eurekapd Chapter 443 Why is the carriage heading towards the palace? Things seem to be starting to go wrong.
Chapter 443 Why is the carriage heading towards the palace? Things seem to be starting to go wrong.
Qin Mu looked at the murderous intent in Yun Suxin's eyes and suddenly smiled.
He leaned back lazily in the carriage seat and said casually.
"Don't worry. Once we return to the capital, I will hand you over to His Majesty. By then, you will have regained your strength and it will be none of my business anymore. I'm sure His Majesty won't let you run around."
The voice just fell,
Yun Suxin's pupils suddenly contracted, as if she had been pricked by a needle!
next moment,
The coldness in her eyes vanished instantly, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head, instantly sobering her up!
To hand it over to the Emperor of Qin?
The image flashed into her mind.
She was taken to the palace, forced to kneel on the cold gold bricks, head bowed, awaiting the judgment of the Qin emperor.
The legendary man who made the whole world tremble, the man she cursed as a "tyrant" countless times, sat on the dragon throne, looking down at her with a cold smile on his lips.
She will die, she definitely will die.
Moreover, it won't be a quick death. The Qin emperor will slowly torture her, crushing her dignity bit by bit, making her wish she were dead.
She had read stories about the Qin emperor in the secret files of the Taiyin Holy Sect, and none of the high-ranking members of the Holy Sect who were captured had a good ending.
Some were subjected to slow slicing, some were cut in half at the waist, some were burned alive, and some were locked in iron cages and thrown into the river to feed the fish.
She doesn't want that!
She hadn't even started implementing her plan yet, how could she die like this?!
Yun Suxin gently bit her lip and whispered:
"I'm sorry, young master, I... I was wrong... Please... Please don't hand me over to the Emperor of Qin..."
The dignity that had just been maintained collapsed completely and vanished into nothingness.
Yun Suxin lowered her head, her heart filled with coldness.
She was afraid.
She was really scared.
She would rather be played by this playboy and be treated like a dog by him than fall into the hands of the Qin Emperor.
In the hands of this纨绔 (spoiled brat), she still has a chance to escape, a chance to regain her strength, and a chance to turn the tables.
Once she was in the hands of the Qin Emperor, even death was a luxury for her.
Qin Mu looked down at her, his gaze indifferent.
"Is that all you're going to admit you're wrong?"
Yun Suxin's body trembled slightly.
She bit her lip and slowly knelt down.
Her forehead touched the cold wooden board, and her long hair slipped off her shoulders and spread out on the ground.
Looking at Yun Suxin's appearance, Zhao Qingxue couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Her lips tightened, but a hint of schadenfreude flickered in her eyes.
She remembered how she had knelt before Qin Mu in the same way, how desperate and fearful she had been, and how her pride had been crushed bit by bit.
At that time, she felt that life was worse than death, but now, seeing others in the same situation, she felt a strange, inexplicable sense of pleasure.
It turns out she wasn't the only one who would end up like this; it turns out everyone who opposes His Majesty will end up like this.
Jiang Zhaoyue did the same, her lips slightly upturned, but she quickly suppressed it, pretending not to see anything, and continued to massage Qin Mu's legs.
She remembered that she had once been a pawn of the Northern Border, someone struggling on the edge of the abyss. If she hadn't woken up in time and confessed to His Majesty, her fate might have been even worse than Yun Suxin's.
A sense of relief welled up in her heart, but her hands did not stop moving at all.
Qin Mu looked at Yun Suxin's humble, kneeling figure and snorted with satisfaction.
"Wouldn't it have been better to do this earlier?"
He leaned back on the brocade cushion, crossed his legs, and spoke casually.
"Keep massaging my legs. If you're done, I'll keep you. Otherwise, I'll present you to His Majesty when we return to the capital."
Yun Suxin's body trembled slightly.
She bit her lip, lowered her head, and gently and carefully pinched Qin Mu's calf with her hand, using just the right amount of force, neither too light nor too heavy.
"Yes, young master. This servant will do a good job."
Her voice was soft and melodious, with a deliberately ingratiating and submissive quality.
The voice that came out of her mouth sounded unfamiliar even to Yun Suxin herself, as if a stranger was speaking on her behalf.
Especially when the words "servant" came out of her mouth, it felt like someone had slapped her across the face, making her blush and feel utterly ashamed.
But she dared not remain silent, dared not kneel, dared not use that humble, lowly tone that made her want to vomit, to please him.
She was afraid; she was afraid that he would really hand her over to the Emperor of Qin.
She was afraid of death, but she was even more afraid of living a life worse than death.
She told herself that all of this was temporary and would pass.
She will find a way to regain her strength, she will escape, and she will make up for the suffering she endured today tenfold or a hundredfold.
She will kill this纨绔 (spoiled brat), she will kill Chen Ruoyao, she will kill everyone who betrayed her, humiliated her, and trampled on her.
But at this moment, she could only lower her head and pinch his calf with her fingers, like a tamed dog wagging its tail.
Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.
The golden waves of wheat rippled in the autumn wind, stretching all the way to the horizon.
The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the wind was gentle.
The carriage continued northward, heading towards the city she had never set foot in, yet which was about to become her prison.
She didn't know what awaited her; all she knew was that she had to live.
Only by living can one have a chance.
There is hope only when you are alive.
Only by living can we avenge the suffering we endured today, tenfold or a hundredfold.
........
Another day has passed.
Finally, the carriage arrived in the capital.
In the twilight, the majestic city tower resembled a giant beast lying on the ground. The gray-blue city walls soared into the clouds, their bricks bearing the marks of time, yet they remained as solid as if they would never collapse.
The city gates were wide open, and carriages and horses flowed like water, while pedestrians thronged in and out in an endless stream.
The soldiers guarding the city only glanced at her, and when they saw Yun Luan's figure, they immediately stood up straight, clasped their hands and bowed. They didn't even dare to check her, and waved her away.
Looking through the crack in the car window at the capital city she had sketched countless times in her dreams, Yun Suxin felt a surge of emotions.
She had imagined countless times what it would be like to enter the capital of the Qin Dynasty.
Sometimes, she imagined herself sitting in a golden palanquin carried by sixteen men, followed by hundreds of white-clad believers chanting "May the Moon Goddess protect us," with prayer flags fluttering and incense smoke rising from the censers, walking from the city gate all the way to the palace to receive the worship of the people.
Sometimes, she would imagine herself riding a tall, pure white horse, wearing a moon-white cloak, with a long sword at her waist, slowly making her way towards the rising sun, while the people on both sides would kneel down and shout "Long live the Moon Goddess!" The sound would rise like a tide, wave after wave, soaring into the sky.
Sometimes, she would imagine herself standing on the highest city tower in the capital, looking down at the bustling imperial city below. The wind would blow through her long hair and clothes, and she would raise her hand and wave it gently, causing the entire city to tremble and prostrate in her palm.
She had thought about those scenes countless times, sketching out even the smallest details clearly.
When to smile, when to keep a cold face, when to raise one's hand to accept the worship of the masses—every action and every glance was carefully considered.
But she never imagined that she would enter the capital city she had always dreamed of in this way, in such a wretched manner, almost like a prisoner.
He huddled in the corner of the carriage, kneeling on the ground, massaging the legs of a spoiled brat, all while wearing a fawning and humble smile.
Yun Suxin felt a deep sorrow, like the endless snow that had fallen for three days and three nights in the northern winter.
The carriage traveled smoothly through the outer city, the inner city, and numerous checkpoints.
Soldiers were stationed at every city gate, but when they saw the carriage and the woman beside it with her hand on the hilt of her sword and a cold expression, they immediately stood up straight, clasped their hands and bowed, and did not dare to question her, letting her pass directly.
Yun Suxin was secretly shocked.
This playboy's status was indeed very high, or rather, his father held a very high official position. The carriage had clearly entered the inner city of the capital, and further ahead lay the imperial city.
Her gaze fell upon the street scenes on both sides through the crack in the car window, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of awe.
The prosperity of the capital city is indeed incomparable to that of Linyuan City in the southwest border region.
The streets were wide enough for eight carriages to travel side by side, and the bluestone slabs were smooth and spotless.
Shops lined both sides of the road, one after another, their golden plaques gleaming in the twilight, their silks and satins shimmering in the light, and their gold and silver jewelry sparkling brilliantly.
The restaurants and teahouses were bustling with noise, and the melodious sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments drifted out from the carved windows, mingling with the aroma of wine and food, filling the entire street.
Pedestrians thronged shoulder to shoulder, yet maintained perfect order.
There were wealthy merchants dressed in silk and satin, scholars waving folding fans, women leading children, and old men leaning on canes.
Everyone wore a smile, a smile that came from the bottom of their hearts, a smile of peace and contentment, a smile full of hope for life.
Children chased and played at the alley entrance, their silvery laughter echoing in the twilight.
An old man selling candied hawthorns squeezed through the crowd, carrying a straw target on his shoulder. The bright red hawthorns glistened in the twilight.
The troupe of acrobats marked out a space on the street corner, and the gongs and drums were pounded loudly. A little girl of about ten years old was doing somersaults on stacked benches. Every time she did a somersault, the crowd would erupt in cheers.
Yun Suxin frowned slightly.
Wasn't it said that the Qin emperor was a tyrant?
Wasn't it said that he was dissolute, neglected state affairs, levied exorbitant taxes, and caused widespread suffering among the people?
Why do the people here seem so content and happy, with smiles on their faces and sparkling eyes?
This was completely different from what she had imagined.
She recalled the intelligence she had previously obtained.
The secret reports that kept coming from the Moon Goddess Cult spies were all very similar in content.
The people of the capital of the Great Qin Dynasty lived in peace and prosperity, taxes were reduced year by year, corrupt officials were almost extinct, the market was thriving, and doors were left unlocked at night.
At the time, she didn't take it seriously, thinking that it was just because the capital city was strictly governed by law and the people dared not act recklessly, so on the surface it seemed peaceful, but in reality there were undercurrents and complaints.
But when she arrived at the scene and saw these images with her own eyes, she realized...
The intelligence is all true.
Because the look in the eyes of ordinary people cannot be faked.
That kind of peace and contentment that comes from the very core of one's being, that kind of genuine smile.
These are not things that can be forced out through oppressive rule; only those who are truly well-fed, clothed, and living comfortably will have such eyes.
Yun Suxin's heart sank slightly, as if a stone had fallen from a great height and hit her heart, leaving her feeling dull and uneasy.
She sensed that something was wrong.