After a few calm days passed, the Empress Dowager and Yao Yuxuan suddenly visited. Bai Ruozhu felt a bit reluctant because she knew they were here to say goodbye.
The Empress Dowager had disguised herself as a common village woman, with a sallow face and so freckles. Yao Yuxuan also changed into the clothes of a low-class farr, with his white hair tied up and tucked under a coarse cloth hat.
With this disguise, Bai Ruozhu almost didn’t recognize them until the Empress Dowager smiled at her so openly, making her realize that they were better than ever.
"Ruozhu, we plan to travel and enjoy the mountains and rivers. We won’t ddle in the affairs of the imperial court anymore," the Empress Dowager held Bai Ruozhu’s hand, her hand also disguised, appearing rough and sallow.
"We are getting old, and there’s not much ti left, truly unable to spare any more effort. You and Achun must be more cautious in the future and never take risks again," she continued.
Bai Ruozhu nodded vigorously, feeling her eyes slightly wet.
"Now is a chaotic world, where do you plan to go? Is it safe?" Bai Ruozhu asked worriedly.
Yao Yuxuan spoke, "There are many places Yishan hasn’t been, and I plan to take her around. We should be fine dressed like this, and the emperor has already agreed."
The Empress Dowager’s eyes were a bit red, "Moreover, we also want to look around and see if we can find those two children, Diao Bin and Ning Yu."
Yes, without news of Diao Bin and Ning Yu, the Empress Dowager remains uneasy, and Bai Ruozhu’s heart is heavy as well.
She took the Empress Dowager’s hand and said, "My senior brother received the true teachings from our master, his martial arts and magic techniques are very high. He will surely protect Princess Diao Bin well."
At this point, Bai Ruozhu felt a bit sad again. Before the National Master’s death, she promised to look after Ning Yu a bit because Ning Yu’s heart nature was pure, and the National Master was afraid he would suffer in the future.
But unexpectedly, she ultimately failed to take care of Ning Yu. A palace coup led to the disappearance of both him and Diao Bin.
The three chatted for a while longer. Yao Yuxuan said he had already bid farewell to Jiang Yichun in the palace and would set off after saying goodbye to Bai Ruozhu.
Bai Ruozhu felt a bit reluctant, "How long do you plan to be gone?"
Yao Yuxuan smiled, "Don’t worry, it won’t be long. We must co back to see my adopted son’s new children, right?"
Hearing this, Bai Ruozhu felt reassured, thinking they would return to visit not long after she has her child.
To not reveal their identities, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t see them off through the main gate. The two quickly disappeared at the street corner, and Bai Ruozhu could only watch silently through the crack in the door, praying they have a safe journey and achieve their wishes soon.
...
In the dark cave, the light of the candle was very dim, casting faces in a yellowish hue.
Sangta opened his eyes again, unsure whether it was day or night, or how many days had passed. He had been imprisoned in the cave since he beca conscious.
His acupoints were sealed by so unknown thod, or he was poisoned. He couldn’t use his martial arts, and even trying to sit up from the stone bed was extrely difficult.
After more than a quarter hour, he finally crawled up from the bed, breathing heavily and angrily punching his thigh. Unfortunately, his hands were weak, and the punch lacked any force.
Then, footsteps approached, and a woman brought in food. She looked ordinary; whether her face was sallow or the candlelight made it so, the large patches of freckles on her face were real.
She raised her eyes, those swollen single eyelids, uttered "ah ah" sounds at Sangta, and placed the food in front of him.
Sangta had grown accustod to this woman’s "ah ah" sounds. She was mute, and when angered, could only make louder "ah" sounds. Once, he threw the food, making her clean up, and she angrily shouted, revealing only half of her tongue.
"Why is it these again?" Sangta frowned in displeasure, speaking weakly, "I want to eat at."
The mute woman glared at him, "ah ah" a few tis, roughly aning it’s good enough to have sothing to eat, if not, then starve.
Sangta could guess her aning from her sounds. Finding it rather dull, he leaned back and laughed, saying, "Why do you think your man locked up here? Why not kill outright? Isn’t holding here a waste of ti and trouble for you to serve ? Aren’t you annoyed?"
At the ntion of "man," the mute woman’s face showed slight changes, seemingly a bit angry. It was apparent she liked that "man," but he seed to be her master.
After being captured here, it was the first ti Sangta saw a man’s back. This mute woman knelt and saluted him, but it was a pity Sangta didn’t see what the man looked like.
He too was depressed for a while, refusing food or water. But the mute woman pried open his mouth and poured food and water inside. Clearly, her master ordered that he should not be allowed to die.
"Do you think hiding in this dark, sunless cave for him, he’ll rember you? Perhaps he’s already embracing a beauty and having a rry ti!" Sangta laughed.
The mute woman yelled in a howl, rushed over, and kicked his chest, angrily baring her teeth and yelling.
Sangta was in pain but still smirked. This mute woman couldn’t handle provocation at all.
"Why do you think I’m talking nonsense? How long has it been since he last visited? Maybe he’s already forgotten about , the prisoner, and you, the prison guard dog," Sangta spoke with a panting rhythm as he felt the pain in his chest, yet he still taunted, then laughed arrogantly.
The mute woman, enraged, went to hit him, but he lifted his head and glared back with an attitude of, "Hit if you dare." In the end, the mute woman stopped; she dared not kill him, dared not defy her master’s orders.
As the mute woman let go and left, the smirk on Sangta’s lips deepened. He had long noticed that the mute woman was becoming more and more agitated lately, so he appropriately added fuel to the fire. Perhaps the mute woman should go out to find her beloved, and maybe that would be his opportunity for escape.
Sure enough, the mute woman did not appear at dinner. Sangta finished the leftover food bit by bit, not even leaving a grain of rice. He needed to preserve his strength for the escape.
By the next morning, he didn’t hurry to move. Sure enough, by noon, the mute woman appeared again, though she didn’t bring food, her eyes seed a bit bewildered.
Could it be she went out to search for soone but returned with nothing, fearing he might escape, so she ca back to check on him?
Soon, the mute woman returned with food. This ti it was only mushy wild greens. After dropping it off, the mute woman left.
This ti Sangta didn’t eat the wild greens, not because they were too unpalatable, but because he suspected the mute woman returned just to add sothing to the food.
He slowly moved toward the cave entrance, eventually crawling on the ground in exhaustion. He didn’t know how long it had been when he finally saw a glimr of light...
---
Now let’s talk about yesterday’s update; Mouka is so useless. He’s always saying he’ll do five updates to thank everyone, but he never quite manages. He definitely, definitely has to do it today. If not, he’ll resort to cutting his stomach (serious face)~
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