Chapter 166.2
The yamen officer crouched down and put his ear to the ground to listen. There was indeed a thudding sound, like small stones. .h.i.tting the wall, albeit very faint.
The yamen officer hesitated.
Since there was someone down there, this method had become a life for life, which was quite cruel.
Servant girl A said, "What are you waiting for? Quickly save people!"
It was getting late. If they were to delay any longer, not to mention that the Crown Princess might get injured, suspicions would arise in the palace.
The yamen officer sighed, "Miss, it"s not that we don"t want to save people, but there are two people down there. If we rushed to rescue them, one of them might end up getting crushed to death!"
The servant girls exchanged glances.
That small storeroom was so deep in the bas.e.m.e.nt that there shouldn"t be anyone there. If there was, it must be a spy lying in wait to deal with the Crown Princess!
Might as well crush this kind of person to death here!
So as to prevent them from going out and ruining the Crown Princess"s reputation!
Servant girl A said, "Who said it must be a person down there? Perhaps it"s a cat or a dog. If you don"t believe me, let’s ask the owner. Has anyone been to that small storeroom?"
The owner naturally answered no.
The yamen officer was puzzled.
Judging from the regular knocking sound, it was very unlikely that it was just a cat or a dog. It was mostly a person, and a person in critical condition to boot.
"Do you have a better idea then?" Servant girl A asked.
It was really hard being a yamen officer.
Of course... He had none.
Servant girl A pinched her fingers together, discussed with her companion in a low voice, and finally decided to reveal the fact that they were from the East Palace.
She took out the token.
When the yamen officer saw the token of the East Palace, he was so scared that he plopped down on his knees at once.
Servant girl A said, "To tell you the truth, the one buried underneath is a person of the East Palace. If you dare to let anything happen to her at your hands, mark my words, the Crown Prince will bury all of you with her!"
Listening to her tone, it could be surmised that the other party"s position in the East Palace wasn’t low. It might be a favorite concubine, a relative, or even——
The yamen officer didn’t dare to think any further.
One was a person of the East Palace while the other was a commoner. It was self-evident who should be saved.
The yamen officer ordered people to prepare ropes to lift up the huge slab at the end of the Crown Princess.
Xiao Liulang’s eyes revealed a cold glint as he said, "What are you doing? You’ll just disregard the life or death of the other person?"
In fact, he was still unsure whether the other one buried underneath was Gu Jiao.
But what if it was her?
He didn"t dare to gamble on that chance.
The yamen officer said earnestly, "Little brother, I know you have a good heart, but the person buried on that side... is a person of the Heavenly family. We can"t afford to pay for the life of the Heavenly family."
Xiao Liulang had heard such statements more than once, but it was only at this moment that he truly realized the importance of status.
Without status, away from any struggle and conflict, you might be able to give yourself a peaceful life. But sometimes, it wasn’t just all about this.
Because he didn’t have a high status, no one listened to Little Jing Kong"s words.
Because he didn’t have a high status, Gu Jiao"s life wasn’t as important as that of the people in the East Palace.
Xiao Liulang slowly clenched his fist.
The rim of his eyes were red and his whole heart felt cold.
The rope had been set over there and people prepared to lift up the giant slab.
Xiao Liulang suddenly threw away his crutch, leapt and slid down the gap between the slabs.
The yamen officer started, "What are you doing? You"re crazy! It"s dangerous down there! Get back up here! All of you, stop, stop, stop! Stop first!"
The yamen runners who had just begun raising the huge slab ceased their movements.
Servant girl A was angered, saying, "Stop what? Who told you to stop? He himself wants to die! Why care about him?! Doesn"t he know himself it"s dangerous down there? They are in cahoots! They want to kill the people of the Crown Prince! Don’t tell me you’re also in cahoots with them?!"
With such a tall hat being put on their heads, who could still care about the lives of two ordinary people?
Xiao Liulang looked back at the yamen officer from the gap and coldly uttered a sentence, which made everyone on the scene freeze.
……
On the street where the stream flowed without stopping, a seemingly unremarkable carriage was moving slowly.
Marquis Xuanping and Steward Liu sat within the carriage.
Steward Liu had also just met his Lord Marquis and boarded his carriage.
Marquis Xuanping asked lightly, "How are things going?"
Steward Liu smiled guiltily.
When he first left the capital, he boasted that he would definitely bring the illegitimate son back home for the New Year. Now, great. It was almost New Year"s Eve, but the illegitimate son wouldn’t even acknowledge his ident.i.ty.
Marquis Xuanping casually said, "If you failed, just say so."
Steward Liu felt ashamed as he replied, "I already found him, but the young master... He may be bitter about what happened before so he refuses to come back."
"En." Marquis Xuanping gave a faint sound of a.s.sent without any detectable joy or anger. "Forget it if he doesn"t want to return."
Marquis Xuanping never liked forcing other people.
Steward Liu wiped a cold sweat. Fortunately, fortunately, he was not punished.
Marquis Xuanping usually didn’t punish his subordinates. Those who entered the estate for the first time would think that Lord Marquis was different from the rumors. He was clearly generous to others and didn’t get angry with the servants.
That was because everyone who made Lord Marquis angry was dead.
The still living ones were those who had never offended Lord Marquis.
Lord Marquis was actually a bit temperamental.
He could be talking and laughing with others one moment, and then cut the same people with his blade the next moment.
Of course, Lord Marquis was still very forgiving in most things.
After all, he wouldn’t be where he was today without that tolerance and pattern.
“Lord Marquis!”
One of his guards came on horseback.
Marquis Xuanping lightly lifted his eyes.
Steward Liu understood and had the carriage stop.
Marquis Xuanping lifted the curtain and asked, "What’s the matter?"
"Something happened to the Crown Princess. Soon after you left, the bas.e.m.e.nt of the music house collapsed and the Crown Princess was buried underneath. In addition, there was another person buried in the storeroom inside."
There was another person in the storeroom. This was a very important message.
It indicated that the meeting between Marquis Xuanping and the Crown Princess had probably been known to the other party.
There wasn’t a change in Marquis Xuanping"s expression.
But Steward Liu on the side was worried.
The guard continued, "Both people are buried underneath the same huge slab. The yamen people are unable to lift the whole thing and can only choose to raise one side. To save one, they have to crush the other. The Crown Princess"s servant girls revealed her ident.i.ty as a person of the East Palace, so the yamen officer decided to save the Crown Princess. At that moment, a scholar jumped down, and he told the yamen officer..."
At this point, the guard glanced at Marquis Xuanping and looked hesitant to speak.
Marquis Xuanping asked, still with a casual voice, "What is it? Does it have to do with this Marquis?"
The guard said, "The scholar said that the other person buried underneath... is Lord Marquis!"