The noise gradually subsided, and the maid Caiyun closed the door and stood guard in the small hall outside. The surroundings of the small building gradually became quiet.
Zhu Qingyi's boudoir was dark and silent.
Zhang Yanling had left the bed and sat in a corner of the bed, and was looking at Zhu Qingyi quietly as he sat there blankly. Zhang Yanling seemed to have a lot to say in his heart, but he seemed unable to say anything at the moment.
Zhu Qingyi really took the risk today. When she said those words just now, her body was trembling. Zhang Yanling was right next to her, and he could feel her fear and panic at that time, and he could feel the contradiction in her heart.
A woman sacrificed her reputation for innocence to help herself. She also took great risks to compete with Zhu Zhixiu and others. The mental and psychological pressure she endured can be imagined.
Zhang Yanling asked herself, at the time she was just now, she might not be able to handle that kind of situation as well as she did. This requires wisdom and courage, and a strong heart.
"Princess, thank you very much. Yanling doesn't know what to say. Anyway, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you, I, Zhang Yanling, would probably not be able to escape today." Zhang Yanling said softly.
Zhu Qingyi's figure in the darkness moved, lowered her head, buried her head in the quilt, and let out a gentle sob.
Zhang Yanling said softly: "Princess, I know you have been greatly wronged. After the rebellion is successfully suppressed, Yanling will report to the Ming court to ask for credit for you. If Yanling can succeed in suppressing the rebellion, Princess Yanling shall Take the lead."
Zhu Qingyi's crying became louder. Zhang Yanling panicked and said in a deep voice: "Princess, please stop crying. Yanling will find a way to compensate you for the injustice you have suffered and to clear your name."
Zhu Qingyi raised her head and swallowed: "Compensation? How can you compensate?"
Zhang Yanling thought for a while and said: "Yanling will report to the Ming court and ask the court to refute the rumors for you and tell others that you just made up the story just to have a battle of wits with Zhu Jixu and Wei Snake. Tell the people in the world what the princess said. They are all false, just to deceive the rebels. Let others know the truth of the matter."
Zhu Qingyi said softly: "Master Marquis, do you believe what you said? Even if the imperial court issued a decree to rectify Qingyi's name, would those who heard these words tonight believe them? These words were soon spread to the outside, and those common people Do you believe it? Those people have nothing to do on weekdays, but they want to spread rumors about something. How can you stop them?"
Zhang Yanling smiled bitterly and said nothing. What he said is true. There are no entertainment activities these days. The biggest entertainment activity is spreading gossip. The Zhang family and the Li family are short, and ordinary people will gossip about the family affairs of the neighbors. Even more What's more, it's a matter about a prince's family. The more you explain it, the more likely it will appear to them to be true.
Zhu Qingyi continued softly: "Moreover... you and I... are on the same bed. Is it something that can be explained clearly if I tell this matter? If you want to report it to the court to clear my name, don't you have to tell this matter? ?That’s even more unclear.”
Zhang Yanling scratched his head and said, "That's right."
Zhu Qingyi murmured softly: "In short, my reputation is ruined. It's not just this myth that I made up. In fact, you and I did hide in the same bed. This has already ruined my innocence. Something happened."
"Ouch!" Zhang Yanling secretly screamed in her heart. Zhu Qingyi seemed to be stimulated and started to get into trouble. She seemed to have forgotten that she was the one who told her to hide under the quilt. Now she couldn't think about it anymore.
"Princess, I swear, Yanling will never tell anyone what happened tonight. If I say anything, I will be struck by thunder and die. In order to put down the rebellion, the princess understands the righteousness and disregards
Yan Ling is safe and protected. Yan Ling is grateful to you and respects you from the bottom of his heart. The princess has a high sense of justice, which Yan Ling will remember throughout her life." Zhang Yanling said sternly.
Zhu Qingyi turned her head and looked at Zhang Yanling. In the darkness, Zhang Yanling could still feel her gaze.
"Master Zhang, Qingyi didn't ask you to swear a poisonous oath. Even if you don't say it, so what? Can the truth be undone? What happened is what happened, unless I deceive myself and pretend it didn't happen. But then again
How is that possible? Qingyi doesn’t want you to remember anything for the rest of your life. If you always remember this, wouldn’t it be... wouldn’t it be... even more uncomfortable. "
Zhang Yanling was speechless and didn't know how to answer her. Zhu Qingyi was no longer trying to get into trouble, but rather seemed to be messing around.
"Princess, what do you think we should do about this matter? If there is a way to make up for it, Yanling must do it." Zhang Yanling said solemnly.
Zhu Qingyi said softly: "I just want to keep my reputation clean. Although Qingyi is already twenty years old, Qingyi is not married yet. Now that Qingyi's reputation is ruined, how can she get married in the future?"
"..." Zhang Yanling was stunned and speechless.
"Otherwise, Mr. Zhang, you kill all the people who know the truth and all the gossips on my behalf. Anyone who speaks ill of me behind my back, kill them and tell them to shut up. What do you think?" Zhu Qingyi
said in a deep voice.
Zhang Yanling frowned and said: "Is the princess joking? Kill everyone who knows about this matter? It doesn't matter Zhu Zhixiu, Sun Jingwen and those guards, they deserve to die. But except for them, the maids in your building and the common people who will be spread in the market in the future can
If the crime doesn’t go as far as this, how can we still kill? Wouldn’t it mean killing tens of thousands of people? And with this method, I’m afraid it will be difficult to make the rumors disappear.”
Zhu Qingyi laughed out loud and said softly: "Of course it's a joke, does the Marquis take it seriously? How could Qingyi make such an unreasonable request? That's all, Qingyi has no intention of getting married in her life, let others say what she wants.
.Although Qingyi doesn’t want to be criticized, what can she do?”
Zhang Yanling said in a deep voice: "Yanling is very sorry. But why should the princess decide not to marry for the rest of her life because of these things? The pure will be pure from themselves, and the dirty will be dirty. There will be people who understand that the princess is an innocent person. Besides, the princess is innocent.
The Lord lives for himself, not for others.”
Zhu Qingyi sighed and said: "What the Marquis said is easy. How can women like us deal with it calmly once our reputation is ruined? It is good for a person to be pure himself, but which man will believe that I am innocent? In this kind of thing, everything
I would rather believe it. Who in this world would believe that I am innocent?"
Zhang Yanling said solemnly: "I know you are innocent."
Zhu Qingyi looked at Zhang Yanling and said: "So what if Mr. Hou knows? Besides, is Mr. Hou telling lies with his eyes open? You and I are still in the same bed, how can we say we are innocent?"
Zhang Yanling was speechless. Things had turned into a chicken-and-egg cycle. As he talked, he was back to the starting point. He really couldn't answer.
Zhu Qingyi said softly: "Master Hou, let's not talk about this anymore. Qingyi is exhausted both physically and mentally now, and just wants to have a good sleep."
Zhang Yanling said hurriedly: "Okay, I'll go outside so that the princess can rest."
Zhang Yanling hurriedly crawled under the bed.
"The Marquis is not going anywhere, just in case. Those people are so cunning that they won't come back. Anyway, the reputation of Qingyi has been ruined, so we don't care about anything else. The Marquis just needs to stay here.
"Zhu Qingyi whispered.
Zhang Yanling thought it made sense, so she climbed out of bed, sat down on the chair next to the bed, and said softly: "Then I will take a nap here while the princess rests."
Zhu Qingyi hummed and slid into the thin quilt. Neither of them spoke anymore. Zhu Qingyi was tossing and turning at first, but soon breathed deeply and fell asleep. Zhang Yanling squinted his eyes to rest, but he was thinking about things in his mind. Soon sleepiness came over him.
Come on, I couldn't help but close my eyes.
"Father, father, Qingyi is suffering so much. Please save Qingyi. They bully me, and my brother and I will not survive."
Suddenly, Zhang Yanling was awakened by Zhu Qingyi's shouting. Zhang Yanling was startled and stood up, but she heard Zhu Qingyi's continuous and unclear words.
"Father, they broke Tai Xun's ribs and forced Tai Xun to join them... Tai Xun is only eleven years old, these people are too cruel. Father, you kill them."
"Father, Qingyi is really scared. They have no humanity. They...can do anything. What should Qingyi do?"
"Master Zhang... run away, they are coming, they want to kill you. Master Zhang, run away quickly. Don't let them catch you, they kill without blinking an eye."
"Don't be afraid, Tai Hao, my sister is here. Tai Hao, don't cry, you have to be as brave as your brother. Ah, Mr. Zhang, they rushed in, Mr. Zhang... I don't blame you... Don't
You have to get out of bed, but you can't get out of bed... Mr. Zhang, don't worry, Qingyi won't pester you, Qingyi is not that kind of person. What's more, you are Ruqing's husband, Qingyi will not blame you. You
Go... no, no, no, don't go, don't go..."
Zhu Qingyi's words were mixed with incoherent words. The words in his mouth became more and more urgent, and his breathing became more and more rapid, as if he was about to die.
Her body was arched on the bed, her exquisite body was exposed outside the quilt, and her body was twisted unnaturally.
Zhang Yanling was at a loss, but seeing that Zhu Qingyi seemed to be in a nightmare, she hurriedly opened the curtains and came to the bed and called in a low voice.
"Princess, what's wrong with you? Wake up quickly."
Zhu Qingyi woke up suddenly, heard Zhang Yanling's voice, suddenly hugged Zhang Yanling's neck, gasped and shouted: "Save me quickly, they want to kill me... and they want to kill you too. Don't let them see you."
Zhang Yanling felt that Zhu Qingyi's whole body was hot and covered with sweat. Her hair on her cheeks and forehead was wet, and Zhang Yanling's head and face were covered with sweat.
"Princess, don't be afraid, you must have had a nightmare. Don't be afraid, they can't kill you even if they don't come." Zhang Yanling comforted her softly.
Zhu Qingyi woke up with a start, pushed Zhang Yanling away and stared at him with wide eyes. After a long while, she softly said: "I'm sorry, Qingyi had a nightmare."
Zhang Yanling said softly: "Yes, I heard it. Someone wants to kill you, right?"
Zhu Qingyi whispered with lingering fear: "Yes, they came in with knives. They want to kill me, my brothers Tai Hao and Tai Hao, and they want to kill you. It's so scary. I want you to run away, they
They blocked the door and you couldn't leave. Their knives were dripping with blood... I was scared to death."