Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 47
At this time, Yan Ciwan was wearing a white middle garment and an outer shirt. He was sitting on the bed, his back leaning against the pillow, his long hair draped behind him, his lips were pale, his face was bloodless, and he looked very weak.

Chaolu sat down beside the bed, holding millet porridge in her hand, and fed Yan Ciwan spoonful by spoonful.

After Xiao Wang came in, he did not rush to speak.

He sat down in a chair by the window and waited until Yan Ciwan had finished eating before he spoke.

"Although I helped you lead the constables away today, it did not completely dispel Gao Dahai's doubts. I guess he will come here to search again soon. In addition, Chao Yuanzhi should have known that I was here. According to my identity, I should not appear in Ci Xin Temple. Chao Yuanzhi should have some doubts in his heart. In short, it is not advisable to stay here for long. You'd better leave as soon as possible."

Chaolu didn't dare to look him in the eye. She lowered her head and whispered her doubts: "But if we leave here, it will be even more unsafe outside."

Now the city gates have been blocked, they cannot leave the city, and the city is full of people trying to arrest them. Apart from the Ci Xin Temple, they really have nowhere else to go.

Yan Ciwan looked at the calm Xiao Wang and said slowly, "Xiao Liulang must have made arrangements."

Xiao Wang didn't keep anyone in suspense and spoke frankly.

"The chief of the Internal Guards has recently come to Xiangzhou to do some work. He is now staying in the official post in the city. Li Sanlang has some friendship with the chief. Li Sanlang and I plan to move to the official post temporarily. You can accompany us when the time comes."

Chaolu looked up at him cautiously, then quickly lowered her head again.

Seeing that she was hesitant to speak, Xiao Wang said gently, "What other doubts do you have? Feel free to speak up."

Zhaolu summoned up her courage and said, "The inn is full of officials, and soldiers often come and go. What if they find us?"

Xiao Wang was prepared for this and said, "So you need to disguise yourself. Li Sanlang has an attendant named Cha Bingliang who is good at disguise. Let him help you dress up."

Chaolu felt that this method was too risky, but she couldn't think of any other way at the moment. She couldn't make up her mind for a moment, so she turned her head to look at Yan Ciwan and asked, "What do you think?"

Yan Ciwan had long felt that Ci Xin Temple was unsafe.

Since Xiao Wang was able to find this place by following Liu, it means that other people may also be able to discover that they are hiding here through Liu.

Even if Xiao Wang didn't mention it, she would have to change her hiding place.

She thought, "The most dangerous place is the safest place. Even if the government office and Chao Yuanzhi racked their brains, they would never have thought that we would hide in the official post. This is indeed a good idea. But there is one thing. This matter can be concealed from others, but it is difficult to conceal it from the chief of the inner guard office who has many spies. If the chief of the inner guard knew that the suspect of the serial rape and murder case was hiding under his nose, would he let me off easily?"

Xiao Wang assured her.

"With Li Sanlang as your guarantor, the Grand Chamberlain will not do anything to you for the time being."

Yan Ciwan seemed to be thinking about something: "I didn't expect Li Sanlang to be so powerful. Even the Grand Chamberlain had to give him some respect."

Faced with her temptation, Xiao Wang did not respond.

He stood up and said, "Pack up and we'll leave soon."

Seeing him turn and leave, Chaolu suddenly said, "Xiao Liulang!"

Xiao Wang paused, turned around and looked at her, and asked, "What else?"

"I, I have something to talk to you about." Chaolu stuttered because she was too nervous.

Xiao Wang turned around and faced her, his eyes gentle, quietly waiting for her next words.

However, after waiting for a long time, she still didn't speak again.

She grabbed the hem of her clothes and opened and closed her lips several times, but she couldn't utter any words. Her face turned red with anxiety. Yan Ciwan had been with Chaolu for the past two days and knew that the person she cared about most was Liu. She must have spoken at this moment for Liu's sake.

So Yan Ciwan took the initiative to ask, "Do you want Xiao Liulang to help you look after your mother?"

Chaolu nodded: "Yeah!"

Xiao Wang hesitated a bit: "I am willing to help, but I am a foreigner after all, so it is not good for me to have too much contact with Madam Chao."

Chaolu looked at Yan Ciwan with a pleading look.

Yan Ciwan had no choice but to continue acting as her spokesperson and said, "You don't need to have too much contact with Madam Chao. You just need to show your concern for Madam Chao and let everyone know that the Xiao family cares about Madam Chao, the future mother-in-law."

Chaolu nodded vigorously again. That’s what she meant!
As long as Xiao Wang can show that he values Liu, Chao Yuanzhi will not dare to beat or scold Liu at will, and Liu's life should be much better.

This is not a difficult task. Xiao Wang nodded and agreed: "Okay."

Chaolu immediately smiled happily: "Thank you!"

Yan Ciwan specifically reminded: "Especially in the next two days, please make sure to keep a close eye on Madam Chao to prevent any accidents from happening to her."

Xiao Wang thought her words were quite strange, and looked at her with an especially deep gaze.

"Madam Ning, do you think Madam Chao will encounter something unexpected in the next two days?"

"I just feel confused and like something bad is going to happen. I hope it's just my illusion." Yan Ciwan smiled bitterly.

"I will ask Uncle Jiu to secretly look after Madam Hao Chao in the next two days."

Xiao Wang waited for a while, and seeing that they had nothing else to say, he politely said goodbye and left.

Chaolu closed the door, turned to look at Yan Ciwan, and said thoughtfully: "What you just said was very strange, as if you knew in advance that my mother would encounter an accident."

"Didn't I just say that? It was just a hunch of mine. No one knows if it will come true. I specifically told Xiao Liulang just in case. You must have had this kind of inexplicable premonition sometimes, right? For example, when you see something, you feel familiar with it, as if you have seen it in a dream before. It's hard to explain the wonderful feeling of foresight."

Chaolu had really had this feeling. She excitedly talked about a dream she had once had. After waking up, she saw a scene in reality that was very similar to the dream.

Yan Ciwan listened carefully and responded from time to time.

Chaolu was so excited talking that she completely forgot what Yan Ciwan had said before.

Zhaolu was strictly controlled by her father from childhood to adulthood. Her letters to her friends would be read by her father, and she had to tell her father everything she talked about with her friends. If she refused to tell him, her father would call her friends home and force them to repeat everything they talked about.

Chaolu cried and made a fuss, but it was all no use.

Gradually, those friends no longer wanted to associate with her.

It had been a long time since she had sat with her friends and chatted leisurely like this.

Seeing that it was getting late, Yan Ciwan reminded her: "We should pack our bags, as we have to go out later."

Zhaolu remembered something important and stood up immediately: "I'll take care of it. You're injured, don't move."

After saying that, she rolled up her sleeves and started to work.

(End of this chapter)