Xuanzhou, Danxue Temple.
Bai Ruoshu and Song Qian were kneeling inside the temple’s main hall, praying for blessings, while their maids and several guards waited outside to protect them.
Some of the guards had been sent by Prince Kang, while others had come with her.
After overhearing the conversation between Princess Kang and Nanny Liu, Lin Meng had hurried to tell Bai Ruoshu what he had learned. The news had drained the color from her face on the spot.
She had already suspected that something was amiss with Lin Meng and the others’ sudden appearance here. Now that she knew they were Prince Kang’s men, everything made sense.
At first, she had not been certain whether Lin Meng was telling the truth. But she did not dare gamble with her son’s life, much less show the slightest sign of suspicion in front of Prince Kang.
It was not until that very night that Nanny Liu had quietly gone to Bai Ruoshu’s room.
The two of them had talked in private for half an hour. Early the next morning, Bai Ruoshu had asked Prince Kang to let her go to Danxue Temple to pray for her son.
Prince Kang had not given it much thought. He smiled warmly. “Cousin, go ahead. I’ll have people accompany you and make sure you’re well protected.”
Bai Ruoshu suppressed the disgust and hatred churning in her heart and smiled as she nodded. “Thank you, Cousin. Then let Lin Meng and the others come along. I’m more familiar with them.”
Prince Kang did not object. However, besides Lin Meng and the others, he arranged for additional men to accompany her.
His purpose was not merely to protect her. He also intended to eliminate Song Qian.
Kneeling before the Buddha statue, Bai Ruoshu thought of what Nanny Liu had told her that night, and an inexplicable anger flared within her.
Even in this serene Buddhist hall, her murderous intent toward Prince Kang had not diminished in the slightest.
If Prince Kang had not sent people to take her away from the capital several years ago, she would never have lost her memory while struggling to escape. She would never have met Xi Daniu, nor would she have unwittingly destroyed someone else’s family.
Although she had been a passive and innocent party in the matter, she still felt guilty whenever she faced Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan.
She could not understand it. Back then, the Bai family and her aunt had merely mentioned the possibility of a marriage between her and Prince Kang. She had not even agreed to it.
How had Prince Kang known that she would definitely accept?
She had always regarded him only as an older brother.
Even if he did not want to marry her, he could have simply refused. There had been no need to resort to such a despicable scheme. He was practically worse than a beast.
Bai Ruoshu knelt before the Buddha with her eyes closed, unable to swallow her anger. She desperately wanted to find an opportunity to hack Prince Kang to death with a single stroke, but she did not want her son to be harmed.
Just as she was wrestling with her thoughts, Song Qian tugged at her sleeve and complained in a pitiful voice, “Mother, my knees hurt. Can I stop kneeling?”
Bai Ruoshu opened her eyes and swept her gaze around the main hall. Seeing that no monks were present, she immediately turned around and sat on the cushion, then pulled Song Qian into her arms.
“Mm. Qian’er has been very good today. Later, Mother will take you to the back mountain to catch rabbits, all right?”
“Yay! I want roasted rabbit!” Song Qian shouted happily.
Looking at his delighted expression, Bai Ruoshu made up her mind to escape first. As for revenge, she would deal with it if she got the chance.
If Princess Kang had not saved her, her son would probably be dead by now. Bai Ruoshu suspected that Princess Kang had deliberately allowed Lin Meng to overhear those words. She would remember this favor.
Before coming to the temple, she had neither met with Princess Kang nor deliberately thanked her. This was not the right time. Some things were better left understood without being spoken aloud.
She carried Song Qian out of the main hall. When the guards and maids outside saw her emerge, they assumed she was preparing to leave.
Bai Ruoshu spoke calmly. “The sincerity of one’s prayers lies in the heart. We must pray for seven consecutive days for our devotion to be convincing. We won’t be returning today. Lin Meng, take your men with me to the back mountain. Qian’er wants some rabbit meat. Also, send someone back to inform Cousin, so he won’t worry.”
“Yes, Miss,” Lin Meng replied loudly.
Although eating rabbit meat while praying at a temple seemed rather strange, none of the guards sent by Prince Kang objected. They had come with a mission, and the longer they stayed, the more opportunities they would have. Before returning, they would surely find a chance to eliminate Song Qian.
Bai Ruoshu cast them a cold glance before striding toward the back mountain.
Running away from the back mountain immediately after arriving would be too risky. She might not be able to escape. She needed to make a plan first.
She would have the guards send word back and let Prince Kang know that she would not return for seven days. During that time, she would deal with everyone who needed to be dealt with. That way, her escape would go more smoothly.
Lin Meng followed closely behind Bai Ruoshu. He had already made up his mind: from now on, he would stay by Bai Ruoshu’s side. Whether he lived or died, he accepted his fate.
Half an hour later, Song Qian got his long-awaited roasted rabbit.
For three days in a row, Bai Ruoshu did the same thing. Wherever she went, she took Song Qian with her. The two were inseparable, and the guards never found an opportunity to make a move.
That morning, after praying in the main hall, Bai Ruoshu once again took Song Qian and the others to the back mountain.
Not long afterward, Lin Meng approached Bai Ruoshu carrying several rabbits. He looked delighted. “Miss, we had good luck today. We caught quite a few rabbits.”
Bai Ruoshu smiled gently. “That’s too many for Qian’er to eat. You may distribute the rest among yourselves.”
“Thank you, Miss!” Lin Meng called out happily.
The other guards and maids smiled as well. They had been eating vegetarian food at the temple every day, and having to watch roasted rabbit meat without being able to eat any had truly been torture.
Everyone came forward to help prepare the rabbits. Bai Ruoshu sat on a large rock to rest, while Song Qian sat happily beside her, waiting for the food to be ready.
Bai Ruoshu gave Lin Meng a meaningful glance. Lin Meng patted one of the guards on the shoulder. That man was in charge of roasting the rabbit meat, and all the seasonings were kept on him.
Half an hour later, the roasted rabbit meat was finally ready, glistening with oil. At the delicious aroma, many of the guards could not help licking their lips. They were practically salivating.
“It’s ready. Since the meat is done, everyone should eat,” Bai Ruoshu said.
She tore off a rabbit leg and handed it to Song Qian, then smiled and urged the other guards to help themselves.
At her words, everyone tore off pieces of rabbit meat and began eating. Each of them was soon grinning broadly, their mouths dripping with grease.
Bai Ruoshu calmly picked up a rabbit leg and began to eat. The moment she lowered her head, a murderous glint flashed through her eyes.
Before long, everyone had eaten their fill and sat down on the rocks to rest.
The back mountain was vast, and the temple’s people generally never came this way. For the past few days, it had been these people who came here to catch rabbits and roast them.
After every meal of roasted rabbit, Bai Ruoshu would rest for half an hour before leaving. They had grown accustomed to it, and today was no different.
The only difference was that this time, all the guards and maids had eaten. At last, they were no longer forced to watch without getting a taste.
A quarter of an hour later, one of the guards began to feel his eyelids grow heavy and his mind grow drowsy. Unable to resist, he closed his eyes, lay down against a rock, and fell asleep.
Then more and more guards collapsed.
All of them had been sent by Prince Kang.
Before long, aside from Bai Ruoshu’s own maids and guards, the only people still standing were Lin Meng and his companions.
Looking at the unconscious men sprawled on the ground, Lin Meng turned to Bai Ruoshu. “Miss, they’re all asleep. Should we leave now?”
Bai Ruoshu rose and walked over to the guards, her voice cold. “Kill them all. Since they dared to set their sights on my son, they don’t deserve to live. If they wake up, they’ll surely go back and report this. Kill them now and be done with it. There are still four days before the agreed-upon seven-day prayer ritual, and that’s more than enough time for us to get far away.”
Lin Meng and the others did not hesitate in the slightest. Taking up their weapons, they began a one-sided massacre.
