Chapter 21 (1/2)
Chapter 21
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Cunning fox Zhuge Yue! Chu Qiao thought to herself. She nervously kneeled down and hastily said, ”Xing'er doesn't dare to tell lies.”
”Really?” Zhuge Yue tilted his head down and chuckled softly to himself. ”Well, explain it to me then.”
”On the fourth of the previous month, Xing'er and a group of girl slaves were brought to the hunting grounds by young master Huai. In the end, only Xing'er survived. When Xing'er came back, Xing'er was very scared. While waiting for my wounds to heal, I took the chance to pack my belongings and plan to run away.”
”Run away?” Zhuge Yue raised his eyebrows and asked, ”Where were you planning to run away to?”
Chu Qiao softly replied, ”I don't know. I just didn't want to wait there and die. Young master might think that Xing'er is being rebellious for thinking that way, however, we only get to live once. Xing'er's life might be deemed worthless in others' eyes, but to Xing'er, her own life is very precious. However, when I was about to run away, I was caught by the Guard Song. He then beat me up harshly. Today Guard Song saw me, he must be afraid that I would take avenge on him. Hence, he was trying to harm me to silence me.”
”Oh really? I understand now. He is still very daring.” Zhuge Yue drank a mouthful of tea and said with a calm voice, ”Do you remember if he ever hit you?”
Chu Qiao stunned as Zhuge Yue's stare was sharp like a snake. Chu Qiao immediately bowed her head and said, ”It happened not long ago. That's why Xing'er still remembers.”
”Your memory is not too bad.” Zhuge Yue nodded his head and said, ”Well then, do you remember how Jin Si and Jin Zhu finessed me to kill Lin Xi? Remember when Zhu Shun sold your family members away? Remember when someone killed your sisters?”
Chu Qiao's heart stopped for a moment and knocked her head on the floor. She said as tears rolled down her face, ”Young master, Xing'er remembers everything. She is also clear about her own identity and knows her duty as well as her powers.”
”What you are trying to say is that the day when you have the same abilities as her, you will also get your revenge, right?”
Chu Qiao looked up in horror and exclaimed, ”Fourth young master!”
”There is no need to deny it. When I first saw you, I already knew you were not a normal child. I saw that your eyes were hiding a lot of things.”
With tears welling up in her eyes, Chu Qiao pursed her lips and said, ”What did the Young Master think Xing'er would do? Did he think Xing'er would kill people? Or did he think Xing'er was the one who harmed Jin Zhu and Jin Cai? Xing'er is still young. Even though she is filled with hatred, she still knows what to do and what not to do. Xing'er's family and thousands of clansmen were killed. Xing'er was a highly respected person and became a slave overnight. If there really is hate, wouldn't Xing'er hate the Sheng Jin Palace's emperor, the Presbyterian church who gave the order, and Huang Tian Army who copied her family? Young master, Xing'er does not have that great of an ability. I only want to live happily. Those things are too serious, Xing'er cannot assume the responsibility.”
Chu Qiao knelt on the ground with her spine straight and head firmly upright, her shoulders trembled continuously as if she was extremely scared, and even tears would not come out.
Zhuge Yue looked back and forth at the child with intense stares which started to soften whilst listening to the child's pitiful sobbing. Zhuge Yue put down his teacup, leaned on the couch and said slowly, ”Get up.”
Chu Qiao tightened her lips, her reddened and watery eyes widened.
Zhuge Yue looked at the child in front of him. Looking at her small frame, flushed face with her small fists bunched nervously as if she was trying very hard not to cry, Zhuge Yue let out a sigh. Zhuge Yue had experienced many betrayals, hence he started to become very suspicious of everything that happened around him so much so that he even suspected a small child.
”Okay. I have wronged you. Just cry out loud.” To Zhuge Yue's men, this was already considered an apology as he had never been so polite to others, except to the child who was standing stubbornly in front of him, with her big, round, and watery eyes.
Zhuge Yue suddenly felt irritated for no particular reason. He waved his hands and said, ”Go away. Don't stand here and stare at me.”
Without saying a word, Chu Qiao turned around angrily and started to leave.
”Stop right there!” Zhuge Yue suddenly shouted. Chu Qiao obediently stood there, with her back facing him.
Zhuge Yue took a small bottle made out of porcelain out of the side drawer and slowly walked down towards Chu Qiao. He grabbed Chu Qiao's shoulders and wanted to turn her around. However, his fingers felt the tension in her shoulders. Zhuge Yue raised his brow while Chu Qiao struggled to remain facing forward and refused to turn around. Since Zhuge Yue was older than her, with some force, he managed to turn her body around. A teary-faced child stood in front of him. At the sight of Zhuge Yue, more tears ran down her face.
”It's okay. Stop crying. I only scolded you a bit.” The young master said while frowning, ”You yourself made a mistake and was not expecting others to blame you?”
”I didn't do anything wrong. It was the young master who told me to ride the horse. I was learning well and no one said anything.” The eight year old finally released her temper and talked back to her master. While talking, she was continuously sobbing and mucus was running into her mouth.
Zhuge Yue frowned slightly and took out his handkerchief to wipe the tears off the child's face. While wiping her tears, he said, ”You still have the guts to cry? You lost my horse the other day, and today a precious pony from the west also died because of you. You still don't admit you are at fault?”
”It's not…it's not like I was the one who wanted to ride the horse. In addition, Prince… Prince Yan had also returned the lost horse. I heard the news.” The child was very stubborn and argued her point to death, as tears fell down her cheek, wetting Zhuge Yue's handkerchief.
Zhuge Yue was about to take another handkerchief, but the child took it and rubbed her nose to wipe her snot. Surprised, Zhuge Yue stared blankly at the dirty and sticky handkerchief. The child continued and said, ”Even that precious pony was killed by the young master yourself.”
”So, you meant you didn't do anything wrong?”
The child lowered her head and murmured, ”What I said was the truth.”
The sunlight shone in from the corner of the window onto their shoulders. Since the child was small, even when she was standing upright, she was only at the Young Master's shoulders. Her face was red like an apple.