Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Liu Xiniang's cries soon summoned the jailers. After questioning her, they led Liu Xiniang away.

Once she was gone, Luo Wanqing stood alone in the vast and empty dungeon, realizing just how immense and eerily quiet this place truly was. The oppressive silence threatened to suffocate Luo Wanqing; it felt like an eternity before someone finally came to unlock the cell. With a cold tone, they announced, "Luo Wanqing, you're due for exile today. Come on."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing waded through the water and climbed out of the pit. In the past ten days, her body had regained its agility, and her muscles had strengthened. She effortlessly emerged from the water and followed the jailer outside.

The jailer, chattering incessantly, instructed her about the exile process. First, they took her to change into the attire of a convict destined for exile, then led her to the prison hall.

Many were set to depart for Lingnan at dawn that day. The imperial court's crackdown on illegal salt trade had resulted in numerous arrests across Jiangnan Province. As Luo Wanqing approached the prison hall, she could hear the commotion of the crowd. Men and women from both the male and female wards were mixed together, with many frantically searching for their scattered family members. Luo Wanqing spotted Yao Zelan, who was with Luo Wenshui, and Su Hui. She rushed over, exclaiming, "Mother! Sister-in-law!"

Yao Zelan and Su Hui had already donned their prison uniforms. Upon seeing Luo Wanqing, Yao Zelan hurried forward, examining her from head to toe. "Wanqing, are you alright? I heard you got into another fight in the dungeon and were kept there until now. I've been worried about you every day. You..."

"I'm fine," Luo Wanqing reassured Yao Zelan, smiling. "Here I am, isn't it? Where's Brother?"

Scanning their surroundings, Su Hui started searching for her brother Luo Shangchun.

Upon seeing that Su Hui was unharmed, Yao Zelan also began to look for her long-lost son.

After a moment of searching, they heard a familiar cry, "Mother! Ah Hui! Wenshui! Wanqing!"

Addressing four people in one call, Luo Wanqing and Yao Zelan turned back together, only to see a young man, covered in injuries, push through the crowd, looking at them with delight.

The youth appeared tall and slender, with a resemblance to Luo Wanqing. He had an air of scholarly refinement and was quite handsome.

"Dad!"

Luo Wenshui was the first to react, struggling free from Su Hui's embrace and rushing towards the man.

Su Hui hurried after her, while Luo Shangchun made his way through the crowd to them. Bending down, he scooped Luo Wenshui into his arms before turning to face Su Hui, Luo Wanqing, and the others.

Surveying his family, he had much to say but held back when he heard Luo Wenshui ask, puzzled, "Daddy, why are your eyes red?" Instead, he awkwardly wiped away his tears, finding solace in humor, "Finally found you all. Let's journey together from here, consider it a spring outing."

"Only you could say something like that," Su Hui said, wiping away her own tears. "You're never serious."

"I'm content with whatever comes my way," Luo Shangchun didn't mention Luo Qushu, instead turning to jest with Luo Wenshui, "Father's here, are you happy, Wenshui?"

"Happy!"

Luo Wenshui raised her hands, then, fearing she might fall, promptly clung tightly to Luo Shangchun. He kissed his daughter on the cheek and turned to look at Luo Wanqing and Yao Zelan. Seeing their expressions, a subtle change flickered in his eyes.

"I've been an ungrateful son," Luo Shangchun's voice was hoarse as he lowered his head, "allowing our mother to suffer."

"How could you blame yourself for this?" Yao Zelan shook her head.

Luo Shangchun turned to Luo Wanqing, whose wounds were wrapped in bandages. He seemed hesitant but dared not ask, saying softly, "Sis, your brother is here."

"I'm fine."

Luo Wanqing sensed the worry in Luo Shangchun's eyes and reassured him warmly, "Let's line up first."

The jailer was directing everyone towards a tent for body searches. Each prisoner had to be searched before they could leave the prison.

Luo Wanqing led the way, accompanied by Yao Zelan, Su Hui, and Luo Wenshui, while Luo Shangchun followed behind them.

The siblings walked side by side. Luo Shangchun looked up at Yao Zelan and then back at Luo Wanqing. After much hesitation, he whispered, "I've heard something about Jiang Shaoyan..."

"Wan Qing," Luo Wanqing knew what her brother was going to say, so she interrupted him, softly reminding, "In the future, you'll be taking care of Mother and Sister-in-law. You can't just focus on your studies anymore. You need to be more practical and resourceful."

Luo Quanshu's death had not yet reached them, so Luo Wanqing didn't directly tell Luo Shangchun. He only knew that their father had been sentenced to execution after the autumn harvest, which didn't surprise him. He was puzzled, "Why have you become so mature all of a sudden? Did someone bully you?"

This concern made Luo Wanqing's body tremble slightly, and her eyes sting with tears.

But she held back her emotions and said, "Mother has a leg condition, and her legs swell every night. You need to make sure she stays warm and massage her before bed; it will help her feel better."

Luo Shangchun was taken aback. He had rarely paid attention to such household details in the past. Focused on the grueling exam for official positions, he had dedicated all his energy to studying. Hearing Luo Wanqing's sudden reminder, he realized its importance and nodded, "I understand. I'll learn more from now on."

"Sister-in-law spends a lot of time bent over her accounts, causing neck congestion, which leads to headaches. If you have free time, massage her neck often."

"As for Water, don't limit yourself because of gender. If possible, learn some martial arts."

"Being together as a family is most important. Don't dwell on reputation or propriety. Brother, you should take good care of Mother and Sister-in-law, always putting their needs first..."

Luo Wanqing lowered her voice, carefully instructing him on every detail she could think of.

The more Luo Shangchun listened, the more perplexed he became. As they approached the search tent, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Why do you have so many things to say? There's no need to rush, we still have plenty of time." With that, Luo Shangchun lifted his gaze and looked towards the inspection room. "Go ahead, I'll wait for you outside while you chat."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing's eyelashes fluttered, and she finally lowered her eyes gently, not saying anything further.

The search tents for males and females were separate, and thus the two parted ways. Luo Wanqing entered the tent and saw a female prison guard approach her to conduct a thorough search.

She took away all her belongings, except for her dagger, which she not only ignored but also helped her secure it back at her waist, whispering a warning, "Hide it well. If discovered during the journey, you won't be able to keep it."

Lifting her gaze, Luo Wanqing immediately recognized that the guard was connected to Jiang Shaoyan. She silently stared at the woman.

Noticing her stillness, the guard frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Please convey a message to His Highness," Luo Wanqing looked at her, suddenly smiling warmly. "I've known His Highness for five years, with deep feelings yet shallow fate. I hope that His Highness will remember me in the future. If, unfortunately, I meet my end, I beg for a memorial tablet to be placed where His Highness can be seen day and night, so that on the cold road to the afterlife, I won't lose my way to find him."

"What are you saying..."

"Zheng is merely a temporary solution for His Highness," Luo Wanqing knew that the guard wouldn't do her a favor for nothing. She slightly bowed forward, leaning closer to the guard's ear and whispered, "His Highness is still looking out for me. Deliver my words, and in the future, His Highness will surely remember your service."

Seeing the guard's eyes brighten with understanding, Luo Wanqing smiled slightly, bowed, and left.

As she turned and walked out of the search tent, her gaze immediately turned cold.

She knew Jiang Shaoyan; he was ruthless, but his feelings for her weren't entirely false.

He didn't want her to die.

So even if she stabbed him, he would still look after her.

Then she would have to "die" for him to see.

Liu Xiniang would inevitably create a staged death on her journey of exile to ensure that the authorities ceased their pursuit.

If the news of Liu Xiniang's death reached Jiang Shaoyan, and he were willing to set up a memorial tablet as she requested, there would inevitably be a rift between Zheng Biyue and Jiang Shaoyan.

Moreover, people often yearn for what they have lost forever.

Leaving behind the words "the road to the underworld is cold, I'm afraid I won't find your Highness," in Jiang Shaoyan's mind, she loved him until her last breath.

He thought she would hate him, but in the end, she loved him.

He believed she would live, only to find out she had passed away.

Such an unforeseen turn of events leaves an indelible mark on one's heart, and with each visit before the memorial tablet that serves as their daily encounter, the memory deepens. In the future, when his life's journey becomes increasingly challenging, he will yearn more and more for the one he has lost.

If all unfolds as she envisions, this emotion will be her blade.

And if not, it makes little difference.

Luo Wanqing acknowledged this realization, a slight bitterness tingling in her heart.

She never imagined a day would come when she'd treat her feelings as a strategic calculation, nor did she envision herself calmly pondering the dynamics of her relationship with Jiang Shaoyan.

From the age of fourteen to nineteen, her greatest daily aspiration was to marry Jiang Shaoyan.

But now, her utmost desire was to take his life.

She couldn't help but smirk bitterly, realizing that, as Jiang Shaoyan had once said, whether it was love or hatred, her life seemed to revolve around him.

Luo Wanqing closed her eyes in defiance, acknowledging that this was Jiang Shaoyan's grand scheme.

But so what?

Even if she hated him for eternity, she would make sure Jiang Shaoyan etched her name into his world, so that the mere mention of Luo Wanqing would sting like the tearing of flesh and the digging out of bones, leaving him wishing they'd never crossed paths.

With this in mind, she opened her eyes.

Before her was the exit to the dungeon. Upon a raised platform stood a prison officer, who, as each inmate reached the front of the line, would take their documents and announce their name and crime. After verification, the women were shackled with iron chains, while the men were also fitted with wooden collars before both were escorted out.

Not far from the officer's post, braziers were placed on either side to provide warmth for the officials.

This is the place.

She settled, lifting her gaze to meet her family's eyes.

She could only accompany them thus far; she must turn back and proceed to where she belonged.

Silently, she watched Luo Wanqing's family members depart one by one. When it was finally her turn, the official called out, "Next, hurry up."

Luo Wanqing's heart twinged. Without a sound, she stepped forward, gently reaching to caress the hidden dagger at her waist.

Her body trembled slightly, her eyes fixated on the brazier. The sensation of the dagger sheath in her hand still held the memory of Jiang Shaoyan's blood.

The cold touch suppressed her fear, and her steps quickened. The others finally sensed something amiss, but it was too late.

Without any hesitation, amidst their screams, she lunged herself into the brazier!

In the searing pain of flesh and blood, Luo Wanqing saw Jiang Shaoyan's gentle smile as he raised his sword under the southern sun.

In that moment, pain became insignificant. She rolled onto the burning coals, tasting the metallic tang of blood in her mouth.

An overwhelming torrent of emotions crushed her chest, erupting into a shrill, piercing cry that echoed through the dungeon.

"Ahhhh!!!"

"Save me, save me, save me—!!!"

Author's Note:

"Mini Scene"

Luo Wanqing: "My greatest desire right now is to kill Jiang Shaoyan."

Jiang Shaoyan: "In my future, the name I will both love and hate the most belongs to the same person."

Xie Heng: "Huh, what can I say? Watch me crawl through your midst, dark and insane. Look at me! All eyes on me! I am the strongest!"

Reader with a fan: "Crawl? Where are you crawling? Crawl back to the previous chapters, let us have a look!"

Xie Heng: "..."