Yu Rong, knowing Lan Cui's temperaments and disposition all too well, was worried that Lan Cui might cause further trouble if left unchecked, hence her earnest instructions.
"I understand, I won't cause any more trouble."
For the past few days, she wouldn't be foolish enough to provoke Zhenzhu again. However, if she could find leverage in a few days, she wouldn't be blamed.
...
After Yu Rong had settled Lan Cui, she got up and went to find Zhenzhu.
"What's wrong with you today? Your grip was so fierce. Lan Cui's wrist is severely swollen. Were you trying to crush her wrist?"
"That was her own doing. I was merely giving her a reminder to be more careful in the future, to know what should be said and what shouldn't!"
Yu Rong sized up Zhenzhu, feeling that something was different about her today. She seemed to be exuding an aura of malevolence. In the past, Zhenzhu had never reacted so strongly to things Lan Cui had done that were even more excessive.
What was wrong with her today? Malevolence radiated from her. When she gripped Lan Cui's wrist earlier, her eyes were filled with killing intent.
"You've gone too far today. Lan Cui's temperament has always been like this, why bother arguing with her? If your grip had been any tighter just now, Lan Cui's wrist would have been crippled, and her life would have been ruined."
"It would be better to be crippled and useless than to be a spy. At least one can keep their life. As a spy, you wouldn't even know how you died."
To be useless was better than to be a spy and not even know who killed you in the end.
To dedicate one's entire life to serving Xiliang, only to die at the hands of their own people. It truly felt not worth it for those innocent sisters who died in vain.
"You dare to say such things? I think you've been worn out and have become foolish these past few days. Go back and rest properly, and you're not allowed to speak such nonsense anymore!"
Yu Rong reprimanded her sternly. If these words fell into the wrong ears, their lives would not be guaranteed.
Zhenzhu, who had always been cautious and afraid of making a single wrong step, was acting incredibly out of character today.
"Which of my words isn't the truth? Yu Rong, do you know where the sisters who were granted permission to leave in the past are now?"
"I really don't know about that. If they were allowed to leave, they must have found a place to live a peaceful life. Didn't we also swear that one day, after we achieved great merit, we would leave here together? Why are you asking about these things today?"
Yu Rong felt even more that Zhenzhu was behaving very abnormally today, asking such tricky and peculiar questions.
"There's no contact at all. In the past, we were as close as sisters, yet now there's not even a single piece of news..."
"The mountains are high and the roads are long, it's normal not to be in contact."
Zhenzhu let out a cold snort and said sarcastically, "They are all dead, how could they have the opportunity to send you a message?"
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Yu Rong's tone was full of anger upon hearing this. "I think you've really become foolish from exhaustion, speaking without any sense. Rest well first!"
As Yu Rong stood up to leave, Zhenzhu grabbed her wrist from behind.
"I heard Granny Sun say with my own ears that the sisters who were granted permission to leave after achieving merit were all personally killed by Granny Sun. We know too many things, and they absolutely won't let us leave alive. Only the dead can be truly trusted!"
Her eyes wide open, Yu Rong looked at Zhenzhu with disbelief. Zhenzhu's expression did not seem like she was lying.
However, her heart resisted, unwilling to believe. Yu Rong simply treated Zhenzhu's words as rambling.
"We watched them leave with our own eyes. Now you're saying they were all killed by Granny Sun? Who would believe your words? If you're really tired these past few days, just stay in your room and rest, but you are forbidden to say these things again."
"Everything I'm saying is the truth. Those sisters are all... already dead. This time, Granny Sun plans to have Xiao Qi act as a spy and will also promise Xiao Qi that after this task is completed, she will be allowed to leave..."
Zhenzhu told Yu Rong everything she had overheard. Yu Rong was the eldest among them and had always been well-loved. If she wanted to incite the others, she would need Yu Rong's help.
The primary task now was to bring Yu Rong to their side.
Seeing that Yu Rong seemed to be moved, Zhenzhu continued, "It's not just Xiao Qi, but other sisters as well. They were all tricked like this, and ultimately lost their lives. Do we still want to follow in their footsteps?"
Yu Rong was slightly taken aback, her eyes filled with complex emotions. After a long pause, she finally said, "This matter, you... you let me think about it first..."
"We don't have time. Whether you want to live or die is up to you."
Zhenzhu said hurriedly. She had to bring Yu Rong to their side.
"What exactly do you mean?"
Yu Rong looked at Zhenzhu in confusion. She couldn't understand what Zhenzhu was trying to say.
What did she mean by living or dying? Why was she so urgently forcing her to make a choice?
After hesitating for a moment, Zhenzhu decided to tell Yu Rong everything.
"What! Are you crazy? You're collaborating with people from Dongchu! This is treason!"
Yu Rong looked at Zhenzhu in disbelief, completely shocked that Zhenzhu would collude with people from Dongchu.
"Treason... Don't you forget, we are all sinners. We were all punished and sent into the palace. Rather than living without dignity like this, being at the mercy of others, I'd rather commit treason and live for myself!"
"I'm giving you two choices now: one is to live with me, and the other is to die."
As she spoke, Zhenzhu's blade was already at Yu Rong's neck.
The cold, stinging sensation on her neck forced her to make a decision quickly. Yu Rong still couldn't believe that Zhenzhu would commit treason.
"Zhenzhu, calm down first. It's not too late for you to turn back. I'll pretend this never happened, and I won't tell Granny Sun."
"Who is being stubborn, me or you? Do you refuse to give up until you sacrifice your life for these unfounded matters?"
"I've been taught this way since I was young. For the sake of the nation's great cause, what is one person's life worth? Zhenzhu, if it weren't for His Majesty's mercy, you would have lost your life long ago. Now you want to commit treason, how can you face His Majesty!"
Yu Rong pleaded earnestly, wanting Zhenzhu to turn back to the right path and not continue down a mistaken road.
"Zhenzhu, the great mistake hasn't been made yet, it's not too late for you to turn back. If you truly do this, you'll regret it too late!"
Yu Rong took Zhenzhu's hand, her voice incredibly gentle as she persuaded her, wanting only for Zhenzhu to return to the right path.
"Shut up, my mind is made up. No matter how eloquently you speak, I will never turn back!"