CH 56

Chapter 56 Mad Dog

When he returned to the other courtyard, he could not see the sun at all, and the clouds had gathered in the sky. After the rainy season, it will clear up in a few days.

Liu Zhongming walked fast all the way. The closer he got to the familiar hanging flower door, the heavier his breathing became, and he even thought of kicking the man’s heart more than once.

Perhaps he was too angry, so he stumbled on the threshold and was supported by a pair of hands in time.

“Shizi, be careful.”

The fist in his sleeve clenched and loosened. The sound made him suddenly feel a sense of grievance in his life – a wild cat on the side of the road can respond to his kindness, so why can’t the person in front of him do it? Why is he so cold-blooded?

He raised his hand and threw the man aside.

Qu Chenzhou noticed his unhappiness, and no longer approached ignorantly. He took a few steps back and asked, “Does Shizi know?”

“En,” Liu Zhongming suppressed his boiling anger, and tried to calmly ask: “What do you have to say?”

“Looking at the sky, I’m afraid it’s going to rain, Shizi, please come in and sit for a while.”

“Sit down? Qu Chenzhou, do you really take this place as your own home?” Liu Zhongming sneered and scolded, “Speak!”

It was the first time that Qu Chenzhou heard Liu Zhongming’s vicious voice towards him, his chest stagnated, and he soon secretly laughed again – the two standing here no longer have the entanglement of their previous life, why shouldn’t he use such heavy words? 

“Shizi should know about Dan Lang’s matters,” he put his hands together, but he didn’t get a response, so he continued: “I invited Dan Lang to go out today. He had been trapped for so many days, so naturally he would take the ledger with him. “

Although I don’t know where he is going, I knew that he will meet Madam Liu, and the lady’s attitude towards us, Shizi must be more clear of this than me.”

“In the palace, Ning Wang was not a cautious person. In these few days, Huai Wang should have found everything he was looking for, and it’s time for Ning Wang to come on stage.”

“Since Ning Wang can’t hide it, Dan Lang is not far from being revealed. If he just confessed to having an affair with Ning Wang and Jiang Xingzhi had him steal the account books, wouldn’t it be a waste of a good chess piece?” 

“With his death, the purpose of stealing the accounts and fornicating with Ning Wang will no longer be in his control. But these words should not be said from Shizi’s mouth, but Madam Liu. To make Madam Liu willing to be angry with Dan Lang, we only need… “

“Only need what?” Liu Zhongming interrupted suddenly and rudely: “I just need to provoke her, right?

He used strength to squeeze his arm to stop himself from shaking on how ridiculous it was. The wind before the rain was suddenly very cold, cold to the bone, and the person couldn’t help shivering.

On the way back, the trace of innocence that he was still carrying was torn to shreds by reality.

Indeed, Qu Chenzhou never gave him the slightest promise. This was the second time he had acted affectionately to an uninterested party. However, even as his adviser, the other party couldn’t be like this. He couldn’t use him like a dead object, summoned then waved away.

How dare he!

“Do you want me to quarrel with her?” His eyes were flushed and he stared at Qu Chenzhou: “Because of you, I had a big fight with her. You think this is the best way, don’t you?

Qu Chenzhou was forced to take a step back then had to look elsewhere: “Shizi, please appease your anger. In this matter, Shizi just needs to pretend not to know that Dan Lang was ill-intentioned, and stick up for Dan Lang. The next thing, you do not have to worry it.” 

“Madam Liu and the Empress is of the same clan. Once the Empress hears about the quarrel between you and the Madam, she will definitely ask her to come forward, and the blame will naturally fall on Dan Lang.” 

“Madam’s temper, His Majesty and Shizi are naturally aware. Even in this matter, if you help Ning Wang, His Majesty will not be unhappy because of it.” 

“This little thing can’t shake the three Wang Ye’s, but once Dan Lang is rooted, Jiang Xingzhi can’t run away. The beautiful things that Qi Wang did in Jinnan this time will not obstruct Jiang Xingzhi…”

“You did really well.” Liu Zhongming suddenly laughed. He didn’t know what he was laughing about, the series of good dramas that caught the three Wang Ye’s and Jiang Xingzhi in one breath or his puppet-like existence in this good drama. 

“Well done,” he murmured again: “Huai Wang is restrained because of His Majesty, Ning Wang is being loathed, while Qi Wang who seemed to have made great contributions, will need to give up Jiang Xingzhi, you have done a good job. But have you ever thought about me?” 

Qu Chenzhou’s clothes were suddenly pulled up. He turned his eyes a little helplessly, and quickly moved away. 

“Look at me! Why don’t you dare!” Liu Zhongming gritted his teeth and almost roared: “Even if you don’t recognize me as the master, do you even treat me as a person? Am I easy to use? Huh?” 

“Are you very proud? Everyone is like a dog being driven around by you. Are you happy seeing this?” 

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, not only about Dan Lang, not only Jiang Xingzhi, you just want my Royal Mother not to dare to trouble you in the future. The more I argue with her, the safer you will be, right?” 

He squeezed Qu Chenzhou’s chin and pulled him over: “Don’t you never lie? Tell me, am I right?” 

Qu Chenzhou’s heart jumped violently in his chest, and after a while he lowered his eyes and replied, “Yes.” 

This time, it was still the same as before, his arrangements were seamless, and everyone was walking on the arranged route, but again, he couldn’t understand where his panic came from. 

Maybe…it was because of Zhongming’s hateful eyes. 

Why did it become like this again, Zhongming hating him. 

He held onto something that didn’t exist in the front of his shirt, dazed. 

Liu Zhongming’s chest heaved up and down, he was panting heavily, then he calmed down after a while. He raised his voice to command: “Someone come, light the lamp to lead the way!” 

“Shizi…” Qu Chenzhou whispered behind him, “Where are you going?”

“To the Marquis Mansion to do as you wish, are you happy?” Liu Zhongming asked him with a sneer, “Qu Chenzhou, is your heart really made of stone?”

Qu Chenzhou turned his face silently.

Are you happy? Not at all. He realized something seemed to be wrong, but his mind rarely blank, couldn’t think of a clue.

Liu Zhongming had already reached the door, and suddenly turned around and walked towards him.

Qu Chenzhou turned his head and thought he would hear something, but when he saw the other party wave his robe sleeves, the strong wind hitting his legs, his knees softened, and he fell to the ground.

“Kneel down!” Liu Zhongming’s cold scolding sounded above his head: “When you realize what you did wrong, then you can get up!”

The noise gradually faded away from the door.

It was not until the voice disappeared that Steward Lin came in carefully from the door. Seeing that Qu Chenzhou was as quiet as an ice sculpture, he couldn’t help sighing and squatting beside him.

“Chenzhou, why are you making the Shizi angry again? Is the Shizi treating you badly? You have enough food and clothing and he doesn’t even let the others touch the sarong in his room. It’s already very good.”

Qu Chenzhou was stupefied, rolling his eyes. His mind was like muddy water, chaotic, and after a while he replied, “Steward Lin…”

Steward Lin was anxious every time he saw his taciturn appearance.

“Shizi just asked me to come and watch you, saying that when you come up with the answer, then you can get up again. Housekeeper She secretly told me that Shizi is allowing a way out for you.”

“Don’t kneel, stand up. Once Shizi comes back, obediently admit your fault. At worst, it would be a few fines. Shizi is kind-hearted and he is very kind to you, so he won’t make it difficult for you.”

“Steward Lin…” He took his hand out of Steward Lin’s arms, kneeling still, babbling in his daze, “Did I make a mistake?” 

Was he wrong?

There was no mistake.

Where was the mistake?

For the sake of Zhongming and for the events of the previous life to not happen again, he had tried his best, and would even burn himself to ashes.

Is he not trying hard enough, should he be doing better?

But before meeting Ning Wang and Huai Wang, he was caught off guard by hearing that terrifying question from Bai Shiyan. No matter how hard he tried to read Huai Wang’s divination, a terrifying thought would always haunt him.

Zhongming knows….he knows how Bai Shiyan died in his previous life!

Why would he know? Could it be that Zhongming, like him, was an old soul from the previous life?

impossible!

But no matter what Zhongming knew, it would be a huge torture for them, and he didn’t dare to think about this possibility.

When he woke up again, he had already returned to the courtyard.

Beneath his pretentiously calm appearance was a frightened bird, feeling that Liu Zhongming’s every move would to peel off his disguise.

You can only do your best to avoid it and try to convince yourself that there is just a stranger in front of you.

It was no longer Zhongming who always cried and asked for help, and it was no longer that… Zhongming who scolded him for not fighting back and patiently teaching him how to dismantle things.

He was quite familiar with the hatred in those eyes.

He was hated by countless people, or it should be said, no one liked him.

Until now, he still remembered General Bai pointing and cursing at him under the imperial steps in front of the Zhonghe palace Hall – Qu Chenzhou, one day, you will be punished!

He remembered the rain of arrows that fell from the sky. The triumphant people had not yet taken off their armor, yet the blood had flowed into a river.

Just because of his cold divination.

The Bai family will rebel.

And that time, no one forced him.

He remembered that before old Lin Xiangzhu died, he left one last piece of advice to His Majesty – if Qu Chenzhou does not die, Dayu will never have a peaceful day.

He remembered Ling He’s body that was turned into bones, staring at him with his dead head, and the curse before his death was still in his ears – Qu Chenzhou, retribution will come, you will die worse than me!

These people thought that His Majesty was his backing.

They were all wrong. In fact, even His Majesty didn’t like him. If he didn’t need his divinations, he was afraid he would have been broken into thousands of pieces.

In fact, he didn’t need others to like him at all – everyone in his eyes was just the walking dead.

He arranged schemes and strategized.

He looked coldly at the rotting flesh and blood, which was not as nice looking as a flower growing out of a brick crevice.

How many years have passed since those days? He can’t remember much, only the resentment and hatred of the past had always burned in his bones.

When the flames of war ignited outside the palace gate, he even counted the few days he had left with relief.

For Zhongming, he had no resentment, that was the road of no return that he had carefully paved for himself.

But Qu Chenzhou, whose life was as cheap as grass, came to life again.

When he was ignorant, he clutched the corner of Zhongming’s clothes in a panic, helplessly, hiding behind him, looking at everything outside.

He also once lost everything overnight, was forced to smash himself to pieces and recast himself into a mad dog wrapped in his calm skin that would bite anyone he saw.

But… but he had never faced Zhongming with such an ugly appearance.

He came back alive, still a disgusting monster, a juvenile pure body mixed with a crazy ugly soul.

Forcing himself to ignore, forcing himself to forget, forcing himself to be indifferent, in fact, it was all his guilty conscience and panic.

“Steward Lin…”

Qu Chenzhou called out softly. Something icy hit his face, then the top of his head, and a wet circle gradually appeared on the ground.

“Chenzhou, it’s going to rain, go and hide in the house.”

He didn’t move, stared at the ground blankly, and asked, “Do you think if someone can take care of one’s bones after death, their ghost won’t come out to make trouble?”

Steward Lin was frightened by him, and scolded: “Chenzhou! What nonsense are you talking about! You are still young, why are you talking about life and death!”

Qu Chenzhou grinned and wanted to laugh, but something in the corners of his eyes flowed down together with the raindrops.

Looking at the dense raindrops hitting his clothes, he suddenly remembered the hem of the clothes that flashed in front of him when he knelt down.

If possible, he would like to be able to tearfully tug at the corner of his shirt as before, begging softly – Zhongming, it was my fault, don’t be angry.

But he was a wild dog who had been wandering for too long. He was dirty and didn’t know how to live in a crowd.