Chapter 55
"Xiao Ying," Youlan covered her mouth and backed away, looking incredulously at this person who shouldn't be in the dungeon.
"Miss," Xiaoying ran to the railing, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the disheveled woman before her.
"Open it," I commanded the jailer to open the cell door.
“This, Madam Jue,” the jailer looked at me hesitantly.
"Open it, I'll take responsibility for anything that happens."
"yes"
The cell door opened, Xiaoying ran inside, and the jailer closed the door again.
"Miss," Xiaoying said sadly, embracing the woman before her who was blinded by hatred.
"Xiaoying, what are you doing here?" Youlan asked in surprise as she hugged Xiaoying back.
"It was Lady Jue who brought me here," Xiao Ying said, choking back tears as she gradually released Youlan.
"What do you mean?" Youlan frowned, looking at me warily.
I sighed inwardly, but my pride wouldn't allow me to show my vulnerability in front of my former friend. I maintained my tough stance: "She'll tell you the whole truth. You'd better watch yourself!" I flicked my sleeve and turned to leave, no longer wanting to look at the person who had hurt me.
Stepping out of the dungeon, I could truly feel how fresh the air was. Looking back at the slowly closing door, I watched helplessly. It wasn't that I didn't want to save her; I had begged Xingyi, but he said he couldn't let her off this time. It seemed he knew about Jie'er's situation too. And according to what he said, my disappearance had caused quite a stir, and since Baili Xinru couldn't touch her yet, Youlan had to bear all the responsibility. The palace was so dark. Even if I used my status to pressure him, all I got was a cold look from him. It seemed there was no hope.
Her eyelids drooped, tears welling up in her eyes. She...she's going to die! She probably will!
Someone once said that when you feel like crying, looking at the sky at a 45-degree angle can prevent tears from falling.
I looked up at the sky, but why were tears still streaming down my face? Was I too sad, or were I just shedding too many tears?
The phrase "Let's go, Xiao Wu" has left a deep scar in my heart that may never be healed in this lifetime!
"Miss, the master is waiting outside the palace gate." Xiao Wu still prefers the cheerful and carefree young lady. This young lady, whose eyes are filled with sadness, makes her heart ache.
"Yes, that's right. Today is the last day I leave the palace, and also the last time I will see Youlan."
Goodbye, Youlan. In your next life, you must live a happy and fulfilling life. And goodbye, Jie'er, the one who sleeps beneath the palace walls. Please forgive me for not being able to take you away from the palace after your death.
A luxurious carriage stopped at the palace gate, flanked by neatly arranged guards. In front stood three of the most prominent figures in the palace, followed by a group of ministers. Yes, it was Xingyi and the others who were seeing Jue and me off. I really didn't want to see such a scene; it was too somber.
"Jue," I whispered as I stood in front of Jue.
"Get in the car!" Jue patted my head, his voice was low and husky, yet indescribably alluring.
Without hesitation, without looking back, and without even a word, I quickly boarded the carriage, completely ignoring Xingyi and the others behind me.
Speaking of resentment, I do indeed resent them. I resent Xingyi's ruthlessness, I resent the Empress Dowager's ruthlessness, I resent the Prime Minister's treachery and hypocrisy, but what I hate even more is the ruthlessness of this palace. For so long, I have never felt such hatred for anyone except them. Their hypocrisy led to these events. No, perhaps I was involved too, involved in this dark deal. Even my last remaining sanity was gradually corrupted, becoming ugly and vile. Sin has been haunting me ever since.
"It's alright," Jue said, hugging me and comforting my wounded heart.
"Absolute," I whispered, burying my head even deeper into his arms.
"It's not your fault"—Jue could see right through me at a glance.
"But.."
Jue touched my lips with his finger and said in a low voice, "Sleep."
I don't know when Jue got on the train, nor do I know how sour their faces were when I ignored them getting on the train. Even when the carriage started to move away from the palace, I didn't look back once, not because I was afraid of lingering, but because I was afraid of hatred, afraid that if I looked back I would remember everything that had happened before.
The carriage continued its journey. I didn't know where Jue was going, and I didn't ask. I was too tired at that time, too tired to talk, too tired to be interested in anything. Jue just held me like that, without saying a word.
I don't know how long I sat in the carriage. I just ate and slept, and woke up again. Jue just watched me like that. In this silence, I gradually forgot the shadows of the palace, and my heart began to stir with the desire to play.
"Xiao Mei, stop the car." I lifted the curtain and saw that Jue and I had arrived at a bustling street. My playful heart was still nagging at me.
Startled by my sudden shout, Leng Mei's adorable expression turned blank, making her look like a cute little girl!
"Ah, Xiao Mei, you're so cute!" I spread my arms and was about to pounce on her, clearly forgetting that I was in a carriage. Before I could pounce on Xiao Mei, Jue pulled me back.
“Absolutely!” I looked at Absolutely with dissatisfaction.
"Anmingdian" firmly held down my fidgeting body, his calm yet magnetic demeanor carrying a sense of relief and amusement in his eyes.
"But Xiao Mei is so cute!" I bit my middle finger, staring intently at Xiao Mei through the curtain.
The cold beauty outside shivered. Who said she was heartbroken? She's still so energetic. If anyone ever tells me that this woman is so sad she's about to die, I'll be the first to poison them.
"I want to get off the bus!" I protested.
He completely ignored me, leisurely reading his book.
"Let me get off the bus, please," I said coquettishly, tugging at his sleeve.
They still ignored me.
"Jue, if you don't let me off the bus, I'll jump!" I pulled back the curtain, considering how to jump without hurting myself. But seeing the ground rushing past, I hesitated. Gritting my teeth, I shouted to Jue behind me, "I'm jumping!"
"I'm going to jump!" I kept shouting.
"I really will jump!" But she clung even tighter to the car.
The word "Jump!" was not a final, resolute cry, but a cold and heartless one.
"Xiao Qing, what are you doing causing trouble?" I vented all my anger on Xiao Qing.
"You talk too much nonsense," Leng Qing glared at him.
"Ugh, you little rascal!" I abandoned my plan to get off the bus and pounced on Xiao Qing, frantically rubbing his face.
Seeing his awkward expression, wanting to shake me off but not daring to, made me feel much better.
“Sit down, you can play later.” Jue finally looked up from his book and glanced at me, then pulled me to sit on his lap.
"Hmm, I feel much better after teasing Xiaoqing," I said contentedly, leaning against Jue. Then, as if remembering something, I looked up at Jue and said, "If I'm in a bad mood again later, ask one of Xiaoqing's friends to come in and play with me."
"good"
Jue's voice was like a thunderbolt to Leng Qing and his group. For the first time in their lives, they wondered if they had followed the wrong master.
They were quietly playing rock-paper-scissors on a cold day.
Chapter 56
Looking at his scissor-shaped hand with a cold and tragic expression, he wondered why he had to make scissors, why he had to suffer that woman's torment.
For the first time, Leng Qing, who had always been expressionless, revealed his pain, which, combined with his previously stiff face, made him look quite comical.
With a cold glance, Leng Qing spotted the other three gloating guys, radiating a chill that caused the surrounding temperature to plummet.
"Brother, I'm sorry to have troubled you." Leng Tian suppressed a laugh, patted Leng Qing's shoulder solemnly, and then left to do his own thing.
"It's alright, it'll only be a moment," Leng Feng's smile, though as gentle as a spring breeze, gave Leng Qing a sense of oppression. For the first time, Leng Qing wanted to tear his smile apart.
"Do you want poison?" Leng Mei blinked at Leng Qing with her cute face, and Leng Qing shivered.
"How is it? Who's coming in to play with me?" A soft, whimpering voice came from inside the curtain.
Such a gentle voice sounded like a demonic chant to Leng Qing's ears, urging him to step into hell, where the lovely woman was the devil.
With a calm and decisive demeanor, Leng Qing turned and stepped inside the curtain, exuding an aura of "The wind howls, the Yi River is cold, the hero departs, never to return."
"Ah, my love, I knew you were the best!" I exclaimed with joy as I rushed to his side and began to examine his face closely.
He paused, wondering whether he should tell her it was because he lost a game of rock-paper-scissors.
"Xiao Qing, why is your face always so cold and gloomy?" I asked curiously, pulling Leng Qing's face from side to side.
"I don't know," Leng Qing coldly spat out the words through gritted teeth, suppressing the urge to kill the woman before him.
"Wow, were you born with this expressionless face?" I screamed and examined him even more closely.
He glanced at me coldly, and I could vaguely see his eye twitching.
Jue put down his book and carefully considered my words. Xue'er said he was cold-hearted and expressionless, so would I be? He reached out and touched his face. Probably not, because Xue'er hadn't said anything like that about him.
"Xiao Qing, where are we?" I asked, lifting the curtain with a bright and energetic expression.
"We're almost there, Miss," Leng Qing said with a sigh of relief when he saw me put down my hand that was rubbing his face. He then saw the gleam in my eyes and felt a chill run down his spine. He was hoping that we would arrive at the inn soon.
"Xiao Qing, do you have someone you like?" I tilted my head and looked at this reserved but secretly passionate guy.
"No," he coldly uttered, then regretted it a little when he saw my excited face.
"Ah, then I'll help you find one." I want to find a great woman for a cold-hearted guy. Haha, I never thought I'd be a matchmaker one day!
"How about this one?" I asked, pointing to a pretty woman on the street.
Cold silence.
"And this one?" He pointed to another one.
Leng Qing frowned.
"What about this one?" I pointed to another one, then muttered, "It doesn't look very good."
The cold hand gripped his again and again.
"This one will definitely work, right?" I, who was always slow to react, did not notice the change in Leng Qing's expression.
"Miss, I have someone I like," Leng Qing said with difficulty, afraid that the young lady in front of him would once again play matchmaker for him.
"Oh, really? Didn't you just say you didn't have any?" I jumped up in front of Leng Qing.
"Who is it? Who is it?" I couldn't wait to find out who Leng Qing liked.
Leng Qing didn't speak, he just stared at the young lady, because he didn't have anyone he liked. Assassins can't like people, it's just a burden. But now he had to name someone, how could he say it?
After a long while, Leng Qing remained silent, his eyes still fixed on me. I was terrified and ran to Jue's arms. "Xiao Qing, you like me? How could you like me? I know I'm cute and kind, but I only like Jue! I'm sorry, I've let you down!" I looked regretfully at the handsome man before me. Sigh, my charm is just too great! How come everyone likes me?! (Author's note: You're being too narcissistic. It's your Jue who likes you, not everyone else. Zi Xue's note: Jealousy, obviously jealous. It's okay, I forgive you. Author spits blood: This person is hopeless.)
A chilling, murderous aura filled the air. Leng Qing shivered and slowly turned to look at his master. His master didn't look at him, but the coldness emanating from him rose rapidly. Leng Gu'ao's eyes seemed unfocused, his deep, dark eyes filled with anger. His black hair was spread over his shoulders, and an icy aura surrounded him. Even Leng Qing and Xuan Wu felt a tremor of fear coursing through their bodies. Leng Tian and the others outside felt the aura emanating from inside the curtain and broke out in a cold sweat.
I, with only a lack of understanding, was still there, reveling in my own personal charm.
Seeing the fear on Leng Qing's face, I laughed and said, "I was just kidding."