Her guards

Chapter 226 Springtime Congratulations

"This poison will not cause bleeding from the mouth, nose, or other facial features."

"You can't tell anything from their appearance."

Zhu Yunxiao said softly inside the car.

The maid, Ah Sheng, sitting opposite him, looked up at him.

"It hurts a lot, doesn't it?" she asked.

Zhu Yunxiao nodded: "My internal organs are cramping."

"Does it hurt more than having your throat cut?" the maid asked again.

Why is she always so concerned about throat-slitting? Last time, when her men slashed his own neck, she asked him if it hurt. Consort Li also had her throat slit by her...

“Of course,” Zhu Yunxiao said with a slight smile. “Cutting the throat only hurts for a moment. This pain lasts until the last moment of consciousness. It is extremely painful. It is the kind of pain where you are already dead, but you still want to die quickly.”

That must have been very painful, Yang Luo thought, as she gently touched her neck.

But dying by having one's throat slit isn't just a momentary pain; after all, the thought of dying at the hands of one's newlywed husband and uncle is a pain that lingers day and night, a pain that seems to rot one's bones.

"I've taken care of everything at the prison. Li Xuan's death is arranged as if he were asleep, and I've even placed a book beside him. Marquis Yichun won't discover he's dead until tomorrow."

“Li Xuan died shortly after being arrested, and the Marquis of Yichun has not yet had time to find more evidence. This will inevitably cause a public outcry, and they will surely be in trouble.”

Zhu Yunxiao continued, clasping his hands in greeting to the maid: "Congratulations, Miss Yang, on achieving two goals with one action, a double blessing."

By eliminating Lady Li, avenging his mother's death, and framing the Marquis of Yichun, the Chai family was overwhelmed with problems and their reputation was further tarnished. More importantly, this was also significant for the emperor, helping him to weaken the Chai family...

"I misspoke, it should be 'three joys in one day'," he said with a smile.

Yang Luo looked at him with a half-smile: "Young Master Zhu is wrong. It should be Sixi. My young lady is getting married."

Zhu Yunxiao said "Oh," and clasped his hands in a fist again: "I can't say congratulations yet, I should say I wish Miss Yang to make new achievements."

Yang Luo smiled and said, "Look at what you're saying, it's as if my young lady's marriage to Wei Jiao is fake."

"Miss Yang wants to help His Majesty get rid of Wei Cui, doesn't she?" Zhu Yunxiao said in a low voice.

"Does the young master assume that others are also sincere just because he doesn't have genuine feelings for them?" Yang Luo said, looking at him. "Why can't it be that our young lady and Wei Jiao are mutually in love?"

Zhu Yunxiao laughed: "Of course it's possible, but Wei Cui is His Majesty's greatest concern. His Majesty cherishes Miss so much, how could he send your Miss into the tiger's den? Unless... Miss is going into the tiger's den for His Majesty."

Zhu Yunxiao was very clever, and Yang Luo was not surprised that he could guess it. Of course, there were things he couldn't guess. The reason this happened was that, in addition to Wei Cui being His Majesty's biggest worry, "Miss Yang" was also a major concern.

She didn't say anything more, smiled and no longer denied it: "Thank you very much, Prince Zhu, this time."

With Zhu Yunxiao mediating between Li Xuan and Marquis Yichun, she and Asheng didn't have to do many things themselves, saving them time and effort.

Indeed, wicked people deserve to be dealt with by wicked people.

Zhu Yunxiao smiled and shook his head: "No need to be so polite, it's what I should do."

After saying that, he sighed with emotion.

"Although I know that Miss is brave, her bravery always exceeds my expectations."

After saying that, he raised his hand in a salute.

"Ah Sheng, please tell Miss that I hope you can give me a chance to help with this great task."

Yang Luo smiled and said, "Okay, I'll tell Miss."

After saying that, he announced to the outside that the car had stopped.

The carriage stopped.

Yang Luo lifted the carriage curtain and got out of the car.

As the maid's figure disappeared, Zhu Yunxiao's smile faded, and his expression turned somber.

"Four joys," he murmured, then chuckled, "What joy? We're not even married yet."

Besides, even after marriage, one can still lose their husband.

Wei Jiao was Wei Cui's son. Once the emperor got rid of Wei Cui, how could he possibly tolerate him living?

Zhu Yunxiao took a deep breath. No need to rush.

As long as he continues to help Miss Yang, His Majesty will see it and remember it.

Miss Yang will probably never be recognized as a princess by the emperor, and a woman cannot establish her own household. Marrying him as the wife of the Earl of Yongwu and enjoying the prestige of a princess is just the right thing to do.

He was truly planning everything for this Miss Yang with all his heart.

Zhu Yunxiao closed his eyes and exhaled.

"Your Highness," a servant's voice came from outside the carriage, "Should we return to the manor or to Changshui Camp?"

Hearing the name Changshui Camp usually brought Zhu Yunxiao joy, but now, his brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.

Jiang Rui is also currently in Changshuiying.

What a headache.

No matter how much we tried to persuade them, they wouldn't leave.

They said they had sworn an oath before the emperor, and breaking the oath would be treason.

The news spread throughout the Beijing garrison, and people flocked to see what was happening.

A woman made no attempt to conceal her identity, openly facing the unbridled gazes of others, practicing horseback archery in the army, and patrolling and standing guard with the soldiers...

Madam Jiang, a woman who usually only knew how to cry, actually stopped crying when she saw her daughter's absurd behavior and let her do as she pleased. Jiang Meng... that stupid and clumsy girl could only shout and cheer...

He had to make her give up, preferably through some kind of accident...

Accidents can easily happen in a military camp, but they are also not easy to happen, since so many soldiers are watching.

Zhu Yunxiao reached out and pressed his forehead.

"Return to Changshui Camp."

…… ……

"Are we going back to the Duke of Ding'an's residence already?"

When Yang Luo returned to the Academy of Chinese Studies, he saw Mo Zheng putting brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones into a box.

Although the wedding is a month away, we have to leave for Longxi in early April because the wedding will be held there.

Regardless of the circumstances, Miss Yang's surname is Yang, and she will have to leave through the Duke of Ding'an's residence before setting off.

Therefore, Miss Yang will move back to the Duke of Ding'an's mansion.

However, there are still a few days until the end of March.

Yang Luo quickly helped put a book inside.

"With the wedding date approaching, there are many things to do," Mo Zheng said in a low voice. "I'd better leave the Academy of Chinese Studies first to avoid causing trouble for the teachers and students."

Yang Luo understood what she meant. The matter of Princess Heicheng, the matter of the Empress, and now the matter of Lady Li—all of this was ultimately related to Miss Yang, and it would indeed bring trouble.

The Imperial Academy, a place of tranquility, should not suffer undeserved calamity—it is only right that the Duke of Ding'an's mansion bears the brunt of it.

Yang Luo nodded, helping to tidy up while recounting the process of killing Li Xuan, and sighed with emotion.

"I thought to myself, this person has no grudges against my mother or me, and so many innocent people in Baima Town are innocent. So many lives are just tools in his eyes. He can kill them whenever he wants. He's really amazing."

"But such a powerful person, today in the prison cell, drank poison, lay on the ground motionless, and died in excruciating pain. I killed him just like that. It's truly laughable."

Mo Zheng laughed: "It's not funny, because now you've become a very capable person in his eyes."

Really? She's quite an accomplished person.

Yang Luo smiled bitterly: "No, I'm just using this as leverage because I have the emperor behind me."

Mo Zheng coughed lightly: "Then let me put it another way, there are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. No one is always powerful, and no one who is bullied will always be bullied. What goes around comes around, and today it's his turn." With that, she slapped Yang Luo's arm, "Miss Yang, justice is on your side! You've done justice on behalf of Heaven!"

Yang Luo chuckled.

"In short, you've avenged your mother, your neighbors, and yourself," Mo Zheng said with a smile, closing the box. "Let's go, let Senior Brother Ling see me off."

He lowered his voice again.

"Then you can also take this opportunity to celebrate."

Consort Li's death was attributed to protecting Miss Yang, while Li Xuan framed Marquis Yichun. Their identities as the true culprits in Baima Town would not be made public; they could only celebrate in private that the murderer was dead and their great revenge had been achieved.

Yang Luo smiled and nodded, then followed Mo Zheng outside.

……

……

Outside the library on a spring night, a few lamps were scattered, a few mats were laid out, a dining table was set up, and books, writing brushes, ink, zithers, flutes, and several students of different ages were scattered about.

Yang Luo also fell asleep, her face slightly flushed, while lying on the piano table beside her.

Only Ling Yu and Mo Zheng remained seated during the meal.

"Are you really going to leave the capital for Longxi?" Ling Yu asked.

Mo Zheng nodded and said softly, "His Majesty has decreed this marriage."

"Making a living is really tough." Ling Yu picked up her wine glass from the table, frowning. "Isn't there any other way?"

“It’s not that there’s no other way, but this is something I have to do.” Mo Zheng also raised her wine glass, looked at the National Academy shrouded in night, and smiled, “So that every spring night from now on will be like this.”

Looking at Mo Zheng's bright, star-like smile, Ling Yu understood the meaning behind her words: so that she wouldn't have to make a living like this anymore, so that she could study whenever she wanted, and find a master whenever she wanted, instead of having to crouch under the school window, secretly watching and listening, and having to run away when questioned...

He smiled and said nothing more, then drank the wine in one gulp.

Mo Zheng also drank the wine in one gulp.

Ling Yu looked at her and frowned again: "How can you have such a high alcohol tolerance at such a young age?"

Mo Zheng smiled and mouthed, "There's no other way to make a living."

Ling Yu glared at her: "Don't always use this as an excuse."

Mo Zheng laughed and raised her sleeve to show him: "Of course it's a lie, I drank half and poured the other half out."

Ling Yu sniffed, smelling the aroma of wine carried on the night breeze, and nodded in satisfaction: "I drank it all, so I still win."

After saying that, he collapsed onto the table in front of him.

Mo Zheng laughed and stretched: "Go to sleep, go to sleep."

But just as he was about to lie down on the table, he remembered something and sat up.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing." She muttered to herself, stood up, and staggered into the library.

The library was quiet and pitch black.

Mo Zheng didn't light a lamp. She walked steadily to a row of bookshelves, and with a rustling sound, she came out carrying a stack of books. Instead of going to the door, she went up the stairs to the third floor, passing rows of bookshelves. Then, in the darkness, she bumped her shoulder, and with a creak, a door opened.

Inside the door was a small room, through which the glowing pearls adorning the eaves of the attic cast a soft light.

Mo Zheng walked in, raised her hand and flicked it, causing the books to fall to the ground with a clatter.

At the same time, a dark figure on the ground suddenly sat up.

"what are you doing!"

Mo Zheng looked at the suddenly appearing figure and covered her face with her hands: "Ah, a ghost—"

Although he made a startled sound, the voice was too low and contained laughter, so it didn't sound right.

Wei Jiao spat, "You're the one who's throwing books and hitting people in the middle of the night instead of sleeping."

Mo Zheng covered her face and laughed, her voice coming through her fingers: "Wei Jiao, why didn't you say you were coming back?"

Wei Jiao slammed the book against his chest, then sat up, grabbed the book that had fallen onto his lap, and threw it on the ground. He said coldly, "So as not to disturb you senior brothers and sisters from drinking and having fun!"