"I..." Xiao Jin blushed and knelt down to plead guilty. "I did notice that something was wrong with this matter, but the evidence is irrefutable. I also want to stabilize the situation first so that I can slowly find out who is behind it."
Cheng Qianye interrupted him, "There is another point. You are afraid that Qiao Sheng and I will get too close and accidentally find out my secret. So you thought that you should just make the best of a bad situation and take the opportunity to get rid of him. Is that right or not?"
Xiao Jin was shocked: This is just a vague thought deep in my heart, even I myself am not very clear about it, how could the lord be able to say it out in one sentence
Cheng Qianye sat at the top and looked at him coldly.
For the first time, Xiao Jin felt the majesty of a superior from this lord. He kowtowed to the ground and sincerely apologized, "I know I was wrong, and I hope you will forgive me."
"Although I have had this thought, if I can find out the truth, I will not take human life lightly and let an innocent person die in vain. I hope my lord will trust my heart."
After a long time, Xiao Jin even felt a cold sweat on his back before he heard Cheng Qianye's voice above his head.
"Get up. I'll let it go this time. I hope you won't do something that disappoints me again. You can excuse me, but I won't let that bastard Zhang Fu off so easily this time."
"Come on, follow me to see Qiao Sheng first."
…
Mo Qiaosheng was chained in a cold cell. The moonlight shone through the iron bars, casting mottled shadows on his body.
General Yu Dunsu, who was guarding him, was a gentle man. He did not use force against him. He just stood silently at the door of the cell with a knife in his hand.
Except for the initial beating by Helan Zhen, no one had ever hit him again, nor had anyone used any punishment on him.
But Mo Qiaosheng felt that it was more painful than any previous injury or punishment he had ever received.
Pain from the inside out.
Ah Feng's words are still ringing in my ears.
"Don't give your heart to your master easily. Otherwise, only more embarrassment awaits you."
Mo Qiaosheng closed his eyes.
Maybe I shouldn't even dream of this kind of happiness.
Cheng Qianye's gentle face kept appearing before his eyes.
When I was outside the city gate, I caught a glimpse of that man sitting on a high carriage, almost shining in the sunlight. He looked over lazily and smiled at me.
…
"Qiaosheng?"
Mo Qiaosheng vaguely heard someone calling him and looked up blankly.
A real smile appeared before my eyes, gradually overlapping with the imaginary face and becoming clearer.
Lord.
My lord, he actually came to see me.
Cheng Qianye looked at Mo Qiaosheng who was imprisoned by iron chains in front of him.
He was only locked up for most of the night, but this sapphire made him feel hopeless and lifeless.
He heard his own voice with a look of disbelief. When he raised his head and saw himself, his eyes instantly turned red, revealing an expression of sadness and despair.
Cheng Qianye reached out his hand, touched his messy hair, bent down, got close to his face, and asked gently: "Qiaosheng, tell me, did you do this?"
Fireflies lit up in Mo Qiaosheng's gray eyes. He opened his mouth slightly and lowered his head.
After a moment, he uttered a few words softly.
A sentence that he had repeated countless times in his nightmares since he was a child, but no one had ever believed it.
"Not me. Master, trust me. Trust me once."
This time, he heard the answer he had always dreamed of.
"Since Xiao Mo has said it's not, then it's not."
While stroking his hair, the man gently filled these words into his heart, word by word, into his scarred and broken heart.
"My lord, the evidence of this crime is irrefutable. How can you be so credulous?" Yu Dunsu clasped his fists and advised.
Cheng Qianye stood up, turned around and waved to Yu Dunsu and Xiao Jin.
"General Yu," she looked at Yu Dunsu, "To be honest, the only people in the army I can completely trust are the three of you present here."
"Today I trust Qiao Sheng. If someone frames you in front of me in the future, I will trust you the same way."
Yu Dunsu knelt on one knee and clasped his hands together: "Thank you, my lord, for your kindness and trust."
Cheng Qianye said: "I have discussed this with Xiao Sikou. It is impossible that Qiao Sheng was responsible for this. However, as to who is behind this, who is framing the matter, and how many people are implicated, we still don't know."
"But since he did this, he must have a purpose. So I can only rely on you guys to help me find the real culprit. But I may have to let Qiaosheng stay here for a while longer."
She turned around, but saw Mo Qiaosheng with his head down, motionless.
"Qiaosheng? What's wrong?"
Cheng Qianye bent down and saw the moonlight shining on Mo Qiaosheng's face, reflecting a clear tear mark.
Oh, Cheng Qianye sighed in his heart.
She waved her hand and drove Yu Dunsu and Xiao Jin out.
She gently held Mo Qiaosheng's face in her hands.
"Why are you crying?"
The face with a red nose trembled slightly in her hands.
Crystal clear tears rolled down from the corners of her tightly closed eyes.
Her thin lips were tightly pursed, refusing to let out any sound.
She just cried silently in Cheng Qianye's arms.
Cheng Qianye never knew that a man could cry so beautifully and make her heart beat so much.
She patiently wiped away his tears over and over again.
"Don't cry, Qiaosheng, don't cry."
…
At daybreak, the cell door was opened and Xiao Xiu walked down the steps carrying a basket of food.
He said to Yu Dunsu, who was yawning, "General Yu, you have worked hard. My lord ordered me to bring some food to the prisoners. You have not slept all night, would you like to have some snacks to fill your stomach?"
Yu Dunsu yawned and said, "No need for snacks. In that case, you watch him eat and I'll take a nap first."
Xiao Xiu smiled and said, "General, just take a rest. I think it won't be a big deal if I keep an eye on you for an hour or so."
Yu Dunsu was not polite at all. He bowed his head, found two benches, put them together, and poured them on top. Soon, a whistling sound was heard.
Xiao Xiu went into the cell, took out food from the basket and placed it in front of Mo Qiaosheng.
"Eat?"
Mo Qiaosheng stared at him for a moment: "So it's you, why did you do this? Do you... hate me very much?"
Xiao Xiu lowered her eyelashes: "No, I don't hate you."
Mo Qiaosheng looked at him in confusion.
"I have a question that I must know the answer to, and I will do it at any cost."
"doubt?"
"Tell me. You must know it, right?" Xiao Xiu raised her eyes and looked directly at Mo Qiaosheng. "As long as you tell me the truth, I will tell the lord that you are wronged. I can prove that the bottle of □□ is not yours. Then you can return to the lord."
"Know what?" Mo Qiaosheng was very puzzled.
"You know, you definitely know! If you don't want to die, tell me!" Xiao Xiu got excited and grabbed Mo Qiaosheng by the collar. "You are so close to the lord, tell me, is the lord... "
Xiao Jin stepped out from his hiding place and interrupted him.
"catch him!"
Several soldiers rushed into the room, pushed the panicked Xiao Xiu to the ground, and tied her up.