Chapter 225:
Especially Chen Xi’er, who was clearly a charming beauty whose every smile and frown could captivate souls, but in just one year’s time, there was not a trace of allure left on her entire body, and that delicate face of hers seemed dusted with grime, no longer radiant.
However, such looks, placed in an ordinary family, would already be a rare beauty.
At present, Chen Xi’er stared unblinkingly at Xie Wanning, looking at this face she had thought she would never see again in her lifetime, her eyes actually turning red.
She recalled their meeting more than a year ago.
Outskirts of the Capital Military Camp, she was about to be sent back by that Killing God to the Chen Family’s demon’s den; at that time, the Chen Family was on the verge of collapse, and once she returned, she would either become a traitor’s daughter or be sent to the Music Bureau, or conscripted to the military camp for entertaining soldiers, or become a household prostitute used by the family to entertain guests.
No matter which path, it was a dead end.
She was destined to be at others’ mercy, destined not to live well.
Chen Xi’er still remembered the overwhelming despair at that time.
It was this cousin she had never met who pleaded for her, allowing her to be reborn.
Over this past year, Chen Xi’er never dared to forget that without this cousin and the gold ingots in the sachet, she would not have survived to today.
Xie Wanning was not used to sharing heartfelt words with others; seeing her tears welling up, she uncomfortably pursed her lips and pointed to the low stool beside them, saying: “Sit down and talk.”
Chen Xi’er glanced around the room and sat down.
This time, she did not ask first, but instead recounted her experiences over the past year.
That day, after escaping from the military camp, she wanted to conceal her identity and live in a village near the outskirts of the Capital.
The Capital City was under the Emperor’s feet, with security that went without saying; even a lone girl like her could settle down and make a living.
But the Capital City was never short of playboy young masters; in the end, this face of hers brought her trouble.
To avoid being forcibly taken as a concubine again, Chen Xi’er fled overnight.
She dared not go north where there had been constant wars for years; the south was rampant with bandits, but in recent years the court had sent troops with great force to suppress them, so there was always a way to survive.
Having learned her lesson, this time Chen Xi’er dared not show her face, wandering along the way, passing through several cities, and finally settling down in Bianzhou.
The reason was simple: it was safe here.
The bandits had been pacified by Lu Ziyan, and the newly appointed officials by the court were very upright and honest; the common people in the city lived decent lives.
Chen Xi’er said: “Half a year ago, I got married; my husband’s family is surnamed Li, and he is a scholar with an official title.”
A man of such status would not have appeared before Chen Xi’er in the past.
As the famous beauty of Qingzhou City, from the time she understood things, the people around her were all young masters from prominent families; even if sent away by her father, it was to someone like Lu Ziyan who held military power and had hopes of claiming the throne.
And now, she had married a scholar.
But her face showed irrepressible happiness.
With just one glance, Xie Wanning could tell how satisfied she was with her current situation.
She smiled and congratulated her, saying: “I don’t have any good items on me right now; I don’t know what younger sister likes, so tomorrow I’ll go to the street and buy something for you as a congratulatory gift for your new marriage.”
“Elder sister, please don’t spend money on me,” Chen Xi’er shook her head. “I don’t need those expensive jewelry now.”
As she spoke, her expression paused, and she said softly: “Elder sister, why are you here alone?”
She had still asked in the end.
Xie Wanning sighed faintly.
Chen Xi’er quickly said: “If it’s inconvenient to say, I won’t ask.”
Actually, there was nothing inconvenient about it.
Although Bianzhou was far from the Capital City, Lu Ziyan was a famous person; the matter of him forcibly taking Duke Pei’s Young Lord’s Consort as his wife would eventually spread here.
