PFC Chapter 131 Beware of Playing with Fire
Chapter 131 Beware of Playing with Fire
In the desolate wilderness at night, all around was silent, except for the occasional chirping of birds and the sound of the wind rustling through the grass, which made people feel scared and cold. The moonlight was like water, spilling onto the ground and reflecting patches of mottled light and shadow.
Chu Qingyin carefully curled herself up into a ball, trying to minimize her presence.
Previously, with Lu Zhiheng by her side, the fear in the deep darkness didn't feel real. But now, she was all alone, and she felt that the surroundings were extremely eerie and terrifying.
She gripped the torch tightly, carefully observing her surroundings. Her palms were already sweaty, and the flame flickered uncertainly in the wind, as if it might go out at any moment.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, rustling the leaves like the slapping of a ghostly hand, which sounded particularly eerie in the silent night, making people uneasy.
Chu Qingyin's face turned deathly pale instantly. If it were in her previous life, she would never have believed in ghosts or gods, but now that she had been possessed by this body by some twist of fate, she had no choice but to believe.
The torch in his hand swayed constantly in the wind, its flame flickering as if it might go out at any moment.
Moonlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting shadowy patterns on the distant vegetation, making it seem as if shadowy figures were hiding there, which was quite eerie.
The more Chu Qingyin thought about it, the colder she felt down her spine, as if an invisible pair of eyes were spying on her in the darkness.
Even though it was a summer night, the mountain breeze in the forest made her feel cold all over. Chu Qingyin couldn't help but swallow, her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and her voice trembled slightly.
"Lord Lu?"
She called out cautiously, and heard the sound of wind rustling through the leaves, but no one responded.
"Lord Lu, are you there?" Chu Qingyin raised her voice, clearly showing some anxiety.
"Lu Zhiheng?"
"Lu Zhiheng!"
Chu Qingyin practically screamed, but all she received in response was that unsettling silence. Her heart leaped into her throat, as if it were about to burst out of her chest.
Could it be that he felt that taking her along would only lead to his death, and thus abandoned her?
Based on Chu Qingyin's understanding of Lu Zhiheng, he was certainly capable of doing such a thing.
But he had just promised her...
Did he lie to her?
Yes, yes.
How can you trust a man's words!
In her past life, she trusted men too much, which led to her tragic death in the cold palace. How could she forget this again in this life?
Chu Qingyin was filled with remorse. She looked around frantically and involuntarily took a few steps back.
Unexpectedly, as she wandered around, she accidentally bumped into a tree trunk behind her, making a "bang" sound.
The sudden sound startled her, and she felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest.
She looked at the tree trunk, carefully protecting the flickering flames.
"Consort Qiao?"
A deep, resonant voice suddenly rang out beside her, and Chu Qingyin gasped in surprise, turning her head sharply.
Lu Zhiheng's tall figure emerged from behind a tree, carrying several pieces of firewood. The dim moonlight shone on him, outlining his cold and handsome features.
Recognizing the person, Chu Qingyin's heart, which had been in her throat, finally settled down.
Thankfully, he didn't abandon me.
"Where did you just go?" Chu Qingyin complained in a low voice, her voice still carrying lingering fear.
Lu Zhiheng frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "I heard some strange noises and went to check it out."
He paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and glanced at her. "I didn't expect to see you so panicked when I got back."
Chu Qingyin glared at him, but knew that this was not the time to argue.
"We cannot stay here any longer; we must find a way out as soon as possible."
As Lu Zhiheng spoke, he tied together the firewood he had just found, and tore off some clothes to make a new torch. "I just saw wild animal droppings over there. There are probably wild beasts around here often, so it's not safe."
"Okay." Chu Qingyin's voice was a little hoarse. She had shouted so loudly just now that she had probably attracted the attention of some wild beasts.
Lu Zhiheng handed her a rough walking stick made of a tree branch, the other end of which was sharpened, and said, "You have to walk this road by yourself."
He needs to be on guard at all times in case of unforeseen circumstances, so that he can be prepared if there is a wild animal attack.
Chu Qingyin nodded sullenly. Her ankles were bound and secured with branches and some herbs were applied. Although she walked slowly, she could still manage.
Once the other torch was ready, Chu Qingyin followed Lu Zhiheng with a limp.
The night was hazy, and the two carefully made their way through the woods under the moonlight. The surroundings were eerily quiet, with only the rustling sound of their footsteps on the dry branches and fallen leaves.
"Lord Lu."
"Ok?"
"I'm sorry." Chu Qingyin gritted her teeth and uttered these three words, her expression unusually flustered.
"Why does Consort Qiao say such a thing?" Lu Zhiheng held up a torch to illuminate the road ahead.
Chu Qingyin followed closely behind, whispering, "Just now I thought it was Lord Lu..."
She paused and continued, "I thought you had abandoned me and left. I was being petty and judging you unfairly. I'm sorry."
After saying all this, Chu Qingyin finally let out the breath she had been holding in. Under the moonlight, her fair cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
She has always been clear about right and wrong, and this time she really misunderstood Lu Zhiheng. She rationally apologized to him, and thinking of this, the awkwardness in her heart dissipated a little.
Lu Zhiheng's thin lips tightened slightly, as if he was not used to others apologizing to him.
I'm not used to this kind of Chu Qingyin.
"Consort Qiao, you flatter me. Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, it doesn't matter much to me. I'm already used to it anyway," Lu Zhiheng said calmly.
For him, it was perfectly normal for others to misunderstand him, and he no longer cared about it.
"What makes you say that, Lord Lu?" Chu Qingyin frowned slightly. Lu Zhiheng was a man of high position and great power. He could have anything he wanted. Could there be some kind of prejudice that he couldn't understand?
"To the common people, I am a treacherous minister who framed General Chu and slandered the Duke's mansion, and they all fear me. To the monarch, he only wants me to be a lone minister, a knife in his hand."
When talking about what he had done, Lu Zhiheng felt no emotion.
Perhaps feeling that the two of them would never be able to leave this mountain, he became much more unrestrained in his speech and even confided a few words to Consort Qiao.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he regretted it.
When Chu Qingyin heard him talk about his family affairs, her pupils suddenly contracted, and the hatred that had been suppressed by gratitude surged up in her chest again.
She gripped her sharpened cane tightly, suppressing the urge to pierce his chest, and tentatively asked in a low voice, "So, Lord Lu, do you really think that the Duke of Chu's mansion has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country?"
"It seems that Consort Qiao is particularly concerned about the Chu family's affairs?"
As a high-ranking official, Lu Zhiheng was extremely perceptive of the emotions of others, and she clearly saw that Lu Zhiheng had intended to kill her.
"That's not the case. It's just that people always say I look similar to Consort Chu, so it's inevitable that I'll be compared to her. That's why I've become more concerned about Consort Chu."
Unexpectedly, his insight was sharp. Chu Qingyin carefully considered her words and said cautiously, "After all, I was able to gain His Majesty's exclusive favor because of Consort Chu."
Lu Zhiheng chuckled softly, surprised that she actually had some self-awareness. He offered a rare reminder: "Consort Qiao, the Chu family's affairs aren't as simple as you think. If we both manage to get out of here alive, I advise you to avoid any further involvement, otherwise..."
He paused slightly, turned his face in the cold moonlight, and looked at her with a deep gaze: "Be careful not to get yourself into trouble."