HCB Chapter 1434 Despair
Chapter 1434 Despair
He had thought Zhan Miao was kind and easy to manipulate, but he never expected her to be so intelligent and calm, seeing through all his schemes at a glance.
He slumped to the ground, his face ashen, the ruthlessness in his eyes gradually replaced by despair.
Before long, the sound of soldiers' hooves could be heard in the distance, raising dust as several soldiers dismounted and quickly approached. Seeing Liu Chengze kneeling on the ground, they immediately subdued him and chained him up.
The group greeted each other, saying, "Greetings, Miss Zhan. We are here on orders to apprehend the wanted criminal Liu Chengze!"
Zhan Miao nodded slightly and said calmly, "Thank you all for your hard work. This person is Liu Chengze. Please keep a close watch on him and do not let him escape again."
Liu Chengze was dragged to his feet by Bingwei. As he passed Zhan Miao, his eyes were filled with resentment and unwillingness, but Bingwei pulled him hard, and he could only stagger forward.
His wails and curses were gradually drowned out by the sound of horses' hooves and disappeared at the end of the long dike.
Only after Bingwei's figure had completely disappeared into the distance did Zhu'er breathe a sigh of relief. She turned to look at Zhan Miao, her eyes full of admiration: "Miss, you are amazing. You saw through Liu Chengze's conspiracy at a glance. You scared me to death just now."
Zhan Miao shook her head gently, raised her hand to brush the dust off her skirt, a hint of weariness flashed in her eyes, but she still had a stubbornness: "It's just that I've seen through people's hearts."
After this incident, the last shred of hope she had for humanity vanished completely.
The river breeze along the long embankment carried damp, cold mist that chilled the skin when it hit the face.
Zhan Miao stood there, gazing in the direction Bingwei had gone. His fingers curled up and then relaxed. The tension he felt when dealing with Liu Chengze had dissipated, leaving only weariness all over his body, and even his back was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Zhu'er quickly took her arm and tidied her slightly disheveled hair, nagging, "Miss, please hurry back to the carriage. The wind is too cold. Be careful not to catch a chill. I was so frightened just now. That Liu Chengze is so vicious. Luckily, Miss saw through it at a glance, otherwise it would have been terrible."
Zhan Miao responded softly, letting Zhu'er help him turn around and get into the carriage.
The carriage wheels rolled smoothly over the bluestone road. She leaned back on the soft couch and closed her eyes, the resentful look and curses of Liu Chengze still lingering in her mind.
They traveled in silence until the carriage came to a stop in front of the Marquis of Zhanyi's residence. As soon as the curtain was lifted, a young yet upright figure approached. His dark, almond-shaped eyes first fell on her pale face, then noticed the dust on her skirt, and his brows immediately furrowed.
Mo Ziyu's voice, clear and bright like a young man's, carried a distinct urgency. He reached out and steadily helped Zhan Miao out of the car, his palm warm and his strength just right to support her slightly weak body: "Aunt Miao? Why are you only returning now? Why do you look so pale? Did something happen?"
Despite his young age, thanks to the good genes of the Mo family, he has already grown quite tall.
His features already hinted at the handsome appearance he would later have, but the way he looked at Zhan Miao still held a childlike dependence and concern.
As Zhan Miao was supported by him, the chill in her heart caused by Liu Chengze dissipated somewhat. She raised her hand to rub the top of his head, her voice tinged with weariness: "It's nothing, just a small matter on the embankment that delayed us for a while."
Mo Ziyu was not going to believe her casual remark. When his fingertips touched her wrist, he noticed the slight coolness of her fingertips. His brows furrowed even more. He didn't ask any questions, but simply stepped aside to let her in.
Turning his head, he ordered the servants behind him in a deep voice: "Quickly, make sure the stoves in Tinglan Courtyard are burning brightly, and have the kitchen prepare a bowl of longan and red date soup. It must be hot, and send it over immediately. Also, go and fetch my box of donkey-hide gelatin cake. I brought it from the street for Aunt Miao to nourish her body."
Although he was young, he was well-mannered and methodical in his actions due to the teachings of the Mohists. When giving instructions, he was clear and logical, with an air of unquestionable certainty.
The servants quickly agreed and went about their tasks. Zhu'er, who was following behind, secretly breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the scene unfold. Her young mistress had been protecting Young Master Mo, and now the young master was showing concern for others.
The courtyard was already warm and cozy, with several bronze stoves burning red-hot, dispelling the damp chill of the room.
Mo Ziyu helped Zhan Miao sit on the soft couch covered with cushions, then turned around and personally poured a cup of warm honey water, handing it to her: "Auntie, warm your hands first, and tell me slowly, what exactly happened? I just heard from the gatekeeper that you only took Sister Zhu'er with you when you went out. If you went to the riverbank, that place is remote, did you encounter any bad people?"
He sat down next to Zhan Miao, leaning slightly forward, his peach blossom eyes fixed on her, full of worry, without a trace of youthful mischief.
Zhan Miao held the warm honey water in her hands, the warmth spreading from her fingertips to her heart, soothing her.
She stopped hiding it from him and casually recounted how she met Liu Chengze on the embankment, how he pretended to be in distress to deceive her, and how she saw through his act, which led to the arrest of the guards.
She deliberately omitted the perilous part of the maneuver, but Mo Ziyu was so intelligent that he immediately knew the danger involved. Liu Chengze was a wanted criminal by the imperial court, and he was capable of anything when cornered. Her aunt had only brought Zhu'er with her, and if she was not careful, the consequences would be unimaginable.
His cheeks flushed with anger, and he clenched his fists: "That Liu Chengze is truly vicious! Aunt, you are too audacious! Why didn't you send someone back to the manor to deliver a message first? What if something went wrong?"
His tone carried a hint of reproach, but more so of lingering fear. As he spoke, he reached out and took Zhan Miao's hand, examining it carefully. Only when he saw that there were no injuries on her hand did he breathe a sigh of relief.
He couldn't help but mutter, "From now on, when I go out, I will definitely take the guards from the manor with me, or call me. I have learned kung fu now and I can protect Auntie."
Zhan Miao felt a warmth in her heart when she saw his angry yet worried expression.
She couldn't help but chuckle: "I wasn't completely unprepared either. I carried something for self-defense with me. Zhu'er also knows some basic martial arts, so she might not suffer any losses. But you, at such a young age, have already learned to scold your aunt."
Mo Ziyu pursed her lips, the lingering fear in her eyes still present. She reached out and gently brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead, her fingertips lightly brushing away the weariness between her brows. Her movements were gentle. "I'm not scolding Auntie. Auntie always tries to leave room for others, but not everyone in this world deserves your soft heart. Liu Chengze deserved to be caught for treating you like that, and he can never bother Auntie again."
His words were sincere and touched the softest spot in Zhan Miao's heart.
Living in the Marquis's mansion, she was used to the deceit and treachery. Apart from her own family, who had ever worried about her and protected her so openly?
And the little guy she'd watched grow up has now grown into someone who can worry about her.
A slight tingling sensation touched the tip of Zhan Miao's nose. She lowered her eyes, concealing the moisture in them, and softly hummed in agreement.
Before long, the longan and red date soup from the kitchen was served. It was served in a white porcelain bowl, steaming with warm vapor and exuding a sweet aroma.