flstandardbreds Chapter 151 A Sleepless Night
Chapter 151 A Sleepless Night
The entrance to the secret chamber was hidden in the artificial hill of the Imperial Preceptor's mansion. There were many guards outside, all of whom were outstanding members of the Witch Clan. When they saw Zhu Yao arrive, they all respectfully bowed to her.
Zhu Ke helped Zhu Yao to the entrance of the secret chamber, which was blocked by thick vines. They waited respectfully for the clan leader's actions. The leader muttered something, and the vines were pulled away to both sides.
At the innermost part of the secret chamber was a spacious, dark cell. Inside, a man with gray hair, tattered clothes, and covered in blood was half-suspended by two vines piercing through his shoulder blades.
The person kept his head down and didn't react even when someone opened the door and came in, as if he were dead.
Zhu Ke carefully placed Zhu Yao on the chair in the dark cell, then turned and left.
For decades, every time the clan chief came, he would speak with the person inside alone. She dared not ask what they talked about, nor did she dare to know!
Only two people remained in the dark cell. After a long while, Zhu Yao's aged voice rang out in the empty room: "Yu'er, I've come to see you!"
The person called 'Yu'er' remained in the same posture and did not speak.
"Yu'er, as long as you hand over the item, I will immediately heal you and restore your status as the Holy Son of the Witch Clan. In that case, you will be the next clan leader..."
Zhu Yao softened her tone and began to coax her gently, but her voice, which was already rough, sounded even more like a rusty chainsaw.
Seeing that 'Yu'er' still didn't react, a fierce glint flashed in Zhu Yao's eyes, followed by a mocking voice: "Sigh! Yu'er is just as stubborn as your father!"
Speaking of this, 'Yu'er' suddenly looked up, glaring fiercely at Zhu Yao. Ignoring the pain, she lunged forward, as if trying to tear a piece of flesh from the other woman, her lips trembling as she spoke:
"You...will...die a miserable death..."
Hearing the other person's voice, which hadn't been uttered for years, now even hoarseer than her own, Zhu Yao couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, "Yu'er is finally willing to speak? Quickly, give the things to your great-aunt!"
“You… are not… my great-aunt…! I would rather die than give it to you!” Yu’er retorted with difficulty, then returned to her previous silent state.
Zhu Yao didn't take it to heart and continued to coax and coax him. But when the other party stopped talking after speaking, she suddenly became furious:
"Zhu Yu, I advise you not to test my patience. Do you think that just because the Xue clan is wiped out, I can no longer threaten you?"
I forgot to tell you, the people I sent out discovered that you had a bastard child back then...
You think the thing isn't on him? Hmm?
Zhu Yao was just saying it casually; her real intention was to use her son to threaten Zhu Yu.
But Zhu Yu, who was hanging halfway in the air with his head down, was inwardly turbulent, but he dared not show it, for fear that the other party would be certain because of his expression!
After Zhu Yao left, leaning on her crutch, Zhu Yu's dim eyes were filled with tears. Thinking of the child who would angrily run to the back mountain after being scolded for being naughty, waiting for her to find him, she murmured softly:
"Wen...er..."
After Zhu Yao came out of the dark prison, she did not leave the secret room immediately, but went to check on the 'moving organs' she had raised.
"My skin needs replacing again. Go ask Physician Liu later! Also, ask how the bone-changing research is going?"
Zhu Yao looked at the skin and age spots on her hands with annoyance. She hadn't even used it for a few months before she had to replace it again. And her leg bones—if she couldn't find a solution, how could she persevere until she found that thing and regained her youth?
……
Fengming Kingdom, Dingbei King, Chief Court.
"Ah... Father... No! No..." Xue Wen woke up with a start, sitting up in bed, his head covered in sweat, clearly having had a nightmare.
Ling Huanan raised his hand and gently wiped the fine sweat from Xue Wen's forehead with his sleeve, then pulled him into his arms, his voice carrying a reassuring calmness: "Had a nightmare? Don't be afraid, Wen! I'm here!"
Xue Wen buried his head in Ling Huanan's arms, still feeling weak and shaken, and said:
"For some reason, I keep dreaming about my childhood lately. I can't see my father's face clearly in the dreams... but I can feel that he's in a lot of pain..."
"It's all just a dream. If Awen is not at ease, I will have someone investigate the matter from back then tomorrow..." Ling Huanan comforted him softly.
Finally, after much coaxing, I managed to get her back to sleep!
……
However, tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.
Su Mu and his companions went to Huguo Temple today, intending to visit Li Huanzhi. However, they were surprised to be told by the nuns that Huanzhi was pregnant and had already left the mountain several days ago.
Upon hearing this, the group immediately returned to their residence. As soon as Lin Shu returned home from her shift, they quickly informed her of the matter, as Huanzhi was pregnant and they were worried about what would happen if anything went wrong.
"You've gone down the mountain? Why aren't you home?" Lin Shu frowned, then immediately ordered someone to investigate. Within half an hour, they found his address and quickly took Zi Yi there.
The small house rented by Li Huanzhi at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain on the outskirts of Beijing.
Li Huanzhi bent down to pick up the basket on the ground, pushed open the door, disregarded the strict separation between men and women, helped Xu Jingyun, whose arm had been slashed, to sit down, then lit a candle in the dark and searched for wound medicine in the room by the light.
"Thank you so much, Miss Xu..." Li Huanzhi said sincerely. He never expected that Xu Jingyun would risk her life to save him.
Xu Jingyun took the medicine and was bandaging herself when she suddenly heard Li Huanzhi's sentimental remark. She looked up and examined him by the candlelight.
He is indeed a rare handsome man; no wonder Ah Shu likes him.
Thinking of Lin Shu, Xu Jingyun lowered her eyes slightly and casually said, "No need to thank me! If it weren't for the fact that you are Lin Shu's husband, I wouldn't bother with you."
Li Huanzhi was taken aback upon hearing this, then couldn't help but smile. He knew that what the other party said was true. This person originally didn't want to meddle in other people's business tonight, but only took action after hearing the name of his wife.
The story begins an hour earlier:
Li Huanzhi has now settled in, and today he went to the nearby market with a basket on his back to exchange for goods, and also asked someone to deliver a message to Lin Shu's residence...
When he got home, he had just opened the gate and put down his basket when several people appeared in front of him. Seeing that they were hostile, Li Huanzhi didn't have time to think and threw the basket at them before turning around and running away.
After running for a while, Li Huanzhi was completely exhausted and was only sustained by his willpower. The people chasing him seemed to be toying with him, always following him at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Finally, a woman in black appeared silently and said sternly, "Stop playing around! Complete the mission as soon as possible."
Those people quickened their pace and surrounded Li Huanzhi. Li Huanzhi, with his hair disheveled and looking utterly disheveled, asked breathlessly, "Gentlemen, I wonder if I have offended you in any way?"
"Stop talking nonsense!" The woman in black gestured to those surrounding him to come forward and arrest him.
Li Huanzhi retreated continuously, trying to save himself. Suddenly, a woman riding a fast horse came galloping towards him from not far away, seemingly wanting to enter the capital. He quickly seized the opportunity and shouted:
"Miss, help me... help me!..."
But the man and horse seemed not to hear them, and galloped past them...
"Hmph! She's smart to know her place..."
"But Lin Shu is so lucky, all her husbands are so handsome, they make my heart itch..."
"..."
Just as Li Huanzhi was sinking into despair, the sound of hooves turned back and stopped beside them, the long sword gleaming coldly in the moonlight:
"Let him go!"
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