Chapter 28

Chapter 28

“Brother Meng.”

I spoke urgently. “Yuan Heng has eyes and ears everywhere, and he has someone as terrifying as Cheng Wei assisting him. If I stay in Chang’an, they’ll find me sooner or later. I don’t want to get you involved, so I need to leave as soon as possible!”

The flush from Meng Huaiqing’s coughing fit had gradually faded, and his complexion returned to normal.

He frowned in deep thought, his expression unreadable. Suddenly, he asked, “Where do you plan to go? And how will you leave?”

I tapped my fingers lightly against my lap. “I’ve been thinking about this for the past few days. I can’t go back to my family home. It occurred to me-could I use a disguise like I did that day and sneak into a Hu people merchant caravan? I could go to Sogdia, or even Arabia… anywhere, as long as it’s far away.”

Meng Huaiqing immediately rejected the idea. “Absolutely not! Infiltrating a caravan is no easy feat. For a vulnerable woman like yourself, the danger would be immense. Furthermore, the regulations for foreign merchants are extremely strict. At every stop, local officials conduct thorough inspections to ensure the goods and personnel match the records. Therefore, your plan is simply impossible to execute.”

I was instantly deflated.

Initially, I had only thought about escaping as far as possible; I truly hadn’t considered these practical hurdles.

Meng Huaiqing took a small sip of tea. “If you don’t mind, you could go to my hometown. I can write a letter and ask my mother to find a place for you to hide. In a few years, the Marquis will likely have forgotten all about you.”

“I couldn’t possibly!”

I shook my head. “Brother Meng, you’ve already helped me so much. I can’t impose on you any further.”

Meng Huaiqing said quickly, “We are friends. It’s no imposition.”

My nose stung with emotion as I looked up at him.

“Brother Meng, there’s something I’ve been holding in my heart for a long time, and I have to say it.”

“I heard you mention before that there’s a reason you work for Yuan Heng-that you want to use his influence to clear your grandfather’s name and restore the glory of the Meng Family.”

“But that man is incredibly cruel and ruthless. I’m afraid that one day, once he’s finished using you, he’ll turn on you.”

Meng Huaiqing folded his hands and lowered his gaze. “Thank you for your concern, but…”

I interrupted him. “Why don’t you take this opportunity to run away with me?”

Meng Huaiqing fell silent for a moment before finally shaking his head gently.

I knew he had a goal he was determined to achieve. I couldn’t persuade him, and I didn’t intend to push further. I let out a sigh. “At least Hongyu is dead, so we’re safe. Otherwise…”

Meng Huaiqing froze. “Hongyu isn’t dead.”

I gasped in shock. “That day when you checked her injuries and saw me about to start the fire, didn’t you scold me for trying to destroy the evidence of a corpse? Is she… is she not dead?”

Meng Huaiqing smiled. “She was just critically injured and on the verge of death. I’ve been treating her these past few days, and she’s showing signs of improvement. She could wake up any time in the next day or two.”

My head felt like it exploded with a loud buzz.

Perhaps my face had turned pale, as Meng Huaiqing looked at me with concern. “What’s wrong?”

He gave an understanding smile. “I know you only hurt Hongyu because you were desperate to escape. Since she didn’t die, you shouldn’t feel too guilty.”

My whole body was trembling. “Brother Meng, that day, Hongyu thought I was going to kill her and closed her eyes in despair. That was exactly when you walked in. You examined her and mentioned destroying a corpse… I thought she was already dead, so… so…”

The color drained from Meng Huaiqing’s face instantly. He murmured, “So… she might have heard my voice then.”

I didn’t dare think about the implications.

It meant that as soon as Hongyu woke up, she would immediately tell Yuan Heng that the masked man who broke in and took me away was Meng Huaiqing.

This place was no longer safe. We had to evacuate immediately.

Anxious and frantic, I looked at Meng Huaiqing.

He was clearly flustered now, lost in thought as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Brother Meng, what are you thinking?” I asked softly.

Meng Huaiqing picked up his teacup blankly, shaking his head in a daze. “I don’t know.”

I said cautiously, “There are two ways out of this.”

“Tell me.”

I looked at the man’s profile and suggested, “First, before Hongyu wakes up, go back to the Marquis Manor and kill her.”

I wanted to tell him how Hongyu had plotted against me and harmed me several times in my past life, but the truth was too fantastical; I feared he wouldn’t believe me.

Sure enough, Meng Huaiqing knit his brows.

I quickly added, “Second, we leave together.”

Meng Huaiqing was stunned. He stared at me blankly, as if he didn’t understand my words.

I decided to go all in. Reaching out, I pressed my hand over his arm through his sleeve and said sincerely, “Yuan Heng is not a good man. You surely know that better than I do. If he finds out you betrayed him…”

“Let’s go!”

Meng Huaiqing stood up abruptly, without a hint of hesitation. “We leave right now!”