It's late at night and everyone is asleep.
In the city, in an inn in the western suburbs.
Ling'er was busy tidying up the room. After finishing everything, she sat at the table and looked out the dark window with some boredom.
It’s getting late, why hasn’t the saint come back yet?
Ling'er blinked, feeling a little curious and a little sad.
She had been with the Saint since she was young, and they had been inseparable for almost all these years, except for that period of time before...
In order to assassinate Lin Hengzhong, the Saint disguised herself and sneaked into the Lin Palace. This was the only time she was separated from the Saint. And over the years, the Saint treated her like a sister and never hid anything from her.
But they had never been to Xunyang City before, nor had they heard that the Saint had any friends in Xunyang City. So where did the Saint go tonight?
Why aren’t you back yet at this late hour?
Thinking of this, Ling'er couldn't help but feel a little worried.
The Saint and the Great Elder have always been at odds. If the Sect Leader had not stepped in and strictly prohibited infighting within the sect over the years, the Saint and the Great Elder would have probably fought to the death.
But even so, the relationship between the Saint and the Great Elder is still as tense as fire and water.
Thinking of this, Ling'er couldn't sit still anymore. When she was about to get up, she heard footsteps outside the inn room.
"Dengdengdeng!"
It seems like he stepped very hard.
Ling'er subconsciously turned around and soon saw the familiar figure in red appear outside the door.
She immediately stood up in surprise: "Saint, you are back?!"
Ling'er stood up enthusiastically and went forward to greet her, but as soon as she got close, she realized something was wrong: "Saint, what's wrong with you?"
Only then did Ling'er notice that there was something wrong with the expression on the Saint's face.
In the dim room, Liu Su stepped into the room.
A cold and beautiful face was filled with chill, expressionless. Especially those eyes, which seemed to have a tangible and dangerous aura, made Ling'er subconsciously feel a little scared.
Saint, what happened?
Go out for a while, what happened?
Ling'er subconsciously looked at the saint, but saw that the saint was filled with a cold murderous aura, which made people feel cold in their hearts.
"Saint, Saint?!"
Ling'er became increasingly uneasy, "You, what's wrong with you?"
At this moment, Liu Su had a blank expression on her face, with frost all over her face. Her hands under her sleeves were clenched tightly, as if she took a deep breath, then released and clenched again.
"fine."
She spoke coldly.
The tone is very serious.
But, how does this look like everything is alright?
"Saint..."
Ling'er wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Liu Su: "I'm tired and want to rest."
Ling'er was worried and nervous, but after hearing what the Saint said, she could only suppress her worries for the time being: "Then, Saint, you should have a good rest."
"If you have any instructions, feel free to call Ling'er."
Liu Su remained expressionless and said nothing.
Ling'er left the room with an uneasy feeling, closed the door, and stood outside the corridor, her little face still full of worry.
Saint, what happened?
I went out for a while, why did you seem so angry as if something happened?
From childhood to adulthood, she had never seen the Saint look so angry?
Ling'er thought carefully, the Saint had always seemed mature and steady since she was little. She rarely reacted unsteadily, let alone as erratically as she did tonight.
What is going on here?
…
In the room.
Long after Ling'er left the room, Liu Su was still standing there, motionless, like a statue.
The scene that emerged in my mind was the scene I saw and heard in the courtyard before.
It felt like someone was pulling at my heart, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.
“That bastard…”
"Sure enough, they didn't let Xiaozhu go!"
Her voice was soft, but she gritted her teeth, and her pretty face, covered with frost, was filled with indignation.
Even she herself did not realize how angry she was when she saw Lin Jiangnian and Xiao Zhu hanging out in the courtyard.
Although she knew it was a matter of time... when she was still in the Prince Lin's Mansion, that bastard had bad intentions towards Xiao Zhu.
How could that guy bear to have such a delicate and beautiful little maid by his side all day long?
His previous practice of Xuan Yang Heart Method restricted his performance, but as he entered the first level of Xuan Yang Heart Method and lost this last layer of restriction, everything became natural.
But even so, when Liu Su saw it with his own eyes, he still felt very uncomfortable.
She was so distraught that she even forgot how she came back!
At this moment, in the room.
Liu Su took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down, and was angry.
What does it have to do with her which girl he wants to sleep with?
They had no relationship at all, they just... just slept together!
It’s nothing!
Liu Su bit her red lips tightly, her eyes full of hatred.
Besides, they are even now!
No one owes anyone anything!
In that case, why should she be angry about who he would sleep with?
What does it have to do with her?
yes!
Why are you angry?
Thinking of this, Liu Su seemed to suddenly become enlightened, and her beautiful eyes glanced hatefully towards the window.
That heartless man can sleep with whoever he wants, but it would be best if he died in a woman's bed.
Let him sleep soundly!
…
In the suburbs of Xunyang City, in a desolate house that no one cares about.
The owner of this house is away from home all year round, and the house has fallen into disrepair and is overgrown with weeds.
There is a basement in the house.
In the dark and damp basement, a person was lying.
A figure dressed in brocade, but looking extremely embarrassed.
After an unknown amount of time, the figure slowly opened his eyes.
"Where is this?"
When he opened his eyes, he smelled the damp and moldy smell in the air, which made Wang Qin retch.
"vomit……"
After a bout of nausea and retching, Wang Qin's mind gradually returned to normal.
"Where is this?!"
"Come, someone come?"
“Help, help…”
Wang Qin looked at the dark and gloomy environment around him with horror, and fear surged in his heart.
He clearly remembered that he was held hostage by a woman on his way to Liuxianglou. He then lost consciousness and appeared here when he woke up.
This, where is this?
Kidnapped?
Thinking of this possibility, Wang Qin was shocked and angry!
In Xunyang City, there are actually people who dare to kidnap him?
Are you so bold?
Are you looking for death? !
"Come quickly... Do you know who I am?"
"If you don't let me out, I will kill your whole family!"
“…Someone come quickly!”
"Help……"
"Please, someone come..."
“…”
Two days later.
Wang Qin was so hungry that he was skin and bones, lying on the ground, dying.
He was locked up here for two whole days, in this dark basement, and he was hungry for two whole days.
From the initial shouting and threatening outside the door to the subsequent calls for help, no one showed up.
The fear of the unknown darkness enveloped him. Wang Qin felt sleepy, hungry and thirsty, and panic continued to spread in his heart.
He won't die here, right?
You won’t starve to death here, right?
Just as Wang Qin was becoming more and more desperate, he heard footsteps approaching from a distance, like the sound of nature. Wang Qin raised his head from the ground with difficulty.
“Snap!”
There was the sound of an iron door opening, and the next second, a blinding light shone into the dim basement.
The strong light made Wang Qin unable to open his eyes.
In the damp and filthy basement, Wang Qin lay on the ground, covered in filth, and struggled to raise his head. After two days of hunger, he had no strength left.
In the glaring backlight, he vaguely saw a figure appear at the door.
“Help, help…”
His voice was hoarse and he could barely speak.
He hadn't had any water for two days and had been shouting for help for two days, so his throat was hoarse.
"Not dead yet?"
At the door, a voice that seemed a little unexpected came.
The excitement that appeared on Wang Qin's face disappeared in an instant.
This voice... sounds so familiar!
Isn’t she the woman who kidnapped him that day?
Wang Qin raised his head with difficulty, and sure enough, he saw the figure that appeared at the door. It was the woman who kidnapped him that day?
A look of horror appeared on Wang Qin's face. He was so angry that he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a word.
"Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"
Came the woman's voice.
When Wang Qin was about to speak angrily.
“Snap!”
A cold and stiff steamed bun fell in front of him.
Wang Qin paused abruptly as the words reached his lips. His stomach churned, the intense hunger churning in his intestines, causing him excruciating pain.
This garbage, which he would never even glance at on ordinary days, now exudes a strong desire for food, stimulating his taste buds. He subconsciously grabs the steamed bun on the ground, and stuffs it into his mouth in big mouthfuls, not caring that it is cold, stiff and tasteless.
Under the survival instinct of hunger, nothing else matters!
Wang Qin, who had lived a life of luxury since childhood, had never been treated like this. Feelings of grievance surged in his heart and he almost cried on the spot.
The stiff and hard-to-swallow steamed bread quickly choked my throat when I stuffed it into my mouth.
“Ahem…”
“Water, water…”
Wang Qin covered his throat, his face terrified.
A kettle fell to the ground. Wang Qin grabbed the kettle and poured the water into his mouth in big gulps.
Wang Qin greedily drank all the water in the kettle, his face full of satisfaction of being reborn.
"Are you full?"
The woman's indifferent voice came again from the front.
"You, who are you..."
After eating a steamed bun, Wang Qin finally came back to life. He raised his head with difficulty and stared at the woman at the door. His voice was low and he wanted to speak angrily.
But in the end, I held back.
"What do you want to do?"
"You don't deserve to know who I am."
The woman at the door said calmly: "However, if you want to leave here, just cooperate with me and I can let you go!"
Wang Qin was immediately furious: "Do you know who I am? How dare you..."
"The son of the Xunyang prefect? Who else could you be?"
The woman at the door sneered, "I specialize in catching scoundrels like you who prey on the common people!"
The threatening words that Wang Qin was about to say were instantly blocked back, and he opened his eyes wide in horror.
Does she know his identity?
Coming specifically for him?
"What do you want to do?"
Wang Qin gritted his teeth and said, "Since you know my identity, aren't you afraid of death?"
"Why should you be afraid?"
The woman sneered: "If I kill you, who will know?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Wang Qin was instantly terrified.
"You, what do you want to do?"
"It's very simple. There are some things I want to ask you..."
The woman at the door narrowed her eyes and sneered, "You should be familiar with Wang Shi, the county magistrate of Chaoyang County, right?"
When Wang Qin heard this name, his heart skipped a beat, as if he realized something.
He forced himself to remain calm: "You, what do you want to say?"
"Then those things Wang Shi did behind the scenes must have been instigated by you, right?"
The woman at the door sneered, "Those things are closely related to your Wang family, right?"
"Ben, I don't know what you are talking about!"
A trace of fear flashed across Wang Qin's eyes, and he immediately said in a timid tone, "I don't even know any Wang Shi. What has he done got to do with me?"
"Yeah?"
The woman at the door sneered even more: "It seems that you are not going to cooperate?"
"In that case, then you should just stay here."
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman at the door turned and left.
"Bang!"
As the iron door closed, the basement fell into darkness again.
Wang Qin's eyes were filled with horror. He just left?
"Come back!"
"You bitch, let me out now!"
"If I get out, I will kill your whole family!"
"...Help, is there anyone who can save me?"
“…”
"Please, please come back soon, let me go..."
“…”
Three more days later.
When the basement door opened again, Wang Qin was lying on the ground dying.
At the door, the woman sneered: "Now, can you behave yourself?"
"This is your last chance!"
After being locked up for so long, Wang Qin's eyes no longer had the sharp edge they once had. Instead, they were filled with fear. Extremely fear.
Being imprisoned in this dark place and the dark environment almost drove him crazy.
He raised his head with difficulty, as if using up all his last strength, and spoke tremblingly.
"Let me out..."
"You, you can do whatever you want!"
“…”
"I see!"
Outside the basement.
In a desolate house.
"Sister, your guess is correct. There really is something wrong with the Wang family!"
Shen Lingjun muttered to himself, a look of disbelief and anger appearing on his cold face.
She originally thought that the Wang family was just secretly doing some shady things. The abduction and trafficking of women in Chaoyang County was closely linked to the Wang family.
But as Shen Lingjun continued to investigate, she discovered that things were not that simple. She never expected to be able to pry so many unexpected surprises out of Wang Qin.
Shen Lingjun felt a chill in his heart and was angry!
The Wang family was nominally a prominent family in Xunyang City, known for their generosity and generosity, and enjoyed an excellent reputation among the people. Unexpectedly, they were actually committing so many heinous crimes behind the scenes.
"Trafficking people, forcing women into prostitution, smuggling salt, and forcibly annexing the people's land..."
Wang Qin's words implicated a series of large interest groups. Under the protection of the Wang family, the entire Xunyang City was in darkness.
Officials and businessmen protect each other!
Shen Lingjun was shaking with anger.
A few days ago, at the instruction of the sister in the bamboo hat, she escaped from the prison in Chaoyang County alone, and headed north to Xunyang City. With the arrangement and cooperation of the sister in the bamboo hat, she kidnapped Wang Qin, the son of the prefect of Xunyang.
Until now, everything seemed to be within the calculations of the sister in the bamboo hat.
Shen Lingjun was amazed and admired, and also became extremely curious about the identity of the sister in the bamboo hat.
What is her origin?
Why did everything go according to her plan? Shen Lingjun even successfully kidnapped the son of the Xunyang prefect without any effort.
It’s so easy!
It was so simple that Shen Lingjun once suspected there might be something fishy going on!
"So the next step..."
Shen Lingjun looked back at the basement behind him, seemed a little hesitant, but finally made up his mind!
Listen to your sister!
She can't be wrong!
Shen Lingjun's eyes were firm.
…