The place was deserted, and it was truly frightening for a young girl to be all alone here.
"How about this, you go to sleep, I'll stand guard outside." Xia Yun scanned the area, pointed to a side room next to it, and smiled, "Hey, I can sleep there."
Chi You looked back, "But it's very dirty there, no one has ever cleaned it."
"Oh, it's fine, I've even slept in cow sheds before. I can tidy it up myself."
"Will your master look for you?" wΑp.kanshu伍.net
She had heard him say that his master was very fierce and often hit people.
Xia Yun shook his head, "I don't have to stand guard. I can bribe the person on duty and sneak out. Don't worry about me, go rest quickly. I'll be right next door, don't be afraid. Tomorrow morning, I'll go back early, and no one will notice."
Chi You immediately breathed a sigh of relief, trotted back into the room, and huffed and puffed as she took out an old quilt from the cupboard.
"Brother Yun, this was left by the palace staff before. You can use it."
Xia Yun entered the side room, found a piece of flint to light the lamp, tidied up casually, and then put down the quilt.
"Alright, go back quickly."
Chi You's eyes were a little red and swollen, appearing pitifully moist in the dark.
Xia Yun sighed, found a handkerchief, wet it, and handed it to her to apply.
"Apply it for a while before sleeping."
Chi You was very obedient. After applying it to her eyes for a while and talking with him for a bit, she went back.
She hadn't lived here for a long time, and everything was dirty. She tidied up by the moonlight, and only then did she lie down comfortably.
But as soon as she closed her eyes, she saw that person's cold, heartless appearance. When she slept soundly, she would also dream of some strange scenes. She tossed and turned all night.
When she woke up the next day, Xia Yun was already gone, but water had been placed in the courtyard, and food was on the table.
Chi You was so touched that her eyes were a little red. Brother Yun was the person who treated her best besides her elder brother.
She sniffled and hurried to wash up.
The water was surprisingly warm.
She looked around in surprise, only to find traces of a bonfire under the bushes not far away. It was probably messy because they hadn't had time to clean it up.
Her mood lifted slightly. She was not alone.
For the next few days, Chi You stayed in Qu Tai Palace and rarely went out. Whenever Xia Yun had free time, he would come to see her and bring her maps to look at.
The two of them were always huddled together, discussing ways to leave the palace.
Recently, Liu Rongruo had been busy accompanying Qin Yunshang to pray at temples and go shopping. He rarely entered the palace and left after the court session.
Their wedding was also approaching, and the mansion was very busy. He didn't come to Qu You Palace often.
One day, when he had free time, he headed towards Qu You Palace. As he entered the palace grounds, he subconsciously glanced at the swing not far away. No one was there.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, suppressing the malevolence in his heart, and walked towards the study in the front hall.
"Master."
Bai Ze stood guard at the door. Seeing him, he bowed.
Liu Rongruo stopped, glanced back at the archway, and saw no familiar figure. His expression turned cold, he withdrew his gaze, and strode into the room.
He walked to the desk, sat down, and flipped through the dossiers on the desk, his expression becoming even colder.
Bai Ze had followed him since childhood and could sense that something was wrong. He glanced at the soft couch nearby and coughed uncomfortably.
"Are you also catching a cold?"
His clear eyes looked directly at him.
Bai Ze quickly said, "No."
Normally, when Master came, A Wu would happily run over. While Master read the memorials, A Wu would sit on the soft couch nearby and play. With such a sudden quietness, Master must also be unaccustomed to it.
"Get out."
"Yes."
Liu Rongruo stayed in the study for a long time.
When Bai Ze brought in tea and snacks, he saw Liu Rongruo lowering his eyes, looking at the dossier in his hands, with an oppressive and heavy atmosphere around him.
"Master, it's noon. Have something to eat."
Liu Rongruo did not speak, his eyes fixed on the dossier, unmoving.
Bai Ze looked at his appearance and kindly reminded him, "Master, you're holding the book upside down."
The air suddenly became chilling.
Those clear, ice-cold eyes glanced at him, carrying a hint of chilling indifference.
Bai Ze quickly lowered his head, "This subordinate misspoke."
"Where is she?"
"Ah--"
Bai Ze was astonished and looked up.
Liu Rongruo's expression remained unchanged, and he repeated the question.
Bai Ze quickly said, "She should still be in Qu Tai Palace."
Upon hearing this, Liu Rongruo's hand, which was holding the dossier, paused slightly. He said lightly, "Why did she go there?"
"A few days ago, A Wu didn't come back, so this subordinate went to look for her. Seeing that she had gone to Qu Tai Palace, I sent someone to inform you. Don't you know?"
Liu Rongruo seemed to recall something, and his eyebrows lowered.
Someone had looked for him. He was not at the mansion because he was at the temple, so he told them to wait until he was done with his business.
He raised his eyes coldly, "Is this a place she can come and go as she pleases?"
"---"
"Go find her and bring her back."
Bai Ze paused and said, "Qiuzhu went to find A Wu earlier, and she said she was living quite well there."
"Hasn't she suffered enough in the cold palace?"
The man's voice ahead became gloomy, and the gaze he cast was even more terrifyingly cold.
Bai Ze had followed Liu Rongruo since childhood and understood his temper very well. Seeing him like this, he immediately said, "This subordinate will go invite her back."
"Wait." Liu Rongruo stopped him, "Bring Qiuzhu over first."
When Qiuzhu was summoned, she thought she had made a mistake and was trembling with fear.
As soon as she entered the room, her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground.
"Pay-- Pay respects to the Prime Minister."
Liu Rongruo glanced at her, his expression clear and cold.
Bai Ze immediately looked at Qiuzhu on the ground and said, "You've been going to Qu Tai Palace often recently, haven't you? Tell me everything you've seen and know. If you dare to conceal anything, you will die."
Qiuzhu paused. Her prostrate body trembled slightly, and she began to recount everything in detail.
She dared not mention that Xia Yun often visited Chi You, as she didn't know what the Prime Minister's intentions were. She only dared to mention it briefly.
Unexpectedly, this brief mention was caught.
"Xia Yun?!"
Bai Ze immediately said, "He's a young eunuch from the Imperial Kitchen."
He had already investigated, and he was very close to A Wu.
Liu Rongruo's eyes lowered, and his emotional changes were indiscernible.
He said, "You may go." He couldn't help but sweat on his back. Hearing this, Qiuzhu quickly and respectfully withdrew.
"Master, do you need me to bring him here?"
"No need."
As he spoke, he directly got up, took the robe from the rack, and walked outside.
Bai Ze quickly followed.
Qu Tai Palace.
Chi You was sitting cross-legged under a peach tree in the courtyard, gnawing on the roast chicken in her hand.
Xia Yun sat beside her, holding a small cup of wine, drinking and laughing heartily.
"It really is good wine. No wonder that old thief treasured it so much. Now that I've stolen it, hahaha, he won't be able to sleep tonight. *Hic* He'll hit me again."
Chi You also picked up a wine cup and took a small sip, her eyes curving into a smile.
"It's delicious."
Xia Yun had a good tolerance for alcohol and drank quite a bit. His face was red, but his mind was very clear. Seeing her smiling happily, he immediately raised his wine cup.
"Come, brother, let's have a toast."
Chi You happily drank with him, and she couldn't help but ask.
"Brother Yun, where did you steal this little eunuch's clothes from? Are we going to sneak out in these?"
She fiddled with the eunuch's clothes in the bundle, her cheeks flushed, looking exceptionally beautiful.
Xia Yun shook his head, put down the wine cup, hid the bundle in a pit under the tree, and instructed, "Don't take them out until I tell you to."
"Okay."
The two of them drank and ate roast chicken, imagining life outside the palace, talking freely and happily.
When Liu Rongruo entered from the palace gate, he happened to see the two of them sitting under the peach tree, laughing with their arms around each other.
She tilted her head slightly, dressed in simple palace maid attire, smiling with youthful vitality.
As the breeze blew, the fragrance of flowers filled the air, and the bell-like laughter was particularly crisp and clear in the empty palace grounds.
He quietly observed the scene, and upon closer inspection, his usually indifferent face seemed to be covered with a layer of terrifying malevolence.
Chi You seemed to sense something and turned her head, only to meet those dark, deep eyes.