.

"I have warned you many times in the past that this is not Northern Xiurong; curb your barbarian airs so people don't laugh at us."

Upon hearing this, everyone lowered their heads.

"You were careless in your daily conduct and got caught with your hand in the cookie jar, bringing such great shame to me. Before long, the entire Luoyang will know what sort of scum the Er Zhu clan members are!"

"Clan Leader, we know our mistake!"

"All of you are confined to the house; during this period, do not go out and cause trouble for me!"

The Er Zhu clan members responded and left, leaving only Er Zhu Zhao behind.

Er Zhu Rong walked down the long corridor, wearing wooden clogs, and approached Er Zhu Zhao. Looking at his bloodied buttocks, he asked:

"Does it hurt?"

At Er Zhu Rong's inquiry, Er Zhu Zhao poured out all his bitterness.

"Uncle, that bastard Li Shuang framed me for everything he did, and that old villain Yu Qingbin is shielding him. I think they are colluding to take down us Er Zhu clan."

After hearing this, Er Zhu Rong's gaze gradually turned cold.

"It seems it hasn't hurt enough!"

Er Zhu Zhao was stunned, but then heard Er Zhu Rong issue an order.

"Beat him another twenty military cudgels!"

The Qihu warriors beside Er Zhu Rong wanted to carry Er Zhu Zhao away, but Er Zhu Rong shouted them down!

"Beat him right here!"

If he were carried away and out of Er Zhu Rong's sight, the Qihu warriors would just beat him a few times perfunctorily, but here, no faking was allowed!

"Commander, forgive us!"

"Wait!" Er Zhu Zhao looked at Er Zhu Rong. "Uncle, why is this?"

Er Zhu Rong's hawk-like gaze fixed on Er Zhu Zhao as he demanded:

"Let me ask you: in the Governor's Mansion in Sizhou City, did you intend to act as a witness to frame your third uncle?"

"Yes, but..."

Er Zhu Rong did not let Er Zhu Zhao finish, speaking with deep meaning:

"In my life, what I hate most are traitors!"

Inside the manor prison.

Er Zhu Yinge looked desolate, her face haggard.

The experiences of these past few days made her feel as though she had lived another life.

Although Er Zhu Yinge was a woman and received special care, staying in a separate room with specially provided food, most of the prisoners held in this manor prison were criminals.

Every midnight, wailing would not cease, like a hellish place, filling Er Zhu Yinge with fear.

Father, brother, why don't you come to save me!

Er Zhu Yinge silently prayed in her heart, only to find that the first person to appear was the face she least wanted to see.

"Great niece, did you miss me?"

The moment she saw Li Shuang, the hope in Er Zhu Yinge's eyes dimmed.

"Why is it you?"

"What, are you unhappy to see me? I came specifically to get you out!"

Er Zhu Yinge turned her head away, hugging her knees like a bullied little girl, looking utterly aggrieved.

"Hmph, I don't need your rescue!"

Li Shuang clapped his hands, and the jailer in the cell hurried over, his face full of ingratiating smiles.

"Commander, your orders!"

"Open the cell door!"

Er Zhu Yinge saw the cell door that had trapped her like a nightmare for these past few days open easily, and Li Shuang walked in.

"Suit yourself; if you want to leave, you can leave anytime. This door is open anyway."

Saying this, Li Shuang took out an oil-paper package.

"There are two steamed buns made of white flour inside, still warm; eat them first!"

Er Zhu Yinge resisted strongly, turning her head away. Regarding Li Shuang, the bandit who had once robbed her, she felt no affection whatsoever.

"I would rather die here, smashing my head against the wall, than..."

As the oil-paper package opened, a fragrance wafted out, and Er Zhu Yinge's words stopped abruptly.

Her face flushed, and her stomach growled.

For these past few days, she had not eaten properly, exhausted in both body and mind.

"I'll just eat one of yours!"

Er Zhu Yinge picked up the white flour bun and took a bite; the aroma of the dough spread through her teeth and cheeks. Although Northern Xiurong was remote, she had been pampered since childhood; while seafood was scarce, mountain delicacies were plentiful.

Those delicacies could not compare at all to this white-flour bun in hand.

In an instant, the grievances accumulated over these days were released all at once.

Er Zhu Yinge, tears streaming, devoured the white-flour bun in her hand in three swift motions, then took the second one from Li Shuang's hand.

"Truly fragrant!"

Li Shuang smiled.

"Then shall our past grievances be settled in one stroke?"

Er Zhu Yinge wiped away her tears, looked at Li Shuang before her, and suddenly found that the man who had once seemed repulsive to her had become handsome.

"You wish too much!"

"If not for you, I would already be an imperial concubine in Luoyang!"

"You owe me; do you think two white-flour buns can settle it?"

Er Zhu Yinge stood up and brushed the dust from her clothes. In this moment, all her wretchedness vanished; she seemed to have become once again that most dazzling pearl of Northern Xiurong, the little Princess of Er Zhu Chuan.

"But did you not say you did not wish to go to Luoyang to be an imperial concubine?"

"What I do not want is still mine." Er Zhu Yinge stepped forward, staring at Li Shuang. "Remember, you will always owe me!"

Having spoken, Er Zhu Yinge stormed out of the prison cell, unwilling to stay there for even a moment.

Li Shuang watched Er Zhu Yinge's beautiful back with some helplessness.

"Has she decided to blackmail me?"

Sizhou City, Inspector's Mansion.

"Has Er Zhu Yinge been released?"

"She was just taken away by Li Shuang!"

Inside the room, Yu Qingbin looked at the military dispatch delivered urgently from afar, his mood low.

Yao He, seeing Yu Qingbin's state, asked in confusion:

"Since the General of the Rear intends to release the Er Zhu clan's children, why did you previously humiliate them so excessively? Does this not merely provoke the Er Zhu clan's resentment?"

Yu Qingbin stroked his beard and sighed:

"It is not that this old man wishes to release them, but the situation forces this old man to do so."

Yu Qingbin handed the military dispatch in his hand to Yao He; the other party took one look and his eyes suddenly widened.

"Huaihe Town has also been breached?"

"Yuan Yu, this fool, still plans to reap the benefits while others fight; I say he is the very fish!"

Yu Qingbin's heart was filled with regret and anger.

"If Your Majesty had listened to this old man back then and not allowed that wolf cub Yuluou A'na'gui to return north, how could the Northern Border be in such chaos today!"

A gust of wild wind blew, sending papers fluttering through the room. Yu Qingbin looked at the curling dark clouds on the horizon, felt the lingering chill of spring, and harbored a bad premonition in his heart.

A storm is coming!