Xie Ming

Chapter 3 You're Unworthy

At the beginning of the evening of the 19th (15:), Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen entered the palace to meet the emperor in accordance with the secret imperial decree.

At 2 o'clock in the evening, Xiao Jingchuan was ordered to follow Zhu Chunchen and lead the troops to secretly lead the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace back to the palace and hide.

Before setting off, Qiu Zhizhong got the news and hid in the dark alley in front of the Duke's Mansion, and witnessed everything with his own eyes.

The first quarter of the hour of Hai (21:15), corner of Renshoufang Street.

"Old Xiao, how did you discuss the connection at Xizhimen?"

Qiu Zhizhong was wearing black clothes for night use and was riding slowly on his horse when he asked.

"Don't worry, Li Huchen is already in the plan!"

As he spoke, Xiao Jingchuan dismounted at the street corner, bent down and tied the horse to a tree stump beside him.

"Fei Yu (Qiu Zhizhong), let's dismount here."

"If you're crossing the street and climbing over the wall, the noise will be too loud and might cause trouble!"

After he finished speaking, Qiu Zhizhong and Gu Changting (his personal soldier) behind him dismounted from their horses and tied them up.

The three of them took advantage of the night and quietly approached the Shijingyuan mansion of the Duke's Mansion.

A few moments.

Whoohoo!
The three of them climbed over the wall and entered the courtyard of the mansion. Xiao Jingchuan and Gu Changting were both military men with good martial arts skills, so climbing over the wall was no problem for them.

But compared to the other two, Qiu Zhizhong's kung fu was much weaker, so he couldn't be so calm. As soon as he landed on the ground, he staggered forward and somersaulted before he could barely keep his body steady.

"Oh my god!"

Seeing this, Xiao Jingchuan stepped forward to support him.

"Waiting for the moon in the west wing, the door is half open to the wind; the shadows of flowers on the wall move, I wonder if it is the beautiful lady coming!"

"Xiao Lang, Xiao Lang, you are so nimble, it seems you have done this job many times to jump over the wall to meet Cui Yingying at night!"

Qiu Zhizhong stood up in embarrassment. In order to avoid being laughed at by Xiao Jingchuan, he took the initiative to tease him first.

"Stop talking nonsense and be serious!"

"Tonight is different from the past. The prince is entering the palace, and all the military servants in the front yard are on night patrol to prevent any omissions."

"If it weren't for the fact that Shijing Garden is so huge, even if the three of us had all the abilities, we probably wouldn't be able to get in."

"Go, be quick and don't make any noise."

As he spoke, Xiao Jingchuan was familiar with the road, so he took the lead and moved forward under the moonlight, followed closely by Qiu Zhizhong and Gu Changting.

About a quarter of an hour later, Xiao Lang led the two of them to a side path in the backyard.

Boom, boom, boom!

After knocking on the door three times and waiting for a while, someone seemed to come in.

creak!

The door opened slightly, revealing a young girl from inside. Who else could it be but Zhu Yu'e, the second daughter of the Duke's Mansion!
"Brother Xiao, Xiao, ah!"

Zhu Yu'e didn't know that Xiao Jingchuan would bring outsiders here tonight. When she saw the three people in front of her were all dressed in black, she was immediately frightened and was about to shout.

Seeing this, Xiao Jingchuan quickly covered Xiao'e's mouth.

"Xiao E, it's me, Xiao Jingchuan!"

Under the moonlight, Xiao E looked carefully and saw that it was indeed Xiao Lang, which made her feel a little relieved.

"Brother Xiao, what's going on?" Zhu Yu'e asked.

"My dear sister, after dinner today, the old man (Zhu Chunchen) brought two outsiders into the back house. Do you know where they were settled?" Xiao Jingchuan asked instead of answering.

Zhu Yu'e was confused and stunned for a moment, then nodded affirmatively.

"Yes! It's in a separate courtyard at the very back."

"Well, sister, take me there quickly. Something big is going to happen tonight. I must take those two away!"

Xiao Jingchuan spoke softly, and Zhu Yu'e hesitated for a moment when she heard it.

After all, it was extremely inappropriate for her to have a secret meeting with Xiao Jingchuan late at night and to give and take things privately.

Now, Xiao Jingchuan brought outsiders into the back house again, and he also wanted to take away the people his father brought.

Then this will be discovered by tomorrow morning at the latest. How will I deal with it when they find out? !

"Oh, good sister!"

"I know this matter is difficult for you, but your brother Xiao does have his own difficulties!"

"Just help me this time!"

Xiao Jingchuan spoke sincerely and placed his hands on Zhu Yu'e's shoulders.

Qiu Zhizhong and Gu Changting behind him were really ashamed to look at. At this moment, Xiao Jingchuan's face looked like a scumbag who seduced innocent girls from good families. It was really too eye-catching!

"Okay then!"

"Brother Xiao, come with me."

Zhu Yu'e was dressed in plain clothes and was of small stature. At this moment, her big eyes flashed with innocence as she led Xiao Jingchuan and the other two into the side door of the back house. The scene looked weird, as if inviting a wolf into the house.

21:45 p.m.

Xiao Jingchuan and the other two found the courtyard where Crown Prince Zhu Cilang (lǎng) was.

After Qiu Zhizhong's mediation and Xiao Jingchuan's analysis of the interests of the situation, the prince and the eunuch Wang Zhixin finally decided to escape with the two.

The group returned along the same route at night. Zhu Yu'e, who had been following Xiao Jingchuan, was waiting outside the yard. She didn't know the details of the matter. Her eyes were fixed on her brother Xiao, and she was still moved in her heart that she could do something for him.

In those days, due to the constraints of feudal ethics, most women were not allowed to go out of the house, especially those from wealthy families, where discipline was often even stricter.

How could a little girl like Zhu Yu'e, who was raised in a secluded place, possibly know the dangers of the outside world? Her heart was completely devoted to her lover, and her life was pure and simple.

"Fei Yu (Qiu Zhizhong), you take them and walk a little behind. If anything happens ahead, you can just hide." As they walked, Xiao Jingchuan whispered a reminder to Qiu Zhizhong beside him. The two of them made eye contact and understood each other. Only Xiao Jingchuan and Zhu Yu'e were left in front, and the remaining four followed behind at a distance of twenty to thirty meters.

After all, even if Xiao Jingchuan and Zhu Yu'e were encountered by others, there would still be room for maneuver. But once all of them were discovered, the situation would become serious. This arrangement is more appropriate. It is better to be safe than sorry!

Not long after Qiu Zhizhong and his team arrived, something unexpected happened ahead!

Three palace lanterns are coming head-on at the corner of the road!

"Ah! Second sister, you, Xiao Jingchuan, it's really you!"

A woman in a red dress came forward and stopped the two men. The two old women beside her were of sturdy build and glared at Xiao Jingchuan.

Xiao Lang turned sideways and glanced back, and saw that Qiu Zhizhong and the others had hidden in the dark and were not discovered. He felt relieved and turned around to put on a smile.

"Yuzhen, it's late at night, and you haven't slept yet!"

Xiao Jingchuan went into the back house late at night for a secret meeting. Knowing he was in the wrong, he tried his best to smile while talking.

"Bah! You called her Yuzhen too?" It was obvious that the eldest daughter of the Duke's Mansion did not appreciate it.

"Second sister, you are so bold. You actually secretly met a man in a dark alley on a snowy night. I will tell father tomorrow and he will break your legs!"

As Zhu Yuzhen spoke, she pulled Zhu Yu'e away from Xiao Jingchuan.

"Sister, my dear sister, I was wrong. Don't tell father, or I will be beaten to death!"

Zhu Yu'e was already ashamed to see that she was seen, and the shock from her elder sister made her even more frightened, so she began to cry.

"Besides, Brother Xiao is not a stranger, he is one of our own." Xiao E murmured.

"Family? Who is family to whom?!"

"Xiao Jingchuan, my sister is young and inexperienced in worldly affairs. Don't you understand either?"

"We are secretly communicating with each other and giving things away privately. We are daughters from a famous family. Do you want to destroy Xiao E?!"

"If I report this to my father, neither of you will survive!"

Zhu Yuzhen spoke harshly and angrily rebuked Xiao Jingchuan.

But Xiao Jingchuan also noticed that the other party was intentionally lowering the volume, and it was obvious that he didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

Of course, he did this all for the sake of his second sister.

Zhu Yuzhen was always arrogant and cold, not to mention bossing her servants around. Xiao Jingchuan was adopted as an adopted son by Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen as the orphan of a martyr and raised in the mansion for ten years. However, Zhu Yuzhen seemed to have never looked at him straight in the eye and treated him no different from a servant or a doorman. She looked down on him because of the difference in status.

"Uh, okay!"

"Miss, Xiao'e and I have known each other since childhood, and we are sincere to each other!"

"However, visiting you late at night was a mistake on my part. I hope Miss will forgive me this time. I, Xiao, will never do it again!"

Xiao Jingchuan bowed and clasped his fists, lowering his posture to the lowest level, but Zhu Yuzhen still refused to give in.

"Sincerely? Xiao Jingchuan, I advise you to go back and take a good look at yourself in the mirror!"

"This is the Duke's Mansion. Zhu Yu'e is the second daughter of the Duke's Mansion. She will marry a prince in the future."

"And you," he said, his words becoming even colder.

"You are just my father's adopted son out of kindness and whim!"

"You have been blessed for several lifetimes to have your current military position."

"How dare you say you want to marry my second sister?"

"It is important for people to know themselves. I advise you to take care of yourself!"

"From now on, don't have such presumptuous thoughts again!"

Zhu Yuzhen's words, with cold eyes and arrogance, were like a sharp knife piercing Xiao Jingchuan's heart.

After Xiao Lang entered the mansion at a young age, he relied on his status as an adopted son to be looked up to by everyone in front of others, but behind the scenes, he was often ridiculed and looked down upon by others.

He did have feelings for Zhu Yu'e, but there was indeed an indescribable gap between them.

Xiao Jingchuan understood this point, but today, Zhu Yuzhen pointed out the thorn in his heart so clearly, how could he not feel pain like a needle prickling him!
"Sister! That's enough. I won't marry anyone, okay?"

"Let Brother Xiao go!"

"I, I'm going back to my room!"

Zhu Yu'e knew that her sister's words were too harsh, so she hurriedly interrupted her. She was also worried that something might happen to Xiao Jingchuan if he stayed here for too long, so she was anxious to drag her sister away so that her elder brother Xiao and the people he brought with him could pass smoothly and leave the back house quickly.

"Hey! Wait a minute, girl!"

"Xiao Jingchuan, listen carefully!"

"If you really want to be good to my second sister, then don't see her again!"

"You do not deserve!"

In the snowy night sky, there was still a hazy moon hanging in the horizon, and the pale moonlight was reflected on Zhu Yuzhen. The fair skin, the fiery red dress, the cold and beautiful woman, said the most hurtful words.

"Not worthy? Haha. Then it's not worthy!"

"Yuzhen, prepare some dry food and money. It's chaotic enough now. Don't go out again in the near future!"

"When we meet again, maybe you'll have a different opinion!"

As Xiao Jingchuan was still talking, Zhu Yuzhen became anxious because her second sister was pulling her. She did not stay any longer and walked back to her room in small steps.

"Neuropathy!"

"Get out of here quickly, don't let anyone see you!"

After saying this, the two sisters walked towards the boudoir courtyard at the entrance of the alley, followed by two old women holding lamps, gradually walking away.

Seeing that the other party had walked away, Xiao Jingchuan called out to Qiu Zhizhong and others behind him.

In the cold wind and snow at night, a group of people in black clothes continued to walk towards the side door they came from in the dark!

(End of this chapter)