spoiled brat

Chapter 73, Section 72: Flying White (Part Two)

This was an important matter, so Xu Feng closed the door tightly, preventing any outside conversation from getting in.

Last year's accounts? Zhao Zhao pondered, wasn't that just the misappropriation of funds meant for river repairs?

Once the paychecks were distributed, every official who handled them had taken a bite out of it, with Xu Feng being the biggest culprit… Zhao Zhao cautiously leaned against the door, hoping to overhear something, but she vaguely heard Xu Feng say, “Go back to the capital and tell Minister Wu to rest assured… I will never cause His Majesty any trouble. As for those accounts, I guarantee they won’t be able to dig them up even if they search three feet into the ground.”

Zhao Zhao felt as if she had been burned. Why would an official who was corrupt say he wouldn't cause trouble for the emperor? Before she could think about it further, the scout outside was about to take his leave. Zhao Zhao quickly shrank back to where she was and behaved herself obediently.

Perhaps because he was annoyed, or perhaps because he felt that a little girl who couldn't leave the backyard posed no threat, Xu Feng didn't even come in to glare at Zhao Zhao. He simply called a servant outside and ordered, "Hang her up. Once she's clean, wash her and bring her here!"

-

Xiu Ning had no interest in playing chess.

She closed the chess box, frowned, and asked: "Didn't you bring her back?"

Even after changing his clothes twice, Xiu Yi could still smell the perfume around his nose. The young prostitute's hand was hidden underwater, tightly wrapped around him, but she pretended to be aggrieved, crying and saying that he was being rude.

absurd.

Xiu Yi said coldly, "She's so cunning, why should she be pitied?"

Xiu Ning pondered for a moment, then raised his hand, guessing Zhao Zhao's thoughts pretty accurately, and added: "Her voice sounds very familiar to me."

The sound of rain pattering outside filled the air, and the cool, damp night breeze carried the scent of flowers.

Xiu Yi closed the window and turned around. Xiu Ning was still looking at him: I think I've seen her before.

The room was silent. Fortunately, He Bi lifted the curtain and came in. He was injured and could not bow properly, so he stood upright and said, "Master, I have found out."

Xiu Yi gestured for him to sit down before speaking.

Why sit down? He irritably straightened his cuffs. "There is indeed a prostitute in the brothel named Wang Liuer, but guess who she is?"

"who."

“She’s that grandson of You Ming’s lover,” He Bi said. “They’ve been together for over half a year. Wang Liu’er not only accompanies You Ming, but also officials who are on good terms with him. She’s made a lot of money and has really figured out how to do this business. That little prostitute is talking nonsense without thinking, and she made up the most unlikely person!”

A jade-white hand offered a teacup. He hesitated for a moment, then took it, holding it in his hands without drinking. His speech became more refined: "What's even stranger is that Wang Liu'er should be staying at the brothel right now. I sent people to the brothel to investigate, but everyone said they hadn't seen her since the birthday banquet."

That's strange.

Xiu Yi was annoyed by Zhao Zhao, but felt that there was some truth in her words. Wang Liuer, Wang Liuer... His thoughts were stirred by the sound of the night rain. Just as he was about to speak, Xiu Ning asked: Is Wang Liuer her real name?
He frowned: "I haven't checked that. The prostitute said her family used to be from the Lin family, so it's not surprising that she had that name."

He pulled out a brothel register from his sleeve, which all prostitutes had to fill out: "Princess, her name is indeed Wang Liuer."

The document was in black and white, clearly without any problem, yet Xiu Ning became suspicious.

She picked up a page from the household register that had been lying on the edge of the chessboard for over ten days. It listed a family surnamed Wang with the surname Lin. The first person listed was Wang Qing, followed by his wife, and finally, their only daughter, Wang Xu.

Willow catkins, willow branches, catkins.

Without Xiu Ning needing to say anything, Xiu Yi already knew what to do next. He stood up, tied the token used for troop deployment to his waist, and said to He Bi, "This person is the key; we must find him even if we have to dig three feet into the ground." A clap of thunder sounded, and the rain intensified. Xiu Ning picked up a robe from the side and draped it over Xiu Yi, her expression serious: She didn't lie to you.

In exchange, Xiu Yi should get Zhao Zhao out of the Xu residence.

"She's just a ruthless prostitute, why are you so concerned about her?" Xiu Yi said coldly.

Xiu Ning was often confined to her home due to illness, and Xiu Yi knew this. Few people or things could pique her interest, and it was a rare occurrence; he should grant her wish.

But this little prostitute is someone you shouldn't get too close to.

Xiu Yi looked at the bowl of cold medicine on the table. Three years ago, one night, Xiu Ning was poisoned by her personal maid and barely escaped with her life.

The proud little princess, who should have been riding a white horse and wielding a silver bow on the battlefield like her mother, now had to rely on medicine to prolong her life, silent and frail, like a ray of light that could dissipate at any moment.

"Xiu Ning, people's hearts are unpredictable. I don't want to see anything happen to you again."

Leaving those words behind, Xiu Yi and He Bi walked into the storm.

The rope used to bind people was almost as thick as Zhao Zhao's arm; it was rough and prickly, and felt like needles pricking her wrists when wrapped around them.

After being needled for a long time, the pain became numb, and Zhao Zhao fell asleep in the numbness, having a nightmare.

In her dream, she became a soft, mushy mass of flesh, her features indistinguishable, returning to Qingyang County as Xu Feng's concubine. Yu Mama, Yao Niang, and Xiao Duo knelt before her, no longer daring to call her Zhao Zhao'er. Her younger sister, A Heng, had also grown up, gazing greedily at her jeweled hairpins and fine clothes, and pleaded, "Sister, please offer me to Lord Xu too!"

Zhao Zhao suddenly woke up. She was still hanging from the rafters, surrounded by darkness, just like in a dream.

A bolt of lightning struck, blindingly white, casting a shadow onto Zhao Zhao's face. She saw a thin figure standing outside the door—a skinny maid? Or…

With a creak, the door opened, revealing a frail-looking servant standing in the dark, windy rain.

Ordinary servants wouldn't come at this time, much less wear ill-fitting clothes with wet hems dragging on the ground.

As Zhao Zhao looked at the man's thin shoulders, a name suddenly popped into her mind. Before she could even ask, Wang Liuer had already looked up at her and said, "Zhao Zhao."

"Sister Liu'er..." Zhao Zhao looked at the person beneath her, feeling a surge of excitement as if she had grasped a lifeline, but upon seeing Wang Liu'er's calm and lifeless expression, she swallowed back what she wanted to say.

The door was closed, and the two of them were like caged beasts. Wang Liuer went straight to the point: "Zhaozhao, I have something to ask of you."

In the darkness, Zhao Zhao couldn't see Wang Liu'er's expression, but she could hear the reluctance in her tone.

"Sister Liu'er, please speak."

“…I would like to ask you to introduce me to Lord Xu.” Wang Liuer clenched her fist and said against her conscience, “But the meeting place cannot be at Xu’s residence, but must be outside.”

"A music academy?"

Wang Liuer shook her head: "Xu Feng values ​​his reputation and won't go to a brothel. I bought a small courtyard outside. You can bring him there, and then..."

When it came to the difficulties, Wang Liuer's voice softened: "Then... you should run away quickly. I will give you a sum of money, all the savings I have earned from selling myself in the past six months, enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. Someone will meet you and take you to hide in the mountains. After a few years when things have calmed down, you can come out and live a good life."