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墨書 Inktalez
In the darkness, a rustling sound emerged, as if someone had stood up and was approaching her. "Who is it? My old eyes aren't what they used to be; I can't see clearly..."
Another flash of lightning illuminated Nangong Shuang's face.
"Y-Young Miss?!" The old man exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "Is it really you, Miss Shuang?"
Nangong Shuang's heart surged with emotion, and she couldn't help but take a step forward. "It's me, Chen Bo. It's me, Nangong Shuang."
"Oh heavens!" Chen Bo stumbled forward, his hands trembling as he reached out to touch Nangong Shuang's face but hesitated to confirm. "Is it really you? You're alive? I thought... I thought you were..."
Nangong Shuang grasped the old man's rough hand, tears streaming down her face. "It's me, Chen Bo. I'm still alive, and you... you weren't on the Execution Ground..."
"That was a substitute; the jailer took the money," Chen Bo wiped away his tears, his voice choked with emotion. "Miss, you've grown up; I almost didn't recognize you."
"Chen Bo..." Nangong Shuang could no longer control her emotions and threw herself into the old man's embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. "I thought you were dead; I thought no one from the Nangong Family was left..."
"Miss..." Chen Bo gently patted her back, his voice filled with compassion. "You've suffered so much. What have you been through these past ten years?"
The two wept in each other's arms, the only sounds in the dilapidated temple being their sobs and the rain tapping on the roof.
After a long while, Nangong Shuang finally calmed down and wiped her tears. "Chen Bo, let's find a place to sit and talk. I have so many questions to ask you."
Chen Bo nodded and led Nangong Shuang to a relatively dry corner behind the statue of Buddha. There were some tattered cloths and straw mats piled up there, indicating that this was Chen Bo's temporary refuge.
"Chen Bo, these years..." Nangong Shuang looked at the old man's hunched back and gray hair, her heart aching for him.
"I'm lucky to be alive; I escaped a disaster," Chen Bo forced a smile. "On the night when the Nangong Mansion was attacked, I was rescued by a few guards but was discovered by pursuers. The guards sacrificed themselves to cover my escape; I managed to flee to the outskirts and was taken in by a farming family. Later, when I learned that the entire Nangong Family had been executed, I went into hiding under an assumed name in the countryside for many years until recently when I dared return to the capital to gather information."
He paused for a moment, guilt flashing in his eyes. "Miss, I thought you had also met with misfortune; I never expected you to still be alive. Had I known earlier, I would not have hidden for so long..."
"It's not your fault, Chen Bo," Nangong Shuang held the old man's hand tightly. "I was lucky; that night my father pushed me into a secret passageway, allowing me to escape. Unfortunately, my father, mother, and others..."
At this point, she choked up and couldn't find the words to continue.
Chen Bo sighed deeply. "Both Master and Madam were good people; how could they meet such an end..."
"Chen Bo," Nangong Shuang steadied her emotions and looked directly into the old man's eyes. "Why exactly was the Nangong Family exterminated? The court claims it was treason, but I've never believed that."
Chen Bo's expression grew serious as he glanced around and lowered his voice. "Miss, the charges announced by the court are purely fabricated. The Nangong Family has been loyal for generations; how could we conspire against the state? The real reason lies in your father's possession of the Heavenly Fragrance Life-Extending Technique."
"The Heavenly Fragrance Life-Extending Technique?" Nangong Shuang felt a jolt of shock. "My father often mentioned this medical book as a family treasure that could cure the Cold Poison within me. But how is that related to treason?"
Chen Bo took a deep breath. "Do you know that the Cold Poison within you is actually a unique trait of the Royal Bloodline?"
"What?!" Nangong Shuang exclaimed in astonishment. "Royal Bloodline? How is that possible? Although my Nangong Family has served as physicians for generations, we have no blood relation to the royal family!"
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