Chapter 575: Wanting to Follow Her

Chapter 575: Wanting to Follow Her

No wonder she couldn't figure it out. Xie Yuan had always been so cautious—how could he have been poisoned so easily, and how could he have fallen victim to the Dongrong Holy Church's poison?

It turned out.

It was actually his own flesh and blood who had poisoned him!

Thinking of Xie Yuan's silence in the Xie family ancestral hall, the hatred in Su Youyue's heart grew like wildfire.

Xie Yuan had already endured enough suffering.

Since childhood, he had been bullied due to his family background, and later, his family was destroyed. He endured humiliation and hardships, finally avenging his deep-seated hatred, and was at last able to pursue his own desires and love. But fate played such a cruel joke on him—the blood feud he sought to avenge was a lie, his mother and two brothers had already fled, abandoning him!

This blood kin also caused him to love without being able to attain it, and to die from poison that ravaged his lungs!

Even in this lifetime, they didn't spare him, making it impossible for them to recognize each other when they met.

They were his own flesh and blood—why did they treat him this way!

Even if they felt a shred of guilt for abandoning him, they would never have resorted to poisoning him.

Just the thought of it made Su Youyue's heart ache unbearably, every moment filled with a gnawing pain. She didn't dare to dwell on it, but she couldn't help herself. The more she thought, the more her heart ached, and the more she hated.

She was overwhelmed by emotions she couldn't control, unable to cry, though her eyes were red. She didn't dare to recall what Xie Yuan's previous life had been like.

She didn't even dare to think about it, much less know how Xie Yuan had endured it.

Seeing Su Youyue's red-rimmed eyes, Qingluo was at a loss.

On one side was the deity she worshipped, and on the other was the person who had nearly become her salvation. Qingluo hesitated for a while, then finally reached out and gently held her arm.

"Miss..."

Seeing that Su Youyue didn't even look at her, as if she had fallen into her own painful world, Qingluo's fingers slowly tightened.

"Miss, I didn't know about those things before. If the Holy Son has always been fed poison to prevent him from feeling emotions, and maintaining a pure heart is not his own will, then that must be wrong."

After saying this, Qingluo's heart gradually became firm.

Wrong is wrong—what does it have to do with status?

But how did the miss know these things?

Was it related to her mysterious identity again?

Qingluo knew nothing; she just held Su Youyue's arm tightly, transferring her endless strength to her.

"Miss, no matter what you want to do, if there's any place where Qingluo can be of use, Qingluo will not hesitate."

Her heart had already died when her mistress was assassinated, and it was the current miss who saved her.

She had already decided that after avenging her mistress, wherever the current miss went, she would follow.

Su Youyue looked down at the small hand on her arm, and the surging emotions in her heart gradually calmed like waves returning to the ocean.

She took Qingluo's hand and looked into her eyes: "You don't need to say such things lightly. What I want to do is far beyond what you can imagine."

Seeing Qingluo immediately anxious to say something, Su Youyue said: "Qingluo, think carefully before you speak. If you really want to follow me in the future, what you will betray is not only your faith but also your country, your homeland. Avenging your mistress is already my way of repaying a favor—you owe me nothing. Besides, it was you and your mistress who saved us together. You are a free person, and I respect all your decisions."

Although she knew the road ahead would be difficult, Su Youyue had no doubt that she would one day return to Yanjing with Xie Yuan.

Qingluo, naturally kind-hearted, got along well with them, but it was uncertain whether they could remain friends in the end.

Different stances naturally mean different views.

Qingluo clearly didn’t expect Su Youyue to respond to her so seriously.

She nodded eagerly, "Miss, Qingluo is willing to follow you from now on."

She had long known that the young lady wasn’t from Dongrong; otherwise, Jin’er wouldn’t even be able to speak the Dongrong language.

She had long since considered these things.

Su Youyue sighed as she looked at the girl’s anxious face, her mood oddly calm.

"Qingluo, you think too simply. If a war breaks out between the two sides, and you must choose one, which side would you stand on?"

"If I wanted to storm into the Holy Church and kill those so-called Popes, Priests, and Divine Envoys, would you still stand by my side?"

Qingluo was stunned.

In her mind, following Su Youyue meant dedicating her life to her, a concept she saw as unquestionable. If the current young lady needed her to give her life, she would absolutely be willing.

But when this loyalty was broken down into specifics, she realized that, for people, there are indeed some things in this world that weigh more than life itself.

Su Youyue’s tone turned serious and commanding, "I demand absolute loyalty, more than just the willingness to give your life for me."

It wasn’t that she had to drive Qingluo away without reason.

Her identity was sensitive; she was a high-ranking female official in Dasheng, highly esteemed by the new emperor. Both the Su and Xie families were privy to confidential court matters in Dasheng, and the Xie Mansion had many military secrets. The Xie family bore the safety of the entire Dasheng, and she couldn’t risk having anyone around who might betray Dasheng.

"Qingluo, if you can accept all this, swear in the name of your Young Lady that you will never betray me."

"Go back and think it through, then come back with your answer."

"Of course, as I said, I respect any decision you make."

If it hadn’t been necessary, Su Youyue wouldn’t have mentioned Miss Shen.

After she finished speaking, Qingluo indeed fell silent.

Su Youyue, meanwhile, let out a sigh of relief.

If she were just an ordinary young lady from a noble family, taking Qingluo with her would, of course, be without any psychological burden.

But with her current status, taking Qingluo back was, in fact, accepting risks.

The wheels crushed the snow, the muffled sound of pressing snow accompanying them along the way.

Qingluo slowly nodded, remaining silent.

After a moment, she suddenly reached out with a sweaty hand and grabbed Su Youyue’s arm again.

Seeing the surprise in Su Youyue’s eyes, Qingluo took her hand and touched her own chest, "Miss, when I was young, my family was harsh and treated me poorly. Later, they wanted to sell me to a brothel. The Sacred did not come to save me, nor did my country. Selling women to brothels was considered both reasonable and legal by them.

I didn’t even have control over my own life; I couldn’t die even if I wanted to, because if I died, my parents wouldn’t get the money and couldn’t feed my younger brothers."

"It was my young lady who saved me, and from that moment on, I vowed that my life belonged to her."

"But when she died, all I could do was watch helplessly, as so much blood gushed from her body. No matter how hard I tried to stop it, I didn’t know how to save her... I didn’t know who could help me save her..."

"When my lady died in my arms, I thought I had died too. I couldn’t even remember how I returned with those two old women that day."

Qingluo choked back a sob, forcing it back.

"But when you said you would avenge my lady, I finally felt truly alive again."

"Miss, you gave me a second life. You truly saved me."

"But I want to follow you, not just for that reason. By being at your side, I’ve learned that people can live so freely and without restraint, that there are women like you in the world—clear about love and hate, sincere and true, brave and resourceful."

"I believe truly anyone would want to follow you."

"I, Qingluo, swear in the name of my lady, to pledge my absolute loyalty to you, even if it means betraying my life, my country, and the gods I revere. I will never betray you, forever."