Chapter 30: Atonement (1)

That night, I sat alone outside the window of the sky, in the courtyard that looked exactly like the ink garden, and the brazier in the surprisingly cold room burned quietly, and I stared at the candlestick not far away with one hand on my cheek

The time has passed, I haven't asked Qi Ao for the antidote to forget my worries, and I haven't been able to raise enough courage to face it, just like a turtle, huddled in a small world of his own, hoping that the world will be safe

Fortunately, Qi Ao didn't force me to face the reality, and after getting along for a long time, I found that he was very much like a glass of lukewarm water, always holding just the right amount of proportion

As soon as dawn was Chinese New Year's Eve, on this day, the old died, the new rebirth, the Qin Mansion was lit up everywhere, Fu Bo could not survive until the new year, died on the last day of the year, but soon someone took his place, and the new butler was Fu Bo's youngest son Zhang Yuan

Zhang Yuan didn't talk much, but he was diligent, only one morning, under his command and arrangement, the house was already filled with the atmosphere of the New Year, and I was afraid of the cold, wrapped myself like a ball, and took a small hand stove, he saw me and others from a distance of a few feet, and trotted in the direction where I was

When he approached me, I saw that he was a polite young man: "Zhang Yuan has seen Miss, what does it matter?"

Maybe because of Fauber's relationship, he was respectful to me and had a hint of closeness, and I replied to him: "It's just boring to go around, you go about your business, don't pay attention to me"

"It's cold and the road is slippery, Miss has to watch your step"

I inevitably asked him, "How was Fauber's funeral?"

His face darkened, but his voice was the same: "My father was relieved before his death, and instructed my brothers to transport him back to his hometown for burial after his death.

I nodded: "That's fine."

Zhang Yuan remembered another thing: "By the way, Miss, Lord Dugu came to the house and said that there is something important to discuss with the adults and you, I estimate that the two of them will be in the study, do you have a trip?"

Dugu Hao gave me a bad impression, and I almost died in the hands of Lonely Ran, who had the same face as him, and he was even more depressed when he mentioned it, and immediately refused: "I don't know that Dugu Hao very well, maybe you heard it wrong, even if he really looks for me, I just wait for the adult to tell me."

After separating from Zhang Yuan, I went to the other road in the opposite direction from the study, because I chose a secluded and rarely sparse path, and I heard the two servants whispering to Qi Ao, hiding in such a remote place, naturally not saying good things

I am petite, and the rockery next to the Bihu Lake just becomes my cover, and I hide under the rockery lightly, and do unkind things to eavesdrop

"You said why did you make such a mistake today, Lord Chong was angry, and it just so happened that you ran to crash into this moment, aren't you looking for death?"

The other person Xu was slapped and spoke a little funny: "You are embarrassed to say that I am just arranged by you to change a pot of hot tea, who knows that I heard the adult and Lord Dugu talking about the Qin City Lord, do you say that I am wronged?"

"It's really evil today, the city lord of Qin has been dead for so many years, and the adults have rarely been angry, and it is rare to see him take his anger out on us subordinates."

"But isn't it, I think it's a ghost made by Lord Dugu, who doesn't know that he and adults have known each other since childhood, maybe the adults have some handle in his hands, and I'm afraid that I will hear it, so I will order someone to beat me."

"Shh

"What am I afraid of, I have Lord Dugu behind me to support me?"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's up to you"

I didn't listen down, my feet didn't listen, and I ran towards the study, whether this was another trap designed by Dugu Hao, it didn't matter, the important thing was that what Dugu Hao wanted me to hear from Qi Ao's mouth must be what I wanted to know the most

I think I must be crazy, obviously Qi Ao promised me that I would relieve me of the poison of forgetting worries, but I vaguely thought that this might be his way to tempt and test me, but I didn't hesitate to choose to believe him when I met Dugu Hao, who was on the edge of the sword

I walked in a hurry, and I didn't even notice the soup in Xue Yan's hand with my side hand, and she wanted to reproach me, and when she saw who I was, a word was in my throat, and I couldn't speak, but I couldn't care about all these doubts in the dark, and I had to settle them today

Outside the study, there was no one who guarded it, because of Qi Ao's monstrous anger, and all the people retreated

Even if you don't put your ears on the edge of the door, you can hear the fierce quarrel inside, the two of them tore off the shell of Sven and polite, and shouted at each other like losing their minds, only I am Dugu Hao's most ideal listener outside the door

"I objected to you early in the morning to hand over the position of city lord to her, and now Qinzhou is more prosperous than before, all the countries are eyeing her, if you let her take the position, where is the people of the entire Qinzhou, our Dugu clan will never agree"

"Also, I have secretly formed an alliance with Murong Ying, and she also opposes your decision, you are alone."

Compared with Dugu Hao's momentum, Qi Ao is still steady and self-controlled: "Dugu, I didn't let you stay in the Qin Mansion to lead you to be jealous of me, to contend with me, my person, you know very well that this is a decision I made after thinking about it."

"Qi Ao, you ask yourself, the reason why you want to hand over the position of city lord to her is because you feel guilty about Qin Shibo, which is more important to her, you have already weighed it in your heart, you fled to Qinzhou after being deposed, but Empress Qi was imprisoned and killed by the Southern Emperor, you really will give up the throne because of Qin Xi alone, Qinzhou is just a springboard for you."

"I'm afraid that Qin Shibo's death will not be able to escape the blame."

I can feel Qi Ao's forbearance: "Master Dugu's death is not something you can speculate on, you just leave, and if you continue to talk about it, it will only hurt your friendship with me."

"Qi Ao, don't you dare to admit in front of me that you and Li Sanlang are conspiring to kill Qin Shibo, your purpose is to pocket the position of the city lord so as to pave the way for you to take revenge on the Southern Emperor."

Dugu Hao successfully poked Qi Ao's sore foot, which completely angered him: "Enough is enough, I didn't kill the master"

"Then why don't you tell the murderer, who are you protecting?"

"You don't need to provoke me, Li Xuan is in the dark room sword killing, the master is Qin Xi and I have seen with my own eyes, I Qi Ao is not an ungrateful person, I didn't expect Li Xuan to be sent by Long Xiao, and he lost the opportunity, so he had to break his wrist to keep the foundation of Qinzhou."

"How Can I Believe in You?"

"It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not, it is your common goal to hold Qinzhou, as long as you don't do anything unfavorable to Qinzhou, I won't embarrass you, you go."

"Qi Ao, you are a bloody man, I am Dugu, there are few people in my life, you are one of them, I have to obey you, this matter today is my yin, you and I can't see you hand over the great inheritance of Qinzhou to a girl who doesn't know anything, but I can make a heavy oath that I will do everything to protect her life in this life"

Standing outside the study, I stood up straight like a fool, every word Qi Ao and Dugu Hao said, I listened to it in my ears, engraved in my heart, like an extremely sharp knife piercing my already scarred heart, dull pain to numbness

My life is like a withered flower that has fallen into the dust

A moment ago, the cloudless sky did not know when a gentle drizzle drifted, and soon wet my whole person, saying that today is Chinese New Year's Eve, a new beginning, three days later, I will set off to Li Xuan to continue my original life, God actually arranged such a huge joke for me

Li Sanlang is indeed Li Xuan

There is a sea of blood between us

I think it was the last straw that broke my spirit

...