The moon was like a hook, and the twilight was heavy. The cold wind rustled the branches in the deserted backyard. A jackdaw perched on a branch, cawed twice, and flapped its wings before disappearing into the night sky.
In the courtyard, a maid carrying a laundry basket hurriedly walked past. She heard a muffled 'plop' sound coming from the courtyard. Surprised, she turned her head. In the darkness, there was a rustling sound, and the faint sound of a cat meowing. Thinking that it was a wild cat coming in to catch a mouse, the maid tightened her clothes. Feeling the ghostly atmosphere in the courtyard, she hurriedly quickened her pace and left.
Outside the pear orchard, Lian Qiao was holding a large paper bag in her hands. Rather happily, she said to Jiang Ruan, "Today, that Xiao Yuan sent over some lily cakes that she bought from outside. She said that they taste very good. Later, when we return to the room, Miss will try a few pieces."
Jiang Ruan nodded, and then looked up at the sky. Dark clouds had covered a large part of the moon, and the light outside was misty. There were only a few dismal red lanterns on the road. The festive colors in the midst of the desolation of the people added a bit of strangeness to the night.
Lian Qiao followed Jiang Ruan's gaze and thought, "The sky darkened really early, and it's getting cold outside. Miss, be careful not to catch a cold."
"A dark and windy night to kill," Jiang Ruan suddenly smiled, "What a beautiful scene."
Her words were strange, and Lian Qiao looked over in confusion, only to see a person hurrying over in the darkness. When he got closer, she could see that it was Chen Zhao.
Chen Zhao also saw the two of them, and hurriedly stopped. Jiang Ruan nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Chen Zhao bowed, "Miss."
Lian Qiao nervously protected Jiang Ruan. Meeting this person in the dark, it was hard to avoid an accident.
Jiang Ruan's gaze followed Chen Zhao's nervous expression to his exposed neck. The bright red scar of the family was particularly eye-catching, but Chen Zhao himself was completely unaware of it. Jiang Ruan's lips curled up, but she did not speak, only staring at him meaningfully.
Under the gloomy moonlight, Jiang Ruan's eyebrows were illuminated by the lantern light, giving her an additional demonic air. It was as if she had just matured into a blood-sucking demon among the flowers under the moonlight. It was clearly a young and inexperienced face, but it was as if she was an evildoer who had lived for a very, very long time, overlooking the common people struggling in the mortal world. Her charming eyes locked onto Chen Zhao's body with a smile that wasn't a smile. Chen Zhao felt as if his soul had been hooked by that pair of eyes. However, when he looked at it again, it felt like an abyss, giving off a heart-palpitating fear. Her mood, which was alternating between cold and hot, finally transformed into a slight smile at the corner of Jiang Ruan's red lips.
Chen Zhao clenched his teeth and a spark of fire suddenly sprang up in his eyes. He recalled that it was because of Jiang Ruan that he had provoked Chun Ying. If it had not been for her, he would not have needed to kill. Now, he had killed someone, but Jiang Ruan was still standing in the same place, perfectly fine. No matter how he thought about it, he was filled with unwillingness. How could he suffer a double loss?
Catching a glimpse of Chen Zhao's wolf-like gaze, Jiang Ruan glanced at Lian Qiao and lightly said, "Let's go, it's dark outside, don't provoke any unclean things."
Chen Zhao's body stiffened as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on his head, instantly driving away the heat in his heart. He only felt a cold wind blowing, Chun Ying's wide-open eyes were right in front of him. Chen Zhao fiercely shuddered. By the time he regained his senses, the two of them had already walked far away. He clenched his fists and left angrily.
When the two of them returned to the room, Lian Qiao had just put down the hundred boxes of pastries when Bai Zhi hurriedly walked over, her expression full of anxiety, "Miss …"
Jiang Ruan waved her hand, indicating for Lian Qiao to close the door, before sitting down on the bed, "What's wrong?"
"Chun Ying is dead!" Bai Zhi said.
"What?" Lian Qiao was surprised, "How did she die?"
"Chen Zhao was rather straightforward," Jiang Ruan sneered, "But Chun Ying was stupid."
Seeing Jiang Ruan's calm expression, without the slightest bit of surprise, Bai Zhi was stunned, "Miss … already knew?"
"Chen Zhao's temperament was irritable, while Chun Ying was forceful. The two of them were bound to have a dispute, and initially wanted to make use of their dispute to make a fuss. Who would have thought that Chen Zhao would be so vicious and merciless, actually silencing her. "Jiang Ruan said indifferently," But Chun Ying only had herself to blame. "
Lian Qiao frowned, "That Chen Zhao is really not a good person, to be so cruel and unscrupulous, but Chun Ying asking him for money was asking a tiger for its skin, she deserved to lose her life!"
However, Bai Zhi somewhat disagreed, "After all, it is a human life, this Chen Zhao is too scary. Fortunately, Miss was quick-witted, otherwise, today would have been a disaster for us."
"How did you know?" Jiang Ruan asked Bai Zhi.
Bai Zhi paused, then said softly, "Qiu Yan told me, she said that she saw Chen Zhao kill someone with her own eyes."
"Qiu Yan?" Jiang Ruan raised her eyebrows, "She is a smart person."
"Miss, that Chun Ying's death has nothing to do with us, right? Chen Zhao killed someone, don't tell me we can just let it go like this? "
"Chen Zhao has planted a seed of disaster for himself." Jiang Ruan laughed lightly, "We don't need to take the initiative, very soon, someone will tell on us, and the matter will come to light."
Lian Qiao said, "This servant has always felt somewhat uneasy, always feeling that this matter is not so simple. Although Chun Ying's death was not intentional, it still has something to do with us. "
Jiang Ruan casually picked up the book on the table, "What are you afraid of, the two of them had an affair and killed someone, could it be that it has something to do with me? If they want to pour dirty water on me, I'm afraid it won't be an easy thing to do. After all, they can't say that I made the two of them have an affair, right? If they want to investigate, go ahead and investigate, what can they find out? "
Lian Qiao slapped her own head, "That's right! This servant was muddle-headed, we did not expect this, what does it have to do with us? Chun Ying and Chen Zhao do not have any friendship with us, even if the officials come, we can still straighten our backs! "
With this, Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao were relieved, and got up to fetch some hot water. Jiang Ruan sat under the oil lamp, slowly flipping through the book, but her gaze fell elsewhere.
She had lied, she was not surprised by Chun Ying's death, because she had already known this ending.
Everyone had their own weakness and bottom line. Chen Zhao was irascible and suspicious, and Chun Ying's repeated demands would only wear out his patience. He no longer believed that Chun Ying would ever be satisfied, and his dissatisfaction would gradually increase, eventually reaching a critical point. And when his anger and guilt reached an extreme, the ruthlessness in Chen Zhao's bones would be stimulated, and killing would be a matter of course. To facilitate all of this, Chun Ying's cooperation was needed. Chun Ying's greed was innate, and if there was an opportunity to reap without sowing, she would not give it up.
And what Jiang Ruan herself had done was to let Bai Zhi bribe a few servants to 'unintentionally' mention Chun Ying's craftiness and insatiable greed in front of Chen Zhao.
With the right time, the right place, and the right people, even if Chun Ying did not die, she would have to die.
But if this was the case, she absolutely could not tell the two servant girls. In their eyes, she was only a down-and-out young lady who had been forced to the extreme and rose up to resist, but she was still kind-hearted in her bones. But only she herself knew what kind of rotten heart was hidden under this skin.
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