Tiao Hong only thought that Song Chaoyu was concerned about her health and smiled at Song Chaoyu, "This servant is fine. It's just that sometimes, I still feel that my body is not very comfortable. I haven't eaten as well as before these past two days, but this servant will be careful. I will not let my body collapse, and I will live well in this world, please rest assured, Princess."
The more she was like this, the more Song Chaoyu felt distressed.
Fortunately, it was only half a month, and there was still hope.
Song Chaoyu did not say much to Tiao Hong. Qiu Qing soon brought Wu He in from outside.
—
This was the first time Song Chaoyu saw Wu He. Although Wu He had been beaten beyond recognition by Princess Ti Le's people, Song Chaoyu could still vaguely tell that he was a man of character.
Wu He was tall, and judging by his appearance, he was a standard Southern Kingdom man.
At this moment, his body was covered in bruises, and he was bound tightly. The man was extremely disheveled.
But his eyes were still firm, and even though he was brought in bound, he did not submit.
Until he saw Tiao Hong standing behind Song Chaoyu—
In an instant, guilt and unease flashed in his eyes.
Then, he finally lowered his head, no longer struggling.
His look and actions made Song Chaoyu feel that this person was responsible.
So Song Chaoyu asked, "You are Wu He? You should know why we brought you here, right?"
"Yes, I am Wu He."
His Da Yue speech was not very good, with a strong Southern Kingdom accent.
However, it was enough for people to understand: "I have wronged Miss Tiao Hong. Whether you want to kill me or flay me, I will accept it! Even if you don't capture me, as long as I am alive, I will find a way to atone."
His frankness brought peace to people's hearts.
Song Chaoyu looked back at Tiao Hong and found that her eyes were also complex.
However, unlike her treatment of Eunuch Xiang, Tiao Hong did not seem to intend to be too harsh on Wu He.
She even asked Wu He, "Have you gone back to see your family?"
"Heh—"
Wu He seemed to already know the situation at home: "Family? Where do I have any family? They are all dead, killed by Princess Ti Le's people!"
Upon hearing this, Tiao Hong's eyes also sharpened: "Since you know, why were you captured by Ti Le's people?"
Wu He looked up and stared at Tiao Hong frankly: "Because I wronged you, and I wronged my wife. I want to atone, to atone for all of you."
Did he come back just to accept punishment?
If it weren't for the fact that he had harmed Tiao Hong, Song Chaoyu would almost admire this man who refused to yield.
Wu He stared at Tiao Hong, becoming increasingly calm: "Now my wife is dead, dead because of me, and I have wronged them. You can also kill me for revenge. Let me go to the Yellow Springs road, explain to my wife, and then be punished. I have harmed all of you, even if I go to hell, I will have no regrets. You, proceed!"
Wu He was a man who dared to act and dared to take responsibility.
Song Chaoyu looked back, and Tiao Hong's eyes were even more complex.
If it were someone else, she would probably kill the person in front of her without hesitation, right?
But how could anyone bring themselves to harm Wu He like this?
After a long silence, Tiao Hong seemed unable to convince herself.
She suddenly took a deep breath and instead asked Wu He, "Are you very close to Princess Ti Le?"
"Of course!"
Even though he was bound all over, Wu He clenched his fists behind his back: "She killed my family, harmed me, and made me harm you! Such a person will surely go to hell after death! I hate her, I will hate her for the rest of my life!"
"Heh—"
Tiao Hong let out a cold laugh: "If such a person only goes to hell after death, then what is the point of this world? Wouldn't it be more fitting for her to enter hell while alive, and let her atone to everyone she has harmed?"
Such words finally made Wu He look up.
He stared at Tiao Hong in disbelief: "You... you don't want to kill me?"
"I do."
The flames of anger burned in Tiao Hong's eyes: "Of course, I want to kill you! What you did almost changed my life! But I know that you didn't do it intentionally. Perhaps, compared to killing you, I am more grateful to you. I also hope that you can use your own strength to find the person who truly harmed us. Killing her would be revenge for me, wouldn't it?"
In fact, even Song Chaoyu did not expect Tiao Hong to say this.
This time, she also looked at Tiao Hong seriously.
She realized that she was not the only one who had grown over the years.
Tiao Hong was also like this. In her previous life, Song Chaoyu couldn't even protect Tiao Hong.
But in this life, Tiao Hong's growth also made Song Chaoyu look at her with new eyes!
This made Song Chaoyu very pleased, and it made her realize that she could not underestimate Tiao Hong or Qiu Qing by her side in the future!
Wu He also looked up in surprise, looking at Tiao Hong seriously: "Miss Tiao Hong... you really won't kill me?"
"Yes, I won't kill you now."
Tiao Hong stared at Wu He, forcing herself to accept this unavoidable fact: "But the condition is that you must help me. Help all of us to deal with Ti Le. I want her to receive the punishment she deserves!"
Ti Le is the princess of the Southern Kingdom, and now also the Princess Consort of Wen. How easy is it to accomplish this?
At this moment, everyone in the room agreed with Tiao Hong's idea.
To make Ti Le pay the price, otherwise, Tiao Hong and the others would have suffered so much in vain.
Wu He closed his eyes, seemingly having made his decision: "Okay! I promise you, Miss Tiao Hong. Even if it's to atone, I will definitely do so. I will make her pay the price, and then I will come before you to accept death. Don't worry, I, Wu He, keep my word. Anytime, if you want my life, I can give it to you!"
After speaking, he lowered his head, gave a bitter smile, and then murmured softly: "In this world, there is nothing left that I need to care about."
Such Wu He, such Tiao Hong, both made Song Chaoyu look at them with new eyes!
So that day, Tiao Hong still chose to let Wu He go.
And Wu He would follow Mu Changxi and Song Chaoyu as a "dark guard."
At least... after spending some time together, Song Chaoyu found him to be a good dark guard.
His skills were sharp, and he was obedient to Mu Changxi. Even Xiao Ruizi praised him repeatedly.
But his identity was kept secret from outsiders, and dark guards did not need to operate in the sunlight.
Therefore, no one in the vast capital, including Prince Wen, knew about Wu He's existence.
Princess Ti Le, on the other hand, thought that Wu He had long since died in some ditch.