Chapter 340: Red Dowries (XIII)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Xu Ke asked, “Was there sothing wrong with them?”
Xuni nodded. “I was young when I fled my hotown, but not to the extent that I could not rember what my parents looked like. The couple was very strange. How could they be my parents? However, they brought items that belonged to my parents...”
Xuni realized that sothing was abnormal. She then pretended to recognize them. They had a “private” conversation amongst themselves.
She was told that her parents and siblings were all in their hands. If she was not willing to obey, they would all die. On the contrary, if she was obedient, her parents and siblings could live a good life. Xuni was dubious about that. She did not care about her barbaric father’s life, but she could not abandon her mother and siblings.
“...I promised to be their inforr and mole...” Speaking of that, Xuni’s facial expression beca a bit strange. “However, they just wanted to keep an eye on the second niangzi. I had to report to them if there was anything unusual...”
Xuni was really puzzled at such a weird command, but she obeyed their instructions. For years, she worked very hard to spy on the second niangzi. Every day, she would either read, draw, do so needlework, sunbathe, or admire the flowers and play with her servants...
Xu Ke asked, “What’s up with Taxue?”
What kind of a freak would keep an eye on the daughter born of a mistress of the Liu residence? Xu Ke was confused about that.
“At first, I didn’t know that Taxue was a mole, too. However, Taxue and I are Langjun’s personal servant girls. We usually talk and I gradually discovered her abnormality. She’s particularly thoughtful towards the second niangzi too. So of her actions are also very suspicious...”
Xu Ke nodded, but...”Is there anything actually so strange about the second niangzi that is worth being watched by strangers?”
Xuni shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Xu Ke did not say a word. “Perhaps the things that you both reported on were similar, so the people who approached you were growing less interested...”
That could have been true. Who had the ti to listen to the daily life of a little girl? One would naturally feel bored after hearing too much of it.
“...Without them, I didn’t know how my mother and siblings were doing. Helpless, I could only find a way. Through my connections, I asked a retainer of the Liu residence who went to do business in Zhongzhao to inquire about them. However, my father didn’t survive the drought and my mother voluntarily sold herself to the brothel in the end just to help my younger siblings stay alive. However, my siblings had bitter lives... My younger brother was beaten to death by the local hooligans and my sister was murdered... They’re all dead.”
In other words, the man and woman simply lied to Xuni!
Not long after Xuni received the real news about her family, the liar, who had not appeared for a few years, showed up again.
“...Ha. I wanted to see what wicked ideas those people had this ti. I then pretended to be polite and compliant towards them.” A murderous look flashed across Xuni’s eyes. She said icily, “However, they weren’t interested in the second niangzi anymore. They actually ordered to keep an eye on Langjun...”
Xu Ke asked, “When was this?”
Xuni thought about it. “It was about three years ago, when Langjun implented the grain-purchasing limitation and prepared to depart to Shangjing.”
The change of instructions made Xuni feel vigilant. Thinking about the late First Lady’s grace in helping and encouraging her, she could not do anything that would hurt Liu Xi.
“Apart from asking you to keep an eye on Langjun, were there other orders?”
Xuni replied, “There was, but I think it’s better for you not to know.”
Xu Ke’s heart was relieved after hearing so much from Xuni. At least Xuni had not made a huge mistake so far. There was still room for her to redeem herself.
Therefore, his words were less heavy. “What is it that I can’t know?”
Xuni secretly rolled her eyes. “The informant gave another order, which was to make him an obedient, aristocratic lady when Langjun had yet to develop his character fully.”
Xu Ke was utterly confused. “No matter how much heroic spirit Langjun exudes, he’s a dignified man. How can he be shaped into an aristocratic lady?”
Xuni smiled. “That’s why I said that it’s better for you not to hear it.”
Xu Ke was speechless. He still did not understand.
“...I’m terrified of these orders. I want to desist from this before it’s too late...”
Xuni pretended to be polite and compliant towards those people while she was thinking of a way out. Then, she t Xu Ke.
“...My original plan was to... marry you and use the money that we earned in the past few years to redeem ourselves and go sowhere far away.”
Xu Ke interrupted Xuni before she finished speaking. “If you wanted to leave the Liu residence, you didn’t necessarily need to marry soone...”
Xuni rolled her eyes. “It’s easy for you to say. I’m a young girl. Would I be safe if I traveled alone outside? I’m afraid that sneaky people would’ve had as their target, and sold to shady people before I barely made it out of the door...”
Xu Ke did not say a word.
“Furthermore, you don’t have to look down upon yourself. Among the retainers in the Liu residence, even if your face is carved and inked with characters from the punishnt, your appearance is top-notch... Not to ntion your knowledge and manners. From a girl’s perspective, you’re a good choice as a husband.”
Xuni knew her identity and did not intend to claim ties of kinship with soone of a higher social position, but she had to look for soone she liked. She got close to Xu Ke because she was indeed eager to escape from the Liu residence at first, but later, she sincerely wanted to marry Xu Ke.
“You warned to be careful of Taxue... Could it be that the mastermind changed his orders again?”
Xuni sighed and replied, “I think I haven’t been acting properly because I wanted to marry you so badly. They were starting to get irked...”
“What about?”
“Taxue has probed a few tis. At first, it was just a warning. After that, there was more malice. Until our wedding, the way that Taxue looked at was so murderous... It was like she was looking at a dead person. From this, you can see that those people aren’t going to let stay alive. I dealt with her cautiously when she tried to sound out. That made her believe that I was tight-lipped and didn’t expose them...”
Speaking of that, Xuni smiled mockingly. Taxue thought that she had disguised herself well, but Xuni slowly wondered about it... Langjun probably had already spotted an inkling of the matter.
At first, she had wanted to go to Langye with Langjun when he went there to study. However, Langjun spoke a bit strangely at the ti. She made her stay in Hejian County, and even hinted to her that it was better to stay with the people around Xu Ke and build a favorable impression with them if she wanted to be with him.
Therefore, Xuni stayed behind and Langjun took Taxue with her.
Thinking about it now, Xuni could not help but suspect... Was Langjun protecting her by doing that?
After all, if she and Taxue were not separated, sothing would have happened sooner or later. What a pity that Taxue had never realized it.
“Taxue has a murderous intention towards . I’m afraid that... you’ll soon beco a widower...”
Xu Ke suddenly had an icy look on his face, and he hugged Xuni tightly. He scolded her in a tone that was neither light nor heavy. “Why are you saying these unlucky things?”
Xuni smiled joyfully and rested on his shoulder. “By then, will you still rember ?”
“I won’t beco a widower. You still have to beco a mother!”
After that, they got under the blanket and tossed around vigorously. Spring was very much in the air. The rain had stopped and the clouds had scattered. Xu Ke got up, cleaned his body with warm water, and put on his usual clothes.
“Go to bed. I’ll look for Langjun to discuss this. This matter can’t be delayed.”
Xuni laid under the blanket, holding her cheeks in her hands. “It can’t be delayed? Then why did you play around just now?”
Xu Ke turned his head and glared at her, but unfortunately, he did not scare her.
Reviews
All reviews (0)