Three Steps: From Assassin to Empress - Chapter 25
Chapter 25: The Assassin Sheds His Shell
“These are the purses they asked me to give to you. They said it was to thank you for saving their lives.”
Ying Xiu held the heavy purses. The five-zhu coins inside clinked and rustled.
Most of the scholars living in the tavern were of commoner origin and were quite poor. The reason they carried so much money was that they were prepared to use it to ransom Ying Xiu. In other words, what was inside was most of their life’s savings.
To Xie Zhou, he had only said a single sentence, easily saving a group of commoners he didn’t know. At the time, he had not anticipated that these people would appear before him, so real and vivid, and give him money to thank him for his kindness.
The empty and pale “common people” on the lips of officials in the court had turned into living, breathing individuals who walked up to him.
The group of people in their raincoats in the autumn rain were like thieves. They walked and kept looking back, just to see if he had accepted the purses.
The emperor could only see the common people’s bowed backs on the ground, but he could not see their upright figures, their raised faces, and their bright eyes.
What the emperor couldn’t see, Xie Zhou saw.
He paused, and with one hand, he took the purses from Ying Xiu.
When that group of scholars saw him take the purses, they seemed to let out a sigh of relief. They no longer turned back so often and, instead, in their raincoats, they disappeared into the long night until they were gone at the end of the street.
After the people of Jiànpōofāng had all returned home, Ying Xiu finally got into Xie Zhou’s carriage. The carriage was spacious and warm, with a soft, moon-white mat. Tea was brewed on the low table, and everything was thoughtful and considerate.
Ying Xiu took the tea, took a sip, and it was a familiar taste, the Luyangchun from Guangling, Xuzhou.
For some reason, the sweet taste from before had become a little bitter. He swallowed it silently and then put down the teacup.
“How did you know I was here?” Ying Xiu finally remembered to ask Xie Zhou.
In the distance, the water clock was ticking. The night watchman was singing that dawn was approaching. It turned out it was almost morning.
Judging by the time, he had been in the small room of the Langya Wang family’s private residence for nearly four hours. If Xie Zhou had not found him, he would have probably been locked up for longer.
“When you didn’t return for a long time, I was a little worried, so I sent people to look for you,” Xie Zhou said.
Ying Xiu thought about it. It was not surprising that a retainer of the Jianzhang Xie family could find his whereabouts.
If Xie Zhou was really as extraordinary and terrifying as Wang Shouzhen said, he would only need a single word to get him out. Why would he use such a roundabout way to solve his predicament today?
Politicians from aristocratic families were always suspicious.
Ying Xiu looked at the slowly cooling Luyangchun tea. In the clear green water, a single tea leaf floated alone.
The young man was curled up in the carriage. His golden robe was wrinkled, his collar was haphazardly rolled up, the hem of his clothes was stained with dirt from the dungeon, and a few strands of hair hung on his shoulders. The end of the golden ribbon was wet and was hidden under his delicate collarbone. He was in a sorry state, and his expression was a little dejected.
Xie Zhou’s fingertips moved subconsciously. Unexpectedly, he didn’t like Ying Xiu’s appearance. A strange and violent thought inexplicably arose in his mind. He wanted to wipe away the sadness between his eyebrows.
He wanted to constantly wipe, erase, and carve until he got what he wanted.
—What did he want? Or rather, what kind of Ying Xiu did he want?
Xie Zhou was momentarily stunned.
His gaze was still on Ying Xiu. The young man was a little flustered by the look. He didn’t care about being sad for the moment and secretly tidied his clothes.
He quietly raised his hand to pull out the rolled-up collar, smoothed out the wrinkled sleeve, pulled the golden ribbon that had fallen into his clothes and put it behind his shoulder, and then smoothed out his messy hair.
All done!
Now he was a tidy and clean young man again. Xie Zhou shouldn’t find him dirty.
Ying Xiu was triumphant.
He had been in the rain, and his outer robe was soaked with water. A wet crane had simply preened its feathers, but it was still wet.
The young man was still wearing a wet skin, but his eyes were much brighter, with a hint of pride.
Lushan Guesthouse was located by the Yuan River, far from the market. It would take about another hour to get from the Wang family’s private residence to the guesthouse.
With all of Ying Xiu’s little actions in his sight, Xie Zhou took out the clothes he had prepared and handed them to Ying Xiu: “Change your clothes first, so you don’t catch a cold.”
Ying Xiu took the clothes and found that there was both an outer robe and an undergarment. The outer robe was made of golden silk, and the undergarment was pure white. The color was very similar to the white robe Xie Zhou was wearing, cool and soft.
It was indeed uncomfortable to wear wet clothes, as they were sticky and clammy. But…
Ying Xiu looked around. Although the carriage was spacious, enough to accommodate four or five people, he was expected to change in front of Xie Zhou—
The young man’s face turned red again. The temperature inside the carriage seemed to be rising, making his cheeks feel a little hot.
He almost hated himself. He was always blushing in front of Xie Zhou.
Ying Xiu made up his mind. He must become a person who doesn’t show his emotions and has a deep mind in the future.
At least… at least he shouldn’t blush in front of Xie Zhou.
He mustered up his courage, shook out the undergarment, and laid it out on the mat next to him. He hesitated for a moment, and his fingertips touched his own belt.
The long wide belt that cinched his waist was also golden, embroidered with patterns he couldn’t understand, complex, beautiful, and radiant.
Ying Xiu couldn’t tell if it was his own illusion, but Xie Zhou seemed to love dressing him in all sorts of beautiful clothes.
Ying Xiu lowered his head. His slender fingertips were on the wide belt, but they didn’t move.
To his relief, as soon as his hand touched the belt, Xie Zhou turned around, with his back to him, making it impossible for him to see.
Confirming that the other person couldn’t see him, Ying Xiu quickly unfastened his belt. He neatly folded it and put it aside, then began to unfasten his outer robe.
The outer robe had two layers, one of silk gauze and one of a long veil. Ying Xiu was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He carefully took off his boots, took off his clothes with bare feet.
In the past, in the wild, he had seen cicadas shed their shells. It was a difficult process, and he was anxious watching it. He couldn’t help but lend a hand. It took him most of an hour to carefully peel off the two fine, thin wings with his fingertips.
Now, he felt as if he had also become that small cicada, shedding his skin with great difficulty.
The young man clumsily took off his wet clothes. Just as he was about to pick up the snow-white undergarment next to him, the carriage entered a mountain path and suddenly lurched.
The naked cicada could only watch helplessly as his new shell fell to the ground and slid toward the white-robed retainer.
Ying Xiu: “…”
He carefully covered himself, bent at the waist, and let his waist-length black hair down, trying to cover his scars. He reached forward. His arm was tense, like a snow-white, straight bow. His fingertips gently reached out.
The young retainer did not turn his head. He reached out and silently pushed the clothes in front of him.
Ying Xiu grabbed it, instantly shrank back, and hurriedly put it on, layer by layer.
Finally, he tied the leather belt, binding himself up securely.
Shell shedding successful!
Ying Xiu tidied himself up again and happily announced to Xie Zhou: “You can turn around now.”
Xie Zhou did not turn around immediately. Just now, the rustling sound of the young man changing his clothes was constantly transmitted, passing through his eardrums and echoing clearly.
Perhaps it was a mistake to let Ying Xiu change his clothes in the carriage.
“Xie Zhou?” Ying Xiu called out to him again.
After two breaths, Xie Zhou finally turned around. The expression on his breathtakingly beautiful face was as calm and indifferent as ever, showing no hint of anything amiss.
“I was thinking about something just now,” Xie Zhou explained.
“Oh,” Ying Xiu did not doubt him. His eyes were clear, bright, and full of trust.
This set of clothes was custom-made for him by the palace weaving bureau overnight. It was beautiful, delicate, and nimble, and it suited him well.
Only a jade box is worthy of a pearl.
Xie Zhou began to think about ordering a few hundred sets of clothes to be made, so Ying Xiu could try on all the different styles in the world.
Perhaps… he could also try on women’s clothes.
He regretfully gave up on this idea. The assassin was young and spirited. He seemed naive, but he was actually gentle on the outside and firm on the inside. Something too firm would break easily.
He didn’t want to break him so soon.
The carriage traveled for a while and finally returned to Lushan Guesthouse.
On both sides of the crimson gate, the Imperial Guards were dressed in plain clothes, standing solemnly in a line. They lowered their heads and waited quietly for the Emperor Zhaosu to return.
Those who could stand here were all the most outstanding and talented scholars from the nine prefectures and hundreds of counties in Jiangzuo. After ten years of honing their skills, they had the opportunity to serve the Emperor.
They watched the young man leap nimbly out of the carriage. After getting off, he was not in a hurry to enter the gate. Instead, he opened the silk umbrella and reached out to the Emperor Zhaosu in the carriage, holding the Emperor’s hand as he got off the carriage.
His movements were smooth, natural, and casual, without any sense of reverence, fear, or admiration for the Emperor.
The Emperor Zhaosu also let him lead him, and his actions were very intimate.
The most terrifying thing was that the one holding the umbrella was the Emperor Zhaosu.
The snow-white silk umbrella completely covered the young man’s tall and slender figure, making it difficult to catch a glimpse of him.
One could only vaguely see the golden hem of his clothes swaying gently and the clear clinking of his jade ornaments.
The Imperial Guards who witnessed all of this: “…”
Before the Emperor could cast his gaze toward them, the Imperial Guards quickly lowered their eyes and remained silent.
Given the Emperor’s unpredictable and tyrannical nature, that young man might even be their future Empress.
Dawn was about to break. The pavilions and waterside platforms with railings were immersed in the misty rain that was neither bright nor dark. The night had not yet faded, and the light of day had not yet arrived.
Ying Xiu held Xie Zhou’s hand all the way until he reached the door of his own quiet room. Only then did he feel that he should have let go a long time ago.
Why didn’t Xie Zhou remind him?
“It was so much trouble for you last night, Xie Zhou. You should go to bed early.” Ying Xiu looked up and said to Xie Zhou.
He raised his head, and for some reason, he was a little angry. Why was Xie Zhou so much taller than him? And just now, when they passed through the corridor, Xie Zhou didn’t seem to put away the umbrella.
Was he intentionally using an umbrella under the eaves to prevent him from growing taller?
Bad Xie Zhou.
The seventeen-year-old’s moods seemed even more unpredictable than his, the tyrant’s. Xie Zhou thought for a moment, and then, as if by a stroke of genius, he put away the silk umbrella and apologized to him in a low voice: “It wasn’t intentional.”
Only then did Ying Xiu give him a smile.
The assassin was still too young. He was completely unaware that he was getting more and more unrestrained in front of the retainer. Those little temperaments that he never showed in front of others were laid out like a piece of paper in front of the retainer, open for all to see.
Clear, innocent, and obvious.