Chapter 4 A lonely city
Chai Heng looked back at Luo Jin, turned around, and strode away.
Chai Jing couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed like something good was going to happen tonight.
Luo Jin guessed that Chai Heng would definitely go to the Earth Temple after seeing the note. Even if he gained nothing, it was just a wasted trip. Presumably, she wasn’t the only person he came into contact with today. So he might not suspect that the note was written by her. Even if he did, as long as she denies that she is illiterate, he could only doubt her.
What happened next had nothing to do with her. She yawned and went back to the room to sleep.
Although Luo Jin paid careful attention the next day, she didn't hear any ripples. Feeling a little disappointed, she thought that Chai Heng had not been able to catch anyone.
Speaking of which, the other party was an important villain in the book after all. The second prince could only be regarded as a supporting pushover character, so it was normal that he couldn’t deal with it.
Chai Jing saw Luo Jin's preoccupied look and found it amusing. She handed her a plate of cakes and said, "I don't like this, so take it and eat it. Don't waste it!"
【This looks delicious! 】
【Yummy food, hehe...】
【But I’m still so angry. That good-for-nothing Chai Heng is so useless. Even if I give him a chance, he’s useless! 】
【Can’t guide, can’t guide... 】
Chai Jing still couldn't help but tell her, "Last night my Second Elder Brother seemed to have caught a spy from an enemy country... It seems that he has been busy in the past few days and has no time to play with me."
【It turns out he caught him, not bad. 】
【I was saying, how could such a simple task not be completed? 】
Chai Jing got Luo Jin to retreat, got up, and went to Chaoqian Hall.
The emperor was talking to Chai Heng in the palace. When he saw Chai Jing coming in, he waved to her, "Sit! Since you are familiar with Qin Huaying, you can go see her. I can't let Heng'er go see her, for fear that he will be soft-hearted."
Chai Jing nodded, "Is she in prison?"
"En, she is locked up in solitary confinement, no harsh treatment." The emperor's smile was a little cruel. "The child in her belly cannot die. It’s Jiang Ge's child, quite valuable!"
Chai Heng showed a bit of unbearability, "She's just a female..."
The emperor was a little displeased, "Think about it, if you...or your younger sister falls into the hands of the enemy, what will they do to you?"
Chai Heng stopped talking. He could imagine how terrible the consequences would be.
The emperor added: "This matter cannot be leaked. I have sent someone to send a message and negotiate with the Xiyuan Kingdom. They need to at least give us three cities. No... three cities aren’t enough. Five! Five cities is the bottom line. Of course, the more the better. Requesting money on top of that is the best.”
"After the negotiation is completed, will the Crown Prince and... Miss Qin be returned to them?"
"Of course the crown prince will be returned, but Miss Qin... she is our Dongyuan’s people, how can we give our people to them?" The emperor smiled, "Of course she will stay in Dongyuan country well and fine. "
Chai Heng paused. Then he heard Chai Jing say impatiently: "Are you stupid? If the crown prince isn't returned to them, they will change to another crown prince. Then both the crown prince and Qin Huaying will be worthless. Once the crown prince is returned, the child in Qin Huaying’s belly is valuable. Stupid!”
The emperor couldn't resist parroting: "Stupid!"
Chai Heng: "..."
……
Luo Jin had just fallen asleep when she heard a faint knock on the door outside.
"I'm not on night watch. If there’s anything, ask someone else..." She muttered, turned over, and continued to sleep.
"Jin'er, are you awake?" A woman's voice came from outside.
"Who would be awake in the middle of the night..." Luo Jin wanted to continue pretending to be asleep, but suddenly felt that the voice was familiar, as if it was... the princess’s voice?
She rolled over and climbed up to open the door. Sure enough she saw Chai Jing standing outside her door.
"Princess……"
"I was saying you haven't slept yet...get up and go out for a walk with me!"
"..."
Luo Jin could only put on her clothes and drowsily followed Chai Jing. She didn't know where they were going, just walking in a daze.
It wasn't until she saw the words "Sky Prison" above her head that she instantly woke up.
Why did they end up at the Sky Prison?
Her reaction wasn’t too slow and probably guessed it.
The princess came to see Qin Huaying and Attendant Zhao next to her was still carrying a food box!
It was already midnight. To stay in shape, Qin Huaying won't eat late-night snacks, right? But that might not be the case. After all, when pregnant, more nutrition was needed.
A group of people entered the Sky Prison. The stationed guard opened the door and led them down a remote staircase. They walked for a long time to the end.
Most of the cells here were empty. After walking around for a few circles, they finally stopped.
Luo Jin saw Qin Huaying sitting on a chair in one of the cells. She wasn’t chained up, nor were her clothes changed into prison uniforms. Even the cell door wasn’t even closed. Still, her face was haggard, her eye sockets were sunken, and her lips were pale like there was no trace of blood.
"What's wrong with her? It's only been a few days. Why is she like this?"
Chai Jing said calmly: "Hunger strike."
"Ah? Why?" Luo Jin always felt that this was not something Qin Huaying could do. She was obviously someone who cherished herself dearly.
Chai Jing pointed to the food box in Attendant Zhao's hand, "Eat some, otherwise the child will really be in danger."
Qin Huaying's face was pale and her voice was hoarse, "Agree to my request!"
"Impossible!"
"Then I would rather starve to death!"
But Chai Jing smiled. She sat on the chair that the jailer had just moved over. With a spectator expression, she examined her finger and whispered softly: "Since young, you were more outstanding than me, more beautiful than me, and better than me in everything. But I am a princess. On this, you can never compare to me!"
Qin Huaying stared at Chai Jing with hatred. Her eyes were bloodshot, while her expression was extremely terrifying. She was completely different from the dignified and generous young lady in the past.
Chai Jing said slowly: "No matter how hard you try, you can't be as lucky as me, can you? You want to be the queen of Xiyuan Kingdom, thinking that you could reach heaven in one step, but you don't have that fate!"
Luo Jin stood aside in a daze. She didn't know why Chai Jing brought her here in the middle of the night, nor what happened between the fake friends, nor why Qin Huaying, who cherished her own life so much, went on a hunger strike.
She didn't know and didn't dare to ask, so she could only stand aside and yawn.
Chai Jing was bored and took the initiative to explain.
"I brought you here because I felt good things will always happen with you present," Chai Jing turned to Luo Jin, "I don't know why lately, but as long as I interact with you, I feel lucky. You are now my... lucky star. I’ll take you with me wherever I go.”
Lucky star yawned and nodded silently.
She was also willing to follow Chai Jing. This wealthy boss gives out bonuses at every turn and she likes it.
"Curious why the Qin Family’s Eldest Miss is on a hunger strike, right?" Chai Jing narrowed her eyes and smiled, "She wants to follow Jiang Ge to Xiyuan and become the crown princess... Oh, what a beautiful dream! I want her to stay with her child as hostages in Dongyuan and never let her go.”
"So, she wants to use a hunger strike to gain a chance to go to Xiyuan Kingdom. Indeed, if she dies or her child dies, it will be of no benefit to us in Dongyuan Kingdom. What’s more, Xiyuan is also willing to pay for her redemption."
"But? I bet she doesn't dare to die, let alone let her child die. If the child dies, her life will be worthless."
"How about it? You still have time to eat now. Otherwise, if you really starve into miscarriage, then prepare to die in this prison!"
Luo Jin's mind turned rapidly and finally figured it out.
The current situation was that Qin Huaying was betting that Emperor Dongyuan does not dare to let her child die, while Chai Jing was betting that Qin Huaying will not let her child die. Both parties were gambling with the child's life. The child really had eight lifetimes of unluckiness.
Luo Jin thought of the TV series she had watched and an idea suddenly popped in her mind.
She silently picked up a rose cake, crushed it and hid it in her hand. Then she picked up a plate of freshly cooked dumplings and walked toward Qin Huaying, coaxing: "Miss Qin, these dumplings are so fragrant! Smell them. They smell so delicious."
Qin Huaying had been starving for a few days. Although she couldn't bear the aroma of dumplings, her stomach couldn't help but start to growl. She turned her head to the side and closed her eyes not to look at the plate of dumplings.
Luo Jin took the opportunity to throw the clump of rose cake at Qin Huaying's feet, and suddenly shouted, "Ah, it's blood! Miss Qin is bleeding! What to do? Bleeding mean it’s a miscarriage? Will the child be lost?" "
Qin Huaying was shocked. She lowered her head and saw only a bright red patch under her feet. At this time, she was dizzy and couldn't bend down. She couldn't clearly discern the clump. There was a pain in her belly though. Through perseverance, she used all her strength to hold it up. Seeing that her most important child was about to leave, she finally couldn't hold back and cried loudly: "Save...save my child...call the doctor...save me..."
Put on the spot, Luo Jin pointed out: "But you aren’t sick. There is nothing the imperial doctor could do about the problem of hunger... Why not drink this bowl of porridge? The imperial doctor will come right away then!"
She took advantage of Qin Huaying's hesitation and poured a bowl of porridge into her mouth.
Qin Huaying finally swallowed the porridge Luo Jin poured into her. Her consciousness gradually blurred and she finally fainted due to panic and fear.
Chai Jing clapped her hands and beamed: "As expected of my lucky star! I was really afraid that she would die. Okay, I will remember your great merits and you will be heavily rewarded!"
【Heavily rewarded? About to get rich? 】
【Did freedom of wealth come so suddenly? 】
【Fortunately, I have watched TV series and know that pregnant women are most afraid of bleeding. 】
【Fortunately, the child's life was saved. Poor child, his mother doesn't love him at all and only wants to use him to exchange for glory and wealth. 】
Chai Jing was amused.
Sure enough, giving money was the most direct way to hear her voice and the length of time was longer.
She heard Chai Heng say that he once heard her voice when he helped Luo Jin get rid of Attendant Liu, but the time was short.
Instead of thinking of other methods, it was better to give money directly; quick and hassle-free.
……
Qin Huaying's child was safe. After the check up, the imperial doctor stated: "If the child is starved for a few more hours, the child may not be able to survive."
Chai Jing finally had an eased-mind. If Qin Huaying's child was gone, her assigned job would have gone down the drain and her Royal Father would definitely reprimand her.
With a wave of her hand, she gave a thousand-tael silver note directly to Luo Jin.
Money loving Luo Jin’s eyes shone as she took the banknote with both hands.
【Money, money! A lot of money! 】
【I’m rich! I’m rich! 】
"By the way, I have something to tell you," Chai Jing said. "My Second Elder Brother will send Jiang Ge to Xiyuan for exchange. He said he will take you with him."
No comments:
Post a Comment