Scent Of Time

Chapter 52

The woman hadn’t finished her words when the man interrupted her again. I raised an eyebrow and said, “This is the second time you have stopped your wife. Do you think I am deaf?”

Although the man panicked, he calmly said: “Noble lady, you had tied and wanted to kill us. You clearly don’t want to hear the truth. It’s useless for us to say more.”

I put away my brutal appearance and stared at the man, saying: “I already know the truth, but I still wanted to ask. You swindle others for selfish motives, so I allow you to clarify it. I give you a ray of hope, but you insist on not to say. Then I don’t mind using a small means to make you tell the truth.”

The man’s face was uncertain, but he answered, “All of you are acting similarly. You don’t listen to what others say and only rely on your thoughts.”

I froze, and my heart skipped a beat before speaking, “What do you mean?”

“We live well in the border city. I am also clear about my father-in-law. Even if we hate Qi Rongzhou, we should hide when we know his identity. Why did we come here on our initiative?” The man cried.

I suddenly felt cold with a big hole in my heart.

Tired of crying, the man rushed toward me and kneeled: “We’re afraid of death. At that time, we explained that things had passed and that we would not pursue the old things. But, someone forced us to identify him. We want to leave the capital but are afraid to implicate our family, so we can only hide and wait for things to end. So, even if we admit it is useless. It’s not up to us to choose.”

“You mean you told the truth, but someone still forced you to come?” I pressed my palms together and spoke.

The man’s face was still skeptical before I spoke. “You only need to answer if yes or not. After answering this matter, I will take care of it. I pretend that I have never seen you and send you away. If you dare to lie, I’ll catch your family in border town for questioning.”

After a long time, the man said, “I wouldn’t dare to lie. What I said is all true.”

My feet were weak. I barely stood up and went out. The guards saw this and followed, leaving the two people in the courtyard. I was wrong, thinking that as long as someone told the truth, I could find the culprit, and Hua Rongzhou would be fine. It turned out that from the beginning, it didn’t matter whether Hua Rongzhou was guilty or not. When I left the courtyard, I saw a figure beside my carriage: Mu Yao. When she saw me come over, she said, “I knew you would come here today, so I purposely waited for you here.”

“Get on the carriage and talk,” I said that because I was afraid I would not be able to stand up. After entering the carriage, it was only Mu Yao and me. She said first, “I know you let …… him go and that you honor your word. I came to seek you out to say—are you listening to me?” Mu Yao frowned and looked at me.

I still felt cold all over my body before I answered, “I am not feeling well now. I’m afraid I don’t have the energy to listen to you.”

Mu Yao was silent for a moment and didn’t leave. “I don’t want to have too much entanglement with you. Let’s make it clear today so we won’t have to see each other again in the future.”

I did not say anything. Mu Yao then continued, “I had figured it out. Even if Ah Lan has you in his heart, I will not choose to escape anymore. I will prove it to him and let him know who truly loves him, so I do not need you to give way to me.”

“Why are you still dwelling on this matter now?” I met Mu Yao’s uncomprehending gaze and spoke, “It was never me who yielded to you. It was he who chose you. It was like that when we were at the cliff, and it’s like that now.”

Mu Yao froze for a long time, looking at me inquisitively. I let her look at me squarely, and eventually, she stopped mentioning this matter, “I was out of my mind and did the wrong thing, but your elder brother isn’t an innocent person either. Now I understand that the things of this world are indefinable; right and wrong are each according to their own opinion, and in the future — I will not target the Hua Family again. If you don’t attack me again, I will only regard you as strangers.”

I was not pleased by Mu Yao’s blatant plea for peace. Only after a long time did I barely evoke a smile, “Okay.”

Mu Yao got up and prepared to leave, but when she got off the carriage, she said, “Did you read the letter I sent you that day?”

I nodded but did not reply. Mu Yao looked at me and said, “Although I don’t know how you messed with that… someone from the harem. Even if you choose to divorce Ah Lan because of him, I advise you—not all high branches can be climbed. I fear you won’t enjoy your life at that time.”

Without waiting for my reply, Mu Yao left. A long time later, Qian Zhi got on the carriage and carefully looked at me. I closed my eyes and pretended to take a fake nap before I said, “Accompany me to the prison again tomorrow.”

Qian Zhi said yes, and the following was silent all the way.

Although pale, Hua Rongzhou looked spirited and without added injuries. It looked like the jailer dared not to abuse him again.

“Miss, why you’d come again?” Hua Rongzhou looked at me blankly.

I sat beside him calmly before saying, “I’ve met that Li couple.”

Hua Rongzhou’s body stiffened, and I sighed, “It’s me who dragged you down.”

I reached out and touched Hua Rongzhou’s head. He looked puzzled. I said, “But don’t worry. I will get you out at any cost.”

Hua Rongzhou held my hand tightly: “Am I very important to Miss?”

His face was still childish, but the tension in his eyes gave away the owner’s emotions. I did not draw back my hand but let him hold it, “En, important.”

Hua Rongzhou smiled—like a warm sun warming the bottom of my heart. The person I treated as a child who always stood behind me and never wavered has suffered.

I softened my tone, “I drove Cui Zhu away.”

Hua Rongzhou frowned, and his face became a bit cold. “What does it matter to me? Why should I be told?”

This person’s face changed fast. “Qian Zhi is also getting married. The people on my side are getting fewer.” I said with my head hanging down, feeling his grip on my hand tighten before I spoke again.

“After you come out, my father, mother, and I have to leave the capital. This trip is not a return to our hometown with glory. There would be no servants or even fewer clothes and food. Do you still want to go with me?”

Noticing Hua Rongzhou’s grip on my hand getting tighter, I wanted to remind him when he suddenly spoke, “I have never followed Miss for the sake of glory and wealth. Therefore, even if Miss doesn’t want me and wants to drive me away, I will not leave even if I die.”

I lowered my head and smiled. My heart was sad, and I said, “Say, if the road ahead is a road with an uncertain future but many trials and tribulations, and everyone is advising me to stop, should I go on, or should I take another road?”

Hua Rongzhou looked at me confusedly. I say, “Look at me! Why am I telling you this?”

Hua Rongzhou thoughtfully answered, “Since the future is uncertain, it is better to stop and turn back in time.”

I stared blankly at Hua Rongzhou, but he smiled and said, “I said that because I don’t want Miss to suffer. But for you, even if my tendons and bones broke, I won’t turn back.”

It was the first time he had straightforwardly expressed his feelings. I sighed in my heart, smiling. After staying home for a few days, pawning all the stores and saving money, I set out to enter the palace.

I went to see Zhong Xiwu but was blocked by Eunuch Gao at the door, who said he was busy and not meeting anyone. I was not in a hurry, so I waited at the door. The palace staff looked at me with different faces; I remained indifferent, but instead, Eunuch Gao’s face turned pale. In less than half an hour, Zhong Xiwu angrily exited the room and pulled me inside before I said anything. With a bang, the door was closed by Zhong Xiwu, and Eunuch Gao and the others were shut out.

Zhong Xiwu raised his hand and pressed me to the door. I realized that I was only up to his chin and rarely this close to him. It seemed like I was close at hand. Speaking of which, the last time I was this close was when he blocked the hangover soup for me, but at that time, I was in a panic and hit my head. Before I laughed at my stupidity, I heard him gnashing his teeth and said, “Audacious! You knew I couldn’t bear to hang on you, so you blocked my doorway.”