Luzhou-Mond

Kapitel 54

It turns out that Prince Qing's mansion is planning to seize military power in the Northwest. If it succeeds, General Chen's family will likely be wiped out, and the one truly colluding with the enemy is my own master. Given the gravity of the situation, it's no wonder he didn't send a message by carrier pigeon but chose to go in person under the cover of night.

Is it really necessary to do things this way, sacrificing so many innocent lives?

Two days later, Shen Haoyu suddenly ordered me to steal a list from the Second Prince's residence. He said it was a blood-written document on yellow silk, containing the signatures of court officials. He didn't tell me what the blood-written document was for, only that time was of the essence and I had two days to get my hands on it.

I sneered inwardly. If it's something so important, why send someone like me with no experience? Aren't they afraid I'll get caught red-handed again?

However, it was just a thought; I still needed to hurry up and do it. I was more familiar with the Second Prince's residence than with the Prince Qing's residence (there were many courtyards in the Prince Qing's residence that I didn't even know), so if I went in at night, I shouldn't get lost anymore. But when looking for something at night, you definitely need to light a lamp. If the owner wasn't home but there was a light on, it would be a clear announcement that "I'm here." After thinking it over, I decided to steal it during the day.

The next day, before dawn, I waited outside the Second Prince's residence and saw him go to court. I climbed over the courtyard wall, evaded the guards, and slipped into his study. The bookshelves in the study were neatly filled with books, and the desk was spotless. I searched everywhere, but I didn't see any yellow silk, let alone anything with blood on it. Logically, if that list was really that important, the Second Prince shouldn't have carried it with him. Where could it be safest? I searched the study again, touching, pressing, and turning all the vases and visible bumps, but the legendary secret room didn't appear.

Where could it be? In the bedroom? There must be someone there now; my sister might still be sleeping. Hearing voices, I quickly jumped out of the other window and saw through the crack that a maid was coming in and starting to clean the study. Thank goodness, she can now tidy up the area I'd searched.

As I pondered what other secrets might be hidden in the Second Prince's residence, I recalled the unguarded courtyard from that night. The Second Prince had followed me all the way there without uttering a sound, only revealing himself once I entered that courtyard. Could there be something important there? Regardless, I'll check it out first.

I found my way to the nameless courtyard, which was locked and deserted. Perhaps it was a ruse, deliberately left unguarded to make it seem like an inconspicuous place.

I slipped into the room. The furnishings were similar to last time, covered with a thin layer of dust, indicating that no one had been there for a long time. I dutifully searched high and low, leaving no corner unchecked, even pulling out books one by one to check if any were tucked inside. The books here were all relatively thin, seemingly ones that the Second Prince had read when he was a child.

I picked up the Book of Songs and found something tucked inside. When I opened it, I found a dried-up flower, like a rose. The poem on that page was "Guan Ju," and the words "river islet" were circled in red ink. Next to it, the words "date" were written crookedly. The handwriting was childish yet familiar. Some things that had been blurry in my mind slowly became clear again, and I vaguely guessed what was going on. My hand holding the book trembled slightly.

Feeling a little excited, I temporarily forgot why I had come here. I opened other books I remembered; the familiar handwriting, the familiar annotations—a feeling of something lost and then found welled up inside me. I didn't know whether I was more surprised than happy, or happy than surprised. Whatever the reason, being alive is good enough.

There was a small wooden box under the bookshelf. I knelt down, brushed off the dust, and gently opened it. Inside were a small wooden rocking horse and a roly-poly toy. Below that was a small scroll painting. Even without looking, I could guess what kind of painting it was. Tears dripped onto the scroll, and I gently wiped them away with my finger. I closed the box, put it back in its place, shut the door, and prepared to leave.

I am no longer willing to do anything for Shen Haoyu at the Second Prince's residence. As for what happens between them, there are others who can do it; I will not get involved.

Just as I leaped over the wall of the Second Prince's residence, a cold light flashed past me, forcing me to stop and fall to the ground. The icy tip of a sword was once again pressed against my neck. Sigh, I've been captured again.

I looked up and saw a young guard. I smiled at him, but he remained expressionless and coldly asked, "Who dares to trespass into the Second Prince's residence?"

"Young man, I'm just passing by," I said with a chuckle.

He ignored me, put his sword to my neck, and called his companions to tie me up.

I didn't know how skilled he was in martial arts, or whether I could beat him. I didn't have any weapons. I glanced at the wall that was so close to me and couldn't help but sigh.

Two more guards came and tied me up with ropes. It's pitiful that I've lived for nearly forty years in my two lifetimes and have never been treated like this before. I shifted uncomfortably in my bound body a few times before being pushed in front of a middle-aged man who looked like a leader.

"Who sent you?" the middle-aged leader asked me. He was quite handsome, but unfortunately, his voice was hoarse.

I shook my head and said, "I came in by myself."

"Confess honestly, and you'll avoid physical punishment." He glanced at me sideways, as if I were a lamb to the slaughter.

I still said, "Uncle, I really did sneak in on my own."

The middle-aged leader ignored me and simply said, "East City, search me."

The young guard who had just caught me was about to search me when I exclaimed in alarm, "No! How can you search a girl like this?"

Dongcheng's handsome face flushed red instantly. The middle-aged leader looked at me coldly and said, "So what if you're a girl? If you don't confess honestly, we'll still treat you to good things."

I tried my best to keep my face red, and said in a wronged tone, "Do you really have to tell me? I'll be embarrassed if I do."

"Hurry up and confess honestly!"

I forced out a few tears and whispered, "I just admired His Highness the Second Prince's handsome appearance and wanted to sneak in for a look. I'd seen him twice before outside, but he was too far away to see clearly... Today I finally mustered up the courage to come to his house, but you caught me..."

My voice grew softer and softer until I could barely hear myself. Was this enough of an acting performance for a lovestruck young woman yearning for a handsome young man?

Seeing the smiles on the faces of the three guards and the middle-aged leader, I continued, "Uncle, I promise I will never come here to peep at His Highness the Second Prince again. Even if I want to watch, I will definitely do it from outside. Please, have mercy and let me go back. Otherwise, if my father finds out, he will break my legs."

They remained unmoved, so I had to continue, "Uncle, you see, I'm definitely not a bad person. You're all carrying knives and swords, but I have nothing. I'm not someone who does bad things at all."

"Don't you have any weapons?" The middle-aged leader sneered at me. "No matter how eloquently you speak, can you take out what's tied to your leg and let me see?"

I was startled. Was this person's eyesight really that sharp? I looked down at my right calf. My dagger was strapped there, never used. I couldn't even see it myself, so how could he not see it? If I took it out, wouldn't all my lies have been for nothing?

Just as I was about to explain about the dagger, I heard a pleasant male voice behind me: "Brother Qiu, oh no, Miss Qiu, why are your reasons always so delightful?"

Then he saw the people in front of him bow and say, "Your Highness."

When I turned around, I saw Shen Tingxuan standing outside the door, wearing a light yellow prince's robe embroidered with clouds and dragons, smiling at me. I was momentarily dazed.

Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 41

Chapter word count: 3849 Update time: 09-08-05 13:53

After discovering the secret of that courtyard, I could no longer treat Shen Tingxuan the same way I used to. No wonder the courtyard was unguarded; there were indeed no important secrets there, just some memories.

Shen Tingxuan walked in and said to the middle-aged leader, "Commander Zhang, have someone take Miss Qiu to my study."

Commander Zhang seemed somewhat surprised, but since his master had spoken, he still instructed Dongcheng to take me to Shen Tingxuan's study. Shen Tingxuan hadn't arrived yet, so I stood inside alone. I had visited this place that morning, and it had been cleaned up spotlessly.

Dongcheng stood guard outside the gate and soon heard his voice: "Your Highness." Then he saw Shen Tingxuan had changed into a white casual robe, spotless.

Shen Tingxuan sat down behind his desk, looking at me with a smile that held no warmth: "Miss Qiu, you have twice entered my residence uninvited. Do you have any explanation?"

I shook my head. After learning who he was, I suddenly hated my current identity. The way he spoke to me made me feel wronged and heartbroken, just like Lin Zhao's words on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

I opened my eyes wide, trying hard not to let the tears well up in my eyes. I lowered my head, but my eyes finally couldn't hold back any longer, and tears dripped to the ground. This was the second time I had cried today, but unlike the first time when I was overjoyed, this time I only felt wronged and a little lost.

I am going to work for the Prince Qing's mansion, and there will inevitably be a life-or-death struggle between the Prince Qing's mansion and him in the future, but I do not want to be his enemy...

"Miss Qiu, you are quite capable. You managed to get rid of all the skilled fighters we sent last time," Shen Tingxuan said, looking at me.

I shook my head again and said, "Please don't say anymore. If you let me go, I will never do anything to harm you again in my life; if you don't want to let me go, then do whatever you want with me." After saying this, tears welled up in my eyes, and Shen Tingxuan looked at me with some surprise.