Завораживающее очарование этнической группы Ба – палач

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Ling'er felt a little apologetic and agreed, "Okay, I'll definitely take you next time!"

"Thank you in advance! Oh, by the way, the old man who was looking at the apartment said someone was looking for you today and left you a note!" He said, taking out a notepad from his side and handing it to her.

Ling'er picked up the note and was taken aback. It read: "A chance encounter is destined, but I have waited in vain for my beloved. I have grown thin and haggard for her sake. We will meet again tomorrow at dawn! Yu Liu." Ling'er frowned and murmured to herself, "'Yu Liu,' who is Yu Liu? Oh, it's him!" Ling'er suddenly realized that 'Yu Liu' was the drunkard, madman, and scoundrel she had pushed into the water yesterday—Zhu Chengyu.

"Sister Ling, what's wrong?" Xi Mei asked.

Ling'er glanced at Ximei with a smile on her lips, already having made up her mind.

On the third day, Zhu Chengyu waited for Ling'er by the Jingxin Lake as usual.

He kept calculating in his mind. Would she come today? Would she receive my note? Would she be afraid of me and dare not come? Or would she not come at all? Zhu Chengyu considered all sorts of possibilities.

She should come. If she doesn't, he'll go find her again! She pushed him into the water; he couldn't let it go unpunished! At the very least, it would be a charge of murdering a court official! Having made up his mind, he began to wait patiently.

Zhu Chengyu couldn't help but recall yesterday's events, and a strange expression appeared on his face. He was enveloped in a dreamlike glow, his expression gentle, and a delicate, soft smile appeared on his lips.

Actually, what does he want from her? Does he want her to marry him? Not necessarily! But the first step is to make her fall for him, to make her unable to live without him. Secondly, he can't lose face in front of Shang Minglun. That guy keeps pestering him about the progress, and he always stammers, which only makes Shang Minglun press him harder!

Just as Zhu Chengyu was lost in thought, a young girl dressed in a moon-colored dress gracefully approached from afar. Zhu Chengyu thought it was Ling'er, and his heart surged with excitement. She's here! She really has come!

As the girl drew closer, Zhu Chengyu gradually made out her appearance. It wasn't Ling'er; although she wasn't short, her face still had a childlike innocence, making her look several years younger than Ling'er. The girl stood before Zhu Chengyu, a hint of coldness in her brows, bearing a resemblance to Ling'er.

"Are you Young Master Zhu Chengyu?" The girl's voice was indifferent yet polite, but her tone lacked respect.

"Exactly!"

"I am Ling'er's maid, Ximei. Our young lady said that the ten taels of silver do not need to be returned. The matter outside Ruyi Tower is not worth mentioning. However, please be sure to return the hairpin." Ling'er did not come herself, but sent Ximei to deliver the message. Having spent a long time with Ling'er, Ximei inevitably imitated Ling'er's speech and actions to some extent.

Zhu Chengyu, holding his breath, asked, "Why didn't she come by herself?"

Xi Mei became angry upon hearing this. "Who is our young lady? She has so many important matters to attend to every day. How could she have time to see you? She won't come, and you don't need to wait for her! Please return the hairpin so that Xi Mei can go back and report!"

Zhu Chengyu stared at Ximei, his eyes blazing with anger. Ximei was a little scared. He roared loudly, his eyes full of rage, "No way! Go back and tell your girl, this isn't over! It's not over!" With that, he stormed off.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [20]: This time Zhu Chengyu was really angry. What was he angry about? He himself couldn't explain it. He just felt that he had encountered unprecedented neglect and contempt in the past three days. From being pushed into the lake by Ling'er on the first day, to Ling'er breaking her promise on the second day, to the old gatekeeper at Jicui Villa not letting him in and making him write on the door, to now having to listen to a little maid's orders and obediently offer up the hairpin. Dream on!

When had Zhu Chengyu ever been treated like this? What kind of person did she take him for? How many officials in the court didn't fawn over him? Women would either flirt with him or throw themselves into his arms whenever they saw him!

Speaking of women, they weren't particularly important in Zhu Chengyu's life. The position of imperial concubine remained vacant, waiting to be filled. The Empress Dowager had repeatedly offered to find him a suitable woman, but he had politely declined each time. In truth, he himself wasn't sure what kind of woman he wanted as a lifelong companion. So he kept putting it off. Fortunately, he was never lacking in anything. Women bestowed by the Emperor, given by his colleagues, or even offered themselves to him—he accepted them all without hesitation, keeping them in his residence. After all, women were more beautiful than flowers! Over time, he earned a reputation for being a lecher. He didn't care, since no one could or dared to say anything.

After the late emperor's death, his sixteen-year-old nephew ascended the throne and unified the country. The Empress Dowager appointed virtuous and capable officials, and the ministers who had been appointed to high positions were also diligent and conscientious in supporting the new ruler, so the political situation was relatively clear. He was happy to be free from the affairs of the court and enjoy peace and quiet.

Zhu Chengyu's actions surprised Xi Mei. Ling'er had instructed her not to concern herself with anything else, just to clearly state these few words. Xi Mei had done so, but she hadn't expected Zhu Chengyu to be so angry. Since the hairpin hadn't been retrieved, Xi Mei had no choice but to return to Jicui Villa.

"Sister Ling, I'm back!" Ling'er was sitting by the bed doing needlework when she saw Ximei looking unhappy, and she already knew why.

"What, didn't you retrieve the hairpin?" Ling'er asked.

"No! He won't give it to me, Sister Ling. Who is he? He has such a bad temper!" Xi Mei couldn't wait to tell Ling'er about Zhu Chengyu.

"How exactly does he have such a fiery temper?" Ling'er asked Ximei with a smile, her hands still busy. "Tell me!"

"His face changed the moment I told him you weren't coming!"

"Oh, really?" Ling'er asked casually, suddenly wanting to hear how Ximei would describe him.

"And...and he has a really loud voice! He even said 'I'm not done with you yet'! I'm a little afraid of him." Ximei said timidly, "Sister Ling, who is he? When did you get into a grudge with him? I don't know anything about it."

"How could I have any grudge against him?" Ling'er stopped her needlework. "I'm not afraid of him at all. Why should I be afraid of him? Does he look like a wolf, a tiger, or a ox-headed demon?"

Upon hearing this, both girls burst into laughter.

"Just talking about his appearance?" Xi Mei paused, trying hard to recall what he looked like, after all, Xi Mei had only met Zhu Chengyu once. "It seems...it seems..." Xi Mei couldn't find the right words to describe him for a moment.

"Like what?"

"He seems a little too handsome! Sister Ling, who exactly is he? You can't hide it from me."

"Him?" Ling'er said irritably, "He's that drunkard outside Ruyi Tower last year who got beaten up because he couldn't pay his bill!"

"What? It's him?" Xi Mei's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.

"Why would I lie to you? That scoundrel, humph! Humph! He said something about repaying a small favor tenfold, that I saved his life and he wanted to repay me with his body, it's all utter nonsense!" Ling'er said indignantly.

"Really?" Xi Mei seemed somewhat interested in this. "So you're not going to see him, but I'm going! If you ask me, since you don't like the eldest young master anyway, why don't you just go with him!"

"Ximei, you're talking nonsense again!" Ling'er glared at her, but Ximei wasn't afraid. She leaned closer and said sheepishly, "Good sister, don't be angry. Ximei was wrong, okay?"

Just then, Ningyue returned from outside. Her face was flushed, and she chattered incessantly as soon as she entered the door: "Ling'er, do you know where we went to play today? We went mountain climbing! I've never climbed a mountain before. Standing on the mountain and looking down, it really felt like 'standing on the summit, looking down at all the mountains!' We're going to Wanxi Garden to admire the flowers tomorrow. Do you want to come? Hey? What were you talking about just now?"

Xi Mei was about to speak when Ling'er stopped her with a look.

"Nothing much? Looks like you had a good time with Brother Sun? Don't overdo it, take care of yourself!"

Ningyue has been going out with Sun Chenlin these past few days. He picks her up in the morning and brings her back in the evening.

Ling'er felt quite at ease entrusting Ningyue to Sun Chenlin! After all, they were engaged, and Ling'er trusted Brother Sun's character. Besides, Ningyue wouldn't agree to go with them.

Zhu Chengyu stormed back to the post station, where Shang Minglun had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Zhu Chengyu's displeased expression, he knew that another setback had occurred. He poured a glass of wine for Zhu Chengyu and advised, "Calm down, calm down. What's the big deal? Why are you so angry? Why didn't she come again?"

Shang Minglun knew everything about Zhu Chengyu. A couple of days ago, as soon as Zhu Chengyu returned, Shang Minglun interrogated him relentlessly. Zhu Chengyu was embarrassed and gave vague excuses. Shang Minglun sensed something amiss in his words and, after a few more questions, he revealed that Ling'er had pushed him into the water, making Shang Minglun chuckle. Since that had already been mentioned, there was no need to hide what happened the next day. Zhu Chengyu returned dejectedly again; even if he hadn't said anything, Shang Minglun could guess the gist of it.

Zhu Chengyu took the wine, downed it in one gulp, then slammed the glass on the table with a "bang," his face ashen, and said fiercely, "She dares not to come! She actually dares not to come!"

"What, she really didn't come?" Shang Minglun asked, in his memory no one had ever dared to treat Zhu Chengyu like this.

"She's gone too far!" Zhu Chengyu slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "How dare she offend me?"

"What are you planning to do?"

"What? Do you think I'd let her off the hook? Including her whole family, I'd make an example of that old man Nan first. Tomorrow I'll impeach him, make him tremble for a couple of days, then accuse him of some crime and have him dismissed from his post and investigated, so he'll never get away with this!"

Shang Minglun and Zhu Chengyu had known each other for many years, and Shang Minglun knew that Zhu Chengyu was willful, vindictive, and, being a member of the imperial family, arrogant and easily angered. Which official dared offend him? Everyone fawned over him. He had never suffered the slightest loss. Now, he had been repeatedly defeated by a mere young girl; how could he possibly let it go?

"Is this appropriate?" Shang Minglun could already foresee the calamity that awaited Nanfu.

"What's wrong with it? Who taught him to have a daughter and not know how to raise her properly, daring to offend me! He'll have to pay tenfold in compensation!"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [21]: "If you ask me, let it go!" Shang Minglun tried to mediate, "If you hadn't provoked them first, things wouldn't have turned out this way!"

Zhu Chengyu knew that Shang Minglun was right, but he just couldn't swallow his anger. "No way! My mind is made up. Go and draft a memorial for me now."

"Cousin, are you really going to do this?" Shang Minglun looked at Zhu Chengyu.

"Are you going to write it or not? If you're not going to write it, I'll write it myself!" After saying that, he went to the study.

"Hey! Cousin," Shang Minglun stopped him, "I didn't say I wouldn't help you write it. Since you hate her so much, I have a plan that will make you vent your anger."

Zhu Chengyu glanced at Shang Minglun, knowing he was incapable of anything important, but good at offering advice. So he patiently said, "Go ahead."

"Old Nan and his wife are not in the capital right now. Nan Bin works in the palace and only goes back every few days. There are only the young lady and a few servants in the mansion! We'll seize the opportunity to snatch that little brat. We don't need to do anything, just lock her up for three to five days and then release her."

Shang Minglun glared at Zhu Chengyu with a reproachful look, afraid that his idea might not suit Zhu Chengyu's tastes. Suddenly, Zhu Chengyu laughed maliciously, and then Shang Minglun laughed along with him.

Zhu Chengyu stroked his newly grown beard and praised, "Brilliant! Your idea is truly brilliant! This is far better than impeaching him. In this way, not only her reputation, but also the reputation of the Nan family will be ruined! Who can still say she is innocent? Let's see how that old man Nan will have the face to go to court! She can forget about marrying that 'Sun' guy! I don't believe that any man in the world can tolerate such a thing! Yes! That's how we do it. This way, we won't have to alarm the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. We won't have to worry about her not complying."

When Shang Minglun heard Zhu Chengyu praise his idea, he couldn't help but feel smug and said, "Thank you for your kind words, cousin!"

A few days later, Steward Xu sent word that there were some problems with the accounts at the trading company and asked Ling'er to come over. Because she was in such a hurry, Ling'er didn't even take Ximei with her; she only gave a brief explanation before leaving.

Ling'er sat in the sedan chair, reviewing the accounts sent by Steward Xu. The streets were bustling with people; it was the liveliest time of day in the capital.

Suddenly, the sedan chair swayed and stopped. Shouts and sounds of fighting came from outside. Ling'er was startled. What was happening? What had happened? She desperately wanted to know what was going on outside. Before Ling'er could stand up, the sedan curtain was pulled open, and someone threw some unknown powder into the sedan chair. She felt a darkness before her eyes and then lost consciousness.

When Ling'er slowly woke up, she felt weak all over and had a splitting headache.

Looking at the white canopy above, Ling'er tried hard to recall. Before she fainted, she was sitting in a sedan chair. How did she end up here? And where is this place?

Ling'er pushed back the covers and got up, surveying the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was quiet, and she was all alone. Ling'er could even hear her own heart pounding wildly.

Inside, beaded curtains and latticed screens draped the room, while a set of rosewood furniture adorned the space. The table was laden with various jade artifacts and other refined objects. A three-legged golden beast-shaped incense burner on the table emitted wisps of fragrant smoke, a scent that soothed and comforted the senses. The walls were covered with calligraphy and paintings, and a small dagger with a gold-lacquered sheath hung from a pillar, suggesting that the owner of this place was a person of refined taste and a connoisseur of luxury.

Ling'er got out of bed and went to the door, intending to open it and go out. She pulled the door open, only to find it locked. Through the sheer curtains of the window, she looked into the garden. The garden was filled with fragrant flowers, butterflies flitting among the blossoms, and willows swaying gently—a truly serene and elegant courtyard. Ling'er calmed down somewhat, no longer feeling the initial shock and bewilderment.

She had no time to appreciate the scenery; her most important concern now was how to leave. If she were left behind like this, Ningyue would be frantic with worry. Since the door wouldn't open, Ling'er checked the windows again, but they were all locked. A sense of foreboding crept into her heart.

"Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Is anyone home? Let me out!" Ling'er pounded on the door and called out, but no one answered. Ling'er had no choice but to continue calling out, "Is anyone home? Let me out!"

Footsteps came from the corridor on the left. Ling'er was delighted, thinking that someone was probably coming to open the door for her.

But no! Someone came, but they didn't open the door for her.

The man stood outside the door, tall and slender, dressed in gorgeous clothes, looking at Ling'er with a half-smile in his eyes.

Ling'er looked closely and realized it was him! That madman, drunkard, scoundrel—Zhu Chengyu.

"Ling'er! Do you miss me?" Zhu Chengyu asked with a smile, his face full of nonchalance. When Ling'er saw that it was Zhu Chengyu, she felt much more at ease.

How did I get here?

“I invited you here!” Zhu Chengyu said bluntly.

What? Is this how you 'invite' someone? Ling'er said with suppressed anger, "Let me go!"

"No way!" he refused outright.

"Why are you locking me up?" Ling'er questioned. Zhu Chengyu was furious when he heard this. He, Zhu Chengyu, wasn't even in a hurry yet. Why was Ling'er in a hurry first?

"I'm going to lock you up! I'm asking you, why didn't you come when I asked you to come twice?"

"I don't even know you!" Ling'er scoffed. "When are you going to let me go?"

"When will I release you?" Zhu Chengyu said, feigning a thoughtful expression, "Whenever you agree, I will release you."

"What did I promise you?"

"You should know?" Zhu Chengyu replied, raising his eyebrows.

Ling'er knew Zhu Chengyu was referring to the matter of her marrying him, and sneered, "Even if all the men in the world died, I wouldn't marry you!"

A flash of anger crossed Zhu Chengyu's eyes, followed by a hint of encouragement. He gave a thumbs-up and said, "Good! You've got guts! Then you stay here!" He turned to leave. Ling'er quickly called out to him, "Hey! Don't go!" If Zhu Chengyu left, who knew when he would return? If Ling'er could persuade him to release her now, that would be the best outcome. Ling'er was unwilling to give up any opportunity.

"What, you can't bear to part with me?" Zhu Chengyu turned back and started teasing again.

"Zhu Chengyu, are you being unreasonable?"

"How am I being unreasonable?" Thank goodness, he didn't say, "I am unreasonable!" If he had, Ling'er would have been speechless.

Ling'er composed herself and changed her tone, "I'm asking you? What have I promised you? What have you promised me? What's the point of your far-fetched arguments? If you really want to marry me, you should come to our mansion to propose openly and honestly!"

Ling'er tried to persuade her to release her by reasoning with her and appealing to her emotions.

"Why didn't I go? That old man surnamed Nan disagreed! He said you already have someone else!" At this point, Zhu Chengyu's anger flared up again.