Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 230 Wei Ruo is still alive

Zhou Zhao made a shushing gesture to the two of them, poked a hole in the window with his hand, and looked out.

There were no guards at the door, clearly those people never thought she would wake up at this time, let alone that she could easily escape from the dungeon after waking up.

Zhou Zhao opened the door a crack, gesturing for the two to come out.

"Don't make a sound," Zhou Zhao said, grabbing one person with each hand and lifting them up a big tree. He then found a sturdy branch and gently placed the two of them down.

Zhou Zhao thought for a moment, then took out a dagger and handed it to Chen Jiyuan, saying, "I'll go check what's going on here and I'll be right back."

"You all stay put in the trees. As the saying goes, 'the darkest place is under the lamp.' Once they discover the dungeon is compromised, they'll search the entire island, never expecting that you're not only still alive but also hiding right under their noses."

Zhou Zhao thought for a moment, then took out two more tinderboxes from his sleeve and gave one to each of them.

"If there's real danger, set a fire and make a big commotion. I'll be back immediately, don't worry."

Chen Jiyuan nodded heavily, then grabbed Zhou Zhao's sleeve and whispered, "Sister Zhao, are you not planning to massacre the island?"

Zhou Zhao's face darkened. "What am I to you? A living Yama?"

This is not Tianying City. She is now Lord Zhou of the Court of Justice. If the island were massacred, the bamboo slips used by the censors to condemn her would probably be enough to create an entire underworld for her.

As she spoke, she leaped lightly, like a bird in a misty forest, and vanished from the spot in an instant.

It must be noon now; the sun has peeked out, and the world, which was almost invisible before, has suddenly become much clearer.

Following his memory of the way he came, Zhou Zhao arrived at the ferry crossing where he had landed on the island almost instantly.

Several boats were moored on both sides of the pier at the ferry crossing, most of them covered boats with awnings, and only a few were open-topped flatboats. Zhou Zhao noticed with her sharp eyes that there was a faint pink stain on the edge of one of the boats, which was left when she threw the sleeping pills.

Standing at the ferry crossing, the lake was clean and clear, and I didn't see any passing boats. I wondered if Ah Huang had followed me.

Zhou Zhao thought for a moment, then pursed her lips.

Her eyes flickered, and she picked up a pebble from the ground, launching it towards the small boat. A sharp thud rang out, and the two sentries standing on the shore immediately looked towards the lake on alert. Taking advantage of the moment their eyes were focused, Zhou Zhao darted past them from behind.

Her initial impression of the place came from her previous experience when she landed on the island.

Clearly, this small island in the middle of the lake was divided in two. To the left of the island was the place where the "prey" was imprisoned and the beauties were tamed; while to the right was the pleasure den for the guests. The "guest" who had come with her to kidnap her was led to the right.

Is Zhou Zhao so easy to tie up?
Upon entering the right side, the feeling was immediately different, and Zhou Zhao even mistakenly thought he had returned to Chang'an.

With its pavilions and towers, and picturesque views at every turn, coupled with the swirling white mist and the melodious sounds of traditional music, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a paradise on earth.

Zhou Zhao looked closely and saw a red wooden plaque hanging in front of the gate of the first courtyard, with the words "Wei Ruo" written on it.

Zhou Zhao's heart sank. Wei Ruo was none other than Wei Taipu's granddaughter, the first person to go missing. She lightly leaped onto the roof.

The courtyard was clearly well-maintained, filled with camellias, and a gold-threaded birdcage hung in front of the corridor, containing a bright green sparrow. Perhaps sensing someone passing by, the sparrow emitted a clear and melodious chirping.

Zhou Zhao carefully lifted a tile, peered down from the roof, and saw a man and a woman inside the house.

The woman knelt before the table, her figure exceptionally thin. Her chin was being pinched, and her eyes were as calm as a dry well. This must be Wei Ruo.

"Wei Ruo, why aren't you crying anymore? Let me tell you a secret: the people from the Court of Justice have come to the Lost City again, and it's Zhou Zhao, the number one young lady in Chang'an that you used to praise so highly."

A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Wei Ruo's eyes. "Zhou Zhao?"

The man was clearly satisfied with her reaction and chuckled, "That's right, it's Zhou Zhao! The last one, Li Youzhi, is already dead. Guess what will happen to Zhou Zhao this time? We've already captured her. In the future, she'll be just like you, a beautiful woman who will be loved by thousands, and then turn into a pile of mud."

Wei Ruo glanced at the person in front of her indifferently, "Guan Li, you're the one who's a complete mess."

Disconnection?

Zhou Zhao was startled. If she remembered correctly, He Tingshi had said that Wei Ruo had come to the Lost City because she had eloped with Guan Li. After Wei Ruo disappeared, Guan Li had reported it to the authorities, and his confession was still in the files of the Court of Justice.

Because Wei Ruo had been missing for a long time, Guan Li, as a wandering knight, had long since disappeared without a trace.

Unexpectedly, he was not only still in the Lost City, but also one of the murderers in Wei Ruo's disappearance case.

Guan Li was clearly enraged by Wei Ruo. He released his grip and slapped Wei Ruo across the face, knocking her to the ground with blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Wei Ruo, this is what you owe me, what your Wei family owes me. If it weren't for your grandfather back then, my father and mother wouldn't have died, and I wouldn't have become an orphan! You shameless woman, even at this point, you still act like a high and mighty noble lady!"
Yeah, they came looking for you because they enjoy humiliating someone as unattainable as you, right? Do they know how rotten you are now? You're nothing but stinking mud from the gutter!
Or perhaps you genuinely enjoy this kind of life! Well, you've always been a shameless woman, otherwise why would you have eloped!

Wei Ruo quietly looked at Guan Li. She struggled to sit up and reached out to pick up the bamboo slips on the table. "My grandfather owes you. Why don't you go find him? Do you think that will be enough to get revenge on the Wei family? You're only taking revenge on yourself."

You killed the only person in the world who truly cared for you, oh, and your child.

Upon hearing this, Guan Li went berserk. He lunged forward and grabbed Wei Ruo by the neck, as if he wanted to strangle her. Wei Ruo just stared at him quietly, her eyes devoid of any emotion. She did not resist or struggle; she simply stared at the person in front of her with her dark eyes.

Just as Zhou Zhao was about to make a move, Guan Li suddenly let go of his grip, kicked over the table, and turned around to go downstairs. In the instant he turned around, he suddenly heard a whooshing sound. Guan Li's pupils shrank sharply, and he turned around abruptly as a pebble hit him hard on the forehead.

Almost instantly, he collapsed to the ground, his head bleeding profusely.

Zhou Zhao flipped lightly and jumped into the small building, then climbed in through the window. She kicked Guan Li on the ground, saying, "It would have been better to hit him on the back of the head. Why did you have to turn around and let people see your ugly face? It's disgusting enough to make people lose their appetite."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he looked at the woman who had struggled to sit up again and made a shushing gesture at her.

"Wei Ruo, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Zhou Zhao."