Chapter 6: Chapter 6 He Can’t Die
Qi Yue thought it over and over but found no good solution.
“It seems the only option is to risk rushing out!”
When she had entered, she had observed the terrain; beyond the wall of the Treasure Pavilion’s backyard was a deserted alley that led directly away from Tello Street.
The advantage of this body was its strength; as long as she ran quickly to that wall, she could push it down with one punch and escape!
With her mind made up, she immediately flashed out of the space and quickly hid behind the flowers and trees at the back of the pavilion.
Unexpectedly, she had barely taken a step when she heard someone shout harshly, “Who’s there? Who’s over there?”
Qi Yue almost reflexively hid back into the space.
After hiding for five minutes, guessing that the soldiers had searched elsewhere, she slowly came out of the space.
Seeing the soldiers searching with their backs to her, Qi Yue disregarded everything else and ran.
But just as she stepped forward, she heard the whistling of a sword coming from behind her, and she had to hide in the space again.
However, staying in the space didn’t allow her to move her body away from there.
Qi Yue was extremely anxious when suddenly she had an idea.
She could avoid injury by flashing in and out of the space just as she had done, meanwhile running towards the wall.
As long as she was fast enough, she would be but a fleeting shadow, and they would be unable to catch her!
Indeed, this method worked even better than she had imagined.
After several flashes in and out of the space, she indeed reached the wall at the back of the yard.
Without pausing to rejoice, she punched a big hole through the wall.
Just like that, she perfectly avoided the pursuit of the soldiers and returned to the Marquis Residence without anyone noticing.
Hearing the distant sounds of soldiers and Imperial Guards chasing after thieves, Qi Yue slightly curled her lips.
Today was indeed a fruitful day!
She had finally given the dog Emperor a good beating!
Let him ransack homes randomly!
And exile her!
Hmph!
Once again back to her normal appearance, Qi Yue happily appeared at the Ducal Mansion, planning to go straight into the front hall and get caught, but she was surrounded by the raiding soldiers.
These people really thought she had run away and were searching all around for her!
Fortunately, with Dai Yuan’s solid support, she made up a few words, and the soldiers did not make things difficult for her, though this time they locked her up with the women of the Ducal Mansion.
The room originally served as the servant’s quarters; it was small and shabby.
Her plump body made the room even more cramped.
“Oh, isn’t this the Great Commander’s niece? How come, they didn’t rescue you?!”
The speaking woman was Chen Suyun, the wife of Zhao Yongxin from the Zhao Family’s second branch.
More than dealing with this sharp and bitter woman, Qi Yue was now more worried about the exile.
Seeing that she ignored her, Chen Suyun then turned her spite toward her mother-in-law, Shen Yu.
“Look at what kind of daughter-in-law you found.”
“Not only does she look like that, but she’s also rude!”
Hearing this, Shen Yu stood up and said coldly, “Chen Suyun, do you still have a heart? At such a time, must we still fight among family?”
“Family?” Chen Suyun suddenly became very agitated.
She jumped up from the floor, hands on her hips, and began to curse loudly!
“Who is family with you? Your husband and your son conspired with their cronies and did a fine job, but they made us suffer!”
As she spoke, she turned her fury towards Qi Yue again.
“And this disaster star, curse of mother and father, ever since she entered the Zhao family’s door, we have been suffering!”
In Beiyuan, being labeled a disaster star was enough to get one beaten or killed.
Frustrated, Shen Yu again spoke out to stop her.
“Chen Suyun, all these years, your Chen family has been riding on the coattails of my husband and my son Xiyan; yet now you’re kicking us while we’re down.”
“Yueyue is my daughter-in-law, what right do you have to speak about her!”
“Besides, this time the Zhao family was framed, and it has nothing to do with Yueyue.”
When she had first suggested a marriage to bring joy for her son, not a single noble lady from Capital City was willing.
Except for Qi Yue.
Although she was a bit plump and not very attractive, her status was indeed that of an orphan of the Great General.
After scolding Chen Suyun, Shen Yu turned to comfort Qi Yue.
“Yueyue, don’t worry, from now on, mother will protect you.”
Tears fell as Shen Yu held her hand and spoke.
“You like Yanyan and don’t mind that he can’t stand, Mother thanks you for him,” she said.
“Yueyue didn’t leave, Mother is very happy, from now on, Mother will have Yanyan treat you well.”
Qi Yue was a bit bewildered by these words.
When had she ever liked Zhao Xiyan?
She hadn’t even met the person; how could she have feelings for him?
After a moment’s thought, she guessed that this was probably the doing of her wicked aunt.
But this stepmother wasn’t too bad.
Previously wanting her to escape, and now wanting to protect her, this somewhat surprised her.
Anyway, this was not the time to talk about these things.
When she was caught by the government officers, she had already indirectly learned some information.
In Beiyuan, people sentenced to exile with their families could never leave their criminal records as widows.
Only women who had divorced while their husbands were alive and had no children could leave the Place of Exile and gain civilian status.
Moreover, this could only be arranged in the Place of Exile.
This meant that if she wanted to regain her freedom, she needed Zhao Xiyan to stay alive and reach Longnan Ridge safely.
Shen Yu continued tearfully.
“I don’t know how your father and Yanyan are doing? I’m really afraid… afraid I won’t see them again!”
Qi Yue was even more anxious upon hearing this.
Zhao Xiyan and Zhao Yongzhe had been severely beaten and were very likely not to survive the journey to the Place of Exile.
She had hoped to find a way to treat them before departure, but the government officers firmly refused.
Even bringing up Dai Yuan, the influential figure, was of no help now.
Meanwhile, in another servant’s room, Zhao Xiyan and his father Zhao Yongzhe had fallen into a deep coma.
Zhao Yonglian, the third son of the Zhao Family, was calling out to them as he lay next to the two.
“Brother, brother, Yanyan, wake up!”
“Brother, Yanyan, you can’t let anything happen to you!”
The second son, Zhao Yongxin, watched the two lying on the ground with a dull expression, his eyes vacant.
His two sons, Zhao Zhi and Zhao Weiyi, terrified as if seeing ghosts, shrank back into a corner of the wall.
Zhao Yonglian, seeing no response from them, called out again.
“Second brother, go fetch someone, brother is in bad shape!”
Zhao Yongxin turned his head woodenly, as if hearing nothing, remaining silent.
Zhao Yonglian angrily pushed him aside and rushed to the door to pound on it.
“Someone come quick! My brother has passed out!”
“Stop shouting! Shout again and I’ll kill you!”
Two government officers rushed over, one slashing the door with his blade, nearly severing Zhao Yonglian’s fingers, though he quickly dodged.
Ignoring his own fingers, he quickly pulled out a silver ingot from his chest and passed it through the door crack.
“Officers, I beg you, please save my brother!”
“Please bring a doctor!”
Upon seeing the silver in Zhao Yonglian’s hand, the two government officers exchanged a smile, then burst through the door.
One of them kicked Zhao Yonglian to the ground and searched him.
“You’re really good at hiding! No wonder the Treasure Pavilion didn’t even have a single copper coin! Search them!”
The two officers, like bandits, searched all four people in the room, taking all the money they had hidden.
One of the officers felt over Zhao Yongzhe and Zhao Xiyan, then spat disdainfully on the ground.
“Damn bad luck, now we have to carry a corpse!”
“Zhao Yongzhe is dying, someone check on him!”
A crude voice called from outside, and then the door opened.
A government officer at the door, covering his nose, asked, “Is anyone going? If not, just carry him out for burial!”
Shen Yu, as if struck by a bludgeon, cried out “Husband” and collapsed outright.
Zhao Shuanghua and Zhao Shuangyue, the two younger sister-in-laws, supported Shen Yu, crying out “Mother” and crying incessantly.
Seeing this, Qi Yue quickly stepped forward.
“Officer, I’ll go.”
The officer scrutinized her, frowning slightly.
“Alright then!”
Although Qi Yue was somewhat prepared, she was still stunned by the scene before her.