Chapter 210: Let Me Be the Villain Then!

Late at night, inside the Emperor's bedchamber.

The Shunhe Emperor waved everyone else away, keeping only Shi Gui by his side.

He lifted back the bright-yellow bedding and took out a wooden box from a hidden compartment beneath the bed.

He looked at Shi Gui and gave orders in a low voice.

"Take this with you. When the night grows deep and quiet, go outside the city and have them stand by at all times!"

"This matter must be handled carefully. Make sure no one else notices."

Shi Gui bowed respectfully and received it with both hands.

"Yes."

He had just stepped out of the Emperor's bedchamber when his disciple Little Chengzi came scampering up with a grin.

"Master, why did you come out so early today? Has Your Majesty already retired?"

Shi Gui immediately straightened his face and glared at him, tugging him by the sleeve as they walked some distance away, then flung his arm aside roughly once they were far enough.

"You dare ask anything? Is that how this household taught you?!"

"How many times have I told you? When it concerns Your Majesty, no matter how trivial the matter, it's none of your business to inquire!"

He glanced around once more. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to this side. He lowered his voice and continued lecturing, deliberately trying to scare him.

"Put in big terms, what you did is called spying on the Emperor's movements! Eight heads wouldn't be enough for you to lose!"

At these words, Little Chengzi was instantly scared pale-faced and hurriedly apologized with a mournful look.

"Master, I didn't, I wouldn't, I was just asking off the cuff."

Seeing him trembling and shaking, his legs so weak he could barely stand, Shi Gui reined in the anger on his face.

He had to scare him a little.

Lately Your Majesty had many worries, and at the slightest thing that displeased him, he would fly into a violent rage.

Didn't you see the day before yesterday, when a palace maid was lighting the lamp—when she was putting the glazed lampshade on, her breathing was a bit heavy, and the candle flame flickered a few times, which annoyed Your Majesty, and he had her cut down on the spot.

And just yesterday at lunch, just because a little eunuch was a bit slow serving the dishes, Your Majesty flew into a rage and had him dragged out and beaten with a hundred heavy strokes; halfway through, that little eunuch couldn't hold on…

Things like this happened no fewer than three times a day.

Sigh!

For those of them serving in the imperial presence, to speak of glory, it was truly glorious, face doubled and redoubled.

In this front court and rear palace, who could refuse to show some courtesy?

But it was also truly dangerous.

At every moment one had to keep one's head tied to one's waistband.

Little Chengzi gave him an ingratiating smile.

"Thank you for your teaching, Master. I know you're worrying about me and giving me a hint, heh heh, Master is so good to me. From now on your disciple will certainly filial you well."

Hearing these words, Shi Gui felt an old man's comfort in his heart, warm and pleased, and his brow gradually smoothed out.

"At least you've got some conscience, you brat."

Little Chengzi smiled cunningly.

"And your wife too, your disciple will certainly filial the two of you well."

Hearing this, Shi Gui's old face flushed red. Fortunately it was nighttime, or he'd have been teased by this little monkey for sure.

He tried his best to ignore the heat on his face and forced himself to keep a straight face.

"Go, go, go!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

"How is it nonsense? All these years your feelings for Aunt Hua Ru, your disciple has seen them all with my own eyes, and I've been anxious for you in my heart!"

Little Chengzi grinned.

"Now at last you've waited for the clouds to part and seen the moon shine. Look at how Aunt Hua Ru has been asking after you these past days, coming to bring you pastries and soups every few days—it looks like there's hope, isn't it? Am I not happy for you?"

Hearing him say this, Shi Gui suddenly slapped his thigh.

"Oh no!"

"Miss Hua Ru said she'd come bring me soup tonight, but His Majesty ordered me out on business. I'm afraid she'll have made the trip for nothing."

He hurriedly instructed Little Chengzi.

"Quick, go find Miss Hua Ru. Tell her I have business tonight and she needn't bring the soup over."

Little Chengzi nodded.

"That's not right, Master. If you can't drink it, it's the same if I drink it."

Shi Gui glared and raised his palm at him.

"Asking for a beating again, are you?"

"Don't be angry, Master. I'm going right now."

Little Chengzi lightly patted his own mouth, then took to his legs and ran, vanishing in a puff.

……

"Alright, I understand. Thank you, Little Cheng-gonggong, for making a special trip."

"What are you saying? Isn't this what I should do?"

After Little Chengzi finished speaking, he took the small packet of Broken Silver she gave him and left in high spirits.

After Little Chengzi left, Hua Ru's face grew thoughtful.

Going out on business?

She pondered a moment, then turned and hurried back to her own room.

In a short while, the lamp in the room went out. As for Hua Ru, she had already changed into a suit of Night Clothes, and under cover of darkness, quietly made her way to where Shi Gui lived.

Before she could even get close, she saw several people guarding the doorway of the room.

What was that?

Noticing the swords at their waists, she was slightly surprised.

Imperial Guard?

But why were they wearing plain clothes?

Before she could think it through, Shi Gui, also dressed in ordinary clothes, opened the door and walked out.

He nodded at the few people at the door.

"Let's go."

Because there were Imperial Guards following, afraid of being discovered, Hua Ru didn't dare get too close, and could only follow far behind.

Just like that, she followed them as they climbed over the city wall, left the palace, and rode horses out of the city.

……

In a certain broken-down temple dozens of li away.

Wu Yong and his group were resting here.

"Hey! Hurry up and boil some hot water for this young lady! This young lady wants to wash her face!"

"And also, why are we eating roast chicken again? It's dry and tasteless, and disgustingly greasy. This young lady wants bird's nest soup. If that's not possible, some mountain delicacies in chicken soup would do."

The Third Young Miss of the Wang family stood proudly by the fire, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at the soldier roasting the pheasant, bossing people around, shouting and making a fuss.

That soldier looked up at her coldly, and ignored her.

"What's that attitude of yours? How dare you ignore me?!"

The Third Young Miss of the Wang family directly raised her foot and kicked over the roasting chicken on the fire.

"Didn't you hear what this young lady said?!"

"Let's see how you roast it now!"

That soldier clenched his fist tightly, glaring at her with a fierce look.

Noticing the commotion, the other soldiers also stood up, all looking this way.

"Shut up!"

Wang Cai ran over, grabbed his troublesome daughter in one pull, dragged her behind him, picked up the burnt roast chicken from the fire, and smiled as he apologized to that soldier from before.

"Sorry about that, brother. My daughter is ill-mannered. Please don't take her to heart, little brother."

"This burnt one, we'll eat it later."

Saying so, he stuffed a bulging money pouch into that soldier's arms.

"A small token of appreciation, take it as an apology."

The soldier pushed him away with a cold face and walked to the side.

If he didn't leave, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself and would just slash him with one blade!

"Father~"

Wang Cai turned his head and scolded harshly.

"You shut your mouth!"

"You're actually scolding me for an outsider?!"

Before he could finish speaking, that girl stamped her foot heavily, turned her head angrily, and ran far away.

Because she was angry, she didn't even eat dinner, only drank two sips of water.

In the dead of night, because the Muyuan Kingdom soldiers helped keep watch, the several families all went to sleep.

"Ah—"

A loud shout woke everyone up.

Wang Cai hurried out, looked at his terrified daughter and asked.

"What happened?"

The Third Young Miss of the Wang family, her face deathly pale, pointed forward with a trembling finger, her lips quivering.

"Th-they're gone!"

"What's gone?"

Wu Yong stood up from the ground, ran to the door, and his heart sank with a sudden thump.

There wasn't a single soldier in the courtyard!

"Where are the people?"

"Where did everyone go?!"

"Didn't we agree that each family would send two people to keep watch? Why did we only notice now?!"

Feeling his own dizzy head, and that with such a big commotion, the night watchmen still hadn't woken up—what was there for Wu Yong to still not understand?

They had been hit with a knockout drug!

He ran out of the broken-down temple and looked around.

"Damn it! Where did they go?!"

Suddenly a voice sounded behind him.

"What is Lord Wu looking for?"

Wu Yong's heart skipped a beat. He spun around sharply, watching the newcomer warily. After seeing the Long Sword flashing with cold light in the black-clothed man's hand, he panicked terribly and took two steps back.

"Who are you?!"

He turned his head, stretched his neck, and shouted toward the broken-down temple, trying to call the people inside out to help him.

"Someone help! Save me!"

Before he could finish shouting, screams erupted from Po Miao, and a group of people fled in panic—among them were his sons, daughters, and wife.

The crowd cried for help, running headlong into a nearby grove.

"Wait for me!"

Just as Wu Yong was about to chase after them, he heard a 'pfft,' and the next moment he saw a Long Sword pierce through his chest.

Looking at the brows and eyes before him, which seemed more and more familiar, his eyes suddenly went wide.

"It's you!"

The moment his mouth opened, a great mouthful of fresh blood surged up.

"You actually—"

But he never got the chance to finish that sentence.

Cheng Chengxuan watched coldly as Wu Yong collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"I won't listen to your words. Go down and apologize to my two uncles and the wrongly killed Cheng Family members!"

Several sets of footsteps drew near from afar—it was Cheng Xin and the others.

"What about those four?"

Cheng Xin looked at him and nodded.

"Already dealt with."

Then he glanced at the others who had fled into the grove.

"Young General, are we really going to let them escape?"

Cheng Chengxuan opened his mouth, about to say something.

A rustling sound suddenly came from a nearby low bush.

"Of course not!"

"Awooo."

Cheng Qiuluo appeared before them, sitting astride Da Huang.

Seeing her, Cheng Chengxuan closed his eyes briefly and let out a long breath.

Enough.

It seemed Grandmother had already made the decision for him.

Cheng Qiuluo folded her arms, wrinkled her nose, and snorted at him twice.

"Knew you'd go soft."

"Let me be the bad guy!"