She turned back impatiently. “What’s the use of telling you? Can you help me?”
“Why don’t you tell me? Maybe I can actually help you.”
Hearing his words, Shan Xiaoya’s heart stirred. Why not? Maybe he could help. What if he discovered she was the thief? Soldiers would block, generals would stop – there would always be a way. Maybe he’d even help remove the bracelet…
Shan Xiaoya’s initially impatient face transformed as she looked at Zhao Yeqing respectfully. “I have a grudge with them. They’re here to kill me. I can’t be caught, or they’ll definitely kill me.”
Zhao Yeqing asked curiously, “What grudge could make them want to kill you so ruthlessly?”
Shan Xiaoya’s eyes flickered as she fabricated a story about being childhood friends with Princess Shunyang, who was married to General Hulian Nan against her will. She claimed to have secretly come to Jin Ri Country to see the princess, and that they planned to escape together, but were discovered. She portrayed herself as seeking revenge for the princess’s mistreatment.
Zhao Yeqing, moved by the seemingly tragic tale, asked, “What do you want to do?”
“Of course, I want to find an opportunity to kill Hulian Nan and avenge my beloved woman,” Shan Xiaoya declared.
Dan Xiaoya looked at him strangely and retorted, “What’s good about having no home or business? My beloved woman is dead, and my heart died with her. I originally wanted to avenge her before going down to accompany her. But now I have no face to go down and see her. I can’t die with dignity, and I don’t want to live. Don’t you think I’m pitiful? And you actually say this is good? What are you thinking?”
Zhao Yeqing suddenly felt he was so miserable and pitiful. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant. If you have nowhere to go, come to my mountain villa.”
Dan Xiaoya repeated doubtfully: “Mountain villa?”
“Yes, Ming Jian Mountain Villa. I am the young villa master Zhao Yeqing. Ming Jian Mountain Villa welcomes you anytime.”
Dan Xiaoya declined: “I can’t go to your villa. That general is not easy to provoke. If he finds out I’m hiding there, won’t that implicate you? We have no grudges; how can I harm you?”
