Everyone Wants To Harm Me - Chapter 89

“Close your eyes. I’ll prove it to you.”

His hand brushed across my eyelids, and I closed my eyes obediently.

With my eyes closed, how was I supposed to see? Don’t tell me… he was going to prove it with actions?

“No peeking.”

“Hmm…” My heart raced a little, and I felt his breath brush against my left cheek. He was very close. I wanted to nod but didn’t dare to.

Was he that close to me? I could hear his breathing. If I moved a little now, would he touch me…

We touched.

It was like the rain the night before—wet—and like his chest against my back, warm and fully covering me.

He kissed my lips.

My heartbeat skipped a beat. My eyelashes fluttered, and I instinctively opened my eyes.

He immediately pulled away from me and stepped back more than a foot.

“Ah… I didn’t mean to!” I quickly shut my eyes again, squeezing them tight. “That didn’t count!”

“We agreed no peeking,” his voice came from farther away. “You broke your word.”

I almost cried in frustration. Why am I so impulsive?

I kept my eyes shut, waiting for a long time, but he didn’t come closer. Instead, I heard him get up and leave the bed to open the door.

I reluctantly opened my eyes and called out, aggrieved, “Don’t leave…”

Yu Chongrui opened the door, and Feng Yuan, who had been standing outside delivering medicine, overheard me. She rolled her eyes at me through the door before leaving in a huff.

I watched Yu Chongrui bring the medicine to the bedside. Pouting, I said, “I really didn’t mean it. Can you… do it again?”

He picked up the medicine bowl, blowing on it, saying, “It’s time to drink the medicine.” He didn’t seem willing to repeat the kiss.

The spoon came to my lips, but I pouted and didn’t open my mouth.

“Don’t you want to get better soon?”

Unfortunately, I was injured and weak. I couldn’t even lift my arms. If I were fine, I would’ve already… hmph!

I decided to throw shame aside. “This medicine is so bitter. Give me a kiss, and I’ll drink it.”

Yu Chongrui’s ears turned red again. “Drink the medicine first.”

“Then, after I finish drinking it, will you kiss me as a reward?”

He lowered his eyes, replying softly, “Yes.”

“Promise me. You can’t go back on your word.”

“Do you think I’m you?” He put the spoon back in the bowl and stirred it, scooping up another spoonful. “Drink it quickly, or it’ll get cold.”

“If you go back on your word, I’ll curse… this medicine won’t work and will even make my condition worse.”

Yu Chongrui sighed in exasperation. “Who curses themselves like that?”

Oh, right. If he broke his promise, why should I curse myself to get worse? I should focus on getting better. If I could move again, he wouldn’t be able to weasel out of it.

With that in mind, I drank the bowl of medicine with gusto, then closed my eyes. “I definitely won’t open them this time!”

I heard the rustling of his sleeves, smelled a familiar scent pass through the air, and suddenly felt warmth on my forehead—he gently kissed me there.

“Okay, you can open your eyes.”

Is that all? I…

Although I couldn’t say he cheated, I still felt a little disappointed…

His hand slid down from my temples and tapped my slightly puffy cheeks. “Some things can only be done after we get married.”

Not even a kiss? But he just…

I reluctantly conceded. “Then, can you hug me?” We had hugged so many times before. This shouldn’t have been a big deal, right?

He glanced at me helplessly, sat down next to me, and pulled me into his arms.

I rested on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “Yu Chongrui, next September—there’s still one and a half years left—my mourning period will be over. Then you will…” I thought for a moment, then changed my words. “If we’re both still alive and free by then, will you marry me?”

After a long silence, a low voice came from above my head. “Okay.”

I wished that moment could have lasted forever—no interruptions, no outside disturbances. But just as I was enjoying the peaceful quiet, there was a knock on the door.

Chang San’s voice came from outside. “My lord, a message from Qinghe Garden.”

At the mention of Qinghe Garden, I couldn’t help but lift my head.

Yu Chongrui motioned for me to lie back on the hidden bag, then got up to open the door. Chang San handed him a small paper roll, and Yu Chongrui unrolled it and read it.

Although I couldn’t see his face since I was facing away, I could tell his tone had shifted. “Chang San, can you get in touch with the Shahe Gang—can you reach them today?”

Chang San paused and answered, “I’ll head into the city now. It should be done by noon.”

Yu Chongrui nodded. “Go invite Doctor Deng.”

Chang San acknowledged the order and left.

Yu Chongrui returned to the couch, his brows furrowed, and he told me, “His Majesty… has been found.”

“Found,” not “deceased.”

My heart tightened. “What’s the situation over there now?”

“The Dragon Guard found him. They only said he was injured from a fall off his horse. He’s being brought back to the palace for a full consultation from the Imperial Medical Bureau. No one else knows the details yet.”

It was surprising, but also not.

If I could be saved, surely the Emperor could be too. The way of the world was fair—one life for another. Besides, he was the Emperor; his life was more valuable than mine.

Chang San soon returned with Deng Zishe. He was still yawning. “What’s wrong? Isn’t everything fine?”

Yu Chongrui invited them into the room and asked, “Can you get Qi Yao out of bed before dark?”

“Today?” Deng Zishe frowned. “I’ll try my best.”

Yu Chongrui sat back on the couch and said to me, “I have to go to the palace now. What’s happening inside and what will happen later is still unknown. The deadline is by evening. If I haven’t sent back definite news by then…” He turned to Chang San. “Escort Qi Yao out of Luoyang and follow the route we planned. Don’t leave any traces. Wait for me to contact you.”

Chang San hesitated and then said, “But that is…”

Yu Chongrui gave him a stern look, and Chang San lowered his head. “I obey your command.”

Although I hadn’t explicitly told Yu Chongrui what terrible thing I had done, he likely guessed it. The Emperor asked me for help, but I left him and ran away. Given the Emperor’s suspicions, he definitely wouldn’t let me go after he recovered.

If I ran away, would the Emperor turn his anger on my family and Yu Chongrui?

“No, I can’t leave.” I thought of the guard who stopped us at Qinghe Garden. “Does the gatekeeper have an issue with you? If he investigates, it will definitely expose you.”

Yu Chongrui had told the guard I was his wife, but he wasn’t married and hadn’t brought his family. This would be exposed as soon as he checked. He wouldn’t even need the Emperor’s suspicion—his political enemies would pounce.

“I have my ways to deal with Luoyang. You don’t need to worry,” Yu Chongrui reassured me. “That man—your grandfather can keep him in check.”

So he was my grandfather’s man—that was why he deliberately made things difficult for Yu Chongrui. But Yu Chongrui thought my grandfather would protect me if the Emperor wanted to punish me?

No, he wouldn’t. He would distance himself from me, sacrificing me for the greater good. If he knew that it was Yu Chongrui who took me away, he might even use it against him.

“I’m the Prime Minister. People have been trying to impeach me nonstop. Even if they dig up some fault, it won’t take me down right away. But you—” Yu Chongrui gripped my hand under the blanket. “Remember our promise. Next September, no backing out. Staying alive is the most important thing. Got it?”

Next September… My throat tightened at his gaze, and I nodded silently.

He turned and told Chang San and Deng Zishe not to let anyone into Tao Pavilion until his return. If something happened that they couldn’t handle, they were to send me away immediately.

“Wait for my news,” he said. He gave my hand a final squeeze before leaving with Chang San.

Deng Zishe forced me to eat a full bowl of boiled mutton and drink two doses of bitter black medicine before forcing me to sleep. “Rest and recovery are your top priorities right now.”

That was true, but I couldn’t sleep from worry. He gave me a few needles on my head, and I finally drifted off.

But that sleep wasn’t peaceful. I dreamed the Emperor was furious, not only wanting to kill me, but to annihilate my entire family—everyone associated with me, including Yu Chongrui, Princess Yongjia, Prince Xin, Deng Zishe, Feng Yuan, Chang San, even General Li whom I had never met, and the nameless members of the Shahe Gang—none were spared. Then I dreamed Yu Chongrui and I were fleeing for our lives, wanted posters everywhere, pursuers shouting behind us. I tried to run, but my limbs felt heavy, like they were filled with lead.

In the end, Deng Zishe woke me up. “Get up. It’s time to go.”

I glanced out the window. The rain had already stopped, and the sky held that sharp, biting brightness unique to overcast days. “It’s still so bright outside. Has the hour of You arrived?”

“No, it’s just past Shen.”

“Then why…” I realized something. “What happened?”

“Your family came to the door,” Deng Zishe said. “They brought a number of retainers and are crowding at the gate. The old man leading them called himself He Quan—said he’s here to demand you from Prime Minister Yu. The guards have held them off for now, but judging by their stance, they might try to force their way in.”

He Quan, my second uncle. How had he found his way here? It must have been my grandfather’s doing. Had he sent my second uncle to arrest me? Was he trying to sacrifice his own kin for justice, or was there another reason?

I asked Deng Zishe, “Any news from the palace?”

“Not yet.”

My second uncle had already arrived. My grandfather’s order must have come earlier. He might have been more informed than Yu Chongrui and arrived ahead of time.

Chang San called from outside, “Miss Qi Yao, please follow me and leave through the side door.”

Deng Zishe said, “Come down and try walking.”

I moved my feet and found that the wound wasn’t as painful. I had regained some strength. I stood up and walked on tiptoe but felt tired after only a few steps.

“This isn’t fully healed,” Deng Zishe explained. “It’s just the painkillers at work. If the pain worsens, or the wound starts bleeding, or you lose strength, stop immediately. Don’t push yourself.” He pointed to the bundle on the table. “This is a seven-day supply of medicine. Take the decoction three times a day and change the wound dressing twice a day. Wash the affected area with medicine powder and water. It should heal in seven days. If anything goes wrong, I’ve put the prescription inside—you can get it filled at a pharmacy. The stitches can come out after half a month. If I’m not around, boil the tweezers and scissors in hot water, wash your hands with liquor, and avoid touching the wound. If it bleeds after removing the stitches, keep using the medicine until it heals.”

He handed the bundle to Chang San and repeated the instructions.

There was a small, single-horse cart parked outside. The courtyard gate was bolted from the inside. I climbed into the cart, and we headed northwest.

I asked Chang San, “How many gates does Tao Pavilion have?”

“Only two—the south gate and the west gate.”

With only two gates, would my second uncle have known and sent someone to watch ahead of time?

When we arrived at the west gate, the courtyard gate was bolted. As expected, the guard said there were servants from the He Mansion outside, but only five or six—not as many as at the main gate.

Chang San said, “Five or six servants? It’s no problem for me to handle them. We can drive out directly.”

Escaping might confirm my grandfather’s suspicion that I was at Yu Chongrui’s residence.

Yu Chongrui had mentioned people were trying to impeach him, but they hadn’t succeeded because the Emperor trusted and supported him. If that trust vanished and the Emperor decided to punish him, could he withstand the pressure?

In the end, the grudges between me, my aunt, and the Emperor, as well as the matters of my family, had nothing to do with Yu Chongrui. He shouldn’t be involved.

Besides, my family still had so many people. If His Majesty truly decided to pursue the matter, I might go free and disappear into the world, but where could they escape to? I held resentment toward my grandfather, my uncles, and great-uncles, but I didn’t wish them dead. There were also innocent people in my family—Cousin Zhongshu, the aunts and sisters-in-law who married into our household, the young brothers and nephews. Should they be made to suffer punishment for my actions?

Everyone was responsible for their own choices. If I didn’t flee, perhaps they still had a chance to survive.

I told Chang San, “Don’t alert the people outside. Go find a ladder, and we’ll climb over the northeast wall.”

There was a wooden ladder in the guardhouse. Chang San tied it to the cart and headed northeast.

I directed him to the northeast corner, next to Lan Garden, and set up the ladder. Chang San hesitated when he saw the locust tree branches on the other side of the wall. “Miss Qi Yao, that’s…”

“That’s my family’s estate,” I said, taking the prescription from my bundle and tucking it into my clothes. I got down and said to him, “Brother Chang San, this is my family’s business. You wouldn’t want your master dragged down by the He family, would you?”

I saw him curse my grandfather under his breath, but he didn’t stop me.

The wall was covered in dense thatch, thick as velvet. After autumn and winter, it hadn’t been cleaned, creating a soft carpet-like layer. The ladder wobbled on it. I couldn’t help but wonder if someone had planted this thatch on purpose to stop me from climbing over the wall again.

I remembered the agreement for next September. But that only mattered if we were still alive and free to choose.

Back when Yu Chongrui could have married me, he didn’t say yes. Now that he finally had, I was no longer in a position to choose.

Whether or not he wanted to marry me was his decision. But whether I could marry him or not—that was mine. And my decision was mine to make. I had to solve my own problems first.

I steadied the ladder and slowly climbed. My left foot couldn’t bear weight yet, so I could only inch my way up, step by step.

Last night’s spring rain had brought new life to the leaves, and though the scene was unclear at first glance, from a higher vantage point, the whole Rui Garden seemed shrouded in green mist, full of vitality.

I had secretly climbed over from Lan Garden to this abandoned garden countless times. It had always been my land of freedom, my hidden sanctuary—and it still was.

But on the other side, Lan Garden—my home—was the shackle I had borne since birth, the chain I could never break.

Now, I was returning to it.