The four black balls rolled and rested, rolled and rested. The brothers managed fine, but Nanny Rong was getting on in years, and Tang Rui was too young—rolling was becoming increasingly difficult for them.
Perhaps it was due to their size—when passing an intersection, Tang Rui rolled a full circle slower and was just then spotted by a patrol of night guards.
In a panic, Tang Rui hugged herself, turned her back, and froze completely still, silently chanting in her mind: I am a rock, I am a rock, I am a rock.
The patrol captain’s eye twitched. Remembering the Prince’s instructions, he silently turned away: “Nothing here. Let’s check over there.”
Tang Rui was stunned.
Were the Wangfu guards really this blind?
“Your Highness, let’s go! The outermost abandoned courtyard is just ahead!”
The moment Da Ge spoke, Tang Rui had no time to overthink. She took a deep breath and rolled several more circles before finally reaching their destination.
Once they climbed over the wall of this courtyard, they’d be outside the Wangfu.
With Da Ge and Er Ge’s help, Tang Rui and Nanny Rong successfully escaped.
Nanny Rong rubbed her aching old waist.
Heavens above! When she’d come to serve the young princess, the Princess Consort never mentioned there’d be mortal danger!
She felt like her old bones were about to fall apart.
“Your Highness, this servant has already prepared a carriage. Please board!” Er Ge dutifully led a carriage out from the shadows.
Tang Rui: “You’re on the ball! I’ll give you a bonus at the end of the month.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!” Er Ge had never heard of a “bonus” before, but he roughly understood the meaning. His face lit up as he carried Tang Rui onto the carriage.
Da Ge also helped Nanny Rong aboard.
The two brothers whipped the horses and sped off.
The capital had no curfew, but after nightfall the streets were nearly empty, and the city gates would be closed.
But whether someone had spoken to the soldiers guarding the gates in advance, or because it was the Li Wangfu’s carriage, Tang Rui’s journey out of the city went remarkably smoothly.
A child’s brain couldn’t think that far ahead—she just felt she was very lucky. Her first escape had gone so smoothly; she was clearly born for this line of work.
Soon, they arrived at the mass burial ground.
Late summer had just passed, and residual heat lingered.
The moment they entered the burial grounds, an indescribable stench hit them in the face.
Tang Rui, who had just stepped out of the carriage to breathe some fresh air: “Bleh…”
“Your Highness, you should put on the face covering!”
Nanny Rong advised kindly, but inwardly thought: You don’t wear it when you should, and you insist on wearing it when you shouldn’t.
She couldn’t help but wonder—was her young princess’s obedient, adorable, clever appearance all a facade?
Tang Rui belatedly came to her senses, quickly put on the face covering, and picked up the new small clay jar and small hoe: “Alright, time to work!”
“Yes!” The brothers raised their big hoes as well.
Nanny Rong’s eye twitched: “I’ll keep watch for you!”
There was no way she was going to face those venomous snakes, poisonous insects, and corpses.
Tang Rui didn’t force her. She led the two brothers swaggering into the burial grounds.
This place truly lived up to its reputation as a paradise for venomous snakes and insects. Before long, Tang Rui found a false scorpion.
Tang Rui grabbed the false scorpion and tossed it into the clay jar, then followed the direction it had come from to find a corpse whose face was completely unrecognizable.
Da Ge and Er Ge nearly vomited, but Tang Rui didn’t seem bothered at all. She even educated them: “Pay attention—these false scorpions like to hide inside corpses. Don’t let them pinch you; you’ll get poisoned. Best to use chopsticks. And watch out for venomous snakes.”
Da Ge and Er Ge’s faces turned green.
They wanted to throw up!
But since Tang Rui had given the order, the two could only steel themselves and dismember the corpse.
And surprisingly, they hadn’t expected so many poisonous creatures to use corpses as their nests.
It seemed the expense of a coffin couldn’t be spared—they certainly didn’t want to become a nest for poisonous creatures after death.
What the brothers didn’t realize was that since meeting Tang Rui, their thinking had gradually become twisted, developing in a bizarre direction.
What normal young man would be thinking about coffin expenses at a time like this?
Just then, a terrified voice rang out: “S-someone! Come quick! Someone’s eating a corpse—ahhh!”
Tang Rui: “?”
“Not good!” Da Ge scooped up Tang Rui and bolted. Er Ge hoisted Nanny Rong onto his shoulder and followed.
The four quickly piled into the carriage and sped off in a puff of dust.
Soon, torches lit up across the burial grounds. Everyone stared at the bloody, large-scale dismemberment scene, vomiting uncontrollably.
…
Back in the carriage!
Tang Rui stared at the clay jars like they were treasures, rubbing her little hands together, eyes sparkling.
One trip out, and such a good haul!
She could start setting up all kinds of Gu now.
Nanny Rong was frightened just looking at her. Anyone would think her young princess wanted these things to eat.
And the smell in this carriage…
“Bleh…” Nanny Rong couldn’t take it—she nearly threw up just imagining it.
The first half of her life had been plain and ordinary; the second half was a wild ride squatting among graves.
She felt like all the excitement of her entire life had been packed into today.
“Your Highness, stop looking at those!” She refused to believe Tang Rui could actually refine Gu.
Tang Rui was still very considerate of the elderly. Knowing that Nanny Rong had risked her life to accompany her young mistress tonight, making a great sacrifice and suffering quite a fright, she immediately withdrew her gaze and gave her a sweet smile: “Nanny Rong, thank you so much. Since I was born, no one has ever doted on me like you do, accompanying me no matter how outrageous the matter.”
Oh my goodness!
Foul play!
Who told you to suddenly act cute!
All of Nanny Rong’s dissatisfaction vanished in an instant, and she even felt a bit of heartache for her young mistress. She vowed: “Young Mistress, this old servant will accompany you until death.”
“Nanny is so wonderful. Besides Father, Mother, and the concubines, you rank first in my heart.”
“…” Come listen, everyone, come see.
An adorable little dumpling clutching her tiny fists, gazing at you with big, watery, sparkling eyes, speaking heartfelt words with utmost sincerity.
Who could withstand that?
Nanny Rong lovingly rubbed her head: “Being needed by you, Young Mistress, is this old servant’s honor.”
“Meeting Nanny is my honor too. The carriage smells a bit strong, so let me open the curtain so Nanny can breathe some fresh air.”
All one could say was that if Tang Rui wanted to win someone over, there was probably no one in this world who could resist!
At least Nanny Rong couldn’t.
However, no sooner had Tang Rui lifted the carriage curtain than she caught sight of a familiar silhouette in the alley.
Tang Rui exclaimed in surprise: “That just now… that seemed to be Mother!”
What?
Nanny Rong was stunned.
Tang Rui quickly had Da Ge and Er Ge stop the carriage.
…
In the alley!
Princess Consort Li, wearing a black cloak, glared fiercely at the man before her: “He Yaozu, why is it you? Where is Qin Zhiyi?”
The man wore a lecherous smile, with dark circles under his eyes—a clear sign of overindulgence in carnal pleasures.
His dark green robe hung loosely and was somewhat worn, ill-fitting for his frame.
“Cousin, I am your cousin after all. How can you call me by my name directly!” He Yaozu said, closing his fan to lift Princess Consort Li’s chin.
Princess Consort Li stepped back, her disgust unconcealed: “You are Qin Zhiyi’s cousin, not mine. Enough with the nonsense. Where is Qin Zhiyi? Her reply to me said that if I came here, she would return my mother’s dowry.”