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  Chapter 12: The Cost

  Zhu Yuhuan knew that something was terribly wrong when the fire started! He didn't go to the door or window, he knew those people wanted to burn him alive and would definitely seal off the doors and windows. If he kicked them open, a bigger flame might rush in!

  He pulled out a dagger in his left hand, looked up at the top of his head, and the flames had already burned to the roof along the pillar. The beam was on fire! The flames quickly swallowed everything in the house, almost everything was on fire in an instant!

  Surrounding him, flames burst forth, accompanied by choking smoke. The smoke spread rapidly throughout the room, quickly obscuring his vision. Before long, he couldn't see anything. His nose and throat were already feeling the effects of the suffocating fumes. Zhu Yuhuan knew that he only had a very short time to think, otherwise, even if he wasn't burned to death, he would be choked to death!

  He crouched down, got on all fours and quickly crawled towards the wall based on his memory. When he bumped into the wall, he crawled forward along it for two steps before bumping into something. He grabbed it and could no longer feel that piercing heat! He slammed it forward with force! A wave of flames rolled over him, he hugged his head and got down on the ground, feeling the flames "whoosh" past everything! Taking a deep breath, he lifted his head to look again, and there was a faint cool breeze coming from in front. Zhu Yuehan used up the last bit of strength in his body and flung himself out!

  His feet had just landed when he felt a gust of wind rushing towards him, followed by a flash of cold light! He almost subconsciously fell backwards, the dagger in his hand flying out!

  He heard a scream in his ear, and he fell to the ground with a thud, feeling a chill all over his body, before losing consciousness.

  ……

  Zhu Yichen didn't feel the pain in his neck, he had already fainted before that.

  Chu Xue's hand tightly grasped the knife, and just now she hadn't retreated when Zhu Ye Chen made his move. If Zhu Ye Chen hadn't fainted, the curved knife might have really cut open his throat...

  She had also made up her mind that as soon as Zhu Yingtian died, she would take her own life immediately!

  Zhu Yifei was still looking at her, the determination in her eyes he saw clearly! Just now she didn't retreat at all, and he also saw it clearly! He finally understood that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get her! She was too strong-willed, too ruthless!

  He suddenly turned around and walked towards the door, and when he reached the door, he said: "From now on... I never want to see you again!"

  He said and left!

  The guards looked at each other inexplicably, and one of them heard Zhu Yizhen's last words, thinking that he was told to kill the two of them! He raised his knife and came forward!

  "Let them go!" came Zhu Yingtai's voice from outside.

  The guard's sword barely fell on Chu Kei's head, stopped for a moment, and several people looked at each other, silently flashed out.

  Chu Xue's heart had been suspended, and upon hearing the sound of the courtyard gate outside, it finally fell back into her stomach. She immediately turned around to put away the curved knife and looked at Zhu Yuxuan, who was unconscious. Zhu Yuxuan's eyes were tightly closed, with a bloody hole on his abdomen that was still bleeding profusely!

  She hastily stretched out her trembling hand and pressed it on his wound, calling out in a shaky voice: "Second Brother... Xuan Chen?"

  Zhu Yuheng showed no reaction. She immediately tore off a piece of her underskirt and used it to bandage the wound on his body.

  Suddenly, a commotion came from the entrance, and Chu Ke's heart was lifted. She grabbed the curved knife and looked out to see an old woman with a pale face, her legs trembling like a pendulum as she moved into the house. Chu Ke recognized that it was the old woman she had called to report the news, and immediately shouted loudly: "Come over and carry him!"

  The old woman's legs were still trembling, and she came over in a daze, saying as if sleepwalking: "My mother, my ancestors... what kind of terrible thing has happened..."

  Chu Ke pulled her over, dragged her to the bedside and shouted: "Stop wasting time! Hurry up and put him on his back! If he dies, I'll skin you alive!"

  The old woman was threatened by her, and finally came to herself a bit, and together they lifted Zhu Yuchen from the bed and carried him on their backs. Chu Ke saw that Zhu Yuchen's clothes were torn, so she pulled down the quilt from the bed and covered him with it, supporting him as they hastily left the courtyard.

  Chu Ke and the others had not gone far when this yard also caught fire. The next day, the yamen's people came to investigate, inside there were three charred corpses that could not be identified, one of the corpses even lost its head. This is a murder case! However, the north side of the city was all some dilapidated houses, usually only some vagrants or beggars went to live there, the yamen offered a reward for several months, but no one came to claim it, and the case was also dropped.

  One night, a mansion in the wealthy district also caught fire, and there was a charred corpse that could not be identified inside. Because this place was surrounded by high-ranking officials on all sides, the Shuntian Prefecture government investigated for a period of time with great fanfare, but later someone intervened and it ended without any conclusion.

  That's another story.

  The old woman carried Zhu Yuxuan, and Chu Ke'er supported her on the side. They hurriedly walked back and forth on the road. On the way, Chu Ke'er asked the old woman how Biao Er Ye had gone to the north of the city. The old woman said that a man carrying a woman had gone to find Biao Er Ye, and it was that man who called Biao Er Ye to go to the north of the city.

  Chu Xue heard this and was shocked, thinking of the letter from Zhu Yuxuan. She wondered if her mother and brother had already been alarmed? The old woman said that Zhu Yuxun was called to the north of the city, it's very likely that it was her brother! It must be, otherwise why would Zhu Yuxun listen to him about such an important matter?

  Then... who went to Sanmiao Street? Brother... if he also saw the provocative part of the letter, it's possible that he would go in place of Zhu Yuxuan, and it's possible... he would get into trouble!

  Having thought of this, I am anxious and worried, really wishing I could split into several people to rush and rescue those in danger!

  Thinking of this, she walked quickly, almost exhausting the old woman to the point of collapse. She returned to the Chu residence, knocked on the door, and when the gatekeeper came to open it, he was about to shout out loud at the sight of the three blood-covered people outside, but was stopped by a stern rebuke from Chu Ke. "Go and inform Master immediately!" she whispered urgently. "But if anyone else finds out, not one of our family will survive!"

  The gatekeeper was so frightened that he trembled as he answered, and hurriedly ran inside to report to the old master. The woman on this side trembled and said: "Miss... we won't say anything, not a single word will be leaked out... Please spare our family..."

  Chu Kei hurriedly walked into the courtyard and casually asked: "What?"

  "Spare... spare our family..." The old woman was panting and couldn't catch her breath, but she still kept saying: "Just now that... is my husband." Today she knew too much, really afraid that Third Miss would silence her!

  "Let's just keep today's events between us and we'll all be fine."

  As she spoke, they had already arrived at her own courtyard. Chu Ke'er walked forward and knocked on the door. It was almost immediately opened from inside. An old woman stuck her head out to look, took one glance at Chu Ke'er, and exclaimed: "Good heavens! Young Miss, where have you gone?! You're going to be the death of everyone in this courtyard..."

  Hurry up and open the door, Chu Kei just walked in, four or five people rushed out, it seemed that everyone didn't go back to their rooms, they were all lingering at the gate. There was Jing Er, Qing Guo, Bai Guo, each one looking flustered and pale, Bai Guo saw Chu Kei and his legs went soft, he sat down on the ground: "My lady... you're going to be the death of me!"

  "Miss, where have you gone? We... almost hanged ourselves!"

  Chu Kei's feet didn't stop, and it was only then that the crowd saw the old woman carrying someone on her back. They were frightened and rushed to support her. Chu Kei said in a low voice: "Qing Guo, personally go find an old woman, you two go together to invite a doctor, absolutely don't let anyone else in the mansion know!"

  Qing Guo hastily agreed and spun around in place before rushing out.

  The crowd swarmed around them as they entered the house, and the old woman placed Zhu Yuxuan on the bed, herself collapsing to one side. Chu Keji ordered Qing'er and the others to quickly bandage Zhu Yuxuan's wounds and clean any areas that needed cleaning, while she waited anxiously in the courtyard, pacing back and forth.

  The servants on the side of Old Master Chu heard the report from the gatekeeper and called out to wake up the old master, but didn't say what was going on. None of them dared to go, so the gatekeeper got anxious and almost knelt down, guaranteeing that if the old master got angry, he would take responsibility himself. After half a day's worth of good words, the servants finally relayed the message inside. Old Master Chu was woken up in the middle of the night, thinking something had happened at the palace, so he quickly put on his clothes and came out. The gatekeeper was kneeling by the door and softly said: "Master, please go take a look at Third Young Miss's place... maybe something has happened."

  The old man didn't know that Chu Ke had gone out, and was startled when he heard the news. It's late at night, isn't someone seriously ill? He hurriedly walked over while saying: "Quickly call the master! Call the madam over!"

  The gatekeeper shouted from behind: "No way, no way... absolutely not!"

  Master Chu was shocked and turned his head to look at this servant, it's simply outrageous! The things he ordered, this servant dared to say 'no' repeatedly!

  The housekeeper was so flustered that he couldn't speak clearly, and his legs went soft as he knelt down, stuttering: "I'm so sorry... it was the third young lady who said it, don't disturb others!"

  The old man became even stranger, but after hearing this, it didn't seem like a sudden illness. Asking the servants also couldn't get a clear answer, so it's better to hurry and take a look. So he hurried out, got into the sedan chair and ran quickly to the courtyard on this side, just seeing the courtyard in a mess, Chu Kei was standing in the middle of the courtyard, saw him immediately came up and whispered: "Grandfather!"

  "What's going on?" Old Master Chu looked at the situation in the courtyard and saw that no one had slept, and the gate was wide open! What is this? The backyard has no discipline at all! He got a bit angry and asked her with a stern face. (If you like this work, welcome to subscribe and reward on Qidian Mobile Web, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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