Waiting for You for a Long Time, But You Haven't Arrived - Chapter 6

Repeat that to me again

“Miss, I will never forget your kindness today. I vow to repay your immense favor, even if I have to be a cattle or a horse in my next life.”

Su Qian’er hadn’t cried when she was threatened earlier, but now that she had calmed down, she was weeping uncontrollably due to Ming Yishu’s protection.

She remembered all of Ming Yishu’s kindness. Once, in the Heavenly Prison, it was Miss Ming who, even amidst the Prime Minister’s fury, gently moved the shards of a broken teacup away from her knees. Miss Ming was kind and thoughtful, always treating her subordinates as human beings, empathizing with their hardship, and offering them some extra help when they were in need.

Ming Yishu smiled and wiped her tears. “Don’t cry. People like me don’t get a next life.”

She knew she had transmigrated into a book, and in this story, there would be no future for her.

But Su Qian’er misunderstood her meaning. Her face instantly paled, and she argued, “Miss Ming is a good person. How could you not have a next life? You deserve the best karmic reward.”

Ming Yishu said, “But I don’t know how to farm, so I don’t need little cattle or horses…”

Su Qian’er subconsciously asked, “Then what does Miss like?”

Ming Yishu thought for a moment. Back in modern times, she had a very protective German Shepherd. When she was dying, no one came to her rescue, but the dog she raised rushed forward and bit the assailant’s arm…

However, the vicious criminal not only killed her but also went mad and killed her dog.

Thinking of the past, Ming Yishu lowered her eyes and softly said, “I like raising dogs.”

She was only a student back then, and the dog’s love was the most sincere and pure thing she could afford to have. That German Shepherd was half her height, and its entire heart and eyes were focused on its owner, always capable of curing all her bad moods.

Su Qian’er said, “Then I will be Miss Ming’s…”

Ming Yishu quickly covered her lips, stopping her from continuing, “I’m not swearing. I mean a real puppy. You don’t need to belittle yourself. Even if there is reincarnation, you should be an honorable human being.”

“I don’t have the good fortune to be reincarnated as a human. Miss Ming is kind, so I might as well be the pet you raise, at least for a life of ease and comfort.” Su Qian’er took her hand away and smiled at her playfully, “It’s too hard. Being a human is too much suffering. I don’t want to live another life.”

Su Qian’er was sharp-tongued, and Ming Yishu couldn’t argue with her, so she just smiled and let the matter drop.

“When that time comes, I’ll bite your clothes and cling to you stubbornly,” Su Qian’er’s eyes were very bright, and she said with utmost seriousness, “Miss, you must recognize me.”

Ming Yishu covered her face, amused by her. “Alright, alright, I know.”

While they were talking, Bo Lu had already rushed over. He said, “Miss, the Prime Minister has sent someone to escort you into the palace. His Majesty wishes to see you.”

His Majesty?

Ming Yishu had only interacted with Chu Qing once. Other than that, the two of them hadn’t spoken much. Why would His Majesty want to see her?

She didn’t know, but her aunt wanted her to enter the palace, and she would definitely listen to her… Suddenly, a sentence her aunt had asked her in the Heavenly Prison flashed in Ming Yishu’s mind.

“His Majesty is asking for you, do you think I should agree?”

So, was she going to be sent to Chu Qing?

A wave of sorrow swept through Ming Yishu’s heart. She remembered how she had defied her aunt’s wishes last night, and thus her aunt was in a bad mood today, ready to send her to someone else.

Ming Yishu tightly gripped the jade flute in her hand and, with a sense of resignation, said, “Very well.”

It was fine to be sent away. Her existence was originally meant to help the other party. If the other party was tired of her existence and wanted to use her to gain some benefits, she would not feel resentment.

She boarded the carriage and soon entered the palace, still carrying the jade flute.

“The Prime Minister and His Majesty are discussing matters inside. Please wait here, Miss, while this old servant goes to announce your presence.”

Bolu brought Ming Yishu there and quickly left.

Ming Yishu lowered her head slightly, waiting for him to come out.

Inside the hall, as soon as Bolu entered, he heard the monarch and the minister arguing again.

Jiang Junghua sat on a chair, yet made the monarch stand to listen. She spoke indifferently, her tone arrogant: “Even if His Majesty has already verified her identity, so what? Yes, she is indeed the former Grand Tutor’s kin. I killed everyone in that man’s family, leaving only this sole orphaned relative. I have raised her in the Prime Minister’s Residence for six years. Does His Majesty guess she will trust you more or trust me more?”

Chu Qing was trembling with anger: “Though the Grand Tutor failed you, those years of protection cannot be denied. Jiang Junghua, you are too cruel. Must revenge require taking a life and wiping out an entire family?”

She had only learned yesterday that Ming Yishu was the sole relative left behind by the former Grand Tutor. A heavy sorrow spread deep into her heart.

“Protection? Shelter? You make it sound like I was that desperate for it.” Jiang Junghua took a sip of tea and mocked, “I believed her back then, but what did she do? A light phrase of ‘I mistook the person’ and she wanted to defect. Ten years, a full ten years of being mistaken. How foolish does His Majesty think I must be to believe her lie?”

Ten years.

When she was eighteen, she met Tang Guangjun, who claimed to come from another place to save her, help her achieve all her wishes, and assist her in ascending to the position of the world’s supreme ruler. At that time, Chu Qing was eight years old. Even without Tang Guangjun, she could have enjoyed the highest power herself.

Tang Guangjun did help her, but after realizing the mistake, defected at the most critical moment, betrayed her, and threw her into prison, where she suffered all kinds of torture.

“His Majesty speaks naturally and easily, after all, that person eventually chose to serve you, and you benefited entirely.” Jiang Junghua sneered, “A waste is a waste. What if she chose you? This supreme power is still in my hands… Your Majesty, what can you do to me?”

The first thing she did after being rescued from the Heavenly Prison by the death squad was to personally kill the Tang Guangjun who had betrayed her.

That person died instantly, but she still felt it was not satisfying enough.

“Ming Yishu, I have already sent someone to escort her into the palace. His Majesty will be able to see the daughter of an old friend soon.” Jiang Junghua said, “Oh, and there’s a piece of good news I must share with His Majesty—she has even developed feelings of admiration for me, perhaps… she’d even be willing to die for me.”

Chu Qing looked at her in disbelief: “What did you do to her?”

Jiang Junghua: “I didn’t do anything. She was the one who was eager to like me, leaning over to kiss me deep in the night. It is already an extraordinary mercy that I don’t blame her.”

Chu Qing’s vision was darkening in waves: “She knew nothing about the grudges between you, me, and the Grand Tutor back then. She treats you with such sincerity now and holds no ill will. Why must you do this?”

“His Majesty, please don’t jest. Sincerity is the least trustworthy thing.” Jiang Qionghua raised her eyes and looked at her playfully and contemptuously, “And she is, at most, a cat or a dog I raised. The loyalty of a cat or a dog is a matter of course, not worthy of praise.”

Chu Qing’s eyes, filled with hatred, stared fixedly at Jiang Qionghua: “You will regret your arrogance and conceit.”

Jiang Qionghua leisurely retorted: “I hate everyone in the world. I do everything according to my whims and nature. There’s no talk of regret, and I will never regret it.”

Chu Qing turned her back, not wanting to say anything more.

“Just now, I heard my subordinate say that His Majesty wants to keep Ming Yishu in the palace, and even prepared a troop of archers to ambush me.” Jiang Qionghua stated this calmly, instantly plunging the atmosphere between the two into an even colder state.

It was baseless slander. Chu Qing didn’t even want to defend herself. This was clearly Jiang Qionghua’s plot, who knows what kind of performance she was going to put on for her.

Chu Qing followed her words and said coldly, “What show does milady want to put on for me now?”

“Didn’t I just say it?” Jiang Qionghua stood up with a hint of impatience, blaming the other party’s carelessness, “Wait for the journey out of the palace, Your Majesty, and you shall see if she is willing to protect me, and even die for me, with all her heart.”

Could there truly be such a vicious person in the world, especially when the other party mentioned such things with a nonchalant demeanor? Cold sweat broke out on Chu Qing’s back, her fingertips dug tightly into her palms, and her teeth were almost ground to dust.

Chu Qing: “If you don’t intend to treat her well, give her to me.”

“No.” Jiang Qionghua adamantly refused, “She is my person. No matter how much His Majesty loves her, you can only look.”

She would let her look, but not give her.

She wanted her to know this was the orphan of an old friend, yet be powerless to help.

She specifically wanted her to know the truth of the underlying grudge, and then personally watch the daughter of an old friend step by step toward the abyss.

There was nothing more satisfying than this method of revenge.

Jiang Qionghua felt excited just thinking about it.

“Madwoman.” Chu Qing only regretted that she could not avenge her old friend, nor could she protect her only relative.

“Bo Lu, call Ming Yishu in for me.” Jiang Qionghua said, “Our His Majesty misses her very much, and must have a lot to say.”

After Bo Lu turned and left, Jiang Qionghua lowered her voice and threatened Chu Qing: “I don’t want her to know about the past. His Majesty should know what to say—if the truth is exposed too early, she will die early. If His Majesty reveals the truth later, then there is no need to perform the rest of the play; she won’t even walk out of this hall.”

Chu Qing sat down forlornly, saying nothing more.

Outside the door.

Ming Yishu gripped the jade flute, noticing that Bo Lu’s face was not looking good. She was a little nervous and wanted to ask, but saw Bo Lu slowly shaking his head at her, whispering a warning.

“The Prime Minister is not in a good mood. Please take care, Miss Ming. Do not say what should not be said, and do not do what should not be done.”

Ming Yishu firmly kept this warning in mind and entered the hall.

Jiang Qionghua saw her arrive, didn’t let her bow, and raised her hand to beckon her over: “Yishu, I have something to discuss with you.”

Ming Yishu walked calmly to her side, her tone gentle as always: “Please speak, Prime Minister.”

“His Majesty is very fond of you and wants to ask you to enter the palace.” Jiang Qionghua heard the distant title and frowned slightly in displeasure. Then, she took her hand, gently kneading the other party’s fingertips, and asked, “Auntie dotes on you, so of course, I must first ask for your opinion on this matter. As long as you speak, I will agree.”

Because she had asked once before and knew the answer, Jiang Qionghua was very calm and confident when asking this time. She even subtly wanted to show off to Chu Qing.

She really wanted to see the look of shock and disappointment on Chu Qing’s face after hearing Ming Yishu’s answer.

Seeing that Ming Yishu was hesitant to answer, Jiang Qionghua deliberately guided her with a contradictory statement: “His Majesty is in her prime. If you follow her, you will enjoy endless glory and wealth for the rest of your life. What do you think?”

Ming Yishu was silent for a moment, then gently pulled her hand away, retreated half a step, pulled up her clothes, and performed a kneeling salute: “Yishu will follow all of the Prime Minister’s arrangements. If His Majesty bestows the grace to keep me, your subordinate—will obey the decree.”

Jiang Qionghua: “…”

This time, the one who was shocked and surprised was not only Chu Qing. Receiving this unexpected answer, Jiang Qionghua’s expression instantly turned extremely poor.

How dare she betray her?

How dare she!

Jiang Qionghua looked angrily at the person kneeling on the ground, then turned her head and saw Chu Qing’s face, which held a mixture of confusion and relief.

Given that she had already spoken out, and Ming Yishu actually chose to stay, Jiang Qionghuafelt she had lost face, and hatred immediately surged up.

A fire burned away most of Jiang Qionghua’s rationality. She looked at Ming Yishu’s face and vaguely remembered the pain of being stabbed in the back years ago. The torture she suffered after being thrown into prison was something she could never forget. The scars of the chains passing through her shoulder blades were still there, and the pain, which had not healed for sixteen years, began to ache intensely now.

“Get up, and repeat that to me again.”

Jiang Qionghua seemed to have lost her mind. She got up and stepped forward, trying to pull Ming Yishu up from the ground, wanting her to clearly state her attitude again, rephrase her words, and change her answer.

Ming Yishu was startled by the sudden change. She vaguely raised her hand, about to take the hand offered to her.

“Slap—”

The hand that was meant to pull her paused in the air, then slightly raised, and with a fierce arc, it backhanded her across the face.

The force wasn’t great, but Ming Yishu hadn’t quite stabilized herself, and she was slapped down onto her knees.

Jiang Qionghua’s patience ran out. She looked down at her and said: “I raised you for six years, and yet you show no regard for past kindness when you cast yourself to another. Since that is the case…”

Ming Yishu covered her face, raising her eyes in disbelief to meet her gaze: “I didn’t.”

“Jiang Qionghua, don’t make things difficult for her!” Chu Qing frowned, shot a fierce glare at Jiang Qionghua, and quickly stepped forward to help Ming Yishu.

Jiang Qionghua spoke coldly to Ming Yishu: “If you take her hand, you don’t need to return to the Prime Minister’s Residence hereafter.”

Ming Yishu froze, lowered her head, and avoided Chu Qing’s hand: “My apologies, Your Majesty.”

Only then did Jiang Qionghua seem to have regained her dignity. She was in a bad mood, still feeling it wasn’t enough, so she temperately pulled Ming Yishu up. After helping her stand, she turned to Chu Qing and said, “Your Majesty, come and see us off.”

You come and watch this scene with your own eyes.

She didn’t know why, but she was so eager to confirm Ming Yishu’s sincerity toward her, as if only by doing so could she mend the empty wound pierced in her heart.

Chu Qing was left far behind the two of them, looking at Ming Yishu’s back with a pained expression. That person was the teacher’s kin, her integrity unyielding just like the teacher’s back then, yet, regrettably, she had fallen into the hands of a malicious person like Jiang Qionghua.

What an insult.

She only regretted her own powerlessness as the monarch.

Ming Yishu was dragged by Jiang Qionghua for a very long distance. Her hand was squeezed painfully, but nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

Earlier, she had thought that her aunt intended to send her to Chu Qing as a spy. She had assumed this was an unspoken conspiracy. She hadn’t expected that her aunt was actually unwilling and had even hit her because of it.

Amidst the bitterness, Ming Yishu managed to piece together a small fragment of warmth Auntie actually wanted to keep her by her side, which was why she had been so enraged, wasn’t it?

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