Chapter 45: Cheng Qi Qi

Liu Luo Yi turned her head to looked at Wei Chi Li who was hiding behind her and laughed softly: “They say Princess is not afraid of the heaven and earth, so actually was afraid of this?”

Wei Chi Li craned her neck to looked over Liu Luo Yi’s shoulder, landing her gaze under the bed, feeling depressed as she said: “Who said I’m not afraid of heaven and earth, I am afraid of many things.”

Since she has been frightened by horror movies when young, she was especially concerned about this strange atmosphere.

“Don’t worry, there are no such things in the world. I suddenly remembered that when I was young, I played a game with Chang’er and sneaked into my father’s bedroom and hid under the bed. That time, my father was furious and punished me to kneel outside the door for a whole day. Since then, I have never dared to approached here and even when talking to father, I only dared to stand outside.”

As Liu Luo Yi said that, her expression was a little lonely.

“So, you are thinking that there may be something under the bed.” Wei Chi Li asked. She breathed a sigh of relief and flung her sleeves, walking towards the bed, “Then you should have just said it. Just now the look in your eyes has scared me to death.”

Liu Luo Yi shook her head helplessly and stepped forward too, but Wei Chi Li reached out and pushed her away.

“Stay away, careful or you might get injured.” Wei Chi Li said.

With both hands, she held the edge of the bed, using internal force and lifted the bed halfway then walked semi-circle around it, revealing empty floor.

She squats down and knock on it one by one then confirmed that they are all solid tiles with no place to hide things.

“Nothing.” Wei Chi Li turned her head to look at Liu Luo Yi, feeling rather regretful.

Liu Luo Yi furrowed her brows tightly and squats down with Wei Chi Li. She took the fire fold and held it close to the ground and observed it carefully.

“Princess, look. This piece of brick is smaller than the others, the gap seems to be filled with mortar which is different from other masonry as if it were filled in later.” Liu Luo Yi said as she vacated a place for Wei Chi Li to see.

“Indeed.” Wei Chi Li’s expression has also become serious and she reached out to pull Liu Luo Yi up. Then she took out a dagger and carved around the brick patiently.

She sweats as she fiddles with it for a long while, only then did she managed to pry open the brick from the ground and underneath it was a tamp of hardened cinder and loess.

Wei Chi Li and Liu Luo Yi looked at each other and after getting an affirmative expression, only then did she continued to use the knife to dig out the cinder and loess. Soon, the corner of the box was exposed, Wei Chi Li simply pried open the brick beside it and dug out the entire box.

The box was made of nanmu which was extremely tough, and the opening of the box was sealed with wax. Seems like the contents was extremely precious hence it was carefully preserved.

Wei Chi Li opened the box carefully and the predicted sight did not happen. There was only a stack of unframed paintings in it.

Liu Luo Yi stepped forward and squat down, taking out the paintings carefully and looked at them one by one.

Her hands were trembling slightly.

Although Wei Chi Li does not understand all these, she was attracted by those paintings. Maybe because it has been a long time, the corner of the papers has turned yellow but did not astonishing content did not diminish. Most of the paintings were landscapes which could be described as lifelike.

Occasionally, there was some paper which uses only a small amount of ink to outline small sceneries which were enough to make people astonished.

“Princess, look here.” Liu Luo Yi reaches out her slender finger to point at the small line at the bottom, “Cheng family has woman picking up a brush to paint, the dry grassland is luxuriant(!).”

(!)程家有女提笔画，枯地荒草也萋萋: This sentence hid ‘Cheng Qi Qi’ name. ‘Cheng’ refers to her surname, while ‘luxuriant’ here in Chinese is Qi Qi.

“These are my father’s writing.” Liu Luo Yi looked at Wei Chi Li as she said with a trembling voice, “These paintings are painted by my mother.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Chi Li quickly took out other things from the box. Apart from some paintings, there were a few letters.

“Let us go back then have a look again. It is not safe here.” Wei Chi Li said as she quickly placed all the things back into the box then re-laid the brick and pressed it firmly.

On the way back, the 2 did not say much. Liu Luo Yi was immersed in the shock of discovering her mother’s relic while Wei Chi Li was afraid of disturbing her.

There was no one in the mansion. Xin Ran has not returned while they do not know where Wei Chi Die had gone to. Only Liu Wen Chang’s room was lit. Wei Chi Li opened his door directly, shocking him.

“Princess, Ah Jie. Why are you here?” Liu Wen Chang covered his body as he went towards the bed and hid in a panic.

“Wiping your body?” After Wei Chi Li has stood firmly, she looked at him up and down and nodded. “Not bad, solid figure and seems like you have not slackened in your training. Remember, you need to become stronger to protect your sister.”

Liu Wen Chang desperately covered himself with the quilt as he wanted to cry without tears. He was incredibly happy to hear praise, but could it be during another time?

Besides, even if he wants to protect his sister, he has no chance.

Liu Luo Yi frowned and coughed then poked Wei Chi Li abruptly.

Wei Chi Li patted her forehead, almost forgetting that this was in the ancient times then quickly stepped back and closed the door. After Liu Wen Chang was dressed properly, then she walked in again and placed the heavy box on the table.

“Your mother’s name is Cheng Qi Qi?” She went straight to the point.

Liu Luo Yi and Liu Wen Chang both nodded.

She must be a talented woman to be able to paint such a masterpiece. It was just that why did after Liu Ru’s wife passed away, he threw away everything related to his wife but hid these paintings under the bed. Based on the appearance of the floor tiles, it should have been a long time it has not seen the sky.

Wei Chi Li frowned deeply, and looked at the painting in her hand, feeling that she was approaching some shocking secret.

“Do you 2 still remember her appearance?” Wei Chi Li asked again.

“My mother passed away just a few days after I was born.” Liu Wen Chang said.

Liu Luo Yi thought for a while before replying: “At that time, I was just a child, only remembering that my mother and father was very affectionate, as, for the rest, I can’t remember anything. Even after I grew up, father rarely mentioned about mother but has never taken a concubine. He only took out this silver bracelet and said that he would give it to me when I got married.”

Wei Chi Li nodded then looked at those paintings carefully. When she saw the last one, she was surprised and stopped her movement.

That was a portrait and was the only human painting among these paintings.

The person in the portrait looked extremely like Liu Luo Yi. Whether it was the eyebrows or the demeanour between the eyebrows.

If it were not for the yellowing of the paper, she would definitely mistake her as Liu Luo Yi.

Liu Luo Yi walked to Wei Chi Li’s side and was also stunned. She looked at the immortal being like woman and her body softened. Wei Chi Li drop the painting, got up to support her.

“What’s the matter?” She was worried.

Liu Luo Yi shook her head. It was just that when she saw the person in the painting, her heart suddenly felt sorrowful.

“Is my mother.” Her voice was trembling.

Wei Chi Li was silent then supported Liu Luo Yi to sit down on the chair and went to read the letters by herself. Most of it was like self-talking as if like it was the love words between Liu Ru and Cheng Qi Qi.

A few sentences were quite strange.

“He came to the mansion again, saying that he was sympathetic to officials but in fact wanted to see you but was stopped by me and knelt at outside the  door and did not succeed…..What you said that day was not that I did not believe, just frightened, he and I have a strong friendship, so how could he collude with the enemy and commit treason…”

Wei Chi Li read it twice carefully and finally understood that these 2 ‘he’ was not 1 person.

In the former, there was no one else apart from the emperor who could sympathise with officials.

Seems like there was an indeed a story between Cheng Qi Qi and the emperor and Liu Luo Yi looked remarkably like Cheng Qi Qi. So, that was the reason why the emperor was agitated, when she was at the palace that day.

Within a few moments, Wei Chi Li was able to understand the connection in it, though there were many loopholes, they finally have some clues.

Could it be that the emperor was unhappy that Cheng Qi Qi married to Liu Ru, hence this was an excuse to put Liu Run into the prison?

Wei Chi Li thought about it then shook her head immediately. It was impossible. If this was the case, why wait until so many years before doing it.

Who was the person mentioned in the letter, strong friendship….

“Little Liu’er, Wen Chang, do you 2 remember if Lord Liu have any good friend, old friend, etc?” Wei Chi Li handed the letter to Liu Luo Yi and leaned over to ask.

Liu Wen Chang shook his head and said: “Father has rarely mentioned about courts matter and we as children only bothered about playing and has never cared about it. Moreover, father’s character is a bit strange…… Although many people admire him, he has never invited them into the house.”

Wei Chi Li looked towards Liu Luo Yi.

Liu Luo Yi thought about it carefully then suddenly said: “I remember then when I was noticeably young, there was someone who often comes to the mansion to drink and play chess with father. That time, Chang’er does not remember anything, but I do. But I never saw him since.”

It would be difficult to investigate this. Wei Chi Li sighed and handed those paintings to Liu Luo Yi: “Forget it, we are all tired today, so go back and rest first. Now that I have some clues, I will find a way tonight.”

Liu Luo Yi took over the paintings then reached out to pull Wei Chi Li’s sleeve then sway it gently, saying: “Thank you for your hard work, princess. And many thanks for today’s gift.”

Hearing this, Wei Chi Li laughed out loud, her movements were natural as she caressed Liu Luo Yi’s head: “What hard work, your business is my business. The earlier we save Lord Liu, the earlier we return to the Northern Territory.”

Hearing that she has said ‘we’, the loneliness on Liu Luo Yi’s face has disappeared in an instant. She lowered her head and smile.

Liu Wen Chang was stunned as he looked at his sister’s expression, and suddenly felt that the world was abnormal.

Although his sister would smile at him, she does not have this kind of expression towards anyone. It looks like a young girl in love.

He shuddered but suddenly felt that if the partner were Wei Chi Li, anyone would show such a shy expression. If it was him, he might not be any better than his sister.

Extremely, natural and right.

After saying goodnight, Wei Chi Li turned around and went out. Liu Luo Yi’s smiled disappeared only after her figure was gone.

“Chang’er, what if sister likes someone, how?” She suddenly asked.

“Being like by a good person like Ah Jie, no matter who, will be happy.” Liu Wen Chang answered honestly then leaned over, “Is it possible that sister likes someone. Who is the young master?”

“It is not any young master. But, she does not seem to like me.” Liu Luo Yi sighed lightly.

“How come, Ah Jie is the best woman in the world. Oh, besides Wei Chi Princess.” Liu Wen Chang said seriously. 

“What’s the use?” Liu Luo Yi smiled bitterly.

“Why is it not useful. A girl like Ah Jie even standing in the cold, other people will like. If they do not like, just stepped forward to tease a little and they will like.” Liu Wen Chang suddenly smiled.

Liu Luo Yi blushed then turned to hit Liu Wen Chang: “You are so young, where did you learn this from?”

“Taught by Eldest princess. She told me to tell you this.” Liu Wen Chang said with grievance.

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