Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 114 Friendship
Xue Sui's scalp tingled when he heard this.

"There's no one on the Jade Steps, Qiao'er isn't there..."

How could such a good person disappear?
Jinshu looked uneasy. "I just went to find the maid in the princess's courtyard and asked about Madam Gu's courtyard in a roundabout way. At noon, the Marquis of Jingyuan came to pick someone up. Qingzhu said that she didn't see Qiao'er. We searched for her but couldn't find her. I wonder if this girl has hidden herself. Madam Gu's entourage has all left, and we can't go looking for her in a high-profile manner, as that would give people something to talk about..."

Xue Yueying once accused her in public of instigating Qiao'er to do bad things.

If Xue Sui came forward at this time, he would definitely be suspected.

Xue Sui said: "The villa is so big, it's easy to hide someone. I'm just afraid..."

Jinshu knew what she was referring to and his face turned pale.

"Don't worry too much, young lady. Qiao'er is a lucky girl, she will be fine. Tomorrow morning, I will find a way to send someone to look for her."

There is no other way at the moment.

Xue Sui nodded helplessly.

"Thank you for your hard work, you should also rest early."
-
It was a sleepless night.

The raindrops were as big as beans, hitting the tiles with a "crackling" sound.

Suddenly, there was a slight knock on the window.

Xue Sui was so nervous that he almost jumped up from the couch.

Li Huan lives in the yard. This guy is so bold. How dare he come here?
Really confident!

She walked over quietly, speaking in a low voice through the bamboo curtain.

"who?"

"Looking for the Gu master."

"What's the matter?"

Li Zhao's voice came in with the wind.

"The scene where the Madam refuses to sleep with you due to illness is very interesting. I'll come and take a look."

Xue Sui slightly lifted a corner of the bamboo curtain, revealing a cold face.

"Not as good as His Highness, the news from the capital was also very timely."

Li Zhao smiled softly and said nothing.

Xue Sui stared at him, "Your Highness, please leave quickly. If someone finds out, this trick won't work."

Li Zhao asked, "Are you trying to find out the whereabouts of that girl?"

Xue Sui's heart tightened, "Do you know where she is?"

Li Zhao said, "Last night, Xue Yueying went crazy and bit people randomly, so Prince Duan interrogated all the people who served her, including Qiao'er."

"How?" Xue Sui asked anxiously.

"I don't know what was said during the interrogation, but Prince Duan didn't detain the servants at the time. She came out of the room with several other maids. They were all very secretive about the matter and didn't talk about it with anyone. Later, Madam Gu cried and made a scene in the room, taking her out on her and hitting her on the forehead with something, so she left..."

Xue Sui took a deep breath: "What happened next?"

Li Zhao said: "Who would care about the life or death of a little girl?"

In the eyes of others, Qiao'er was just an ordinary girl who was randomly dragged out by Xue Yueying in anger, and they might not seriously suspect that she had any connection with Xue Liu...

If a person is missing, her master will not pursue the matter, and others will not meddle in her affairs and bring themselves into trouble.

Seeing her dull eyes, Li Zhao frowned slightly, and glanced at her collarbone that was faintly visible under her loose pajamas, then raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"Have you used the medicine I gave you?"

Xue Sui's face changed and he quickly pulled his pajamas tighter.

"No."

After saying that, he slammed the window shut.

The noise was quite loud and alarmed Xiao Zhao who was on guard.

"Girl, what happened?"

Xue Sui took a deep breath and calmed himself down, "It's okay. Go to sleep."

She stood by the window for a moment, then opened it.

There was only a drizzle falling slowly, and in the haze, the night in the villa was eerily quiet.

There was no one under the eaves.

This Li Zhao is more suitable to be a thief than to be a crown prince!

Xue Sui returned to bed and wanted to sleep a little longer, but he couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard he tried.

Qiao'er is a variable and also her flaw.

Once she is taken advantage of by others, it will be easy for all her careful planning to go to waste.

The next morning, the rain finally stopped. The sun shone on the lotus leaves, and the cicadas chirped, heralding the beginning of a summer morning.

Xue Sui was too lazy to get up and put on makeup. Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, she found that she had not slept well, and she felt extremely irritated.

Ruyi was standing aside, lifting the curtains.

Outside the house, there are green hills and shady trees. "Girl, look, it's a really nice day. It makes people happy just by looking at it."

Ruyi knew nothing and smiled so well that her eyes curved into crescent shapes.

Jinshu brought some warm water and handed it to Xue Sui, whispering, "Madam, the princess sent someone to deliver a lot of rewards, saying that it's a reward for Madam, for your service to His Highness last night..."

After hearing this, Xue Sui put down the teacup in a depressed mood.

"The princess is unhappy, but she can't let go of her dignity."

The words were still on his lips when a sharp scream was heard, breaking the tranquility of the villa.

"In the lotus pond...female corpse...quickly..."

"A female corpse was found in the lotus pond!"

"Someone has drowned."

"Someone come quickly!"

Then, on the corridor outside, the sound of hurried footsteps came densely and closely, like dense drum beats, making people feel uneasy.

The smile on Xue Sui's face disappeared instantly, and she felt an ominous premonition in her heart, as if an invisible hand had grabbed her heart tightly, and it was beating "bang bang", as if it wanted to break free from her chest and run out...

She looked at Jinshu with an anxious look.

"Jinshu, go and take a look."

Jinshu responded quickly and went out in a hurry.

How could Xue Sui have the mind to dress up?
She paced back and forth in the room, her steps hurried and frantic.

Her eyes looked toward the eaves—

The raindrops slid down the gutter.

On the eaves of the bamboo building, the wind chimes kept ringing "ding dong ding dong" when the wind blew. The sound was chaotic and to Xue Sui, it was like a death spell, which made her unable to rest for a moment.
-
After a while, Jinshu came back and handed over a white handkerchief.

On the blood-stained scarf, a crooked crane flaps its wings as if ready to fly.

It was embroidered hastily by Qiao'er before her death. The stitches were rough, but the love behind it was profound.

Jinshu's voice was filled with tears, "The crane returned to the old mausoleum, never to be stained by the mud of the human world. Qiao'er was willing to go to this deadly situation--"

After choking with sobs, she continued, "Helping Madam get rid of suspicion and completely nailing Xue Yueying to the pillar of shame, Qiao'er made this choice willingly..."

Only the dead can keep secrets forever.

If Li Huan interrogates her once, there will be a second and third time.

As long as she is alive, she is a hidden danger to the girl.

This is Qiaoer's way of being loyal.

Jinshu understands Qiaoer.

If the same thing happened to her one day, she might not be able to endure the torture, so she would be like Qiao'er. In order to avoid being unable to endure it, it would be better to die and sacrifice everything for the girl.

"Girl, don't be sad. I understand Qiao'er's thoughts very well. She is happy in her heart for doing this. It is worth dying for being able to help you..."

Jinshu comforted Xue Sui in a soft and gentle voice.

Xue Sui sat quietly on the couch, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

It keeps trembling in my heart.

Back then, Qiao'er entrusted her blind, seriously ill and disabled sister to her, and also stuffed her infant brother into her arms, with a determined look on her face, as if he was right in front of her.

"Please be so kind, young lady, and save my brother and I. From now on, Qiao'er will repay you even if I have to work like a slave. Even if it means sacrificing my life, I will never hesitate..."

Jinshu said, "At that time, Qiao'er's sister was tortured by Fourth Miss Xue. She hated her deeply, but she was also grateful to the Fourth Miss. Over the years, she has been talking about repaying the Fourth Miss. Now that she has fulfilled her wish, she probably has no regrets."

Xue Sui slowly closed his eyes, his lips were pale and his face was as white as paper.

It was hard for her not to feel uncomfortable.

As soon as she returned to Xue's house, she asked Jinshu to find Qiao'er. When Qiao'er heard her entrustment, her face was full of smiles and her eyes were as firm as ice.

"Girl, Qiao'er is willing to be the sharpest knife in your hand."

Seeing how sad Xue Sui was, Jinshu advised, "Miss, everything in this world has its destiny. Please don't be too sad, or she will not be at peace."

Xue Sui nodded vigorously, his voice hoarse as he tried to suppress the grief surging in his heart.

"Actually, this doesn't mean she will die. If she can hold it in a little longer, she won't have to take this step..."

Jinshu said: "She doesn't want the girl to feel uneasy."

Xue Sui's throat stiffened, as if choked by something, and he closed his eyes after a long while.

"Send a message to Senior Brother Yaoguang, asking him to make sure Qiao'er's family is well settled, and not to let them suffer any injustice."

Jinshu responded, turned her head away, and couldn't help but cry.

There are too many people like Qiao'er in Jiuling Swamp.

They are ordinary, but tenacious. They were all poor people who had been struggling to survive. By chance, they were tied to the Old Mausoleum Swamp, and then they worked hard to sharpen themselves into a sharp blade, and then when the Old Mausoleum Swamp needed them, they dedicated themselves without reservation, just to protect the friendship in their hearts.

Xue Sui: See you tomorrow, my fellow readers! May every day of your life be like a new year, and may every day be filled with joy.

Li Zhao: What about me?
Xue Sui: Let’s go - find the Gu master!