0p0 213 I have seen through it all
213 I have seen through it all
That night, Chu Qingluo couldn't sleep at all. It wasn't because of the harsh environment and pungent smell, but because Ji Qiran's words had indeed stimulated her.
She asked herself honestly, and realized she wasn't someone who gave up easily. But the sheer number of vibrant lives slipping away from her made her want to back down.
Fighting will result in bloodshed. Not fighting will also result in bloodshed.
But if he really did nothing and just accepted the fate arranged by others... Gongsun Yu would be very disappointed, wouldn't he?
Thinking of this, I could no longer close my eyes.
……
After Ji Qiran reprimanded the jailers in the prison, they dared not neglect Chu Qingluo and Shaoyao any longer. Meals were served three times a day on time, and as soon as it got dark, torches were lit in the corridors.
The day after Chu Qingluo went to prison, the Sixth Princess also came to visit her.
"Princess Anyang." Chu Qingluo was somewhat surprised by the arrival of this distinguished guest and immediately rose to greet her. After all, as a strong contender for the heirship, no one wanted to be associated with being a prisoner.
"Qingluo, you're too kind. Please sit down." The Sixth Princess walked to her side and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Chu Qingluo didn't know what the Sixth Princess's intentions were, so she waited quietly for her to speak first.
"Back then, we went to Yuezhi together and went through life-and-death situations together... In my heart, Qingluo is already like a sister, a friend who would share life and death with me. But now, why are you acting so distant?" The Sixth Princess deliberately looked unhappy and questioned her.
"..." Chu Qingluo hadn't expected that even at this point, the Sixth Princess would still try to get close to her, so she replied, "This humble official is currently a suspect, and it is really inconvenient for me to claim kinship with the princess."
The sixth princess glanced at her, pouted, and said, "You didn't do anything wrong, so if you keep acting like this... I'm really going to get angry."
Chu Qingluo lowered her eyes slightly and remained silent.
She knew in her heart that if she really wanted to fight against Longkui and the Eighth Princess, she definitely couldn't do it alone. The situation was very different now. To survive in the cracks, she could no longer continue to move ambiguously among these people. She had to make her stance clear.
In other words, she has to take sides.
In fact, the purpose of the Sixth Princess's visit was simply to show her regard for Chu Qingluo, and she also brought some bad news: the lead in this case had been taken away.
Logically, Ziyan's case should have been handled by Jiang Sha, but Long Kui volunteered, saying that she would find out the truth for the Empress in just five days. Seeing Long Kui's confidence, the Empress granted her request and allowed her to preside over the case.
This news was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Chu Qingluo.
Five days? Longkui wants to get rid of her within five days? She's really impatient...
Seeing Chu Qingluo lost in thought, the Sixth Princess seized the opportunity and said to her earnestly, "Qingluo, I know you have never been willing to fight for power, but now you see, even if you don't want to compete with others, they will still climb over your head to get ahead. That's reality."
After hearing this, Chu Qingluo replied calmly, "Princess, I have seen through it all."
The Sixth Princess was unsure of Chu Qingluo's meaning, because before coming here, Ji Qiran had told her that Chu Qingluo's condition was very bad. The word "see through" could mean seeing through the world and understanding life and death.
The Sixth Princess cleared her throat, raised her eyebrows slightly, and asked cautiously, "What does Qingluo mean by that?"
"That's exactly what the princess meant, and I think she's absolutely right. Some paths may not be chosen by ourselves, but how we walk them is entirely up to us." Even if she wanted to back down, the scene of rivers of blood wouldn't stop.
"So... Qingluo has come to her senses?" The Sixth Princess hadn't expected that this persuasion would go so smoothly. Before she could even finish her prepared speech, Chu Qingluo had already expressed her opinion. She was not at all as demoralized as Ji Qiran had claimed.
Chu Qingluo nodded and said, "But... now that I'm inside, it won't be easy for me to get out."
"Don't worry, Seventh Brother and I will never abandon you." After finally managing to pull Chu Qingluo completely over, the Sixth Princess was determined to rescue her.
"Thank you for your trouble, Princess."
"..." The Sixth Princess gave her a deep look, and finally sighed, "That's wonderful."
Chu Qingluo silently bowed to the Sixth Princess again.
The sixth princess was quite satisfied and smiled gently: "You'll have to bear with it for a few days while we wait for our good news."
"Yes."
The Sixth Princess had barely left, less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, when the Ninth Prince arrived.
Chu Qingluo was probably the person who received the most visits from the royal family since being imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. Although the prison guards didn't know who Chu Qingluo had offended and was instructed to be neglected, they clearly sensed that the three members of the royal family were quite protective of her.
Nobody's a fool. Making things difficult for Chu Qingluo would be tantamount to going against the three of them.
This was Ji Qibai's first time in the imperial prison, and the unpleasant smell made him frown. He said, "I believe Qingluo is innocent! His Majesty will definitely find out the truth and clear your name."
Looking at his innocent expression, Chu Qingluo smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words." Long Kui had boasted that she would close the case in five days, but she still had no idea how Long Kui planned to do this dirty work.
The future is truly uncertain and the outlook is not optimistic.
Ji Qibai looked around the shabby cell, feeling very anxious for her. "How can I help you get out of here as soon as possible?"
Chu Qingluo looked at him gratefully, feeling a warmth in her heart. But what could such a young child do to help when he was mixed in with complicated adults who all had their own agendas?
and many more……
Chu Qinglu thought for a moment, and realized that the more a child is like this, the less likely they are to be feared...
Perhaps there really is something he can do to help.
She asked Ji Qibo with a serious expression, "Do you really want to help me?"
“Of course!” Ji Qibo nodded vigorously.
"This case is currently being presided over by Lady Longkui. If you really want to help me, please keep a close eye on her actions for me."
“But…” Ji Qibai pouted and said, “Lady Longkui is elusive and doesn’t live in the palace. Her whereabouts are hard to predict.”
“That’s not difficult.” Chu Qingluo smiled: “Lady Longkui and Princess Xile have a very close relationship, and she often goes to the Flying Immortal Palace.”
"Aha—" Ji Qibai clapped his hands, looking as if he had just realized something, and said, "I understand! As long as I pay more attention to Eighth Sister, I can roughly grasp the movements of Lord Longkui."
"Smart." Chu Qingluo gave him a thumbs up.
"Alright! I'll go guard the Flying Immortal Palace right now, I can't let Lady Longkui escape." Ji Qibai said as he hurriedly walked out.
"Hey, hey—we need to do this discreetly, so don't give yourself away," Chu Qingluo urged him as she followed behind.
"Don't worry—! I understand!"