Xiao Qing kept the smile on her face, as if she didn't understand the implication in Chu Ri Huaizhu's words. "Maybe it's because people's hearts have been too impetuous lately. They don't listen at all, so they're always punished and let out shrill cries."
Chu Ri Huaizhu glanced at Xiao Qing and found that there was no change in her expression. Instead, there was a hint of ease and pleasure on her face.
"I see. I thought someone was abusing their power to torture others. If I find out that someone has been abusing their power to torture others, I'll have to invite her to the dungeon for some good lessons."
The angrier Chu Ri Huaizhu got as she spoke, the stiffer Xiao Qing's face became. These words with a hidden meaning made her wonder if Chu Ri Huaizhu had seen her dealing with those people. But she couldn't explain. If she did, she was afraid Chu Ri Huaizhu would question her about the reason.
What she didn't know was that Chu Ri Huaizhu had already suspected Xiao Qing's true identity. And what happened that night made Chu Ri Huaizhu even more suspicious of Xiao Qing. This suspicion even made Chu Ri Huaizhu determined to investigate Xiao Qing's true identity.
Feeling bored, Chu Ri Huaizhu was enjoying the moonlight in a pavilion in a corner of the courtyard when she suddenly heard the sound of soft footsteps coming from behind the wall.
Chu Ri Huaizhu held her breath and hid her figure behind the pavilion bamboo. She heard Xiao Qing's voice coming from behind the wall. That familiar voice made Chu Ri Huaizhu even more cautious.
"Recently, I've started to be suspected by her. I may be exposed soon." Xiao Qing's voice was clear in the night, even though she had lowered it.
After hearing this, the person who had a secret meeting with Xiao Qing clearly panicked. It seemed that he wanted to take Xiao Qing away. Then, Chu Ri Huaizhu heard Xiao Qing say.
"We can't leave now. If we leave now, all our previous efforts will be in vain." After that, Chu Ri Huaizhu couldn't hear clearly. She suspected that the other person was whispering.
It became quieter and quieter behind the wall. Chu Ri Huaizhu didn't act rashly. Sure enough, a moment later, Xiao Qing climbed in from a corner of the wall. She almost saw the hidden Chu Ri Huaizhu.
The next day, Chu Ri Huaizhu sent someone to investigate all of Xiao Qing's information. She now suspected Xiao Qing's true identity and who the person who met her last night was.
"It's strange. Why is there no information about her at all? There used to be specific information." Chu Ri Huaizhu was studying the information that someone had investigated. The information about Xiao Qing that used to exist was now completely blank. Moreover, even the name Xiao Qing couldn't be found.
Chu Ri Huaizhu became more and more vigilant against Xiao Qing. When Xiao Qing served her for dinner, Chu Ri Huaizhu felt complicated, but she didn't let Xiao Qing notice.
At night, Xiao Qing served Chu Ri Huaizhu to take a bath. Even though Chu Ri Huaizhu suspected Xiao Qing, she didn't rashly transfer Xiao Qing away from her. If Xiao Qing really had other plans, it would be safer to keep her in sight.
Chu Ri Huaizhu took off her clothes and put them on the screen. Xiao Qing was pouring rose petals into the bathtub. The faint fragrance made Chu Ri Huaizhu relax.
"Madam, there's a hole in this dress of yours. I'll take it and change it for you." Xiao Qing said and was about to take all the clothes on the screen away. Chu Ri Huaizhu felt a bit strange.
It was fine just now. Why is there a hole now? Thinking like this, Chu Ri Huaizhu spoke up to stop Xiao Qing.
"No need. Just leave the clothes there. I'll change them after I take a bath." As soon as Chu Ri Huaizhu said this, Xiao Qing's movements became a bit stiff. She gritted her teeth and put Chu Ri Huaizhu's clothes in a place where she couldn't reach them for a while.
"Put them closer. They won't get wet. You can go out." Chu Ri Huaizhu said. Helplessly, Xiao Qing had to put the clothes beside Chu Ri Huaizhu's hand and then backed out.
After Xiao Qing left, Chu Ri Huaizhu relaxed her body and mind. She grabbed the edge of the bathtub and enjoyed the temperature of the hot water.
Suddenly, Chu Ri Huaizhu faintly heard the noisy sound outside. It seemed that someone was shouting that there was a fire. She opened her eyes and slowly put on her clothes.
"Come quickly and put out the fire! There's a fire!" The voice became clearer and clearer. At the same time, Chu Ri Huaizhu felt that the air was full of choking smoke, and the temperature was gradually rising.
She had a bad premonition. She slowly knelt down and protected her belly. Thinking of the little knowledge about fires, she wet her clothes and then crawled forward little by little along the wall.
She covered her mouth and nose with the wet clothes to prevent inhaling too much toxic gas. Just as she was about to crawl out along the wall, she suddenly stopped.
While Chu Ri Huaizhu was crawling, the fire was burning continuously. A pillar was quickly swallowed by the flames and lost its ability to stand. It fell down and just blocked the way that Chu Ri Huaizhu was crawling. She had nowhere to go.
The handkerchief covering Chu Ri Huaizhu's mouth and nose was gradually dried by the flames. The high temperature made Chu Ri Huaizhu feel that she was about to become like an ant on a hot pan. And because the moisture in the handkerchief was almost dried, more thick smoke entered her nasal cavity. She struggled hard, trying to find a way out.
But somehow, no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't find a way out. She tried her best to hold her breath so that the thick smoke wouldn't be inhaled into her lungs in large amounts. Even so, she was still choked by the thick smoke. She felt that she was about to faint. Just then, she seemed to hear someone calling her.
"Why did the fire suddenly break out? What are you guards doing?" While Chu Ri Huaizhu was struggling desperately, Wang Quan Ba Ye only just learned the news of the fire.
Then he rushed to the place where the fire was. After hearing the news that Chu Ri Huaizhu was still inside, Wang Quan Ba Ye ignored the obstruction of those people.
He wrapped himself in a quilt soaked in water and walked towards the door.
"Master, you can't go in! Hurry up and put out the fire!" Those elders shouted behind Wang Quan Ba Ye, but they couldn't stop Wang Quan Ba Ye at all.
"Huaizhu, Huaizhu!" Wang Quan Ba Ye called Chu Ri Huaizhu's name. He nimbly dodged the falling sparks. He kept looking and searching until he heard Chu Ri Huaizhu's weak voice coming from a corner.
"Hubby, I'm here!" Chu Ri Huaizhu tried her best to respond to Wang Quan Ba Ye, but her voice was hoarse from the flames. Even if she tried hard, she could only make a weak sound.
Wang Quan Ba Ye used the quilt to separate his hand from the pillar that was in contact with it. He circulated his inner strength and moved the pillar away. Then Wang Quan Ba Ye saw Chu Ri Huaizhu kneeling on the ground. Her face was blackened by the flames.
"Huaizhu, hold on. I'll take you out right away!" Wang Quan Ba Ye said. He covered Chu Ri Huaizhu with the quilt and picked her up in his arms just as she was about to faint.