Scent Of Time

Chapter 48

After Hua Rongzhou saw the woman, his eyes became as vicious as a wolf. Hostility vented out, and even I could not help but tremble. Slightly worried, I tugged on his sleeve, and when he saw me, the cruelty in his eyes decreased.

The woman continued to cry and howl: “It’s you! Murderous thief, I did not expect to see you here. Heaven pity my father-in-law, ah …….”

The onlookers gradually increased, and I blocked in front of Hua Rongzhou while saying: “Madam, you can not talk nonsense. He is my guard. Be careful of the consequences of wrongly accusing someone.”

The woman wiped her tears and stood up, pulling her husband to speak, “Husband, look, isn’t this that little brat? He harmed my Father-in-law. I would recognize him even if he turned into ashes.”

The man stared at Hua Rongzhou and said hatefully, “That’s right. It’s him, he harmed my father.”

With more people pointing, the woman became excited: “I was the daughter-in-law of the rich merchant Li family in the border city. My father-in-law saw this bastard and bought him as a servant. But when we were not paying attention to it, this bastard killed my father-in-law, took money, and fled. He had escaped for seven years. Fortunately, God has eyes and let me meet him again. Please, report to the police to arrest …….”

I had a headache from her clamor and said, “You say it’s already seven years, so you’re probably mistaken. Speaking like this without evidence on the street, are you trying to defile people’s innocence?”

Madam Li spoke: “His brown eyes and demonic face. It was because of his good looks that we bought him. Unexpectedly, we led the wolf into the house. Even when I was beaten to death, I won’t recognize him wrongly.”

“He is not the only one with brown eyes …….”

“Aiya, noble person, you have a good heart, so this thief deceived you. Heavens, open your eyes and see it; don’t let this murderer come back to harm people.” I had not finished my words when the woman interrupted me. She squatted and cried out.

She said it was a chance encounter but never asked about my identity and accused Hua Rongzhou directly. This trick could have been better. However, people in this world are stupid and easily swayed by words. The woman’s cry made a bunch of people start to respond.

Seeing an increasing number of people while I only brought Hua Rongzhou out, I felt outnumbered. I turned back to let him take that couple—two people—to leave first. But I saw the veins in his hands ripple, and his eye corners were red. My heart shrank. Then, I pulled his hand and said, “It’s okay. I’m here. I won’t see you being slandered.”

“What if it is not a slander?” Hua Rongzhou asked.

I froze and saw him looking at me sadly while saying, “Miss, I said I have killed people.”

The woman’s ears were sharp, and she shouted: “Look, he has admitted to killing people. Quick, arrest him and send him to the officials.”

Looking at the stupid crowd, I loudly reprimanded: “Impudence! Can you touch the Prime Minister’s people at your will?”

“The official is here. The government officer is here ……,” Someone in the crowd shouted.

I saw the government officer with a few horses and men walk in; this officer came quickly.

Madam Li saw the officer and said: “Master, please decide. That thief killed my father-in-law. Hurry up, catch him lest he run away ……”

The officer frowned and listened to the woman’s repeated words, then looked at me with difficulty, “Miss Hua, look at this ……”

“The incident only started fifteen minutes ago; I did not know that the government’s speed is surprisingly fast like this.” I coldly mocked him, and a few moments of embarrassment flashed across the officer’s face.

“Qianqian.” Zhong Xiwu’s voice rang out again as we stood at a standstill. After this scene happened, I had forgotten about him. Hua Rongzhou subconsciously gripped my hand when he heard the voice.

“Come here, Qianqian.” Zhong Xiwu spoke again. The officer wanted to salute, but Zhong Xiwu shook his head.

I didn’t move, still blocked in front of Hua Rongzhou, and said, “Someone is trying to set me up. You help me.”

Seeing that I did not move, Zhong Xiwu walked to my side with a sullen face, “Have you understood the person you are holding?”

I froze. Zhong Xiwu reached out and pulled me to him. Hua Rongzhou’s grip on my hand did not exert any force and got loosened by a gentle tug.

Zhong Xiwu did not speak to the officer. Seeing that the officer was about to take down Hua Rongzhou, I was anxious and wanted to go over again, but Zhong Xiwu held my body. His eyes seemed to have a few moments of anger: “Qianqian, listen. Come with me.”

“Someone wrongly accused Hua Rongzhou ……,” I anxiously opened my mouth.

“Wrongly accused?” Zhong Xiwu sneered, “He’s surname is not Hua.”

I was dumbfounded, and before I could react, I saw the people brought by the officer press Hua Rongzhou down.

“Come with me, I’ll tell you.” Zhong Xiwu pulled me and took me away. When I turned around, I saw Hua Rongzhou hanging his head without the slightest resistance.

“What will the officer do to Hua Rongzhou?” I still spoke with some worry. I shouldn’t have let them take Hua Rongzhou away.

“I don’t want to hear you worry about him anymore.” Zhong Xiwu’s voice rang out, cold and rigid.

I bit my lip and stopped speaking. After we sat briefly in a restaurant’s room, someone opened the door.

I froze, looking at the highly familiar blue-clothed man, and heard Zhong Xiwu say, “This is my chief of guards, Lin Jiang, who is usually discreet.”

A light flashed in my head, and I spoke, “Do you have another brother?”

Lin Jiang arched his hand at me and returned, “Miss Hua is talking about Chen Yuan, right? There was a time when I met with Miss Hua, and he was my lieutenant.”

They were the two ‘jianghu people’ who intervened in Hua Shen’s matter in the restaurant. That’s why they looked so familiar; we’ve rubbed shoulders with each other in the palace before. I turned my head to Zhong Xiwu. He hurriedly explained: “In the restaurant, I did not intend to test you. When I saw your elder brother’s nonsense, I let them help the woman. I did not think that you would come.”

Now, it was not the time to dwell on this matter; I continued to look at Lin Jiang and asked, “What exactly do you want to say about Hua Rongzhou?”

Lin Jiang glanced at Zhong Xiwu before handing me a stack of papers, “Miss Hua will understand after reading these.”

I opened the documents—the enslaved person’s contract and the court files. The papers appeared to be some years old and were all signed by Qi Rongzhou. I looked at Lin Jiang. He spoke without waiting for me to ask: “The Qi Rongzhou on these papers is Hua Rongzhou. His original surname was Qi.”

“Qianqian, have you never understood the people around you?” Zhong Xiwu asked. Looking at my silence, he added, “I didn’t pay attention before. Only when he suddenly blocked in front of you at the mid-autumn banquet did I notice that I had once seen him. The street beggars and the restaurant servant you had encountered are him. I knew he had ulterior motives, so I let Lin Jiang investigate him.”

“How could you have met him on the street?” I couldn’t help but frown and ask.

Zhong Xiwu’s face was uncomfortable as he explained, “I also accidentally saw him crash into your carriage.”

Such a coincidence? He also saw the incident on the day I transmigrated. But it’s useless to dwell on these issues now. I gripped the papers and spoke, “I understand Hua Rongzhou. He’s not that kind of person.”

When Zhong Xiwu heard the name I said, he frowned and looked at Lin Jiang, who then spoke again, “Even if he didn’t plot against the Li family for money, he has more than one human life in his hands.”

Looking at my shocked face, Lin Jiang continued, “Has Miss Hua heard of the craftsman Wei Xian?”

I shook my head. Lin Jiang continued, “Wei Xian was the world’s most skillful concealed weapon smith. He died last year. No one reported or noticed it. When I looked into Qi Rongzhou’s affairs, I discovered that Wei Xian had an apprentice called Rongzhou. And the night before Wei Xian’s death, someone saw Qi Rongzhou’s figure appear. But because there are no traces, the case was dismissed.”

A concealed weapon? I suddenly felt the bracelet on my wrist cold to the bone, and I couldn’t lift my hand. Hua Rongzhou’s sentence, ‘I will give you the bracelet,’ appeared vividly.

Lin Jiang didn’t say anything after he finished speaking. I didn’t reply for a long time. Zhong Xiwu spoke first: “Qianqian, Qi Rongzhou was only ten years old when he tried to steal and harm people’s lives, and after that, he deceived his teacher. I know you’ve always been soft-hearted and protective of your people, but how can I let those dangerous people stay at your side?”

“Today’s matter, is your doing?” I was extremely quick to understand his meaning.

Zhong Xiwu sighed and said, “It’s for your safety. I am afraid you won’t believe me, so I let Li Couple come to the capital to identify him. I’m worried that Qi Rongzhou would infuriate and harm you when they reveal his identity, so I came for you.”

My grip tightened, and I removed the bracelet with my pale hand. Zhong Xiwu reached out and seemed to want to hold my hand. I got up and avoided it. Against Zhong Xiwu’s eyes, I suddenly felt weak all over my body. Finally, I hung my hand down and spoke, “Many thanks, Your Majesty.”