Free Web NovelChapter 12: The General’s daughter
"Uhh..." Ru Yi fumbled over her words. "I was looking for the..." she trailed off, unable to come up with an excuse at the spot.
Damn!
She needed to work on her lying skills if she was going to succeed in being a spy for the princess.
The maid raised a brow in question. "You can’t be in here without permission." Then her eyes narrowed as she grabbed Ru Yi’s wrist. "Did you hear anything?"
Ru Yi immediately shook her head. Not like she’d ever admit to eavesdropping on the Empress’s conversation.
"I got lost and didn’t know where to go so I followed you." Ru Yi wanted to slap herself, that didn’t sound convincing at all.
"Did Princess Lin Yuexin send you here?"
Ru Yi immediately nodded. "Yes, she did. I’m supposed to carry in the gifts for her wedding." Why hadn’t she thought of that? "One of the boxes is right in that hallway."
The maid eyed Ru Yi with suspicion but followed as Ru Yi led them back to where she’d abandoned the box.
Thankfully it was still there.
"Take it to the storage room down the other hallway. You’ll see a guard stationed there, ask him for directions if you get confused." The maid gave Ru Yi one last look before leaving.
Ru Yi was tempted to follow.
If she was going to convince Princess Lin Yuexin about the conspiracy to poison the Emperor then she needed solid proof.
She dropped the box in the storage before sneaking down another long hallway after making sure she wasn’t being followed.
Instead of a room, the door at the end led her back outside.
Ru Yi groaned.
She was tired, her back still hurting from the punishment. Couldn’t she just catch a break?
It didn’t look like she was getting her hands on that poison. Better for her to just tell Princess Lin Yuexin what she’d heard.
She was turning the corner to go and join the others when she stumbled on something.
No—someone.
A mop of black hair, cut so close to the ears.
The person was wearing close-fitted armor, layered in overlapping plates. They were probably a guard working in the Empress’s residence.
Ru Yi bent down. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried when the man didn’t make a sound even after she bumped into him.
She tapped his shoulder. "Should I get someone? Are you injured?" she stood up when there was still no response from him. "I’ll go call one of the guards."
She turned to leave when a hand shot up and grabbed her wrist.
"Don’t call anyone."
Ru Yi froze.
The voice was soft and very much feminine.
She spun around.
Sure, she’d seen the triplets in their fighting gears. But they always wore their long hair down or in a ponytail. Plus the soft planes of their faces that weren’t hardened by their unwavering violence.
But this—
The person finally raised their head and Ru Yi was hit with the most delicate face ever. Big black eyes stared up at her.
"You’re not supposed to be here." They cleared their throat, voice deepening. "And why are you damn noisy?"
Ru Yi blinked severally, still transfixed by the girl in front of her. What unnerved her even more was the uncanny resemblance to Jenny.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"Jenny?" she called, even though she knew her actual adoptive sister was worlds away.
"My name is Han Shuying, not whatever you just called me."
Wait—she recognized that name.
"General Han Zheng’s daughter!" Ru Yi blurted out, slamming her hand over her mouth when she realized she’d said it out loud.
Han Shuying’s face was twisted with a look of pure disappointment. "Aren’t you a genius?"
Ru Yi pushed the snark remark on the tip of her tongue to the back of her mind. "Do you want me to call for help?"
Han Shuying glared at her. "You better not breathe a word of this to anyone." She grimaced like she was in pain.
"But you’re injured," Ru Yi argued, noting the paleness of her face. She must be bleeding. "Can I at least check the injury?" freēwebnovel.com
She moved forward only for Han Shuying to push her down.
"Don’t touch me!"
Ru Yi yelped in pain when she landed on the ground. She glared at Han Shuying through tear clouded eyes.
"Fine then!" She stood up with great difficulty, glaring at Han Shuying. "You can die out here for all I care."
Ru Yi went back inside without sparing Han Shuying another glance. The only reason she’d been so worried was because she looked like Jenny.
But attitude made it clear enough that the resemblance was the only thing the two had in common.
Jenny was sweet and caring—and had broken her heart without a second thought.
Ru Yi shook her head as if it would get rid of the memory. That life didn’t even matter anymore. She’d died in it and would probably not be missed.
She found Lang Ying still carrying gifts to the storage room.
"Where have you been?" she set the box she was carrying down. "I was worried you’d gotten into trouble again."
Ru Yi sighed. She’d managed to escape this time.
"I’m fine," she replied, distracted by the thought of Han Shuying dying out there. Why did she even care? There were already enough problems she had to deal with.
"This is the last box." Lang Ying’s voice interrupted her thoughts. "I’ll take you to see the physician after we’re done. I’m worried your roots will keep weakening, and there won’t be anything left to hold your qi at all."
"I’m an ordinary maid," Ru Yi cast her eyes down. "We both know he won’t pay any attention to me. I’ll be fine once I get some rest."
"The—"
"There’s someone I’m more worried about." Ru Yi cut her off, unable to keep her mind from drifting back to Han Shuying.
"She’s the general’s daughter and she’s injured. She doesn’t want any help but I can’t leave her there to die."
Lang Ying’s eyes widened. "You mean Han Shuying? You better stay away from her."
"She’s possibly dying as we speak."
"Then good for her."
Ru Yi was shocked. "What do you mean good for her?"
"I only have one piece of advice for you. Stay away from Han Shuying, she’s the worst of the pack. And if she’s around the Empress’s residence, then nothing good can come out of it."
"How can you condemn someone like that?" Ru Yi asked in disbelief. "It’s okay if you won’t help me, but I’m not going to stand back and do nothing."
Ru Yi turned and ran back the way she’d come, her heart hammering in her chest. Han Shuying might’ve been rude to her but she couldn’t ignore the way she’d been in pain.
Her mouth had asked Ru Yi to leave her alone, but her eyes—
It felt like they’d been begging Ru Yi to stay.
She finally got to the end of the hallway and pushed the door open.
"I know you said not to help you, but I can’t just—" she stopped short when she looked at the spot Han shuying had been sitting.
It was empty.
Han Shuying was gone.
