When she ran back to the old temple, the candle on the table was still burning, and rainwater seeped in from the corner.
Su Xiaoliu leaned against the door railing, gasping for breath. She scanned the area but didn't see Situ Qianyue anywhere. The wooden box containing all the silver earned from running the teahouse was quietly sitting on the ground.
Had he already left? Why didn't he take the money?
Su Xiaoliu was stunned. She straightened up and gradually calmed her breathing.
Su Xiaoliu found a dry spot and sat down. She reached up to brush the rainwater off her head and wanted to take off her shoes to pour out the water inside.
Just as her hand touched her foot, a dark figure appeared at the door.
Su Xiaoliu was taken aback. She sat up straight and looked forward.
The person was dressed in a black tight - fitting suit, wearing a black gauze hat, with black cloth strips wrapped around his hands. He looked somewhat familiar.
"Are you the one from before?" Su Xiaoliu suddenly remembered that he was the man with hawk - like eyes she had met on the way back from the capital.
Su Xiaoliu eyed him warily. He took a few steps forward and stopped not far from her.
"Make a deal with me. One hundred thousand taels of gold," the black - clothed man said in a low voice, his tall figure facing her.
A thunderclap roared, and a flash of white light illuminated his tall and straight silhouette.
One hundred thousand taels of gold? It's even more now?
Su Xiaoliu remained silent.
One hundred thousand taels of gold was enough for a person to live a wealthy life for a lifetime. Who would offer such a high price just to make a deal with her? And what kind of deal was it?
Su Xiaoliu thought for a moment, then looked up and asked, "What's the deal?"
The black - clothed man's deep voice echoed in the empty old temple, "Pretend to be the alliance leader's concubine."
Pretend to be... the alliance leader's concubine?
Su Xiaoliu's eyes widened. She pursed her lips and firmly refused, "I decline."
Since it involved the alliance leader, there must be something dangerous. Su Xiaoliu wasn't going to sacrifice her life for money. Moreover, the Su family wasn't short of money. It wasn't worth giving up her freedom for one hundred thousand taels of gold.
The black - clothed man let out a soft laugh. His hawk - like eyes behind the gauze hat glinted with a cold light. He seemed to have expected Su Xiaoliu's refusal and said unhurriedly, "The calamity of a hundred families, never tell."
"Boom—"
A deafening thunderclap sounded, and the raindrops as big as beans fell even more urgently.
Su Xiaoliu looked at the black - clothed man in disbelief.
"How do you know... Did you eavesdrop?"
If she remembered correctly, the old man with the white beard had told her that this sentence must be kept secret. Revealing it might bring about a fatal disaster. If so, since this man knew this sentence, was he using it to threaten her?
The black - clothed man lifted the corner of his mouth and smiled. After a while, he slowly said, "There are some people who can read lips."
Reading lips was a secret technique in the martial world. Few people knew it. Generally, those who could read lips were killers or people who stole information.
Su Xiaoliu pursed her lips, looked at him, and said, "Okay, I agree to the deal."
The black - clothed man smiled triumphantly and said, "Good."
Su Xiaoliu thought for a moment and then said, "I have another request."
The black - clothed man nodded and said, "Speak."
Su Xiaoliu looked at him seriously and said, "Raise the price by another one hundred thousand taels. I want two hundred thousand taels."
The black - clothed man's body trembled, and he squeezed out a word through his teeth, "Fine."
The rain stopped, and the night was deathly quiet.
Su Xiaoliu squatted behind the old temple and dug a pit with a stone. Since it had just rained, the soil was soft, and the pit was dug quickly.
Su Xiaoliu picked up the wooden box full of silver beside her and carefully placed it in the pit. After covering it with soil a few times, she was still a bit worried. She took out the wooden box and dug the pit deeper with the stone until it was deep enough to reach her calf. Only then did she feel relieved to put the box back in and finally covered it tightly with soil.
Su Xiaoliu stood up, clapped her hands, turned around, and said to the black - clothed man leaning against the wall, "Okay, we can go."
The black - clothed man straightened up, put down his arms crossed on his chest, glanced at Su Xiaoliu, and asked, "Where's your husband?"
Su Xiaoliu was stunned by his question. She looked up at him and said, "I don't know. Maybe he's left."
The black - clothed man didn't ask any more questions but walked forward.
"Do whatever the alliance leader asks you to do when the time comes. Just act like his concubine. Remember, don't let the cat out of the bag, or your life will be in danger. No one will buy your life. You're smart enough to know what to do."
Su Xiaoliu followed behind him. After a while, she replied, "Okay."
Inside the room, the sandalwood incense burner was emitting wisps of green smoke, the oil lamp was making a soft sound, and the candlelight was flickering.
There were several plates of snacks on the wooden table carved with dragon and phoenix patterns. The semi - transparent silk curtain was casually draped aside. A figure was moving and rustling in the bronze mirror.
Su Xiaoliu stared quietly at the woman in the mirror, lost in thought.
The woman in the mirror was wearing a red robe embroidered with peonies. A bit of her white inner garment was showing from her chest. The gorgeous brocade robe dragged on the ground. Her long black hair was flowing down to her waist, with a lock of it pinned up obliquely with a gold hairpin. Jade tassels hung from her waist. Her heart - shaped face was lightly powdered, her round almond - shaped eyes were wide open, her diamond - shaped lips were slightly parted, there were two faint pink blushes beside her small nose, and her two slender eyebrows were like clouds spreading out.
Suddenly, there was a soft sound at the door.
Su Xiaoliu came back to her senses, quickly turned around, and sat down on the flower - shaped stool beside her.
The door was gently pushed open, and a maid in a peach - colored long dress walked in. The maid smiled when she saw Su Xiaoliu, walked up to her, and bowed her head, saying, "Miss, Protector Chang said you can take a stroll, but don't go too far."
Su Xiaoliu was a bit taken aback, then nodded and asked, "Who is Protector Chang?"
The maid bowed her head and replied, "It's the one who brought you here earlier."
That black - clothed man with hawk - like eyes? He's a protector? Since he's the alliance leader's protector, why is he against the alliance leader?
Su Xiaoliu nodded and said, "I see. You can go."
The maid nodded and politely retreated. The door was closed.
Su Xiaoliu leaned on the table, propped her chin with her hand, and let out a soft sigh.
She wondered how her parents and second sister were doing. She hadn't been home for a long time and actually missed home a bit.
And there was also a familiar white figure that kept appearing in front of her eyes and she just couldn't get rid of it.
Su Xiaoliu frowned and stopped thinking about it.
She put down her arms, stood up, and walked towards the door.
She opened the door, and there were several guards standing there. This was the alliance leader's residence, so it was reasonable that the security was strict.
Su Xiaoliu walked out and closed the door. The guards on both sides didn't stop her. She let out a sigh of relief and walked forward with confidence.
The alliance leader's residence was very large. She was in a side room on the second floor.
After going downstairs, there was a bright main hall.
The main hall was empty. The gilded columns with coiling dragons reached up to the sky. There was a lantern placed every certain distance. The only sound in the spacious main hall was her footsteps.
The alliance leader's residence was really different. Ordinary people probably had never even seen such a large main hall.
Su Xiaoliu looked around, and her heart was filled with mixed feelings for a moment.
Su Xiaoliu was walking around, looking this way and that, and didn't notice her feet. Suddenly, she accidentally stepped on the robe that was dragging on the ground. Her body tilted forward, and she fell to the ground with a thud.
A sharp pain shot through her knees. Su Xiaoliu frowned tightly in pain. She heard footsteps approaching from afar. She quickly propped herself up on the ground, got up, and limped behind a wide column while holding her dress.
"The Pingshan Assembly is approaching soon. Are you comfortable living here, Qiongxue?" a steady and pleasant male voice said.