As Chunxiang said, a lavender flag was hung in front of the building instead of the signboard, and a small flower was embroidered with silver thread on the flag.
The name of the shop is Hongyuanlou, so the embroidery on it should be irises.
The maid from Han Shizhong's family came out to greet Shui Xinyuan and his party.
The store is dark. As soon as you enter the door, you will see a large tiger painted on the wall on the right side of the store. There are deer, carp and panda decorations randomly placed on the shelves. The color of each decoration is very dim. Is it because it is covered with dust?
Even if they don't take themselves seriously, it's hard to imagine that those arrogant aristocratic ladies would have dinner in such a place...
Shui Xinyuan and Chunxiang followed the Han family's maids along the narrow corridor to the private room, where eight noble ladies were already sitting around a large round table.
Seeing eight people turning back at the same time, each with heavy makeup on their faces, Chunxiang sighed softly behind Shui Xinyuan.
"Queen, we are waiting for you!"
Han Shizhong's wife sat on her seat, pointing with one hand to the two empty seats.
In the dimly lit private room, although the faces painted white with powder were smiling, they were all superficial smiles.
"Thank you for your invitation..."
However, Shui Xinyuan also forced out a fake smile and sat down.
Chunxiang stood behind Shui Xinyuan with a nonchalant expression, but she was keeping the ladies in check with her eyes.
I don't know if Chunxiang's sharp eyes had an effect, but those aristocratic ladies who usually said whatever they wanted unscrupulously when they were with Shui Xinyuan were particularly quiet today.
……what is going on?
The atmosphere in the box was very strange. Some people lowered their heads nervously, while others winked at each other.
After the Han family's maid closed the door and left, the silence became heavier and heavier.
"There is still an open seat..."
Shui Xinyuan said, and several other ladies raised their heads in surprise.
"Who else is coming?"
"Ah... no, no, Ma Shilang's wife was originally going to come, but she happened to be unwell today and canceled at the last minute..."
When the wife of the Han family's servant answered, her voice was higher than usual.
"But...the weather is really nice today."
"Yes! It's getting hotter and hotter..."
I don't know if it was because it was easier to chat after breaking the silence. Several noble ladies chatted about the weather with the ladies sitting next to them, but the fake smiles on their faces were still a bit scary.
At this time, someone knocked hard on the door, and a girl with a red face poked her head in.
"Uh, I'm sorry, can you ask someone to help serve the tea? My hand is injured and I can't hold so many cups of tea at one time. The lady's maid is already there to help, but I need another person.
"
She should be the girl who works in this restaurant.
The ladies looked at each other. Except for Shui Xinyuan, no one had served tea themselves, so no one stood up. All eyes were focused on Chunxiang.
"Then I'll go help..."
"sorry to bother you."
After Chunxiang left, the room became quiet again.
Could it be that this box was too gloomy and gloomy, so they couldn't enjoy themselves chatting?
at this time……
There was a sound of something breaking in the distance, and after a while, someone ran over.
"Excuse me, uh..."
The Han family's maid walked in with a panicked look on her face, looking at her master and Shui Xinyuan in turns, hesitating and speechless.
"What's up?"
"Uh... the maid who came with the Queen suddenly fainted..."
"Chunxiang?"
Shui Xinyuan couldn't help but stood up, and the Han family's maid nodded.
"fainted……"
"Just now, there."
"Ah...I'll go take a look!"
Shui Xinyuan was more worried about Chunxiang than the looks from those ladies.
Shui Xinyuan pushed away the Han family's maid and rushed to the corridor.
Could it be from the direction where I heard the sound of breaking plates just now?
Shui Xinyuan was about to walk in when someone grabbed her sleeve.
"Shui Xinyuan!"
Looking back, the person grabbing her sleeve was...
"Ziwei?"
Why is he here?
Ziwei looked solemn and wanted to hold Shui Xinyuan's hand.
"Shui Xinyuan, I have something to tell you."
"Ah? But now it's a bit..."
"don’t worry."
What should you worry about? No, although Shui Xinyuan is full of suspicion, he has no time to pay attention to Ziwei now. He has to save Chunxiang first.
"Let me go, my maid has fainted, I want to go right away..."
"Shui Xinyuan, let's escape!"
"……What?"
Shui Xinyuan had no idea what was going on at first, but now he had another question.
"what?"
"Shui Xinyuan, I know that you don't want to be the queen, you are just forced to..."
"ah?"
Shui Xinyuan was stunned and speechless.
Being a queen is indeed not as easy and pleasant as everyone thinks, but I am definitely not forced to become a queen.
The person who most wants to be by Lu Fusu's side is himself.
"You are forced by the most powerful man in this country to marry even if you don't want to. I know it very well, but since you don't like it, you can escape! How about it? I can take you to escape."
"..."
...What on earth is Ziwei talking about?
No, let’s save Chunxiang first. We don’t have time to pay attention to these incomprehensible words now.
Shui Xinyuan turned around and wanted to leave, but Ziwei held her arm again.
"Hey, don't hesitate anymore! Shui Xinyuan, I know everything!"
"I don't understand what you're talking about, but I'm not free right now."
"You don't have to hide it in front of me! Don't worry, everyone will keep our secret..."
"You...let me go! Ziwei..."
When Shui Xinyuan turned back to glare at Ziwei, something lit up in the corner of his eyes.
A man with fierce eyes stood not far behind Ziwei.
The thing that shines brightly is from a man’s arms…
"...!"
Shui Xinyuan immediately kicked Ziwei's calf. When Ziwei screamed and lost his balance, Shui Xinyuan took the opportunity to break free from his hand and push him down with force.
Shui Xinyuan didn't have time to see Ziwei and the man behind him fall down together, and ran away.
...He wants to kill me.
Tell her loudly.
The man behind Ziwei took out the sheathed dagger from his arms, and stared at him.
Shui Xinyuan met his eyes just now.
There is a bright light in front of the corridor, that is the exit... You must leave this place of right and wrong as soon as possible. If you continue to stay here, your life will definitely be in danger.
She heard Ziwei yelling and footsteps behind her.
Someone is chasing me.
Shui Xinyuan rushed out of the back door of the store. She didn't know where it was or which direction to escape to. Sometimes she turned left, sometimes she turned right, running desperately in the narrow alley between the houses.
...the whole thing is weird...
It was very strange to meet at a restaurant on Chunhua Street. Judging from the attitudes of the noble ladies, could it be that the man who looked like an assassin was invited by one of his wives, or was hired by everyone?
Could even Ziwei be an accomplice?
"……Well!"
Shui Xinyuan was out of breath and stopped.
...I feel so uncomfortable, my eyes are going black...
She could no longer walk and could only lean against the wall.
I don’t know how long I ran for just now? I hope that person didn’t catch up.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Shui Xinyuan squatted down unknowingly. After hearing the sound, she raised her head blankly and found a young woman looking at her.
"You look so pale, what's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"...person...me?"
"ah?"
"Is there... someone... chasing me?"
"..."
The woman looked around and told her there was no one.
"There is no one... Can you stand up? If someone is chasing you, you can't just lie here. Come with me."
The woman put Shui Xinyuan's hand on her shoulder and helped her into the house.
Then, he checked the situation in the alley and immediately opened the door of a room next to him.
"This is the warehouse. I'm sorry, you should hide here for a while. You look really bad."
"Thank you..."
"It doesn't matter, come here..."
That looks like a clothes box.
When Shui Xinyuan sat on the big wooden box, his consciousness was blurred.
When Shui Xinyuan escaped from the assassin, Chunxiang knocked desperately on the kitchen door of Hongyuan Building.
"Hey... open the door! What do you want to do?"
"I'm sorry, but a big shot has ordered you not to come out for the time being."
The young girl with a red face asked Chunxiang to help serve tea. Chunxiang walked into the kitchen with her and was locked in by her.
"Why? Open the door! Open the door for me!"
"If the ladies agree, I can open the door for you."
...It is indeed a Hongmen Banquet...
What do they want to do? What are the intentions of those nobles? Chunxiang pushed the door hard and gritted her teeth.
I must protect the Queen...
"……Well!"
Well, since she won't open the door, then force her to open the door.
Chunxiang stopped knocking on the door and looked back at the kitchen.
There are a lot of tableware on the shelves.
Chunxiang picked up the plate and threw it on the ground. The ceramic bowl shattered and made a loud noise.
"……What are you doing?"
As expected, the girl outside the door screamed.
"If you don't let me out, I will break all the plates in here!"
"You...stop! This is from our store!"
"I don't care!"
Chunxiang picked up the plate and bowl and threw them on the ground. When she hit the fourteenth place, the door finally opened.
She pushed aside the girl who was protesting loudly and ran down the corridor.
"The Queen..."
As she was turning, she bumped into someone.
She was about to dodge the person blocking her way when she realized that she recognized that face.
"……gardener?"
It's that shameless gardener, why is he here?
"Ah... no, it's not."
"ah?"
"I, I don't know anything...this..."
What is this gardener panicking about?
"I have no time to care about you, get out of the way!"
Chunxiang pushed Ziwei aside with her elbow, and rushed into the box without caring about etiquette.
"Emperor..."
There was no one in the box.
Not only was Shui Xinyuan missing, but the noble ladies and the maids of the Han family were also missing.
Did I go to the wrong box?
"Eh... strange, strange."
She hurriedly checked the boxes on the left and right sides and on the opposite side. There was no one in each room, and only the first room had ten chairs.
"..."
Looking carefully, the chairs in the room were tilted here and there, and it was obvious that he had left in a hurry... He did not go to the wrong box, those noble ladies were indeed here just now.
...Where is the Queen?
She came to the corridor again, and Ziwei was still standing there.
"Where did you take the Queen?"
Chunxiang grabbed Ziwei's shoulders and shook them vigorously, while Ziwei's head shook weakly back and forth.
"Ah... Shui Xinyuan is gone."
"gone?"
"Escaped... No, I don't know..."
Ziwei was obviously in confusion, Chunxiang gritted her teeth and slapped Ziwei.
"Where is the Queen?"
"..."
Even though Ziwei was slapped, he still shook his head blankly, unable to ask why.
"Someone...come here!"
Chunxiang shouted at the bottom of the stairs, and several imperial soldiers rushed down the stairs in a hurry.
Didn't the attendants on standby on the second floor notice anything strange downstairs just now?
Chunxiang wanted to scold them, but she didn't want to waste time. After handing Ziwei to the young Imperial Guard, she and another middle-aged Imperial Guard looked around the restaurant, but there was no sign of Shui Xinyuan.
...we need to find reinforcements as soon as possible.
Those aristocratic ladies leaving in a hurry are up to something evil.
Chunxiang asked the imperial army to watch Ziwei at the Hongyuan Tower and asked them to continue searching, while he got on the carriage and returned to the palace.
I hope it is a misunderstanding... I really hope that when I return to Chunhua Street, I can find the Queen smoothly...
However, while she had such hope, she also felt strong uneasiness.
...I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Queen...
This is outside the palace city, and it is in Chunhua Street. I should never leave the Queen's side. I should pay attention to the surrounding situation on behalf of the Queen, who rarely doubts others.
The carriage finally rushed into the palace gate.
Decide a little faster!
Chunxiang looked out the window anxiously and saw a young official preparing to leave the palace.
"parking!"
When the carriage passed by the official, the driver hurriedly tightened the reins.
Chunxiang didn't wait for the carriage to stop, opened the door and jumped out of the carriage.
"...Chunxiang?"
Young official... Li Yuezhen saw the carriage rushing towards him and felt something was wrong, so he rushed to Chunxiang who fell to the ground.
"Well……"
"Chunxiang, are you okay?"
The supervisory censor Li Yuezhen, who was always expressionless and calm, picked up Chunxiang and couldn't help but widen his eyes when he saw the scratches on her cheeks, but Chunxiang ignored her own pain and desperately grabbed Li Yuezhen's arm.
"Lord Li Yuezhen, help me."
The hands that once hugged me are now the only light...
"Please! Go find the Queen quickly...send someone to find the Queen!"