An empty room in the underground of the Yan Prince’s Mansion.
There were no windows, and it was dim without any light.
Chu Shao sat on a chair and did not torture Bai Lidan.
She just lit a candle in the darkness.
Because there was no wind here, the candle flame stood still, condensed into a tear-like red shadow.”What’s your name?”
Chu Shao smiled at Bai Lidan, her voice very light.
Bai Lidan didn’t hesitate for a moment: “To answer the Princess’s question, my surname is Bai, my given name is Lidan, and I am a person from Quzhao Country.”
Chu Shao looked at Bai Lidan’s profile under the candlelight: “Is that so? But I didn’t ask you which country you are from, why did you answer?”
Bai Lidan was taken aback.
“Or is it that Doctor Bai knows that your identity is fake and cannot be checked within the territory of Qi Country, so you informed me in advance so that I can be prepared?”
Chu Shao propped her chin and smiled slightly.
Bai Lidan had lived for so many years and would not suddenly change his expression just because of Chu Shao’s words.
He told her his identity in a straightforward manner.
He just looked nervous and pleaded: “Princess, I am indeed from Quzhao Country, and Doctor Su can testify for me.”
Chu Shao smiled at Bai Lidan and said something irrelevant: “But I feel like Doctor Bai’s voice is familiar. I seem to have heard it somewhere before.”
Now, Bai Lidan was really nervous.
Years ago, he was sent to Yao Country by the Qi imperial family to develop poisons with Su Tan, in order to secretly split the internal affairs of Yao Country.
He had seen Chu Shao before, and he had seen her twice.
But the first time she was still young, and she shouldn’t have too much impression of him.
And the second time, he had changed his appearance and did not show his true face.
Therefore, Chu Shao was even less likely to recognize him.
Bai Lidan coughed twice and shook his head, saying, “I am just a small doctor. How can I make the Princess feel familiar? I am honored beyond words.”
Chu Shao looked at him, slightly frowned.
Just as she was about to ask a few more questions, a series of sounds of carriage wheels rolling over the floor tiles came from behind her.
She turned her head and, surrounded by a group of maids and guards, met Xiao Jin’s gaze.
In fact, in Chu Shao’s calculation, Xiao Jin should not appear at this time.Â
It should be a little later, a little later.
This way, she could change into a less bloody-smelling clothing and use incense to dispel the alcohol smell on her body.
However, unfortunately, Xiao Jin appeared one step earlier, so Chu Shao could only stand up and smile softly, “Your Highness, you’re back.”
Xiao Jin nodded, but in her heart, she always had a feeling that something was wrong.
Chu Shao seemed absent-minded, after all, her bright eyes were full of spirit, but the other party seemed to have not noticed.
After a moment, Chu Shao withdrew from her own world and realized that something was not right.
Under the candlelight, Xiao Jin’s eyes were like melted snow, flowing quietly in the fire.
“Your eyes are better now?” Chu Shao stood in place, and her smile seemed to be covered with a layer of mist, not very clear.
Xiao Jin touched the armrest of the wheelchair, trying to cover up the inexplicable nervousness in her heart and said slowly, “I woke up today and it was better.”
“So it was.”
For some reason, Xiao Jin always felt that Chu Shao’s slightly lowered eyelashes looked a bit disappointed.
…
Her eyes were better now.
But Chu Shao seemed to feel disappointed instead?
Hmm, how could that be? This must be her illusion.
Xiao Jin smelled the faint bloody smell in the room and wanted to ask if Chu Shao had any injuries.
However, it was a bit embarrassing to ask in front of so many people, so she coughed and pulled the corner of Chu Shao’s sleeve behind her back.
The strength was very light, just enough to make Chu Shao notice. She lowered her eyes and asked softly, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”Â
The two of them were very close.
Xiao Jin could tell that the crimson stains on Chu Shao’s clothes were just on the surface of the fabric, like several cold plum blossoms dotted on the branches.
This indicated that the blood on her body should not be her own, most likely from some unlucky person.
However, whether that person lived or died was none of Xiao Jin’s concern.
She reached out and lightly touched Chu Shao’s palm with her own fingertips, saying seriously, “It’s nothing, just felt that your hand was a little cold.”
Xiao Jin’s fingertips were slender and cold, and the touch in the palm of Chu Shao’s hand made her eyelashes tremble slightly.
Then, she moved her fingers and smiled lightly at the corner of her lips.
In a place where others couldn’t see, she reached out from her sleeve and gently hooked her fingers with Xiao Jin’s.
The ten fingers were interlocked, transmitting a warmth in the airtight dark room, like a secret that was unspoken but understood between them.
Xiao Jin and Chu Shao shared this secret.
Bai Lidan sitting opposite also had some secrets, but he had no one to tell and dare not say. It was a matter of great importance, and before the grand plan was achieved, Bai Lidan could not easily reveal his true identity.
He could lend his identity to others, but not now.
It was only when Bai Lidan had made up his mind not to reveal his true identity that Xiao Jin finally noticed him and frowned, asking, “Bai Lidan? What are you doing here?”Â
Bai Lidan: “……?”
Bai Lidan looked at the Prince Yan sitting in the wheelchair.
Still trying to remain calm, he coughed twice to cover up, pretending to be confused: “Bai… Lidan? Who is Bai Lidan?”
Xiao Jin’s face was expressionless as she said, “Isn’t that you?”
Bai Lidan was obviously a bit panicked: “Your Highness Yan, although I have the surname Bai, I don’t know anyone named Bai Lidan!”
Xiao Jin thought to herself, “Why are you still trying to argue?”
In her memories of Nan Jin, she had seen this white-bearded old man before.
Although the impression was not very deep, she could still remember the face to some extent.
So Xiao Jin didn’t plan to ask Bai Lidan directly, she turned to Chu Shao and said, “Has he been denying it from the beginning?”
Chu Shao smiled and replied, “Yes.”
Xiao Jin nodded, “Then there seems to be a problem, we need to investigate further.”
Bai Lidan sat in his chair, completely stunned by Xiao Jin’s actions.
He had heard that the Prince Yan was arrogant and unreasonable. But this was too unreasonable!
Every hair on Bai Lidan’s beard was trembling as he pleaded for himself, “Your Highness Yan, I am innocent!”
Xiao Jin looked at Bai Lidan strangely and asked, “What do you have to plead for?”
Bai Lidan was speechless for a moment.
After saying this, Xiao Jin turned around and said to Ye Suyu behind her, “Since he is determined to keep denying, there must be a reason… let’s keep investigating until he confesses.”
Ye Suyu looked at the old man with white hair and tentatively asked, “Your highness, do we need to use torture on him?”
Xiao Jin looked at Ye Suyu in confusion, “Old people are still people, why not use torture?”
Ye Suyu was choked for a moment before saying, “Yes.”Â
Bai Lidan was completely shocked.
How could the Prince Yan be so cruel as to torture an old man?
She was preparing to take a stand on behalf of the common people and strongly condemn Xiao Jin, but her opponent had already left the dark room with Chu Shao.
Only Ye Suyu and the guards were left in the room.
With a sigh of helplessness, she took her whip from her waist and said, “The prince always makes me handle these heinous things.”
Under the dim candlelight, Bai Lidan looked at Ye Suyu’s flickering face, and suddenly felt a chill down his back.
After Ye Suyu finished sighing, she picked up her whip and smiled, “Old man, you’re so stubborn, that’s not a good thing. I heard that those who kill the innocent will go to hell, but I want to see who will go to hell first, you or me?”
…
Leaving the dark room, Chu Shao smiled and said to Xiao Jin, “This Princess thought that Your Highness wouldn’t use torture on the old man.”
Xiao Jin paused and asked, “Why?”
Chu Shao had originally intended to say that it was because Her Highness seemed like a kind person.
But when the words reached her lips, she instead said, “After all, they say that those who kill the innocent and harm the old, young, women, and children will go to hell.”
“Oh?” Xiao Jin smiled faintly. “I’m afraid there are too many people to live in hell.”
This answer surprised Chu Shao, but what surprised her even more was what Xiao Jin said next.
Xiao Jin looked at the ripples on the lake and smiled, “Besides, as long as you don’t believe in the afterlife, you won’t go to the underworld or cross the Naihe Bridge.”
Her words were actually quite careless, but Chu Shao quietly looked at her and suddenly smiled, “Your Highness, do you not believe in the afterlife?”
“I don’t,” Xiao Jin replied firmly.
“Why not?” asked Chu Shao.
Xiao Jin had originally wanted to say, “Because I am a materialist.”
But when she realized that she had actually transmigrated into a book, she seriously pondered the question for a moment.
After thinking for a while, Xiao Jin replied, “Because people like us who walk on the ground are really too small.”
“I think the gods who created the world in ancient times did not have extra time to create a set of special rules for us. Therefore, I do not believe in reincarnation for humans.”
Of course, she also did not believe that the world was created by gods.
It was just a way of expressing herself that was easier for Chu Shao to understand.
Chu Shao had also never heard this kind of explanation before and couldn’t help but laugh, “So the princess, as a noble, also feels small?”
Xiao Jin looked at the ripples on the lake and saw them disappear, becoming a smooth and clear mirror.
Nodding, she said to Chu Shao, “Yes, everyone is very small.”
“Then what is great?”
Xiao Jin turned her head to look at Chu Shao, her eyes reflecting the shimmering lake, and unconsciously smiled, “It’s great right now.”
Chu Shao was taken aback for a moment.
Xiao Jin seemed to laugh, “I lost my legs, but not only did I not die, I can still sit here, look at the mountains and waters, sunbathe, and chat with you, the princess.”
“All of this is very good, and right now is also great. Isn’t it a miracle?”
When she said this, she originally had a sarcastic meaning towards the system.
So many people read web novels, but they just had to choose her to create a medical miracle.Â
The system, you are really something.
Chu Shao looked at the pool of water in Xiao Jin’s eyes and clearly misunderstood her meaning.
She nodded and said, “Indeed, it’s a miracle.”
According to Xiao Jin’s belief, the universe does not deliberately set rules for anyone.
Therefore, the fact that she can see the person in front of her is not a matter of fate.
In an absolute coincidence, she met the strange Xiao Jin, who spoke of how even emperors and ministers are as small as everyone else, and how the afterlife is illusory and cannot be explored, and that only the present moment is truly great.
At this moment, what else is there besides the flowing lake water and the eternal sunlight of the universe?
Chu Shao didn’t understand why Xiao Jin thought these things were miracles, but looking at the person in front of her, she was able to briefly defy her own beliefs and believe that there might really be some miracles in the world.
Feeling the lake breeze blowing in her face, Chu Shao felt that Xiao Jin’s hometown must be very generous to send such a person to her side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator’s note: I do believe in miracles because I just want to.
TO BE CONTINUE…
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