Chapter 244.1 - The Assassin Five Years Ago
244.1 – The Assassin Five Years Ago
Qin Shiyu’s gaze can’t penetrate the curtain, so she can’t see the other party’s face. But she knows that the person sitting there, who seems to be writing something fast, is her father — the incumbent Emperor, Qin Yu.
The girl felt an indelible sense of estrangement.
Even though I’m his daughter, he isn’t willing to meet me directly? Qin Shiyu felt that the thin curtain separating the two is like a chasm that completely severs their relationship. She feels pity and helplessness regarding this.
Although her relationship with her father is divorced from the word “deep”, but they are still father and daughter, and she still hopes for her father to get a little closer to her.
However, she is about to forget her father’s face.
Since the attempt on his life five years ago, after he got that uneraseable mark on his face, he has put on a mask and no longer shows his face to others.
That scar can actually be treated.
Yet the man deliberately let’s it stay. According to him, that scar serves as a brand that constantly reminds him to be vigilant.
As long as the scar does not disappear, the events from five years ago won’t come to an end. The man will never let go of the past — he placed fetters on himself.
He doesn’t want to let go — perhaps is should be said that he pretends that he doesn’t want to forget the hatred.
Qin Shiyu knows that the scar is real, but the meaning behind it is false. Underneath it, there actually hides a secret darkness.
“This child greets royal father.”
Although she doubts that her father can clearly see her actions, but Qin Shiyu still maintained a sufficient level of courtesy and gracefully bowed in the direction of the curtain.
The man behind the curtain stopped writing and looked up at Qin Shiyu. A deep gold glow faintly flickers in his eyes.
“So it’s Little Nine.”
The man’s voice sounded hoarse like the rubbing of bones, prompting Qin Shiyu to strangely associate it with the “over old trees wreathed with rotten vines fly evening crows” scene. As a result, she felt melancholy and distaste.
“You never liked the imperial palace. What wind blew you hither?”
Qin Shiyu pursed her lips and complained cutely, “Can’t this child visit royal father without a reason?”
The man issued two hearty laughs and asked back in jest, “Little Nine, this royal father doesn’t believe you. You avoided palace banquets for various reasons repeatedly. You were ill at one time, had an appointment with someone at another time, were in a bad mood at yet another time. Every time, you failed to attend. Even when this royal father summoned you separately, wanting to see you, you wouldn’t come. Do you still remember this royal father? Do you think this royal father would believe you?”
“How embarrassing! Sure enough, nothing escapes royal father!”
Qin Shiyu puckered her lips and issued discontentedly. Then, she pretended to be sad and countered maliciously, “But, royal father… every time this child comes to see you, you are either wearing a mask or hiding behind a curtain. This child feels that this kind of “meeting” is meaningless. Royal father, you don’t want this child to see your appearance?”
In fact, she still has some expectations, expectations to see her father’s appearance again. But, she is also familiar with her father’s temperament and knows that he won’t agree.
“That’s weird, you know that people cannot see this royal father’s face.”
As she expected, Qin Yu refused meaningfully.
“Does royal father feel ashamed to let people see?”
Qin Shiyu followed up, trying to provoke the other party.
Unfortunately, it was in vain.
Qin Yu is not a three-year-old child. How could he be so easily provoked? Not to mention that he possesses great fortitude and is unfathomably shrewd.
“Ha-ha, whatever you say is fine. You’re someone who wouldn’t come to vising another person if you don’t have anything to ask! Now tell me, why did you come to visit this royal father today?”
The man casually brought the topic to an end and tried to get to the point. Seeing her father’s obstinate attitude, Qin Shiyu smacked her lips and didn’t answer, peeved.
“If there’s nothing, then don’t hinder this royal father’s resting.”
Although he’s tone of voice is still tinged with humor, but Qin Shiyu knows that he isn’t joking. If she continues to evade the main subject and hinders his handling of official affairs, he will drive her away without a care for their father-daughter relationship.
There is no denying that he is an industrious ruler. In a way, he is a wise ruler. Under his administration, the Hua Dynasty is indeed a scene of prosperity.
The state comes first.
He is enthralled with state affairs and concerned about the land, virtually devoting his life to work for the Hua Dynasty.
But, he is by no means a good father.
Qin Yu not only scorns familial ties, but also allows his sons to fight for power and profit. He didn’t even stop things when a certain prince landed himself in danger because of the power struggle.
He, who is sitting in the supreme position, is ruthless and cruel. He will achieve his goals by hook or by crook.
Perhaps there is no “warmth” in his heart. If there was, he wouldn’t have killed Gong Tianyang.
The reason why I came forward to help Xue Qilin out might be because I want to attract his attention… Qin Shiyu, whose thoughts are full of twists and turns, sighed helplessly.
She once massacred 20,000 enemy troops. But, her cruelty is only aimed at enemies. She has always been lenient with her own people. At most, she maintains decorum to erect her prestige.
“Royal father is still so indifferent…”
Then, the girl bowed reverently and spoke in a neither happy nor sad tone, “The child came to apologize.”
“Oh — to apologize?” Qin Yu is full of interest, “I wonder why my Little Nine wants to apologize?”
“Royal father, you asked a question to which the answer you already know.”
Qin Shiyu rebuked, dissatisfied.
There is no way that Qin Yu doesn’t know that she helped Xue Qilin out and told Gong Jing the truth. After all, his Nightwalk is the most secret espionage agency in the world. It is not too much to say that it is “all pervasive”.
Whether it’s the Gong Clan, the Ninth Princess’s manor, or the Merak Temple, Nightwalk has definitely infiltrated them all and arranged spies.
In other words, Qin Yu at least knows that Qin Shiyu went to the Gong Clan at that time.
With this alone, he should be able to infer that Qin Shiyu deliberately intervened. Not to mention that Qin Shiyu, who earlier disliked holding banquets, specially held a banquet in order to facilitate Xue Qilin’s actions. With “this princess is looking for a partner and thus wants to see your sons” as pretext, she invited several people in charge of the Public Security Bureau to drink and chat merrily.
“Ha-ha, my Little Nine is still as unreasonable as ever!”
Qin Yu changed his tone to that of comfort, and then continued to say, “This royal father indeed knows that you helped Xue Qilin out. But you don’t have to apologize for it. After all, it’s not a bad thing. Xue Qilin was framed as a villain and the Gong Clan’s son died a tragic death.”
After a pause, Qin Yu sighed.
“When this royal father got the news, I was heartbroken for a while, whishing to be able to rush out of the palace at once and comfort Gong Jing… However, this royal father doesn’t have the courage to leave the imperial palace.”