Three years ago, they were brought here to do laundry, cooking, and other chores for the conscripts who were building the river. And this laundry is the last thing everyone wants to do, but most of it falls on the two of them.

And the one who is in charge of these women is a grandmother surnamed Sun, but she is an extremely sinister villain. And although the Zhenying family was guilty, but the grandfather's family was a wealthy family, and only a few people quietly sent silver every month, so she quietly gave some to Grandma Sun, and Grandma Sun naturally gave her easy work.

Lian Zhi'er withdrew her hand and continued to reach into the cold water, washing the dirty clothes.

"Let's wash it quickly, after a while, grandma will come, and it's time to reprimand us again." Lian Zhi'er persuaded a little helplessly, "Don't provoke anything." ”

Qingqi was indignant for a long time, and then smiled, "I heard them talk about it yesterday, and they only said that some big official should come to us to supervise the work, guess who it is?" ”

Lian Zhi'er's face was calm without the slightest wave, and her voice was also very light, "No matter who it is, it has nothing to do with us." ”

"It's Ruan Lu."

The mallet in Lian Zhi'er's hand slammed into the back of her hand, and suddenly there was a heart-rending pain.

Qingqi didn't notice all this, and still said to himself, "Those little hooves still want to climb the high branches, and they think that His Royal Highness the Prince can save them from the sea of suffering, and they don't take a look in the mirror." The princess's sister-in-law will look down on us sin slaves, it's a fool's dream. ”

She was talking energetically, but she inadvertently turned her head and saw Lian Zhi'er beside her, but saw her clenching her teeth, her eyes were red, as if she had seen something terrible, and her whole body was trembling.

Qingqi was so frightened that he hurriedly dropped the mallet in his hand, pulled her arm, and said hurriedly. "What's wrong with you?"

Her teeth clucked, and it took a long time for her face to regain some blood, "It's nothing, it's just that my heart hurts a little." ”

The two of them were talking, but they heard a wind behind them, and then a whip fell on their thin backs, Qingqi shouted "oops", and when he turned his head, he saw Grandma Sun looking at them coldly.

"Look at you're going to be lazy, and you won't have to eat at night." As she spoke, Grandma Sun kicked over the barrel, and all the clothes she had just washed fell to the dirty ground, "Wash them all over again." ”

After saying that, she twisted her waist and walked away with the stove in her hand.

Lian Zhi'er seemed to have long been accustomed to these unprovoked beatings and scolding, and only silently leaned over to pick up the clothes on the ground.

Qingqi had tears in his eyes, and suddenly pulled Lian Zhi'er's hand, "Lian'er, we can't be trampled on like mud in this life, the twenty people who came together are now only half left." I don't want to be swept up in a straw mat and thrown into the river when I die, and besides, I have a brother who is missing, so we have to find our own way. ”

Lian Zhi'er's pupils were a touch of complexity, and he smiled bitterly, "Don't forget, a few of the ten who died were caught and beaten to death, so why gamble." ”

Qingqi straightened his eyes, "No, we can think of ways to get close to Ruan Lu, I have no hope, but you are the most outstanding of all people, we might as well fight." As long as you can become his woman, even if it is a concubine, she will definitely be able to save you from the sea of suffering. ”

Lian Zhi'er only felt that it was dark in front of her, but she was smiling bitterly, how did she know that she was now in this sea of suffering, but it was given by Ruan Lu himself.

"No, no." Even Zhi'er's voice changed, "He is an evil ghost, you must not approach him." ”

It wasn't until the evening when it was dark that the two of them went back to dry with two buckets of clothes, which were already frozen and hard as if they were iron plates.

Finally, when they were done, the two of them returned to their lodgings in a trembling state.

It was nothing more than a thatched house, with ten half-new beds scattered about, and the windows were also broken, and the cold wind was constantly blowing in, and it was not much warmer than outside.

Only one lamp rested on the rickety table, and the rest of the women were muttering around the table.

Only one woman was lying on the bed, sleeping under the covers, paying no attention to them.

This woman's name is Shan Qiao, she is a very backbone person, she never befriends others, and she is cold and indifferent to anyone.

Lian Zhi'er and Qingqi entered the house, and they only faintly heard them saying "Ruan Lu".

When they saw two people coming in, they all stopped talking, and went to make the beds and fold the quilts.

Only Na Zhenying was still sitting at the table, looking at them with a sneer on her face, "Yo, the laundry washer is back?" Mama said today, you made a mistake today, and you didn't even have to eat cold steamed buns, but this girl is kind, how about giving you an egg? ”

After saying that, she took out an egg from her cuff, threw it on the ground, and flattened it with her foot, "Eat! ”

Qing Qiqi trembled angrily, "Whoever eats your things, and dares to call herself a girl, it's not like us who are guilty of sin, who is more noble than whom!" ”

Lian Zhi'er slowly walked over and leaned down, picked up the flattened egg, and carefully wiped off the mud with her fingertips.

Zhen Ying smiled more and more proudly, and only looked at Qingqi with a mocking face. "They are all from Beiliang, look at the people who know the current affairs better than you, as if you are like a mule biting a group all day long, it seems that you will have to ask Grandma Sun to discipline and discipline you tomorrow."

After saying that, she sneered and left, only making her own bed.

Lian Zhi'er dug out the egg yolk and handed it to Qingqi, seeing that she had tears in her eyes, she smiled, "Eat it." ”

"Don't you have the backbone? Let them behave like this! ”

"I don't have this kind of thing for a long time, as long as I can live, what is it?" As she spoke, she ate the rest of the egg with her other hand, the sand on it had not yet been cleaned, and it creaked in her mouth.

She then persuaded, "You only drank two bowls of rice porridge today, if you don't eat it, you're afraid that you won't be able to sleep all night, so why bother to ruin your body in order to fight for breath?" ”

Qingqi hated it, grabbed the egg yolk in Lian Zhi'er's hand, walked to the door angrily, and threw the egg yolk out hard.

Lian Zhi'er sighed helplessly, and went to sleep.

However, until the ugly time, she didn't feel the slightest sleepiness. Because she was next to the window, the cold wind kept pouring in, and she faintly heard the sound of snow outside.

There was a snoring sound in the room, and she slowly took out a jade pendant from under the pillow and rubbed it in her hand.

It's just that the jade pendant is broken, but it's still extremely warm. She remembered in a trance. At that time she saw it hanging from Shi Ran's waist, dangling in front of her eyes as he walked.

And at this moment, a figure sneakily ran over, got into Lianzhi'er's quilt, and then smiled, "It's too cold, let's squeeze together to get warmer." ”

Lian Zhi'er subconsciously stepped back, his body was already stiff, and his head was slammed against the cold wall.

"What is your condition? Why can't you touch others, look at you so scared, can I still eat you? Qingqi's voice was very low, for fear of waking up the other people in the room, "Could it be that your illness was brought out of your mother's womb?" ”

"It's not." Lian Zhi'er couldn't tell her that it was after she was humiliated that day, and she fell into such a problem, only the contact with people was too intimate, so she trembled like chaff, and her face was as pale as paper.

Qingqi didn't theorize about it, but when she saw that she was far away from her, and the cold wind got into the quilt, she couldn't help but shiver.

Through the moonlight outside the window, she saw the jade pendant in Lian Zhi'er's hand, and said, "You have been such a treasure in the past three years, but your lover has not come to look for you, so don't be stupid." Apparently he is a ruthless and unrighteous person!! ”

Lian Zhi'er carefully put the jade pendant under the pillow, and muttered for a long time, "He is in a high position, because he is too busy, so he didn't come to look for me." ”

Qingqi was a little sleepy, only closed his eyes, and asked casually, "On the day we left Beijing, you stopped Shi Daxue's sedan chair, could it be that he is your sweetheart?" This jade pendant was also given to you by him? ”

The wind from outside poured in and blew on Lian Zhi'er's cheeks, and she felt cold and hungry.

Lian Zhi'er didn't answer, but she muttered to herself, "I'm really crazy, I actually talk nonsense, he is a person from outside the world, how can he be tempted by a woman!" ”

After speaking, he fell asleep, and Lian Zhi'er didn't feel a trace of sleepiness until the sky was bright, and he closed his eyes for less than a stick of incense. I heard Grandma Sun's scolding outside, "Don't you all get up quickly, you're still standing up on the bed, and you still think you're a princess!" ”

I didn't sleep well all night, and Lian Zhi'er's body was tired, but fortunately I didn't have to wash clothes today, and only went to the kitchen to do chores.

The grandmother ordered her to pour the swill, and Lian Zhi'er carried the foul-smelling swill outside, which was supposed to fall in the forest not far away, so she had to step on the snow and "creak" away.

And at this moment, she heard a sound of footsteps, and she looked up, only to see the person she least wanted to see.

I haven't seen him for three years, but I still saw the arrogant figure at a glance in the crowd, but I saw that he was wearing a dark crane, a golden crown and tied his hair, and there was a little more ruthlessness between his eyebrows, and even his eyebrows were tightly wrinkled, as if there was something displeased.

And he was surrounded by the overseer and the people in charge here, who looked cautious, and the most attentive was Sun Sheng, who was originally a family with that grandmother and came here on an errand. But the people were headed by him, and they all had enough oil and water. The husband and wife are a nest of snakes and rats, and there is no good thing.

That Sun Sheng saw Lian Zhi'er's eyebrows browning into him, and said hurriedly, "Don't get out of the way quickly." You are in the way of His Highness the Prince. ”

She kept her head down, but she didn't expect to bump into Ruan Lu, and suddenly her face was as pale as snow, and the swill bucket in her hand fell to the ground with a "clang", and the swill full of rancid smell suddenly splashed half a person high.

Even Zhi'er was splashed all over her body, but what made her even more frightened was that Ruan Lu's crane was also splashed with some.

The people who followed behind Ruan Lu were already frightened, and Sun Sheng hurriedly walked over, kicked over, and Lian Zhi'er suddenly fell into the snow.

"Something that doesn't look at it. What are you bumping into, you can't be blind? Now that you have collided with His Royal Highness, you still don't make amends. ”

Lian Zhi'er was kicked in the heart, and it took a long time to get up from the ground, a cold wind blew, and the messy hair covered her face, and the disgusting smell of swill on her body looked very pitiful.

"Please forgive your sins with His Royal Highness." She buried her face so low that she was almost in the snowdrift.

Ruan Lu walked over step by step. Until he walked up to her, reached out and grabbed her chin, and gave her a thin hint of her face, "You want to win the attention of this son and seduce him?" Your methods are too clumsy! ”

There was no blood on her face, "The slave doesn't have such a heart!"

Ruan Lu hooked the corners of his lips with a smile, but his eyes became more and more cold, "Don't you still look down on this son?" ”

"Slaves and maids are lowly, and they dare not have other thoughts." She only felt a chill in her back.

His eyes were sharp, and he suddenly pulled the corners of his lips, and squinted at her with a smile, "If you say that you are deliberately seducing, this son may be happy in his heart and let you go once, but today this son is very displeased, what do you say to do with you?" ”

The officials standing behind him were all staring at each other, confused by the words of the two people, and some people even thought that the two were actually "flirting".

"I don't know what to do with the following crimes here?" Ruan Lu turned his head and stared at the people behind him.

Those officials had already heard that Ruan Lu was a ruthless person, and when they turned their faces, they turned out to be the lord of the six relatives, and they didn't know how to reply for a while.

Sun Sheng had no choice but to walk up and replied respectfully, "If you go back to His Royal Highness, if you commit any crime below, you have to smoke rattan, or ten or twenty strokes, it's all up to you." If you feel that she has been wronged, it is okay not to punish her. ”

"Twenty strokes, then." Ruan Lu's voice was cold, "If there is the slightest bit of favoritism, this son will not spare you." ”

Everyone was so frightened that they didn't dare to speak, but when they saw that Ruan Lu was still standing in place, they knew that he was already going to watch the execution, so they felt more and more that Ruan Lu was a moody person, and they didn't dare to slack off for half a minute.

Soon Sun Sheng ordered someone to bring a stool, and a few more strong men came. Hold down Lian Zhi'er's arm, and then the rattan began to pump on Lian Zhi'er's body.

She gritted her teeth, her face turned pale, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down her forehead. With each whip, her thin body continued to tremble in pain, becoming more and more pitiful, which made people really unbearable.

But Ruan Lu kept watching, as if he was watching a good show, until the fight was over.

Lian Zhi'er got up from the stool, staggered to Ruan Lu, and then knelt on the ground, "Thank you, Your Highness." ”

Ruan Lu looked at her, there was a hint of complexity in his eyes, but he pulled his lips and smiled, "This son of the world is kind today, I will reward you for a good rest for half a day, and retreat." ”

Lian Zhi'er thanked her again, and then picked up the swill bucket on the ground. Staggered away.

************

Since coming here, being beaten and scolded has become commonplace, and she has gradually become accustomed to the pain.

The twenty rattans were very strong, and her back hurt like a needle pricking fire, and tears the size of beans slipped down her forehead. She lay on the bed, feeling thirsty.

She was the only one left in the dilapidated thatched hut, and everyone else went to do their own errands, and they were such sinful slaves that would not rest.

And just then, I heard a very shallow footsteps, which seemed to stop in front of her bed, looking at her.

Lian Zhi'er only thought that Qingqi was back, so he took a breath of cold air in great pain, "Just pour me a glass of water." ”

Soon there was the sound of pouring water in the house, and soon there was the sound of the clothes all around, and she barely opened her eyes, and forced her hand to reach for the water bowl.

But unexpectedly, it was a pair of men's hands with distinct bones, she was startled, and hurriedly turned her head, but saw Ruan Lu's face that seemed to be smiling but not smiling, and saw her face full of fear, and seemed to be very satisfied.

"What? Do you dare not drink the water that this son personally poured for you? ”

Lian Zhi'er gritted his teeth desperately, but he didn't dare to pick up the tea bowl in his hand.

A well-dressed person, full of wealth and glory, stood in this dilapidated room, holding a bowl with a gap in his hand, which was very strange and awkward.

Lian Zhi'er didn't touch his teeth all day long, and he was weak and weak, only frightened by him, as if he could faint at any time.

"Thank you, Your Highness, the slave is no longer thirsty."

His voice was extremely cold, "But this son has already fallen." ”

Lian Zhi'er wanted to get up and drink tea, but struggled a few times only to feel a heart-rending pain. And at this moment, I saw Ruan Lu holding her shoulder, wrapping her in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, and then passing the bowl of water to her lips.

Lian Zhi'er only poured it down in one breath, and his body was stiff like an iron plate.

After drinking, she almost struggled desperately to break free, but Ruan Lu held her shoulder tightly and didn't let her move.

"I haven't seen each other for three years, and sure enough, I have changed my appearance. In the past, the pampered and arrogant lord of Beiliang County has become such a pitiful appearance today, which is really distressing. ”

His lips fell to her ear, and then slowly moved up her cheeks, and the suffocating sensation came again, as if she was reliving the nightmare of that day, and subconsciously struggled to get out of his arms, only to hide in the corner of the bed, her face as white as snow.

During the struggle, the porcelain bowl in his hand fell to the ground and shattered.

"You're really capable." He sneered, "Let this son rejoice again, it seems that your life will be more and more difficult, and this son will wait for you to send it to the door in person." ”

After Ruan Lu brushed his sleeves away, Lian Zhi'er only stared blankly at the broken porcelain bowl, stunned.

The wind was whimpering outside the window, and there was not even half a stove in the room, only the cold sweat beads on her forehead were about to freeze.