Chapter 821: Late Night Outing (Part 1)
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Dong Hui left after dark, bringing Su Lan fresh clothes and food, returning just as the lights were about to be extinguished. She reported to Mingzhu, “She’s fine. His Highness ordered that she not be mistreated. Her living conditions are clean, and she hasn’t been disturbed. She looks a bit tired but is in good spirits. She kowtowed to me, saying she let you down, dragged you into this mess, and should have told you about it earlier to avoid this disaster.”
Although Su Lan didn’t say it explicitly, Dong Hui understood her meaning. Whether Fu Zhan approached her with a plot or not, whether his death was wrongful or not, she didn’t care anymore. Now, she wanted to take down those who framed and plotted against her and Mingzhu, even if it meant going to h*ll. Those who did wrong wouldn’t get away with it.
“If he was wronged, I’m avenging him. Even in dreams or the afterlife, meeting him won’t be bad. If he deceived me, then he deserves it. Why care if his intentions were sincere?”
Su Lan’s words seemed enlightened but were actually full of heartbreak. She also mentioned, “I was a bit saddened by your reliance on Zheng Momo, but now I understand you were trying to protect me. Luckily, it’s not too late.”
Mingzhu felt sorrowful, “Any progress on Su Ju’s case?” Previously, Tang Chunlai only did a preliminary check. To confirm whether Su Ju was murdered or committed suicide, a more detailed examination was needed.
Dong Hui replied, “Su Ju is being examined by the most experienced coroner in the Ministry of Justice. The report will be available tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, with Qingqian and Cuinong dead, even if Su Ju’s murder is confirmed, we can’t know the details.”
“Why must we know the details? To understand her pain and unwillingness? Knowing she was murdered and framed is enough.” Yuwen Chu entered, handing a report to Mingzhu. “The autopsy report has been copied over. It’s confirmed as murder. She was given a small amount of sedative and placed in the noose that was pre-hung from the beam.”
Mingzhu couldn’t bring herself to take the report. She turned to the window, taking a few deep breaths before speaking in a hoarse voice, “If it was a secret drug, how did Tang Chunlai miss it?”
Yuwen Chu explained, “It was the rose powder. It’s colorless, tasteless, and disperses quickly. After questioning, I had it searched and sent to him, and he realized the discrepancy.”
The rose powder was delivered by Cuinong, and later it was discovered that Cuinong had connections with Zheng Momo during her time at the Prime Minister’s residence. The sequence of events was becoming clear, yet Mingzhu still couldn’t sleep. She found herself thinking about past events, both from her previous life and childhood, and several times she almost burst into tears. Not wanting to disturb Yuwen Chu, she carefully got up, put on her shoes, and prepared to go for a walk.
Just as she was about to open the door, she heard Yuwen Chu’s soft voice, “Are you planning to do something bad?”
Mingzhu was startled but then laughed, “What bad things could I possibly do?”
Yuwen Chu replied, “Sneaking out in the middle of the night, abandoning your husband and child—if not to do something bad, it still looks like you are.” He quickly put on his outer robe and walked over to her, gently holding her shoulder. “Let’s sneak out together.”
Avoiding all the maids and servants to sneak out? Mingzhu chuckled, “Sounds great, but where can we go? Aren’t you tired?”
Yuwen Chu said, “I am, but I’m more worried about you sneaking away.” He poured half a cup of leftover tea into the door hinge, silently opening the door. “Follow me.”
Mingzhu followed him, cautiously moving through the darkness. They finally reached the veranda without being noticed, and she excitedly pushed Yuwen Chu, “Hurry up, hurry up.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Yuwen Chu laughed, amused by her belief that they hadn’t been seen. If his people didn’t notice them, they would be useless. He held Mingzhu’s hand, signaling Dong Hui and the others not to follow them.
Once they were out of Yinghui Hall, Yuwen Chu guided Mingzhu. “This way, it’s quieter.”
Mingzhu reminisced, “I used to sneak out with Su Lan often. I even went to the streets secretly.”
Yuwen Chu teased, “Of course I know. You’re quite experienced with this. That time, you almost got taken by the King of Wusun.”
“That wasn’t the time.” Actually, it was when she was about to marry Yuwen You, and sneaked out to the streets causing trouble. He had helped her out but refused to see her or accept her thanks. Mingzhu didn’t like to mention past lives to Yuwen Chu; it made her feel much older than him.
“Then which time? Surely not sneaking out to secretly meet Ninth Brother?” Yuwen Chu’s tone was slightly jealous.
Mingzhu didn’t fall for it, “No, no, I went out to have fun and met you. You were so arrogant; I tried to greet you, but you ignored me.”
Did that really happen? Yuwen Chu couldn’t remember and denied it immediately, “That didn’t happen. If you were there, I couldn’t have missed you. Even if I didn’t respond, I wouldn’t forget it.”
“As long as you’re around, I couldn’t possibly not see you or not know you’re there.” Mingzhu felt sweet in her heart and deliberately teased, “So it’s not that you’re ignoring me, but that you simply didn’t notice me at all.” She vividly described the scene at the time, making it completely undeniable.
Yuwen Chu was dissatisfied but couldn’t refute her, falling into deep thought. Mingzhu, enjoying the rare chance to tease him, didn’t reveal the truth, letting him ponder while leading her around the palace.
Eventually, Yuwen Chu brought her to the unfinished Ruyi Platform. The half-built structure loomed silently in the starlight, imposing and grand.
“The stairs are this way,” Yuwen Chu guided her carefully. “Watch out for nails; stepping on one wouldn’t be fun.”
Even half-finished, the Ruyi Platform was high. From there, they could see far. Yuwen Chu pointed out landmarks in the sleeping capital, “The palace is here, your father’s house over there, Desheng Tower over there…”
The sparse lights resembled stars, decorating the slumbering city beautifully. Mingzhu looked around excitedly, “I can’t see clearly now. I’ll come back during the day.”
“When it’s finished, the view will be even better,” Yuwen Chu said, pulling her into his arms.
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