Perfect Encounter - Chapter 62.1
PROOFREAD BY AFREANA
Chapter 62.1
An Ruochen was not paying attention to Big Long’s expression, scratching the table with her fingers, frustrated: “Those fighters and guards were not that great. The General would not have a problem standing one against a hundred of them. I didn’t need to go first.”
Big Long’s face became even uglier. Then it’s my fault?
An Ruochen lowered her head, still unaware, chattering softly: “Qi Zheng and Zhao Jiahua also did not escape. Aren’t they safe? I could have helped the General.” Next time, when she wants to shoot the enemy in the chest, she will aim at their leg, okay? It’s a bit cruel and bloody to pierce their eyes. An Ruochen still felt nauseous thinking about that image. Her face could not help but wrinkle into a ball.
“An Steward.” Big Long finally couldn’t hold back.
“Ah?” An Ruochen looked up, still with a complaint on her face.
“As a steward of the General’s office, you can’t ride a horse! Isn’t this nonsense?!”
An Ruochen’s mouth opened wide, dumbfounded. Now, where was it? Horse riding?
Is it my fault?
Only then did An Ruochen realize that the General was unhappy. The expression of unhappiness was a bit faint. Well, maybe even a little unnatural?
What is the General upset about? An Ruochen carefully scrutinized Big Long’s face.
“Beginning from tomorrow, you will learn to ride horses properly!” Big Long was extremely serious.
“Ah?”
“Now it’s late. Go back to sleep.”
“Huh?” Didn’t we have a good conversation? She still had a lot to say!
An Ruochen was stunned to be driven out. Big Long didn’t use the kick, but that kind of waving hand, a disgusted “you hurry up and go” frame, so An Ruochen was more hurt than after being kicked.
The night sky was clear, and the stars were shining, but the mood was awful.
An Ruochen sighed. It must be the result of too much sleep.
An Ruochen slid around Big Long’s courtyard with her hands behind her back and saw an officer coming over and entering. It seems that the General is quite busy. Maybe everyone was interrogating the Liu Residence and the gambling house. An Ruochen thought about it and went to the west courtyard.
Zhao Jiahua settled in the chamber with guards outside the door. An Ruochen asked the guards about the situation while Zhao Jiahua was awake inside the room. When she heard her voice, she called her in.
Zhao Jiahua still looked weak, lying on the bed with her eyes half-open, as if she was trying to fight back the sleepiness.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come.” Zhao Jiahua said. “I didn’t know what your condition is. I was afraid I would fall asleep when you come and miss it.”
“What’s the matter?”
Zhao Jiahua turned her head to look at the door, which was closed. Only she and An Ruochen were in the room. She turned back and lowered her voice, “My daughter, don’t tell anyone.”
“I didn’t.” An Ruochen tucked in the blanket for her. “I’m not as clever as that. I don’t know where she is.”
Zhao Jiahua smiled, “I want to tell you where she is. After all, I’m afraid I won’t be able to travel far soon. With Liu Ze dead, I want her to return to me.”
“You want me to pick her up?”
Zhao Jiahua asked, “Is that okay? You are the only one I trust right now.”
An Ruochen smiled, “I remember when you said you didn’t trust me.”
“Right. In the beginning, you wouldn’t believe me either.” Zhao Jiahua said, “I made a deal with Ping’er and Granny Chen. If I don’t find them in a month, they’ll move. If someone is looking for them, they should not trust anyone except you. I intended to report to the authorities and lure them to search within the city, delaying them for two days to give them time to run farther away. After they were safe, I would have told you all about it. Whether you believed it or not, and whatever you decided to say to Liu Ze, it would not have mattered. By that time, I would have been gone.”
“Unfortunately, you were imprisoned that day?”
“Yes. The situation was worse than I thought.”
“Is your daughter’s dangerous situation related to the spy? Young Master Min wanted to use her to blackmail you and your husband, and Boss Liu was planning to submit?” Earlier, Big Long did not mention this part, so she guessed Zhao Jiahua did not reveal it.
“No.” Zhao Jiahua pursed her lips tightly and only said, “It has nothing to do with the spy. Forgive me for being unable to say more. It’s just a family matter. Since Liu Ze is dead, I do not intend to leave Zhonglan City. Until I change my mind, my daughter will live here.” She paused and seemed sad: “Speaking of which, besides Zhonglan, I don’t have any other place to call home.”
An Ruochen understood, nodded, and didn’t pursue the question.
“Sorry. If I had a useful clue, I would have told you.” Seeing her silence, Zhao Jiahua was busy explaining. “Unfortunately, I don’t know much and can’t help much. I didn’t know that my husband was doing all those things. Later on, I learned from the Xu Matchmaker that an old friend of mine had died at their hands. The Xu Matchmaker admitted this to me but didn’t say anything about the spying. After her death, I paid special attention and found the anomaly. I saw several bells in Liu Ze’s study, but he did not hang them at home. Then, I saw the bells in the restaurant’s window. Every time the bells appeared, he began to be busy. I tried to uncover the person who hung the bells but found nothing. Then, I sensed that my daughter was in danger. That’s why I planned those things that followed.”
Zhao Jiahua told how she had chosen An Ruochen and arranged the plan. “I thought even if I die, there will still be one person in this world who won’t let him go. You will pursue this to the end, won’t you?”
“Yes.” An Ruochen nodded her head and raised her tone of voice.
“Yes.”
“Having come this far, I don’t know whether I should hate him. I had thought I could take revenge by relying on his affection.” Zhao Jiahua blinked her eyes, blinking back her tears. “It should be considered a successful revenge, but I am not rejoicing.”
An Ruochen did not know what to say. It was not good to ask what kind of revenge she was speaking about. Liu Ze was fond of Zhao Jiahua, undoubtedly. But, An Ruochen didn’t know about Zhao Jiahua’s feelings towards Liu Ze. She guessed maybe Zhao Jiahua herself didn’t know.
From Zhao Jiahua’s room, An Ruochen walked confidently and then looked up. How did she arrive outside the General’s courtyard again?
She walked along Big Long’s courtyard and was about to return to her room when she saw a person in front of her.
General Long raised his eyebrows while looking at her: “Not sleeping at night, but circling my room. It will make people think that you have some plans.”
An Ruochen: “……” the General himself, who had just rushed back to the city and fought, is not yet sleeping but creeps around – isn’t that suspicious too!
The two people stared at each other with big eyes. Big Long neither let her go nor did he intend to go himself.
An Ruochen felt that this situation was getting nowhere. Since they were already here, let’s talk about business. “General, I have to go out. Can you arrange a carriage for me and send a team of reliable guards to escort me? I’ll be back in about three or four days.”
Big Long wondered, “Where are you going?” She looked upset when she left his room. Is she running away from home?
An Ruochen told the story. Big Long nodded: “In that case, then go. I also have to leave for a few days. I was thinking of going to your place to tell you.”
An Ruochen’s heart warmed up and inexplicably felt in a better mood. “Where is the General going?”
“There are still some military affairs at the front military camp.” He rushed back quickly after showing his face before the South Qin soldiers and generals. There were still matters to be completed over there.
“Oh.” Only then did An Ruochen remember that she shouldn’t ask.
“I have explained the follow-up investigation over here. They will strictly interrogate those stewards and thugs of the Liu Residence and the gambling house.”
Speaking of this, An Ruochen remembered her fault. She bit her lip, feeling ashamed.
Big Long raised his eyebrows, “What’s wrong?”
“I… I was reckless and impulsive and made a big mistake. Please punish me, General.”
Big Long looked at her appearance, moved his eyebrows, and then looked up at the starry sky before saying, “It’s so late, and it’s quite cold. It is better to go inside the house for punishment.” After saying this, he turned around and returned to the courtyard with his hand on his back.