Hibiscus Tent: The Prime Minister’s palm is reborn

Chapter 637 Leading the Boat to the Shore

Liang Jiao choked up as she recounted what had happened.

That night, when she was about to fall asleep, she heard someone calling out in the yard, and she immediately lost her sleepiness.

She called the maid to ask what happened, but no one answered. So she put on her shoes and walked to the door. But as soon as she opened the door, she felt a pain in the back of her neck and fainted.

When she woke up again, the house behind her was on fire and there were many dead bodies lying in the yard. She was so terrified that she didn't know what to do. Before she could even shout for help, someone covered her mouth and dragged her to the backyard. It was a maid from the inner courtyard.

The fire burned all night and was not put out until dawn.

She couldn't find Wang Tingyue and was anxious, so she took advantage of the chaos to blend in with the crowd. It was then that she heard the news of Wang Tingyue's death from the officials.

Considering the baby in her belly, she could only live in shame. At the same time, she also wanted to find out who was the one who did this cruel thing.

She and her maid hid in Pingtang until one day, Lu's people found her and sent them back to Jinye.

From then on, she lived in an inconspicuous courtyard in Jinye City. Seven months later, she gave birth to Nian'er.

……

"Madam, do you believe what she said?"

Qingzhu glanced back at the courtyard behind him, feeling vaguely worried.

Liang Qian turned her head and smiled: "Does what she said have anything to do with what we are going to do?"

Qingzhu seemed to understand something.

*

Twenty miles away from Pingwu City, there is a not-so-big town.

The carriage stopped in front of a faded vermilion gate.

The courtyard is not big. As it is located on the edge of the town, there are few passers-by and it is very quiet. It is also said that someone was killed there, so it has been vacant all this time.

Hearing the sound of horses neighing and people outside the door, the servant in coarse cloth shorts hurriedly opened the door and went out, only to see several people carrying a large wooden box down from the carriage.

He turned around and motioned to the other person inside the door. The person nodded and trotted towards the house.

"master."

He reported through the door.

Hearing this, a small sound was heard in the house.

"Ruiju."

A maid leaned out from the door and looked up, seeing several people carrying a large wooden box into the yard.

The maid made way and several people placed the large wooden box on the open space in the house.

The person sitting there frowned and looked at the wooden box without saying anything.

"Teacher." Liang Jiao stepped forward and bowed, her trembling voice unable to conceal her anxiety: "Nian'er, he——"

Lu Wanying glanced at her coldly, and Liang Jiao immediately closed her mouth with red eyes.

Lu Wanying stood up and stared at the wooden box: "Open it."

Ruizhu stepped forward.

The heavy wooden lid was opened, revealing at first glance a box of silk and satin. Upon closer inspection, a snow-white neck and nail-stained fingers were vaguely visible under the silk...

Ruizhu lifted up the silk that was spread on top.

The person in the box was huddled together, not knowing whether he was asleep or unconscious, with his eyes closed, a rag stuffed in his mouth, his wrists tied with hemp ropes, and his combed hair in disarray, looking extremely dishevelled.

Lu Wanying smiled and nodded, glancing at Liang Jiao.

"I received your secret letter asking me to send two people to you. I thought you were going to play some tricks, but I didn't expect you to actually kidnap her. I underestimated you."

When Liang Jiao heard this, she immediately knelt down with her forehead touching the ground.

"Please let me see Nian'er, Concubine. I haven't seen him for a long time. I wonder if he is now..."

He choked up before he could finish his words.

Lu Wanying frowned, her eyes filled with annoyance.

Liang Jiao no longer dared to make a sound and could only wipe her tears timidly.

Lu Wanying walked to the big wooden box, glanced at the person inside, and stared at Liang Jiao thoughtfully.

"You haven't told me yet how you tricked her out of the house? Where did you go during the days when you lost contact?"

Liang Jiao was kneeling upright, looking up at Liang Jiao.

"Liang Qian had some suspicions about me before and even sent someone to watch me, so I didn't dare to take risks easily, for fear that they would see something. However, perhaps because they saw that I stayed at home every day, they relaxed their vigilance.

Today, I took advantage of the opportunity to have her tied up while I was strolling around the city."

Lu Wanying squatted down, staring at the unconscious person in the box, but spoke to Liang Jiao.

"Did you see him with your own eyes...did you see Lu Xiu?"

She laughed hoarsely, her eyes misty and wet.

Liang Jiao nodded heavily: "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, Lu Xiu is really still alive, but now he is not called Lu Xiu, but Zhou Jun's confidant, Gong Xirui."

"... Gong Xirui?"

Lu Wanying was stunned for a moment, and his expression changed slightly.

Although she didn't care about the war, she had heard of Gong Xirui, who was not from a noble family of the Zhou State.

This time, he followed Lord Zhou all the way eastward. He was capable and daring in fighting, and was highly valued by Lord Zhou among all the generals.

We won a battle not long ago.

"Is he coming back to seek revenge on us?"

There were tears in Lu Wanying's lowered eyes, as if she was asking someone, or perhaps asking herself.

Yuan Shaoyu was originally a Zhou person. As the son of Yuan Shaoyu, he would never let go of Qi State and Lu family, let alone avenge his father, even for his own sake.

Liang Jiao observed Lu Wanying, her heart beating like a drum, not knowing whether she should answer or not.

The room seemed quiet for a moment.

Lu Wanying had a blank expression and unfocused eyes: "So you and Liang Qian have been following him all this time?"

"Yes." Liang Jiao nodded slightly.

Lu Wanying didn't look at the kneeling Liang Jiao, and said in a low voice with fatigue: "Take her to see the child."

Someone came forward to lead the way as instructed.

Liang Jiao was overjoyed. Just as she was about to stand up, she kowtowed several times in a hurry.

"Thank you, Toffee."

Lu Wanying ignored him and looked at the unconscious person in the wooden box with cold eyes: "Ruizhu, wake her up."

Two other people grabbed the unconscious person's shoulders, one on each side, and dragged him out of the box.

Her head tilted to one side, she was unconscious, and the colorful brocade that had covered her body slid to the ground.

Ruizhu walked over with the cup, took the rag from her mouth, and poured it on the man's face.

The water flowed down his cheeks and soaked his clothes, making the already miserable man even more miserable.

Lu Wanying looked at him quietly with deep black eyes.

After a while, the unconscious person slowly woke up.

She slowly opened her eyes, her consciousness still a little unclear. She raised her head doubtfully and suddenly found someone standing not far away staring at her coldly. She gasped.

"Ah, Ah Ying? Why am I here?"

Lu Wanying didn't say anything.

Realizing that she was being restrained, Liang Qian struggled hard, but unfortunately it was of no use.

She looked around with a trembling heart.

The more I watch, the more frightened I become, and the more chilled I feel.

It was noon and the sun was shining through the wide-open windows, making the room fairly bright.

There were spider webs on the roof beams, and there was nothing decent to furnish inside the house. All the objects found were covered with a thick layer of dust.

This is clearly an old house that has been vacant for a long time.

Perhaps because she had been tied up for too long, Liang Qian's shoulders and wrists were in severe pain.

She struggled but failed to break free and stared at Lu Wanying.

"Why did you catch me?"

Lu Wanying smiled: "You ask even though you know the answer."