The emperor’s eye socket wanted to pop out, his chest wasabout to burst.
Zhao Jin Yu actually did not move a single jot, her mannerof speaking was like a teacher at school teaching a child, saying, “If you makean error you need to pay the price, punishment is inevitable.” Her gazelingered on the stone because it was soaked by grease and dirt it appeared tobe even more glossy, and from that greasy stain she unconsciously thought ofthe dead loss of a delicious evening meal, the pain in her heart increased moreand more…, turning she walked to her inner room.
When she came back out a black lacquer jewellery boxoutlined in gold was in her hand, half old, nevertheless it was still the onlyvaluable thing in Zhao Jin Yu’s house, because the quality of the material waspriceless red sandalwood.
The emperor very quickly finally became aware of a crisis,frowning, with a stern voice he berated, “How dare you! What do you want to doto us?” The emperor’s manner was completely prominent and imposing, verypitifully after his body changed his tone was too soft, it didn’t have anystrength, = =.
Zhao Jin Yu ignored that stone who called itself using theimperial we, because no matter what the stone said it wouldn’t change her mind,directly and efficiently she dropped the stone onto a cleaning rag, rubbing thegrease and dirt on the stone with the rough cleaning rag, for a time hearingthe stone grumble out in anger, like a trapped little beast…, her heartsoftened, unexpectedly she even felt it was somewhat cute? Eventually seeing thissort of behaviour Zhao Jin Yu’s anger dissolved quite a lot, soon after shedirectly placed it inside the jewellery box, using force to close the lid.
With the sound of a bang, the emperor’s world turned blackin a flash.
The emperor was dizzy, thinking about the rough rag rubbinghis body, then crudely thrown into a pitch black box…, he was stunned, he didnot react immediately, mainly because no one has ever treated him like this,even if his current body was that of a stone’s but it cannot be denied thetruth is on the inside he was Hanzhen’s emperor!
A violent roar erupted from his chest, “We will make youwish you were dead!”
Zhao Jin Yu remained unmoved, so much so she lightly pattedthe box, saying, “Don’t be so obstinate, you need to understand not fightingback at the appropriate moment is a kind of method, you need to willingly andobediently admit you were wrong then I will let you out.”
The emperor hatefully almost broke his teeth, “Very well, wewill let you know the price for disrespecting us!” In fact in his mind hethought wait until this girl is found…, how she will be tormented not a humanyet not a spirit, even slaughter her nine generations, or else it would be hadto dispel his hatred.
“You need to think about it carefully.” Leaving behind thesewords Zhao Jin Yu she prepared to once again cook a meal, she had been busy allnight yet she hadn’t had a single bite of food, in this moment her stomach wastruly rumbling with hunger, fortunately she had left some cured meat, otherwiseshe would indeed not even be able to cry, having been a vegetarian for half amonth, and only had such a little bit of delicious food.
The emperor replying Zhao Jin Yu was increasingly doingeverything he can to ram his way out of the jewellery box.
Zhao Jin Yu smiling didn’t pay attention to it, intending toonce again make some food, in the end as she was just cutting suddenly a thud thesound of knocking was heard from outside the door.
“Who is it so late at night?” Zhao Jin Yu was somewhatcautious looking out, covering herself with a jacket she walked out.
The emperor naturally also heard the slamming of a knock onthe door, friends would come visit so late, after all in this house was only agirl Zhao Jin Yu, always to avoid arousing suspicion, is this…, the emperor’seyes because of excitement it was also bright and glossy, his heart wasincited, could it be the Embroidered Uniform Guard he dispatched searchinghere?
Thinking up to here, he stuck his ear to the ground wantingto attentively listen to the voices outside.
“Who is it?”
“JIn girl, it’s me”
“Auntie? Then I’ll open the door.”
It wasn’t just Wen Shi who came, an unfamiliar male followedbehind him, Zhao Jin Yu unconsciously took a step back, Wen Shi placatinglysmiled, saying, “Jin girl don’t be scared, he is your uncle’s younger brother.”
Then did Zhao Jin Yu raise her head to glance at the man,about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with delicate features, arms likethose of an ape and a bee like waist, wearing deep blue woollen cotton-paddedclothes, a grey fur overcoat on the outside, wearing nimble sheepskin boots onhis feet, appearing extremely highly capable, exactly at this moment he waswatching her, perceptive gaze, a kind of immeasurable perception.
Wen Shi saw Su Qing Chen stare at Zhao Jin Yu constantlywithout stopping, softly she coughed once, taking a step forward, remainingcalm and collected she blocked his line of sight, explaining to Zhao Jin Yucasually, “I mentioned briefly the issue with your father with him…, he said hewanted to come over and take a look.”
Then did Zhao Jin Yu only understand Wen Shi’s meaning, she sortof knew Zhang Zhi Shi had a younger brother of a different surname, seems likethis official position was even not low, but he was always so mysterious,wildly elusive, therefore she had not seen him before, this time thanks to herfather’s matter she finally met his true ident.i.ty, only the feeling this persongave her…, how come, it was a kind of extremely dangerous feeling, moreover thegaze he looked at her with was sharply probing, as if it went through her soul,making her very uncomfortable.
“Thank you auntie you’re still concerned about my father’smatter.” Zhao Jin Yu thought of her father, her gaze saddened, “only there arethings that auntie won’t ask, I also don’t feel right to say, in fact beforewhen her mother went to visit the prisoner, father refused to see her, and madethe jailer pa.s.s on a message, saying not to waste money on him anymore”
Wen Shi was shocked, she couldn’t help cover her mouth tocontrol her astonished voice, saying, “So it’s like that…”
A heavy air filled everywhere, Zhao Jin Yu lowered her head,showing a bright and clean forehead, the moonlight shining on her wasting away facialfeatures, with a somewhat weak halo.
Wen Shi actually really wanted to ask, is it because of thatreason that your mother took your older brother with her back to her nativehome of Jinling? Then why didn’t she bring you with her? You didn’t ask yourmother? Could it be you’re not resentful? But she thought these words were notappropriate for her to say, it seems like picking at someone’s wound for noreason.
“That…auntie will return first.” Wen Shi it wasn’t good toknock on the door of a girl living alone, but thinking perhaps Su Qing Chen canhelp Zhao Jin Yu, so in spite of this they came, she thought anyone who sawZhao Jin Yu this pleasant girl would be willing to help her, in the end thingsturned out contrary to the way she wished…, now thinking about it clearly shefelt dropping by in this sort of rude manner was actually quite outrageous.
Zhao Jin Yu silently nodded.
Wen Shi inwardly sighed, taking the lead she walked back.
Until Wen Shi had taken a few steps away Su Qing Chen facedZhao Jin Yu cupping his hands in greeting considered to be a salutation, afterhe headed back, only at that moment, a thudding noise sounded all of a suddenfrom inside the house, it seemed especially abrupt in the dim light of thenight.
Su Qing Chen suddenly stopped, a grave and stern appearance,saying, “What is that noise?”
Zhao Jin Yu did not need to go back to look to know thatstone was acting up, this sort of matter of course cannot be told to otherpeople, she didn’t believe everyone was like her having travelled in time,that’s why she was relatively open-minded and optimistic, could accept thestone can jump, could eat food that sort of weird phenomenon, also…, shesomewhat didn’t have the heart for the stone to be taken away by a resoluteperson, for example if it was truly a stone spirit, would it be dealt with by apriest? These presumptions made her feel she must hide this matter.
If the emperor in the house knew Zhao Jin Yu’s thoughtsright now…, it would be reckoned his anger would quickly explode? Su Qing Chenstanding outside was his most capable right commander Embroidered UniformGuard, he also had a portrait of him as a stone, handed to him, he wouldnaturally regain his freedom, regardless whether or not he returns to hisnormal body at night, anyhow even if he’s a stone he would receive attentivecare, wanting to eat he wouldn’t have to go so far as to jump into dish soup inorder to eat his fill.
“Must have misheard.”
Su Qing Chen somewhat inconceivably raised his head,shooting a glance at Zhao Jin Yu’s calm and easy expression, that banging andthudding noise was clear, how could she be so certain to say he had misheard?
Zhao Jin Yu restlessly shifted her lower body, evading SuQing Chen’s excessively sharp and probing gaze, all around the atmospherebecame low, heavy and silent, Su Qing Chen felt there was certainly somethinghappening in Zhao Jin Yu’s house, it’s just that..., Zhao Jin Yu under themoonlight in Su Qing Chen’s eyes looked increasingly frail, he couldn’t helpthink, in the end he had only came here in respect of Wen Shi, it was betterfor him to leave, there was no need to embarra.s.s a young lady?
Su Qing Chen cupped his hands in greetings considered to asalutation.
Zhao Jin Yu almost immediately released a breath, curtseyingshe returned the politeness, saying, “Thank you my Lord.”
Who would have imagined at that time another banging andthudding noise came from inside the house, this time louder than before, SuQing Chen was practically certain, there was absolutely something strangeinside! What was that sound?
At that moment Su Qing Chen very quickly forget he was goingto pretend he didn’t hear an odd sound and decided to do something, because allyear round he handled cases his intuition was practically an instinct, behindmany weird things were secrets people wish to keep secret! Su Qing Chenimmediately raised his foot, looking like he was going to go in.
Zhao Jin Yu heart jumped nervously, unconsciously she usedher hands to obstruct the doorway, frantically saying, “My lord, this is ayoung lady’s home…”
“Step aside!” Su Qing Chen appeared grave and stern as hespoke.
After taking a few steps Wen Shi did not see Su Qing Chenfollow, turning her head she then saw Su
Qing Chen and Zhao Jin Yu confrontingeach other, she jumped in fright, a trace of astonishment flashed through hereyes, taking small quick steps she came over, angrily pulling at Su Qing Chensaying, “Second brother, what are you doing? Nowadays only Jin girl lives atthe house by herself.”
Having spoken she again felt her tone was slightlyserious, Su Qing Chen was the left commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards,even though by those successful candidates of the imperial civil service examsand influential officials born of chancellors, the n.o.bles looked down on them,but their existence still made people extremely afraid, they had their ownpersonal army, they did not need to mobilise the ordinary soldiers of theMinistry of War, entering at will chancellors’ official residences to catchtraitors, planning to betray others, and can act first, report later, it couldalmost be said their power overflowed the sky.
Just like now, so long as Su Qing Chen felt there wassomething wrong in Zhao Jin Yu’s house, he could openly go and investigate.
“Let’s go, didn’t you say you had official matters to attendto tonight?” Wen Shi lowered her voice, softly urging, “second brother, maybeyou misheard.” Wen Shi certainly also heard that banging and thumping noise,however because she had stood at a distance, and on top of that she wasn’ttrained in that way like Su Qing Chen, that’s why she only vaguely heard itindistinctively, very lightly about the same as tree leaves swaying, to sayagain, it was very common for some sounds during the night, as a child she hadgrown up in the countryside, what dogs barking, the sound of mice diggingholes, and the sound of arguing in the neighbourhood, cats calling…
Su Qing Chen expression was so indifferent, shadow coveringhis entire body, dangerous like a gulf that Zhao Jin Yu cannot climb over.