bookrandom Chapter 227 The Game (2)
Chapter 227 The Game (2)
Upon hearing this, A-Zhu became interested and immediately pricked up her ears, waiting for a while. Seeing that the other person didn't seem to intend to say anything more, she frowned and asked, "That's all?"
The maid bit her pale lower lip, seemingly still hesitating.
But Ah Zhu had already grabbed her ear. She quickly dodged back, and without hesitation, blurted out:
"That person is the son of the previous clan chief, named Zhu Yu... Ah..."
Upon hearing this, A-Zhu released her grip. The maid's right ear had already been torn in half, with the other half still stuck to the skin and flesh, which she was covering.
A-Zhu didn't care at all, and even looked at the other person with a hint of reproach, appearing concerned:
"Why didn't you say so earlier? We don't know if losing half of it will affect your hearing..."
The maid had no words to express her suffering, but only hoped to end this quickly, so she hurriedly revealed the third secret:
"Zhu Yu was originally the holy son of the Witch Clan, the rightful heir to the clan, but he was deposed by the current clan leader for stealing a sacred artifact..."
"How did you learn this?" Before Azhu could speak, Zhu Ke spoke softly. She saw that the maid in front of her was only around thirty years old, yet she knew more than she, the person who served Zhu Yao personally.
The maid's eyes shrank back slightly, and she dared not hide anything: "I...I heard it from the sisters who serve the old people in the mansion."
Zhu Ke understood; those who monitored the various courtyards must have gathered together to gossip quite a bit.
Azhu stood there, somewhat lost in thought. He hadn't expected that the white-haired old man in the dark dungeon was actually the former holy son of their witch clan, and according to what he had said that day, he seemed to have a close relationship with his deceased grandmother...
Just as he was lost in thought, the maid's weak voice came over: "Young...Young Master, the three secrets have been revealed, may I leave now?"
"Huh? It's over?" A-Zhu snapped out of her daze, thought for a moment, and looked at the other person with certainty: "You're trying to mess with A-Zhu. There's still one more to go..."
"Young master..." the maid was taken aback.
A-Zhu even counted on her fingers to tell her: "The first one: you are a spy; the second one is about that person in the dark prison... that's it, see, A-Zhu didn't lie to you!"
maid:"……."
"It's not gone, is it?!" A-Zhu crouched down to her eye level, grinned, and said in a threatening tone, "Then you'll lose the game~"
Helpless, the maid could only rack her brains for a solution. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she first looked in the direction of Zhu Ke and A Zhu, and then said uncertainly:
"I also know a secret about Miss Ke and the young master's parents, but its authenticity is uncertain."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ke's eyes lit up for a moment. A Zhu's parents passed away not long after she was born, so she didn't have a deep impression or feelings for them. But A Zhu was different.
She was more than ten years older than Azhu. Her father was Azhu's uncle. Years ago, her mother and father suddenly received some news that they were going to find someone to demand an explanation, so they went together with Azhu's mother and father. But they never returned...
She and her infant son, Azhu, also became orphans...
For so many years, she had wanted to investigate this matter, but the clan chief would always stop her...
Now that the opportunity had presented itself, Zhu Ke couldn't resist seizing it, so he said impatiently, "Speak quickly."
The maid looked up at A-Zhu, and seeing that she was gesturing for her to speak, she then spoke:
"I heard it from someone in the courtyard of Lord Zhumeng, who passed away a few years ago."
It is said that Miss Ke and Young Master Ke's mother and father were direct descendants of the Witch Clan, but because your two grandmothers were close to the former Holy Son, they were not given important positions. In the end, it seems that they were silenced because they knew the cause of your two grandmothers' deaths..."
Zhu Meng was one of those who supported Zhu Yao to become the clan leader. She was about the same age as Zhu Yu and was considered one of the older generation.
He was fairly loyal to Zhu Yao, but he liked to drink. When he drank, he would talk nonsense. Whether he was just talking drunk or speaking the truth after drinking was unknown!
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ke clenched her fists tightly. She had a bad feeling about it, but she couldn't believe it.
Ah Zhu stood aside, seemingly unconcerned, actually thinking: "As expected, those who have been in the manor for a long time know more. He had played this 'game' with so many servants before, but he had never heard of anything so interesting!"
Looking at their various expressions, I found it all quite amusing.
When the maid saw A-Zhu's ill-intentioned gaze fall on her, her heart tightened, and she said, "Young master, may I leave now...?"
“Of course.” Strangely, A-Zhu didn’t stop him; instead, she considerately made way for him to go outside the courtyard.
"Thank you, young master, thank you, young master..." The maid hurriedly thanked him while dragging her severed arm as she ran outside.
Just as she brushed past A-Zhu, he easily grabbed her by the neck and slowly tightened his grip...
"Young...Young Master, didn't you say...you would let me go..." The maid's face turned red and blue, her voice breaking intermittently.
Ignoring him, A-Zhu continued to exert force, and just before the other person breathed their last, A-Zhu said with a vicious expression, "It was A-Zhu who said she would let you go, what does it have to do with me, Zhu Qing?"
This was the first time A-Zhu had referred to herself as Zhu Qing since she returned!
A moment later, A-Zhu casually tossed the body into the nearby bushes, then suddenly leaned close to the still-dazed Zhu Ke, wiped her dirty hands on Zhu Ke's white clothes, and laughed:
What is my cousin thinking about?
Zhu Ke snapped out of his daze (looking down at the handprint on his clothes): "..."
Zhu Ke glanced indifferently at the corpse in the grass, then turned to look at A-Zhu, who was laughing carefree in front of him. He didn't know whether he should speak or not, so he chose to remain silent. He just walked out with a serious face, heading towards the main courtyard where Zhu Yao was.
But with Ah Zhu's sharp mind, how could he not see what the other person was thinking? So, without much concern, he opened his wide eyes and gave a reminder:
"My cousin wouldn't be foolish enough to ask the clan leader, would she?"
After saying that, he shook his head and answered to himself, "Probably not, after all, Ah Zhu used to help clean up after others when they played games together..."
Zhu Ke watched him answer his own questions with such seriousness, feeling helpless at first, then her pupils suddenly contracted. If A Zhu hadn't reminded her, she probably would have really gone to question Zhu Yao...
Zhu Ke was loyal to Zhu Yao because of her kindness in mentoring and raising her, but only on the condition that the deaths of her mother, father and other close relatives were unrelated to her. However, what she heard today, coupled with the events of the past, made it hard for her not to think about it.
"Qing'er, do you know something...?" Zhu Ke suddenly turned around, his gaze fixed intently on Azhu.
Ah Zhu used to enjoy finding excuses to drag out the "spies" in the courtyard to play games. After the games ended, she would always torture and kill them, and as always, she would remind Zhu Ke not to tell Zhu Yao.
Zhu Ke didn't understand before, but now he has to think deeply about his intentions!
Seeing the change in Zhu Ke's eyes, A Zhu thought to herself, "How stupid!" Then she shrugged and said with a half-smile, "A Zhu doesn't know."
After saying that, A-Zhu left the follow-up to Zhu Ke as usual, and left like a hands-off manager.
By the time Zhu Ke finished dealing with the matter and returned to serve Zhu Yao, half a day had already passed.
Zhu Yao asked in confusion, "Why did it take you so long?"
"Reporting to the clan leader, I helped Qing'er deal with a servant, which took some time," Zhu Ke replied, lowering her head. She dared not look at Zhu Yao, as she was currently preoccupied and unable to face Zhu Yao as she had before.
Zhu Yao didn't show any particular expression upon hearing this, as if she were used to it. She simply asked casually, "Is it someone from his courtyard again?"
"She's a maidservant who sweeps and cleans in my quarters." Before the words were even out of her mouth, Zhu Ke felt a tangible gaze upon her head, so she quickly offered a half-truthful explanation before the other person became angry:
"That maid tried to take advantage of Qing'er while he was still young and unaware of the dangers, which angered Qing'er, so..."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao's expression darkened further. She assumed that the maid was trying to climb the social ladder, so she closed her eyes and didn't even ask how to deal with her.
Zhu Ke stood behind him, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself...
The room suddenly fell silent...
Unbeknownst to them, a plan targeting the Imperial Preceptor's residence was quietly unfolding...
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